Debates of Oct. 20th, 2016

Opposition Motion—Genocide Against the Yazidi people

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, there is a great deal of support for depoliticizing this issue given the horrific actions that are taking place, particularly in respect of the Yazidis. Canadians as a whole and all parliamentarians see these as horrific acts and I understand some discussions are taking place in the hope we can achieve something that all of us can get behind in a comfortable fashion. My question to the member is related specifically to that.

Would he not agree that Canadians as a whole who are aware of the situation are horrified, and in many ways, in disbelief? I appreciated the graphic way in which the member explained the situation, but Canadians are quite upset about this and want to see the government and all parties come together through a consensus to look at ways the motion could possibly be changed to generate support. That would be the best way forward, would he not agree?

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am glad to hear that there is some discussion happening on how we can work together. I believe strongly that is how to solve issues like this, by putting all of the ideas on the table.

There is one thing I would like to talk a bit more about. I mentioned in my speech that if we cannot measure it, we cannot manage it. That is my biggest concern. We say that the most vulnerable are getting the spots we have set aside for refugees and that the Yazidis are a very vulnerable group, but when asked how many Yazidis we have taken in, we say we do not know because we do not register that kind of thing.

I am going to restate the point that if we cannot measure it, we cannot manage it. If we have no idea how many Yazidis have come to Canada through our current refugee program, then the way we have been working on it has to be fixed.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for all of the work he does here and on behalf of his constituents. I want to ask him a follow up to a question I asked the Minister of Immigration. He said that we take the most vulnerable but we do not ask those questions, because there is a certification process through the United Nations. However, many of us here appreciate the fact that religious minorities in the region have struggled to access that certification process. In many cases, they do not feel safe in refugee camps. There is a major concern about religious minorities, whether Christians, Yazidis, or other groups, not being able to live in the refugee camps for fear of a negative response toward them. I would ask my colleague about the importance of taking the most vulnerable, those who face the greatest persecution, particularly in a context in which there are some really practical problems for those groups even accessing the necessary steps for certification that would be part of the process we are using in Canada.

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that the very definition of genocide states that we have to identify a particular group in order for it to be genocide. If we do not identify particular groups to help, how can we combat genocide? I am struggling for the words to portray this, but that is precisely what makes a genocide a genocide, because it is an identifiable group involved. If we are not prepared to help an identified group, then we are taking people off the UN's list. However, when they say these people are the most vulnerable, how do we even know they are?

The member for Lethbridge recently went to that part of the world to investigate this. I believe she went to northern Syria and Turkey. She said that refugees there are split into identifiable groups within the refugee camps, that each group has its own area, and that often the Yazidis are not represented at all within the camps themselves.

[Tom Kmiec, Conservative, Calgary Shepard, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise to join the debate today, both as the deputy critic for foreign affairs for the Conservative Party, as well as the chair of the Parliamentary Friends of the Kurds. This is a group that I started on Parliament Hill when I first came here. It was actually a promise that I made during the election to non-constituents, people who lived outside my riding whom I met. They told me their stories and those of their neighbours, friends, and family members who lived in northern Iraq, in southern Kurdistan.

I also moved Motion No. 72 in the House, which called on the House to recognize the genocide of the Kurds during the 1980s. This is a region where genocide is simply a way of life. Multiple groups have done it to others. It is a region of the world with very little central control by governments and where the borders are quite fluid.

Next week, I will be hosting Pastor Ray Baythoon of a Christian and Missionary Alliance church from the region. As well, he is the director general of Christian affairs of the Kurdish regional government there. This is something I deeply care about. It is an issue that I have kept myself apprised of and on which I share information with fellow members of the Parliamentary Friends of the Kurds group.

We know there have been reports of 25,000 refugees being accepted so far into Canada from Syria. There are nine cases, supposedly, that can be identified as Yazidi. If, as members of the government and government backbenchers have said, this is something of great importance to them, one would think that more than nine out of 25,000 would be prioritized.

