Subcommittee on International Human Rights Committee on June 9th, 2016

[The Chair, Liberal, Michael Levitt]

I'd like to welcome everybody.

We're pleased to be joined today by two officials from Global Affairs Canada. André Frenette is the director general, Latin America and Caribbean bureau; and David Usher is the director general of trade negotiations.

I believe, Mr. Frenette, you're going to be delivering remarks. Please proceed and we'll get to questions right after that.

[André Frenette, Director General, Latin America and Caribbean Bureau (Foreign Affairs and Trade), Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I'll present half of my remarks in French and then conclude in English.

Thank you very much. My colleague and I are pleased to appear before you today to provide an update on the human rights situation in Honduras.

I propose to deliver my statement in three parts. First, I will provide a brief update on the human rights situation in Honduras. Second, I will outline some steps being taken by the Government of Honduras to address human rights. Finally, I will outline Canada's efforts to support human rights in Honduras since the publication of the government response to the report on human rights in Honduras prepared in 2015 by the Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development.

Insecurity and impunity are a major challenge for the protection of human rights, the rule of law and the delivery of justice in Honduras. While the homicide rate has decreased considerably in the past two years, violence, corruption, impunity and insecurity are serious concerns.

Violence has especially impacted human rights defenders. The 2015 Report on Honduras of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights indicated that there have been 22 murders, two disappearances and 15 kidnappings of human rights defenders in the last five years. Just last week, a human right activist, a representative of the LGBTI community and a member of the ruling party, was killed in San Pedro Sula. This is another terrible death that demonstrates the need for urgent measures to be put in place to protect human rights defenders in Honduras.

Honduras is also the world's deadliest country for environmentalists. As subcommittee members are well aware, this was brought into sharp relief when indigenous environmental rights activists Berta Cáceres and Nelson García were killed by gunmen in separate events in March 2016.

The murders have provoked world-wide protests and calls from human rights activists and the international community, including Canada, for increased action to protect human rights defenders in Honduras. Following the killing of Berta Cáceres, the Government of Canada, through its ambassador to Honduras, immediately issued statements, including a joint press release with the international community in Honduras, condemning the killings and urging Honduran authorities to investigate, bring the perpetrators to justice and provide protection to human rights defenders.

These issues undermine long-term sustainable development and ultimately hurt the most vulnerable, namely women, children and youth, indigenous peoples and the poor. This reality has led many young people, and even children, often unaccompanied, to migrate in search of safer environments and better living opportunities in other countries in the region and here in North America.

In early 2016, Honduras and the Organization of American States (OAS) signed an agreement to establish the mission to support the fight against corruption and impunity in Honduras, known as the MACCIH.

The MACCIH will help to prevent and fight corruption and impunity and protect human rights by providing technical assistance to strengthen state institutions charged with investigating acts of corruption and crimes. The MACCIH can build on the success of the UN-backed commission against impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), which has led to many prosecutions and convictions, including charges against the former president and vice president of Guatemala.

The Government of Honduras recently adopted the new public policy against racism and racial discrimination for the integrated development of the indigenous and Afro-Honduran peoples. This policy aims to promote the social inclusion and socioeconomic development of indigenous and Afro-Honduran communities, which are among the country's most vulnerable.

All of these measures were long overdue, and we are therefore pleased to see progress in engaging indigenous communities on issues affecting their rights and livelihoods.

As you know, in its response to the subcommittee's 2015 report on human rights in Honduras, the Government of Canada made several commitments regarding the way forward for Canadian action in the country.

We committed to take every opportunity to advocate bilaterally for improved human rights in Honduras. Government of Canada representatives have regularly engaged with Honduran ministers and officials to raise concerns about the protection of human rights. For example, during the recent Canada-Honduras bilateral consultations just back in April, the assistant deputy minister for the Americas at Global Affairs Canada, David Morrison, stressed that the promotion and protection of human rights was an integral part of Canadian efforts abroad, and urged the Government of Honduras to ensure that appropriate measures were being taken to investigate the recent murders of indigenous environmental activists in the country.

Canada has also advocated in support of the Honduran government's new law for the protection of human rights defenders, journalists, social communicators, and justice operators. That is another commitment made in the government response.

We also committed to using all multilateral mechanisms available to support human rights in Honduras. At the UN Human Rights Council in 2015, Canada used its intervention during the universal periodic review of Honduras to recommend a stronger focus on the protection of human rights defenders, journalists, and justice sector officials, and to advance the human rights of vulnerable groups, including women and children.

