House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2011, with 41% of the vote.
Minister of Foreign Affairs May 14th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, it would appear there are more ventriloquists over on the other side than there are on Sesame Street. I put a question to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, I received an answer from the government House leader, and I will ask my supplementary to the same minister.
The question about policy is this. It is not just a question of political partisanship. I see that the Prime Minister is giving him an answer. I will let the Prime Minister finish his briefing of the minister.
Minister of Foreign Affairs May 14th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Given the concerns, not of political partisans, but of national security experts, can the minister personally assure us that his particular situation is being reviewed independently and that it does not create any concerns or problems with respect to national security?
Burma May 9th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, with great respect for the minister, this is not about me. This is about a statement made by the Prime Minister. I do hope that when he comes back next week he will be able to clarify the situation.
My third question is also for the minister and has to do with Burma.
The United Nations Security Council adopted the responsibility to protect doctrine. Given the resolution that we have just adopted here, does the minister agree with the Liberal Party that the time has come for Canada to contact its allies—France, the United States, the United Kingdom and others—to talk about the need to invoke the doctrine of responsibility that we, as citizens of the world, have to save people's lives—
Foreign Affairs May 9th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, I really do regret that the minister has missed an opportunity here to take advantage of what was a very practical approach to what I think most people would see as a problem.
However, I would like to ask the minister another question on another subject having to do with the comments that were made yesterday by the Prime Minister on the radio in Toronto.
The Prime Minister is quoted as saying that “anti-Israeli sentiment, really just as a thinly disguised veil for good old-fashioned anti-Semitism”. He then went on to say, “I am disturbed that there are some elements in our political system, there are even some members of Parliament…that were willing to cater to that kind of opinion”.
Perhaps the minister will understand the sensitivity that all of us feel as members of Parliament. Could he perhaps tell us who exactly the anti-Semites are that the Prime Minister is talking about?
National Security May 9th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the government House leader.
After the exchanges yesterday, a number of security experts, including Professor Wark, the National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister, have indicated that there are some legitimate questions that need to be answered with respect to the situation facing the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
If the government House leader would simply respond in the affirmative that the government has every intention of ensuring that there is no security problem or security issue with respect to the situation facing the Minister of Foreign Affairs, I am sure that would go a long way to satisfying members of the House that the appropriate steps have been taken.
Burma May 7th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, the problem is that the minister did not answer my question. I asked the minister a very specific question. With whom in the UN, and with which of his international colleagues did the minister speak to ensure that we are working together as nations to persuade Burma to open its doors to humanitarian aid?
Burma May 7th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the Minister of Foreign Affairs about the tragic situation that is unfolding in Burma.
It is clear that the politics of the situation is keeping aid out. They are keeping aid workers out. They are keeping the international community out. We now know that there are over 20,000 people dead and there could be as many as 20,000 more missing.
I would like to ask the minister, could he please tell the House what political discussions has he had with his counterparts? What discussions has he had with the United Nations to make sure that in fact aid is getting to the people in need in Burma?
Foreign Affairs May 5th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, we can only assume that Mr. Abdelrazik does not pose a security threat because both his parliamentary secretary and his chief of staff met with Mr. Abdelrazik when they were in Khartoum. So if he is not a security threat and the minister has said he should not be on a list, I would like to ask the minister this. Mr. Abdelrazik cannot get access to a passport. It is all very well to say we are giving him refuge, but he wants to come back to Canada. The minister knows perfectly well that Mr. Abdelrazik's future lies in his hands and in the hands of the Government of Canada. What are you going to do to make sure that Mr. Abdelrazik can come home to his country?
Foreign Affairs May 5th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs and pertains to the case of Mr. Abdelrazik, a Canadian citizen who remains in Khartoum and who does not have a passport.
I would like to ask the minister what he will do to ensure the return of Mr. Abdelrazik to Canada.
Points of Order May 1st, 2008
Mr. Speaker, I have a point of order that I would like to raise with the government House leader.
I do not normally take exception to things that are said in the House, but the government House leader did completely misrepresent my views and also my actions with respect to Elections Canada, and I would like to make it clear what they are.
The government House leader said in a response to a question that the position of the Conservative Party with respect to Elections Canada was exactly the same as my position as the member for Toronto Centre. I want to set the facts on the record because I have not had an opportunity to do so, even though they have been referred to on many occasions by members of the government.
The simple fact is this. I took exception to a decision that was made by Elections Canada. I then asked for a judicial review of that decision. The Federal Court of Canada said that I was right in this particular instance. I want to make it very clear that at no time have I or any member of my party ever expressed non-confidence in Elections Canada, which is the extraordinary position that has been taken--