Mr. Speaker, the time it took the Minister of National Defence to inform the Prime Minister of the developments in Afghanistan is worrisome and raises questions regarding Canada's compliance with its international obligations.
Indeed, on January 17, the Minister of National Defence stated in committee that the rules of engagement for Canadian troops in Afghanistan had not been finalized. However, four days later, on January 21, Canadian soldiers handed their first prisoners over to the Americans.
Given the chronology of events, could the Minister of National Defence tell us when Canada reached an agreement with the United States regarding their adherence to the Geneva convention?