Persons with Disabilities  Madam Speaker, I would start off by thanking the member for Port Moody—Coquitlam for her advocacy for the disability community. Since 2015, our government has worked tirelessly to lift millions of Canadians out of poverty. This includes persons with disabilities. We know that too many people are facing additional costs related to their disability.

Foreign Affairs committee  I'll start by saying that I'm sure we all agree that we want goodness for everybody in the Middle East, regardless of faith, background or ethnicity. I hope and expect that all of us in this House.... “I know”. I shouldn't say “expect”. “I know” we are all seeking that same thing, which is goodness for everyone in the region, regardless of faith, background or ethnicity.

Foreign Affairs committee  Briefly tell us about your own statements.

Foreign Affairs committee  That is a viable Palestinian state living in peace and security beside the State of Israel, correct?

Foreign Affairs committee  This is in line with our international partners. Secretary Blinken and President Biden have both underscored the same point. On November 6, Prime Minister Netanyahu said it would be signalled that Israel would want to assume responsibility over Gaza for an indefinite period. Secretary Blinken, in reply, said that this would be a big mistake.

Foreign Affairs committee  Have you taken note that the Secretary-General of the UN, for the first time since 2017, invoked article 99 of the UN charter, calling on the Security Council to act over the Israeli-Palestine crisis and naming it as a threat to international security? Have you taken note that approximately a week into this conflict, the UN called for a humanitarian ceasefire?

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you to the witnesses. As a follow-up question to the one you were just responding to, when you come back, can you also let us know if other parties similar to Hamas, which is a terror group, have been brought to the ICC or the ICJ, and whether or not one of these two tribunals, or both, have adjudicated on disputes with parties that are not signatory to the conventions or do not fall under them?

Foreign Affairs committee  I have a point of order. Mr. Chair, I'm trying to hear the witness's answer to the question, but I'm unable to hear his answer. I'm hoping we could get the answer to the question.

Foreign Affairs committee  Certainly, and we're very happy that now Da'esh is a marginal actor in the region. With respect to democratic development and the development of civil society into the future for Gaza, the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, are you looking at that and how we can, as a G7 country, help further peace in the Middle East?

Foreign Affairs committee  I'm definitely interested. Thank you very much.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you to the witnesses for being here. I want to thank you for your detailed explanation of the estimates at the top. You spoke about additional funds of $64 million for the Middle East. If I'm correct, between 2016 and 2022, the Government of Canada, with respect to its Middle East management, invested $4 billion in response to crises.

Foreign Affairs committee  It's $4.6 billion. I did a small calculation on that. If you divide that over six years, that is $666 million if it's $4 billion. Then $4.6 billion would make it higher, maybe about $700 million per year. You're asking for only $64 million right now. Is that right?

Foreign Affairs committee  Will the spending be drastically different from in the past?

Foreign Affairs committee  How does this $64 million relate to past spending on this particular region of the world?

Foreign Affairs committee  Then it's roughly a little bit less, but roughly the same. We're not looking at additional funding; we're looking at slightly less, but it's somewhat the same. Can you talk about the outcomes of a Middle East strategy? What do you hope to see in the future?