As the member for Peace River—Westlock said, this is an identifiable group against whom genocide has been committed and continues to be committed. One would think they would be the ones to be prioritized for entry into Canada. That is what this motion seeks to do. We want to prioritize this group for entry into the country.

Media reports indicate that 25,000 Yazidis live in UN refugee camps in Turkey, a NATO ally of ours. Have we approached Turkey? Have we even asked about taking these Yazidis to assist that NATO ally of ours and reduce its burden? It has many internally displaced persons who come from different parts of Turkey, Syria, and northern Iraq. They have crossed Turkey's borders and are seeking refuge in it, and the Turkish government has extended aid to them.

I want to take a different stance perhaps than other members have taken so far. I want to talk about the good work being done by a Canadian and American organization, Samaritan's Purse. It is doing incredible work assisting Yazidis directly in the region. I know Samaritan's Purse has three refugee camps east of the city of Mosul and is assisting people right now fleeing the battle to retake that city, where our courageous allies, the Kurds of the Kurdish regional government, will be playing a major role in liberating the city. It also has camps all over northwestern Iraq providing direct assistance to Yazidi groups. Many of these Canadians have first-hand accounts of assisting Yazidis.

Samaritan's Purse operates something called the Northern Iraq Community Center. In this community center, there are services for families that have been victimized and traumatized by ISIS, also known as Daesh. They have had programs since October 2015 teaching carpentry skills, among many other things. This gives Yazidis opportunities to learn new and marketable skills, and give them a chance at a better life. Photography, art, cooking and nutrition, and literacy are the next programs to be offered. As the Minister of Immigration said, it is equipping them for future success. Samaritan's Purse is is also offering sewing classes to bring women together to learn to make garments. They are generating an income. As a graduation gift from this program, they receive a sewing machine of their own so they have a chance to become entrepreneurs to rebuild their lives in the region, if they so choose.

Other programs exist to address the psychological needs of many of these internally displaced persons. They have suffered significant trauma from ISIS fighters, as well as from pre-existing conditions that have been worsened by the conflict and the displacement.

There is a new medical clinic that was started by Samaritan's Purse in 2016. It offers doctors, obstetric services, gynecologists, a dentist, and a pharmacy. There is even space for children made available so that the children can come together. They have been broken by the war, with some of their family members having been murdered by ISIS fighters. This gives them an opportunity to be children, to play with other children in playgrounds and to have an opportunity to be safe with people they trust.

We know the impact of this program. In 2016 alone, I am told that 13,800 Yazidi people have been served. It is a $2.5 U.S. million project that is helping people on the ground directly.

Canadians are on the ground in these places and are doing more to help these Yazidis and other displaced people survive than what the government has done so far, compared to the supposed nine Yazidi cases the government has prioritized out of 25,000 refugees.

I got to visit the Samaritan's Purse headquarters in Calgary, just north of my riding. It is an incredible place, with hundreds of staff members who do assistance work and disaster relief work anywhere in the world. They have a unit on 24-hour standby mode. Within 24 hours, they can be anywhere in the world. They have their own planes. They have their own equipment. They provide direct assistance to those who need it anywhere in the world. They are incredibly committed to the most vulnerable in Iraq, especially in south Kurdistan.

I have had an opportunity in the past to meet both missionaries and assistance workers on the ground who have been to northern Iraq and have travelled back to Canada. They have told me incredible stories about these survivors, people who could never have imagined that what happened at Mount Sinjar could continue to happen while the world turns a blind eye.

Just to use some of the terms that have been used in newspapers, the western world has been accused of “negligence” and “silence” at what ISIS has continued to do, including the rape, torture, killing, and enslavement of Yazidis.

In the past Canada has served as a refuge for many ethnic groups from all across the world. This has been a story of Canada for well over a hundred years, whether they be Ukrainian or Polish people, South Vietnamese boat people, the 1999 airlift of 7,000 Kosovo refugees, the 1980s resettlement of 2,800 Baha'i refugees from Iran, and the 1956-57 37,000 Hungarian refugees who fled persecution by a communist regime controlled by the Soviet Union.

