House of Commons Hansard #101 of the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was chair.

Topics

Foreign Affairs and International Trade--Main Estimates, 2008-09Business of SupplyGovernment orders

10:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Chair Conservative Royal Galipeau

The hon. member for Toronto Centre has the floor and the block of time is about six minutes.

Foreign Affairs and International Trade--Main Estimates, 2008-09Business of SupplyGovernment orders

10:45 p.m.

Liberal

Bob Rae Liberal Toronto Centre, ON

Mr. Chair, there was a press report this afternoon that the military judge in the Omar Khadr case has in fact been dismissed because, according to the press report, he was seen to have been critical of the prosecution for its having not disclosed information to the defendant.

I wonder if the government can tell us what it will take with respect to the prosecution of this case in the United States. They have dismissed the issue of child soldiers, which we have raised consistently. They have now dismissed the military judge in this case. What exactly will it take for Canada to intervene the way every other country has in seeking to repatriate people who are still in Guantanamo?

Foreign Affairs and International Trade--Main Estimates, 2008-09Business of SupplyGovernment orders

10:45 p.m.

Conservative

Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB

Mr. Chair, as I have stated, Mr. Khadr faces very serious charges in relation to his being captured in Afghanistan: murder in violation of the laws of war and attempted murder in violation of the laws of war, conspiracy, providing material support for terrorism, spying.

As we know, Mr. Khadr has been going through an appeal process and legal process in the U.S. We will wait to see the outcome of the legal process to deal with this.

The Government of Canada is providing Mr. Khadr with consular services and making sure that he is treated humanely.

Foreign Affairs and International Trade--Main Estimates, 2008-09Business of SupplyGovernment orders

10:45 p.m.

Liberal

Bob Rae Liberal Toronto Centre, ON

Mr. Chair, I wonder if the parliamentary secretary can tell me, what is two plus two?

Foreign Affairs and International Trade--Main Estimates, 2008-09Business of SupplyGovernment orders

10:45 p.m.

Conservative

Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB

I do understand, Mr. Chair, that this is about estimates, and estimates mean money, and money means counting. He has asked what is two plus two, so I can tell him it is four.

Foreign Affairs and International Trade--Main Estimates, 2008-09Business of SupplyGovernment orders

10:45 p.m.

Liberal

Bob Rae Liberal Toronto Centre, ON

Mr. Chair, the reason I asked the question is that I wanted to know whether or not the government members could actually answer a question in a direct fashion. I am glad to say that they are able to answer a direct question.

Perhaps I could ask the parliamentary secretary, was he aware that the judge in the Khadr case had been dismissed? Were you aware of that?

Foreign Affairs and International Trade--Main Estimates, 2008-09Business of SupplyGovernment orders

10:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Chair Conservative Royal Galipeau

I am not recognizing the hon. member yet. The hon. member for Toronto Centre, as much as he has been a member of four parliaments so far, he is a member of the Privy Council, he is a front bencher, and he used the second person. I have asked him not to do that. We ask questions in the third person.

We only have two and a half minutes left. The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Affairs and International Trade--Main Estimates, 2008-09Business of SupplyGovernment orders

10:50 p.m.

Conservative

Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB

Mr. Chair, this development happened today and is in the news today.

To answer his question, we have not been avoiding the question. We have been answering the question. We have been answering the same question every day they have been asking it. I do not know why the member says we are not answering his question. We are answering his question.

Let me say again that Canada is providing consular services to Mr. Khadr, departmental services to ensure his well-being and that he is being treated humanely.

Foreign Affairs and International Trade--Main Estimates, 2008-09Business of SupplyGovernment orders

10:50 p.m.

Liberal

Bob Rae Liberal Toronto Centre, ON

Mr. Chair, perhaps the parliamentary secretary could try to answer the question since he now says he was aware of it and the government has been aware of it. Can the parliamentary secretary answer the question? Does the fact that the judge in this case has been dismissed affect in any way the attitude of the Canadian government with respect to the treatment of Omar Khadr? What is the answer?

Foreign Affairs and International Trade--Main Estimates, 2008-09Business of SupplyGovernment orders

10:50 p.m.

Conservative

Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB

Mr. Chair, I know the member is a new member of the Liberal Party. He was a former NDP premier of Ontario. I want to tell him that we are applying the same policy that was put in place by the previous government in 2002.

Any questions regarding whether Canada plans to ask for the release of Omar Khadr are premature and speculative as the legal process is still going on. Whether the judge has been dismissed or not, it is still going on.

Foreign Affairs and International Trade--Main Estimates, 2008-09Business of SupplyGovernment orders

10:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Chair Conservative Royal Galipeau

The hon. member for Toronto Centre. There is one minute for both the question and the answer.

Foreign Affairs and International Trade--Main Estimates, 2008-09Business of SupplyGovernment orders

10:50 p.m.

Liberal

Bob Rae Liberal Toronto Centre, ON

Mr. Chair, would the government not agree that the dismissal of the judge in the case on the grounds that the military has taken represents a significant new development in the Khadr case?

Foreign Affairs and International Trade--Main Estimates, 2008-09Business of SupplyGovernment orders

10:50 p.m.

Conservative

Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB

Mr. Chair, I am not going to comment on a judicial process in another country.

Foreign Affairs and International Trade--Main Estimates, 2008-09Business of SupplyGovernment orders

10:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Chair Conservative Royal Galipeau

It being 10:35 p.m., pursuant to Standing Order 81(4) all votes are deemed reported. The committee will rise and I will now leave the chair.

Foreign Affairs and International Trade--Main Estimates, 2008-09Business of SupplyGovernment orders

10:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Acting Speaker Conservative Royal Galipeau

Accordingly this House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 10 a.m. pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).

(The House adjourned at 10:53 p.m.)