Debates of Feb. 12th, 2014

Situation in the Central African Republic

[Sadia Groguhé, NDP, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Mr. Chair, I thank my hon. colleague for the question, one that speaks to me in so many ways.

I fundamentally believe that African countries and developing countries have a growing need for female governance. We need to call attention to the place of women in Africa and find a way to raise their profile. There are women business owners, female workers, women who are sometimes the sole providers for their families. We have a duty to support these women's networks, to support these women who land in positions such as the current interim president. We need to really support her and stand behind her.

We also need to send a strong message. Canada can send these strong messages and tell the interim president that she has our support and we will be there for her so that her country can get back on its feet and get out of this situation.

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

Mr. Chair, I am pleased to hear some of the discussion that has gone on here tonight about the strength of women in the African continent. I have visited 18 African countries, and in every African country I have met African women of great strength who are doing amazing things in their political sphere.

Would my colleague not agree that the Government of Canada is putting forward money to help with these initiatives? Does she not think we should continue doing that?

[Sadia Groguhé, NDP, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Mr. Chair, I thank my hon. colleague for the question. The importance of helping women, as I just mentioned, the need to support them and really give them the tools they need to be able to access governance roles and leadership roles is clear. There is no doubt in my mind about that. I believe that positive, peaceful revolutions in Africa will be led by women. We need to be aware of that and continue to support all African women in that regard.

In closing, I wish to come back to something my colleague said about the responsibility to protect doctrine. There are sensible tools in place, tools that are accepted internationally. Why not really use those tools to make a difference in the lives of people who are suffering and who are subjected to these massacres?

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Chair, I welcome this opportunity to contribute to the discussion on the situation in the Central African Republic by focusing on the response of the international community to this crisis.

In November 2013, the UN stated that the country was on the verge of descending into total chaos, with violence sparking retaliatory action against civilians. Through its political mission, the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic, or BINUCA, the UN struggled to keep the situation under control.

The deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation, along with an increase in violence between groups who are Christian and Muslim, led to the UN Security Council adopting resolution 2127 on December 5, 2013. The resolution authorizes the African Union-led international support mission in the CAR, la Mission internationale de soutien à la Centrafrique sous conduite africaine, known as MISCA, to protect civilians, stabilize the country, and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

The resolution also authorizes France to support MISCA, paving the way for France to deploy l'opération Sangaris , involving 1,600 French troops. The UN Security Council has asked for options to transform MISCA into a UN peacekeeping force by March 2014.

MISCA brings together over 5,000 soldiers from Burundi, Cameroon, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Rwanda, and Chad. The Democratic Republic of Congo has also promised troops.

Since its deployment in December 2013, MISCA has already lost 12 soldiers as of February 7. At France's request, the countries of the European Union committed to sending 600 troops to the CAR to support MISCA and the French forces present there.

On January 28, the UN Security Council unanimously approved resolution 2134, which among other decisions, expands the sanctions regime for the CAR. This sanctions regime targets the ring leaders of groups blamed for massacres and human rights abuses. It obliges all UN members to freeze funds, financial assets, and economic resources that are owned or controlled by individuals who violate the arms embargo, commit abuses from rape to recruitment of children in armed conflicts, and undermine peace and stability. Canada will fully implement these UN sanctions.

Also, the CAR has many other partners and supporters who care about its fate. Due to its colonial past and its resulting relationship with the CAR, France has been active in the efforts to bring an end to the conflict and is leading international efforts to increase UN action in the CAR.

In addition to deploying 1,600 troops through l'opération Sangaris, France provided $3.4 million in food and humanitarian assistance in 2013. Two French soldiers were killed in the CAR in December of 2013.

It became clear that African countries in the region wanted to take the lead in resolving this crisis and in providing for their own security and that of their own continent. In this regard, Canada commends the strong leadership demonstrated by the African Union and its member states, as well as by France, in undertaking political and security initiatives to address this crisis.

Like Canada, the United States has advocated for attention to be placed on building a fair and peaceful election process in order to establish a legitimate and elected government in the CAR.

