Foreign Affairs Committee on Nov. 27th, 2025

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

I call this meeting to order.

Welcome to meeting number 16 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development.

Today's meeting is taking place in a hybrid format, pursuant to the Standing Orders. Members are attending in person in the room and remotely using the Zoom application.

Before proceeding further, I would like to request the Committee's unanimous consent to have Ms. Vandenbeld chair today's meeting, given the Minister's presence as a witness, the importance of this session's topic of discussion and the absence of the senior Vice-Chair and the Chair.

Do we have the Committee's unanimous consent to pass the chair to Ms. Vandenbeld?

[Some hon. members]

Yes.

[The Acting Chair, Liberal, Anita Vandenbeld]

Welcome. Today we're meeting for two hours to discuss the supplementary estimates (B), 2025-26: votes 1b, 5b and 10b under the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Development, and vote 1b under the International Joint Commission, Canadian Section.

First of all, we welcome the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Madam Anita Anand. We are pleased to have the minister with us. She will be joined by departmental officials.

We have Sandra McCardell, associate deputy minister of foreign affairs; Weldon Epp, assistant deputy minister, Indo-Pacific; Alexandre Lévêque, assistant deputy minister, Europe, Middle East and Arctic branch; and Shirley Carruthers, assistant deputy minister and chief financial officer, people and corporate management branch.

We will begin with five minutes for opening remarks.

Minister, you have the floor.

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Good morning, Madam Chair and committee members.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to address the committee at a time marked by economic upheaval, escalating geopolitical tensions and the pressures of rapid technological change. In the face of these challenges, Canada is focusing on what we can control. Even as fiscal constraints sharpen the trade-offs we face, our priorities are clear: protecting Canada's sovereignty and ensuring our long-term prosperity.

As I emphasized at the G7 foreign ministers' meeting earlier this month, our approach rests on building strong, resilient and purposeful global partnerships.

Canada's strength abroad has to be anchored in resilience, trust and clear objectives right here, at home. Our economic security is also our national security. Resilient economies create resilient societies, secure borders and real opportunities for all Canadians.

For this reason, our government's foreign policy rests on economic resilience, robust defence and security, and it remains guided by our core values. As Minister Champagne has said, “We are building an economy by Canadians, for Canadians.” We are laser-focused on diversifying trade, strengthening supply chains and attracting targeted foreign investment to secure Canada's future.

My recent travel to Europe, Asia and the Americas has been focused on deepening partnerships in strategic markets. These partnerships strengthen our commitment to a stable, rules-based trading system, reinforcing both our prosperity and our resilience to global shocks.

Backed by budget investments, initiatives like team Canada trade missions and our work to position Canada as a top-tier investment destination are creating new opportunities for Canadian businesses and communities. Our network of diplomatic missions abroad has received clear instructions to deploy all necessary resources to advance trade diversification and economic diplomacy. Stable, rules-based trade and strong alliances are absolutely essential not only for economic growth but also for the protection of our borders, our rights and our democratic institutions.

We must also turn our attention to regions where we can deepen ties with like-minded states, including the Arctic. First and foremost, Canada is an Arctic nation. Forty per cent of our territory and over 70% of our coastline are in the Arctic, shaping both our domestic and our foreign policy. We have recently appointed an Arctic ambassador, along with planning the opening of a consulate in Greenland, both of which will expand our diplomacy vis-à-vis the Arctic.

During discussions with ministers of foreign affairs in Arctic states, a clear consensus emerged that it was now time to strengthen our northern presence and collaboration, especially in light of climate and geopolitical changes.

Canada's latest budget earmarked $80 billion in defence spending, putting us on a path to reach 2% of GDP this year and 5% of GDP by 2035. A substantial portion of this will support dual-use infrastructure, such as new or expanded airports and ports and runways in the Canadian Arctic.

As foreign minister, my focus is on deepening collaboration with Arctic states and partners to ensure Canada's sovereignty and security.

I will move now to emphasizing our support for Ukraine. Over $22 billion or so to Ukraine signals Canada's unwavering support for international law, sovereignty and security. We're also investing in cyber-technology and technology-driven defence modernization, recognizing the evolving nature of global threats.

Canada's foreign policy will always be guided by our core values, driven by pragmatism and sustained by budgeted investments.

That means expanded humanitarian support, efforts to advance a two-state solution in the Middle East, sustained support to help restore security in Haiti and efforts to reform multilateral institutions so that they remain fit for purpose and capable of addressing today's global challenges.

