Foreign Affairs Committee on Feb. 24th, 2026

[H.E. Rodrigo Malmierca Diaz]

Thank you.

I think Canada is a country that has similarities with Cuba not only in its process to electing Parliament but also, for instance, in its approach to the health system—trying to ensure that everybody has access to good health attention. On Canada's foreign policy, recently, Prime Minister Carney, in his famous speech in Davos, spoke about what the world is facing today—the changes appearing in the international arena.

As I said, we have a very good political dialogue with Canada, and we don't avoid any issues. We discuss everything. We differ in certain arguments, but in general, we have a very good relationship. I believe we will find our way to continue constructing this respectful relationship, which has lasted for more than 80 years now. We would be very willing to exchange on these issues with Canadian authorities in order to support the Cuban people as they face these difficulties.

[Tamara Kronis, Conservative, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Has the current humanitarian situation, especially in light of those similarities, prompted further consideration of economic reforms, including the expansion of your private sector to help mitigate against this kind of thing in the future?

[H.E. Rodrigo Malmierca Diaz]

Yes. There have been many changes in the Cuban economic policy in these years. In the last 20 years, we have introduced a lot of reforms in the economic field, many of them to give more possibilities to the private sector to operate in Cuba. We have, maybe in the last 10 years, created thousands of new enterprises that are working not only in the productive sector but also in services, in many things. We are not closing doors to the development of the private sector in Cuba.

I also have to say that it is our own decision. It's something that we consider important for the development of our economy. It's not because somebody else came from abroad and put that as a condition for us to exist. That's what I can elaborate on for now.

[Tamara Kronis, Conservative, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

As you consider this humanitarian crisis and the values that the current government and the Cuban government share, is there anything you'd like to say in closing to our government in that context?

[H.E. Rodrigo Malmierca Diaz]

No. As I said, we have a constant exchange with Global Affairs and with the Canadian authorities. We are exchanging with them on all these issues and others too. We expect to be maintaining the co-operation that has characterized this relationship for more than 50 years.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

Thank you very much.

We'll go next to MP Fortier.

You have five minutes.

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier—Gloucester, ON]

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Ambassador, for being here today and for sharing your thoughts on the current situation.

You mentioned earlier that we have been maintaining diplomatic relations for more than 80 years.

I'd like to talk more about this relationship. If we talk about the co-operation that we've had, in which areas should we strengthen this level of co-operation, in your view, with the current difficulty that you are living with? Also, how do we navigate the current economic and humanitarian challenges?

If you have anything to share with us, it would be well received.

[H.E. Rodrigo Malmierca Diaz]

Thank you, honourable member.

We have been co-operating for many years, as I said. Strict international co-operation for Cuba is one important source of resources. However, we work very actively in other ways, with business, for instance.

Canada is a very important economic partner for Cuba in trade. We have had Canadian investments in Cuba for many years, and I believe that we have opportunities to strengthen this relationship in the economic field.

If I can mention a single sector, I would say that the energy sector would be very important for us, of course, but I also have to mention tourism. There are Canadian companies with hotels in Cuba, and there are Canadian companies transporting tourists to Cuba. We now have this situation, but we hope this will be over at some point. We will also try to normalize the relations in the tourist sector. I believe there is a bigger potential in that sector as well.

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier—Gloucester, ON]

I'm changing lanes at this time. I want you to talk about the fact that you have spoken publicly about the impact of U.S. sanctions in Cuba.

Could you elaborate on how these measures are affecting the humanitarian situation and what role international partners have to play in mitigating these effects?

[H.E. Rodrigo Malmierca Diaz]

The situation has been caused by these measures of the Trump administration, especially those that are trying to prevent oil products from arriving in Cuba. The objective is to create exactly this kind of humanitarian situation.

There are countries—Mexico, for instance—that are openly helping Cuba with humanitarian aid, which is basically food. They explained that they are not selling oil to Cuba now because they are affected by these threats made by the Trump administration. They are saying, “We are trying to solve the problem with them to have an understanding, but the Cuban people don't deserve this. We need to help them, and we are doing so.”

The other way they consider possible at this moment....

I think that is a good example of what can be done. I don't doubt that many other supports are going to arrive to Cuba in this way.

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier—Gloucester, ON]

Thank you, Ambassador.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

Thank you very much, Ambassador, for your appearance today before this committee and for your testimony.

Colleagues, I'll move on to another item before we conclude the meeting. Yesterday, the clerk circulated a draft budget of $9,000 for the committee's study on Cuba.

[Tamara Kronis, Conservative, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Is this public?

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Is it public?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

It's not in camera. It's public.

Do members approve this budget? It was circulated yesterday by the clerk.

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

Thank you.

There are two more items. We have two informal meeting requests. There's one from the Global Fund and one from the United Nations.

The executive director of the Global Fund, Mr. Peter Sands, will be in Ottawa on March 23 and 24. Mr. Sands has expressed an interest in meeting with the committee. How do members feel about meeting the head of the Global Fund for an informal meeting after regular committee hours, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.? Members can agree now, or at least think about it, because we have to get back to him.

The second one is from the United Nations undersecretary general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, Mr. Tom Fletcher. He will be in town on April 14. I suggest that we meet him after our regular committee meeting, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m., as well.

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier—Gloucester, ON]

Is the 14th a Tuesday or a Thursday?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

Both of them are Tuesdays.

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

Personally, I'm fine with both.

Mr. Clerk, I would like an update on Mr. Wiseman's appearance. Have we heard back from him? It would be useful to know whether—

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

I can speak to that. For Mr. Wiseman's appearance, which was tentatively scheduled for March 12, the Canadian embassy in Washington has indicated that he's not available on March 12, but they're working with us on another date.

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

Mr. Chair, we'll need to sort this out fairly quickly, since it's one of the committee's priorities. Given that Mr. Wiseman took office on February 15, I think that time is running out.

Normally, we should send him the committee's two weekly time slots and he should get back to us with a date. This should happen fairly quickly. If it doesn't happen quickly enough, I think that there will be discussions with colleagues. I know that, in another committee, Canada Post officials were forced to appear. I don't think that the ambassador would want to start his mandate with a mandatory summons to appear before the committee. We could tell him that the next step is a summons to appear before the committee.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

My understanding is that it will not get to that. The embassy has indicated a willingness to have the ambassador come. It's just that March 12 did not work for the ambassador. We're working very diligently to make sure that happens.

Coming back to the two informal meetings, at least for the potential informal meeting with the Global Fund on March 24, I would like for members to make a decision on that.

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

Okay, I will respond.