Debates of March 21st, 2016

Business of Supply

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in the same way that I do, the hon. member very much appreciates the Office of Religious Freedom and the importance of the good work it has done.

Based on that speech, does the hon. member not agree that in broadening the mandate, enhancing the number of rights we are looking at, and tackling it at a global level, there is absolutely nothing to limit what we are doing on the religious issue? Does she not agree that the enhanced broader office will allow us to do exactly the same work on religious freedoms as the current office does?

[Yasmin Ratansi, Liberal, Don Valley East, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is important to note that when one pitches one religious group against another, it creates more problems for that religious group.

It is important to expand the mandate to allow not only religious freedom but freedom of everything. Democracy means the ability to be able to practice one's faith without persecution and without any negative consequences. It also means that there are civil societies that are allowed to talk freely and media and journalists who are allowed to write freely, and that is what this office should be doing.

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to speak today in enthusiastic support of the motion. I will be sharing my time with the member for Cypress Hills—Grasslands.

Canada's Office of Religious Freedom has, in the three short years since its inception, clearly established itself as an integral part of Canada's foreign policy leadership, and as Canada's first ambassador for the Office of Religious Freedom, Dr. Andrew Bennett has established himself as an outspoken champion against the rapid spread of religious persecution around the world.

Why did our former government create this institution? Almost 80% of the world's population—77%, to be precise—live in countries that impose restrictions on freedom of religion or live in countries where individuals or groups freely and widely commit a range of unacceptable acts based on religious hostilities. We know that religious freedom is a specific element in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, but we also know that widespread violation of religious freedoms impacts religious communities of all of the world's major faiths, including Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, and Jews, as well as those who profess no particular faith. We were reminded in question period today by my colleague from Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan that atheists would fall under this belief category.

As the chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Falun Gong, I can say that we should be aware that in the early 1990s there were more than 70 million practitioners, not of a religion, but of the spiritual practice that is followed by adherents of Falun Dafa and Falun Gong. However, in 1999 the Chinese government brutally and cruelly cracked down, inflicting persecution, beatings, imprisonment, and even torture and death on tens of millions of Falun Gong practitioners. In recent years, thank heaven, recent Chinese presidents have demonstrated a greater tolerance, but today the spiritual practice of Falun Gong, which celebrates truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance—or, in Chinese, zhen, shan, ren—is in great need of intervention and moral support where diplomacy can provide no material comfort, and it is this that falls within the mandate of the Office of Religious Freedom.

The mandate is a very simple one. It is to promote freedom of religion as a major Canadian foreign policy. Its activities and projects in its first three years have been focused, as we have heard a couple of times today, on countries such as Iraq, Nigeria, and Ukraine, where there has been abundant evidence of serious violations of citizens' freedom of religion involving hatred, systemic discrimination, violence, and death.

While the budget of the Office of Religious Freedom is a modest $5 million annually, its projects abroad have been welcomed by the international community and leaders of the international community as important initiatives. In Iraq, for example, the $250,000 project with Minority Rights Group International has helped local Iraqi civil society organizations to monitor and report religious persecution.

As well, a $500,000 project with the Mennonite Central Committee is working to increase interreligious dialogue and shared resources to promote religious co-operation institutionally in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, even at a time of unconventional warfare that has displaced millions and millions of the civilian population.

In Nigeria, the Office of Religious Freedom funded a two-year, $730,000 project to develop and expand interfaith dialogue and conflict mediation in Plateau State, where conflict between different religious communities has killed thousands of innocents in recent years.

In Ukraine, the religious freedom fund supports two projects: an investment of more than $1 million with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, which are aimed at encouraging democratic process through religious freedom and pluralism.

At a time when the Liberal government, with partisan zeal, is working to reverse many of our Conservative government's foreign policy positions, alliances, and initiatives, we should perhaps look at the non-partisan nature of the external advisory committee, which is an oversight body of 22 prominent independent leaders from across a wide spectrum of Canadian faith and belief communities.

The advisory committee is chaired by Father Raymond de Souza, a Roman Catholic priest and noted newspaper columnist. Serving as vice-chairs are Malik Talib, president of the Aga Khan council for Canada, the social governance body for the Ismaili community in Canada; and Corinne Box, director of government relations for the Bahá’i Community of Canada.

