Federal Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor is pledging that Ottawa will follow through on its mission in Afghanistan. But a new CTV News poll suggests most Canadians are uneasy about the military's involvement in the volatile region.

In the exclusive poll for CTV News and The Globe and Mail, The Strategic Counsel asked Canadians if they would vote in favour or against sending troops to Afghanistan. Just 27 per cent were in favour and 62 per cent were against.

Furthermore, 73 per cent of respondents said the decision to send troops to Afghanistan should require parliamentary approval, while 20 per cent said it should not.

"In a democracy I think the people have to get behind the government," retired Colonel Michel Drapeau told Canada AM Friday.

"The nation has to be convinced to the point that they will be persuading their sons and daughters to join the military."

In Afghanistan, CTV's Lisa LaFlamme told Canada AM that the troops were disappointed when they heard about the poll.

"The troops here are suggesting that Canadians should become more informed on the situation," LaFlamme said from Kandahar.

CTV News has also learned that the debate on Afghanistan is being waged within the Prime Minister's Office over whether or not Stephen Harper should travel to Kandahar next Wednesday, when a Canadian general will take command of NATO troops.

Drapeau said that a visit from Harper would be a great boost for all troops.

"It would do wonders for the morale of the Canadian military both home and abroad," Drapeau said of the visit.

On Thursday, O'Connor reconfirmed Canada's position in Afghanistan.

"We will stay the course because our mission in Afghanistan is important," O'Connor said Thursday.

"It's important for the future of Afghanistan, it's important for the stability of the region and it's important for international security."

O'Connor said stability in the region is important to the international community, but is especially in Canada's interest.

"On September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked North America and Canadians were killed. Let me be clear: when terrorists attack Canadians, Canada will defend itself. That's why we're in Afghanistan," he said.

By early March, approximately 2,200 Canadian troops will have been deployed to Kandahar, as Canada will assume the lead of the multinational forces over the next nine months.

The Conservative government's pledge to see the Afghanistan mission through came amid calls for a parliamentary debate on Canada's presence in the war-torn nation.

"There has been no full debate in the House of Commons on the issue of our troops in Afghanistan and I think that does need to happen," said the New Democrat defence and peace advocacy critic Dawn Black.

"The New Democrats have called for that under the previous government, and will call for that again under this government," Black said, appearing on CTV Newsnet's Mike Duffy Live.

Liberal defence critic Ujjal Dosanjh echoed the sentiment, saying the government needs to "make sure that the people of Canada believe there ought to be a debate.

He added: "There's no reason why we can't have a debate while our troops are actually doing the work that needs to be done in Afghanistan."

While Afghanistan's ambassador to Canada is grateful for foreign assistance, he cautioned that terrorists will seek to exploit partisan conflicts.

"Their goal is to use time and a battle of nerves to tire us, to intimidate us, to make us doubt our objectives, to sow dissension and turn it into a contentious political debate," Omar Samad said Thursday.

Defence plan

In his first major speech since being appointed defence minister, O'Connor also summarized the government's defence plan as having a "three-ocean navy, a robust army and a revitalized air force."

"We'll put Canada first by strengthening our national sovereignty and by increasing Canada's self-reliance in matters of defence," he said.

To that end, he said the government will increase regular forces "to at least 75,000" from the current 62,000, and boost reserve force personnel (now at 23,000) by 10,000. He also promised to provide new funding for the Canadian Forces in the next budget.

O'Connor opened his speech by pledging to strengthen and expand Canada's participation in the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD), thus allowing Canada to work even closer with U.S. Northern Command.

"This will help us exercise our sovereignty, and allow us to strengthen cooperation with the United States, as partners, dedicated to North American security, he said.

Building on a promise made by Harper during the election campaign, O'Connor said the government will expand Canada's military commitments in the north.

"Currently, Canada does not have the necessary capabilities to fully exercise Arctic sovereignty responsibilities," he said.

"This is unacceptable, particularly when we consider the Canadian territorial waters in the Arctic could be more accessible to shipping within 10 to 20 years," he said.

"It is our intention to devote more people, more equipment and more money to defence of our great northern areas."

In promising a three-ocean navy, O'Connor is referring to a Conservative plan to put new armed ice breakers in the region.

Rising temperatures from global warming are expected to open up the Northwest Passage, creating a major shipping route between Asia and Europe.

Melting ice could also make it easier to look for undersea resources, such as oil and gas.

Hans Island, a small rocky outcrop located in the area, has been a source of dispute between Canada and Denmark. Both claim it as their own, and while they say their dispute is really over the island, there has been speculation it has more to do with the opening up of the shipping passage.

With a report from CTV's David Akin and files from The Canadian Press