Lucienne Robillard

[Afghanistan, May 4th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, when questioned about this matter, the Prime Minister himself repeated the same story and stated that the abuse was nothing but false allegations made by Taliban prisoners.

Was the Prime Minister informed of his own government's case before the Federal Court? How can this government continue to make false statements when a colonel of our own armed forces has confirmed our initial fears?

[Afghanistan, May 4th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the Federal Court had to intervene to expose this government's cover-up. When informed of the treatment of a prisoner that they had just transferred to the Afghan police, Canadian troops in Kandahar had to ask that the prisoner be returned to them.

Why did the Minister of National Defence and five other ministers of this government rise in the House over a two-week period and tell Canadians that there was not a problem, when we now have proof to the contrary?

[Afghanistan, May 4th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, we now have proof from a colonel in the Canadian Forces that a detainee handed over by Canadian soldiers to Afghan authorities was beaten. We now have the evidence that what the government repeatedly said was false.

Why did it take a Federal Court case to prove that these allegations of abuse are real, rather than baseless Taliban allegations, as the government has so often claimed?

[Business of the House, May 3rd, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, could the leader of the government advise the House of the agenda he intends to follow for the rest of this week and through next week?

Could he also confirm to all members of this House that he will give high priority to Bill C-30, Canada's Clean Air Act?

[Afghanistan, May 2nd, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Defence has a new excuse every day for not answering questions.

Can the minister tell us how general information on detainees would endanger the lives of our troops? Is this not further evidence that the government is trying to hide information? Why not tell Canadians the truth?

Why is the Prime Minister not able to manage this crisis?

[Afghanistan, May 2nd, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, we all know that the success of our mission in Afghanistan relies first and foremost on openness and transparency. However, again yesterday, the Conservative government refused to answer simple and direct questions on the matter of the detainees. Let us try again today.

How many detainees have been transferred? Where are they? Have they been interrogated? By whom? In the presence of whom? Have they been asked directly whether they were tortured?

[Afghanistan, May 1st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government is incapable of answering this question, even though it claimed to have access to everyone being held by Afghan authorities.

The government has had a full week to conduct its research. Can the government inform this House and Canadians at this time?

I repeat my question. How many people have been transferred to Afghan authorities? Where are the prisoners? How are they? What is their condition? Who has spoken to them recently?

[Afghanistan, May 1st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, we have been trying for the past two weeks to get clear answers to straightforward questions. The government, however, prefers to change its story from one day to the next.

I would like to ask the Minister of National Defence a very simple question. How many prisoners has the Conservative government handed over to Afghan authorities?

[Afghanistan, April 25th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the minister does not know about it? That is unbelievable.

Canadian diplomats are not the only ones who have sounded the alarm about detainees being tortured by Afghan authorities. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, also considers torture to be a violation of human rights. The Prime Minister and his government chose to ignore Ms. Arbour's comments on the subject.

Why did the Minister of National Defence choose to act as though the High Commissioner had not said anything, and why is he, even now, transferring prisoners. Will he resign?

[Afghanistan, April 25th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and his government knew about the reality of Afghan prisons and they chose to hide the truth from Canadians. It is impossible that he did not know of the foreign affairs report from his own government which states that “extrajudicial executions and torture” are common in Afghanistan.

Did the foreign affairs minister ever read his own department's report or was he wilfully blind? When, if ever, did he tell the defence minister?