Debates of Dec. 7th, 2021

Supplementary Estimates (B), 2021-22

[Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Madam Chair, the question was whether the minister has given any consideration to recalling our ambassador from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus for a consultation.

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

Madam Chair, I am in constant consultation with my ambassadors, with my team and with my deputy minister, who sits in front of me. I must say that the question of Russia is clearly a priority, and we will make every—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member.

[Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Madam Chair, can the minister tell us if the government has given any consideration to further sanctions against either Belarus or Russia?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

Madam Chair, yes, we did and we are doing so.

[Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Madam Chair, can the minister describe the strategic importance of the Suwalki Gap and what Canada and our NATO partners are doing to safeguard it?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

Madam Chair, we always work with partners to make sure we improve our alliance and make it stronger. Of course, I have had many conversations with the Secretary General when it comes to that very issue.

[Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Madam Chair, can the minister describe the recent Russian actions to destabilize the NATO Baltic states and the former Yugoslavia, and what the government intends to do about it?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

Madam Chair, let me be clear. We are concerned with Russia's actions in three specific regions: the Ukraine, with its military buildup; the use, through Belarus, of weaponizing migrants to impact Baltic states; and finally the involvement of Russia in—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member.

[Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Madam Chair, can the minister tell us if the government has had any dialogue in the last three months with the Taliban government of Afghanistan with regard to the release of our Afghan friends and allies?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

Madam Chair, we do not recognize the Taliban as a legitimate government. That is why we have no engagement with them. We work with neighbouring countries to make sure we can repatriate 40,000 Afghans.

[Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Madam Chair, the government has talked about working with our regional partners to get our Afghan supporters out of that country. Who exactly are those regional partners that the government refers to?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

Madam Chair, they are NATO, like-minded countries in Europe, Qatar, Kuwait, Pakistan, the U.S., and I could go on.

[Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Madam Chair, the minister will know from our overseas missions that the Ukrainian press is calling us soft on Russia and saying we are reluctant to defend Ukraine from Russian aggression. What does the minister have to say to this criticism?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

Madam Chair, I do not think we are reading the same Ukrainian press.

[Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Madam Chair, can the minister give us the state of play of diplomatic discussions with regard to Russia's military buildup on Ukraine's borders?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

Madam Chair, it is a top priority. I raise it with all my counterparts. That is exactly why I went to Europe. That is why I am here with my colleagues, talking about different options.

[Marty Morantz, Conservative, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB]

Madam Chair, a November 2021 NGO Monitor report shows that the Union of Agricultural Work Committees, an organization affiliated with the terrorist organization, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, also known as the PFLP, has been receiving Canadian tax dollars from Global Affairs as an implementing partner under an existing UN food and agriculture project that ends in 2022.

Why is the government of Canada funding the UAWC, a terrorist-affiliated organization?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

Madam Chair, I just want to make sure my colleague and I are on the same page, because Canada has listed the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the organization my colleague just mentioned, as a terrorist organization under Canadian law.

[Marty Morantz, Conservative, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB]

Madam Chair, of course we all know that, but strangely, a whole year earlier, back in October 2020, Global Affairs actually issued a statement saying it was not funding the UAWC directly or indirectly, and that it had concerns about the terrorist connections of the UAWC. I am speaking of the UAWC, not the PFLP. I know there are a lot of acronyms here. However, they had concerns about the terrorist connections of the UAWC, yet in October 2021 an ATIP request was received by NGO Monitor. That ATIP request confirms that the UAWC is in fact listed as an implementing partner and is currently receiving Global Affairs funding.

Again I ask why Canadian tax dollars are funding the UAWC a year after GAC expressed how concerned it was about its terrorist connections.

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

Madam Chair, Canadian tax dollars will never be used to fund terrorist organizations, period.

[Marty Morantz, Conservative, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB]

Madam Chair, that is why I am telling the minister of this, because the Canadian government is doing that. I urge her to read the NGO Monitor report from November. I can send her a copy if she has not seen it already, but that is what is happening.

In October of this year, the Israeli government declared the UAWC to be a terrorist organization due to its links to the PFLP. Given that Israel is our strong ally, what steps is Global Affairs taking to finally stop funding this terrorist organization?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

Madam Chair, obviously we are a steadfast ally of Israel and friends to the Palestinian people. I raised the question regarding the Palestinian civil society organizations listed by Israel as terrorist organizations with my counterpart, Lapid, when I had the chance to talk to him. Of course, he said to me that he would be giving more clarity on this matter, so I am waiting for him.

[Marty Morantz, Conservative, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB]

Madam Chair, I look forward to that clarification and I hope the Canadian government will follow suit and also declare the UAWC a terrorist organization.

I want to ask about UNRWA. Canada gives tens of millions of dollars to UNRWA. In January, IMPACT-se issued a report confirming that UNRWA was providing anti-Semitic school materials to young Palestinian students. The minister said at the time that she asked her officials to investigate how this happened.

What was the outcome of this investigation, and will a report be tabled?