TORONTO — The Liberal Foreign Affairs critic is calling for Canada's re-engagement in Sri Lanka amid growing concern for some 300,000 civilians trapped in the war zone.
Bob Rae told CTV's Canada AM on Thursday that the government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper had been slow to get involved.
``We've had a long history of engagement in Sri Lanka but more recently, under the Harper government, much less so,'' he said.
Rae urged Ottawa to ``re-engage'' in Sri Lanka by talking with like-minded countries, trying to get the government and the Tamil Tigers back to the negotiating table and trying to secure a truce.
On Wednesday, Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon called for an immediate ceasefire to provide urgent humanitarian aid for civilians caught in the fighting.
The government has also pledged $3 million in emergency aid.
But the Sri Lankan government, which believes it is on the verge of a military victory in the 25-year-old war, has already rejected calls for a ceasefire and, instead, demanded unconditional surrender by the rebels.
It also announced the capture of the insurgents' biggest sea base Thursday — cutting off their main supply point in the latest in a string of military victories.
But Rae warned that there's no military solution to the problem.
``It's very clear right now that if the military effort continues in the way in which it's been set out there will be enormous civilian casualties and tremendous loss of life,'' he said.