Liberal Leader Stephane Dion is continuing his push to have Prime Minister Stephen Harper commit to a timeline for when Canadian troops will be pulled out of a combat role in Afghanistan.
In an interview that aired on CTV's Question Period Sunday, Dion said his party has held a consistent policy that the combat mission should end in February 2009.
"What we are asking for... is for Mr. Harper, as prime minister of Canada, to notify to NATO, to the government of the United States, to the government of Afghanistan that they need to plan for a replacement because in February of 2009 Canadians will stop their own combat mission," said Dion.
Dion said he does not want Harper to wait until the throne speech, expected in the fall.
"When you are a good member of a coalition you explain what you intend to do, you are clear, you don't wait," he said. "This prime minister is waiting, waiting, waiting and this is wrong."
Dion said he would be ready to discuss roles for Canadian soldiers in development, training, and humanitarian initiatives.
He said he was not interested in bringing down the government if the Tories don't commit to pulling the troops out of a combat role in the throne speech.
"I'm really reluctant to start this discussion in saying 'I want this government to be down,'" said Dion. "That's not what I want, I want the government to do the right thing."
The Afghan mission has been under intense scrutiny this week -- especially in Quebec where support is typically low -- as the number of Canadian casualties in the military continued to increase.
On Thursday, Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe threatened to take down the Tories if Harper doesn't make a firm commitment.
Harper has already implied he will not extend the mission beyond 2009 unless he has a consensus from the other parties.
But Duceppe said Thursday he wants an emergency debate on Canada's role in the Afghanistan once parliament resumes on Sept. 17.
Canada currently has more than 2,300 soldiers in Afghanistan with more than 1,100 from Quebec's Royal 22nd regiment.
