Foreign Affairs Committee on June 7th, 2018

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

No, it's the Minister of Immigration who had direct conversations on this subject.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Nault]

Mr. Genuis.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Thank you.

First of all, Minister, I just have a comment. I think you know that Rona Ambrose in particular, but other members of the previous government, were very actively engaged in the promotion of women's rights around the world. It was minister Ambrose's initiative, our former leader—not at the time but later—who championed the creation of the International Day of the Girl Child. She was very vocal on issues like early and enforced marriages, and supported economic opportunities for women. I appreciate that much of this work is a positive example of continuity over the course of governments. I think it serves all of us better when people don't try to turn that into a partisan issue. I think we do have a consensus when it comes to advocating for women's rights around the world. I'm proud of the fact that it's part of a legacy that all of us are involved in. Certainly, I know you wouldn't want to diminish the good work on these issues by people like Rona Ambrose.

I want to ask you a question about UNRWA. I had an opportunity recently to visit an UNRWA school in the Palestinian territories in the West Bank. I was there as part of the Canada-Palestine Parliamentary Friendship Group. I know that the previous government had concerns about some of the things that were happening through UNRWA. Your government has taken a very different approach with respect to UNRWA.

What struck me in visiting this school was that it is geographically extremely close to an Israeli settlement. We asked the students there if there is any contact that takes place among the students at that school and children, students who are close by. They told us no, they didn't have that contact. They didn't want to have that contact. The teachers were nodding along approvingly while these comments were being made. I don't fault the children for the feelings they're having in this situation. Obviously, it's a very tense situation, but people want to know, in terms of curriculum, in terms of programs that encourage peaceful coexistence and pluralism, whether the messages people are getting, and schools that are funded by Canadians, are encouraging intercommunal harmony, peaceful coexistence, goodwill towards each other, or whether those students are getting messages through their school that are maintaining or even enhancing those tensions.

I wonder if you could comment on that, with respect to UNRWA. What steps has the government taken to ensure that Canadian tax dollars are actually being spent in a way that is fully aligned with Canadian values?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Thank you for the question.

I think we all recognize that UNRWA is working in a particularly difficult environment. I understand your concern and we share your concern. We are in very close communication with UNRWA on its direction. It's at least on a weekly basis, if not even more, because we really want to follow up, especially on the school curriculum because we know it's an issue in this particular environment.

We have to remember as well that when we support UNRWA, yes, a part of it goes to education, health, and basic services. It's not only in Palestine; it's also in Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon. As I said in the beginning, my mandate is to focus on the poorest and the most vulnerable. Definitely the Palestinian refugees are among those.

Yes, I'm following up. I'm very attentive to the matter.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Nault]

Thank you, Mr. Genuis.

We'll turn to Madam Vandenbeld, please, for the last questions.

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Minister, in following up on the theme of my previous question with regard to democratic development, as we mentioned, we know that women thrive and the sustainable development goals are achieved when you have open, pluralistic, inclusive democratic processes. A lot of the expertise that Canadians have, which we are particularly good at doing, is in institutional development—parliaments, rule of law, making sure we have strong democratic institutions around the world. In my past that was one thing I was doing abroad

The all-party democracy caucus recently had a forum where we brought in experts, former UNDP people from around the world who work in this field, the Parliamentary Centre and others, who said that at the moment only 2% of ODA goes to institutional development for democracy. I don't know if this is true.

I'm wondering if that's something we might be able to consider.

We know that the feminist international assistance policy doesn't mean that we stop doing things like democracy promotion and electoral observation. It just means that we want to have more women participating, and included in and designing those kinds of programs. The programs themselves actually achieve the kinds of outcomes for women and girls that we're looking for.

I'm not asking for an answer right now in terms of the percentage, but just in general, in terms of the inclusive governance that you're doing, would you be willing to take a look at the percentage? That's not for civil society participation, but specifically for institutional development on democracy.

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Yes, I'll take a look, and I'll get back to you. I think my answer will be similar to the previous one. The area of priority, which is inclusive governance, is very well aligned.

