House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2019, with 55% of the vote.
Business of Supply May 17th, 2017
Madam Chair, perhaps it is an example for the government to listen to other committees of the House, as well, in areas like electoral reform.
Could the minister tell us how many times Canadian officials have met with Iranian officials? What was the nature of these meetings? Is there a line somewhere in the estimates with regard to the allotment of financial investment in a new Canadian mission?
Business of Supply May 17th, 2017
Madam Chair, there were 13 recommendations in the report of the foreign affairs committee. I would hope, in the hours to come, the minister considers the government's position on accepting the other 12 recommendations in addition to what I seem to be reading with regard to her comment on the Magnitsky style of sanctions.
Business of Supply May 17th, 2017
Madam Chair, I have more questions on that subject.
This question is based on the fact that for the past year and a half, the Liberal government has dragged its feet on implementing Magnitsky style sanctions, in a global sense, not only against Russia but against other human rights abusers, quite applicable these days with regard to Venezuela. Given the unanimous foreign affairs committee recommendations to the government, could the minister tell us when the government will accept those recommendations and implement Magnitsky?
Business of Supply May 17th, 2017
Madam Chair, does the minister believe that enough has been done by Canada to assist Venezuelan sick and and starving civilians persecuted by a dictatorial government and trying to get these essential medicines, food, and relief supplies to the people who need those supplies the most?
Business of Supply May 17th, 2017
Madam Chair, could the minister answer this question in the light of the continuing increasingly aggressive posture of the regime in North Korea? What, if any, contribution is Canada prepared to make to defend and protect the people of South Korea?
Business of Supply May 17th, 2017
Madam Chair, will the Government of Canada publicly support Taiwan's request for its traditional role as observer at the World Health Assembly? I say it in the context of no Government of Canada public protest or comment last year when China pressured ICAO, the International Civil Aviation Organization, in Montreal, Canada, to have Taiwan excluded as a traditional observer and, in fact, pressured the organization to prevent a Canadian journalist of Taiwanese origin from covering that event.
Business of Supply May 17th, 2017
Madam Chair, at least four Canadian citizens are currently in different sorts of detention in China today: Chinese Canadian billionaire Xiao Jianhua, who was kidnapped from his Hong Kong residence and transported to China and who has not communicated clearly and independently, freely, on his state and status; Sun Qian, a Falun Gong practitioner and a resident of Vancouver, detained since February; and two Canadians, John Chong and his wife Allison, detained for a year now in conditions in violation of international trade law.
We are accustomed to Global Affairs and the parliamentary secretary using privacy, and the interests of the prisoners, as a justification for no comment. However, in the recent release of unjustly held and tortured prisoners in China and in Iran, and I am talking about the Garretts in one case and Professor Hoodfar in another, while Canada welcomed these unjustly held and persecuted individuals back to Canada, there was not a single word of criticism for the absolutely unacceptable behaviour of their Chinese jailers and the government.
Business of Supply May 17th, 2017
Madam Chair, China's new ambassador to Canada, Mr. Lu Shaye, is demanding that China be allowed to negotiate in all sectors of the Canadian economy but has bluntly said that security concerns about state-owned enterprises and human rights abuses are simply not up for discussion.
How have you responded to that messaging?
Business of Supply May 17th, 2017
Madam Chair, China believes it is in negotiation, and the intention of the statement was to pursue discussions with an objective of a treaty.
Let me continue with regard to China. I am wondering what specific messages, since the minister assumed her current post, have been communicated by the Government of Canada to China with respect to China's reprehensible human rights record: extrajudicial detention; torture; organ harvesting; and any number of other international, and certainly under Canadian law, unacceptable practices.
Business of Supply May 17th, 2017
Madam Chair, I will be using my full time for questions. Let me begin by thanking the ministers for their attendance tonight. While I and my colleagues will have any number of questions regarding line items in the estimates, we will also examine and question policies and performance, following the great parliamentary tradition of regressive grievances before the granting of supply.
I will first begin by asking the minister for an update on the Canada-China high-level national security and rule of law dialogue, specifically the discussions on the extradition treaty and transfer of offenders treaty sought by China.
Just to avoid any etymological or grammatical quibbling on negotiation or discussion, Oxford Canada tells us that negotiations in pursuit of an objective, or treaty, are in fact negotiations.