Evidence of meeting #10 for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was know.
A recording is available from Parliament.
President, Rights & Democracy
—and everywhere I maintained that a new governance model was needed. You know, the existing governance model—
Bloc
Francine Lalonde Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
Please, Mr. Chairman, I have questions to ask, and his presentation is finished.
Bloc
Francine Lalonde Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
One question is a major concern for me. You said—it was reported that you said—in English, once again:
that Rights and Democracy “can be fixed internally by concentrating on programs and leaving policy to the Department of Foreign Affairs”.
However, yesterday we heard two former presidents of Rights and Democracy speak passionately. They contended precisely the contrary, stating that the International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development Act is such that it sets development aid as an objective, but in an entirely impartial manner without any partisanship. Its purpose is not to develop Canada's position nor that of the United States or Israel. That's what they told us.
In view of what you said, how do you distinguish yourself from other organizations, CIDA or the Department of Foreign Affairs? Rights and Democracy loses its uniqueness in light of what you said.
President, Rights & Democracy
Absolutely not; on the contrary. There is no contradiction between the mandate of Rights and Democracy being to give effect to the International Charter of Human Rights and Canada's foreign policy being the business of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
Let me give you an example of rights and democracy that concerns Rights and Democracy. In Burma, we work with citizen journalists—underground journalists—to ensure that we can track all the human rights problems within Burma. We do that, whereas the Department of Foreign Affairs can't do it. So it's through our programming that we are able to distinguish ourselves.
Bloc
Francine Lalonde Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
Fine, the idea is to go against the policies of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, if necessary.
President, Rights & Democracy
Rights and Democracy's programming is the programming of Rights and Democracy.
I'll give you an example. When I was in Mauritania, the American government, at the time of the first coup d'état, publicly spoke out—
Bloc
Bloc
Francine Lalonde Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
It's one thing to say that the field of foreign affairs belongs to Canada and that one must comply with it. It's quite another to hear Mr. Broadbent and Warren Allmand say that it is the obligation of the president and of the Centre to be independent, not to engage in Canadian, American or Israeli politics. I repeat that.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Dean Allison
That's all the time we have in this round. We're going to move it back over.
Mr. Abbott, you have seven minutes, please.
Conservative
Jim Abbott Conservative Kootenay—Columbia, BC
Good. Thank you.
I want to thank you for coming to speak to us today, Mr. Latulippe. You've just recently stepped into this, and quite literally into a hurricane, as you've already found out in this committee so far today.
I must say I was very disappointed with Mr. Rae. I don't recall that anything he did in his tenure as the NDP Premier of Ontario was necessarily relevant to the time at which he was asked by the Government of Canada to do certain work for them. I don't think what happened in your history as the Premier--of about exactly the same period as his tenure--has anything to do with what we're talking about here today.
As I say, I'm very disappointed with Mr. Rae.
Conservative
Jim Abbott Conservative Kootenay—Columbia, BC
I appreciate your commitment to both international human rights and to the democratic process.
Liberal
Bob Rae Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
I'll be a little surprised if that's what happens in the next election--
Conservative
Jim Abbott Conservative Kootenay—Columbia, BC
I understand there's a little chattering going on in the background there. I don't know what it is all about, but that's all right.
I really respect the CV you have brought to this job. I know it is going to be very challenging. One of the difficulties, too, because this has turned into such a partisan exercise, is that this has turned into a he-said-she-said kind of tattletaling on both sides and an awful lot of partisan grandstanding. I'm anticipating that, with your background, you'll be able to bring a little bit of civility to this process.
So what are your first steps? How are you going to go about getting this ship, these sails, going in the right direction, getting the rudder on the right track? What are you going to do?
President, Rights & Democracy
As a first thing, my priority is to bring cohesion within the organization and with the board.
I have already started to talk and meet with, one by one, every employee of this organization. I want to understand their needs. I want to have them as allies. The employees are the organization. They are important for this organization, and they will help me bring cohesion.
I also have met most of the members of the board, and I think I can work with the members of the board, based on the following principles. First, we need transparency, transparency from my part and transparency from the other part. I think communication is important, not communication only when there are meetings of the board, but communication on a constant basis.
I think there is one way, when there is unity in this organization, a unity with the staff and the board, and it's that the staff has developed a strategic plan for 2010-2015. The strategic plan has also been approved by the board. This is a base upon which I will build the future of this organization.
Conservative
Conservative
James Lunney Conservative Nanaimo—Alberni, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I also want to express my appreciation for your being here today. As Mr. Abbott said, you stepped into a bit of a hurricane. We would certainly appreciate the experience that you bring to this file.
With regard to the inquisition from Madame Lalonde over there, I think, as politicians--and we know you had a career in politics as well--we've all had the experience of being misquoted. Regrettably, the more you are involved in discussing anything, the vulnerability of being misquoted certainly appears.
You've told us that you wanted to implement a results-based culture at Rights and Democracy. That's something I'd like to expand on. I just wondered if you could elaborate on how you hope to achieve this goal. Would the fundamental mandate of Rights and Democracy have to change in order for it to successfully shift to a results-based mandate?