Madam Speaker, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs has said, it is important not to sever all ties with a regime we disagree with. In order to best protect Canadians and promote Canadian interests, we need to maintain the ability to talk to those we disagree with.
Cautious engagement is the responsible strategy. For example, during the height of the cold war, we maintained embassies in the U.S.S.R. During the darkest days of apartheid, we maintained embassies in South Africa. Of course, we disagreed with those regimes and their actions, but those past Canadian governments were wise. They knew that without dialogue positive change would simply not be possible.
Severing ties with Iran has helped no one. It has not helped Canadians, nor our allies, including Israel, and certainly not the people of Iran.
The Government of Canada is committed to cautious re-engagement with Iran in a step-by-step manner. This week, for the first time, the Minister of Foreign Affairs met his Iranian counterpart and initiated a dialogue on a number of issues, including human rights, regional security and, importantly, consular cases. This is the value of our cautious engagement. It allows for dialogue on pressing, very challenging issues. We cannot facilitate progress if we are not at the table.
Engagement, however, does not mean support for a nation's actions. We have expressed, and will continue to express, our serious concerns with Iran's atrocious human rights record and support for terrorist groups. We continue to call Iran to account for its actions. For example, Canada intends to lead the resolution regarding human rights in Iran at the UN General Assembly's 71st session. The resolution criticizes Iran's actions and reinforces our human rights expectations of Iran. Engagement allows us to hold Iran to account.
Engagement is a much more difficult path than retreat and withdrawal. Our government knows that the harder path is the right path, and we are not alone. We are joined by our allies: Sweden, United Kingdom, France, and Finland. All have seen that re-engagement with Iran is the way forward.
The promotion and protection of all human rights is an integral part of Canada's constructive engagement, which is why, as part of the Government of Canada's commitment to human rights, the Minister of Foreign Affairs announced the establishment of the Office of Human Rights, Freedoms and Inclusion. The new office includes freedom of religion or belief as part of an expanded comprehensive vision that includes all human rights. This allows Canada to be a more effective defender of universal human rights.
Of note, a recent audit report on the former office, the Office of Religious Freedoms, said that the narrow focus on only religious freedom limited the ability of programs to accomplish their goals. By broadening the mandate, our government is better able to promote and protect core Canadian values. Furthermore, we have significantly increased funding dedicated to the promotion of human rights, including freedom of religion or belief. The government allocated up to $15 million for the Office of Human Rights, Freedoms and Inclusion, three times the amount originally committed to the former office.
Yesterday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs announced funding support to three new projects: the lifeline project, to help protect threatened human rights defenders; a partnership with UNESCO and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to improve education about genocide; and a project at Equitas International Centre For Human Rights Education in Sri Lanka.
I am proud to say that as part of our efforts all Canadian heads of mission have been tasked with promoting human rights, including religious freedom, as part of their core objectives. Where the past administration had one champion, we have all 135 of our ambassadors.
There is still much to be improved upon in the field of human rights at home and abroad, and Canada is working continuously to promote positive change.
