Evidence of meeting #8 for Subcommittee on International Human Rights in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was kenya.
A recording is available from Parliament.
1:55 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Scott Reid
Merci beaucoup, Madame Bourgeois.
Mr. Marston, please, you have the floor.
1:55 p.m.
NDP
Wayne Marston NDP Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
To our guests, I want to acknowledge something that's very crucial--the fact that you have put yourselves at risk to come here to speak as you have today. I am very respectful of the courage I'm seeing here and the responsible way you're standing up on behalf of your country. My congratulations on that.
Mr. Chair, I'm very concerned, because this isn't the first time we've heard that CIDA dollars may be used inappropriately in other countries. We need something to be done on that.
I personally am very troubled that 12 officers of this army--if this case is proven--are being trained in Canada. We need to get to the bottom of that.
The other thing that percolates to the surface is the corporate and social responsibility report. It's been over a year since it was completed, and we haven't heard of any action on it. It's time this moves forward.
I'm not going to ask a question, because we have very little time, and I had the good fortune of meeting these folks yesterday.
I repeat, I'm very impressed with your courage. Thank you very much.
1:55 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Scott Reid
We do have some time. People have been very prompt in this round.
Mr. Marston, you were particularly gracious in being brief last time, so perhaps, if we get to the end of this, we can come back to you for something else.
No? Okay.
In that case, Mr. Kenney or Mr. Sweet, go ahead.
1:55 p.m.
Conservative
David Sweet Conservative Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I echo everybody's words on your great courage. I read your profiles prior to coming here. What you've endured so far is remarkable. I just encourage you to keep up your fight to bring human rights and justice to the situation.
Have there been any arrests or any convictions in the Philippines regarding any of these killings? Has anybody been brought to justice in any capacity, for either the kidnappings or the killings?
1:55 p.m.
Member, Congress of the Philippines
In terms of the killings, the ones that have been prosecuted, with two convictions, involved journalists. But for all the political activists, no--none have been brought to justice, they have not been convicted.
1:55 p.m.
Conservative
1:55 p.m.
Conservative
David Sweet Conservative Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON
Now, a couple of you still have charges pending, is that correct?
1:55 p.m.
Member, Congress of the Philippines
Yes. Congressman Beltran is being accused of inciting sedition. There is a standing motion for dismissal, given the fact that such a charge is not supposed to be filed against a sitting member of Congress, because the penalty for that is less than six years. We, as members of the Congress, are free from such accusations.
In my case, it is a graver one. It is a capital offence. I am charged with multiple murder, 15 counts, of incidents that happened 22 years ago. At the time, I was under military detention by the Marcos dictatorship. We have pointed that out, and yet the prosecutors have not dropped the case. We brought it to the Supreme Court, and it is pending adjudication there.
1:55 p.m.
Conservative
2 p.m.
Conservative
Jason Kenney Conservative Calgary Southeast, AB
Mr. Chairman, I was not aware of the report produced by the subcommittee in the last Parliament. It would be helpful if the clerk could circulate a copy of that report so that we could read it. I do not know if it was examined by the standing committee. In any case, I am also interested in the report.
I do have a question for our witnesses. Thank you to all for taking the time to come here and inform us, and obviously for having courage in addressing this matter.
As part of your recommendations, you've asked that the Government of Canada investigate complaints against Canadian mining companies in the Philippines. My colleague Madame Bourgeois suggested there might be some connection between Canadian mining companies and some of this violence.
Could you briefly help to inform us on how that might be the case? Are you alleging, or do you have any evidence, that Canadian enterprises in the Philippines have in any way, directly or indirectly, been involved with those who have committed this violence? What sort of information, if any, do you have?
2 p.m.
Member, Congress of the Philippines
The mining companies usually hire military and paramilitary personnel to be their security forces. So when these abuses are committed, the mining companies are involved directly or indirectly.
Cases have been filed in the local courts but no actions have been taken. Cases have even been filed by the commission on human rights against the military forces with the Southern Command--the armed forces of the Philippines--but still no action has been taken. So there is a connection in the sense that the mining companies have hired these military personnel to be their security forces.
2 p.m.
Member, Congress of the Philippines
On a higher level, the possible connection I had cited earlier--it might not have registered--is that the overall counter-insurgency plan, in which Professor Alston said the element of extrajudicial killings has been incorporated, is one of the major initiatives of the Arroyo government. This program falls within the larger framework of the internal security plan that, strangely, combines military operations to establish peace in conflict areas with poverty alleviation and development projects.
Now, in Mindanao, which is a conflict area, CIDA is contributing to the peacekeeping work there. You would like to find out whether, by so putting these funds, the funds are applied exclusively to development projects...but since this is linked to the military operations, whether any part of the funds may have been channelled to the counter-insurgency program, which has involved extrajudicial killings.
2 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Scott Reid
Thank you very much. We've gone a bit past 2 p.m., the time we had intended to conclude.
Is there any other matter that needs to be dealt with urgently? No?
In that case, I want to thank our witnesses very much for coming here. This is an important issue. You've been very gracious and informative. Thank you.
2 p.m.
Member, Congress of the Philippines
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, honourable members of the subcommittee.