Statement made on 26 June 2011 by Senator Pierrette Ringuette
Hon. Pierrette Ringuette:
Honourable senators, on Tuesday, I asked a series of questions regarding one of my fellow New Brunswickers, Hendrik Tepper, a potato farmer who is currently being detained in Beirut, and who is the subject of a red alert issued by Interpol, which would have him sent to Algeria. There have since been a number of discussions with the Lebanese authorities, and I have been informed that the Lebanese justice minister would welcome a petition from the members of the Senate of Canada to help our citizen return to Canada.
I will circulate a petition today among all honourable senators that reads as follows:
We, the undersigned honourable members of the Senate of Canada, are calling on the honourable Minister of Justice of Lebanon, Shakib Qortbawi to return our citizen, Mr. Hendrik Tepper, to Canada.
Honourable senators, I am proud to announce that we have already collected 15 signatures. I thank my colleagues. I will be speaking to you again throughout the day to ask for your support.