Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague is quite right. This is not a matter for partisan debate.
The Government of Canada and all Canadians, and certainly my hon. colleague, are horrified at the deepening humanitarian tragedy. As my colleague knows, the United Nations Security Council has joined Canada and other democracies in calling for both parties to the conflict to immediately cease fire.
Canada continues to call on the terrorist Tamil Tigers to down arms and to release the civilians they are holding as human shields and, at the same time, for the Sri Lankan forces to cease indiscriminate artillery fire.