NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)

Iraq was the first subject of Question Period, with Official Opposition and NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair pressing Mr. Harper on how many Canadian soldiers were in Iraq, and why the House of Commons had no say in the deployment of troops.

Mr. Harper couldn’t give a precise answer on how many Canadian Forces members are in Iraq – saying it was a “few dozen” Army officials in an “advise and assist” capacity, as well as Air Force crews helping deliver weapons and supplies from other countries to Kurdish fighters.

Mr. Mulcair then cited a 2007 Throne Speech, in which Mr. Harper pledged “any future military deployments must also be supported by a majority of parliamentarians,” whereas the Iraq deployment garnered a committee hearing. “Now he’s sending Canadian troops to join the war in Iraq without a vote in this House, without even a debate in this House,” Mr. Mulcair said.

The PM shrugged it off. “Wherever there has been deployment of a combat nature, the government has put this to Parliament for a further confidence vote. Mr. Speaker, that is not the case with the present mission to Iraq,” Mr. Harper said. The answer didn’t satisfy the NDP leader. “He’s inventing now a distinction that did not exist at the time,” Mr. Mulcair said.

Defence Minister Rob Nicholson later said his “understanding is that Parliament in fact will be discussing this [Iraq deployment], and I invite everyone to participate.”