11. Commends the demining activities of the Sri Lankan army and international NGOs such as the Halo Trust, and recognises the considerable funding provided by the EU and the additional funding announced by the UK; urges the Sri Lankan Government and armed forces, along with the EU and its Member States, to continue to provide the necessary resources for the further clearance of land mines, which are a serious obstacle to rehabilitation and economic regeneration; calls once more for Sri Lanka to accede to the Ottawa Mine Ban Treaty;

11. Commends the demining activities of the Sri Lankan army and international NGOs such as the Halo Trust, and recognises the considerable funding provided by the EU and the additional funding announced by the UK; urges the Sri Lankan Government and armed forces, along with the EU and its Member States, to continue to provide the necessary resources for the further clearance of land mines, which are a serious obstacle to rehabilitation and economic regeneration; calls once more for Sri Lanka to accede to the Ottawa Mine Ban Treaty;

105. Recalls the concerns of the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) that Western Sahara remains one of the world’s most-mined areas; notes that landmines in Western Sahara have tragically caused at least 2 500 casualties since 1975, continuing to threaten many thousands of Sahrawi nomads, and representing a major obstacle to the resolution of the Western Saharan dispute and refugee situation; commends, therefore, the work of MINURSO, the Royal Moroccan Army, the Polisario Front, Landmine Action, and others to map and clear affected areas; welcomes the fact that the Polisario Front has signed the Geneva Call on the prohibition of a ...[+++]nti-personnel mines; encourages all actors to do everything possible to educate the population, assist victims and remove all remaining munitions; notes, furthermore, that Morocco is one of the few countries – and one of only three African countries – not to have signed up to the Mine Ban Treaty; encourages it to do so as a confidence-building measure and a sign of commitment to peace;

108. Recalls the concerns of the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) that Western Sahara remains one of the world’s most-mined areas; notes that landmines in Western Sahara have tragically caused at least 2 500 casualties since 1975, continuing to threaten many thousands of Sahrawi nomads, and representing a major obstacle to the resolution of the Western Saharan dispute and refugee situation; commends, therefore, the work of MINURSO, the Royal Moroccan Army, the Polisario Front, Landmine Action, and others to map and clear affected areas; welcomes the fact that the Polisario Front has signed the Geneva Call on the prohibition of a ...[+++]nti-personnel mines; encourages all actors to do everything possible to educate the population, assist victims and remove all remaining munitions; notes, furthermore, that Morocco is one of the few countries – and one of only three African countries – not to have signed up to the Mine Ban Treaty; encourages it to do so as a confidence-building measure and a sign of commitment to peace;

[English] Hon. Bill Blaikie (Elmwood—Transcona, NDP): Mr. Chair, the minister himself referred to mine action and the fact that some 10 million to 15 million mines have been removed, and yet at the same time concern has been expressed about the extent to which Canadian Forces, vis-à-vis their cooperation with American forces, are actually involved in the use of anti-personnel mines.

The distinction made by the Minister of National Defence is that the land mines in question are used by an armed force as a defensive weapon and detonated against a particular enemy, much as any weapon might be fired by an armed force against an enemy.