Bill Graham

[Middle East, April 8th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, our government has contacted the U.S. government and has encouraged the U.S. government. It supports Mr. Bush's and Mr. Powell's position in the region. Mr. Bush was categorical: the UN resolutions must be respected.

We have telephoned our counterparts in Arab countries and even in Israel to say the same thing. We know very well that these resolutions must be respected. We are doing our best to ensure that they will be respected.

[Middle East, April 8th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, it takes us back to the answer to the earlier question by the hon. Leader of the Opposition. What we are seeking is an opportunity to have a dialogue to achieve peace.

As the hon. member well knows, we have banned the military operations of Hezbollah. There is a dimension of Hezbollah that actually has representatives elected to the Lebanese house.

There is a civil dimension to that. We will continue to work with all parties with whom we can get peace. We will continue to do that. We have banned the military operations. We will stop terrorism at all costs but we will also--

[Middle East, April 8th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, we have not been provided with any direct information along the lines suggested by the hon. member. However I would like to remind the hon. member that Mr. Arafat is recognized by the president of the United States, by the United Nations and by all other parties as the representative of the Palestinian people.

As Mr. Powell said to me some time ago, “When you negotiate for peace you must negotiate with your enemy”. I do not think it is helpful at this time to be setting out conditions in a way which will render any negotiations impossible because that is where we must go if goodwill people will reap the chance of peace that we all so much wish for.

[Middle East, April 8th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question because I know all members of the House are extremely anxiously following what is taking place in the Middle East. I do not accept the qualification that the government's position is one of fog and confusion.

We have been very clear. We are supporting in every instance, whether it is in Geneva at the Human Rights Commission, in Canada or in discussions with our colleagues, whether they are Arab, Israeli, European or American, that the way toward peace is to stop the violence and bring us back to the political solution which is set out in the Mitchell plan and in the Tenet plan. That is what we need. That is where we will go and that is where we will stay with our policy.

[Middle East, March 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the government always seeks to assure that resolutions are balanced when they come before the human rights commission. We are certainly willing to accept voting rather than consensus on resolutions if this requires compromises which undermine the intent of our resolutions or which run counter to Canadian government policy. As I said to the press, we will be watching very carefully to make sure there is a balance in what is happening in Geneva next week.

[Middle East, March 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I wish the hon. member had been with me when I was in Geneva last week. He would have met with the deputy foreign minister of Israel and the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations human rights commission. They thanked Canada for the tremendous support that we have given to Israel over the years for ensuring balances in resolutions.

I can assure the hon. member and the House that we will examine all resolutions coming before us to make sure they are balanced and contribute to peace and progress in the problems in the Middle East.

[Fisheries, March 21st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question and his interest in this matter. He knows full well, as does the House, that it is the policy of the government to ratify the law of the sea convention as soon as possible, bearing in mind that it is the primary duty of the government and ourselves to protect the fishing stocks of this country.

We heard the minister of fisheries speak to this matter in the House this afternoon. We have now dealt with the straddling and highly migratory fish stocks. We will continue pursuing protection of fish stocks and will sign the law of the sea convention as soon as we are assured the Canadian interests in this important area are guaranteed.

[Foreign Affairs, March 11th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, we have put pressure on Mr. Arafat. The Prime Minister has continually put pressure on Mr. Arafat. I put pressure on the speaker of the Palestinian assembly when he was here, in the House. We have continually put pressure on the government to do what they do.

We have also, as friends of Israel, urged Israel to do everything that will bring peace in the Middle East. That is all we urge, as friends with Israel, as respective partners in a search for peace.

[Foreign Affairs, March 11th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I categorically reject the suggestion in the question that I made any moral equivalence whatsoever. My speech was very clear. We condemned all acts of terrorism. The member is playing petty politics.

I suggest that the member check with his lords and masters in Washington. He will find that General Powell said very much the same thing I did.

[Middle East, March 11th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, as the member is very much aware, this project, which is a project entertained by a number of members of this House, is still in place.

It is a goal of our government, and of parliamentarians from all parties, to have participants from the Middle East come to Canada to discuss peace.