Foreign Affairs Committee on Dec. 6th, 2023

[Sophie Chatel, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

Mr. Chair, do I have time for another question?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

No.

[Sophie Chatel, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

Okay.

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Next we go to Mr. Bergeron for two and a half minutes.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Montarville, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I believe you stated quite clearly that Canada's Middle East strategy was informed by the ISIS problem in the region.

In light of the circumstances, where, how and by whom will the additional funding for Canada's Middle East strategy be used?

[Shirley Carruthers]

Thank you very much for the question.

In terms of the funding and the partners that we've used in the past with respect to the Middle East, we do tend to use very experienced and principled partners, given the challenges in the region, particularly when we're thinking about humanitarian assistance. We predominantly use the UN agencies as well as multilateral organizations and NGOs.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Montarville, QC]

Of that I have no doubt, but that's not what I want to know. I'll rephrase the question.

At present, the main problem our Middle East strategy was built around no longer exists, or, at any rate, it's not as important anymore. How has Canada's Middle East strategy been reoriented given the geopolitical changes that have taken place in the region in the meantime?

[Shirley Carruthers]

Thank you very much for the question.

I'm sorry. I think I understand what it is you're looking for now. I think I mentioned earlier that the strategy has evolved to reflect Canada's priorities in the region. We've now integrated emerging priorities, such as food security and climate change.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Montarville, QC]

If I understood your response to Mr. Zuberi's question correctly, there's nothing short-term in there for the people of Gaza.

[Shirley Carruthers]

Specifically within these supplementary estimates, we haven't requested any additional funding to respond. The response that we've done so far has been within our existing reference levels. We have requested some funding for West Bank and Gaza from our crisis pool, but it's fairly minimal for this fiscal year, at $3 million, in addition the other funding that we've supported through our existing reference levels.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Montarville, QC]

I'd like to ask one last quick question.

Where and to whom would the government pay out the $100 million in the international aid envelope that's earmarked for global health?

[Shirley Carruthers]

I'll turn it to my colleague Peter MacDougall.

[Peter MacDougall]

This $100 million is part of the 10-year commitment on global health in SRHR. This brings us to $1.4 billion per year starting this fiscal year. This $100 million will go to a wide range of priorities on SRHR and global health. The range of partners that we've worked with are the ones, I think, that you would know well, whether the global fund, the World Health Organization—

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

I'm going to have to ask that you conclude. Thank you.

For the last question, we go to MP McPherson for two and a half minutes.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, and thank you again to the witnesses for being here today.

I had a question about a specific initiative that Global Affairs is undertaking, the small and medium organization initiative.

We know that it was highly successful. It was piloted and came back with highly successful outcomes, and yet a decision has not been made on providing continued funding to it. Also, just in terms of even a short-term extension to allow the organizations to continue to work while that decision is being made, we are running out of time for these organizations and we know how important small and medium-sized organizations are with regard to public engagement and to very critical long-term relationships with partners in the global south.

Do you have an update on funds for the SMOs?

[Shirley Carruthers]

Unfortunately, I don't have any additional information with me today on that.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

I would just reiterate that it was a highly successful fund and that I think it would be a missed opportunity to not provide funding for small and medium-sized organizations across the country. It is a way to engage people coast to coast to coast in ways that larger organizations are often unable to do.

As my next question, in 2019—we're now almost at 2024, so it was almost five years ago—the Liberals promised to establish a “Canadian centre to expand the availability of Canadian expertise and assistance to those seeking to build peace, advance justice, promote human rights, inclusion and democracy, and deliver good governance.”

Where is that promise at?

[Shirley Carruthers]

I'm not aware of where that particular promise would be, but we'd be happy to go back to the department and get that information.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

We would love to get more information on that.

I would just say that you've not been able to answer several of the questions that I've asked. I certainly don't hold that against you at all, but I will reiterate that if the minister had been here, he or she would be able to answer some of these questions for us. I think that as parliamentarians, we have the job of ensuring that we get the answers to these questions.

Once again, I would like to reiterate that the minister should be here doing this; you should not be having to answer these questions that you don't have the answers for.

Thank you very much for being here.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Thank you ever so much.

At this point, I will thank our three witnesses. I'm very grateful that you were here with us today. Thank you, Ms. Carruthers, Ms. Strohan, and Mr. MacDougall. We're very grateful indeed.

Now we will suspend for a few minutes and then go right to our second panel.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Welcome back, members.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee will proceed to a briefing on the situation in Israel and Gaza.

I'd like to welcome our two witnesses from Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development. We are fortunate to have with us today Mr. Alexandre Lévêque, assistant deputy minister for Europe, Arctic, Middle East and Maghreb. We also have Mr. Sébastien Beaulieu, director general and chief security officer in security and emergency management.

I understand that there's only one opening remark. Is that correct, Mr. Lévêque?

[Alexandre Lévêque, Assistant Deputy Minister, Europe, Arctic, Middle East and Maghreb, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development]

Chair, we did prepare two, but we're in your hands.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

One is good.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

No, if the witnesses want to speak....

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

On a point of order, it is standard procedure that if they have prepared two, they would be allowed to give two.