Peter MacKay

[Afghanistan, October 20th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said before, there were many documents, many allegations at the time, but the important thing here is that two and a half years ago we improved upon the lacking arrangement of transfers left by the previous government. What is important is we worked with Afghan prison officials to ensure a better transfer. What is important is that we allowed Afghan police, corrections officials, police working with them to train them to do their job.

Canadians can be very proud of the work being done by officials on the ground. We have drastically improved the human rights situation. There is more to do. We will continue to do that.

[Afghanistan, October 20th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, as usual, the Bloc member is talking a great deal, but not saying anything. It is true that our government has cooperated. It has worked hard with all Afghans and also with the officers here in Canada.

We have seen dozens, if not hundreds, of reports of allegations, unsubstantiated and otherwise. We continue to co-operate.

Most important, we have improved the situation vis-à-vis transfers. We have improved the human rights situation in Afghanistan. We continue to work with officials there. I am very proud of the work of the Canadian Forces, CIDA and DFAIT on that file.

[Afghanistan, October 19th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, again, the hon. member may have a natural rhetorical flourish, but the reality is this government acted. We acted decisively in putting in place a new transfer arrangement. We have in fact helped to improve the correctional system. Most important, there are at least three separate investigations going on with the allegations of which he is concerned.

The important thing to note here, and for everyone to understand, is these are allegations about what Afghan officials did to Afghan terrorist suspects and what the military police knew about it, that and only that.

[Afghanistan, October 19th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, those are pretty strong words. The reality is we have this question coming from a member of Parliament who was not around when we came to government and then undertook the very important task of improving the Afghan penal system. We took very clear steps to improve the inadequate transfer agreement that was in place. We took the steps of training Afghan officials to ensure that human rights were respected. We continue in that important work.

The member has now asked, I believe, nine or ten questions on the Military Police Complaints Commission. I only wish he would bring that type of enthusiasm to support the men and women of the Canadian Forces.

[Afghanistan, October 19th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, as a result of these issues, as I mentioned, we are continuing to support, I want to indicate it was, in fact, the decision of the chairperson of the Military Police Complaints Commission to shut down its hearings. He is invited and welcome to begin those hearings again at any time. Also, he has decided, with respect to a decision by the federal court, which clearly outlines the mandate of the Military Police Complaints Commission, to appeal that decision. That has delayed proceedings as well.

We are co-operating. We have provided documents. We have provided witnesses. We will continue to do so. I intend to hear from the Department of Defence, as well as foreign affairs, as to where this report stopped, because it did not make it to the deputy minister or my desk.

[Afghanistan, October 19th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I would remind the hon. member that it was due to the shortcomings of the arrangement that was in place when our government took office that we did act to improve the arrangement. We then obviously undertook further prison visits. We undertook to train more Afghan army, police, as well as correctional investigators. As a result of that, we have drastically improved the system as it currently exists in Afghanistan.

I would remind the hon. member as well that we continue to investigate certain issues which are of a serious nature and we are co-operating fully.

[Afghanistan, October 19th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, in addition to all of the improvements that we have seen in Afghanistan with respect to the treatment of Taliban terrorist suspects, we have also seen this particular issue be the subject of at least three court challenges. We have three different independent investigations going on into the circumstances. This is an issue that has been deliberated on fully.

I am not going to comment on the hon. member's intellectual abilities, but I will note that when it comes to Bloc members, I wish they would spend just as much time standing up and protecting the interests of Canadian soldiers as they do for the vigour they seem to have for Taliban prisoners.

[Afghanistan, October 19th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the important issue, really, is what Canadians have done to improve the transfer arrangement that was left in place by the previous government.

It is important to note that there have now been over 170 visits to Afghan prisons. We continue to mentor the Afghan army and police, as well as corrections officers. The transfer arrangement has been greatly improved, as has the Afghan penal system as a result of the hard work of Canadians.

As for this report, we receive hundreds, if not thousands, of reports annually through the Department of National Defence, as well as the Department of Foreign Affairs. That is why it did not make it to my desk.

[Afghanistan, October 8th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, despite the wild-eyed, woolly-headed allegations of the not-so-New Democratic Party, we are co-operating with this commission. We have provided evidence and witnesses. We have complied with the Federal Court's ruling, which confirmed the mandate of the Military Police Complaints Commission.

We have co-operated at every stage. We intend this commission to continue to do its important work. I wish the hon. member would stop trying to undermine and confuse Canadians with allegations that in fact impugn the work of the Canadian Forces.

[Points of Order, October 7th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, this is the first opportunity I have had to clarify. There was a misstatement made in question period where I referred to the leader of the NDP as the leader of the opposition.

I want to assure the House that there has been no coup d'etat in the opposition. In fact, the leader of the NDP is still the leader of the NDP and I misspoke in question period.