Canada could still have soldiers in Afghanistan beyond 2011, although the government maintains that combat operations will cease.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said Canada will pull its troops out of Afghanistan by 2011.

The government, however, is considering many options for continuing to help the Afghan population — including security, which would undoubtedly involve an unspecified number of soldiers, said Defence Minister Peter MacKay.

"It involves securing, but working to develop the countryside, working to invest in infrastructure," said MacKay.

"Working to help build capacity, immunizing children, educating children, building democratic institutions — all of which Canada is involved in now."

Much of that development, medical aid and reconstruction work falls to Canada's provincial reconstruction team, or PRT, based in Kandahar.

When specifically asked Tuesday whether Canada's PRT would remain in the volatile region, MacKay would not rule it out.

"We're considering a number of options," MacKay said after being questioned by reporters about the PRT.

The PRT base is entirely separate from the combat units, located at Kandahar Airfield, NATO's principal base in southern Afghanistan.

Still, it is protected by 150 Canadian military personnel that are often just as much in harm's way as combat soldiers.

The minister's comments came Tuesday as the European Union's chief military officer stated that nations in the 27-member bloc lack the political will to send more troops to fight the stalemated war.

After meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama, NATO's Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen also said he is confident that allied troops will remain in Afghanistan "as long as it takes."

The U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, last week called for an additional 40,000 combat troops.

NATO contributes roughly two-thirds of the more than 100,000 international troops currently involved in Afghanistan operations, including more than 3,000 Canadians.