The committee members include Imam Sayed Nabil Abbas, who is the imam of the Lebanese Islamic Centre in Montreal; and Eric Adriaans, who is the national executive director of Centre for Inquiry Canada, a national charity providing education on secular humanism, reason, science and critical thinking. Peter Bhatti, the president and founder of International Christian Voice, is a Canadian of Pakistani birth and works with victimized religious minorities there and around the world. Of course, Rabbi Reuven Bulka is a rabbi activist, writer, and broadcaster right here in Ottawa, and former co-president of the Canadian Jewish Congress. There is also Dr. Aslam Daud, chairman of Humanity First Canada and national vice president of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, who has championed religious freedom, peace, and tolerance for three decades. As well, Colin Singh Dhillon, chair of the Sikh Heritage Museum of Canada, has worked to eliminate social and religious barriers across communities. John Gill is the director of Minority Groups United and president of Canadian Christian Association. Carl Hétu is the national director of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, and authority on eastern churches, religious minorities, and interreligious dialogue. We have Pastor Richard Kao, who is the founding pastor of Five Stones Church in Vancouver, and has been deeply involved in leadership training in Asia for more than two decades. Antoine Malek is the chair and president of the Coptic Orthodox Community of Greater Montreal. Jim Marino is the executive director of the Niagara Foundation for Catholic Education, and an experienced communications adviser. Dr. Paul Marshall is senior fellow at the Hudson Institute’s Center for Religious Freedom in Washington D.C., and visiting professor at the graduate school of Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University in Jakarta, Indonesia. Phuong Ngo is an active member of Vietnamese community organizations, and an advocate for human rights and democracy in Vietnam. Dr. Mario Silva is a former distinguished member of the House as a member of the Liberal Party, an international legal scholar, a prolific author of papers on human rights and security, and former chair of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. He is also a valued and worthy member of the Office of Religious Freedom advisory committee.

I have made a point of referencing almost every member today. There are more, but time prevents me from mentioning the last few members of this advisory committee. I believe it is important for Canadians to recognize the breadth and depth of the non-partisan activities that offer counsel to the ambassador of the Office of Religious Freedom, Dr. Bennett.

In closing, I would urge all colleagues, on both sides of the House, to recognize the good work that has been done and is being done by Canada's Office of Religious Freedom.

I call on the government to renew the current mandate of the office. Its vital work promoting peace, freedom, tolerance, and communal harmony is needed today more than ever.

[Brenda Shanahan, Liberal, Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I believe that the promotion and protection of human rights, including freedom of religion or belief, is an integral part of Canada's leadership in the world. Our government is committed to reviewing and enhancing the human rights protections at home and abroad. The mandate letters of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of International Development refer to championing the values of inclusive and accountable governance, peaceful pluralism, and respect for diversity, including human rights for women and refugees.

The hon. member referred to the practice of Falun Gong, which he stated is not a religion but a practice. Would that not be better protected by an expanded mandate to support and promote not only freedom of religion but freedom of expression and association?

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for an informed and worthy question in today's debate. One has to recognize that in the strife, turmoil, and human suffering around the world today, religion is the predominant, if not leading element, in almost all of the persecution and abuse of human rights.

Falun Gong, as I said in my remarks, and my colleague referred to it, is not a defined religion as such, but it is a spiritual practice based on truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. That, after all, is what all of the world's great religions are based on, and to which the Office of Religious Freedom that we on this side of the House in the official opposition believe the office serves.

[Pierre-Luc Dusseault, NDP, Sherbrooke, QC]

Mr. Speaker, earlier, I asked a Conservative member a question, but he did not seem to know the answer. I will therefore ask my colleague from Thornhill the same question.

My question is about his government's decision to shut down Rights and Democracy. The following year, it created the Office of Religious Freedom even though Rights and Democracy worked in the areas of freedom, human rights, and democracy. Its mandate was broader than the Office of Religious Freedom's.

Why did they decide to shut down that organization even though it was doing exceptional work, and why did they set up the Office of Religious Freedom in its stead? I did not get an answer to my question, so I hope that my colleague will be able to provide an explanation for the closure of what was an excellent organization.

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am familiar with the reasons that we closed that office because I was a member of the cabinet of our government in that day.

While the office for rights and democracy had been originally set up for all of the valuable purposes and advocacy that one would associate with rights and democracy, in its latter years, unfortunately, it fell into internecine battles within its board. We can go to any number of historical references to see why that organization went off the rails. There was mismanagement of budget. There was confusion and misapplication of its mandate by some of its leaders.

The decision taken by the government was that it no longer served its original mandate and deserved to be closed down. We were proud that we did it.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I am glad to be here today. I wish the message we are hearing from the members of the government was different than it is. I hear them talk about the need to broaden the scope and to focus on all rights rather than one specifically, focusing on pluralism, international organizations, and civil societies. All of that is fine, but it has very little to do with the specific issue of religious freedom.

I heard one of my colleagues on the other side talk about how she wanted freedom for everything. The reality is that the religious freedom issue works very well when it is dealt with specifically. A few minutes ago, my colleague pointed out that most of the conflict we are seeing around the world right now is of a religious nature, and we need to consider that when we are talking generally about conflict in this world.

