The committee met to study Canada’s foreign policy in the Indo-Pacific region and the situation in Haiti, hearing from Deputy Minister David Morrison, Ambassador André François Giroux, and Executive Director Ian Myles.
Deputy Minister David Morrison confirmed that the department has been instructed to update the Indo-Pacific strategy as soon as possible, noting that strategies are not straitjackets and that the government is already taking initiatives beyond the 2022 document. He also stated that the department is continuing to look into reports of Canadian weapons being used by Russia in Ukraine, emphasizing that Canada does not sell arms directly and that private companies must obey the law.
Ambassador André François Giroux reported that Canada has announced an additional $40 million for the new UN-mandated gang suppression force in Haiti, on top of $86.2 million already provided, bringing total Canadian assistance to over $450 million since 2022. He stressed that the transitional authorities have not delivered expected results or a timetable for elections, and that Canada is pushing for progress on security, anti-corruption, and judicial reform, including through sanctions against 34 members of the elite. He disagreed with the suggestion that Haiti is caught in an international power struggle, calling it a local security problem with regional repercussions, and noted that the new force will have more sustainable funding through UN assessed contributions covering 80% to 90% of costs.
Executive Director Ian Myles clarified that no Canadian funding goes directly to the Government of Haiti; instead, it flows through trusted multilateral and Canadian partners with rigorous audit processes and quarterly reporting. He added that if problems are spotted, more intensive audits are conducted.
The committee also heard from Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand, who outlined a new foreign policy built on defence and security, economic resilience, and core values, and announced $7 million in humanitarian assistance for the Caribbean. She confirmed that the foreign influence transparency registry should be operational by the end of the year, that she has asked for an update to the Indo-Pacific strategy, and that her meeting with China’s foreign minister was a first step toward recalibrating the relationship, during which she raised human rights and security issues. She declined to state a position on granting Canadian citizenship to detained Hong Kong publisher Jimmy Lai, saying that falls under immigration policy. On forced labour, she said the government is examining Bloc Québécois Bill C-251, which would shift the burden of proof to importers.
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