To his eternal credit, it was the former prime minister, the Right Hon. Joe Clark, who accepted 60,000 Vietnamese boat people. They have since made enormous contributions to Canada. I am going to underline the contribution of one of these South Vietnamese who first came to the United States on the final airlift out of Saigon.

He is Wayne Cao, the former MLA for Calgary-Fort. He was a refugee then, who came aboard an American helicopter, landed in California, and made his home in Calgary in 1976, where he represented the constituents of Calgary-Fort in the northern part of my riding. He became deputy speaker, earning the trust of his colleagues, in 2008. If he is looking now, I want to thank him for his service to Alberta and Canada. I actually picked up his constituency office in this past election. It is a great office. It serves constituents on the northern part of the riding really well. Wayne has made an amazing contribution to Canada.

Seeing the opportunities that the South Vietnamese have had in Canada, I know that the Yazidis could also contribute to Canada if we prioritize their entry here. They need it. They need this help just like the South Vietnamese needed it; just like the Baha'i of Iran needed it; just like Polish people needed it, who were fleeing the communist Polish regime from 1981 to 1986, which was persecuting people, especially shipyard workers. My father came to Canada in those years and got amnesty then. He got to stay in Canada and was then able to sponsor us here.

Before I finish, I want to move:

That the motion be amended by deleting all the words after the word “slaves” and substituting the following:

“(c) support recommendations found in the June 15, 2015, report issued by the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Syria entitled, “They came to destroy: ISIS Crimes Against the Yazidis”; and (d) call on the government to (i) take immediate action upon all the recommendations found in sections 210, 212, and 213 of the said report, (ii) provide asylum to Yazidi women and girls within 120 days.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

It is my duty to inform hon. members that the amendment to an opposition motion may be moved only with the consent of the sponsor of the motion. Therefore, I ask the hon. member for Calgary Nose Hill if she consents to this amendment being moved.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I believe that this addresses the concerns of some of my Liberal colleagues, which they have raised. It is moved in non-partisan good faith and, therefore, I heartily agree to this amendment.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member's comments in which he brought forward a wonderful example of Wayne Cao, the former MLA. I am not sure if he is a current MLA—no, he has retired—but it emphasizes the positive impact that refugees have had on Canada in virtually every aspect of our society. The member made reference to the boat people, and I know individuals also from that era. We could talk about the Kurds.

In the recent election, there was a great deal of emphasis on what sort of numbers Canada could take in. Our Prime Minister made that commitment to 25,000 and possibly beyond. We went beyond that 25,000. Canadians understand the importance of Canada showing leadership at the national level.

I was encouraged by the member bringing forward an amendment, and I wonder if the member could provide some additional detail on how his amendment would change the main motion. Let there be no doubt that the horrific actions against the Yazidis are something that no one in the House and no one within the Canadian public would try to justify. They are completely unacceptable, and as government we want to demonstrate leadership on the file.

[Tom Kmiec, Conservative, Calgary Shepard, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for those comments. The amendment to the motion would actually remove the partisanship out of it. It gives Liberals four months to come up with a plan. We know Operation Ezra is working. They have had time to consider this as well, but my focus is the Yazidi families. They need help right now. It is nice that Samaritan's Purse is on the ground helping them with this, but there really is no civic society for them to return to.

I would recommend all members read a book called Ending Wars Well by Eric Patterson. Dr. Patterson was the dean of the school I went to for a master's degree at Regent University in Virginia in the United States. It talks about civic society and what it looks like after a war. For a community like the Yazidis who have suffered the types of torture, rape, murder, killing, and genocide, there is no civic society for them to return to. The only chance for survival for this community is to be helped and assisted by a country like Canada and to be resettled to Canada.

Again, I am inviting members in a non-partisan way to assist the Yazidis, to make sure the community survives for future generations. Naomi Kikoler's report says on the very front page, “Our Generation Is Gone”. That is from a Yazidi woman saying their generation is gone.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the amendment that was just moved. I know there has been a lot of discussion in the House about how we can make the motion acceptable to all parties. I know that the Liberals had some concerns in the former wording of clause (c), which we have now removed. There were also some concerns around the timeline.

