Foreign Affairs Committee on Feb. 12th, 2013

[Dave Van Kesteren, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you, Ministers, for appearing before us today.

I have a couple of questions. I want to give Minister Fantino an opportunity to talk about the review of the Crossroads funding in Uganda.

Could you take that now, please, sir?

[Julian Fantino, Conservative, Vaughan, ON]

Very quickly, the review by officials has shown that the organization delivers projects effectively, without discrimination, and has done so since 1999.

[Dave Van Kesteren, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON]

You're pleased with the funding, the rules are being met, and we're seeing results.

[Julian Fantino, Conservative, Vaughan, ON]

On strictly that basis, they are delivering very positive results for the efforts that were undertaken. That's as much as I can say. We're engaging their efforts on the basis of results, and that's what they're doing.

[Dave Van Kesteren, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON]

Thank you, sir.

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Could I jump in? I think it's really important that we put on record one thing. The suggestion that anyone politically, or at the public service level, at CIDA, or at DFAIT would share or endorse the kind of offensive and mean-spirited statements that appeared on a website.... I want to categorically, on behalf of the government, say that we completely reject those sentiments. If there's any evidence that anyone receiving a grant from the Government of Canada is using that money to spread hateful, mean-spirited, or offensive practices, it will be put to an end immediately. Those are not the views of the government.

One of the most important responsibilities the Prime Minister has given Julian and me is to promote Canadian values. Canadian values are accepting; they're tolerant; they welcome diversity. One of the great gifts that Canada has is to promote pluralism around the world. We respect religious freedom. At the same time, Canadian taxpayers' dollars will not be used to spread hate or intolerance. That is completely unacceptable, would be un-Canadian, and would not back up the values that make this country great.

[Dave Van Kesteren, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON]

Thank you, Minister.

To you, last spring we saw ECOWAS brokering a deal, installing the interim government, UN Resolution 2085. In December, it led to the creation of an African-led international support mission in Mali.

How important is it for Africans in the region to take a leadership role?

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

We learned a lot in Somalia, that African-led and African missions can be much more successful.

I could perhaps call on our political director.

[Kerry Buck]

We've seen it in past conflicts, and I think that Mali, in a way, is a high-water mark for the African unit for ECOWAS. Asserting that African leadership is very important. They are closer to the terrain and better able to marry up military effort with the political efforts needed for reconciliation. Again, it's been a very important signal from the African Union, and they've claimed that ownership.

[Dave Van Kesteren, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON]

Thank you.

Minister, one final thing that I find rather puzzling is the Liberals' approach to.... It must have been a Pauline conversion they had for military intervention. We saw that in Afghanistan when we sent our troops into battle without proper equipment, and that has been rectified. Suddenly we have this push to engage ourselves in Mali. There's a poll, and that was mentioned here this morning, of Canadians and their feelings about us getting involved in another military exercise.

I think what Canadians are asking—I know what I'm asking—in a particular case like this.... I know it's not a small force, but it's a force that there should be some containment.... Where are the rest of the European countries? Where's Germany? Norway has just said they're not going get involved.

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

There have been a good number of countries that France has asked for support that have responded favourably. I do remember, though, when I was first elected as an MP, the valiant fight of the official spokesperson for the Liberal Party, Denis Coderre. He stood up time and time again in the House, passionately promising that a Liberal government would cancel the contract to buy the C-17s. Thank goodness that didn't happen, and thank goodness our troops have that equipment and they're able to support the people of Mali and the fight against international terrorism. Thank goodness Gordon O'Connor's efforts to deliver those for Canada have been successful.

[Dave Van Kesteren, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON]

Very good. Thank you.

Thank you, Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

To our witnesses, thank you very much for being here today.

With that, the meeting is adjourned.