Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Almost a year ago, the Government of Vietnam threw Tran Trieu Quan, a Canadian citizen, in jail without laying any charges against him. Last December, Hanoi, through the good offices of Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs, put a price on Mr. Tran's freedom by demanding that his family pay what amounts to a $100,000 ransom. Two weeks ago, the Vietnamese government withdrew this offer.
How can the minister explain his decision to give Vietnam several millions of dollars in Canadian aid when that country disregards all rules of basic justice by keeping a Canadian citizen in jail without any formal charges?