Mr. Chairman, I do not intend to get into a lengthy debate here. I am pleased to be back on this committee, but it is just for today.
Perhaps I should join the Ontario Bloc, because then I might have a better chance.
I have some experience with this issue, particularly as regards consular matters and consular offices. Of course, I support Mr. Wilfert's motion, but I would also like committee members to know that a document was circulated in the Department of Foreign Affairs in 2005. In it we said that we were very concerned that our efforts were very concentrated. We said that the vast majority of our diplomats always stayed in Ottawa, rather than being sent out to our consulates and missions throughout the world.
Donc, I would suggest that it might be helpful for the committee, as it proceeds with this discussion on this very worthwhile motion, to take into consideration the remarks that have been made and the fact that Canada's current diplomatic panoply is highly concentrated in Canada. We are lagging, certainly, behind many of our larger and equivalent-sized partners. The closure or the threatened closure or the perceived review of a closure of more consulates would only accelerate that process and I think remove Canada's efficacy on the international front in terms of its presence in important missions around the world.