Thank you, Mr. Chair.
If I may, I'd like to say a few words about this, because it also introduces the notion of active assistance. The amendment we are proposing here draws on the language of Canada's legislation banning land mines to bring clause 11 of Bill C-6 to what we consider to be in line with article 21 of the convention.
Although our preferred policy would be for Canada to insist that cluster bombs not be used at all in multinational operations Canada participates in, we accept the fact that Canadian Forces may end up working with other countries that use cluster munitions. In these cases, we believe the appropriate policy is to inform our allies that Canada will not participate in the use of cluster munitions while simultaneously protecting our soldiers from legal prosecution for working with these other countries.
The words “active assistance” we believe accomplish this by making it clear that Canadian Forces cannot knowingly or intentionally assist with the use of cluster munitions but that they are protected from prosecution should they unknowingly or unintentionally assist with the use of cluster munitions.
When Minister Baird came, he made it clear at the committee that he never wants to see Canadian Forces use cluster munitions. Government members of this committee have stated that they see clause 11 not as permission to use cluster munitions but really as intended to be a protection for Canadian soldiers in joint operations.
We believe the wording we are proposing in this amendment is a better reflection of the government's own stated position that it does not want to see Canadians using cluster munitions but that it does want to protect Canadians in combined operations with countries that may use cluster munitions. That is what is behind the proposal we're putting forward as amendment LIB-3.
Thank you.