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Parliament voted to extend Canada's military mission in Afghanistan by two years yesterday on the condition that allies chip in reinforcements.

The vote sends Prime Minister Stephen Harper to next month's NATO meeting with a mandate to secure this aid or bring the troops home.

As dozens of protesters shouted "End it, don't extend it" from the House of Commons public gallery, MPs voted 198-77 to extend Canada's mission in Afghanistan's deadly Kandahar province to December of 2011, from February of 2009.

The Tories drew support from opposition Liberals to pass the motion over the objections of the Bloc Québécois and NDP. Mr. Harper had declared it a confidence vote, and by supporting it the election-leery Liberals once again saved the Tories from defeat, avoiding an election.

But while the Conservatives and Liberals teamed up to pass the motion, they still have significantly divergent views on how the mission will unfold after February of 2009.

The Liberals expect to see Canadian soldiers end their fight against insurgents after that point and shift efforts to reconstruction and development, as well as training the Afghan army to take over.

While the Harper Conservatives agreed to wording in the motion that suggests the military mission will shift in 2009, they refuse to tie soldiers' hands and say operational decisions will be left to Canadian commanders in the field.

Defence Minister Peter MacKay said the decision "sends a very strong signal of consensus from our country to our troops and shows confidence in everything they are doing."

He said protesters are "expressions of a ... healthy, vibrant democracy," and added the goal in Afghanistan is to instill the same "type of diversity and freedom of expression."

Close to 20 sitting Liberal MPs didn't cast a vote on the Afghan motion - but the party said the absences reflected illnesses and personal commitments rather than divisions in the caucus.

Liberal defence critic Denis Coderre called the vote a historic move for Canada, saying the compromise drafted with Liberal input reflects that the mission will change after 2009 to "refocus on development and diplomacy."

Yesterday's vote gives Mr. Harper a clear ultimatum to take to the April meeting of North Atlantic Treaty Organization members in Bucharest.

The motion says Mr. Harper must secure 1,000 combat soldiers from NATO allies to join Canadians in Kandahar province by February of 2009 - as well as transport helicopters and aerial reconnaissance drones - or withdraw Canada from battle.

Retired major-general Lewis MacKenzie said the United States is the most likely source of extra troops, although he said the French could always end up contributing some.

As for equipment, Poland has already given Canada use of two helicopters, and Mr. MacKay said Canada is trying to get early delivery of about six from Boeing. He said Ottawa is also very close to signing off on a lease arrangement to use aerial drones already in Afghanistan and is planning to buy similar ones for use by February of 2009.

Yesterday was the second time Parliament has voted to extend Canada's mission in Kandahar, and it will ensure that Canadian military involvement in Afghanistan will span nearly a decade by the time the new mandate runs out in 2011.

And this may not be the last time Canada considers extending the Afghan mission.

Mr. MacKenzie said far more troops are necessary to get the job done, estimating 10,000 extra are needed in southern Afghanistan, including 4,000 to 5,000 in Kandahar.