Madam Speaker, I thank the parliamentary secretary for the question and look forward to spirited debate in the next number of months and even years.
This is a critical point for Canadians. We cannot decide on whom we like and do not like and go around the world taking out people we do not like. We have to abide by UN resolutions by international law.
My response to the parliamentary secretary would be to quote Lieutenant General Charles Bouchard, who recently said the following in the press in reference to Gadhafi.
“This is someone is giving orders to go and kill his own people...He has lost his moral authority to lead his nation…but my job is not regime change.”
It could not be more clear that the job of the House and of the Government of Canada is not to decide on the regime, but it is to make sure that we protect civilians. That is why, in our amendments, we have made sure that it is explicit. I would caution the government not to wander off into that kind of language. It does not help the mission, it does not help the people of Libya, and it does not help us do our work here.
Let us live within the spirit of the UN resolution. Let us live within the spirit of what we have agreed to as a responsible nation state.