Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his interest in this regard.
I think all Canadians are appalled at the deteriorating situation in Syria. Today, for the sixth time, we increased the severity of our sanctions against the Syrian regime, to be some of the toughest in the world. Effective immediately, we have announced that all of our Canadian diplomats have left Damascus. The safety and security of Canadian personnel is our top priority and that is not a decision we took lightly.
We will continue to work with others, including the Arab League, to bring every diplomatic pressure to bear to ensure that the people of Syria are protected.