Afghanistan committee  That was a big deal; that was a really big deal.

Afghanistan committee  General Wardak, as I understand it, actually asked General Hillier to sign it, because from his perspective, General Hillier, because of his personal relationship with him, carried more credibility than anybody else in the system.

Afghanistan committee  Well, If I'd been there, I would have signed it. It wouldn't have been appropriate for General Hillier to sign it if I'd been there; of course not.

Afghanistan committee  But I don't think under the circumstances it was inappropriate or it was appropriate. As I said, it would either have been for the ambassador to sign it or for General Hillier.

Afghanistan committee  Well, I can't answer that question because I wasn't there, and in terms of communication with General Hillier or David Sproule--

Afghanistan committee  The Government of Canada is in charge of this file. General Hillier's a leading member of the Government of Canada.

Afghanistan committee  No, and neither is David Sproule, the ambassador.

Afghanistan committee  These were signed by officials. He's an official of the Government of Canada.

Afghanistan committee  Right.

Afghanistan committee  Look, I don't disagree with you that it's unusual. But there are lots of cases of international agreements where they're signed by military people or others. There are lots. You can go back into history to see all sorts of them. I mean, the rendition of Germany was signed by a bunch of generals and admirals.

Afghanistan committee  Whenever I went to all candidates meetings and somebody called me a “professor”, I knew it was usually because I was going to get into trouble

Afghanistan committee  So I can tell that the member is using unfair, unfair tactics. Somebody mentioned to me this term refoulement, which, as I understand it, is a term that deals with refugees, if they're turned back at a border by a government, coming across--they're refouled, in other words--and being put in harm's way by being returned.

Afghanistan committee  —but I wouldn't have thought at first blush that this was a case of refoulement, in that sense, as I understand the use of the term.

Afghanistan committee  No, I was talking to my constituents.

Afghanistan committee  We would have okayed the final copy before General Hillier--