I would like my colleague to expand on a four-month period of time to bring Yazidi asylum claimants to Canada. Given that the government came into office in early November of last year, and confirmed its commitment to 25,000 refugees coming to Canada by the end of last year, does he feel that a four-month timeline to see Yazidi asylum claims—where there is already paperwork in the system for these families through groups like Operation Ezra—is a reasonable timeline, and does he feel that he could reach across party lines and get the support of the Liberal caucus on this?

[Tom Kmiec, Conservative, Calgary Shepard, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for that question and comments and for the great work she has done at the immigration committee to push for this Yazidi cause to make sure that their plight is heard by the government and that the government responds to the request for assistance.

I think four months is more than enough time. As I mentioned, Samaritan's Purse is able to deploy within 24 hours some type of relief by aircraft. I have more about the Grace Community Centre here, which has pilot programs for children with disabilities to be involved in sports. It has computer, cooking, carpentry, and sewing classes. Some are in the fifth cycle. It is not the first intake. It has done it multiple times. This is over the past year.

In four months a government, with its resources, individuals, expertise, and the aircraft, could totally do it. Four months is more than enough time.

[Ali Ehsassi, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the hon. member for Scarborough—Guildwood.

In my office, there are two large photographs I see every day, one of former prime minister Lester B. Pearson, a former resident of my riding of Willowdale and a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, and the other of General Roméo Dallaire, a Canadian hero and one of our leading and most resonant and compelling voices on issues of human rights. Both of these Canadian icons serve as constant reminders of the tremendous global leadership Canada should always strive to demonstrate on issues of human rights, human security, the rule of law, and multilateralism. It is in that spirit that I rise to speak to the opposition motion before us today.

As members of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, this summer we undertook a special study on the plight of Yazidi refugees and other vulnerable populations. I deeply appreciate the urgency and the tragedy of the situation unfolding before us. This issue resonates deeply with all of us, as I know it does with my constituents and with all Canadians. We recognize the horrific fight facing the Yazidi population and the need for effective action on the international stage. We also recognize the role that Canada, in keeping with our great traditions, must play in ensuring both global and human security. In every instance, however, we understand that in order for Canada to play a significant role in advancing the causes of human rights and security, we must collaborate closely with our allies and fellow international institutions.

In the 12 months since the people of Canada decided that our foreign policy needed a new tone and direction, our government has done much to restore Canada's international standing and reputation. We have recommitted to multilateralism and the international rule of law. We have provided a model to the rest of the world in terms of our intake of Syrian refugees and also drastically increased our contributions toward the coalition to defeat Daesh. In that same vein, our response to the Yazidi genocide, while ever-evolving, demonstrates a similar commitment to responsible, engaged, robust, and multifaceted policy solutions.

Allow me to be clear. Our government unequivocally stands by the Yazidis. Like my colleague opposite, I had the chance to hear some of the horrifying and chilling testimony of Yazidi refugees over the summer, and I understand the urgency to act. In that vein, while I fully respect the motion before us today, it gets ahead of the process.

Dialogue with the appropriate partners, as well as an assessment of the situation in regions where Yazidis and other victims of Daesh are located, must take place to develop a responsible plan. This is not feasible within the time frame contained within the motion. The timeline proposed in the motion demands expedient processing of Yazidis specifically, a worthy goal but one that is operationally unrealistic and dangerous due to the complex security situation on the ground.

As the member opposite is aware, many of the most vulnerable Yazidis live in highly dangerous and inaccessible regions. Fully supporting these vulnerable populations, as such, will therefore require carefully considered legislation, not a rushed and incomplete motion such as the one before us today. It is imperative that we allow the IRCC to complete its analysis of this situation in close collaboration with our allies and partners in order to craft a truly effective course of action going forward.

Furthermore, this motion makes no mention of other vulnerable populations targeted by Daesh, including Christians, Shia Muslims, Mandaeans, Druze, Kakais, Shabak, and many more minorities in Iraq. Again, a more in-depth analysis of the situation based on knowledge on the ground and established best practices is certainly required.

