Hélène Laverdière

[Foreign Affairs, September 19th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, a number of reports have revealed massive problems with Canada's arms exports program. We already know that Canadian weapons exported to Saudi Arabia have been used in Yemen.

Now we learn that weapons manufactured by Streit Group have been sold to countries like Libya and Sudan, despite Canadian sanctions. The Liberals have already rejected our proposal to create a parliamentary committee to study arms exports.

Will the Liberals reconsider their position and give parliamentarians the right to look—

[Public Safety, September 19th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, this morning we learned of allegations that implicate both CSIS and the RCMP in the report of three Canadians being tortured in Syria between 2001 and 2004. Seemingly even the Canadian ambassador was involved. These are very serious allegations against two of our security agencies and the reputation of our country.

How does the government explain these troubling allegations, and is it going to investigate?

[National Defence, June 15th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the question was not just about human rights. The question is about an independent public inquiry. The very day that we learned that Canada is the second-largest exporter of arms to the Middle East, to countries like Saudi Arabia, the Afghan detainee file is back in the news with new allegations by military police officers, no less. The government must take action.

Will the Prime Minister undertake to launch an independent public inquiry into the treatment of Afghan detainees?

[National Defence, June 15th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, there are new and very troubling allegations today surrounding the treatment of detainees in Afghanistan.

Let me quote the Prime Minister from 2009 when he spoke on this issue. He said, “We need to get at the truth. The international reputation of Canada and our military is at stake.”

Does the Prime Minister still believe this? Will he call a full, independent public inquiry?

[National Defence, June 13th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the minister did not say anything about an inquiry in his answer.

When the report on the internal investigation was tabled in 2011, the Liberals said it was incomplete and accused the Conservatives of a lack of leadership. Last week, over 40 Canadians, including former prime minister Joe Clark, human rights advocates, and diplomats, called on the Prime Minister to launch a public inquiry.

Why exactly do the Liberals not want an inquiry now?

[National Defence, June 13th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, on Afghan detainees, the current Prime Minister once said, “We need to get at the truth. [Our] international reputation...is at stake”.

Last week, Joe Clark, former ambassadors like Stephen Lewis, former Afghan head of mission, and human rights advocates like Amnesty International called on the Liberals to hold an inquiry into the handling of Afghan detainees.

Liberals can now get at the truth, so will they do the right thing and launch an inquiry?

[Consular Affairs, June 9th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, after being interrogated by the revolutionary guard since March, Canadian professor Homa Hoodfar was arrested and jailed at the notorious Evin prison on Monday. Her family is worried sick about her health and safety, and with reason. We should remember that in 2003, another Canadian woman was killed in the same prison.

What is the government doing to secure the immediate release of Homa Hoodfar?

[Consular Affairs, June 9th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, Ms. Hoodfar, an anthropologist who teaches at Concordia University, is currently in Evin prison, where political prisoners are detained. The situation is all the more worrisome because she needs prescription drugs to keep her healthy, but nobody knows if she has access to those drugs.

Can the minister tell us exactly what his department is doing to secure Ms. Hoodfar's immediate release?

[Business of Supply, June 9th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I hope I was clear that this motion is moral persuasion. I think we all agree that there is no automatic legal implication, as there would be under the convention on genocide, if an international body would say that it is genocide, and even then the consequences could be diverse. It is not automatically a military intervention, as some of my colleagues on this other side would like, I presume. There is a range of possible responses.

I have no problem with agreeing to the motion and joining our voice to so many Parliaments around the world. However, my point is beyond that, beyond words, which are not enough. I think on that point we are on the same side. We need to act with sending humanitarian assistance; starving ISIS of money, arms, militants, and jihadists; and investigating the crimes committed on the ground, not only by ISIS but also by the Assad regime and other groups in the region.

[Business of Supply, June 9th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, indeed, it is a huge issue. It shows a lack of coherence, which is striking, because my colleague mentioned Brunei, to which we would give economic benefits despite its atrocious policies regarding the LGBT community.

There is another example that springs to mind, Saudi Arabia, which has similar policies. In fact, Saudi Arabia beheads people. If we look at the list of crimes under ISIS and its punishment and look at what is happening in Saudi Arabia, we see it is the same. Yet, we are selling arms to Saudi Arabia.

I am sorry, but I fail to understand.