Mr. Speaker, this past September 14, Canada announced the creation of an international commission mandated to promote intervention by the international community in the event of humanitarian catastrophes.
Canada is creating this commission in order to be able to play a positive and constructive role in the resolution of conflicts affecting human dignity.
Canada is not alone in this crusade. It has the support of the Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, as well as the leaders of a number of European countries.
Primarily, the new commission is to organize symposia and debates throughout the world on humanitarian catastrophes and to produce a report on its activities.
This is evidence of Canada's continuing lead role in international policy.