Far from being inactive or passive in response to the Yazidi crisis, our government has taken concrete steps to respond to this significant issue. The Yazidi crisis is a multifaceted issue that requires a whole-of-government approach, with input from Global Affairs Canada, the Department of National Defence, Development Canada, and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

Indeed, Canada has been highly active both internationally and domestically in responding to the issue before us today.

In the international arena, for example, the Government of Canada has taken the following concrete steps, among many others, to assist the Yazidis. In June, the foreign affairs minister declared in this very chamber that Daesh was guilty of committing genocide against the Yazidi population. Similarly, the minister has continuously and forcefully advocated at the United Nations, including formal correspondence with the Security Council, in calling for greater action in response to the Yazidi crisis. Our government has also committed to increase funding to the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to document human rights abuses and violations and to collect evidence and investigate serious international crimes.

Furthermore, working as part of a global coalition to combat Daesh, we have increased our military advise and assist missions and have increased humanitarian assistance to vulnerable populations in Syria and northern Iraq, including the Yazidis. Our government has also tripled military training, doubled intelligence efforts, and significantly increased aid, all to protect those vulnerable to the threat of Daesh.

Also Canada, through the peace and stabilization operations program, is contributing $3.3 million to the Commission for International Justice and Accountability to investigate violations of international criminal and humanitarian law in Syria and Iraq, including of course Daesh's enslavement of thousands of Yazidi women and children who were subjected to sexual and gender-based crimes, forced marriages, and forced conversions. Finally, Canadian development assistance in Syria and northern Iraq is already helping to provide shelter, food, water, and medical services to families fleeing Mosul; and specialized services for women and girls victimized by Daesh, including women and girls from the Yazidi community.

Similarly, the government has taken significant steps to ensure that our immigration and resettlement policies are adequately responding to this crisis. For example, IRCC is continuing to monitor the situation of vulnerable persons. In response to the Yazidi genocide this month, the IRCC sent a team of observers on a fact-finding mission to northern Iraq. This is something we heard of and, of course, that mission did return to Canada yesterday, as everyone has been informed. IRCC is also reviewing the aforementioned report released on October 5 by the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration on its study of how Canada can best assist vulnerable groups through immigration measures. Finally, the IRCC officials are engaging in discussions with key partners on the ground, such as the UNHCR, IOM, and local authorities, on the best path forward to assist victims of atrocities perpetrated by Daesh.

I believe that everyone in this House can agree that the atrocities being committed against the Yazidis and other vulnerable populations by Daesh are unconscionable and require swift and determined action by the international community. In cases such as these, Canadian leadership and action are invaluable. I believe that our government's response to this crisis has been in keeping with this tradition of Canadian leadership, and as the situation unfolds I look forward to and expect continued robust engagement by our government.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I do have a question in response to the issue around timelines. With the amendment that my hon. colleague introduced to the motion, we have really extended those timelines. We initially had hoped for a 30-day window. We just recognized the dire situation of the Yazidi girls and women, but we wanted to recognize that sometimes things do not happen as quickly as we would hope, so we would want to give that extension of 120 days.

We also recall that it was just over a year ago, on October 19 and earlier, that the new Liberal government committed to bringing in 25,000 refugees by the end of that year. The government committed to bringing in 25,000 refugees in a much shorter amount of time with much more work to do, so why could the government not commit to bringing in Yazidi girls and women whom the Ezra Project has already identified? Why could the Liberals not at least commit and then follow through with that in the most possible, practical way? Why could the Liberals commit to 25,000 refugees by the end of December, the same time period, but not commit to bringing in some Yazidi girls and women in a much greater amount of time?

[Ali Ehsassi, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for her question. Of course, as you know full well, the government is committed to taking action on this very critical issue. Having said that, as you can imagine we would like to act responsibly, and acting responsibly will require some time.

First we have to review the committee report prepared by the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration. That particular report was released last week.

In addition to that, as you know full well, IRCC sent a team to Iraq. That team just yesterday or this morning returned to Canada. We have to examine what the members have to say and what their particular advice is.

