Mr. Chair, I will be sharing my time with the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands.
Tonight's debate comes at a time of profound uncertainty in the Middle East. Canada's position on the current situation is clear: We are calling for de-escalation, we urge all parties to exercise restraint, and we reaffirm that the security and sovereignty of partners in the region must be protected.
At the same time, Canada has long been clear-eyed about one of the central drivers of instability in the Middle East: the actions of the Iranian regime. For decades, Iran's leadership has pursued policies that undermine regional security. The regime has supported armed proxy groups throughout the Middle East, advanced its ballistic missile capabilities and continued activities related to uranium enrichment that raise serious concerns for the international community. In recent days, those destabilizing patterns have been on full display.
Although the geopolitical dimensions of this crisis are considerable, we must also acknowledge its deeply human dimension. Tens of thousands of Canadians live, work and travel throughout the Middle East every year. Many of them now find themselves in a rapidly changing security situation.
For our government, protecting Canadians abroad is the most urgent priority. As soon as tensions began to escalate, we activated our crisis response mechanisms. Consular officers throughout the region are working tirelessly to assist Canadians seeking information, advice and support. Global Affairs Canada has launched a major consular operation. Additional staff have been deployed throughout the region.
Our diplomatic missions have strengthened their consular capacity, and the 24-hour Emergency Response and Watch Centre has been actively co-ordinating assistance for Canadians seeking to leave the affected areas. This effort is based on several departure options. Where airspace remains open, Canada has secured seats for Canadians on commercial flights and has also arranged charter flights to ensure safe departures.
For example, the Government of Canada has chartered flights from Dubai and secured seats on flights out of Lebanon to help Canadians leave the region. These efforts have already produced results: Over 900 Canadians have left the region thanks to flights and buses organized or facilitated by the Government of Canada. One particular chartered flight transported some 180 Canadians out of Dubai, and hundreds more seats on commercial flights have been reserved to enable Canadians to depart in the days to come.
In areas where no flights are available, Canada has worked with partners to support departures by land. That includes helping Canadians who crossed borders by ground transportation to reach neighbouring countries where Canadian consular officials are ready to assist them on the next leg of their journey. Canadian officials have been deployed to countries such as Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan to get Canadians across borders and provide them with immediate support, assistance with their documents and, of course, help arranging travel back to Canada.
This is complex work that requires dedicated public servants working tirelessly to make it happen. Airspace closures, flight cancellations and rapidly changing security conditions prevent evacuation operations from following a single, predictable path. However, the guiding objective remains clear: to ensure that Canadians who want to leave the region have access to safe departure options, provided that leaving is possible and safe.
We will continue to do everything in our power to keep Canadians safe, and that includes bringing them home. These are the responsibilities of a country that takes its international role seriously, and they are responsibilities that Canada will continue to perform with determination, diligence and resolve.