Foreign Affairs Committee on Dec. 5th, 2024

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Thank you, Mr. Aboultaif.

Could you provide us with follow-up specifics?

[Sylvie Bédard]

There were a lot of elections in the region last year. Through the Organization of American States, Canada supported 10 election observation missions in the region. Those missions involved technical expertise implemented through Canadian programming.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Thank you.

We'll go next to MP Zuberi.

You have five minutes.

[Sameer Zuberi, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you to the witnesses for being here today.

On a bit of a lighter note than what you've been hearing thus far in terms of questions, I want to go more to historical fact or almost trivia. I know that in the Caribbean there have been some conversations between Canada and other states about the closeness of relationships. We respect the autonomy of each and every state. There's no question around that.

It's come across just in general knowledge that there has been some conversation in Canada around Turks and Caicos in the past. I'm wondering what the historical relationship has been between Canada and Turks and Caicos and other Caribbean islands?

[Sylvie Bédard]

Canada has a long-standing relationship with the Caribbean region. As I explained, that is what prompted us to establish this strategic partnership. However, I wouldn't be able to provide details about Canada's historical relationship with the Turks and Caicos Islands. We can get back to you on that.

[Sameer Zuberi, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

Thank you. I appreciate that.

Moving on to a heavier subject, which is the norm of this committee, with respect to climate change and how that is a very present and concerning issue, the recent COP16 was held in Colombia last November. I'm curious about the outcomes from COP16 and how we, as a country, can work with regional partners to further those outcomes.

[Wendy Drukier]

Mr. Chair, I can speak in general to the outcomes from COP16. Of course, that does not fall under my or my colleague's area of expertise, but we can certainly get more details.

Participating countries at COP16 in October, in Cali, Colombia, failed to reach an agreement on the establishment of a new global nature fund, which had been a proposal championed by developing countries. There was criticism from proponents of the proposal, but progress was made with the adoption of a decision to examine options to enhance multilateral policy coherence on biodiversity and climate change and to better integrate nature and climate change actions.

Canada is also working in partnership with the region on climate change and biodiversity. One of our most long-standing partners has been the Inter-American Development Bank Group. Through the establishment of the Canadian climate fund for the private sector in the Americas, the C2F I and C2F II, and the Canadian net zero and climate resilience accelerator fund, Canada's concessional finance is used to de-risk and catalyze private sector investments in climate change mitigation or adaptation projects.

These projects focus on renewable energy, energy efficiency, climate-smart agriculture and innovative pilot approaches that integrate gender diversity and inclusion into private sector operations. One example is that the C2F II supported two solar energy projects in Brazil. It also used blended finance to achieve stronger gender outcomes by applying a performance-based incentive program to encourage private sector clients to integrate gender considerations into their operations.

[Sameer Zuberi, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

I don't want to ask a follow-up question, but you mentioned solar panels, and I'm just hopeful that we always look at the supply chains as they relate to forced labour when we're involved in these sorts of green initiatives. It's not necessarily a topic for here, in this moment, but a topic to put on note.

With respect to indigenous peoples in Latin America and the Caribbean, have any best practices been shared by Canada with the region, or vice versa? If you have any information, can you share a bit about that?

[Sylvie Bédard]

I can give an example that ties in with the previous question.

At COP16, Canada played an important leadership role in the creation of an indigenous subsidiary body to increase the participation of indigenous peoples in convention processes. This is one of the best practices that Canada typically implements in regional processes.

[Wendy Drukier]

Perhaps just to add to that, we of course work a lot of our development assistance—

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Excuse me—

[Wendy Drukier]

Oh. I'm sorry. Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

I appreciate it.

Now we go to Mr. Bergeron. You have two and a half minutes.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Montarville, QC]

Ladies, I won't ask you any questions about Brazilian democracy's 50 shades of grey because I sense a clear unease around that kind of question, but I do want to stay with this subject.

During our recent study on Africa, we found that China's influence on the continent is growing. The same thing is happening in Latin America. According to Radio France internationale, Latin America is the second-largest recipient of Chinese investment after Asia. One of the biggest projects is a $3.6-billion megaport in Peru that will make the transit time from China to Peru just 10 days.

There are also various investments in hydroelectric power. China financed and built the largest hydroelectric plant in Ecuador. In Argentina, the China Gezhouba Group Corporation is building two dams, Condor Cliff and La Barrancosa, along the Santa Cruz River. China has also contributed to Bolivia's energy sector through involvement in hydroelectric power projects there.

