Situation in Myanmar  If we can find a way to express ideas and find a new pathway toward a way that people will respect each other, I think it starts by respecting that we are different. In Myanmar we see minorities that are not being respected. We have to respect the minorities that exist in every country and perhaps that is Canada's role, to say we live in this country with first nations, with indigenous peoples, with founding peoples, with newcomers, respecting the way they live and trying to find a way to do it.

Situation in Myanmar  We had an opportunity to hear from a broad swath of people who have been impacted by the current policies in Myanmar and by the conditions in Rakhine State. We have seen the conditions continue to trend downward. Can the member provide us any sort of insight from maybe the international community and from a multilateral point of view about how we can begin to address making a real, sustained effort to impact the situation on the ground and provide real relief and cover for those most affected?

Situation in Myanmar  We know we have to do that collectively in this House too, across political lines, to bring forward a political solution to help end this terrible crisis in Myanmar. The member outlined some of the ideas she has on how we can move forward, take action, and be influential in leading this charge. Maybe she could touch more on that. Would she be willing to, in the meantime, increase humanitarian aid to deal with this crisis?

Situation in Myanmar  Many expressed the sentiment that they are concerned that should the world focus on resettlement at this point in time, it would essentially be carrying out the ethnic cleansing, in a lot of ways, for the Myanmar government, because they would be removing people from a situation rather than reinstating their rights. It is a difficult situation. Certainly Canada needs to look at how it brings internally displaced persons to Canada.

Situation in Myanmar  To date in 2017, we have announced $9.18 million in humanitarian assistance, including $2.55 million on September 15 to help address the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, northern Rakhine State, and its impact on Bangladesh. Canada has done a lot, but more needs to be done. My point is that what is happening is an act against humanity and we need to make sure that we raise our international voices to make sure the violence ends now.

Situation in Myanmar  Madam Speaker, Canadians have always protected human rights. Rohingyans are an ethnic, religious minority in Myanmar, and they are currently facing ethnic cleansing. I would ask the member if he agrees with that. Also, the Conservative Party, particularly our member for Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, has raised this issue multiple times in the House over the last year and a half and has spent time trying to ensure this issue was brought to this place so Canadians would hear about it.

Situation in Myanmar  Madam Speaker, satellite images are a tool we can use to find out what is happening on the ground. One of the problems we are facing is that the authorities in Myanmar are currently blocking access to humanitarian aid. A ship has been blocked. The authorities are refusing to let in teams who could act as neutral observers of what is happening on the ground.

Situation in Myanmar  Madam Speaker, I was intrigued by the idea of satellite images, so I would like to hear my colleague expand on how that could help improve the situation in Myanmar.

Situation in Myanmar  As I said, I think we very much share the view that it is important, even as we hold Aung San Suu Kyi to account, that we also put pressure on the military leadership of Myanmar, and our government has definitely been doing that, including directly to the military leadership.

Situation in Myanmar  The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra‘ad al-Hussein, condemned the situation in Rakhine State as “a textbook example of ethnic cleansing”, noting that the situation could not be fully assessed because human rights investigators have been denied access. He condemned the Government of Myanmar's “complete denial of reality”, which he saw as doing “great damage to the international standing of a Government which, until recently, benefited from immense goodwill.” I would love to hear the member's comments on that.

Human Rights  I want to quote, as I did earlier, Amnesty International's crisis response director, who said: The evidence is irrefutable--the Myanmar security forces are setting northern Rakhine State ablaze in a targeted campaign to push the Rohingya people out of Myanmar. Make no mistake: this is ethnic cleansing. During the summer, I went to Berlin and I visited a concentration camp for the first time.

Emergency Debate  According to Amnesty International's crisis response director, the evidence is irrefutable that Myanmar security forces are setting the northern Rakhine State ablaze in a targeted campaign to push the Rohingya people out of Myanmar. Make no mistake, this is ethnic cleansing. We have a campaign of ethnic cleansing presently going on in a country that is a major recipient of Canadian development assistance against which we have yet to impose new sanctions and in a country where the de facto leader is an honorary Canadian citizen and Nobel laureate.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Children in the shrimp and seafood processing industrial hubs in Thailand were more frequently exposed to workplace hazards than those working in other industries, and twice as likely to sustain injuries. Migrant children in this industry, mostly from Myanmar and Cambodia, also worked longer hours on average than Thai children, about six hours per week longer. Only one quarter of working children in shrimp and seafood processing between the ages of 15 and 17 were aware of child labour laws, and nearly 65% of those children did not enjoy the legal protection of a contract.

Rohingya  Speaker, years of persecution, fuelled by anti-Muslim hatred, have exploded into an lslamophobic, government-led pogrom against the Rohingya in Myanmar. I had occasion to meet with special envoy Bob Rae during the recent Commonwealth parliamentary assizes in neighbouring Bangladesh. His remarks were chilling. The Canadian delegation there played a major role in getting the CPA to take the uncharacteristic step of adopting a strongly worded statement on the Rohingya, one that referred to genocide.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  The Bangladesh border was being sealed off prior to August 25, while the Myanmar military was building up troops in the area. I just wanted to point that out, because it appears that both the Bangladeshi side and the Myanmar government were aware and were planning something that was coming.