House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2015, with 48% of the vote.
Foreign Affairs November 22nd, 2007
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is always promoting Canadian businesses. We expect all Canadian businesses to follow Canadian practices, Canadian laws and Canadian regulations. We expect that company to do the same thing. That is why that company participated in the corporate social responsibility round table. We are positive that all Canadian companies will follow the rules that have been laid down in Canada.
Foreign Affairs November 22nd, 2007
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is in Tanzania because we have a great relationship with that country and we with to promote Canadian businesses working in Tanzania.
As far as we are concerned, there is a round table conference on social corporate responsibility and the government will be giving its response pretty soon. We are very proud of Canadian businesses that comply with the regulations that are in Canada.
Foreign Affairs November 22nd, 2007
Mr. Speaker, the only thing I will agree with him on is that yes, the future of Pakistan is very important, and for that reason we want Pakistan to return to democracy.
As I have said, the Prime Minister has taken the lead on this issue and in Kampala he has issued instructions asking for the suspension of Pakistan until Pakistan reverts to democracy.
Foreign Affairs November 22nd, 2007
Mr. Speaker, it is amazing to see that the Liberal Party does not like the Francophonie. The Minister of Foreign Affairs is attending the Francophonie because it is very important.
However, let me also say that the Prime Minister of Canada is at the Commonwealth. He has issued instructions for Canada to take a very strong step in asking for the suspension of Pakistan.
Foreign Affairs November 21st, 2007
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the UN adopted a Canadian sponsored resolution calling attention to the continuing deterioration of the human rights situation in Iran.
At the UN General Assembly meeting this September, the Minister of Foreign Affairs worked hard to build support for this resolution by his participation in almost 30 meetings with his foreign counterparts.
United by our shared values of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law, our government will continue to restore Canada's international leadership through concrete actions that bring results.
Foreign Affairs November 21st, 2007
Mr. Speaker, as I have mentioned, the department is working very hard toward quickly facilitating the child's return to Canada as early as possible. However, I assure the member that we are also working with the Quebec social services, which is investigating these allegations.
As I said, we are working very hard to get this child to Canada as quickly as possible.
Foreign Affairs November 21st, 2007
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade officers in Ottawa and Port-au-Prince are working together with the authorities of the province of Quebec to ensure the well-being of this child. The department is working very closely with Quebec social services, which is investigating allegations of neglect made by this child.
I assure the member that the department is working hard toward facilitating the child's return to Canada as early as possible.
Mr. Speaker, let me assure the member that we are talking with our NATO allies all the time to share the burden of reconstruction and security in Afghanistan. That has been a priority of the minister. He has been speaking with all of our NATO allies and they all understand that it is a NATO mission.
Let me remind my hon. friend again that the House, including him probably, voted for the extension until 2009. We stated prior to that we would seek unanimous consent of the House to extend should there be a need to extend, and he and his party would at that given time have an absolute right to vote for that mission.
Mr. Speaker, I will address my comments through you. Absolutely, there is no question. If the Liberals are confused because they cannot read a throne speech as clear as it is, that is not our problem. It is their problem.
In reference to telling NATO that we are going to withdraw, the Parliament of Canada has made a clear commitment until February 2009. NATO knows that. The Minister of National Defence repeats that every time he meets with NATO or speaks with the secretary general. He was there just three weeks ago and will be there again in December. NATO is very well aware of what our position is. As a matter of fact, constant dialogue is going on with other NATO members to ensure that the mission in Afghanistan is a success.
I do not understand how one can provide reconstruction when there is no security. Even Liberals understand that, but for some reason they seem to think we can do reconstruction there and leave security to somebody else. Why would we want to leave security to someone else?
We are a collective force. We are a member of NATO. A failure in Afghanistan will have ramifications right around the world. What would be NATO's role in the future? Who would trust NATO in the future? Who will trust Canada's commitment to NATO in the future, if we do not stick with our NATO commitment?
We must understand that Afghanistan is a UN mandated mission. That is what Canada has always done. I just came back from Korea. We went to war in Korea because of a UN request. We are in Afghanistan because of a UN request. The main purpose of our mission in Afghanistan is reconstruction.
I would like to tell my friend on the other side quite clearly that there is only one voice that speaks on behalf of the Government of Canada, and that is the Prime Minister or the Minister of National Defence and no one else.
Mr. Speaker, it is ironic that when members on the other side find an issue, they dither and go around in circles. They talk as if nothing happened in the past and everything started from that day forward.
I would like to tell the member that it was his government that sent the troops to Afghanistan. Today, he is standing up and saying that the Liberals had no role to play in sending the troops there. The Liberals are the ones who sent the troops to Afghanistan.
He stood up and said that he does not know what the government's plan is and what it is the government intends to do. I do not understand. We made it absolutely clear in the throne speech. Perhaps like the NDP, you rejected it before reading it, or maybe you did not even read the throne speech. In the throne speech it is absolutely clear what the government's intention is. Let me repeat that.
It is Parliament that will decide on the extension, should there be one, of our troops in Afghanistan. We are there until 2009. The Prime Minister made it very clear that the Parliament of Canada, of which you are members and have the right to vote, will decide if there is--