When the government was overthrown in March 2013, the Francophonie, including Canada, passed a resolution suspending the Central African Republic's membership. Members of the Francophonie continue to monitor the situation closely, with an eye to potentially supporting the rebuilding process in collaboration with the international community.

The worsening of the conflict in the CAR has further increased tensions among some countries in the central African region. Resentment against Chadian soldiers and civilians has grown, particularly among Christian communities in the CAR.

Some Chadian peacekeepers in an earlier mission for the consolidation of peace in the Central African Republic, named MICOPAX, were accused of freely allowing Séléka rebels into Bangui in March 2013. Some Chadian soldiers were also involved in violent episodes with soldiers from other MISCA contingents. Demonstrations were held in Bangui to denounce their lack of neutrality. The MISCA high command decided to transfer the Chadian soldiers to the northern part of the country.

At the end of December, fearing for the safety of its nationals, the Chadian government evacuated 10,000 people from the CAR. Meanwhile, Chad played a positive role in pressuring Séléka leader and former interim president Djotodia to step down.

International engagement in the CAR has significantly increased through the enhanced humanitarian response in the country. Prior to the crisis escalating in 2013, international agencies were active in the CAR but primarily through international development programming.

Responding to the dramatically increased needs in the international humanitarian system, ranking the CAR among its highest priority responses, Untied Nations agencies and international NGOs have ramped up their presence and widened their operations considerably throughout the country. International humanitarian agencies not previously present in the country, including Save the Children and the International Organization for Migration have begun operations in the CAR over the last few months.

Overall, despite being hindered in their efforts to assist people by the continuing insecurity and looting, humanitarian agencies are increasing their capacities in response to the crisis with a particular focus on strengthening responses outside of the capital of Bangui where there have been considerable unmet needs.

During this crisis, Canada once again stepped up its humanitarian efforts as part of the international community. In 2013, as my colleague mentioned earlier, Canada provided $6.95 million in humanitarian assistance to those affected by the violence in the CAR, making Canada the sixth largest bilateral humanitarian donor that year.

Another Canadian humanitarian allocation of $5 million to the CAR was announced yesterday by the Minister of International Development and Minister for La Francophonie. We hope that our efforts, in co-operation with our friends and partners, will contribute to putting an end to the spiralling violence and ensure a calm and peaceful transition process in the Central African Republic.

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

Mr. Chair, it is clear from listening to the government members that they have done their homework because they are telling us all about the horrible situation in the CAR. Everyone knows that it is an appalling situation, and that it may even be a case of ethnic cleansing.

The real aim of this take-note debate is to talk about what Canada can do to help these people. Take-note debates are rare. When they do happen, it is not so we can get an overview of the situation. It is to determine what we can do. Clearly, the government believes that the $5-million contribution it announced yesterday is more than enough.

I would like to ask my colleague if he really thinks that the $17 million that Canada has provided over the course of this horrible conflict is enough.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Mr. Chair, I appreciate my colleague's question, but I have to correct a figure that he mentioned. Since 2007, Canada has invested $25 million in the Central African Republic.

In my opinion, if we want to get results when dealing with a very violent situation, we must work with multilateral organizations such as the African Union and with the people on the ground. We have to support them. France has had a presence in this country for a long time and has the military capability to help people right now in terms of security. Unilateral action by Canada will not resolve the situation in the CAR.

We have been helping Central Africa and West Africa with long-term projects run by multilateral organizations such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

With respect to the Central African Republic, for the time being Canada must work with its partners on the ground.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Chair, I will follow up on the question by the hon. member for Westmount—Ville-Marie and my friend the parliamentary secretary. Regardless of what side we sit on—and of course this being a take note debate we could have sat wherever we wanted, and perhaps we should have, to break down the notion of partisanship—we all recognize that this is a complicated situation, a gathering storm that points toward a worsening humanitarian crisis.

