OTTAWA -- Almost half of Canadians say our troops should remain in Afghanistan, but only if the mission changes from a combat role to a training and development mission.

An exclusive Leger Marketing poll for Sun Media says 45% of Canadians support staying for a non-combat mission, while only 12% want the troops to stay until the war is won.

"People are supporting the troops and hoping they make it home safe. They are saying we do have a role in Afghanistan, but just not that one," said pollster Christian Bourque, vice-president of Leger Marketing.

Military analyst and retired colonel Michel Drapeau says the support for Canadian troops to remain in Afghanistan in a different role indicates many are displeased with the departure from Canada's traditional role as a peacekeeping nation.

"It's surprising there is as much as 12% that want to stay until the war is won because that is about as open-ended a mandate as we could have," said Drapeau. "Nobody can say what it would mean to win, or when that objective would be achieved. It could be a century from now."

Support to remain until the war is won was greatest in Alberta (19%), but lowest in Quebec (6%). When asked if Canadian troops should leave Afghanistan immediately, 52% of Quebecers said yes compared to the national average of 37%.

"Quebecers have always had this very naive or pacifist perspective on foreign relations and they have always sided in that same direction," said Bourque.

While the high disapproval rating in Quebec for the combat mission in Kandahar should be expected, it might be especially high right now, Drapeau said.

"The very people who have lost their lives over the past six months are primarily, if not exclusively, coming from Quebec," he said.

peter.zimonjic@sunmedia.ca