Our G7 presidency this year has placed Canada's priorities firmly at the heart of the international agenda. Canada is fully committed to working with partners in multilateral organizations to advance common priorities and address global challenges that directly impact Canadians. Our core values continue to define who we are and serve as a strength on the world stage.

In conclusion, as we face a global landscape marked by renewed strategic competition and economic coercion, we must recognize that our approach must be sustained commitments and focused investments that reflect the realities of today's global landscape. Our engagement on the world stage is deeply connected to the daily lives of Canadians. Every decision we take internationally is designed to deliver tangible benefits for all Canadians across the country, in every province and territory.

I'm ready to answer your questions.

Thank you very much.

[The Acting Chair, Liberal, Anita Vandenbeld]

Thank you very much, Minister.

We will now go to the first round of questions.

Our first speaker will be Mr. Aboultaif.

You have six minutes.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Thank you, Chair.

Welcome, Minister, again to the committee.

Minister, you've said many times that Canada's export controls are among the strongest in the world, yet the CBC has credibly reported that Canadian-made rifles have now surfaced in Sudan's conflict not once or twice, but extensively.

Has our export control system failed to stop Canadian weapons from getting into the wrong hands?

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Oakville East, ON]

Thank you for the question.

Canada has imposed an arms embargo on Sudan under the United Nations Act and the Special Economic Measures Act. That means that no Canadian company is allowed to export weapons to Sudan directly or through a third-party country.

Canadian residents who want to export or negotiate for controlled goods and technologies have to obtain an export or intermediation permit. All permit applications for these kinds of items are examined on a case‑by‑case basis, under Canada's strict risk assessment framework. Canada has not allowed any exceptions to this legal requirement, and we will ensure that anyone who violates the law will face legal consequences, including fines, seizures and criminal proceedings.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Minister, the Prime Minister was recently in the U.A.E., where he praised their government. During his meetings, did he express his concern over the Emirates' role in supporting Sudan's Rapid Support Forces through the purchase of gold and other natural resources resulting in prolonging the Sudanese conflict at the cost of innocent civilian lives?

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Oakville East, ON]

To be clear in English, those who breach the law will be held to account. It is something that I take very seriously, and my department takes it very seriously also.

In terms of our meetings with the U.A.E., we do raise human rights concerns at every turn. In addition, I want to stress that we are supportive of the efforts of the Quad. The Quad, as you know, contains four members: the United States, Egypt, the U.A.E. and Saudi Arabia.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Minister, with all due respect, the question is, has the Prime Minister raised this issue with the U.A.E., yes or no?

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Oakville East, ON]

As I said in our meetings with our counterparts of the U.A.E., we raise concerns relating to human rights, of course. I want to stress that Canada is the third highest bilateral donor in aid to Sudan. We are also very much in favour of the efforts of the Quad, a point I made repeatedly when the G7 foreign ministers were in Canada, in Niagara, just a couple of weeks ago.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Minister, again, the question was about Sudan. I want to move on.

At the UN, you outlined a change in priorities for the new Carney government compared to the previous government. You said that the first priority is Canada's defence and security; the second priority is Canada's economic resilience, and third priority is Canada's values.

Is the PM's recent trip to the U.A.E. an example of prioritizing economic resilience over our values?

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Oakville East, ON]

I want to be clear that while these pillars of our foreign policy are listed as one, two and three, they actually are interdependent. Our values infuse our diplomacy on the economic side as well as on the defence and security side. We have here a past minister of national defence not only in the chair but also on the other side of this room. It is the case that our values are core to our foreign policy, full stop. Those values include human rights, environmental sustainability, reconciliation and a commitment to multilateralism and gender equality overall. These are core Canadian values. They infuse our foreign policy, including in terms of our negotiations economically, including in terms of our defence and security, as exemplified by the women, peace and security initiative, which Madam Chair knows so well.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Again, Minister, all this is good. The question is, was it raised at the U.A.E. summit, rather than in meetings, that the Prime Minister had with the leadership of the United Arab Emirates? People are questioning. Canadians are questioning. We hear concerns from around the world about that.

We need to hear from you. Has this been raised, yes or no? That's what I'm asking.

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Oakville East, ON]

Yes. We raise human rights concerns across the board in all of our bilateral meetings, especially, as needed, to express the values that Canadian citizens hold close to their hearts. Those values include human rights.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

What was the reaction of the leadership of the United Arab Emirates?