We read the commentary from Médecins Sans Frontières, from Amnesty International, from Human Rights Watch, lamenting how slow has been the international response, how little the conflict has been noticed. It may not be months that we have to respond adequately. It may be weeks. It may be days.

In that context, would the parliamentary secretary not agree that Canada should be prepared to step up, not just with money, but with whatever is asked of us by the international community, the United Nations, the European Union, France, those countries that are already marshalling to put people on the ground, keep the peace, and protect the lives of innocents?

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Mr. Chair, Canada has stepped up. We talked about the dollars, and obviously the dollars are not enough. There are all kinds of diplomacy and effort we have to apply, through all our channels, in order to bring about change.

If we look at just the dollars, Canada is the sixth largest donor of humanitarian assistance in the Central African Republic. It is not a situation we created. It is halfway around the world, and we really are stepping up and doing what we can.

The assistance we are providing to France, the European Union, and the African Union is not negligible. I think there is more we can do, similar to our intervention in Mali, where we provided the French military with logistical support. These are things we need to explore. How we can provide that kind of assistance.

It is always a complicated situation. Those who have served in multilateral peacekeeping efforts know how complicated the chain of command can be, so we have to go in there with our eyes wide open. We need to look at how we can help and provide assistance to those actually doing the effort on the ground.

The NGOs on the ground are also are in great danger, so we need to make sure their security is first and foremost. Otherwise, any kind of food and medical aid is just lost through looting.

Those are the kinds of things we need to do, and we will continue to look at them in the coming weeks.

[Sadia Groguhé, NDP, Saint-Lambert, QC]

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

Canada's influence and credibility on the world stage have been diminishing for some time now. Does my colleague not think it would be necessary, as part of an international obligation of co-operation, to ensure that Canada takes a more active role in this situation?

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Mr. Chair, there are many countries in the world where we can intervene, and I think we have to look at each case on its own merits. In some cases, Canada does take the lead role.

In the case of the Central African Republic, for the most part we are looking to the African Union. It is the leader right now when it comes to deploying security efforts on the ground, and we are going to play a support role.

To the question from the hon. member on whether Canada should bypass the African Union or even bypass France, which actually has some troops deployed there, I think the answer is clearly no. However, we will do everything we can to support those lead countries in their efforts on the ground right now.

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

Mr. Chair, I know that when a take note debate takes place, it appears that it is only at this point in time that Canada is actually involved. I look back at a year ago when we were having emergency debates on Mali. Canada stepped up and helped out with humanitarian initiatives there. Mali is a country with a long engagement with Canada. Canada has been present there for over 20 years.

Could my colleague talk about the importance of being present? Canada has contributed $25 million over the last number of years to the Central African Republic. We continue to give through our maternal and newborn child health initiatives. We just did a replenishment of $650 million for the Global Fund. Part of that money will be going into the Central African Republic. These are the kinds of initiatives that are ongoing.

I wonder if my colleague could speak about ongoing engagement and how important it is to see long-term progress on the economy and on health initiatives.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Mr. Chair, there are actually two parts to the answer to that question. One part is the long-term assistance we have been providing to not just the CAR but to countries throughout Africa and the developing world. Canada is a major developer through initiatives like the Global Fund to combat AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. So far we have contributed $2.1 billion since it was founded in 2002. We have continuing projects when it comes to development.

The other important plank, the second part of that question, is economic development. This is where Canadian companies are tremendous creators of wealth and prosperity through direct foreign investment in Africa. In so many African countries, Canadian companies are the major sources of direct foreign investment.

In my interactions in Africa in the last two and a half years, I have had the opportunity to interact with many African parliamentarians, and they talk about how much they welcome Canadian investment in their countries. One of the main reasons is that Canadians are generally very good corporate citizens and also have a fundamentally different approach when it comes to developing human resources compared to, say, investments from China. For one thing it is too expensive for Canadians to bring planeloads of their own employees in all cases. At the worker level, at the supervisory level, and even at the middle management level, Canadian companies want to develop African skills and capabilities, especially in the minerals, oil and gas, and energy sectors. That is a way we can positively contribute to long-term development in Africa.

