Thank you.
First of all, it is not the actions of our men and women on the ground that are in question, it's the actions of this government or their omissions that are in question.
Secondly, when the minister says he will pick a particular testimony, perhaps he could pick the statement of General Natynczyk today and the braided electrical wire that was found when the transfers were stopped. I just want to bring ourselves to ground here rather than engaging in rhetoric.
The question I have is to the Minister of Defence. Whether it's the UN, the U.S. State Department, our own human rights Canada reports, Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, we have a compelling body of evidence that there has been a substantial risk of torture when we transfer detainees to Afghan jails. Sir, you have been saying that there is not a scintilla of evidence of detainee torture. You've said that repeatedly and the Prime Minister in fact also said that.
I have a question for you in terms of our international obligations. This is not about people on the ground, not the military, not the men and women. It is about civilian responsibility. Civilian leadership has a responsibility. When you knew there was a compelling body of evidence and you were in denial, you continued to allow the transfer of Canadian detainees to Afghan authorities at substantial risk of torture.
Sir, I think you stand indicted in the public domain and in the court of public opinion of turning a blind eye, of being wilfully blind. Ignorance of facts is no defence. You don't need actual knowledge of torture; you need the circumstantial evidence in the international court. So I ask you, sir, to step down and relieve yourself of your responsibility, and answer the question whether or not you put our men and women at risk by allowing the transfers to continue at potential risk of torture?