Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Together with my colleagues, I want to welcome you as well, Minister.
I'd like to ask a question about the issue of prosecutions. In 1987, the Mulroney government, and you were part of that, announced a policy to ensure that Canada would not serve as a haven or sanctuary for war criminals. In 1998, the war crimes program was set up under the Department of Justice and given an annual budget of $15.6 million. In 2000, we enacted the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act, which effectively enhanced the capacity for war crimes prosecution and then became a state party to the International Criminal Court, which further imposed certain obligations.
That budget of $15.6 million remained frozen. I have to say that when I was minister I tried to see it increased, mainly because if you take inflation and new corporate support costs and increased salaries, etc., the value was eroding. Now, apparently, in 2011 it's gone down to $8.5 million. Why would we be reducing the amount for war crimes prosecution precisely at a time when the need for such war crimes prosecution has become greater?