Canada's mission in Libya will likely carry on beyond the scheduled end date at the end of September, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird signalled this week.
Baird is flying to Paris on Thursday along with Prime Minister Stephen Harper to discuss the future of Libya now that rebel forces have established control over most of the country.
According to reports of comments Baird made on Tuesday, it's looking increasingly likely that Canada's military presence will continue in the region past the Sept. 27 deadline, because they are still needed.
Canada has 650 military personnel, CF-18 fighter yets, aerial tankers, a warship and surveillance planes in the region, all based out of Cyprus.
Their mandate as part of the NATO-led operation has been to protect civilians from the regime of former dictator Moammar Gadhafi.
Baird suggested that danger is still present, and Canada will remain in the region until it no longer needed.
Baird and Harper will be meeting with other high-level representatives from NATO countries, as leaders try to map out a path to peace and stability for Libya.
Canada goes into the meetings with no promise of funding for Libya, however. Baird said this week that Libya -- which has the world's ninth-largest oil reserves -- has all the money it needs.
Instead, the country needs help making the transition to democracy after 43 brutal years under Gadhafi, he said.
As much as $110 billion in Libyan assets has been seized since Gadhafi was ousted. That money, the U.S. State Department said, could fund the new National Transitional Council and help the country get back on its feet.
Libya's rebel leaders should work to unfreeze those assets and restart the country's lucrative oil industry to once again begin making money, the State Department said.
Harper's chief spokesperson Dimiti Soudas said Canada can help in Libya in a number of ways, but before that happens the international communoty needs to co-ordinate efforts.
"Before you just start putting things into force and implementing them, you actually have to make sure everyone is going the same direction," he said.
Soudas added that although the rebel forces seem to be in control of the majority of the country, there is still much to be done and this week's meetings aren't designed to allow world leaders to congratulate each other on a job well done.
"The definition of victory is always something that people try to establish," he said. "Victory to a large extent is democracy in Libya."
The Paris meeting comes as Libyan rebels planned to launch an attack on Gadhafi's hometown of Sirte in coming days.
The city, located 400 kilometres east of Tripoli, is considered his last remaining major bastion of support, and could be where Gadhafi is hiding.
Ali Tarhouni, a minister in the National Transitional Council, said Tuesday "we have a good idea where (Gadhafi) is. We don't have any doubt that we will catch him."
Canada's military contribution to Libya is predicted to cost $60 million.
Canadian jets have dropped 550 bombs on the country and have flown over 1,000 missions, according to a news briefing.
With files from The Canadian Press
