Debates of Feb. 12th, 2014

Situation in the Central African Republic

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC]

Mr. Chair, I thank the minister for his comments. He painted an alarming picture of the situation.

It is very important for us to be able to accurately assess to what point this is alarming. To quote Amnesty International, they have actually begun to use the words “ethnic cleansing”.

If we quote from Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary General, he says that “We must act concertedly and now to avoid continued atrocities on a massive scale”.

At this point in time there is the possibility that this will escalate considerably. We welcome the $5 million that has been added to our contribution. UNICEF, however, is saying that they need far more funding.

I would ask the minister whether he would consider a greater contribution from Canada. I would also like to raise the point that the European Union has committed to sending 500 troops. This is over and above the 1,600 French troops and the 5,500 African troops. This is something that we have done in the past and we have done it well. Would Canada consider the possibility of sending troops to help stabilize the situation?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Chair, indeed we are gravely concerned about the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in the Central African Republic. As my colleague just mentioned, we see an escalation of violence there and we condemn this violence. As I said before, we need to make sure that humanitarian aid corridors are accessible. This is where the real challenge is, and this is why we are saying loudly that Canada expects all involved parties to respect this basic principle.

With the $5 million we have announced, we are very confident that UNICEF, the World Food Programme, and organizations such as Save the Children will have solid plans to ensure that they do achieve what they want to achieve and we will make sure that they can have access to these corridors. This is why we committed $5 million in December for the mission of stabilization. This funding is of course in support of the mission of stabilization in general, and in this regard my colleague referred to the French l'opération Sangaris. This is also why in 2013 we supported the CAR with $6.95 million for the mission of stabilization, and have now just committed another $5 million for its needs, especially in terms of nutrition.

So we will continue to work closely with our international partners to monitor the evolving humanitarian situation and we will remain prepared to respond accordingly.

[Lois Brown, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development]

Mr. Chair, the minister just talked a bit about some of this new money that we have provided and the partners that we are working with, but we have been present in the Central African Republic for some time. I wonder if the minister could talk a bit about some of the historic investments we have made in capacity-building there, because we want to see these kinds of situations eliminated in the future.

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Chair, indeed since 2007 we have invested over $25 million in humanitarian assistance in the Central African Republic. These sums address urgent needs, such as by providing food assistance; increasing access to health services, as well as water and sanitation facilities; enhancing livelihood opportunities; and providing protection services for the most vulnerable. However, as we know now with all of the violence there, a lot of facilities have been destroyed. This is why we need to be there and recently committed new money quickly.

Once again, we do condemn this violence, and we have to ensure that the humanitarian aid has a safe corridor. We need to reach the people in need, and this is why we called very loudly on all of the partners involved to ensure that they respect this basic principle of allowing humanitarian aid to flow into the regions where the needs are. Basically in the Central African Republic, this is everywhere. So we do expect to have safe humanitarian corridors, despite the extreme violence in the country now.

[Raymond Côté, NDP, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Mr. Chair, I thank the minister for his speech and for the answers he has provided up to now.

At the moment, a part of the conflict is very much linked to the fact that things between the Catholic and Muslim communities are completely out of control and that the country's principal Catholic and Muslim leaders are trying to find an avenue of reconciliation in order to calm things down.

Considering the deterioration of our diplomatic network in Africa, which unfortunately substantially reduces our ability to act, can the minister give us an idea of the resources that our diplomatic corps could deploy on the ground to facilitate that process and those efforts at reconciliation on the part of the Catholic bishops, the leaders of the Evangelical church and the imams in the Central African Republic?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Chair, I thank my colleague for his question.

There is a ruthless war going on between Seleka Muslims and anti-balaka Christian militias. This is really a serious ethnic conflict that requires plenty of negotiation among the various parties involved.

However, the critical issue right now is the need for humanitarian aid. We know that 868,000 people have been displaced. There are between 225,000 and 250,000 refugees. That is a lot of people in a country of 4.6 million inhabitants.

