Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. If I may say, just on a personal note, that I was delighted, Mr. Chairman, that you were able to join us in New York during the time of the debate on Iran. I want to stress to other members that you are all welcome to come, if you can, to sessions of the General Assembly, to sessions of the UN.

Foreign Affairs committee  On the genocide question, one has to look hard at President Putin's speeches to determine what the intent of Russia was in launching the war. I have no doubt in my mind, based on what I've read, seen and heard him say publicly—I've been a Putin-watcher for quite a while—that he recognizes the independence, the sovereignty and the separateness of Ukraine, Ukrainian culture and Ukrainian people.

Foreign Affairs committee  The situation in Haiti is very serious. Gangs have taken over much of the country and most of Port-au-Prince. The condition facing women and children in the country is serious. The lack of food is serious. It's truly a deeply troubling situation. We are responding with a basic principle in mind: It's really a primary responsibility of the government—and frankly the people of Haiti and the political leadership of Haiti—to take the assistance that's being offered and to do everything they can to restore public order and then to restore a democratic path for the country towards an election.

Foreign Affairs committee  I would say that the manner in which we defend pluralism and the fact that we are a multiracial and multicultural country is for me an important principle. You are entitled to your opinions Mr. Bergeron and the Government of Quebec has the right to take action in its fields of jurisdiction.

Foreign Affairs committee  I have no idea. You know, I was in politics long enough in a previous life to know and appreciate what a gotcha question looks like, so congratulations. The problem with my life is that my every thought is in print. You will always find me having said something, and you can use it any way you like.

Foreign Affairs committee  It's all on the public record. You're certainly entitled to quote from it, but I'm not going to get into the middle of the current debate that's in front of the committee.

Foreign Affairs committee  I have not changed my mind since then, no. Personally, no, my mind has not been changed.

Foreign Affairs committee  I really don't think its fair to expect me to answer that question the way you posed it. I said what I said, when I said it. I have not changed my mind. It's up to the committee, and it's up to the people who are working in the committee, to decide how they're going to vote and what they're going to do.

Foreign Affairs committee  It's certainly being used by a number of people. I think that for reasons around the legal definitions one has to look at whether gender can be seen as part of it, because it's now identified in its legal definition as a racial term and not as a term that applies to gender. The reason I use it is that people understand instantly what it means.

Foreign Affairs committee  We work very closely with the United States, but I want to emphasize that we work very closely with a number of countries. We also work very closely with a number of countries with which we are not always in entire agreement, but there's a need for us to work closely. I think we work here in a very multilateral context as a middle power and a country that's so deeply dedicated to the principles of multilateralism and the rule of law.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Epp. It's good to see you again. Any determination of a terrorist listing is made by your colleagues in Ottawa. I'm sure the government will have a very serious look at that. The use of a private army anywhere in the world is a source of concern. The use of the Wagner Group is of particular concern because of their record, because of the way they conduct themselves and the way they have conducted themselves.

Foreign Affairs committee  There are a lot of genocidal elements to it. There's no question about that. There is their disrespect for culture, the disrespect for children, the abduction of children and the kidnapping case that the ICC is now taking. They're taking it as a separate war crime, but as you know, under the genocide convention, one definition of genocide is the deliberate intent to destroy the cultural life and the cultural vitality of a people's language and a people's way of life.

Foreign Affairs committee  It takes time to build up the capacity, but we have an opportunity to do more. I believe that. I think the government is trying to find those opportunities in terms of our own production. However, I also think that we have been doing a lot behind the scenes to really support the Secretary-General and the work that he's being doing in trying to keep the port of Odessa open and trying to deal with the supply situation.

Foreign Affairs committee  I'd make a couple of points in response to your question. The first one is that the decisions on how we vote are made by the Government of Canada, by the minister and by discussions in the Prime Minister's Office and elsewhere. I think that those discussions would be best held on the floor of the House of Commons.

Foreign Affairs committee  Am I not allowed to respond, Madam?