House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2011, with 41% of the vote.
Rights & Democracy March 4th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the Minister of Foreign Affairs concerning Rights & Democracy.
The minister has failed to protect the rights of that organization's employees. At the same time, he profoundly rejected the democratic consensus of this House, expressed by the leaders of the three opposition parties, with respect to the leadership of that organization.
Where are the rights and the democracy within the Conservative Party?
Human Rights December 3rd, 2009
Mr. Speaker, the government speaks loudly of its commitment to human rights, but we heard yesterday of a decision by the government that is truly shocking. That is the decision by CIDA to cut all funding, not part funding but all funding, for the organization known as KAIROS, which is an organization that includes the Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Anglican Synod and a number of other Christian denominations that fight for human rights around the world.
How is this government's alleged commitment to human rights possibly compatible with such a reactionary and retrograde decision?
Afghanistan December 3rd, 2009
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, the woman in question said that they discovered an instrument of torture. That is what they discovered.
I will ask the same minister the same question. If an instrument of torture was found in the office of the director of investigations, would he not agree, considering such testimony—and I am directing my question to the government—there is a good chance this is a systemic problem rather than simply a single instance?
Afghanistan December 3rd, 2009
It is coming a little late in my case, Mr. Speaker, but I would like to ask a question of the Minister of National Defence.
We were told yesterday at the Afghanistan committee that a braided electrical cable, which is undoubtedly an instrument of torture, was found in the office of the director of investigations at the National Directorate of Security.
I would like to ask the Minister of National Defence, would he not agree with us that a discovery like that points to a systemic problem rather than simply a single instance with respect to a discovery of that kind?
Afghanistan December 3rd, 2009
Mr. Speaker--
Questions Passed as Orders for Returns December 3rd, 2009
With regard to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, how many people did the Department employ in 2007, 2008 and 2009 in the following categories: (a) Canadian citizens employed by the Department in general; (b) Canadian diplomats stationed outside of Canada; (c) locally-engaged non-Canadian staff outside of Canada; and (d) all staff at the Departmental headquarters in Ottawa?
Questions Passed as Orders for Returns December 3rd, 2009
With regard to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, how much money did the department spend of its annual budget in 2007, 2008 and 2009 on: (a) language training for Canadian diplomats posted outside of Canada; (b) all telecommunications devices for all Canadian embassies and consulates; and (c) moving, storage, housing and educational costs for all bCanadian diplomats and their families posted outside of Canada?
Questions Passed as Orders for Returns December 3rd, 2009
With regard to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, how much money did the department spend of its annual budget in 2007, 2008 and 2009 on: (a) all staff salaries for workers in Canada, including departmental headquarters and Ministerial staff; (b) all Canadian staff salaries posted outside of Canada; and (c) all salaries for locally-engaged staff at all Canadian embassies and consulates?
Afghanistan December 1st, 2009
Mr. Speaker, the problem we have with the government's answers is that it says that we do not have access to credible information from someone like Mr. Colvin and then says, on the contrary, that Mr. Colvin did not have all the facts.
The problem is that the government did not look for the facts. The government did not try to get to the truth.
That is why we will ask again: why not hold an inquiry to get to the truth of the matter?
Afghanistan December 1st, 2009
Mr. Speaker, I am again trying to get an answer to a simple question from the government.
One of the senior officials at the Department of Foreign Affairs, in describing how the department went about looking at allegations of torture, said:
We don't investigate those allegations. We record them.
I would like to ask the minister, is that still the policy of the Government of Canada with respect to allegations of torture?