Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier has announced plans to travel to the Middle East to throw Canada's weight behind efforts to achieve peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
Bernier -- who has been accused by the opposition of keeping too low a profile in the midst of major global conflicts, will depart on Wednesday, with stops in Saudi Arabia, Israel, the West Bank and India.
He will meet individually with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
The minister said in a statement he will bring the message that Canada supports efforts -- such as the creation of a Palestinian state that can co-exist peacefully with Israel -- that will "lead to a peaceful and comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict."
But the Liberal and New Democrat foreign affairs critics accused Bernier of not doing enough to address major global issues that fall under his portfolio, such as strife in Pakistan following the assassination of Benazir Bhutto and post-election violence in Kenya.
Liberal foreign affairs critic Bob Rae -- who is seeking election in the Toronto Centre riding -- said Bernier's lack of action has hurt Canada's position on the global stage and the nation's international profile is lower now than ever before.
"I've been feeling for some time we're simply punching way below our diplomatic weight," Rae told CTV's Question Period on Sunday. He pointed out that the U.S. and Commonwealth have taken action on current global issues, but Canada has done little outside of Afghanistan.
"Canada really has lost its voice, has lots its way, and I think Minister Bernier has to take some responsibility for that. He is the minister," Rae said.
New Democrat MP and foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar said the Conservative party simply hasn't made foreign affairs a priority.
"Hearken back to the last election. Everyone will recall ad nauseam the Conservative party talking about the five priorities. There wasn't a great debate about the two most important issues, I would submit: the environment and foreign affairs," Dewar told Question Period.
But since the election, he said, those two issues have become top priorities for Canadians.
"Honestly, what has happened is we have a government that really wasn't prepared for the enormous complexities of the foreign affairs file. That said, here we are, and the numerous developments be it Pakistan, be it Kenya, have caught the government off guard."
But Deepak Obhrai, who is Bernier's parliamentary secretary and will be accompanying him on the Mideast trip, disagreed.
"Let me tell you we have taken major statements and made major steps to ensure our voice is heard," Obhrai told Question Period.
"We are very much concerned about the violence in Kenya and we have just issued $1 million in government assistance and we're working with the African Union to bring back the parties to the table."
He said Canada has also strongly condemned Bhutto's assassination and urged Pakistan to hold fair and transparent elections in the wake of the death.
"We have taken very strong steps and the minister Bernier has been out there out in the forefront," he said.