Humanitarian aid is essential right now. There is humanitarian aid on the ground, but we have to protect the humanitarian corridor. Credible organizations such as UNICEF, the World Food Programme and Save the Children should have access to that corridor. They are the ones on the ground that know how to deal with this kind of situation.

At the same time, there is the security mission. The French are there with 1,600 soldiers on the ground. We are supporting them with the funds we invested in the mission of stabilization. Diplomatic presence is not necessarily the way to go. We really need to use the organizations on the ground to make a difference in terms of immediate needs for humanitarian aid and stabilization. When the situation calms down, we can start thinking about development. We will assess the needs then.

[Hélène Laverdière, NDP, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Chair, as we know, the conflict in the Central African Republic is marked by dreadful violence. As conflicts too often do, it brings with it a terrible humanitarian situation. I believe that the situation in the Central African Republic is particularly terrible.

It is said that 4.6 million people are affected by the current conflict, out of a population of scarcely more than 5 million. It is said that 2.3 million children are affected, that almost a million people, 20% of the population, have been displaced, and that there are a quarter of a million refugees in neighbouring countries, which are often not particularly stable themselves. It is said that the population has none of the most basic services, that medical clinics have been closed for more than six months, with an imminent fear of an epidemic of malaria and diarrhea, that schools are closed and that the food situation is more and more of a concern.

There is a reason that the UN has declared the humanitarian emergency in the Central African Republic to be at level 3. To give an idea of what level 3 means, I would point out that there are only three countries in the world at the moment with humanitarian emergencies at level 3. They are the Philippines, Syria and the Central African Republic.

Unfortunately, this crisis is talked about too little. I venture to hope that this evening's debate will succeed in moving the matter more into the public realm.

Indeed, I am afraid that we have not given the situation all the attention we should. This debate is welcome because we can raise interest in the issue and ensure that Canada does the right thing for the Central African Republic.

Maybe we do not give as much attention to the issue collectively because it is so far away, and we are troubled by so many things. Maybe it is because some people think it is another problem in a region that has its load of ongoing problems.

For the children recruited to fight in the conflict, the mothers or fathers whose children do not have enough to eat, and the young men beaten and killed as revenge for what someone in their ethnic or religious groups did, it is a terrible daily reality and a threat to their lives.

There are five million human beings suffering and under threat, and it is our human duty to respond to their plea. We also have to show that we have learned from the past and that we have learned, in particular, from what happened in Rwanda.

As if the current violence and disastrous humanitarian situation were not enough, now there are fears of ethnic cleansing. Amnesty International is talking about ethnic cleansing and there are concerns about a genocide.

In November, France's foreign affairs minister, Laurent Fabius, warned that the Central African Republic was on the verge of genocide. The United States also said that the country was in a pre-genocidal situation.

The United Nations humanitarian operations director added that the violence has all the elements that we have seen in places like Rwanda and Bosnia. The conditions are there for a genocide. Adama Dieng, UN special adviser on the prevention of genocide, told the UN Security Council that if we do not act now and decisively he would not exclude the possibility of a genocide occurring. We must act. Make no mistake, action is being taken, both inside and outside the country, of course.

Christian and Muslim leaders in the Central African Republic have made reconciliation efforts. That is a good sign, but they are facing tremendous challenges. The interim president, the former mayor of Bangui, seems to want to bring some order to the situation, but we must recognize that she has very limited means.

The international community is increasingly taking note and taking action. On Friday, the International Criminal Court launched an investigation into potential war crimes in the country. The European Union has just decided to send troops to support the African-led International Support Mission to the Central African Republic, or MISCA, which is an African-led mission backed by the United Nations Security Council and France.

The UN is appealing to everyone to provide the necessary support. Organizations such as UNICEF, Save the Children, and Doctors Without Borders are on the ground.

