Afghanistan Committee on March 26th, 2009

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

We've talked a lot about the meetings coming up and the 17,000 additional American troops. In your view, is that going to change the nature of our six priorities?

[David Mulroney]

It won't change the nature of the six priorities. To follow up on Mr. Dewar's earlier comment, a great deal of our diplomatic strategy in Washington and in Brussels, London, and other places is ensuring that we have an effective partnership with the Americans. The Americans have accepted the six priorities. They've accepted our plans, they think they're sound, and they're willing to contribute.

There will be a geographic division of labour, and the Americans will soon make that clear to us. They will be present in some parts of Kandahar where we have not been able to be present, or where we've had to withdraw and the Taliban have come back. The key effect will be that Canada will be more focused on major population centres in and around Kandahar City, which is exactly where we want to have the impact with our priorities.

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Is it fair to say that Canada is leading the effort and the Americans have accepted our leadership and guidance in that area?

[David Mulroney]

The Canadian Provincial Reconstruction Team will lead on governance efforts in Afghanistan. The Americans have told us that, and it will continue to be the case. That being said, we will partner with them in the security area, and we will have a very capable partner to assist us in dealing with the insurgency.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

Thank you.

Mr. Paillé.

[Pascal-Pierre Paillé, Bloc, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If I have any extra time, I will share it with Mr. Bachand.

I would like to thank you for being here today, Mr. Mulroney.

I would like to come back to the plan you were speaking about. We already have a plan in place. You said that Mr. Cannon will be presenting a different plan. Will the new plan be along the same lines as the current one, or will it change the Canadian mission?

[David Mulroney]

Mr. Cannon's plan will continue to emphasize the importance of an international partnership and UN leadership. That is not new. That is the Canadian plan that Mr. Cannon will be presenting next week.

[Pascal-Pierre Paillé, Bloc, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Does this plan contain any targets or objectives for the various projects in which Canada is involved? For example, there was the building of the dam and the 22 schools that you referred to. Are there any target objectives in this plan?

[David Mulroney]

We have some target objectives for our efforts in Kandahar and in Afghanistan. They are included in our quarterly reports.

[Pascal-Pierre Paillé, Bloc, Louis-Hébert, QC]

In relation to the forecasts and the targets, what percentage of the work has been completed so far? Do you believe that some work may not be finished before Canadian troops leave in 2011?

[David Mulroney]

We are now in the process of completing all our work. It's a bit early to determine the final situation for each category. I am confident that we are in the process of completing it now.

[Pascal-Pierre Paillé, Bloc, Louis-Hébert, QC]

If everything goes as scheduled, Canada's troops will leave Afghanistan in 2011. Has anything been done yet in terms of the transition? Canada has taken on many responsibilities, and we have been in the field for seven years now. I suppose that it will take some time to ensure the transition with the authorities who will be taking over. Is there some kind of plan or mechanism for others to assume Canada's responsibilities in Afghanistan?

[David Mulroney]

Our projects and priorities in Kandahar must end in 2011. That has already been planned for. We are working on the Dahla dam and on the schools. As for the transition, we now know that an additional 17,000 American soldiers will be arriving. That will be finalized later. This is not the time to begin the transition, because we still have two years before the 2011 deadline. We are focusing on our objectives for 2011.

[Pascal-Pierre Paillé, Bloc, Louis-Hébert, QC]

I see. Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

You have two minutes.

[Claude Bachand, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

I would like to talk to you about Mr. Karzaï because the election will be held in late August. I sense that the Americans are somewhat impatient when it comes to Mr. Karzaï. Everyone knows about the argument he had with Mr. Biden. In the NATO circles that we travel in, often we hear people within the American delegation expressing the hope that a candidate might run against Mr. Karzaï.

As for you, you are constantly rubbing shoulders with the five ministers who make up the inter-ministerial committee. We have the committee's report here, and it was very well done. Furthermore, there is one provision, or rather, a chapter, that talks a great deal about governance. Is Canada also lacking patience when it comes to Mr. Karzaï? I do not want to interfere with the Afghan democratic system, but we must acknowledge that ever since he became president, the situation has not changed very much, and many people have lost confidence in him. People still call him the Mayor of Kabul because he has a great deal of difficulty extending his authority beyond Kabul.

In your opinion, would the Canadian government look favourably upon another person running against Mr. Karzaï? Has the Canadian government lost patience with Mr. Karzaï, as has the American government?

[David Mulroney]

I believe the Afghans themselves should decide who their president will be. As far as we are concerned, the bilateral dialogue focuses on our objectives. So it's not a question of who the next Afghan president will be, but rather, we want to provide the Afghans with the necessary support so that they can make progress on each one of our priorities. That's the content of our bilateral dialogue.

[Claude Bachand, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

So you do not intend to interfere in any way in the Afghan campaign.

[David Mulroney]

Not at all.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

Thank you.

That just about uses up our time. We have to suspend for a minute, and that will give us exactly 15 minutes left. It's the government's time slot, but I'm afraid there is no more time. I hope it wasn't too burning a question, sir.

Mr. Mulroney, thank you very much for bringing us up to date.

[David Mulroney]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

We'll suspend for one minute while we switch to in camera.

[Proceedings continue in camera]