Actually, when I was doing this consultation, I travelled quite a bit, and every time I met with one of my counterparts in the developing countries, I would mention that they've been working with Canadians for 50 years, and I would ask them what they thought we were good at, and how we could have a bigger impact in the field. The first thing they would cite was technical assistance. They really appreciate having Canadians around for that type of assistance.

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

I know that a lot of Canadians are working for American organizations, for instance, NDI, IRI, or with international or intergovernmental organizations. UNDP has a strong parliamentary development section. The OSCE has Canadians on staff as well. Everywhere we go, Canadians are in senior positions when it comes to institutional capacity and technical development.

Canada doesn't have the National Endowment for Democracy, the NDI, or an organization specifically like them. I know 10 years ago this committee did a study on that. I have a motion before the committee to renew that study.

I'm wondering if I can get your thoughts on whether or not there's room for Canada to look at the way we do democracy promotion around the world. Maybe there is a way that Canadians could be working for a Canadian organization with our own values as opposed to.... It's good that we're working in organizations around the world, or U.S. organizations, but is there perhaps some space for...? The Parliamentary Centre and others are already doing this, I know. What are your thoughts about that?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

My thoughts are that this is once again related to the way Canada is working in different countries. In some countries it could be very interesting. As for creating something new, I'll be honest with you that this is not something we have really pushed. It has been identified as an area of priority, but as to creating something new, I'm not at that place right now.

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Perhaps the committee will study it, and then we can give you some recommendations.

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

If you identify it as a priority, I will definitely consider it even further.

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Thank you, Minister, I appreciate that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Nault]

Mr. Aboultaif.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Minister, peace and security is one of the areas that the Canadian government has identified under the international development assistance program. We have a situation in China. China's being increasingly belligerent to its neighbours.

How much aid have we allocated for places like Taiwan or Vietnam, within the development in the South China Sea? Is there anything you've allocated to help these countries push back against China's militarization and action in the area?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

The only thing we have in China is—and correct me if I'm wrong—the CFLI. It's a little fund managed by the embassy to support local initiatives. I don't have the amount in front of me....Actually, yes I do.

[Hélène Laverdière, NDP, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

It's small.

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

The local initiative funds are a small amount of money for local initiatives. When you're talking about Vietnam, we do have a development program in Vietnam, but I don't believe it meets the criteria you mentioned.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Nault]

Folks, that wraps up our hour with the minister. I want to thank her very much for her presentation and the questions on the estimates. It's very much appreciated.

We'll take a small break, and then we'll go to the officials.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Nault]

Colleagues, I'll bring this meeting back to order.

We'll now go to the officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development. I understand we have Shirley Carruthers, and Arun is back in his regular spot.

Colleagues, we have about 40 minutes and then we're going to need some time for a number of motions I need to put to you. I also understand that Mr. Aboultaif has a motion he'd like to present at some point in that discussion. Let's roll it along, so we will go straight to questions. Mr. Aboultaif will lead off.

Ziad, the floor is yours.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Is that on the motion?

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Nault]

No.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Is it for questions?

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Nault]

Exactly.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

I can do that.

Thank you very much again. You were here already for the first hour.

The question is around the AIIB. Canada has decided to participate in the AIIB. We have learned that the AIIB is funding projects such as coal-fired power plants. That's something that's basically against the advocation of the government right now on climate change and green energy policy. How much do you know about the investment that the AIIB is making? Do you agree that we shouldn't be protesting at least over what they don't understand? How are we going to deal with such a thing?

[Arun Thangaraj]

My involvement with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank is very, very limited. At the time of the announcement and the set-up, we were to ensure that the budget announcement and the paid-in capital of about $199 million U.S. was paid.

Unfortunately, I don't have any information on the project pipeline in terms of what they have approved, in terms of the type of investments they've approved to date or funded. I have very high-level figures on the total amount of loans or contributions they've made, but I don't have specific information.