Of course, Canada must contribute and do its part. In that regard, I think that the $5 million announced in emergency humanitarian aid is a step in the right direction. However, it is not a lot considering that the UN is appealing for $551 million for the first three months. This goes to show how $5 million is, unfortunately, a drop in the bucket. That is one dollar for every Central African. It is not a lot, but it is a step in the right direction.

There are other options that Canada should also consider. There is the issue of security in the country. Should we contribute to that? There is also the issue of long-term development. Poverty and inequality give rise to violence. That is one source of the problem.

In broader terms, there is the issue of our involvement in Africa. We pulled out of Africa, even though the continent still needs us and always will, and even though it can offer us so much now and in the future. It could be a much more significant partner than it is currently.

We should be looking to the future. Canada could ratify the Arms Trade Treaty, which it has yet to do. We know that arms fuel conflicts. We could take measures to ensure that natural resource development does not perpetuate conflicts, as the hon. member for Ottawa Centre proposes in his private member's bill. We know that the Central African Republic has significant resources.

We need to help Central Africans. We owe it to them. We need to take strong action immediately.

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Chair, Canada has a long tradition of peacekeeping. The brave men and women of our Canadian Armed Forces have proven their strength, capability, and commitment in Afghanistan and in so many other places around the world.

Does the hon. member think we should draw on this tradition and the experiences of our armed forces to help bring stability to CAR through participation in a UN peacekeeping operation, or with the EU, which is urgently needed in the Central African Republic?

[Hélène Laverdière, NDP, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Chair, I would like to thank the hon. member for her excellent question.

Generally speaking, the members on this side of the House believe that peacekeeping is a great Canadian tradition that has fallen by the wayside in recent years. I believe that Canada now ranks 57th in its contribution to peacekeeping efforts.

In the situation before us, Canada needs to work with its partners to look at what each country can do better in order to urgently respond to what is happening. This is a humanitarian and security crisis, and there is a risk of genocide. We need to respond. However, we also need to have a long-term vision for our involvement in Africa and for development.

[Marc-André Morin, NDP, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Chair, does my colleague think that this would be a good time for Canada to have a seat on the United Nations Security Council and to still be a major player internationally?

It seems to me that we have been relegated to the minor leagues for the past few years, that we need to rebuild our image by taking action and that we should be learning from Senator Dallaire's experiences.

[Hélène Laverdière, NDP, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Chair, I thank my hon. colleague for his very interesting question.

Indeed, we cannot help but think of General Dallaire when comparing this situation to Rwanda. I have no doubt that he is just as troubled as we are by what is happening in the Central African Republic.

A seat on the United Nations Security Council would certainly help Canada. It is only natural for Canada to have a seat on the United Nations Security Council and to play an active role in these major international affairs.

However, in order to win that seat, we need to prove that Canada is a serious player and a real partner. We first need to prove that we do not only care about other countries when we need them or when we want to sell them something, and that Canada is a stable, serious partner.

Unfortunately, we have not proven this in Africa. The situation in the Central African Republic would be a good opportunity for us to get to work and restore our image, which, unfortunately, has become quite tarnished in recent years.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Mr. Chair, I am surprised that no government member is rising to ask my colleague from Laurier—Sainte-Marie some questions.

What does she think of that?

[Hélène Laverdière, NDP, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Chair, in one sense it surprises me and in another it does not.

I do not want to get into the usual practices but, often, even when it comes to important matters, life and death matters, genocide and so forth, the other side of the House is not as attentive as we would like.

Indeed, no one is rising and no one is asking questions about this issue. There are not many people present. That is surprising and disappointing. That explains why our reputation is so tarnished.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Chair, one of the issues we heard earlier from the government, and I have talked to my colleague about this, is the idea of having some sort of humanitarian corridor. When we get to speak to the government later, I am interested in whether it is adopting that as a policy.

We have heard of peace corridors. Certainly, my colleague and I have talked about that when it comes to Syria.

