Foreign Affairs committee  Our normal practice is that if a Canadian comes looking for assistance we do not turn them away. And to go back to a couple of the earlier questions, indeed, I would say that the strong default of the consular service is to assist. I have seen it on very many occasions personall

Foreign Affairs committee  Mr. Chair, perhaps I could ask Mr. Cossette to respond to that one.

Foreign Affairs committee  Well, we don't have training programs...or do you mean consular?

Foreign Affairs committee  I can't answer that specifically in that particular case--

Foreign Affairs committee  Yes, I think Mr. Portelance should answer that.

Foreign Affairs committee  I don't know if you'd call it an obligation. There's certainly a duty.

Foreign Affairs committee  No, but I know from my long history in the department that--

Foreign Affairs committee  It would be a normal thing, right.

Foreign Affairs committee  It is not codified.

Foreign Affairs committee  Mr. Chair, in terms of answering the question--I suppose it has to do with your recent proposal, of today in fact--I can't answer whether it would make a difference or not.

Foreign Affairs committee  I know it's being done already. Whether codifying it would make a difference, I'm not sure. It might provide some assurances to Canadians that it in fact is happening, but I can assure Canadians that it is happening.

Foreign Affairs committee  Perhaps I can start. I'm sure that we at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade honour the rights of Canadian citizens. That's a rule and a way of working. We are always very much aware of Canadians' rights. We enforce our rules and provide our consular service

Foreign Affairs committee  I am not aware that this letter came into the system. I heard, subsequent to the news about the particular case, that you had written a letter.

Foreign Affairs committee  Since I wasn't here when all of this occurred, I'm not in a very good position to provide a briefing on it. As well, I do think we are beginning to enter into territory that could well be part of the litigation, and I'm reluctant to enter into it.

Foreign Affairs committee  Well, I don't think I would say we brief the Clerk of the Privy Council on all matters. We brief as necessary. Part of the role of a public servant in dealing with superiors is to know what to brief, and if there is a matter that I think is—