National Defence Committee on Nov. 22nd, 2006

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Central Nova, NS]

You're absolutely right, Ms. Black. This is the chief source of funding for the Taliban. When they're able to pay cash on the barrelhead for farmers and Afghan citizens to participate in this trade and they're able to pay them, in some cases, twice or three times as much as an Afghan soldier or police officer would receive, they're able to convert people pretty quickly to that cause. The choice for Afghanis in that situation is to put food on their table or to fight to defend their country, and it's a very difficult challenge.

The British have been the leaders in this particular aspect of the challenge, aided by other NATO countries. Canada has not put forward a specific commitment to that particular area. We have participated in the broader issues that surround it, of course, trying to get people to move away from that type of crop, giving them alternative crop information and advice.

I'm going to ask Mr. Mank perhaps to comment on this as well, because he knows more of the specifics, but that is also a broader issue, if I can put it that way, that the NATO countries are facing. To use your words, how do we give the Afghan people a better alternative?

We also have a real self-interest in this, because that heroin or poppy is making it to our country. It's arriving here in Canada, and it's certainly throughout Europe.

We're engaged in that process, but the British are the ones who have been tasked specifically with that issue.

Mr. Mank, do you want to add anything?

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

Make it a short response, if you can.

[Randolph Mank, Director General, Asia South and Pacific Bureau, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade]

As the minister said, we have been backstopping what the British have been doing. They have kind of a four-part plan that tries to disrupt the drug trade by targeting the traffickers and then strengthening rural livelihoods. CIDA does a lot of work on sustainable livelihoods, and that's meant to do that. We try to reduce on the demand side, and we look at further developing state institutions there that are vital for the counter-narcotics strategy.

The minister referred earlier to some police training. In fact, some of the police training is meant to help in that effort on counter-narcotics as well, both in Pakistan and in Afghanistan.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

Thank you.

We're moving on to Mr. Hiebert.

[Russ Hiebert, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC]

Thank you, Chair, and I will be sharing my time with Ms. Gallant.

Thank you, Minister, for being here today and for providing us with an update on the good work that you are doing.

Mr. Minister, our new government has supported a three-D approach to dealing with this situation in Afghanistan, focused on development, defence, and diplomacy. At this committee, we've heard an awful lot about the good work that we're doing in the area of development and defence. I was wondering if you could inform us about the good work that we're doing in the area of diplomacy, particularly if you could point to some successes that we've had in nurturing democratic institutions in Afghanistan, or if you could tell us, looking forward, what we might expect in terms of success in the near future.

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Central Nova, NS]

Thank you. Much of the progress that has been made, I would suggest, in Afghanistan has come about through the efforts of officials at Foreign Affairs over an extended period of time, since our arrival there, to determine where we could best present to this mission and to the people of Afghanistan projects that would be aimed specifically at elevating their quality of life. Whether that be through provincial reconstruction teams that have identified specific infrastructure programs, such as the building of roads, schools, hospitals, or buildings that are going to provide the very basic social services required in a country that has been so disjointed and so embroiled in conflict for so many years that this type of infrastructure hasn't existed, or building basic roads so that farmers can take alternative crops to larger centres and receive some remuneration for their efforts--farming throughout the country faced a real challenge in that regard. They can grow crops, but they simply can't get them to market.

Irrigation is also a huge problem, given the type of terrain and desert-like conditions that exist in part of that country. Some devastation and environmental degradation have occurred because of forest fires, which have really stripped away some of the basic vegetation from the land. A lot of that had to be determined early on by officials who went and engaged with local people. That diplomacy also involves going to those communities. Sometimes that involves officials of Foreign Affairs--and I feel a little bit choked up when I think about Glyn Berry, who was our Canadian diplomat killed in Afghanistan, and the type of work he was doing--meeting directly with tribal elders, meeting with governors and provincial representatives in parts of Afghanistan and trying to glean from them the necessary information for program delivery. I have nothing but admiration and praise for the diplomacy that has been carried out in a very direct and, I would suggest, a very efficient manner by officials from our country. CIDA officials, similarly, should be lauded for their efforts.

This is all part of the bigger issue that we're concerned about, which is, to use the expression, a whole of government approach, or the hearts and minds efforts we're making in Afghanistan to bring about a clear understanding. Most importantly, we're there to help; we're there to create a stable, functioning democracy that will allow the people of Afghanistan to get on with their lives and to get away from this terrible conflict that they've been living in and this oppression by successive administrations, which didn't recognize that women had a right to participate fully in society, that children and girls should go to school and have an education to advance their own well-being.

In five years there has been absolutely staggeringly remarkable progress made in many parts of the country. Other parts of the country remain very challenging. Canada, to use an expression that I heard very recently, got the short straw when it came to the part of Afghanistan that we're tasked with protecting and securing. In spite of that, we've been doing incredible work, and just as we have been in previous conflicts and struggles around the world, Canada is enormously respected by our international partners because of the heavy lifting we're doing in Afghanistan, because we didn't shy away from that challenge. And the soldiers and the development workers and the diplomats are all working in concert. They're working closely. They're communicating with one another. As we achieve more stability, as I said to Mr. Dosanjh, we'll be able to double our efforts on the development side.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Thank you.

Canada's PRT in Afghanistan is comprised of more than 200 military and civilian personnel drawn largely from Land Forces Central Area, and 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group in Petawawa. The soldiers from 1 Field Ambulance of Edmonton, the Military Police Platoon, and the reservists from 1st Air Defence Regiment have been doing a tremendous amount of work helping stabilize Afghanistan.

