Subcommittee on International Human Rights Committee on Feb. 2nd, 2021

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Fonseca]

We will move now to the Bloc and Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe, for five minutes.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

As this is my last opportunity to address the witnesses, I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their presence this evening.

There is one thing that is very close to my heart, and that is young parliamentarians. They represent the next generation, and the choices we make today will affect their future. So we need to increase their participation, in meetings of the Inter-Parliamentary Union among others. This is not only important, it is paramount.

I would like to have your comments on this. Is there a group of young parliamentarians within the Inter-Parliamentary Union?

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

If I may, I will answer Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe.

Three years ago, the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union invited nearly 130 young parliamentarians to Ottawa for four days of meetings. Every two years, there is a meeting of young parliamentarians. That was before COVID-19, of course.

In addition, there is a committee that focuses on youth participation. Just recently, following discussions in the executive committee and as part of the IPU's new five-year plan, I proposed that young parliamentarians—some 15 or 20—meet virtually with the new president elected a few months ago in Portugal, Mr. Duarte Pacheco, to talk to him about their vision for the IPU and the role it could play in the future.

Young people are already present, virtually or in person through travel. We therefore rely more and more on the good advice of young people.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Are they involved in these activities a lot? Are many members of the union young?

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Yes, delegations normally have quotas for men and women, but also for young people.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

I see.

Earlier, you made me curious when you talked about the new Biden administration in the United States. You said that the election of Mr. Biden was perhaps the right time to...

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Fonseca]

One moment, please. I think we've lost...

Go ahead.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

You were telling us that the Biden administration may be the perfect opportunity to bring Americans back into the fold.

Has a strategy been developed? Can you share it with us, if so?

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Yes, absolutely. The Americans were absent from the IPU between 1990 and 1993. The executive committee decided, not more than two weeks ago, to send a letter to the speakers of both Houses of the U.S. Congress, that is, to Senator Leahy and Ms. Pelosi. I suggested not only that the letter be sent by the new Portuguese president, but also that it be signed by the 18 members of the executive committee, including representatives from China and other countries, in order to encourage Americans to join the community of parliamentarians and participate fully in its activities.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

As my favourite speaker tells me I'm running out of time, I thank you once again, and I wish you godspeed in whatever you do next.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Fonseca]

Thank you.

Now we'll move over to Ms. McPherson, from the NDP, for five minutes.

Ms. McPherson, you'll be our last questioner.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

I get that role every single time, which I guess is my luck.

Gentlemen, one of the things I was looking at is, on the IPU website, the interactive map of the latest cases of MPs in danger.

It brought to mind for me that there are regions of the world that we already know would be high risk for parliamentarians, to participate, to be safe, especially [Technical difficulty--Editor], of course.

I just wonder what role the IPU sees for themselves or if you have a role in terms of preventative actions, ways to prevent things happening to parliamentarians before they happen. Do you have any role with that, or is that outside your scope?

[Sir David Cunningham Carter]

I think it's really a question for David McGuinty to answer. He's on the executive. He's the one who develops the wider scope of IPU. I think it could do more, but really it's an executive question.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. McGuinty.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

One of the interesting things about the IPU, Mr. Chair and Ms. McPherson, is that the tag line, the slogan, is “For democracy. For everyone.” There's a view amongst the executive committee that that's the core business of the IPU. Increasingly, as I mentioned earlier, Canada has been supportive of additional programmatic support to help strengthen the participation of women in elected public life.

There's yet another request from the IPU to the government today for another program, very similar. The Swedish government and other governments provide programmatic support to do just that—to build capacity, to build an understanding of the rule of law and good governance and institutional strengthening. There are best practices that are being shared on a regular basis. There's a new task force committee on anti-terrorism, given some of the fundamental questions that we're all facing in that area. There is a strengthening role, hopefully amplified throughout the whole community, but there's more to be done, and we need as many young dynamic and not-so-young dynamic parliamentarians as possible to join us on this journey. Mr. Chair, through you, everyone is invited to join and hopefully help participate and get the message out.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

That's wonderful.

I will finish my intervention today by asking each of you to share one of your stories of success—one of the ones that have really shown that the IPU has been able to make a big impact in protecting our parliamentarians and in doing work that the IPU has undertaken.

[Sir David Cunningham Carter]

For me, without a doubt, it would be the Maldives. It was a privilege to travel there and to then watch the subsequent election, and as I said the last time, I had a look and they are a well-functioning democracy. For me that was the ideal.

I think the frustration is that according to many of the reports you produce and table to the IPU plenary, you don't see enough change. Take Turkey, for example. There are regular reports on the situation in Turkey, and progress is slow.

Can I just conclude, because I may not get another chance, Mr. Chair, by making three quick points?

First of all, from my point of view and I think for many of you, the amount of abuse of elected representatives around the world is far higher than I ever imagined possible.

Second, this committee's work makes a difference. I am convinced of that. Sometimes it's frustratingly slow, but we get there.

Finally, I had a look, and there are at least two vacancies on this committee at the moment, and I think somebody from Canada would be an ideal person to go onto this committee. We currently have representatives from Uganda and from Venezuela. Listen, they don't come with the backing that you come with from your Canadian democratic system, which is well recognized throughout the world. In my closing address, my challenge to you is to talk to Mr. McGuinty. Find out what the process is now for replacing at least two of those members. I look forward to seeing at least one of you there as quickly as possible.

Thank you very much for having me today.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Fonseca]

Thank you. That's terrific.

First, just on behalf of our committee and our colleagues, let me say a big thank you to you, David McGuinty, our colleague and friend, for reaching out to us, for being here before us and also for bringing your Kiwi down under friend Speaker Carter. It was great to hear what you've had to say about your experience and your history. Thank you so much for joining us. It's been a real privilege, and we thank you both.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, colleagues.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Fonseca]

Thank you.

Now, to the members, we're going to suspending and then come back in camera.

[Proceedings continue in camera]