Mr. Chair, my disagreement so far with the government is that I think it is too reluctant to recognize that once the French initiative takes on its leadership role and does what it has to do, clearly the next plan is to transfer as much responsibility as we can to the African-led force and the UN-led force.
Also, this is not the only region in Africa that faces a tremendous crisis in security. Congo, East Africa and the entire hub down from Sudan right through to Tanzania is an area of conflict and great violence where the UN has been involved. However, Canada has not been engaged, not even financially, in a sufficient way in terms of training and having a strategy.
We live in a world where we need a strategy for every region. We need a strategy for international organizations that are also trying to do the job. That is the approach we need to take, not one where we ask how little we can get away with or how much rhetoric we can use to denounce violence and extremism, which are things that the Conservative government is excellent at.
I would imagine the Minister of Foreign Affairs has put out more press releases in the last two years than any minister of foreign affairs in the history of western civilization. However, that is not the question. I congratulate him for it. John Kennedy once wrote a book called Profiles in Courage. The minister shows a whole lot more profile than he does courage, when it comes to saying where we are actually going to get the things done that we need to do.
It requires a greater understanding of working within the framework of the UN and the African Union, being supportive and looking at training. It requires having a strategy that is military, security-based, democracy-based and one that is not afraid to talk about prosperity and the economy. All those things have to be part of the broad strategy.