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Oakville East, ON]

The importance of our Canadian values needs to be underscored.

As minister, I'm here to say, once again, that we always discuss human rights, not just with one or two countries, but in all of our bilateral or multilateral conversations.

The Government of Canada is there for Canadians and on the issues that concern.

[The Acting Chair, Liberal, Anita Vandenbeld]

Thank you. That is our time.

We will now go to Mr. Blair for six minutes.

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

Welcome to the minister and her team.

We note, frankly, with gratitude and admiration, how busy you have been over the past several months travelling all over the world, most recently with a rather lengthy but, I think, vital trip to Africa.

Minister, I'd like to return to the topic of the supplementary estimates. There's approximately $847 million included in the supplementary estimates that we've invited you here to speak about. It includes some $673 million for our international finance program, $67 million for reinvestment in revenues, just under $28 million for the management of the Canada-U.S. softwood lumber file, the crisis pool quick-release mechanisms, which I'd like to also speak to you about, and the presidency of the G7 summit in Canada.

Minister, I would like to give you an opportunity to explain to us how the allocations that are included in these supplementary estimates are going to align with Canada's broader foreign policy priorities that you outlined for us earlier. Then I have a number of specific questions about how each of those allocations might impact our efforts.

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Oakville East, ON]

I want to thank you for asking me a question about the supplementary estimates, as I believe they are the reason I've been called to the committee in the first place.

With regard to the supplementary estimates, Global Affairs has sought an increase of $847 million to our current authorities. The funding requests are primarily for some of the climate programs, such as Canada's international climate finance program, as well as for the reinvestment of revenues from the sale or transfer of real property.

There is also an allocation requested for the crisis pool. That crisis pool allows us to undertake a crisis response, which is a file you know so well. We know that many humanitarian issues have occurred recently because of climate disasters throughout the world. I'm thinking of the Philippines, for example, but there are others.

I will also mention that the supplementary estimates are important in enabling us to continue the operations we undertake, not only under my administration at Global Affairs Canada but also through sub-departments providing support in response to humanitarian and other disasters around the world.

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Minister, certainly, we've had a number of discussions at this committee about the efforts of the foreign affairs department to broaden our diplomatic outreach and to provide significant consular services around the world, including opening new embassies in Greenland and Anchorage, all of which we believe to be entirely appropriate and important.

I have a question with respect to these estimates and the impact of the comprehensive expenditure review the government is currently undertaking.

Perhaps you could share with us how you're planning your staffing approach in order, first of all, to respect the fiscal responsibilities that are being imposed on every department in the government, and also how you will maintain the key foreign policy development priorities and consular priorities you have outlined, while at the same time balancing the requirement for greater fiscal responsibility.

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Oakville East, ON]

That's again a very useful question, because it is complex.

The budget, which was passed last week, is a very important document. In that budget, Canada's new government made a clear commitment to Canadians to bring fiscal discipline to the federal budget. That is what we are delivering in budget 2025.

Global Affairs Canada, like all departments, is reviewing measures outlined in the budget for implementation. These proposed measures mean refocusing Canada's international presence and finding efficiencies across Canada's mission network, including revamping emergency preparedness and modernizing consular services.

We're also reducing expenditures at missions by consolidating embassies with multiple properties into fewer buildings, acquiring Crown-owned properties in certain cases and co-locating some offices with allies where appropriate.

I'm confident that these reductions will have no impact on the services on which Canadians rely while abroad and will not impact the government's ability to diversify its trading partners and bring more investment here at home. I will have more information to share with this committee as the next weeks unfold.

I also want to say that with every new government, with every set of new foreign policy priorities, there is also a necessity to readjust the places of focus, especially in terms of missions. I will be opening a consulate in Nuuk, Greenland, as well as in Anchorage, to accord with our Arctic foreign policy.

[The Acting Chair, Liberal, Anita Vandenbeld]

Thank you very much.

Mr. Brunelle‑Duceppe, you have six minutes.

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

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Welcome, Minister.

We are very pleased to have you with us in committee.

You said that Canada's international relations are guided by Canadian values. You spoke to us about gender equality and international human rights.

How are women's rights doing in the United Arab Emirates at the moment?

Madam Chair, is my time still counted when someone doesn't answer my question?

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Oakville East, ON]

I apologize. I was listening to the interpretation but it's a bit slower than your words.