Evidence of meeting #11 for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was israel.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Members speaking

Before the committee

Lévêque  Assistant Deputy Minister, Europe, Middle East and Arctic Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Netley  Legal Adviser and Director General, International Law Bureau, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

11:55 a.m.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Europe, Middle East and Arctic Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Alexandre Lévêque

That is indeed the billion dollar question right now. I think, given where we are starting, it's important to really look at small steps that first stabilize the ceasefire and then start building the trust in very incremental ways. Like I said, right now, the only mission that exists is one of oversight, supervision and observation of a ceasefire, not a peace plan per se.

The next really important step will be the international stabilization force. That could actually see, depending on how the UN Security Council resolution is drafted, international troops, troops provided by a number of countries, enter Gaza and serve as a security force while the transfer to a proper authority among Palestinians of the monopoly of force and policing can occur.

It means, in the meantime, we have a lot of work to do to professionalize and to increase the number Palestinian security forces that would have the ability to play that role. This is a space where Canada has actually done a lot through the office of security coordinator in Jerusalem. Operation Proteus, one of the Canadian Armed Forces operations, has had the deputy command of this operation, which is a mix of military and civilian. They have done a lot of training among both civilian and not military, but Palestinian security forces.

There's a good basis from which to start there. It would need to be brought up to scale for that ISF, the international stabilization force, to first take hold, to be able to then train Palestinian security forces and then to bring them into Gaza.

Those are the next steps before we can even talk about developing proper governance in Gaza.

The Chair Liberal Ahmed Hussen

Thank you very much.

Mr. Brunelle‑Duceppe, you have the floor for three minutes.

Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

We're talking about an international peacekeeping force to secure the ceasefire.

Do you think Canada would be ready to participate in that?

11:55 a.m.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Europe, Middle East and Arctic Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Alexandre Lévêque

I don't think it will be a peacekeeping force per se. It's still too early for that to be the conclusion.

Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC

I see.

11:55 a.m.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Europe, Middle East and Arctic Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Alexandre Lévêque

Various models could be put forward.

That said, we will consider all proposals. No commitment has been made on either side. We'll really have to see what kind of force it is.

Canada obviously can't make a commitment until it's possible to know what it is.

Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC

I agree that this is very hypothetical, but would it be possible for Canada to participate in the mechanism that gets adopted, whatever form it takes?

11:55 a.m.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Europe, Middle East and Arctic Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Alexandre Lévêque

That will be determined based on the Prime Minister's commitments and decisions.

Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC

At the start of the meeting, we talked about sanctions. You told us that there were no longer any calls to annex the West Bank and that food aid was entering the affected areas much more than before the ceasefire. That proves that there was actually wrongdoing.

Do you think that all the Israeli officials who committed such acts, whether calling to annex the West Bank or blocking the delivery of humanitarian aid, have been sanctioned? Are there any who haven't been addressed yet?

If those actions took place, regardless of whether they've stopped taking place now, it's still important to impose sanctions.

Isn't that right?

Noon

Assistant Deputy Minister, Europe, Middle East and Arctic Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Alexandre Lévêque

The use of sanctions isn't automatic or immediate. As I explained a little earlier, specific triggers are needed.

Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC

You mentioned them earlier.

Noon

Assistant Deputy Minister, Europe, Middle East and Arctic Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Alexandre Lévêque

I did mention some. It could be a case of, for example, imminent threats to peace and security.

We're currently in a phase where there are fewer calls to annex the West Bank and where we hope we can continue seeing less violence or a lack of violence by extremist settlers against Palestinian farmers in the West Bank, for example.

Right now, our role is more to encourage closer ties between the parties than to use coercive tools.

Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC

I understand, but my question is still quite clear. If wrongdoing has been committed, don't you think they should be sanctioned, regardless of the new situation?

Noon

Assistant Deputy Minister, Europe, Middle East and Arctic Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Alexandre Lévêque

That isn't necessarily the case. It depends on what the goal is. It isn't up to Canada to be the police force that sanctions absolutely any action in Israel, Palestine or anywhere else.

At the moment, we think our role is to strengthen the trust levels between the various parties and to increase peace and security in the region.

Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC

Does that then send a message of impunity, if people who have committed wrongdoing aren't sanctioned?

Canada isn't an economic or military powerhouse. This is coming from a Quebec separatist. Still, there's a history of human rights, and Canada has been a leader in that regard. I'm thinking in particular of Lester B. Pearson or Brian Mulroney.

Isn't that a way for Canada to set itself apart?

Noon

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Ahmed Hussen

Give a very brief response, please.

Noon

Assistant Deputy Minister, Europe, Middle East and Arctic Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Alexandre Lévêque

Yes, that has already been done.

Extraordinary measures have been taken to sanction sitting ministers. Those tools still exist, and they can be used in the future.

Noon

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Ahmed Hussen

Officials, thank you very much for your appearance and for your testimony before the committee.

Colleagues, yesterday the clerk of the committee distributed a draft budget in the amount of $17,500 in relation to the study on the detention of Jimmy Lai. He discussed with me the fact that this is a draft budget which is taking into account possible expenditures, but this amount may not necessarily be spent. I'm just asking whether the committee approves this budget.

Do I have approval for the budget?

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Noon

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Ahmed Hussen

Thank you very much.

That concludes the agenda for this particular meeting.

Is it the will of the committee to adjourn the meeting?

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Noon

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Ahmed Hussen

Thank you very much.