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

Mr. Chair, first, I would like to thank all my colleagues who took part in this debate this evening and those who will take part after my presentation. We may not always agree on how to intervene and address a problem, but it is fair to say that everyone who has taken part in the debate has a great affinity for the African continent. I also want to thank the government for agreeing to have this take note debate. I want to thank the hon. member for Etobicoke Centre for her role in ensuring that we could have this debate. Her efforts may even have encouraged the government to provide an additional $5 million in humanitarian aid yesterday. I want to thank the government for that as well.

I now want to get into the heart of the debate. We did not manage to prevent the current conflict in the Central African Republic. We did not listen or learn any of the lessons we claimed we learned from the situation in Rwanda in 1994. The international family must now prevent that same type of situation from happening in the Central African Republic.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs was absolutely right when he said that for the situation to improve at all, it needs to be stabilized first. The member for Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière asked the member for Laurier—Sainte-Marie whether people working for our NGOs were safe. He suggested that they were not and that we should therefore not send them.

In terms of a secure corridor and NGO workers, the situation is not at all safe, and it is completely unsafe for the local people, who have been displaced internally and are now refugees in the six countries bordering the Central African Republic. The international community really needs to make sure that this does not turn into a massacre because it sure looks like that is where things are headed. We are not the ones talking about ethnic cleansing. The BBC, Le Monde and others in the media—they are talking about it. The international community needs to deal with this situation, and we are part of that.

The African Union and the European Union are involved now. France did well to take the initiative, just like it did last year in Mali. We are members of the United Nations, and if it wants to be involved in peacekeeping, it will probably ask us to participate. I hope that we will agree to participate to prevent a massacre. That is the first thing I wanted to say.

Second, I really like Africa. What we are doing tonight is helping a country, of course, but let us not forget that there are 54 countries in Africa. In my presentations, I often point out that society needs both optimists and pessimists. One invents the airplane and the other, the parachute.

This evening, there is a good deal of pessimism about the situation in the Central African Republic, and rightly so. For the continent, however, there are reasons for optimism. A number of countries are doing very well in terms of economic development, peace, and democracy taking root. There are fewer and fewer conflicts in Africa. So when they happen, they are more visible, which reinforces the unfortunate impression that the world has about the African continent.

In that context, I would not want people listening to us to say that everything in Africa is going badly. There are some situations, such as those in the Central African Republic, in South Sudan and, of course, in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where, as the hon. member for Ottawa Centre has said, more than 5 million people have been killed since the 1990s. Unfortunately, it goes on almost unnoticed under the international radar.

That said, this situation is unacceptable and the international family has to take steps to prevent it.

Since this is a take note debate, I am going to invite the government to consider an idea. We in Canada cannot provide first-line aid for all the countries of Africa. We have created relationships with certain countries, including the neighbouring South Sudan, and Mali, on which the two parliamentary secretaries spoke earlier. I think we have to strengthen those relations.

Since Mali has been mentioned, let me follow up on that idea. Two years ago, the bilateral aid program for Mali was suspended. Today, I think every country has reinstated it, except Canada. Why? I have asked the question before and have not received an answer. It is incredible. We are not talking about $5 million, but about an amount of nearly $100 million that has not been reinstated.

It is part of our responsibility to help countries with which we have close ties, so that situations do not degenerate, as could easily happen. Mali has been in this situation and we suspended our bilateral aid program. The situation has stabilized: the presidential election went well and things are moving along nicely. Every other country has reinstated its program. Canada has not.

Incidentally, we should perhaps explore this issue and resolve it. Perhaps a lack of money is standing in the way of restoring this program. Not restoring it means we have more than enough money to help the Republic of Central Africa. We could do much more than what we are currently doing. It had to be said.

This is also about the responsibility to protect, the doctrine adopted by the United Nations that seems to supported by all UN members. In reference to this doctrine, we should be sending very clear signals, because Canada believes in that policy of responsibility to protect the population, for example when a government cannot do so or, even worse, when a government attacks its own people. We do not necessarily have to send 5,000 soldiers. I said 5,000 because that is the number needed in the CAR.

