I would just like to answer the previous questions.
With respect to opium and the production of narcotics in Afghanistan, it is indeed important to fight against warlords and narcotics. However, I believe that it is imperative for Canada, NATO and the Enduring Freedom mission to first gain control over the territory and secure it, even if that means progressively casting the warlords aside. In other words to ensure a certain amount of political stability, we cannot cast aside key individuals in Afghanistan who hold power or have influence in certain regions of the country. We must first try to stabilize the situation with the players who are there and then demilitarize and progressively disarm them.
The insurgents' resurgence in Afghanistan is linked to a greater international presence in some regions of the country and, in the case of Canada, to its presence in Kandahar, in southern Afghanistan. With media coverage of these events and an increase in coalition forces, which will continue progressively in the months to come, we can expect to see a rise in insurgency activity.
We are dealing with people living in a failed state, as is the term used in Afghanistan. Yet at the same time we know that terrorism stems more from hatred than poverty. There are a number of countries in the world where people live in totally inhuman conditions, but where there is no terrorist activity. Some individuals are using ideological manipulation to make people hate the principles and values of a number of international societies.
I have the same reservations as Mr. Boivin does with respect to private military companies. Given the accountable nature of their activities, their involvement must remain at the level of providing logistical support to the Canadian Forces or any other coalition force in Afghanistan.