Foreign Affairs Committee on Feb. 14th, 2023

[Randeep Sarai, Liberal, Surrey Centre, BC]

My next question may not particularly be addressed to you, but you may be familiar with it.

Our Minister of Immigration has announced that they'll expedite immigration processing for visas and others for people from Turkey and the region who have already applied—people who want to bring their loved ones or spouses here. A lot of the concern has been that they left their passports in their homes. They've escaped the home, but they can't get back to their home because either it's collapsed or there's fear it will collapse.

Are you working with the Turkish government to help those who might be able to get documentation or reproduce their documentation, so that they can facilitate their travel to Canada where they are able to?

[Stephen Salewicz]

I'll pass the floor to Jess Dutton, please.

[Jess Dutton, Director general, Middle East, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development]

Mr. Chair, I don't actually have an answer to that question, but we will follow up with our colleagues at IRCC to ensure you get a written response.

I can assure you, however, that our resources at our missions in Ankara, Istanbul and of course Beirut, which covers Syria, are doing everything they can to facilitate the individuals you mentioned.

[Randeep Sarai, Liberal, Surrey Centre, BC]

There have been questionable media reports that the Turkish government is not providing aid to certain areas because of the ethnic makeup of that area.

Are you finding, on the ground, that the aid is going to the places that are in need based on need and not based on the ethnic orientation of the groups there?

[Stephen Salewicz]

I don't have evidence one way or another. I do know, through reports and through our team that has been in the field, that the distributions they've seen are based on need, not on ethnicity.

[Randeep Sarai, Liberal, Surrey Centre, BC]

Is the UN's coordinated response based on need and not based on where Turkey is telling them to go?

[Stephen Salewicz]

Indeed, that's the nature of the humanitarian imperative and the principles that they follow. It's fundamental that it's based on need, not on ethnicity.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Thank you.

We go to Mr. Bergeron.

You have two minutes, sir.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Montarville, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'll try to be brief.

I'd like to return to the plane that was chartered to deliver blankets and other items to Turkey.

As you're no doubt aware, a Saudi plane landed in Aleppo, Syria, carrying some 35 tonnes of food and other supplies. According to SANA, the official news agency, it's the first time in 10 years, the first since Saudi Arabia severed ties with the Syrian regime in 2012, that a Saudi plane has landed in Syria.

Are you considering doing the same, given that the infrastructure needed to come to people's aid is much more developed in Turkey than it is in Syria, especially with the ongoing civil war and so on? Are we planning on doing the same for Syria?

[Stephen Salewicz]

Thank you for the question.

We already have partners within Syria that are doing procurement locally to provide a response to the earthquake victims. The Red Cross has issued a request for materials for Turkey. Should they release one for Syria, we have supplies that we could also send to Syria. To be clear, it would go through a Red Cross movement pipeline and be distributed by the Red Cross.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Thank you, Mr. Bergeron. You had only 15 seconds remaining.

We will now go to MP McPherson.

You have two minutes as well.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'd like to follow up on some of those questions around the barriers we're seeing. Can you explain or tell us a little bit more about the barriers to access that are being caused by Assad, by support from Russia at the United Nations or the impacts of existing sanctions and whether they create barriers to providing humanitarian assistance?

[Stephen Salewicz]

I'll pass the floor to Mr. Dutton.

[Jess Dutton]

Yes, certainly the Syrian, Russian, Chinese and Iranian regimes have been using the excuse of sanctions as being an impediment to the provision of humanitarian assistance. I can assure you that, from a Canadian perspective, we have exemptions written into the legislation that allow humanitarian assistance to be delivered to Syria.

In terms of the United Nations, as you may know, there was only one border crossing approved by the Security Council. In the past, there had been more available for the provision of humanitarian support to Syria. Thanks to the Russians and the Chinese, that was whittled down to one last year.

As my colleague noted, two other pathways are being opened. These aren't pathways controlled by the Syrian government. They are controlled by other forces in the area. I know that this was discussed by the Security Council both yesterday and today, but we're hopeful that these pathways can be used for the provision of assistance moving forward.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Dutton, could I clarify, then, just to be very clear, that you are saying there is no issue at all with the existing sanctions impacting the ability of humanitarian organizations to work in the area?

[Jess Dutton]

What I'm saying is that written into the legislation there are exemptions for organizations that are providing humanitarian support. It's—

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

I'm sorry to interrupt. Those exemptions will prevent...or that means there won't be an issue for organizations.

[Jess Dutton]

I can assure you that, if there is an issue, the organizations can contact us. We will respond to questions on an emergency basis.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Thank you.

We now go to Mr. Hoback.

Mr. Hoback, you have four minutes.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Thank you, Chair.

It's now 37,000. What's the forecasted death toll now? What is it expected to be? Do you know?

[Stephen Salewicz]

I don't know. I don't have those figures. It's rising quickly.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

In an earthquake, time is of the essence. There's no question about that. The fact that it took eight days to even get a plane on the ground, with all its problems, would have led to an increase in the death toll. Is that fair to say? If we'd been able to get that plane on the ground in a day, two days or three days, do you think we would have been able to have an impact on the outcome?

[Stephen Salewicz]

If you look at the experience we've had over the years, this is not atypical. In any crisis, infrastructure damages limit access. We also have to remember that the Government of Turkey controls the airports and controls access.

We're following protocol, which is a request from a national society for supplies—

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

I'm not questioning protocol. I'm just saying that, because of the issues you've faced, more people are going to die. Is that fair to say? We do have parachutes. Is there no way to do airdrops and things like that in a situation like this? How do you explore alternatives other than landing and running it through the Red Cross? You have people who are cold and you have sleeping bags—