One of the challenges in the Central African Republic right now is getting support, food, and aid, to the communities that need it. As the member is a specialist, a former diplomat who understands Africa well, I would like to hear her opinion on having corridors to help get the aid to people, and how we might organize that kind of approach.

We would also like to hear later on, perhaps, from the government about whether it supports that.

[Hélène Laverdière, NDP, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Chair, yes, that is a major issue, particularly in Syria.

It is also a major issue in the Central African Republic, but it should not be an excuse for inaction. Many people in Bangui, the capital, are in dire straits.

I heard today that people are fleeing the fighting and taking refuge in planes that are stranded at the Bangui airport. Those people are not far from the capital, so it should be relatively easy to reach them. As for a humanitarian corridor, this situation is different than Syria, but that should not be an excuse for inaction.

My colleague was kind enough to point out that I lived in Africa. In Africa, the main challenges are often related to communication. Roads are not paved and villages are far from each other, in remote areas. I would like to point out how important it is to work with organizations that have experience on the ground. Save the Children, Doctors Without Borders and UNICEF are all organizations with considerable experience on the ground. They are very familiar with the challenges in sub-Saharan Africa in general and in this country in particular.

Yes, there are challenges. No one is denying that, but that is all the more reason to take meaningful action.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister]

Mr. Chair, could my colleague tell us, based on her past experience, whether this kind of mission is safe for Canadian humanitarian workers?

[Hélène Laverdière, NDP, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Chair, there are obviously always risks with this kind of mission. I greatly admire the humanitarian workers who go into these kinds of situations.

That is why it is important to work with organizations that have significant experience on the ground. We need to do this primarily for Central Africans, but I admire these humanitarian workers so much that I believe we need to provide them with substantial support as well.

Giving $5 million in aid is a step in the right direction, but it is just a drop in the bucket. That is $1 per citizen of CAR. Some quick math shows that that would be 15¢ or 17¢ per Canadian.

There is a tremendous need. Central Africans need us to help them, and humanitarian workers need our support.

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Chair, for the past weeks, aid agencies and international media have reported how the Central African Republic, or CAR, has plunged into unspeakable violence. We must act now, together, and decisively to stop this tragedy.

The United Nations ranked CAR a level 3 emergency among the top three humanitarian emergencies globally and warned:

The elements are there, the seeds are there, for a genocide. It has all the elements that we have seen elsewhere, in places like Rwanda and Bosnia.

These mass atrocities we continue to witness cannot be ignored. We share a moral responsibility to do whatever we can to protect the people of CAR from this violence and to prevent further violence, death, displacement, and hardship. While the world has repeatedly promised “never again,” it remains at constant risk of witnessing another “ever again”.

I want to thank all parties for agreeing to my request for this take-note debate. CAR stands at a humanitarian and moral crossroads. Together, let us ensure we ask the right questions tonight so that this human tragedy does not become another human catastrophe, and that Canada will do its very best and play a critical role in stopping the slaughter.

The violence in CAR has pitted Christians and Muslims, militias and civilians against one another, and plunged this already struggling country into deep chaos. Before the crisis began, CAR was one of the poorest countries in the world, land locked, largely forgotten by other nations, and one child in CAR died every 21 minutes from preventable causes. Today, this situation is far worse. There are 4.6 million people have been affected, half of them children, and 838,000 displaced. Attacks against children have sunk to atrocious, indefensible levels.

Souleymane Diabate, UNICEF country representative in CAR, said that in his twenty years of work with UNICEF, never had he seen anything like what is happening. He said that children are being directly targeted in violent attacks—even decapitated—and that boys and girls are being recruited into armed groups as child soldiers or to be sexually exploited, and children are witnessing unimaginable violence.

He said:

“Targeted attacks against children are a violation of international humanitarian and human rights law and must stop immediately. Concrete action is needed now to prevent violence against children”.