Here at home, the news that gets reported is unbalanced. The humanitarian work these brave men and women have achieved has gone largely unnoticed. There's been a visible outpouring of support for the mission, and I know that the soldiers welcome and appreciate that support. For the many husbands, wives, sons, and daughters in my riding of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, which is the training ground of the warriors at CFB Petawawa, the mission will not be complete until their loved ones step off that plane and return home safely.

Can you provide us with details on the humanitarian and reconstruction work being done by the PRT, the impact it's having in Afghanistan, and in particular the assistance that has been provided to the Shaheed Abdul Ahad Kham Orphanage in Kandahar City, and the second annual Kandahar boys soccer tournament?

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Central Nova, NS]

I thank you for that. I know your constituency and your constituents have provided an enormous amount to the effort in Afghanistan, particularly the provincial reconstruction teams you referred to. As you quite rightly said, I don't think Canadians know quite enough about the specifics of what they are providing.

These provincial reconstruction teams comprise more than 200 military and civilian personnel, drawn in large part from the Land Forces Central Area, plus the mechanized brigade you referenced from Petawawa. There are field ambulances, military police, many reservists, and this air defence regiment. They're doing tremendous work in the field in very tough circumstances.

You made specific reference to assisting the children of the Shaheed Abdul Ahad Kham Orphanage in Kandahar. There have been a number of private donations, and I think Canadians would want to know more about how private citizens can donate to orphanages, communities, and projects that are really delivering and making a big difference in the lives of Afghan people. So far, $21,000 has been raised for that project alone by private Canadian citizens.

I've been told that the first delivery of more than $12,000 in aid was unloaded earlier this month by members of the Kandahar provincial reconstruction team. It went directly to an orphanage, where they provided mattresses and bedding. They provided gas lights for the hall so they were able to work at night and tend the children. More than $10,000 went to purchase school furniture in the Dand District School in September. This was the result of a generous donation of $10,000 from one individual, a man named John Race.

These provincial reconstruction teams, with the assistance in some cases of ordinary Canadian citizens who want to donate, are making a huge difference. But the ability to do that important work happens only when a security perimeter is established around some of these communities and locations. That's where it's inseparable--when you talk about the work of our soldiers, our military personnel, and the work of the provincial reconstruction team, the aid workers. I can assure you there are officials from every country participating there who are anxious to do more on the reconstruction and humanitarian aid side as soon as that security perimeter is extended farther into some of these areas, so that school supplies, furniture, and even things as basic as children's books, candy, and pencils....

The tragedy, and the best example I can give you, Ms. Gallant, of the conflict that soldiers find themselves in is that the last soldier killed in the country was in the process of handing books to children when they were hit by a suicide bomber. That's what the soldiers themselves were doing. They were taking part in this provincial reconstruction effort when they were hit by an insurgent with one of these devices. So if soldiers in the process of doing humanitarian work are still at risk, we clearly have more to do on the security side to provide that envelope and the opportunity to do more on the humanitarian aid side as well.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

Thank you very much.

Mr. Minister, that takes us to exactly an hour since you've arrived. I know there's some interest in asking one or two more short questions. We've got two more witnesses to come. Fortunately, they've pushed the bells back to 5:55, so we do have more time than I thought we were going to have. Is it all right if we just do one rapid-fire for five minutes here? It will kind of break protocol. I hate to set a precedent here.

Joe, you've got one minute. Then we're moving on.

[Joe McGuire, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

This is just a short question, Minister. Maybe you can put your other hat on for this question. It's on the expenditure of the $4.9 billion. Under the regional economic benefit program of ACOA and of the western development corporation, what can they expect from that expenditure of practically $5 billion?

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Central Nova, NS]

I'm sorry. You're asking me an ACOA question?

[Joe McGuire, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Yes.

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Central Nova, NS]

In regard to Afghanistan?

[Joe McGuire, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

In regard to the expenditure of the $4.9 million airlift expenditure.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

Is this related to Afghanistan at all?

[Joe McGuire, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Yes. I think the plane will revolve there.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

We have to stick to the subject matter here, I'm afraid.

[Joe McGuire, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

It's on the industrial regional benefits of that expenditure. We were saying that Canada is going to benefit from it, and I'm wondering what parts of Canada are going to benefit from the regional....

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Central Nova, NS]

I'm sorry, Mr. McGuire, I wasn't making the connection. You're talking about the procurement projects and how they could impact in our region and what role ACOA might play.

[Joe McGuire, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Yes, that's right.

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Central Nova, NS]

I know Mr. McGuire has an acute interest in this, having been a former minister of ACOA.

As you know, we've laid the groundwork in Atlantic Canada, in places in Prince Edward Island, for example, like Slemon Park, where they have developed a great deal of know-how in technologies and the type of research and development that's going to be necessary to meet the requirements of these procurement projects. And it's the same in many of our cities, like Halifax and Saint John, where we want to maximize the benefits.

Without giving anything away on behalf of the Minister of National Defence, clearly we are going to be looking to see that every region of the country participates in these projects. Atlantic Canada is no exception, nor is the west. I can assure you that every regional minister, as you would expect, is going to be making representations to see that these procurement projects are benefiting all of our regions and maximizing the opportunities, jobs, and technical advancements for Canada, first and foremost.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

Okay, good.

[Joe McGuire, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Can I ask an Afghan question now?

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

No, you can't. You used the minute.

Just a quick one, Mr. Hawn, if you have one.

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Mr. Minister, Afghanistan is going to hold free elections, we hope, in 2007, so we're there until at least February 2009. We're going to have--