Mr. Speaker, every day, we get distressing news from Zaire. Because of the civil war, the country is now cut in two, and thousands of refugees continue to flee as the troops advance. The Zairian state is on the brink of chaos.
This morning, for instance, we heard that President Mobutu just fired his newly appointed Prime Minister, Étienne Tshisekedi, and appointed a general in his place. Martial law has been proclaimed throughout the country. In other words, Africa's largest country is on the brink of anarchy.
Could the Acting Prime Minister tell us the official position of the Canadian government on the situation prevailing in Zaire?