We must all understand that this conflict is not limited to the territory of CAR. The impact has already spread to the rest of the region. There are 225,000 refugees who have fled to Cameroon, Chad, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and African rebel groups, the Lord's Resistance Army, and Sudanese rebel groups are currently operating out of CAR.

What should we think about tonight, in the weeks going forward and in the longer term?

First, the NGOs are concerned about the lack of awareness of the crisis. What can the government do to raise awareness of the crisis in the international community and what steps can it take to raise awareness here at home, in Canada? Second, can Canada play a role in conflict resolution? Christians and Muslims have lived side by side in relative peace until fairly recently. CAR's archbishop and leading imam are calling for an inter-religious reconciliation effort. Will Canada play a role in conflict resolution through its conflict management and governance funds?

Then there is the issue of funding. The UN has asked for $551 million in aid, but, to date, has only received 11% of the needed funds. Canada has given $16.9 million to date. The U.S. has pledged $110 million and another $60 million in humanitarian aid. The European Union is the largest donor of humanitarian assistance to CAR, with $76 million euros in 2013. In December 2013, the European Commission gave $45 million euros and $23 million euros in development funds.

As the second largest donor to la Francophonie, will Canada contribute more? What steps will it take to help NGOs raise funds and will it specify where the funds will go and for what they will be used?

Serious concerns have been expressed about the ability of the under-resourced African Union force, or MISCA, to protect civilians and restore security. The arrival of French troops has helped to improve the situation, but a more robust presence is necessary to stabilize the country.

Would the government consider funding the current troops on the ground in CAR, or consider sending logistical support? What is the government's plan to help stabilize CAR in the short term? We are hearing from the NGOs that they need help to scale up quickly. They need more lifesaving humanitarian aid, now, before the rainy season begins and their ability to reach outside the capital will be drastically reduced.

What will Canada do to help relieve immediate suffering? Will the government consider humanitarian, logistical, or material support?

Extreme violence took place in Bangui and other locales during the past week. More people from various communities were exposed to attacks and remain stranded in internally displaced sites or homes.

Last Friday, international criminal court prosecutor Bensouda announced that after reviewing many reports detailing acts of extreme brutality by various groups and allegations of serious crimes, her office will open a preliminary inquiry into the situation in CAR. In her words:

The allegations include hundreds of killings, acts of rape and sexual slavery, destruction of property, pillaging, torture, forced displacement and recruitment and use of children in hostilities.

The security situation remains unpredictable and volatile. Institutions have failed. The health care system has collapsed. Children have been out of school for months. The reality is that 2.5 million people need assistance. We heard from Médecins Sans Frontières that in the northwest where people are hiding in the bush, they are so frightened that the doctors have to approach on foot and that 90% of the people have malaria.

These are problems that cannot be solved with a short-term, band-aid solution. How will the government help to aid and stabilize CAR in the medium and long term?

For example, will the government invest in the reconstruction of the education system so that children can regain stability, begin the reconciliation process, and have hope for the future? How will the government work with the United Nations and other likeminded nations to aid in developing, implementing, and maintaining a long-term development and assistance plan for CAR?

Will Canada support peace and stability by offering to act as the negotiator and intermediary? Will Canada support the organization and monitoring of fair and free elections that will take place in one year?

Again, I want to thank all my colleagues for coming together and agreeing to this take-note debate, and to remind us all that in April, we will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Rwanda genocide, when at least 800,000 Rwandans were murdered over a 100-day period in the fastest genocide of the 20th century.

Together, let us ensure we pay attention to early-warning signs of mass atrocities, and take every measure available to us to prevent a preventable crime.

Finally, what we do or fail to do now will have an impact on society for years to come, and we will be judged on how we choose to act.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Mr. Chair, the member opposite asked whether Canada would give any money toward humanitarian aid.

I did want to point out that Canada contributed over $6.9 million last year in humanitarian assistance to help meet their urgent needs. We help by providing clean water, food, basic health care, and protection.

