Thank you.
Thank you for being with us, Mr. MacKay.
Minister, I have a couple of questions. One would be on Pakistan. What you've delivered by way of your remarks is essentially a summary of what we've been trying to get Pakistan to do. I don't think the world has seen very much evidence of Pakistan doing very much. In a sense, and I mean no personal criticism, you've actually, on behalf of the Government of Canada, delivered an apology on behalf of the Government of Pakistan for not doing the kinds of things that we want done around that border.
Pakistan is a training ground for terrorists, particularly in the region bordering Afghanistan, through madrassas and otherwise. Pakistan has not, in the last several years, produced one major Taliban figure for the world to see, although the suspicion everyone in the world has is all the major figures, particularly Mullah Omar and others, live in Pakistan, and most people know where they are. What they have handed over were some low-level al Qaeda figures, with the exception of one or two major figures. They enter into peace agreements with groups of Taliban or Taliban-sponsoring groups, which has resulted in the last few months in a 300% increase in attacks in Afghanistan on our troops and others.
I understand the need to urge Pakistan to work with us; all I have seen this government do is mollycoddle Pakistan on the international stage, while they can be brave with China, on the other hand, without any problems.
I would like to know why this government does not have the courage to speak clearly and bluntly of the need for Pakistan to come through with some of the expectations. I understand we need to provide them with aid; I understand we need to provide them with training. I'd like to know what you really intend to do. How do you intend to deal with this when Musharraf simply brushes off the criticism that Blair or others might have of what he isn't doing to assist us?