Foreign Affairs Committee on June 5th, 2024

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

You had a chance to answer, and you didn't.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Thank you, Mr. Genuis.

We will go to Dr. Fry.

Dr. Fry, you have six minutes.

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

Thank you, Chair.

Welcome, Your Excellency.

I think that we share a lot with Denmark, so it's interesting to see you taking this position. Denmark, as you well know, is a co-founder of NATO, with Canada. Also, Denmark is in the OSCE, and Denmark is as committed as Canada is to Ukraine and committed to helping Ukraine win that war against Russia. That's the first part of my statement, and it's leading to the question I'm going to ask you.

The second part is that Denmark has managed to be able to look, with Canada, towards the security of the Arctic. With Russia amassing massive military ships in the Arctic, I think we all need to be concerned about security in the Arctic. Have you been discussing this with Denmark? Is there a way in which Canada and Denmark can work more closely together with regard to Ukraine and with regard to Arctic security?

[Carolyn Bennett]

Absolutely. I think we learned a lot in the meeting when we were in Nuuk with Major-General Søren Andersen about the kinds of exercises that we're taking together and about that plan, as the Arctic and northern policy framework really articulated.

I think you're quite right, Hedy. Since the illegal invasion by Russia into Ukraine, all of the Nordics are very much focused on what we can do together on security particularly in the Arctic. I think, even being in the Faroe Islands last week, knowing really how the Americans want to help, everybody is worried.

Placing those wreaths on the anniversary of the liberation of Denmark, Canada was very much part of that, and the U.S., the U.K. and Poland. This is a country that has been occupied, and they're focused on Ukraine, focused on helping Ukraine and focused on being able to give everything they can to really support Ukraine with its reconstruction.

It was also interesting—Hedy, you would be interested—that when I was at the WHO Europe, which again, are the multilaterals that are in our area in Copenhagen, it is actually dealing with the Canadian funding for the mental health support in Ukraine. There are lots of connections there.

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

There are lots of things you could do. I noticed that Denmark just raised its carbon pricing. It has one of the highest carbon prices in the world, in Europe. It is actually looking very clearly at the melting of ice in the Arctic, looking at what's going to happen to the Arctic, looking at how it's going to affect their infrastructure, their agriculture and everything they do because of the melting of ice in the Arctic.

Have there been discussions on how we can co-operate environmentally?

[Carolyn Bennett]

Yes, I think there are many Canadian municipalities that go to Copenhagen to actually learn how you can mitigate climate change and how citizens and municipalities can be part of the tools that need to be there to combat climate change and mitigate it.

It's interesting that even Copenhagen is planning to build an island that will protect the harbour and all of the canals, just knowing and preparing for what we all hope won't happen, in terms of the rising sea levels.

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

Yes. Do you mean an artificial island?

[Carolyn Bennett]

Yes.

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

Really? That's an interesting engineering feat.

[Carolyn Bennett]

Yes.

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

Do you think we can work together and learn something from Denmark? They've been leaders in dealing with environmental problems and issues.

[Carolyn Bennett]

It is part of their identity now, particularly when it comes to whether nine out of 10 people have a bicycle, whether they're to get people out of their cars or whether they're able to use some of the things like wind power as opposed to diesel.

It was interesting that the port on the most western part of Denmark was a fishing community, then an oil drilling community, and now it's doing windmills. In terms of just transition, we have a lot to learn from Denmark. There's a lot to learn as well, frankly, about child care, about free post-secondary education, about a very generous welfare system that has the crime rate down. Of course, they have the approach of hygge, of people just wanting to live a good life and everybody being of equal stature. It's a really interesting culture.

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

How am I doing for time, Chair?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

You have 24 seconds.

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

I have 24 seconds.

Is there anything you want to say to this committee about how we can look at and enhance our foreign affairs relationships with Denmark?

