Canada Evidence Act  Members will know of the most recent events around the world where the rights of the press have been suppressed. I think of the recent situation that we are watching with great unease in Burma. When we look at the freedom of the press, which seems to be challenged around the world these days, and certainly this has been documented, journalists are having a harder time doing their jobs.

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  I would also like to thank MPs and senators from all parties who are members of the Parliamentary Friends of Burma and had this on their agenda since May. I am delighted that the government has agreed to granting her honorary Canadian citizenship. I will now discuss the things that are missing for the balance of my presentation.

Resumption of debate on Address in Reply  However, Canada should also be taking substantive steps to hold the military leadership in Burma to account for the terrible abuses taking place in that country. Where in the speech is the commitment to students who are increasingly leaving school with enormous student debt? The previous Liberal government was putting in place the help they needed but the present government has done nothing of substance to assist Canada's students.

Resumption of debate on Address in Reply  Let me start by congratulating my colleague from Yukon for his hard work on bringing some light to human rights abuses in Burma. I congratulate all members of the House for making Aung San Suu Kyi the third honorary Canadian citizen. That is something of which we can all be proud. The second honorary Canadian citizenship was accorded to Nelson Mandela, who did so much to fight against apartheid.

Resumption of debate on Address in Reply  It was behind our call to confer honorary Canadian citizenship on Aung San Suu Kyi, who has waged a heroic struggle to bring democracy to Burma. It is seen in our participation in the United Nations mission in Haiti. It guides our international assistance programs, which will be refocused and strengthened over the coming weeks.

House debate  Our Government will immediately call upon Parliament to confer honorary citizenship on Aung San Suu Kyi. Her long struggle to bring freedom and democracy to the people of Burma has made her the embodiment of these ideals and an inspiration to all of us. Nowhere is Canada making a difference more clearly than in Afghanistan. Canada has joined the United Nations-sanctioned mission in Afghanistan because it is noble and necessary.

Burma  Let us set Aung San Suu Kyi free and give democracy a chance in Burma. When will the government act?

Myanmar  I call on the Minister of Foreign Affairs to keep Canada active on this file. I have added my name to a letter from the Canadian Friends of Burma to Kofi Annan calling on him to seek a resolution to the crisis. We must do what we can to promote the establishment of an open and transparent democracy that respects and enshrines human rights.

Committees of the House  Since the beginning of my speech, I have been referring to this country as Burma, but I should point out that the junta has changed the name to Myanmar, which is the Burmese translation for Burma, thereby leaving out all the other minorities that make up this country and its people.

Burma  Speaker, today marks a total of 10 years that Nobel Laureate, human rights activist and political leader Aung San Suu Kyi has endured house arrest in Burma and signals a renewed campaign to end the oppression and brutality. Canadians are outraged that our money is helping to prop up the brutal Burmese regime. Despite our official government position against doing business in Burma, our CPP Investment Board still pours millions of dollars of our savings into Burma, just as it knowingly invests our money in tobacco deaths and the arms trade.

Foreign Affairs  Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and I think you would find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move: That this House request that the Government of Burma release the Leader of the National League for Democracy and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi, from house arrest, which has been imposed on her since 1989.

Foreign Affairs  Mr. Speaker, Aung San Suu Kyi, the pro-democracy leader in Burma, spent 10 of the last 16 years under house arrest. She was due to be released on May 27, but her detention was extended. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan appealed to the head of Burma's military junta to free her.

Foreign Affairs committee  An area of concern that certainly I believe we need to be highlighting at the United Nations Human Rights Council is the issue of Burma and human rights in Burma. And in terms of how effective this new council will be—and I realize you're not there yet—what role do you see Canada, or certainly yourself, articulating in light of the Havel-Tutu report from the United Nations?

Foreign Affairs committee  So you have this situation being created over there in Sri Lanka that is from both sides--a rebel army that is breaking all the rules and a government that still needs a lot of improvement on human rights. Of course, the other country that falls close to that is Burma. In Burma you have the military regime, the junta, that is not giving human rights and these things. All of these areas seem to escape from your court and it seems to focus only on areas with high political things or be easygoing on these things, which is what I'm trying to get at.

Burma  What has the Government of Canada done to implement the recommendations of the motion passed by this House on May 18 particularly in connection with Canadian companies operating in Burma whose actions help the junta to remain in power?