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Employment Minister Jason Kenney invoked the “responsibility to protect” doctrine to fight “genocide” against religious minorities in a sparsely attended yet spirited late-night debate Tuesday over Canada’s response to the Islamic State threat.

The debate came after weeks of growing tension worldwide about the Islamic State in Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS).

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It had been requested by the federal Liberals after the Conservative government announced it was dispatching special forces as military advisers in Iraq.

As of midnight, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau was absent from the debate, as were Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird and Defence Minister Rob Nicholson.

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NDP Leader Tom Mulcair and Green Leader Elizabeth May were the only party leaders among the several dozen MPs who attended.

In an extensive speech about the violence minorities face, Kenney took aim at “moral relativism” and cynicism, saying that supporting an existing military presence was the only effective response to the urgent situation.