The Office of Religious Freedom was established in 2013, as a division of Foreign Affairs. It was fulfilment of a promise that we made in the campaign in 2011. It had a very small budget of $5 million. From looking around, I think that $5 million has probably been used as well as any $5 million from this government.

The mandate was straightforward. In a presentation given by the ambassador at the foreign affairs committee, he talked about it having a mandate to defend religious communities and monitor religious freedom, promote religious freedom as a key objective of Canada's foreign policy, and advance policies and programs that support religious freedom and promote pluralism. It is unfortunate to see the government opposite basically turning its back on those things by blending them into a whole bunch of other things. I believe the effectiveness of the office will be hampered by the fact that government does not want to deal with this as a specific issue.

It was not established as a generic rights organization for a reason. It would have been completely ineffective. It would not have had the focus that it had, and it would have been of little use to anyone. It was set up as non-partisan, and to work co-operatively with faith communities, NGOs, and other countries. That is what has happened.

Obviously, the choice of ambassador was a good one. Ambassador Bennett has become internationally respected for what he has done. He was wise enough to appoint an advisory committee covering faith groups and non-faith groups. He found a great variety of people there, and did a good job of putting that together. As one of my colleagues pointed out earlier today, that included those who believe they have the right not to believe in any specific faith at all. The ambassador was wise enough to include them in his advisory committee as well.

Once the office got rolling, there were a number of projects that were brought forward. I was excited when I looked through the list of things that the office contributed to over the last few years, including some very practical things. This is not an organization that has been operating in the sky; it has been operating right at ground level, trying to make a difference.

There were a lot of smaller projects, and I think the government will regret the day when it shuts down this office and shuts down the projects. It has had the opportunity to do things, such as training the media in other countries about hate speech and how they might deal with it in their countries. We have done work on monitoring religious freedom in various countries. Obviously, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom does its annual monitor about religious freedom around the world. However, we have been able to help local communities monitor religious freedom and how it has been achieved in their communities.

There has been a documentation of violations as well, so that people are held accountable for what they are doing. The office has provided leadership courses for people in their communities to come together. One of the places was in Nigeria. We brought together interreligious communities so they could sit and talk to each other, to try to create peace in areas where organizations such as Boko Haram were trying to disrupt communities and destroy social fabric. One of the things we tried to do was promote dialogue and peace between the communities there.

Sharing best practices was another important aspect of the work of the office. Certainly things like children's educational materials does not seem like much, but there was money put into ensuring that textbooks and those kinds of things were not promoting religious hatred. It worked with countries to ensure that their educational materials were solid as well.

Awareness activities, research and academic studies, facilitating seminars and leadership, legal support, and supporting legislation, are all very practical things that the office provided. I have not heard anything today from members on the other side as to how they will continue to provide that on that micro level, right down at the community level, saying to people and to smaller countries that we will work together.

We need to ask if this is a relevant issue right now. I will give the House a present example.

The Liberal government is going to be absent on an important issue and that issue is what is happening in Nepal right now. Nepal is putting together a new constitution and some legislation is going to come forward around religious belief. We should be there helping Nepal. It appears as if there is now some manipulation going on now. Both of these documents are going to be pre-designed and they are going to end up suppressing minority believers. That does not need to happen. They are talking about prohibiting things such as conversion. One of the main aspects of article 18 of the United Nations human rights declaration is that people should be free to choose their belief. They talk about prohibiting apostolization. They talk about impacting the opportunity of people to speak freely about what they believe in, then moving to protect some religious communities while restricting others.

Not all of the people in Nepal have the opportunity to fully understand or discuss what these values and issues mean. We could be providing them with some help and assistance. This is just one example of where we could help.

Nepal signed on to the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Included in their articles are the notions that people have the right to be free to believe, the right to be free to practice their belief, and the right to change their beliefs. These things happen at a practical level, and our government should be there. The Liberal government, in its rush to broaden its scope and focus on everything, is not going to be there on these specific issues where people in some of these countries are going to need help.

There is one other thing that the ambassador has headed up, and that is an international contact group on freedom of religion. This is a critical and important group and it is going to be lost when the government shuts down the Office of Religious Freedom. This group was spearheaded by Ambassador Bennett, who chaired the inaugural meeting. The group is called the International Contact Group for Freedom of Religion or Belief. It has brought together government representatives from over 20 countries in a multilateral diverse effort to collaborate together to address the challenges that are caused by international religious persecution. My colleague who spoke just before noted that most of the tensions and pressures that are coming out of religious belief, this international contact group is an excellent way at the administrative and government level for people to talk about these issues.

The ambassador was central to the launch of that group. It included all kinds of members from places like Cameroon, Chile, Morocco, Canada, the European nations. It is an important initiative and I fear it is going to be lost by the way the Liberal government is going. Even the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom and others have praised this initiative. They saw it as important. They wanted their countries to participate in it. It is a critical tool to underline the freedom of religion or belief.

