Evidence of meeting #74 for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was cases.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:50 p.m.
Director General, Consular Operations, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
There is an issue, as has been said earlier, with dual citizens and getting access. There are countries where it's more difficult to get access to our citizens. That's where we continue to insist that we be able to see the Canadian who's detained.
12:50 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Consular, Emergency Management and Security, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
I would also just add that where countries don't recognize dual citizenship and continue to refuse access, we also explore other options, alternatives, to try to reach those Canadians. For example, the International Committee of the Red Cross, which has a special mandate to visit detainees in prisons, is often able to facilitate access for us where our consular rights are not being recognized by the receiving country.
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB
Which countries don't give due respect to the access and process of Canada?
12:50 p.m.
Director General, Consular Operations, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
One of the things we found is that it isn't always consistent. I couldn't provide you with a list of countries that don't allow access to dual citizens. That's one of the situations we see. In some places, we'll get access to a dual citizen in one case, and then depending perhaps on the local authorities, not get access in another case. That's something we can point out to these countries as well, that we've had access to one Canadian citizen but not to another.
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB
What can any Canadian government do to change the status quo? We give our citizenship to so many citizens across the world, and I'm sure there are so many resources that you allocate there in order to be able to assist Canadians in different cases. What else can we do—any given government in Canada—or should we do?
12:50 p.m.
NDP
The Vice-Chair NDP Hélène Laverdière
Please answer briefly, if possible, because we will have to suspend for a couple of minutes, and we have some committee business to deal with. Thank you very much.
12:50 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Consular, Emergency Management and Security, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
In cases where countries don't recognize dual citizens or where we have challenges or that access is not consistent, that is where we try to work bilaterally with that country to put in place a different kind of agreement or to elaborate an understanding that is separate from an individual case.
We find that, in some cases, it's better to establish a common understanding. That requires diplomatic engagement and effort to try to put in place an understanding whereby they recognize our interest in accessing those citizens.
12:50 p.m.
NDP
The Vice-Chair NDP Hélène Laverdière
Thank you very much for coming to answer our questions today. I hope we did not make it too tough for you. We are just beginning our work and I am sure we will want to see you again towards the end of our study, once we have heard from various witnesses and have further explored this issue.
It has been a pleasure seeing you and seeing some of you again.
We'll suspend for a couple of minutes.
12:55 p.m.
NDP
The Vice-Chair NDP Hélène Laverdière
We have a very simple motion and I expect it will not be too complicated.
It reads as follows:
That the Committee host a working dinner with Mr. Ojars Kalnins, Chairman, Foreign Affairs Committee of the 12th Saeima (Latvian Parliament), on Monday, October 30, 2017.
If all goes well, we will begin the process and send an invitation indicating the time and place of the dinner.
(Motion agreed to.)