Foreign Affairs  Mr. Speaker, I would suggest that the hon. member is basing his question entirely on the second-class journalism of a current affairs program--

Foreign Affairs  Mr. Speaker, the charges against the individual in question are very serious and we have cause to believe that the case should be heard in court. It is not helped by hon. members rushing to accept the flawed claims of a second-rate current affairs program.

Foreign Affairs  Mr. Speaker, that question, from top to bottom, is laced with inaccuracies and falsehoods. I have spoken to both our ambassador and to the ambassador of Mexico and I am assured that the Canadian now held in prison is receiving due process of law, and the case is proceeding. The case has been slowed because of the lawyer involved who has been appealing at every corner and delaying the process.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague might have finished the hon. member's quote. We might also remember that the party opposite, when it was in government, did more to, apparently, deliberately alienate our neighbour and greatest trading partner than to build some of the bridges, not the least of which will be built across the Windsor crossing in the years ahead.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, it is a great pleasure to rise in the House today for this important debate. The government certainly recognizes the importance of maintaining an efficient and secure border with the United States. Good border management is critical for Canada because it supports our trade flows.

Service Canada  Mr. Speaker, I would like to assure my hon. colleague that Passport Canada has opened a new processing plant. It has expanded regional offices and I assume his office as well. It has nearly doubled the size of its workforce since 2006 and expanded its network to 230 points of service, compared with only 30 under the previous Liberal government.

Afghanistan  Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada has informed the Afghan government of the damaging effect this law could have. We have pointed out that we expect it not to be enacted. At the same time, we understand that the Afghan government intends to continue to review the law and to discuss it with civil society.

Afghanistan  Mr. Speaker, let me assure the hon. member that she does not have the corner on moral outrage. This is, indeed, an offensive law and Canada is deeply troubled by it. I would hope that all parties recognize that we share this concern. The Prime Minister has shared his indignation at the G20.

Afghanistan  Mr. Speaker, the hon. member does not seem to have been following international news. The Prime Minister, as I said, shared his indignation with other heads of government at the G20 meeting and he called directly and firmly on the Afghan government to honour its human rights treaty obligations under international law, including respect of the equality of women before the law.

Afghanistan  Mr. Speaker, finger pointing and rhetorical fury may play well with the opposition, including the party opposite whose leader changes his policy positions as often as his socks, but with regard to this offensive law, the Government of Canada is dealing firmly and effectively with this issue.

Committees of the House  Mr. Speaker, I would agree with the member that there is no room for equivocation in this debate. I would simply ask the hon. member whether he was aware, when he was a minister of the Crown, of Omar Khadr's age when he was arrested.

Committees of the House  Yes.

Committees of the House  Mr. Speaker, Canada does indeed believe in due process. There are no charges against Mr. Khadr in Canada but there are in fact outstanding charges and his case is before a U.S. court. We will await the decision of the presidential task force on how to proceed.

Committees of the House  Mr. Speaker, this government's position on Mr. Khadr is the same as that of the two previous Liberal governments. It is the same policy as that of former prime ministers Chrétien and Martin. It is the same policy of former ministers Graham and Pettigrew. It is the same policy of the member for Mount Royal when he was minister of justice.

Committees of the House  Mr. Speaker, as I said in my remarks, this government, as with two previous Liberal governments, has sought and received assurances that Mr. Khadr was being treated humanely and has repeatedly inquired into his well-being when allegations arose that detainees at Guantanamo Bay had been mistreated or that his health was in any danger of being compromised.