Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The rationale for this, Mr. Chair, and colleagues as well, is that article 21 of the Convention on Cluster Munitions places several positive obligations on Canada to promote the values of the treaty with our allies and to encourage them to sign the treaty. When he appeared at this committee, Minister Baird made it very clear that he supports the values of this treaty and would like nothing more than if more countries—especially the United States—signed the treaty. I distinctly recall him saying that.
This amendment creates a gentle and realistic political incentive for this government, and future governments, to continue the work of seeking to ban cluster bombs for good. It gives parliamentarians an opportunity to participate in the good work of ridding the world of cluster bombs. Essentially, it suggests that an annual report to Parliament be submitted, wherein the government describes what it has done, actively, proactively, to try to encourage other non-signatories to get rid of their cluster munitions.