Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Over two years ago the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, renounced its armed struggle for the rights of the Kurdish people and committed itself to peace and democratization.
Despite this decision, this week the government announced, in response to pressure from the U.S. and Turkey, that it is adding the PKK to its list of terrorist organizations.
Why is the government now criminalizing Canadians who want to support the peaceful struggle of the Kurds for justice and human rights, for respect for their language and culture, and for an end to the jailing of Kurdish MPs like Leyla Zana? Why this shameful decision?