Mr. Chair, first I would like to say how disappointing I find it as a member of the House that the previous administration allowed our armed forces to become so deteriorated in numbers and in ability. With the situation in Afghanistan, it means that our capability to respond with troops to such an urgent need makes it very difficult right now.
Having said that, the comprehensive peace agreement that has been discussed tonight is certainly not working out as a peace arrangement for the people of Darfur. We know there is a war of attrition going on right now.
Senator Roméo Dallaire, the former general, who was in the gallery tonight, is still in the area. We have troops on the ground, about 32 CF personnel with UNMIS in Darfur right now and a few Canadian police officers. We do not want more Canadians to witness the kinds of atrocities that the former general witnessed in Rwanda and then have to come back having been unable to act.
In terms of the food crisis right now in the Darfur region, given the instability in the region, does the member have any hope that even if we do make more food available, it will actually reach the intended targets unless we provide a more stable land force of better equipped troops? Would she support the deployment of Canadian troops if we were able to find a small contingent at least to lead the world in supporting this troubled region? Would she support that type of action?