Mr. Speaker, with the expected closure of Camp Ashraf just weeks away, Canada remains deeply concerned about the future well-being and safety of the over 3,000 men and women presently living in the camp.
Over the last number of years, Canadian officials have made numerous visits to Camp Ashraf, and we are pleased that their efforts have resulted in the safe return to Canada of nine Canadians. At the direction of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, an official from the Canadian embassy will be making another visit today to monitor the situation and to offer assistance.
Our government has raised and will continue to raise the issue of Camp Ashraf directly with the Iraqi government, both in Ottawa and in Baghdad, and we strongly encourage it to extend the closure deadline to allow remaining residents sufficient time to seek asylum. We also call on Iraq to meet its obligations under international law and to ensure that Camp Ashraf residents are not forcibly transferred to another country where they could suffer.