Foreign Affairs committee  If I could just start with one sentence in your question for my colleague on the suspension of RAIPON by the Russian ministry of justice, I do think that was likely an example of two government departments not talking to each other within Russia. It was noteworthy that the Russian senior Arctic official, Ambassador Anton Vasiliev, participated in the Arctic Council's expression of concern about that action by the Russian ministry of justice.

Foreign Affairs committee  Yes, thank you. I was pleased with that interview, in large part because the interviewer was so good. Allan Gregg is really quite exceptional, so I was able to tease out a few ideas that I hadn't clearly articulated before. I personally don't think the terrorist threat in the Arctic is all that substantial.

Foreign Affairs committee  I may disagree with my friend and colleague a little bit on this. The changes are happening so quickly in the Arctic that having a wait and see policy and allowing time to work to our advantage might result in our missing opportunities and ending up in crisis. Let's take the Northwest Passage.

Foreign Affairs committee  The answer there is that within 200 nautical miles from shore, we obviously have exclusive jurisdiction. There is the issue of the disputed sector in the Beaufort Sea, 6,250 square nautical miles, but the legal dispute essentially means there's a de facto moratorium in place in that area.

Foreign Affairs committee  Exactly like NAFO. The beauty of such arrangements is that quotas are signed based on science, using the precautionary principle, and subject to negotiations obviously. The other beauty of it is that such organizations are open to membership from states outside the region. China, for instance, participates in several regional fisheries organizations, so you deal with that challenge of long-distance fishing countries to some degree.

Foreign Affairs committee  Yes. I think one needs to see the provision of infrastructure and services in the Northwest Passage in terms of several possible benefits. One is obviously in relation to having a presence to provide environmental protection and protection against non-security threats. Think about smuggling or illegal immigration coming from ships that may be entering our waters.

Foreign Affairs committee  The place to start here is to address a mistaken assumption that's often made with respect to the issue you've identified. Some people see the impact of climate change in the Arctic as creating opportunities, and they talk about access to resources and new shipping routes. There's excitement about all the untapped oil and gas in the region.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you very much. Mr. Chair. I speak French but, today, I will stick to English. I agree with almost everything my friend and colleague has just said, which enables me to stand on his broad shoulders and venture into a couple of specific areas. First of all, I'd just like to explain to the committee members where I'm coming from in general.

Justice committee  Okay. I just need 30 seconds.

Justice committee  We shouldn't be surprised that a few idiots impede traffic, break a window, or overturn a car. One does not encourage or excuse such acts by anticipating them and planning restraint; a few louts in a crowd do not justify sweeping or pre-emptive arrests. Let me also say that there will be peaceful protesters who will worry about this legislation being used to facilitate the use of facial identification technology, not just to catalogue criminal acts—things that are already criminal under the Criminal Code—but also to track participation in political protests and the expression of dissent.

Justice committee  Thank you very much. It's good to be with you today, particularly in the presence of my former professor of constitutional law, Irwin Cotler, who taught me 25 years ago. Just for the record, I am a board member of the BC Civil Liberties Association, but that's not why I'm here today.