Toronto ? Canada’s House of Commons on Tuesday defeated a bill to withdraw the country’s troops from Afghanistan in 2009.

The bill was brought by the opposition Liberal Party after eight Canadians were killed this month, bringing to 54 the death toll since the country’s military first deployed to Afghanistan in 2001.

The Canadian force is pivotal to NATO combat operations in southern Afghanistan.

The measure was defeated in Ottawa 150 to 134 when the ruling Conservatives formed an unlikely alliance with staunch opponents of Canada’s military involvement, the New Democratic Party. Its leader, Jack Layton, said his party sided with the government because he favors an immediate pullout.

Parliament last year narrowly approved a commitment to keep the force of about 2,500 soldiers in Afghanistan until February 2009.