Canada also committed to work with other donor countries to Honduras through the country's main donor coordination group, the G16. Canada has subsequently taken a leadership role in the G16 on gender equality and the rights of women, working to help eliminate barriers to gender equality and advancing women's and girls' rights, as well as fostering a constructive and open dialogue between civil society and the government.

In July 2016, Canada will be assuming the presidency of the G16. This will provide an important platform to continue raising human rights and security concerns.

It's also important to note that since the start of 2016 Canada's bilateral development assistance is putting more emphasis on advancing democracy, promoting the rule of law, and strengthening the capacity of government institutions and oversight bodies to protect human rights, with a special focus on children, youth, and women. This focus dovetails with Canada's commitment in the government response to ensure development programming aims to improve respect for human rights in Honduras.

Canada has also been supporting local civil society organizations in Honduras through the Canada fund for local initiatives. Eleven projects have provided human rights training, promoted women's rights, prevented sexual violence, and protected the rights of vulnerable populations, including youth and LGBTI communities.

Corporate social responsibility is also an important aspect of Canada's overall approach. The Government of Canada expects all Canadian companies operating abroad to respect human rights, all applicable laws and international standards, to operate transparently and in consultation with host governments and local communities, and to work in a socially and environmentally responsible manner.

In addition, Canada actively promotes meaningful engagement by Canadian companies with communities and other stakeholders in Honduras. To this end, Canada's embassy in Costa Rica, accredited to Honduras, in conjunction with three Canadian companies, formed the Canada-Honduras business council. The council is a venue for promoting human rights and CSR through workshops, meetings, and events with Canadian and local organizations, and these issues feature prominently on the council's agenda.

In conclusion, it is clear that there are significant human rights and security challenges in Honduras that need to be addressed by local authorities. Canada will continue to engage in frank discussions with the Government of Honduras and seek to ensure the protection of human rights activists. Canada will also remain a strong advocate for civil society organizations in the country.

On that note, Mr. Chair, my colleague and I would be pleased to take any of your questions. Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Michael Levitt]

Thank you very much. It's greatly appreciated.

The first round, David Sweet.

[David Sweet, Conservative, Flamborough—Glanbrook, ON]

Thank you very much, Mr. Frenette, for your expertise, your efforts, and everything that you've been doing to ensure that countries like Honduras get as much help as they can from Canada to enjoy the kind of democracy that we enjoy.

You mentioned three companies that were involved in the development of this business council. Offhand, do you know who those three companies are?

[André Frenette]

Mr. Chair, I don't have the names of the three companies—unless David does—but with your permission, we'd be pleased to get back to you on that.

[David Sweet, Conservative, Flamborough—Glanbrook, ON]

That would be great.

My second question is similar, in the sense that in previous paragraph of the text of your opening remarks you mentioned CSR and the need to make sure that all Canadian companies are operating with social responsibility. Have there been any reports of Canadian companies in Honduras not operating in a fashion that would be socially responsible?

[André Frenette]

I can't speak of reports, Chair, specifically with respect to the member's question.

That said, our efforts toward CSR are a regular occurrence, whether in sensitizing our companies—not just in Honduras, by the way, but across the region—or holding workshops in our embassies and so on, on how we expect our companies to conduct themselves in-country.

You sometimes read in the media of some companies that allegedly misbehave, if I can use that term. I don't have any kinds of reports to either support or deny these allegations that you see in the media.

[David Sweet, Conservative, Flamborough—Glanbrook, ON]

I've had some of those reports in my office as well, and usually they don't have any facts to back them up. I'd certainly be willing to look at them any time there were some evidence.

We had two, I wouldn't say conflicting, but different points of view. We had Mr. James Cavallaro here from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, who is involved in a task force. I think they're still involved with the investigation in Mexico of the students who were missing and killed in tragic circumstances. He was voicing concern that he would like to have his task force deal in particular with the murders of the human rights defenders in Honduras so that there would be an open, transparent, and accountable process.

Then we had a gentleman, I can't recall his name, from British Columbia who has been doing some good work that we've been—

[Melissa Radford, Committee Researcher]

It was Rick Craig.

[David Sweet, Conservative, Flamborough—Glanbrook, ON]

Thank you very much.

Mr. Craig had a different opinion because he felt that with the work that they've been doing, and the maturing that's happening with the prosecuting attorneys, etc., that would be an interference, for lack of better words, which wouldn't be constructive.

Do you have any opinion on how the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights should be involved to mitigate impunity?

[André Frenette]

Mr. Chair, there's been much talk in recent days about this particular commission. As we head into the OAS general assembly in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic, early next week, the commission and its work will be front and centre. Also, the financing around this commission will be front and centre.

