Evidence of meeting #5 for Special Committee on the Canadian Mission in Afghanistan in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was know.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
5:10 p.m.
Former Senior Policy Advisor, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, As an Individual
His name was Luc something or other. Then a little later I got, “Thank you, this is very informative and helpful to understand” from another person.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Bob Dechert Conservative Mississauga—Erindale, ON
Certainly people in Ottawa, in the Department of Foreign Affairs, were reading your reports and acknowledging them, at least, if not taking some action on them.
5:10 p.m.
Former Senior Policy Advisor, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, As an Individual
Some were, I guess.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Bob Dechert Conservative Mississauga—Erindale, ON
You mentioned that members of the Department of Foreign Affairs certainly would have been involved with the negotiation of that arrangement with the NDS and had some view of the document.
5:10 p.m.
Former Senior Policy Advisor, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, As an Individual
Yes. I'm not sure how much negotiation went on, but the document was in our department for--
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Bob Dechert Conservative Mississauga—Erindale, ON
Would somebody in your department have raised a concern about no follow-up with prisoners after they had been transferred? Does that make sense to you?
5:10 p.m.
Former Senior Policy Advisor, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, As an Individual
I don't know, honestly.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Bob Dechert Conservative Mississauga—Erindale, ON
You don't know if it was done. Do you think it would have been reasonable for somebody at DFAIT to raise that concern at the time?
5:10 p.m.
Former Senior Policy Advisor, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, As an Individual
I think it would have been reasonable, but we just didn't....
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Bob Dechert Conservative Mississauga—Erindale, ON
We know now that at the same time, Britain and the Netherlands entered into similar arrangements. In their agreements they have a follow-up procedure with the prisoners post-transfer to the NDS to see what happens to them.
Why do you think that was the case for those countries and not for Canada?
5:10 p.m.
Former Senior Policy Advisor, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, As an Individual
I don't know. I didn't even know they had arrangements, so excuse me.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Bob Dechert Conservative Mississauga—Erindale, ON
It sounds like somebody wasn't doing their job properly.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Thank you, Mr. Dechert. I appreciate that.
Our time is basically up.
Ms. Olexiuk, could I ask you one question for a little more clarification? There was one meeting you were speaking about, and I'm not certain if it was in Afghanistan or after you came back. You were almost surprised that you were invited to the meeting. You didn't anticipate that you'd be able to contribute to it, but you were.
Do you recall giving that testimony here today?
5:10 p.m.
Former Senior Policy Advisor, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, As an Individual
Yes.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
5:10 p.m.
Former Senior Policy Advisor, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, As an Individual
No, it was a meeting at Foreign Affairs here in Ottawa. I left Afghanistan in August and it was in maybe November or October 2005. I'm not quite sure. It was in the fall.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
You voiced some of your concerns there. Who all was at that meeting then?
5:10 p.m.
Former Senior Policy Advisor, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, As an Individual
My gosh, I can't remember.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
5:10 p.m.
Former Senior Policy Advisor, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, As an Individual
Yes. I know that my director general was there. I'm so sorry, I can't picture who was around the table.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
I wasn't certain if that was a meeting that took place while you were still stationed in Afghanistan or once you were back here.
5:15 p.m.
Former Senior Policy Advisor, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, As an Individual
No, I was here.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Anyway, thank you very much for your testimony here today.
Although the bells aren't ringing yet, at 5:15 they will start. If Mr. Dosanjh or someone else wants to continue until the bells start, we'll give you some more time.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
Bob Rae Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Just to continue the discussion, I'm trying to get a sense. Did you see the draft of the original transfer agreement when you were in Kabul, or in Ottawa?