If you are still actually residing in Canada when you apply, and your intent is to work abroad at a job temporarily and return to reside in Canada before, or at the latest upon becoming a Canadian citizen, you can probably sign the affirmation of intent to continue to reside with a good conscience.
As links18 noted, it does not appear that IRCC is concerned with enforcing the intent requirement (beyond it still being a part of the application form, as it must be since it is indeed still the applicable law), and Bill C-6 not only proposes to remove this requirement, but to deem it to have never been in effect. But I would not take that as a license to make a misrepresentation about intent.
Apart from the technicalities of the intent to reside requirement, a number of applicants who go abroad while the application is pending tend to encounter problems, like ending up in a non-routine processing track, incurring delays, being required to submit additional information and documents, and some subject to elevated skepticism. However, there is no one rule about this, but it is more or less about the government's perception of the applicant's credibility. A significant number of participants in this and other forums have reported NO problems, but most of these were indeed individuals for whom it was fairly clear their going abroad was temporary.
There will still be logistical concerns: making sure you get your mail and any notices from IRCC timely for example.