People seem to agree that in order to restore peace and stabilize the CAR, the number of soldiers would have to increase from the current 7,000 to 12,000. I am not saying that Canada should send these soldiers. However, if the United Nations were to decide that this approximate number of soldiers was needed to impose stability and peace and it requested our help, I hope that we would respond favourably. Otherwise, we would be failing in our responsibility as a member of the United Nations family.

That said, I do not think we should forget about humanitarian assistance. The announcements made yesterday and in December, as well as the $5 million for the current mission in the CAR, are good initiatives on the part of the government, and I commend the government for that. However, I think we need to go beyond that tonight.

A number of members have explained how things got to this point. No one is questioning that. However, the point of tonight's debate is to figure out where we go from here and what Canada will do to prevent a massacre. We will then have to look at establishing the institutions a country needs in the long term, to produce its own food, provide security for all citizens and address other fundamental issues, such as health and education.

I hope that the government will prove willing to take action in the coming days, as most Canadians are expecting.

I am not saying that we need to do everything and help in every situation. Absolutely not. However, we have to at least do our share.

I urge the government to take note of this evening's speeches and to take action.

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

Mr. Chair, I note that the member across the way is one of the co-chairs of the Canada–Africa Parliamentary Association.

My question for him is this. How has his participation in this organization and the on-the-ground knowledge he has gained on that continent contributed to his ability to participate in this debate tonight?

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

Mr. Chair, I have had the great privilege of being co-chair for a few years now. I was involved at the founding of the Canada–Africa Parliamentary Association and next month we are going to celebrate its 10th anniversary. This association is involved at the level of parliaments in Africa, whose importance we are trying to strengthen in their democratic systems.

It has allowed me to learn a great deal about Africa and its diversity. The fact of its diversity is very important to my colleague from Newmarket—Aurora, who knows Ghana extremely well. Ghana is a country that is doing relatively well. We have been to many countries that are doing relatively well and to many that are not doing very well. Not long ago we came away from South Sudan, understanding that country would be in a dire situation, and indeed that is what has happened.

I am not alone in learning about Africa. All of our colleagues who also come around and visit in bilateral missions do so, and we should continue to do that because it improves our understanding of the continent and helps us convince our government, whomever that may be, of the importance of enhancing our relationships with the continent and its 54 countries.

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Chair, I would like to thank my friend and colleague for the tremendous work he does for and with Africa, and for his speech tonight. I would like to raise an issue that has not been talked about much tonight, and that is food.

Before the conflict, 30% of households, some 1.3 million people, lacked consistent access to adequate food. Now a recent assessment shows that many families are now eating one meal a day instead of two or three; 60% of households have no food stocks available; and across the country food prices have increased substantially because fighting has disrupted transport, markets, and traders. At the moment, insecurity is the greatest obstacle to delivering aid. Humanitarian agencies need to plan assistance by the hour to exploit windows of opportunity. Almost all communities, some 94%, have reported not having enough seed for the next planting season, which raises the risk of a poor harvest in 2014.

The reality is the United Nations needs $551 million. It only has 11% of the funds. I am wondering what my colleague thinks Canada should do to close this gap in co-operation with our friends and allies.

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

Mr. Chair, in a situation such as the one prevailing in the Central African Republic, the first thing that has to be established is stability so that food and water can be delivered. Security has to be the first thing that is dealt with, very rapidly, and then water because a person cannot survive more than two or three days without water, and then food, and preferably food and water at the same. However, for that they need the ability to distribute.

There is enough will and capacity in the world to help the Central African Republic in its situation, and also to help it grow the food it will need down the road. Again, maybe I am focused a little too much, but I believe that the ability to help these people have water and food might not be met unless there is stability and an ability to deliver that food in the country.

