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“The committee was told that, in an effort to limit risks to UN personnel, the UN would likely have to scale down operations during the capability gap between the Canadians’ departure from, and the Romanians’ arrival in, Mali,” it continues. “It was explained that, without an aeromedical capability, UN ground troops would have to significantly reduce the range of their patrols, as well as the services they provide in the communities.”

Photo by Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press

The UN formally requested at the end of February, after months of quiet lobbying, that Canada extend its mission in Mali until mid-October to prevent a gap. But Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland indicated two weeks ago that would not happen.

The government has offered little explanation for its decision, but the committee report suggests military officials are worried about the helicopters’ mechanical condition and want them ready for crises back home.

Conservative defence critic James Bezan said in an interview that Canadian Forces members underscored the challenges that would come with an extension and the impact it would have on the troops and the helicopters.

Liberal and Conservative committee members ended up recommending the government stick with its original timetable and instead work with the Romanians to speed up their arrival.

But NDP defence critic Randall Garrison, who has been pushing for an extension, said the military was clear that it would be able to manage if the government did decide to keep its members in Mali past July — and not staying would put people’s lives at risk.

“If we were talking about an extension of another year or two years, I think those may be valid concerns,” he said. “But nothing we heard in the field confirmed those kinds of concerns would be an obstacle to the short extension that the UN is asking for.”

Both Bezan and Garrison said the fact the Liberals are willing to leave despite the United Nations’ very real concerns raises questions about the government’s self-professed commitment to peacekeeping and the UN.

“They never bought into their own rhetoric,” Bezan said.

— With files from Mike Blanchfield