Mr. Chisu.
Evidence of meeting #2 for National Defence in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was ntc.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #2 for National Defence in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was ntc.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
Corneliu Chisu Conservative Pickering—Scarborough East, ON
Mr. Chair, I have a very short question to the panel but probably addressed to Her Excellency.
In the context of the general turmoil in the Middle East, what is the level of threat of Islamist and fundamentalist extremist influences on the new Libyan authorities? We have seen similar developments in neighbouring Egypt, so I would like to know if you can....
10:35 a.m.
Sandra McCardell
Okay. How about I start and anyone else who wants to pick it up is welcome to.
As we were discussing in the earlier question by Mrs. Gallant, there are Islamists present in Libya; there are Islamists present in the region. What is important is that structures are in place--political security, economic--that create a stability in the country that will ensure that their influence remains marginal and limited, and limited to benevolent outlets.
Certainly it's a region where there will be extremists, and I think what is important across these countries is to ensure that their recourse to violence is denounced and marginalized in every effective manner.
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Well, I think that wraps up our questioning. I think we've again had a very good briefing. I really appreciate all of our witnesses coming in and fully disclosing what the committee wanted to hear, informing Canadians on the great role that our diplomats and our members of the armed services are providing to the Libyan people.
Ambassador McCardell, I want to wish you well in your return to Tripoli, as you get things back to normal operations and get the mission completely re-established. I wish you all success in that and in providing that service to Canadians in Libya as well as to Libyans who are interested in the role that Canada has played.
General Vance, again, share our gratitude and congratulations on the success so far in the mission, Mission Mobile, definitely with General Bouchard but also with all members of our armed services, who again have made us all very proud by the way they've conducted themselves with professionalism, in our great military history that Canada has enjoyed. They've emulated that with all the diplomacy and professionalism that we know they always have.
To all the other witnesses here, thank you very much for taking the time to come here and brief us. We really appreciate having that information so that we can be properly informed as we go forward in policy-making.
With that, I will adjourn the meeting.