Okay. Thank you.
This is with respect to a theme we've heard from Mr. Garrison and Mr. Massé regarding Canadian individuals being detained abroad. The concern that I share with my colleagues is that the Auditor General's opening words advise us that in 2004, Justice Dennis O'Connor made the investigation with respect to the Arar matter.
In his report from 2004, he recommended that Global Affairs Canada train its staff to identify signs of torture and mistreatment and inform the minister as quickly as it arises. I'm looking at your recommendations, Mr. Ferguson, in the response. This is 2004 and we are now in 2018. The audit was from 2016-17. Basically it says that the response from the department, after being recommended by the Auditor General, was that more training be provided.
The response from the department says the department has already piloted and has a training program. It says, “A process will also be put in place to ensure that officers are fully trained, including in arrest and detention cases.”
We're looking at 14 years after a report came out to say that we should be better training the consular officers across the world.
Why do we have this gap? Why is this a recurring theme? Why is this still a problem today, 14 years after a report has come out telling you to address this?