Mr. Chair, I want to thank the hon. member for his question because it is a very good question. Clearly, missile defence, as I believe I tried to say in my speech, is a very small proportion of what we are trying to achieve in terms of the security of Canada. We have other measures of security. We have taken innumerable anti-terrorism measures and others.
In addition to that, we recognize that Canada has an important role to play out there to argue in favour of non-proliferation, arms control and disarmament. In my speech I pointed out our participation in the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, the missile technology control program, and the Hague code of conduct. The list is long, Mr. Chair, and I can see you looking at me to say that you will not allow me to read the list so I will not.
I want to assure the hon. member that entering into this agreement in no way will impair either our ability or our determination to press for multilateral means of controls of weapons of mass destruction, be they chemical, biological or nuclear.
That is the core of Canada's foreign policy, Mr. Chair and hon. members, and we will continue it. It is an equally important part--if not a more important part--as this one measure we are talking about tonight.