JANUARY 16, 2007

OTTAWA - Liberal MP Albina Guarnieri today formally demanded the Foreign Affairs Committee call Conservative MP Wajid Khan before it to present and discuss his report on the Middle East.

"As special advisor to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Mr. Khan spent nearly $13,000 in taxpayers' money on a trip to the Middle East to write a report that is now being kept secret. Canadians have a right to know what Mr. Khan's findings and recommendations were," said Ms. Guarnieri, who submitted a notice of motion to the all-party Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development.

"The secrecy of this process, followed by Mr. Khan's defection to the Conservative party, has raised a number of questions that need answering. What is the Prime Minister trying to hide? What makes Mr. Khan's trip as special advisor any different than the myriad of other parliamentary fact-finding missions that have taken place in the past?

"Having Mr. Khan go before the committee will certainly clear the air on this matter," said Ms. Guarnieri.

In accepting his role, Mr. Khan had promised to "educate everybody with the best information that I can get," thereby fulfilling his responsibilities and potentially contributing to Parliament on a foreign affairs issue that is important to the majority of Canadians.

"Mr. Khan has broken this promise by keeping his report secret," said Ms. Guarnieri.

"I encourage my committee colleagues to endorse my invitation for Mr. Khan to come before our committee to discuss his findings in the Middle East."

For More Information:
Robert Cline
Executive Assistant
Office of The Hon. Albina Guarnieri, P.C., M.P.
905-566-0009