[Carolyn Bennett]

As we look to their chairmanship of the Arctic Council, we want to be able to support them. We want them to also understand that in that kingdom, Greenland and the Faroe Islands as well as Denmark are separate countries, and that they are in the kingdom and in the realm. I think we will see a need to support them. As they come to the chairmanship of the Arctic Council, with the leadership of Greenland speaking for Greenlanders and the people living in the north, we have an opportunity, as Canada, to say that Arctic policy needs to still have the leadership of Arctic states.

We, as an Arctic country, need to support them in that vision, as opposed to the people who seem to think the Arctic is a public good. This is not Antarctica. This is a north where people live, and they need to have a say.

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

Thank you to Lloyd Axworthy for starting the Arctic Council.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Thank you.

We next go to MP Bergeron.

MP Bergeron, you have six minutes.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Montarville, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I hope that my speaking time will be as generous as Ms. Fry's time.

Your Excellency, thank you for joining us and for giving us more than the hour that you originally agreed to. We really appreciate it.

You no doubt know that the foreign affairs and international development committee held hearings on Canadian diplomacy over a number of weeks. Witnesses repeatedly pointed out the need to limit political appointments to a certain extent.

At one time, prime ministers rewarded loyal service by appointing people to the Senate. The current Prime Minister has chosen to put an end to this. However, the Prime Minister has developed a new tendency to appoint former members of Parliament or ministers to diplomatic positions. Examples include Bob Rae, who was appointed ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations in New York, and Stéphane Dion, who is now Canada's ambassador to France. Marc Garneau was offered the position of ambassador to France. David Lametti was offered the position of ambassador to Spain. You were offered the position of ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark.

You're taking over from Denis Robert, a career diplomat who served from 2020 to 2024. He joined the Department of External Affairs in 1989. He was also Canada's ambassador to Belgium from 2012 to 2016.

You aren't a career diplomat. I had the opportunity to sit with you for a long time, both in my first life as a parliamentarian and in my second life as a parliamentarian. I hold in high esteem what you achieved during your long and prolific career, both as a family doctor and as a parliamentarian.

In addition to having held positions that put you in contact with the first nations, what specifically prepared you for the position of Canada's ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark?

[Carolyn Bennett]

You're asking almost the same question as Mr. Hoback.

I think that it's about wisdom and an understanding of Arctic issues and the collaboration between the two countries. The Prime Minister must also appoint people such as Tom Clark or John Horgan. Members of Parliament aren't necessarily the only ones appointed.

Robert Sinclair has a view of how the diversity of the public service and the foreign service has been very helpful, I think, over the years in just bringing different perspectives into what is an ascension through the ranks, and—maybe I shouldn't say it—a refreshing breeze. I am trying to do my best to bring what I have learned, particularly on the panel in Greenland. There it was about engagement with citizens. They asked me to present on what meaningful engagement with indigenous people means, and as you've heard me say before, Stéphane, it shouldn't be scary. I think Canada has a role to play in really moving forward on the issues of reconciliation or, as Willie Littlechild said, “reconciliaction”. I really look forward to that and also, of course, to the relationship between the Inuit and the Inuit Circumpolar Council.

I'm very much enjoying this role and the fact that I am surrounded by career public servants who really are fantastic. I think over my time even as a doctor, I would say that you know what you know; you know what you don't know, and you know who to go to for help and when to do that. That's, I think, the approach I'm taking to this new job.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Montarville, QC]

Some witnesses argued for a limit on the number of political appointments. They said that these appointments could be disheartening for people who spend their entire careers in the public service and see ambassador positions slip through their fingers.

Do you have any comments on this perspective shared with us?

[Carolyn Bennett]

These feelings haven't been conveyed to me.

Maybe we should let the public servant say what it feels like.

[Robert Sinclair, Senior Arctic Official and Director General, Arctic, Eurasian and European Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development]

I hope my mic works.

Mr. Bergeron, each person who becomes a head of a mission comes with their own stories and experiences, for example.

We're motivated by heads with leadership who, as I just said—

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

I do apologize for interrupting. Please wrap it up in 10 seconds.

[Robert Sinclair]

I am very happy and eager to work with Ambassador Bennett.