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

Mr. Chair, my colleague from Ottawa—Vanier raised a very interesting point. Indeed, to intervene in a situation like this one, there are certain steps that cannot be skipped. For instance, stopping the massacre is absolutely crucial, but it will not be stopped with slogans like “Responsible Resource Extraction” and “Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity”. It will take people on the ground.

Last summer, I met a Canadian soldier who had served in East Timor. He was wounded, which compromised his well-being for the rest of his life. He told me that he had never been so proud of his profession and had never felt more useful in the world than on that mission. I think East Timor was a success story for Canada. I wonder if my colleague could elaborate on that.

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

Mr. Chair, when you live in a country—in the capital or elsewhere—and at any time of the day or night, there could be an invasion, women and girls could be raped, children could be kidnapped or killed, and everything could be destroyed, the main thing that people want is to be able to say, “I will not be killed today”, “I will not be raped today”, “I will not be abducted to become a child soldier”. That is all you want when you are living in that kind of situation.

As my colleague said earlier, this horrible situation must be brought to an end. People are not safe. Once that is done, the rest will follow. The international community cannot act as though it does not understand what is happening in the CAR. We need to act; otherwise, people will say that we have not learned from other massacres even though we always say that we have. Let us prove it.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Chair, I would like to thank the hon. member for Ottawa—Vanier for his speech.

I would like to ask him if agrees that it is urgent that Canada resume its place as a leader among nations. In recent years, perhaps the last six or seven, we have lost that role; we have lost respect. It is true that the government, the Prime Minister's administration, has provided funds, but we have not discussed this issue with the urgency that this crisis requires. Would the hon. member agree with that?

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

Mr. Chair, I do not disagree, because there is an element of urgency and, in my opinion, a moral obligation to act. I want to qualify that by saying that nobody can expect a single country, such as Canada, to solve every problem.

We have to be part of collective solutions, and collective responsibility usually arises from multilateral organizations, such as the United Nations, the African Union and the European Union. We need to participate in and support such efforts without necessarily taking on all of the responsibility. I do not think that would be fair to our taxpayers and our constituents. Still, we have to do our part because that is what all Canadians expect us to do.

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

Mr. Chair, I rise today during this important take note debate about the desperate situation in the Central African Republic to discuss the impact of the conflict upon the most vulnerable in society: the innocent civilians; the women and children in particular.

The impact of armed conflict on families in society is terrible enough when waged between soldiers, even when they adhere to the Geneva Convention to respect the non-combatant status of innocent civilians and civilian institutions, such as homes, schools, hospitals, and places of worship.

Sadly, we have been reminded too often over the past several decades of the additional horrors that ethnic and sectarian conflicts impose upon the most vulnerable in society.

Worse yet, is the inexplicably heinous practice of deliberately targeting civilian women and children as a tactic of war itself. There is, too often, no accountability for those who commit these crimes and the commanders who direct them or those who wilfully turn a blind eye.

The devastating effects upon women and children is complicated and compounded because of the physiological, psychological, and social damage to women, children, and their families. They do not end when the conflict stops, and it is not easily repaired in the immediate aftermath. The damage often lasts for the victim's entire lifetime.

In Syria, there is already talk of a “lost generation” of children impacted by that war.

The reports coming out of the Central African Republic are deeply disturbing. Senior UN officials, humanitarian groups, and human rights monitors are telling us that the atrocities are being committed against civilians by all parties to the conflict.

Women and girls are being raped as a weapon of war and are suffering all forms of sexual violence. Children are being recruited, and their innocence exploited to commit atrocities against their neighbours. UNICEF estimates that up to 6,000 children are now associated with the fighting forces. Forced marriages, often involving children, are being contracted by some of the parties to the conflict.

The situation in the Central African Republic is very grim for women and children. Yet the fact that we are receiving these reports and discussing the immediate and long-term impact on women and children is an indication that the global norms on the protection of civilians have changed for the better. We are not turning a blind eye to this appalling situation.

