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Canada asked to double aid for Syrian crisis at upcoming donor conference

Canada is being asked to double the amount of financial assistance it will provide to help ease the humanitarian crisis brought on by the Syrian civil war.

OTTAWA — Canada is being asked to double the amount of financial assistance it will provide to help ease the humanitarian crisis brought on by the Syrian civil war.

The request from the British, German and Norwegian governments comes ahead of a major donors conference taking place in London this week.

But it also comes as the Liberal government considers what role Canada will play in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

Humanitarian and development support are to play a major part in this new strategy, but what shape that will take remains unknown.

International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau was in Jordan and Lebanon this week ahead of the London meeting to see Canada's existing aid contributions first-hand.

Since 2012, Canada has committed $653.5 million in humanitarian assistance and over $233 million to longer-term development projects in response to the Syria crisis.