Evidence of meeting #21 for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was haitian.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
She just said it--no. So would you still be open to both bringing Mr. Dewar's motion forward, and then coming back to this one?
Conservative
Deepak Obhrai Conservative Calgary East, AB
I don't see what the level of this thing is. There are other motions that are important here. Let's put the Liberals in the hot seat.
Conservative
Wajid Khan Conservative Mississauga—Streetsville, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
It's quite surprising that we have a subcommittee, which can address this, and I don't want to go there after the fact, but I'll give a few comments.
Everybody in this room is concerned about human rights. People are all aware of Mr. Khadr's position. Whether Liberal or Conservative governments, our human rights records for Canada have been pretty stellar. Sometimes I'm just wondering, Mr. Chair, with the new realities in the world today, the world has evolved into something very different today. This is a very important issue, and I want to address it. Are we somehow diminishing the national security value of our country? Are we, out of the goodness of our hearts and compassion as Canadians, forgetting some of the realities around the globe?
The issue here is about a child soldier and his age and youth.
Liberal
Maria Minna Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
I'm not quite sure what's happening. I need some guidance from the chair, because I thought we were trying to decide which motion would go, but it seems that Mr. Khan is debating the motion, or having a discussion.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
No, we've already decided that we are not proceeding with Mr. Dewar's motion because we had already dealt with this, and on Madame Barbot's motion, it was passed that we debate it.
Liberal
Conservative
Wajid Khan Conservative Mississauga—Streetsville, ON
With your permission, Mr. Chair, I would like to speak about an individual, and they're connected because of age. This committee is to understand the age issue of Mr. Khadr.
A gentleman by the name of Mr. Ayman al-Zawahiri, born in Egypt, in a suburb of Cairo, was reportedly a studious youth. His father was a pharmacologist. Mr. Zawahiri was arrested at Anwar Sadat's assassination, and I will tell you how it is connected with Mr. Khadr in a minute. He served time for arms possession. In 1980 Mr. Zawahiri went to Afghanistan to fight the Russians and climbed in bed with Osama bin Laden. Actually, this gentleman is known as Al-Qaeda's number two.
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Are there any other points of debate on this motion?
I call the question on Madame Barbot's motion, which reads:
Whereas Omar Khadr, a young Canadian, will soon be facing trial by military commission on allegations of war crimes; whereas he is the only foreign national still being held at Guantanamo; and whereas his trial would be the first in which a tribunal would rule on war crimes committed by a child soldier, therefore it is proposed: That the committee invite to appear, as soon as possible, first and foremost, Omar Khadr's lawyers and experts to explain why they are calling for all accusations against Khadr to be dismissed; and Secondly, that the Minister of Foreign Affairs and relevant government representatives be invited to appear before the Committee to report on measures taken with respect to this file.
(Motion agreed to)
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
The motion is carried. I think we have a consensus.
I congratulate Madame Barbot. Your debate today really brought tears to our eyes.
We are adjourned.