OTTAWA—Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said Canada would stand by its allies in any strike against Syria, but might not have the military capacity to actually join in the fight.

“It’s clear that Canada does not have a lot of weaponry in the region and certainly not military force involving cruise missiles and the like, so we will wait to see what (United States) President Obama decides,” Baird told reporters Wednesday after meeting George Sabra, president of the Syrian National Council in Montreal.

Given so much is up in the air, Baird said it was too early to discuss recalling Parliament to debate the issue, something both New Democrat Leader Thomas Mulcair and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau want the Conservative government to do if they are considering military intervention.

“We haven’t made the decision to be part, or don’t know whether we have the capacity to be part, of any military engagement, which by all accounts will be limited and focused,” said Baird, who said he has spoken with Mulcair, Trudeau, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May and Jean-François Fortin, the foreign affairs critic for the Bloc Québécois, at the request of Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Baird said Canada would nonetheless encourage its allies if they decide to go ahead with military strikes against Syria.

“We share the same views in terms of sending a clear message to (Syrian) President Assad that this type of action is unacceptable and that we don’t want to see any further use of chemical weapons,” said Baird.

“I think that our policies are the same and we are talking with the United Nations, our allies and in other forums, and when the decision is made we’ll be ready.”

Baird also suggested there is no point in basing any decision to intervene on a resolution from the UN Security Council, given Russia, which has supported the Assad regime, has a veto.

“I know that the United States, the French Republic and the United Kingdom are looking at action from the UN Security Council but that is probably impossible because of Russia,” Baird said.

“It’s not only their veto on the council. It’s also their support for that regime for more than two years and all the assistance they’ve been providing to Assad so he can remain in power,” Baird said.

Baird also highlighted the humanitarian assistance Canada has provided to deal with the Syrian crisis and shared more details of just under half the $90 million Harper committed to earlier this summer.

That includes $22 million to partners delivering humanitarian assistance in Syria, including emergency food and nutritional supplement as well as shelter for internally displaced people.

It also includes another $20.8 million to agencies giving humanitarian aid in the region, such as food, emergency health care and other relief to refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq.

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