MP for Ponoka and Wetaskiwin Blaine Calkins attended the NATO parliamentary association meetings in Brussels, Belgium from Feb. 17 to 19.
He participated in the Defence and Security Committee sessions, which included a visit to the Joint Force Command in Brunssum, Netherlands.
Calkins an executive member of the NATO Parliamentary Association was there to talk to his parliamentary counterparts from the other NATO countries.
“I wanted to make sure that our allied partners understood the conditions in the Manley report as far as the troop and equipment requirements are concerned,” said Calkins.
“It was obvious to me that many of our allied friends had already heard about the Manley report and of course there are many countries there that do not have caveats on their troops that understood Canada’s position and they were receptive to our requests and position.”
The non-partisan Manley Commission report was debated in the House of Commons on March 26 and 27 and is set to resume debate on March 3. The confidence motion seeks approval to extend Canada’s commitment to the United Nations mandated mission in Afghanistan until 2011. The Manley report said that continuation depended on whether Canada can secure a partner that will provide a battle group of approximately 1,000 troops by February 2009 as well as medium helicopter lift capacity and high performance unmanned aerial vehicles.
Calkins was very pleased with the discussions that he had with the representatives from all of the NATO countries.
“I got the sense that there would have to be some discussions with some of the other allied countries to see if they could help out and that’s what I pressed them on, to go back to their parliament and colleagues and make Canada’s position clear,” said Calkins. “I’m cautiously optimistic after the meetings that the troop and equipment requirements will be eventually met.”
New Act
Calkins was also very pleased with the Tackling Violent Crime Act receiving Royal Assent on Feb. 29. He said that it was a good step forward and that this new law will help to strengthen the justice system and was long overdue.
“Now after two years of long delays and obstruction by the Liberals in the House of Commons and Senate, families and communities across Canada can feel safer,” said Calkins.
The new act has tough new penalties to crack down on gun criminals, repeat violent or sexual offenders, impaired drivers and raised the age of consent to 16 years-old.