John Baird : Having returned from Iraq with my colleagues from opposition parties last month, I told a House of Commons committee:

“I ask that as we consider whether or how we act, we also consider what happens if we don’t act. It might seem convenient to brush options off as leading to mission creep in the future. But the hard reality is that inaction is not an option.”

For most Canadians, the devastation in Iraq is something only witnessed on nightly newscasts, or in media. Very few will ever feel the pounding heat of Baghdad in the summer or smell the stench of sprawling IDP (internally displaced persons) camps that host tens of thousands of people.

Accordingly, some Canadians believe Canada has no stake in Iraq. Some think we should simply sit on the sidelines, provide only humanitarian assistance, and put our heads in the sand as another conflict rages in the Middle East.

But this is not just another conflict. This struggle is not against a state, or even a foreign dictator. This is a struggle against a group of terrorists that rape, pillage and slaughter anything and anyone that stands in its way. This group has spread like a cancer over our Iraqi friends, and it has no intention of stopping there. Islamic State (IS) talks openly about attacking the West and expanding its so-called caliphate far beyond the Middle East, from Spain to India.

Throughout our history, Canada has done its part defending the ideals and values that have made our country the envy of the world. Canada heeds the call. Canada protects the vulnerable. Canada challenges the aggressor.

Religious minorities are being forced from their homes, or worse, murdered in cold blood. Hundreds of thousands of women and children are fleeing from their homes, or worse, being raped, enslaved or killed. This compels us to act.

Large swaths of land are controlled by this organization. Hundreds of millions of dollars are being funnelled into their accounts, and thousands of westerners are traveling to Iraq and Syria to take up their barbaric cause. This compels us to act.

If ISIL is left unchecked, there is no doubt that our interests and allies in the region, and even our own homeland will be attacked. The threats to Canada are real, and they are documented. This compels us to act.

This death cult will not negotiate for territory. They will not hear humanitarian appeals because they have no humanity. They will only be deterred by force. We cannot in good conscience leave this burden entirely to others.

And while a military component is essential in stopping this chaos from spiralling further out of control, it is not the only component. Canada’s response so far has demonstrated this multi-pronged approach.

Humanitarian assistance is essential. That’s why Canada is leading the way in providing basic necessities to those most in need. Security assistance to Iraqi forces and the Kurdish Peshmerga is also crucial. That’s why Canada has lifted more than 1.5 million pounds of equipment to Northern Iraq with Canadian assets.

Stopping the flow of financing to this obscenely well-funded terrorist group is critical. That’s why Canada is joining a Bahraini-led working group to empty IS’ pockets.

Halting the flow of foreign fighters into Iraq and Syria is also imperative. That’s why we passed the Combating Terrorism Act to make this a criminal offence.

Diplomatic support, to help Iraq towards a religiously and ethnically inclusive government is key to helping Iraqi forces secure their borders, and protect their people. Canada has provided this support.

Support for U.S. President Barack Obama’s coalition must be robust, and global. Gulf leaders in the Middle East must be around the table, and pulling their weight. I personally met with these leaders in last week to convey this message. The global response is stronger for their presence

The multi-pronged approach outlined above has been endorsed by leaders from a variety of countries and ideologies. In the U.K., social democrats stood beside Conservatives endorsing military action. In Germany, socialist leaders did the same. This isn’t a political issue. It’s a moral one.

Canada cannot stand on the sidelines when we see these atrocities. We must do our part to leave IS less powerful, not more. It will be an uphill battle - one that tackles the security challenges in the region, the growing humanitarian need, and the need for a strong united government that speaks for all its citizens and promotes pluralism and prosperity.

Canadians should be under no illusion that the threat of ISIL will be short-lived. The global effort to subdue the threat must be sustained and unwavering. However, this does not mean that Canada’s contribution is indefinite. It is not. Canada will constantly re-evaluate our role, and we will tailor our participation to the situation on the ground, the needs of our allies, and the success of our mission.

This is not a test for our government, or one of our allies. This is a test for our generation. Like the fight against tyranny in Passchendaele and the beaches of Normandy, or Communism in Eastern Europe, the struggle against terrorism will define a generation. So we must ask ourselves again: What happens if we don’t act?

This Prime Minister rightly believes that is not an option.