Is Canada at all concerned about China's increased presence in Latin America? Plus, given that Canada and Quebec have significant expertise in the hydroelectric sector, shouldn't we intensify our efforts to be present where the Chinese are instead of us?

[Wendy Drukier]

Mr. Chair, we're of course monitoring closely the increasing investment of China in the region. As I mentioned previously, for many countries, China is a very important source of trade and investment. Most countries don't see relations with China and countries like Canada and other countries in the west as an either-or choice, and they don't want to feel forced to choose.

That being said, for Canada, of course we use our network of embassies and trade commissioners to promote Canadian trade and investment with the countries in the region. Competing with a country like China, an investor like China, means promoting the benefits that come from trade with a country like Canada, meaning our high-quality commercial and investment practices that respect international standards and take into account growing trends like environmental and social governance. For countries interested in engaging and trading in these areas, we are a partner of choice.

Also, we continue to benefit from our network of free trade agreements and foreign investment protection agreements in the region. We have eight of each of those in the region.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Thank you.

Madam McPherson, you have two and a half minutes.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Again, thank you to the witnesses for being here today.

In the last session when I was asking you some questions, there was a lot of discussion about the expectations you have for Canadian companies abroad. The challenge I have, of course, is that we can expect all we want, but if there is no enforcement, if there are no obligations for those companies...and at this moment in time, I believe that we don't have very robust systems in place, so it is a concern that I have.

A recent 2023 Amazon Watch report presented in Geneva at the United Nations Universal Periodic Review highlights that 37 Canadian extractive projects in Latin America and the Caribbean have been linked to human rights abuses, environmental degradation and violations of indigenous people's rights, including cases of criminalization of human-rights defenders and lack of access to justice.

When we talk about having expectations of these companies, if we are not able to hold them accountable through mechanisms like the CORE—the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise—I'm not sure how asking nicely is going to actually get us where we need to go. I'd like to know what measures Canada is taking to have direct collaboration with grassroots organizations to prevent further harm from happening and to uphold indigenous and human rights in the region.

[Sylvie Bédard]

Canada is indeed very committed to protecting human rights in the region. As I said, this is one of the fundamental tenets of Canada's feminist policy and its programs in a number of countries in the region.

Let's look at Guatemala, where the vast majority of our development programming serves indigenous communities, particularly in the most vulnerable regions of the country, which are sources of irregular migration. There are also parts of the country that are grappling with finding good economic development drivers, including the responsible and sustainable development of the country's natural resources.

Through programs like Voices at Risk, which I mentioned, we fight crime. We've invested over $31 million in the region. We engage local organizations to raise awareness of human rights and to build capacity within local organizations, including women's organizations, so they can advocate—

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Thank you, Ms. Bédard. I'm afraid you're considerably over the time limit.

We next go to MP Epp. You have five minutes.

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you to the witnesses.

I'm also going to give a shout-out to the Library of Parliament for their background information as we kick off this study, which I have found very valuable in formulating my own line.

I want to start by picking up on the subject of trade.

In your opening comments, you said that Canada was a trusted partner. I caught two statistics: 33% and 23%. I believe that was an increase in two-way trade. What was the time period? I missed the time period.

[Wendy Drukier]

It was in the last five years.

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

Okay. In the last five years.... Further to my colleague's question, could you table a little more historical data there as well?

The reason I talk about trade is that if trade is done right, it benefits both parties. Earlier, in the backgrounder, we saw that in 1950 Latin America had one of the youngest populations, and it's projected to have one of the oldest by 2100. We heard in a recent study about how Africa now has one of the youngest populations.

Obviously, irregular migration is contributing to that, but it could also be that anywhere in the world where increased development and increased wealth occur, usually the birth rate declines. Do you have a rough assessment of how much of the projected decline in populations, broadly speaking—I recognize that it's going to be variable across 39 countries—is due to irregular migration and how much is actually due to the increasing wealth of countries and declining birth rates?

[Wendy Drukier]

Mr. Chair, unfortunately, I don't have that information with us.

I believe that if we took the region as a whole, considering that many of the migrants do stay in the region—in the example of Venezuelan migrants, at least—it's hard to quantify that, because a lot of it is irregular migration as well. There aren't specific numbers, although there are estimates. We would have to look into that and get back to you.

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

Do you have any forecasts for increased trade with the region?

[Wendy Drukier]

I don't think we have any information in terms of forecasts. We would have to look at the time period and a number of a factors.