The change in global norms has not come easily, and Canada has been at the vanguard. Canada plays a leading role in international efforts to protect civilians, especially women and children. Just last year, Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs and like-minded colleagues, launched declarations at both the G8 and the UN on preventing and responding to sexual violence in conflict. Already, some 137 countries have joined in the commitment to end these crimes.

Canada is leading in the efforts to end the practice of child, early, and forced marriage wherever it occurs around the world. Early marriage, as young as nine years old, robs young girls of their childhood, their education, and the opportunity to lead productive lives. It threatens their health and their future.

Canada is taking action on the ground wherever these issues occur. In 2012, our Prime Minister announced a Canadian contribution of $18.5 million over five years to prevent and respond to sexual violence in the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and to hold the perpetrators to account.

Canada supports the training of international experts in the investigation and the prosecution of crimes of sexual violence, who can be deployed rapidly to countries of concern, and it is now addressing these issues in the Central African Republic.

Canada is supporting the deployment of African Union troops, who have a mandate to protect civilians and try to bring the conflict to an end. Canada is generously contributing to the provision of humanitarian assistance to the severely affected civilian population in the Central African Republic and to refugees in neighbouring countries.

Canada's contributions to humanitarian assistance in the Central African Republic and the region have supported responses to address grave human rights abuses, such as sexual violence and the recruitment of children. For example, last year Canada's support to UNICEF in the Central African Republic led to 1,431 survivors of gender-based violence receiving support and 182 children being released from armed groups. Canada contributed to UNICEF's treatment of 13,225 malnourished children in the Central African Republic last year.

This past December, Canada's ambassador to the UN hosted a high-level event for international agencies that have experience and capacities in the Central African Republic to bring attention to the plight of civilians and plan appropriate responses. On January 20, Canada delivered a strong statement at the special session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, with a focus on the dire situation for women and children in the Central African Republic.

Ending violence against women by supporting women and girls in the realization of their full human rights is one of Canada's policy objectives for advancing the equality of women and men. A key element in ending the violence, supporting a rapid recovery, and rebuilding communities is ensuring that women can meaningfully participate in the political, economic, and social lives of their communities and countries. Exclusion of women and girls is a barrier to lasting peace, prosperity, and development.

Another key is to ensure that the post-conflict processes and transitional justice do not grant amnesty for serious crimes against women and children. Canada has experience in responding to violence against women and children in other conflict situations, such as the DRC, Colombia, Darfur, Afghanistan, and South Sudan. The Canadian government has the capacity and the intention to assist the efforts in the Central African Republic to support the human rights of women and children. Canada condemns attacks on civilians, including women and children, and calls on all parties to cease fighting and respect the lives and dignity of civilians. Canada will continue to assist civilians who are affected by the violence, especially the women and children.

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Chair, I would like to thank my hon. colleague, particularly for raising the issues of women and children.

As my hon. colleague and friend from Ottawa—Vanier said, the priority is security. Does my colleague think that Canada should increase funding to the UN trust fund to support the African Union MISCA force? Should Canada consider sending technical advisers to assist the force in establishing proper command and control functions, as well as consider providing logistical support, as many of our partners have done and as we have done in the past?

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

Mr. Chair, we are deeply concerned by the rapid deterioration of the security and the humanitarian situation in the Central African Republic and its impact on innocent lives.

In 2013, Canada provided $6.95 million to support humanitarian organizations to meet the urgent needs of those affected by the violence in the Central African Republic, including $750,000 to address the needs of Central African Republic refugees. Very recently, our government announced $5 million in new humanitarian assistance to address urgent needs of those affected by this crisis, including $2 million for food assistance in the operation.

We will continue to closely monitor the evolving humanitarian situation in the Central African Republic and will remain prepared to respond according to the level of need.

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

Mr. Chair, there were times when I found it a little difficult to listen to such debate.

While our colleague talked to us about dollar amounts and Canada's great humanitarian success in the CAR, people took refuge at the airport. They huddled up against the fences and were attacked with machetes by killers. They would like to leave, but the airport has not been secured.

Have we not reached the point where we should send military assistance or logistical support to secure the airport and help these people leave and save their lives?