Lawrence Cannon

[Canada-U.S. Border, September 30th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, with leave of the House and pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I would like to table, in both official languages, the Framework Agreement on Integrated Cross-Border Maritime Law Enforcement Operations between the Government of Canada and the Government of the United States of America, signed in Detroit on May 26, 2009.

[Afghanistan, September 30th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the answer to his question is yes. I would strongly recommend that the hon. colleague read the transcript so that it will be clear. He might not understand what is written, but we all understand that is what it means.

[Afghanistan, September 30th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I will say this clearly and succinctly so that the member will understand. Yes, we are sticking to that motion. Yes, the Minister of National Defence answered that question previously with the same response that we always give. We are putting an end to our military combat mission by 2011, and that is clear.

[Foreign Affairs, September 28th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Ahmadinejad's repeated denial of the Holocaust as well as his anti-Israeli comments run counter to the values not only of the United Nations but also of the values that we all share here.

I might point out that the crackdown on legitimate democratic protests and unjustified arrests over the course of the last several months are things that are completely counterproductive and are completely abhorrent to Canadian values of freedom and democracy. In protest, my colleague the Minister of State for the Americas and I walked out of the speech to stand up for Canadians.

[The Environment, September 28th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, contrary to what my hon. colleague says, the Prime Minister did not shirk his responsibilities. The Prime Minister assumed his responsibilities, and we worked as a team.

In talking about a team, one thing I can say, coming from Quebec, is that there is no team there. There are two teams over there. That is why today they do not have a member for Bourassa.

[Canada-U.S. Relations, September 18th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, in terms of Canada-U.S. relations, I want to reassure members of the House that these relations are excellent and they are working extremely well. The best evidence of that is the Prime Minister and the president's meeting earlier this week.

On that specific issue, the Minister of State, as well as myself have acknowledged the importance of continuing our work together in the Arctic and of being able to work on these issues that are obstacles. We will work together in the spirit of co-operation and manage the issues in the best interests of everyone.

However, I will be very clear on this: we will defend our sovereignty.

[Canada-US Relations, September 15th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.

Tomorrow, the Prime Minister will meet with the American President. Obviously, Canada's interests are on the agenda. The topics of discussion will include security, Afghanistan, as well as the economy in general.

On August 14, a split decision was rendered by the Federal Court of Appeal. The government decided to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court.

[Canada-U.S. Relations, September 15th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, could my colleague ask a question rather than blathering?

[Starred Questions, September 14th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, in response to (a), yes.

In response to (b), yes.

In response to (c) and (d), Canada and like-minded states will continue to monitor statements emanating from the government of Iran, including its president.

Canada has consistently taken Iran to task for its unacceptable behaviour in international affairs and for the appalling abuses of human rights that the regime carries out against its own people and has publicly condemned President Ahmadinejad’s egregious and offensive comments. For the sixth consecutive year in 2008, Canada led the international community in drafting and passing a resolution before the United Nations General Assembly calling upon Iran to respect its international human rights obligations.

In response to (e) Canada delivers on its obligations to both prevent and punish genocide by criminalizing the crime of genocide under its domestic law and thus enabling its domestic prosecution in Canadian courts where there is evidence to support such action. Canada is also a supporter of the International Criminal Court, which both deters and punishes perpetrators of genocide; as well, Canada supported the appointment of a Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide with the mandate to make appropriate recommendations for prevention to the United Nations Security Council through the UN Secretary-General.

Canada delivered a statement on the Responsibility to Protect, R2P, on July 24th at the UN General Assembly Open Debate, which demonstrated our support for the principle and emphasized our continued work in enhancing conflict prevention, preventive advocacy, and early warning mechanisms.

At the international level, Canada has supported the development of the new international norm of the Responsibility to Protect. The concept of the Responsibility to Protect, as endorsed by the 2005 World Summit Outcome Document and reaffirmed by UN Security Council Resolution 1674(2006) on the protection of civilians in armed conflict acknowledges both the responsibility of each individual state as well as the international community to protect civilian populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. According to the summit outcome document, this responsibility of a state towards its own population includes “the prevention of such crimes, including their incitement, through appropriate and necessary means”.

In response to (f), see response to questions (c) and (d).

In response to (g), see response to questions (c) and (d).

[Questions on the Order Paper, September 14th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is committed to supporting Pakistan’s government and long-term development, as both are important factors in achieving regional and global stability and security. The Government of Canada is not providing direct monetary support to the Pakistani government specifically to combat the incursion in the north. However, Canada remains concerned for the fate of millions of the internally displaced persons (IDPs), and the pressures on the Government of Pakistan as a result of the military offensive against the Taliban. In support for these displaced persons, Canada has pledged $8 million for the crisis and we continue to monitor the situation to assess whether further assistance will be required. Canada also has a long-standing and diverse development cooperation relationship with Pakistan which includes the Canada-Pakistan Debt For Education Conversion valued at $117 million. Our total bilateral aid allocation to Pakistan last fiscal year was $44 million, and Canada has also provided approximately $10 million to support reconstruction activities following the 2005 South Asia Earthquake. Our core bilateral assistance to Pakistan is also expected to rise to $50 million per year in coming years. CIDA’s bilateral program is currently focused on supporting the transition to civilian government and promotes national cohesiveness by focusing on democratic governance, basic public education, equality between men and women, and stimulating sustainable economic growth. This government is committed to working closely with the Government of Pakistan in addressing the challenges it faces and their implications for regional and global security.