Evidence of meeting #24 for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was military.
A video is available from Parliament.
NDP
Assistant Deputy Minister, Asia Pacific, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
I will ask Cory to address that question.
Director, Sanctions Policy and Operations Coordination Division, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Certainly, thank you very much.
There is a dealings ban in place under our SEMA sanctions for those individuals and entities that are listed under the sanctions. With respect to the individuals and entities that we currently have on our list, any financial transactions or interactions of that nature would be prohibited.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sven Spengemann
Thank you very much, Mr. Harris.
Colleagues, that takes us to the end of our first round with the panel on Myanmar.
I'm very mindful that in very short order we're going to be challenged by bells. We may have as little as 10 minutes left, but we may have a bit more. I'm wondering if you would agree to a series of very quick rounds of two minutes for each question and answer. We'll just keep going in sequence until the bells go.
Conservative
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON
No, Mr. Chair, I'd like my five minutes. Thank you.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sven Spengemann
Okay, Mr. Chong. That's fine.
Are there any other views from colleagues? Who would agree to the negotiated order and go as far as we can?
Bloc
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Montarville, QC
I'd like to say two things.
First, our witnesses suggested they send us some answers in writing. I just want to make sure we get those answers.
Second, I recognize Mr. Chong's right to use his five minutes, but I honestly thought we had an implicit agreement that time would be allocated to all political parties in a second round.
Bloc
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Montarville, QC
I'd like to see this agreement reflected in the time allocation. I understand that Mr. Chong and our colleagues on the government side are entitled to a larger portion than Mr. Harris and I are, but in the spirit of what we've negotiated, I ask that we be allowed to return to the questions.
Conservative
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON
Mr. Chair, on that, look. We're all equal members on this committee. I have not yet had a time slot in the last two hours to ask any questions. Mr. Bergeron and Mr. Harris have both had opportunities to ask questions.
Conservative
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON
That's why I'd like to ask these questions. It's an issue that I have some questions on.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sven Spengemann
Let me just make sure that your point, Mr. Bergeron, is taken on board with respect to documents, that they are forthcoming.
Colleagues, please also keep in mind that the negotiation of the second round was in anticipation of a full round being completed. That's why, in the interest of fairness, I was proposing that every party would have a chance to come in. We may still get everybody in if we proceed as negotiated, but we may not.
If there is no consensus on going forward in that way, I would propose that we give the floor to Mr. Chong for his round of five minutes.
Please go ahead.
Conservative
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to our witnesses for appearing.
We know that the military junta fired Myanmar's ambassador to the United Nations, and we know that Myanmar's ambassador to the United Kingdom was recently recalled. What is the status of Myanmar's ambassador to Canada?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Asia Pacific, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Myanmar's ambassador to Canada arrived prior to the coup. He is awaiting his credentials, so he is not formally recognized as of yet, but we have engaged with both the ambassador-designate and his staff on a day-to-day basis.
The Embassy of Myanmar remains operational. We are in regular contact. They are in a challenging situation, but to date, they are responding to instructions from their foreign ministry in Myanmar.
Conservative
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON
Okay, so, he has not been pulled back at this point.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Asia Pacific, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Not at this point.
Conservative
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON
In May 2018, the Government of Canada announced its intention to fund some $300 million in humanitarian assistance over three years for the situation in Myanmar. That three-year period comes to an end in May.
How much of that money was actually spent?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Asia Pacific, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Mr. Chair, if my colleague, Mark Gawn, is available, I would ask him to respond to that.
Peter or Mark?
Director General, Southeast Asia, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Thank you. I can take that one.
Yes, the commitment was $300 million over three years. I would just add that that was not just spending in Myanmar. In fact, the majority of the spending was actually in Bangladesh to provide support in Cox's Bazar.
Conservative