Did the member not hear that just recently we also committed another $5 million?

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Chair, I would like to thank the hon. member for the question.

We are aware that the government gave $5 million right before this debate. We are glad for the funding.

However, Canada's partners have mobilized significant resources, both financial and material, to assist the French and African Union in protecting civilian populations and restoring security in CAR. The U.S. alone has contributed over $100 million and provided strategic airlift to African peacekeepers from Rwanda and Burundi.

Surely we can and must do more.

I put this question back to the government: what more is the government planning on doing to assist our partners in protecting civilians in the Central African Republic?

[Raymond Côté, NDP, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Mr. Chair, I thank my colleague for her speech.

I have had the great privilege to come into contact with representatives from the Central African Republic community and the Republic of Congo community in my constituency. To be specific, people in those communities in Quebec City are very active, and they approached me last spring as the crisis was just beginning.

I must confess that my heart bled for them. Their concern was palpable; you could see it on their faces. At the time, of course, I could listen, but I could also look at what they were proposing and whether there was any glimmer of hope.

Can my colleague tell us what hope we can offer to the people from that region of Africa who now live here? They are enormously worried about their loved ones and their home country.

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Chair, I think having this take note debate tonight and raising this issue on the national agenda is a start, but what is needed is more money, more assistance.

I would like to bring the attention of this House to the plight of children. The horrific killing, abuse and harm being inflicted upon children are an affront to humanity. The lives of children in this crisis cannot be forgotten. This vicious conflict is now affecting more than 2.3 million children. Children are being killed because they are Christian or Muslim. Children are being forced to flee their homes and hide in terror to avoid the fighters. Children are witnessing horrific acts of violence. Children, possibly as many as 6,000, are being recruited into armed groups.

Those who continue to harm children must be held accountable. The children of the Central African Republic are counting upon us.

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

Mr. Chair, first, I would like to congratulate my hon. colleague for spearheading this issue, for instigating this debate this evening, and for providing us with a window into this horrible situation on the ground.

Awareness of course is a pre-condition to galvanizing meaningful action.

Every nation has a history. We have a history. It is important that our history inform our policies, including our foreign policy.

I wonder if the hon. member is aware whether the government is consulting people like retired General Roméo Dallaire, who not only lived through a similar situation but has done and is doing important work to end the scourge of child soldiers. Is the government reaching across the aisle and consulting people like the member for Mount Royal, and members of the party to my right, and members of the government's own caucus who might not be in cabinet?

Is it not important to have this kind of non-partisan effort in this terrible situation?

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Chair, this is a humanitarian crisis. We have promised never again, and it is ever again. We have to act.

I stress that $16.9 million is not enough.

I am not aware of the government reaching out. That is why I have called for this debate.

I would like to bring another issue to the House's attention, which is health care. People living in the Central African Republic are in desperate need of quality health care. Even before the conflict, the country was one of the world's worst in terms of health. One child died every 21 minutes. Life expectancy is just 47 years, and it is worse now.

A total of 838,000 people are currently displaced in the country. That is more than 18% of the population. Hospitals have been looted and health personnel have fled their posts.

A health assessment by the World Health Organization and other agencies between June and August, which is before the last escalation of violence, found pockets of severe malnutrition and low immunization.

The security situation makes providing health care much more difficult. As of December, more than 50% of health units had been vandalized and looted.

The NGOs tell us they need help with transportation and materials.

Again, I ask the government, what more can it do to help the NGOs provide health care on the ground?

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister]

Mr. Chair, I am sure that my colleague recognizes that Canada is providing financial support to UNICEF in order to respond to the need for water, sanitation, health care, nutrition, education, protection in emergency situations, and basic items. At the start of her remarks, my colleague said that she had 20 years' experience in that organization. Could she explain how UNICEF workers are bringing care, comfort and assistance to the population?