The Trudeau government is delaying an announcement on exactly where Canadian soldiers will be deployed on “peace operations” overseas. It says it wants to take all the time needed to “get this right.”

Nothing wrong with that. But one thing the government should not delay is making clear that Parliament will get a chance to debate what could be a risky and controversial mission.

An announcement was expected by Christmas, but Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan now says it will take a few weeks longer because it will be a “whole-of-government effort,” involving not just defence but foreign affairs and development as well. The government also has to coordinate with “international partners.”

Up to 600 soldiers and about 150 police officers are expected to be involved, and as the Star has reported they will likely be dispatched to the West African nation of Mali. They would work with French forces and a United Nations mission to fend off Islamist insurgents in the north and stabilize the country. It could be deadly; rebels have already targeted UN peacekeepers.

All the more reason for Parliament to have a say. The government hasn’t ruled that out, exactly, but it has hedged on the issue. It says cabinet has the authority to order a deployment and there’s no requirement to seek the approval of Parliament.

That’s true, but it’s not the wisest course. For one thing, the Harper government set a precedent of sorts when it authorized military action. It had a solid majority in the House of Commons (as the Liberals do now) so the outcome was never in doubt. But it allowed the people’s representatives a chance to make their views known on a solemn issue that involves sending our troops into harm’s way.

There’s a way to do this without even requiring a vote. The Commons has held so-called “take note” debates since the 1990s, allowing MPs to tell the government what they think without actually voting on the question at hand.

Such debates have been used to discuss military matters such as the deployment to Afghanistan and the Iraq war. It would be a good way to consult with Parliament and avoid making the Africa mission a needlessly partisan issue.

The Conservatives have been pressing the government on this, demanding that it commit to a debate in Parliament. There’s an easy course for the government here, both in terms of precedent and principle. Just say yes.

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