OTTAWA - Documents detailing Canada's efforts to help citizens and permanent residents leave Lebanon last year show an initial swell of interest in charter flights out of the country dropped off dramatically.

In the end, Canada spent nearly three times as much to keep chartered planes on standby on the ground than it did to fly people out on them.

The documents, obtained by The Canadian Press through the Access to Information Act, offer a glimpse into efforts at Global Affairs Canada, GAC, to assist Canadians looking to flee fighting between Hezbollah and Israeli forces in 2024.

They show Canada spent more than $14 million to help Canadians, permanent residents and their family members leave Lebanon last year. That sum included about $4 million to fly 844 Canadian citizens, permanent re

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