Mr. Speaker, Myanmar is in a race against time. Lives hang in the balance. Millions of people could die as a result of infectious diseases and malnutrition unless food and medication get to them as soon as possible.
In the first 11 days, our government gave a pathetic $2 million to this disaster. In the first 12 days of the tsunami in 2004, the Liberal government gave $425 million. In Zimbabwe, torture and murder are rampant. People are crying for help, and what does the government do? It wrings its hands.
Now we are seeing that Canada is one of just six countries in the world on the UN Human Rights Council that is withholding support for an emergency right to food meeting amid the global food crisis. Lastly, the government is refusing to even give Canada the opportunity to sit on the Security Council, where we could have real influence.
Is this the Prime Minister's version of his new ability to have Canada playing a greater part on the world stage?