Subcommittee on International Human Rights Committee on Feb. 5th, 2015

Evidence of meeting #54 for Subcommittee on International Human Rights in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was political.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Arbitrary Detention and Political Opposition in Venezuela

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Orlando Viera-Blanco Venezuelan Attorney, As an Individual

Diana Lopez As an Individual

Carlos Vecchio National Political Coordinator, Venezuelan Party Voluntad Popular, As an Individual

February 5th, 2015 / 2:10 p.m.

Liberal

Irwin Cotler Liberal Mount Royal, QC

Mr. Chair, just on that, it should not be thought that I was being presumptive, but in a public forum on this issue last night at McGill law school, I did call for Canada to enact sanctions targeting human rights violators in Venezuela—not Venezuela, but human rights violators—along the lines as Mr. Sweet suggested, which the Americans have done and which we should now be exploring.

2:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Scott Reid

What I'll do then is get the clerk to contact your office for a more detailed text of what you advocated and we'll try to include that as well.

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

Irwin Cotler Liberal Mount Royal, QC

I didn't say anything more than what I just said now. That's all I said.

2:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Scott Reid

All right, I have it.

First of all, to our witnesses, thank you very much for coming here. We all admire your courage and that of your compatriots back home. We're very grateful you could take the time to be with us.

Colleagues, I'm grateful as well that you were able to comply with the somewhat tight timelines.

Thank you.

We are adjourned.