Thank you.
I was saying, Mr. Juneau, that I find this situation absolutely terrifying. The fact that the Senate committee decided to put forward this recommendation on French means that all is not well at Global Affairs Canada. If that department is one of the best examples out there, I dare not even imagine what is going on in other departments.
My next question is for Ms. Deif.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs has stated that Canada's foreign policy will be guided by two principles: sovereignty and pragmatic diplomacy. In her view, that means working with countries with “different perspectives” without ever compromising Canadian values or national interests.
My question is very simple. Isn't working with countries with “different perspectives”, including countries that blatantly violate human rights, without compromising Canadian values of respect for those rights, sort of like trying to square the circle?
What's your response to that?