The important element to keep in mind when it comes to the Inter-American Human Rights Commission is that it must operate at arm's-length from government. It needs to be autonomous. It needs to be independent in order to properly conduct its work. That is Canada's position.

I don't necessarily have an opinion on what Mr. Craig may or may not have said, but the important thing to keep in mind here is that this commission, in order to be successful, must work independently from governments.

[David Sweet, Conservative, Flamborough—Glanbrook, ON]

Lastly, I am asking for your educated opinion. It's a dangerous neighbourhood all around Honduras and we've heard some terrible stories. Unfortunately, that's the nature of what we hear at this committee.

In the region, from the time that the government responded to our 2015 study to today, do you see progress? Do you see reasons for hope? I get that from your opening remarks, but I ask this in regard to the neighbourhood, not in comparison to Canada, where we enjoy a very safe lifestyle. In the region, do you see some significant progress in Honduras?

[André Frenette]

In Honduras and the Central America region, Canada remains very concerned about the security situation. In terms of murders and violence in the region, those statistics seem to be coming down. There seems to be a positive story around there, but it's simply not enough.

With the recent events that we have seen in Honduras, it's not just about the indigenous leaders and the terrible circumstances around those murders. In Honduras and El Salvador and other parts of Central America, the issue of youth gangs is pretty significant. That has consequences for us, particularly in terms of migration northward-bound.

Canada's programming in Central America aims to strengthen institutional capacity so that we can address issues of human rights and democracy and governance and so on. Although we are seeing progress, it's still not enough. The progress that we're seeing, although positive, still remains a significant concern for Canada.

[David Sweet, Conservative, Flamborough—Glanbrook, ON]

Are any of the 11 projects targeted at youth gang violence?

[André Frenette]

Yes. One of the issues we're trying to look at in Honduras, or Central America write large, is the root causes of some of the challenges we're seeing on the security front. We talked about human rights, which is one of the root causes, and social exclusion, and economic opportunities for young people. All of these issues are contributing to the security problem in Central America and Honduras, which exacerbates the problem of migration we talked about earlier. Yes, that is part of Canada's programming.

[The Chair, Liberal, Michael Levitt]

MP Khalid, you have the floor.

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

Thank you very much for enlightening presentation today. I want to start with something you mentioned with respect to Canada making recommendations at the UN Human Rights Council in 2015. I was wondering if any of those recommendations had resulted in any action, or any progress on them, by not just Canada, but also Honduras.

[André Frenette]

If I may, Mr. Chair, with your permission, we can look back in the department if there's been a report produced on this. I don't have this offhand, but we'd be pleased to share it with the subcommittee.

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

Thank you.

I want to talk a bit about the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. As you're aware, this may cease to exist or may cease to carry out its core mandate as of the end of July this year. Does the Government of Canada have a position on whether member states should increase funding for this commission?

[André Frenette]

As I mentioned earlier, Mr. Chair, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has been front and centre in discussions on human rights in the inter-american system over the past couple of weeks, and leading in to the OAS general assembly on Monday it will continue to be so.

Canada has continued to support the promotion of human rights and the human rights system in the Americas and will continue to do so. I'm aware of that, and I met with the head of the commission about a week and a half ago. He appeared here, and he did issue a press release at one point talking about the dire circumstances of the commission.

The funding for the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights comes from the regular budget of the OAS. Canada is the third largest contributor to the regular budget of the OAS, to the tune of almost $11 million. The commission is funded through that regular budget. Canada will push for that to continue to happen, first. Second, in terms of voluntary contributions since 2008, Canada has contributed $4.8 million to the commission for specific projects. When I met the head of the commission not to long ago, I informed him that if the commission had other projects to be considered by Canada with funding through our voluntary contributions, we'd be pleased to look at those.

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

With all of this funding coming in, what's causing the financial crisis?

[André Frenette]

Overall, Mr. Chair, this is not just about the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. The OAS as a whole is going through a significant financial crisis. This is a $120 million organization, give or take, that's running on $80 million. Part of the problem is that some significant member states, such as Brazil and Venezuela, have not paid their dues, and that is creating a significant shortfall. You have a cascading effect happening, and it's not just on the commission, but across the organization where the organization's financial situation is difficult. Are there discussions to raise quotas? Yes. Canada's position is that we wouldn't be raising quotas at this time.

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

What would be the consequences of the closure for this commission?

[André Frenette]

Mr. Chair, I think it's premature to have that conversation because the commission is not closing. The call that came out about two weeks ago in that press release painted a grim picture of the commission. There needs to be conversations at the OAS about this. I think it's a bit premature to talk about the end of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

Thank you.