Evidence of meeting #3 for Canada-China Relations in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chinese.
A video is available from Parliament.
10:20 a.m.
Conservative
10:20 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Foreign Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
We will be happy to provide more information on that, yes.
10:20 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Foreign Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
When is February 3? Next week?
10:20 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Foreign Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
We'll provide that as soon as possible. Let me get back to you on the timing.
10:20 a.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
All right. The ambassador's in next week, so before that.
10:20 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Foreign Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Yes, that's understood.
10:20 a.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Do you have a global power strategy that you could table with this committee, a strategy that would look at China, Russia, the United States...?
10:25 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Foreign Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
We do not have a pre-written global power strategy.
10:25 a.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Could you table, by the end of the day on February 3, a record of all ministerial travel to China since 2015?
10:25 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Foreign Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
I'm happy to look into that. We'll also look into how quickly we can provide it. That could be a little complicated to pull together.
10:25 a.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
You mentioned in your remarks—I'm not sure if it was the government, Canada or you—that you were shocked and saddened by the detention of the two Canadian citizens. “Saddened” surprises me. What about “outraged”?
10:25 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Foreign Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
We have been very clear on this matter that the arbitrary detention of Mr. Kovrig and Mr. Spavor is unacceptable, and it is our top priority to resolve this issue.
10:25 a.m.
Conservative
10:25 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Foreign Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Mr. Spavor and Mr. Kovrig have been arbitrarily detained by the Government of China.
10:25 a.m.
Conservative
10:25 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Foreign Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
They've been arbitrarily detained.
10:25 a.m.
Conservative
10:25 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Foreign Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
They've been arbitrarily detained.
10:25 a.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
So it was an accident. It kind of just happened.
10:25 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Foreign Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
No.
10:25 a.m.
Conservative
10:25 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Foreign Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
I think I've been very clear on this issue that the Government of Canada is very deeply concerned by the arbitrary detention and arrest by Chinese authorities of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. We have been working tirelessly to address this issue.
10:25 a.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
All right.
Do you really believe the United States government is equally concerned about the detention of two Canadians and that it would be taking the same posture if it were two Americans? Are they as equally concerned about this as we are?