Good evening, readers.

We start with news that Liberal MPs are offering varying perspectives on Prime Minister Mark Carney’s decision to voice his support for U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran that threaten to spill into a wider regional war.

One Liberal MP told iPolitics the prime minister is in a “very difficult place” where he needs to manage his relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump with support for the rules-based global order.

The MP, who asked not to be identified to share their concerns freely, said it’s clear the U.S. and Israel are “not following the UN Charter rules or international law,” but Carney is likely “very nervous about saying something that would get the ire of President Trump.”

This is especially important as the review of the North American free trade deal is set for later this year.

But as Iran retaliates by targeting U.S. bases, the MP said Carney’s new challenge becomes ensuring that Canada isn’t drawn into this conflict, especially if Trump makes a direct appeal for Canadian involvement.

Article 5 of the NATO Treaty treats an armed attack against one member as an attack against all. It has only been invoked one time in its history — by the United States after the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

The MP said Canada would be faced with a challenging decision if Trump invokes Article Five now.

“Iran doesn’t have the missile capacity and capability to reach U.S. soil, but there’s a very real possibility that the U.S. could say if their bases are being attacked, or their military personnel are being attacked, they invoke Article Five,” they said.

“That will be really difficult for us because then we could potentially be drawn into a conflict we don’t want to be part of. ”

The MP added that the Liberal caucus has “mixed feelings” on Carney’s response to the U.S. attacks, with some worried about the precedent it sets for future intervention.

Carney spoke to reporters on Tuesday for the first time since he released a statement on Saturday signalling support for the attacks.

In his opening remarks, Carney attempted to square his Davos speech with his support for the attacks, saying the international order failed to stop Iran’s nuclear ambitions but noting the U.S and Israel acted without the UN or consulting their allies.

He condemned Iran’s strikes on “civilians and civilian infrastructure across the Middle East” and said Canada was urging “all parties, including the United States and Israel, to respect the rules of international engagement.”

“Canada calls for a rapid de-escalation of hostilities and is prepared to assist in achieving this goal,” he said.

Marco Vigliotti has more.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister David McGuinty says Canadian military personnel in the Middle East are out of harm’s way as the U.S. and Israel continue to launch missile strikes on Iran.

McGuinty did not offer specifics Tuesday when asked how many Canadian military personnel are in the region, saying only there are “some.”

“They are all fine, out of harm’s way and it’s something that we’re watching very carefully,” McGuinty told reporters in Sydney, Australia, where he is on an official visit with Prime Minister Mark Carney.

McGuinty said the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is a positive development.

“Ayatollah Khamenei has been for many, many decades a very, very powerful force for evil in Iran and in the region,” he said.

The Canadian Press explains.

We move to an update on the government’s signature affordability bill, C-4.

Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon says the Liberals haven’t decided on whether to accept a Senate amendment that would put a three-year expiry date on controversial privacy protections for political parties.

But he told iPolitics on Tuesday that changes to elections law unanimously supported by the House of Commons shouldn’t be undone by the Senate.

His comments come after the Upper Chamber last week passed the government’s signature affordability legislation but attached a three-year “sunset clause” to controversial provisions shielding federal political parties from provincial privacy regimes.

The amendment to Bill C-4 would automatically repeal the exemption three years after it becomes law unless Parliament enacts a stronger national privacy framework for parties.

Speaking after an unrelated announcement in Toronto, MacKinnon said the amendment was still under consideration but suggested the Senate should be deferentially to the House when it comes to elections laws.

“We’re still analyzing the Senate’s amendment, and we’ll have an answer on that soon,” he told iPolitics.

Barbara Patrocinio has more.

In Other Headlines

Internationally

The United States evacuated diplomats as attacks intensified across the Middle East, with drones striking the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia, while President Trump signaled the conflict with Iran could turn into an extended war.

Israel said it sent ground forces across the border into southern Lebanon and bombed Beirut suburbs as fighting with the Iran-backed group Hezbollah resumed after more than a year.

The U.S. and Israel kept up their attacks in Iran, where the death toll rose to 787 on Tuesday, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society. Explosions were heard in Iran’s capital of Tehran and other parts of the country.

Trump said Monday that the war could last four to five weeks, but could go longer than that.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox it would not lead to an “endless war.”

The war has so far killed six U.S. service members, according to the Pentagon, which warns that more casualties are expected.

Ten people in Israel have died since Iran began retaliating with missile attacks there.

Find out other key updates from NPR. 

Meanwhile, a court in Russia on Tuesday designated a prominent LGBTQ+ rights group as an extremist organization, the latest blow to the country’s beleaguered community that has faced an intensified crackdown in recent years under President Vladimir Putin.

In a hearing that took place behind closed doors, the St. Petersburg City Court banned the Coming Out group as “extremist.” The authorities did not reveal any details of the lawsuit filed last month by Russia’s Justice Ministry and classified as secret.

The group, which now operates from abroad, said it will continue to help LGBTQ+ people in Russia and beyond, and fight for their rights despite the ruling.

“We have been preparing for this development for a long time. We enhanced security, developed sustainable work formats and continue to act responsibly, first and foremost for those who count on us,” Coming Out said in an online statement.

“Today it is especially important not to give into fear and not to be alone. Our community is stronger than any labels, and history has proven that.”

Read the rest on AP.

In Other International Headlines

The Kicker

It’s only Tuesday, but if you’re looking for something less procedural on the weekends, maple syrup season is officially underway across Canada.

This also signifies that surely, warmer weathers are ahead…