Finally, as you know, this government is not into going it alone. We are collaborating with our allies. We are speaking to various institutions to make sure that the response we adopt is an effective one and a robust one.

As you know, we are all concerned about the Yazidis in Iraq. However, it is well to bear in mind that the Yazidis live in inaccessible regions of Iraq.

All of these things will require a strategy, and we have to use partners on the ground to make sure that we are acting effectively.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I am sure that when the hon. member was saying “as you know”, he was not talking to the Speaker. He was referring to the hon. member for Portage—Lisgar. I just wanted to clarify that for everyone in the room.

Question and comments, the hon. member for London—Fanshawe.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for his remarks. He did say in the course of those remarks that his government has reached out to various groups and has had dialogue with various groups. I wonder, though, if the Liberal government has spoken directly to governments like Australia and Germany about the specific programs they have put in place to help refugees from the Middle East.

[Ali Ehsassi, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as I understand it, listening to the debate as it has unfolded in this House today and to the Minister of Immigration, the government actually is discussing these issues with other countries that are acting on the ground in Iraq.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I wonder if my colleague could pick up on the answer he provided on how important it is that Canada work in collaboration with other countries to ensure that we maximize the benefits in dealing with this refugee issue, in particular for the Yazidi people.

[Ali Ehsassi, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, of course, we appreciate that the Yazidis are facing terrible circumstances in Iraq. However, it is good to bear in mind that they live in inaccessible regions of Iraq. In addition to that, any assistance we do provide could make them more vulnerable within that country. Therefore, it is critical that we know what we are doing on the ground in that region to make sure that the good we are doing is done in a responsible fashion, so yes, we are speaking to experts on the ground.

[John McKay, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I welcome this opportunity to engage in this debate. It is similar to the debate we had in June, when we discussed the scourge of ISIS and everyone condemned the atrocities of ISIS, or Daesh, as it is called.

At that time, I indicated that the government and the people of Canada stood together in solidarity with the victims of Daesh. By that I meant all victims, whether they were Yazidis, Syriacs, Chaldeans, Christians, Sunnis, Shias, or others in that particular part of the world.

Canada stands in solidarity with them. Our entire effort is to free them from this scourge.

I would also highlight the fact that the Minister of National Defence and the Minister of Foreign Affairs are both determined to eradicate this threat. Our government has taken substantial and concrete steps to degrade Daesh and to ultimately help the Iraqi security forces defeat this villainous plague themselves.

To no great surprise, I will take a bit of a military focus in this debate.

All members feel that the carnage and slaughter committed against these minority groups and communities by Daesh demonstrates an undeniable evil intent. No words are strong enough to reflect our opposition to Daesh's actions.

Less than a year ago, the international coalition campaign against Daesh was about degrading the entity. We are now talking about dismantling and ultimately defeating Daesh. This significant change of language is proof that the work Canada is doing with our allies, with our coalition partners, is helping to stabilize the Middle East and is delivering results.

As members of the House know, the Minister of National Defence has travelled to the region and has met with his counterparts. He came back convinced that an enhanced presence on the ground and increased engagement with local and international partners were necessary for resolving the crisis and restoring stability in the region. This is exactly what Canada has done.

All members of the House debated Canada's response to the crisis in Iraq and Syria back in February. Indeed, over 98 members of the House took part in a five-day debate. I consider that to be an outstanding show of parliamentary engagement and a notable exercise in the democratic process. We did this following a careful and comprehensive review of our options.

On March 8, we voted on a motion. Our collective view was unequivocal: Daesh has to be stopped and defeated.

The situation on the ground has evolved. It has become quite clear that we will only be successful in our efforts to counter the threat posed by Daesh through a combination of security, diplomacy, humanitarian assistance, and development.

Our air task force has remained active, conducting more than 2,507 sorties since the beginning of operations in 2014. Of those, 583 sorties were completed by our Polaris refueller and a further 600 were by the Auroras.

