Foreign Affairs

Thursday September 20, 2001

 

    Mr. Bill Blaikie (Winnipeg--Transcona, NDP): Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Certainly the deployment of American forces in the last day or so, or the pre-positioning of American military assets, as the Minister of National Defence has called it, certainly raises the question or the anxiety that the die may well be cast before the Prime Minister gets to meet with President Bush.

    I want to ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs, is there any contingency plan for making sure that the Prime Minister has an opportunity to fully communicate Canada's views before any American action proceeds?

 

    Hon. John Manley (Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows there have been a number of telephone conversations already between the Prime Minister and the president. I have spoken with the secretary of state.

    My colleagues in many cases have spoken with their counterparts. As I was saying a moment ago in French, all of our other allies, European and others, have likewise been in Washington or speaking to Washington by telephone.

    It has been an extensive consultation. It is one that I think speaks well of the United States' desire to act in a multilateral way in this matter, which is something the NDP has been calling for.

 

    Mr. Bill Blaikie (Winnipeg--Transcona, NDP): Mr. Speaker, also for the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the minister will know that Canadians in Pakistan have been told that it would be in their best interests to leave that country.

    What is the Canadian government doing to assist Canadians in that difficult situation to make sure that they can exit Pakistan and return home?

 

    Hon. John Manley (Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, we have indicated to Canadians in Pakistan that it would be advisable for them to leave while commercial opportunities to do so are available. They still exist.

    In addition, we are co-operating with the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States to co-ordinate facilities if necessary to evacuate other Canadian citizens if that becomes something that we need to do.