Thank you. I do not have much time.
I have in front of me a report issued by Amnesty International called “Canada and Human Rights in 2010: Time to Return to Leadership”. With respect to the Human Rights Council, that report states the following:
Canada has consistently voted against UN resolutions that are critical of Israel's human rights record.
With respect to January, 2009, it goes on to say:
Canada was the only state among the 47 members of the UN Human Rights Council to vote against a resolution condemning human rights violations that occurred in the context of last year's Israeli military offensive in Gaza. In November 2009, at the UN General Assembly, Canada was one of only 18 countries to vote against a resolution calling on both Israeli and Palestinian authorities to conduct independent, credible investigations into allegations of serious violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
A little further on, with reference to Canada's attitude, it states:
There have also been a series of funding cuts to Canadian organizations that work with or provide financial assistance to human rights and other groups in Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the Occupied Territories.
It makes reference, in particular, to the inter-church coalition Kairos and the development organization Alternatives.
A little further on, it talks about Rights and Democracy, an agency established by Parliament more than 20 years ago. Based on what is stated in the Amnesty International report, I have three very simple questions for you.
Why did certain Board members question partnerships with internationally respected and recognized Israeli and Palestinian human rights organizations? Once again, I am going to ask this, even though it has already been asked. Why did the Board of Directors decide to close the Geneva office of Rights and Democracy, which was established close to the Human Rights Council, ignoring a positive external evaluation and recommendations that it be maintained? Why was the religious and ethnic background of staff raised by a member of the Board in the context of the President's performance appraisal?