Subcommittee on International Human Rights Committee on April 4th, 2019

[The Chair, Liberal, Anita Vandenbeld]

Unfortunately, we have to hold that answer because we're at five minutes.

We will go to Mr. Tabbara for five minutes, and perhaps you can address that in one of your future answers.

[Marwan Tabbara, Liberal, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

If you want, please continue answering the question.

[Teresita Quintos Deles]

We continue to count on that. We will continue to hold to the ICC's declaration that the crimes committed before he withdrew are still subject to reckoning. It is one of the things that we hold on to, that reckoning will happen, if not today then some time in the future, if not in the Philippines then internationally, and that we will come around again to be the Filipino people who defend human rights.

[Marwan Tabbara, Liberal, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

Thank you very much for being here.

My question is within the legal court system. Whenever women human rights defenders speak out about some of the atrocities and injustices against them, within the court proceedings, do we see some discrepancies between how men and women are treated when it comes to criticizing the regime? Can you give us some examples?

[Teresita Quintos Deles]

So far, in the Philippines, women have stood out faster and more consistently. It also so happens that some of the most crucial institutions were headed by women at the time that he took office. Of course, that has caused him to say, for example, after the ousting the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, that he would not appoint women again. Of course, it happened that he appointed another woman, but that was someone who is completely on his side.

The public shaming has been stronger. The use of sexual attacks on women has been stronger. The defence of women I think has been weaker, in a way, because while we have very strong, empowered women in our public life, the reality is still that they are a minority, and so far, men seem to be able to take it.

In fact, for a while the thinking was that the issue of the treatment of women is not a life or death issue, that it is not the most important issue we are facing. We've had to fight that, and I think we are beginning to win on that. It is not a life or death issue, but it is an issue that strikes at our very cultural core. It is an issue that hits our soul. Its impact is not just on this generation but on the generations to come. I think there is greater awareness of that, but for a while there was the belief that you could let that go because it is not a life or death issue.

[Marwan Tabbara, Liberal, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

In terms of that awareness, I know that the Philippines has had many struggles, whether with the economy or the natural environment. Have you been able to branch out? Some of the human rights defenders have been able to branch out to neighbouring countries and been able to talk about similar causes and struggles, to ensure that they're being treated equally and not being shamed by oppressive regimes.

[Teresita Quintos Deles]

Yes, we are quite active now in the regional discourse. It is our message that we are a cautionary tale for women. This is apparently not an aberration, because when I go to other countries in Asia, the taxi driver, the tour guide and even a parliamentarian will tell me they like my president.

We say in the women's movement in Asia that we need to talk more with each other. In fact, we have expressed in different countries that we need to do more self-talking. We need to talk more about women. We do see the threat. It's not isolated. This is happening in different parts of the world, and the sisterhood needs to gather again.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anita Vandenbeld]

Thank you very much.

For the final question, we'll go to Ms. Hardcastle for five minutes.

[Cheryl Hardcastle, NDP, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Thanks.

It's such a privilege to be with you today because you're really expressing things so well. We've heard from other human rights defenders as well, and you're really getting to the heart of something that is universal.

One of the things that intrigued me was when you talked about how Canada is supporting women and livelihood programs, and how what we're looking at is something bigger here. Do you have a suggestion as to how Canada could segue into addressing those bigger issues? I know I had asked you a little bit before about legal support. I'm trying to think of what there could possibly be that is appropriate in our international regime as well.

[Teresita Quintos Deles]

They need to talk to women who are in the resistance. They're not talking to us. The livelihood projects stay on the livelihood level. When you have a regime that looks at women this way, those livelihoods will only go up to a certain place.

Duterte has chilled even the diplomatic community. He has insulted some ambassadors. He has threatened to throw out some missions from the country. I think it is important that your representatives in the Philippines be braver and be unafraid to be seen talking to people who dare to question the president, not just his policies but his performance, because he's acting out. It could begin there. Our people have lots of ideas of what we'd like to do, and we can find the spaces to do it. We can do it sometimes very bravely, but we can also do it sometimes very quietly, growing the movement and growing the understanding. A lot has to happen in the Philippines in terms of looking at what happened and why.

That is a discussion that needs time. It needs trust. It needs building connections among people. You will have to do some self-examination, and we will also have to examine you. That needs trust. In the past, the Canadian mission in the Philippines had that kind of relationship with civil society and with the NGOs. I don't think I'm mistaken when I say that I don't think it's there now. You have to talk to people like me, at home. I'm not the only one. There are brave women. There are creative women. There are women of all ages from different sectors. We are trying very hard, banging our heads on the wall, and thinking about how we can break this non-violently, because violence is not our way.

It is good to have those conversations coming from the outside as well. That tells us that people recognize what we are going through. It tells us that they are supportive and that they also believe in the future that we continue to believe in.

[Cheryl Hardcastle, NDP, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anita Vandenbeld]

Thank you very, very much, Teresita Quintos Deles. I think I speak for the committee when I say that we have great admiration for the work you and the other women are doing in the Philippines. We will be following your future endeavours very closely. I want to thank you for your very compelling and open testimony today.

Again, thank you very much.

[Teresita Quintos Deles]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anita Vandenbeld]

The meeting is adjourned.