QUESTION PERIOD — Foreign Affairs
Conflict in Sudan
May 2, 2023
My question is again to the Leader of the Government in the Senate.
Senator Gold, I want to congratulate the government in the quick way it has evacuated so many people from Sudan and then asked for help from other countries in the evacuation effort.
Canada has led the way in Sudan with mediation. I know that people will think this time is not the right time to mediate between the warlords, but last time it was even worse. What is Canada doing to bring peace in that area?
Thank you for the question, and thank you for acknowledging the work that the government is doing with our allies in trying to get as many Canadians out as possible. Regrettably, circumstances on the ground have made it too dangerous, but efforts are ongoing. As we know, the minister is in Kenya working with allies.
Our traditions teach us that everything has a season. Right now, the focus of the Canadian government is on securing the safety of Canadians in the area. I will make inquiries as to what longer-range plans may be in place to help bring an end to the violence. It’s not obvious that the moment is ripe right now for those efforts as the fighting rages on, and the focus has to be on the safety and security of Canadians, but thank you.
Thank you, senator. What you said is very true — there is a time and place — but the world is small. We may reach out and get Canadians out, but there are also Sudanese who are suffering terribly, especially women and children.
What humanitarian efforts are Canada making with other countries to help out in this region? We can’t forget the suffering of the Sudanese either.
Indeed, we can’t, shouldn’t and are not. Minister Joly is in Kenya meeting with humanitarian groups, among others, to see how we can play a role and coordinate with others to alleviate the human suffering that this war and this violence have engendered.
In that regard, Canada remains committed to do what it can with allies and partners in the region in that respect.
