Afghanistan
Monday November 26, 2001
Mr. Bill Blaikie (Winnipeg--Transcona, NDP): Mr.
Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He will know of
the concern of many Canadians, and for that matter people around the world, for
the conditions that women suffered under the Taliban.
Could the minister tell us what Canada is doing to
ensure in the reconstruction of Afghanistan, post-Taliban, that the women of
Afghanistan will have a place at the table and justice for them will be assured
in the new Afghanistan?
Hon. John Manley (Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I find myself for the second time today agreeing with
an opposition member. He raises a very important issue of the rights of women,
which we know were abused horribly under the Taliban regime and frankly were
not a lot better before that.
We have met this week with representatives of the
Canadian Afghan community. Many of those same concerns were raised. We are
ensuring that they are raised directly with Ambassador Brahimi, who the member
will know is co-ordinating the meeting that starts tomorrow among groups of
Afghanis in Bonn to begin the planning for the post-Taliban Afghanistan.
The issue the hon. member raises is one which Canada
will continue to raise at every possible opportunity.
