Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I want to begin by commending the witnesses, not only for their testimony today but also for being an inspiration for me as a parliamentarian moving Bill C-483 in light of our discussions and interactions in this regard. I want to commend you for your continuing commitment with respect to this type of legislative initiative.
As you've put it, there is a global trend away from immunity. If I may cite from your testimony: “Most countries in the world do not have legislation providing immunity to foreign governments. Many also allow victims to file civil claims in conjunction with criminal prosecutions of torturers and war criminals.”
You made reference to the United States, Italy, and the U.K. Could you elaborate on what we can learn from those cases? You didn't make reference to the fact that there has been no flooding of diplomatic issues, which may have concerned people here. Are there any particular legal issues that arose in those cases or in the manner in which they were handled or the recent judgment in the Supreme Court of the United States that might assist us in making the case for such legislation here in Canada?