Mr. Speaker, I congratulate my colleague on his measured, heartfelt, and fact-based speech. My Liberal colleagues could take some inspiration from him.
I also want to thank the member for Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, who moved this motion and gave us an opportunity to debate the return of Canadians who fought alongside ISIS in Iraq or Syria. Canadians are, quite rightly, apprehensive and concerned.
I have been listening to my Liberal and NDP colleagues all day, and I would like to talk about the meaning of the motion before us today. First, the motion calls on the House to condemn the horrific acts committed by ISIS. Second, it calls on the House to acknowledge that individuals who joined ISIS fighters are complicit in these horrific acts and pose a danger to Canadians. Third, the motion calls on the government to bring to justice and prosecute any ISIS fighter returning to Canada. Fourth, the motion calls on the House to insist that the government make the security and protection of Canadians its priority, rather than the reintegration of ISIS fighters, or unnecessary financial payouts to convicted terrorists, like Omar Khadr.
That is the resolution before us today. I think it is simple and logical, and it meets Canadians' expectations in terms of the government's responsibility to protect them from the increasing number and frequency of terrorist threats from abroad.
Essentially, this motion states that the Liberal government must assure Canadians that public safety is truly its top priority. It calls on the Liberals to confirm that they give the safety of Canadians precedence over the comfort of ISIS terrorists who come back to Canada. Make no mistake: these are terrorists, traitors to our nation. They have been directly or indirectly associated with acts such as drowning people in cages, decapitating people, attacking the homosexual community, and enslaving women and girls. Nobody can deny that ISIS committed horrific acts in other countries. We cannot stand behind anyone who took part in any way, directly or indirectly, in such acts in other countries, regardless of whether they are Canadian.
It is also important to note that we are talking about individuals who fought against Canada and our allies. They went to Syria and Iraq to actively fight against us. Now that they are back here, is it not possible that some of them are still in contact with their recent allies? Let us not forget that Canada has already suffered two attacks inspired by Islamic ideology and narrowly avoided a third.
We know that at least 60 ISIS terrorists have already returned to Canada, but this government estimate is two years old. Now, the government seems unable to tell Canadians why it thinks this figure has not changed. In fact, the government still refuses to tell Canadians how many ISIS terrorists have returned to Canada since 2015 and how many are under round-the-clock surveillance.
In January, the TV show Enquête made several revelations. In a rare interview, an assistant director at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service said she wondered whether these individuals were coming back on a mission to commit an attack in Canada, or because they wanted nothing more to do with terrorism.
Maybe some are done with terrorism, but if just one fighter comes back with hostile intentions or planning to commit acts of terrorism here, then it is justified for us to intervene as soon as they return to Canada and to do what it takes to protect all Canadians.
I will continue my speech after the members' statements and question period. I still have a lot to say.