As Canadians are also aware, our government refocused the mission after the parliamentary debate, placing additional emphasis on training, advising, and assisting Iraqi security forces in their efforts to degrade and defeat Daesh. Subsequently, we upped our commitment to training, assisting, and advising by threefold and doubled our commitment to intelligence missions. In addition, we made available, to support the coalition, further intelligence and headquarters personnel.

The goal has been to enable the Iraqi forces to conduct their own offensive operations to reclaim their territory.

Members will recall that just two years ago, when Daesh started to take over Iraqi territory, Iraqi fighters were paraded in their underwear on their way to their own execution. That is against the rules of international combat, but in addition, it was a terrible display for all the world to see. It is not as if those soldiers were not brave people, but they were poorly trained people. Canada, along with our coalition partners, set about rectifying that so that now, when they are approaching the area of Mosul, they are much better trained.

As of this month, Daesh has lost approximately half the territory it once dominated in Iraq. The 40% of Iraq it dominated is now down to approximately 10%. That 10% is largely centred on Mosul. Members will have read in this morning's papers about the attack on Mosul. They are going about that attack in an organized, disciplined military fashion. We have, with the assistance of our coalition partners, upgraded the quality of the Iraqi security forces—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Order, please. The hon. member for Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman is rising on a point of order.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to raise a point of order on relevance. As we have been listening to the parliamentary secretary for defence talk about the defence efforts being made by the government in Iraq, not yet has he mentioned the refugee crisis, the Yazidis, or the genocide that has occurred. I ask that he get on point.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I believe that is more a point of debate than a point of order.

I have heard a number of speeches in the House that go around and then come back, so I would like to give the hon. member the benefit of the doubt, and we will let him continue.

The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence.

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

Mr. Speaker, thank you for dealing with that interruption, which was masquerading as a point of order.

I note that the security environment is the only issue of relevance to the security of Yazidis, Chaldeans, Syriacs, Christians, Sunnis, and Shias. Had the member been listening to my speech, he would have noted that I had mentioned all those refugee groups.

Nearly 10,000 kilometres have been liberated in Syria. We have reclaimed vast swaths of territory, and that has largely been done through the efforts of the Iraqi security forces, which have been, in some measure, trained, advised, and assisted by the Canadian Forces. Indeed, the strategic towns of Fallujah, Hit, and Rutba have been retaken.

Key Daesh leaders have been eliminated, and the organization's conventional military capabilities have been severely degraded. They are losing terrain, fighters, and resources on multiple fronts as they struggle and scramble to react to the coalition's efforts. In the end, it is the people of Iraq who will be responsible for stabilizing the country. It cannot be done by outside forces. It is they who will ultimately defeat Daesh.

We also recognized that the ultimate solution to regional instability would require more than just military force. This is why, to help address the disastrous crisis in the region, we have focused our efforts on meeting the basic needs of those most impacted by the conflicts in Iraq and Syria, including refugees who have fled to neighbouring countries

In addition to this effort, over the next three years Canada will contribute more than $1.6 billion toward this approach to security, stabilization, humanitarian, and development assistance.

The Government of Canada is committed to the eradication of Daesh, and it is unwavering. Eight months ago, we saw the shifting landscape in theatre, and we adapted our efforts to ensure that Canada's contribution remained at the heart of the coalition campaign. We are now seeing the results of this refocused approach. Our dedicated men and women in uniform have been supporting and empowering local forces to take their fight directly to Daesh so that they can reclaim their homes, their land, and their country.

I look forward to all the questions from my colleagues opposite.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, late last year, after the government was sworn-in, I believe the date was November 4, 2015, it stood firm on its commitment to bring 25,000 refugees to Canada by December 31. There was no arguing about it, it was something the government was going to do. It took a little longer than that, about four months, but it did it.

My question today is, will the government commit to bringing an unspecified number of Yazidi victims of genocide to Canada in the same amount of time? There is no partisan language in this motion any more as it has been pulled out.

Would my colleague opposite, who has a long, proud career in this place, commit to supporting this motion, given that there is a little hypocrisy involved, and to supporting victims of genocide like it committed to supporting vast numbers of other refugees last year?