Mr. Speaker, for the past 10 years the international community has witnessed many atrocities against the Kurdish people. We have seen a variety of nations in the region use violence against the Kurds to achieve their political goals.
Thirty-five million Kurds live in the Middle East and they do not have a country to call home. Without a country they have been denied human, social, political and cultural rights. This conflict has the potential to create instability in the region.
The Kurdish question cannot be settled by force. Canada has a role to play in the region by advancing our human security agenda. We are a multicultural nation and through our example we can show the region that a nation that protects minority rights can prosper.
The situation involving the Kurdish people is too serious to ignore. To do so will lead to more conflict and suffering in the area.