Bill Graham

[Foreign Affairs, February 18th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, the government has always clearly indicated that it is against the weapons of mass destruction being accumulated by Iraq.

We have taken action through the United Nations, supported sanctions and supported measures against Iraq. We will continue to examine all means necessary to stop Iraq from acquiring weapons of mass destruction which can threaten stability and peace in the world.

[Foreign Affairs, February 7th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I had an opportunity to meet with the gentleman in question this morning. I told him that Canada totally disapproved of the armed shipment to which the hon. member referred.

We disapprove of any act that takes away from the opportunity of building peace in the Middle East, which has been our strong policy.

I want to assure the hon. member that when I met with the speaker of the Palestinian authority, I was reminded that he had recently met with the prime minister of Israel himself, the foreign minister of Israel and Mr. Powell. We are all working to try to bring peace to the Middle East.

[Foreign Affairs, February 6th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the answer of the Prime Minister in the House today made it very clear that we have a long tradition of co-operating with our ally, the United States, on the understanding that international law and the Geneva conventions will be applied.

Mr. Rumsfeld himself has given this assurance and we will continue to ensure that this does take place in accordance with international law and the Geneva conventions.

[Foreign Affairs, February 6th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I know the hon. member opposite has a sincere interest in the well-being of people in Africa. I am sure he will agree with me that the government's policy of ensuring that we can have Commonwealth inspectors there during the election process is the best way to go. We can then deal with the government of Mr. Mugabe after that process has taken place.

The government has firmly indicated that it will take the necessary steps to protect the people of Zimbabwe.

[Zimbabwe, February 6th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, obviously some of the members opposite have been watching Mr. Mugabe's tactics too long and they are taking an example from him.

We want to ensure that we can protect the people of Zimbabwe. The Commonwealth meeting said clearly that Mr. Mugabe will allow inspectors in and will allow fair elections or he risks being expelled from the Commonwealth when the meeting takes place in Australia. I am confident that when our Prime Minister goes there he will carry that message to Mr. Mugabe.

[Zimbabwe, February 6th, 2002]

I am anxious to answer the question, Mr. Speaker.

[Zimbabwe, February 6th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows well, there is a process in the Commonwealth whereby--

[Foreign Affairs, February 5th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, this matter has been discussed in the House at length. The policy of the government is clear, which is, we respect international law. It was correct for us to turn prisoners over to the United States and it will be as long as we have its engagement that it is respecting the terms of the Geneva convention, which engagement it has given us.

[Foreign Affairs, February 5th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I can commit to the House on behalf of the Government of Canada to maintain our policy to ensure that all acts we take in the Middle East are those which ensure a movement toward peace and establishing peace in that very troubled region.

The helping of Palestinians and the helping of those who are in trouble is part of what Canada is about. We will continue our policies to ensure that we stop terrorism, but at the same time enable people to get on with their lives.

[Foreign Affairs, February 5th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I repeat what I said earlier. The Geneva convention is not inapplicable. It is applied differently. This is where the discussion of international law comes in. Obviously, lawyers can disagree, and the member knows this as well as I do.

What is important is that our values support respect for international law. That is what we have always done in this House and on the battlefields to which we send our troops.