This House of Commons committee meeting on Syria's political transition heard from six witnesses: Noah Bonsey (International Crisis Group), Hisyar Ozsoy (former Turkish MP), Muzna Dureid (Syrian Women's Political Movement), Tufail Hussain Khan (Islamic Relief Canada), Ayman Al-Yassini (Syrian Canadian Congress), and Dr. Anas Al-Kassem (Union of Medical Relief Organizations-Canada).
Noah Bonsey assessed the transition as better than expected given the circumstances, noting 1.5 million returnees and diplomatic wins like sanctions relief, but he highlighted tragic setbacks including massacres of over 1,300 Alawites in March 2025, immense humanitarian needs affecting 15 million people, and the risk that Gulf funding will shrink due to regional war. He recommended Canada help fill the funding gap, press Israel to engage constructively on occupied Syrian territory, and urged Damascus to improve inclusiveness in government structures.
Hisyar Ozsoy argued that international legitimacy granted to Damascus has been used to centralize power and repress minorities, citing the January 30 agreement with Kurds as lacking guarantees and monitoring. He disagreed with unconditional engagement, recommending that Canada and allies condition all support on democratic governance, decentralization, and accountability for abuses, and advocate for international guarantees to protect Kurdish, Druze, Alawite, and secular actors as essential counterweights to authoritarian and Islamist tendencies.
Muzna Dureid described Syria's transition as fragile but worth supporting through direct principled engagement, noting that other Five Eyes and G7 countries have already opened embassies and shaped the political space. She recommended Canada support an inclusive political transition with women and minorities at the table, back accountability and transitional justice, invest in state-building and civilian recovery beyond humanitarian relief, and leverage the expertise of Syrian Canadians, pointing out that four current cabinet ministers hold Canadian citizenship.
Tufail Hussain Khan reported that Islamic Relief Canada has operated in Syria since 2012, reaching over one million people annually with water projects and 400,000 with health care, but said the humanitarian situation remains an emergency with 16.5 million in need. He recommended sustained Canadian funding for long-term development alongside emergency relief, community-centred recovery ensuring access to health care, food, water, education and livelihoods, and continued protection of humanitarian access, noting that the loss of USAID funding has been devastating.
Ayman Al-Yassini described Syria's challenges as inherited authoritarian rule, economic collapse, limited governance capacity, and incomplete security sector reform, but said the government has made some progress. He recommended Canada designate a Damascus-based ambassador and embassy to facilitate private sector engagement and trade, support civil society, assist in rebuilding public administration, and utilize the Syrian Canadian diaspora, while cautioning that minority communities remain under pressure from internal and regional factors including Israeli attempts to galvanize the Druze community.
Dr. Anas Al-Kassem, who conducted over 20 medical missions into Syria, said the Sunni majority paid the heaviest price under Assad but that the new government has taken steps toward inclusion, such as restoring citizenship to Kurds and launching reconciliation committees. He recommended Canada shift focus from short-term aid to long-term development in health care, education, and women's empowerment, and transfer Canadian expertise in medical education to rebuild Syria's health system, warning that without treating widespread PTSD among health care workers and civilians, the country cannot recover.
The committee agreed by unanimous consent to a motion for a one-meeting study of the main estimates, inviting the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the deputy minister, and relevant Global Affairs Canada officials.
AI-generated summary — may contain errors; verify against the official evidence.