Mr. Speaker, in the past months, we have witnessed an appalling increase in attacks on humanitarian aid workers.
Just last week, three humanitarian workers were killed in Somalia. Aid workers have been attacked recently in Afghanistan, Darfur and Sri Lanka. The UN suffered one of its deadliest years in 2007 with 42 employees being killed in the line of duty.
It is essential that humanitarian workers have full, safe and unhindered access to affected populations.
There can be no impunity. Those who attack aid workers must be brought to account. Canada calls on all governments that have not already done so to become a party to the 1994 United Nations Convention on the Safety of UN and Associated Personnel.
Attacks on humanitarian workers must be halted. Canada will continue to provide political, diplomatic and financial resources toward this end.