Evidence of meeting #31 for Subcommittee on International Human Rights in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was philippines.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Angelina Bisuña Ipong  Coordinator, Association of Ex-Detainees Against Detention and Arrest (SELDA), Stop the Killings Network - Canada
Merry Mia-Clamor  Coordinator, Council on Health and Development, Stop the Killings Network - Canada
Reuel Norman Marigza  General Secretary, United Church of Christ in the Philippines, Stop the Killings Network - Canada
Reverend Shaun Fryday  Minister, Beaconsfield United Church, Stop the Killings Network - Canada

2:05 p.m.

General Secretary, United Church of Christ in the Philippines, Stop the Killings Network - Canada

Bishop Reuel Norman Marigza

Yes, unfortunately, it is so.

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

David Sweet Conservative Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Scott Reid

Thank you, Mr. Sweet.

Thank you as well to our witnesses today. We are very grateful. You've come a great distance. Your dedication is certainly unquestioned, and we appreciate that you've been able to bring to us as much information as you have on this very important subject.

That completes our hearing from you. But I understand Professor Cotler may have a motion on a different subject. Is that correct?

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Irwin Cotler Liberal Mount Royal, QC

It is correct, Mr. Chair. This motion has been before us for a while. Let me just sum it up.

It refers to two motions unanimously adopted by this subcommittee in the matter of North Korea on December 8, 2011. The first was regarding the brutal and inhumane treatment of the population of North Korea. The second concerned the fate of Mrs. Shin and her two daughters in North Korea. Basically the mover requests that these motions be presented to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, recommending that it report on these matters to the House and requesting that the committee ask for a comprehensive government response pursuant to Standing Order 109 thereto.

It is just so that these things won't remain in abeyance, because since we passed those motions on December 11, the situation in North Korea, across the board, has worsened. Since we took an important action by indeed adopting those resolutions, we should just refer it now to the foreign affairs committee itself, so that it can report to the House and have a government response to them.

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Scott Reid

All right. Very briefly, then, it's one motion regarding the reporting of two previously adopted motions.

Is there discussion on this?

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

David Sweet Conservative Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON

Mr. Chair, the only thing I'd like to inform Professor Cotler of is that he has my 110% support on this.

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Scott Reid

All right. Let's not get into a bidding war here.

We'll accept that—

2:05 p.m.

A voice

One hundred and twenty....

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Scott Reid

I was afraid of that.

Okay. That means it's passed.

(Motion agreed to)

And that means we are adjourned.

Again, I thank our witnesses very much. It's been very useful testimony. We are grateful.