We are going to lose a lot if the Liberal government decides to shut down the Office of Religious Freedom. The government has a choice. It could renew the office's mandate with enthusiasm, as I said earlier today, so it can continue to maintain the momentum it has already created, or I fear the government is going to dilute it probably by defunding it, gutting it behind the scenes, or making it some some sort of generic rights organization so this right will be lost in the midst of a lot of other things.

The reason this has been successful is because it has been very specific. It has a narrow focus and that has allowed the ambassador and the office to create the kind of initiatives they have.

The government does not seem to understand this, and that is unfortunate. Persecution because of religious belief is targeted and specific. It needs to be dealt with in those ways. One example, the right to convert, whether people have the right to change their beliefs or not, cannot be dealt with by some generic human rights approach. It has to be dealt with specifically. We must give people the freedom to believe what they choose and then the right to change that.

The Pew Foundation has said that three-quarters of the people on this earth live with the fear of religious pressure and that violations are perpetrated by state and non-state actors and sometimes in conjunction with each other.

A lot of people in this world need the protection that was provided by countries paying attention to this issue. It is unfortunate that Canada has taken such a large step back on defending religious freedom. Certainly, we want to continue to protect them and we will do what we can on this side of the House to ensure that happens.

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I certainly share the hon. member's conviction that we need to stand forefront for religious liberties across the world.

I heard him say that the biggest struggles in the world today were solely religious liberties. I would like him to look at Cuba where, just yesterday, women were arrested for exercising their freedom of speech to protest against the Castro government, or at countries in Africa and in the Middle East where gays and lesbians are subject to capital punishment for something we consider a fundamental freedom here, and to recognize that there are many rights throughout the world that are deserving of our protection.

There are so many things in the House that we generally agree upon. We fight back and forth about nuances.

Had this motion been worded to say that the government recognize everything that is in (a), the good work that is being done, and (b), that the existing work of the office be continued in the same or a different broader format, I think there would have been unanimous agreement in the House and we could have all gone forward, talking about how we all agree with religious freedom.

Why was it necessary to write the motion to ask that the government continue the existing mandate without saying that that we simply agree that we want to continue the valuable work the office has been doing in the same or a different mandate, where it would have had support from the government?

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Mr. Speaker, first, we do not continue the same work with a different mandate, clearly.

I take objection to the way he tried to characterize what I said. I did not say that all repression and persecution around the world was solely of a religious nature. What I said was that 75% of the global population lived in countries where they were restricted in terms of their freedom of religion or belief.

The examples he has mentioned are examples of places where people are not free to believe as they choose. Therefore, the government feels that it has the right to interfere with that freedom of belief. Whether people actually believe it and have a religious faith or people have chosen not to, if we do not have the freedom to believe and to choose those beliefs, we do not have any other freedoms.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I think many of us in this place have grown up in a very secular society. Canada's pluralism is one that affords the opportunity of religious freedom, but under the umbrella of a set of rules that we live by that support our pluralism: freedom of religion, freedom of equality. There are so many things I could talk about.

However, now that I have had the opportunity to travel the world a little in my role as a parliamentarian, what strikes me is that a large portion of the conflict we see in the world has its roots in religious practices. To divorce religious freedoms from foreign policy, especially given that rooting, is somewhat short sighted. My colleague talked about freedom of religion and women.

Given this particular fact, would he talk about how the Office of Religious Freedom and its focus upon dealing with Internet generational change in terms of religious freedom actually helps reduce these conflicts given the fact that we cannot ignore that religion is a basis for many of them?

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Mr. Speaker, that is a very good question. We look around the world and we see that some of the best freedoms come out of religious expression and religious belief. Some of the worst repression comes out of religious belief and faith.

The place we find ourselves is that we believe those three articles of article 18 are critical; that is that people should have the freedom to believe. They have the freedom to believe as they chose, they have the right to practise that belief as long as it is not violating someone else's space and their rights, and they have the right to change that belief. If people can exist with that, I think we will see that those types of repressive attitudes are not capable of being carried forward in the society.

Basically, if we have religious repression, it typically breeds instability in a country. It breeds further extremism, and we can look around the world and see that. It generates refugee flows, and we see that is a massive issue right now around the world. It threatens other fundamental rights, including things like freedom of expression, freedom of association, freedom of assembly.

Out of that freedom of belief comes a lot of the other freedoms, but we need to understand that religion could be used as much as anything else to repress people as well.

[Brenda Shanahan, Liberal, Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the hon. member for London North Centre.

As we come together on this opposition day, we must recognize that this act in itself illustrates the strength of Canada's system of governance and the lessons we have learned by creating an inclusive and responsible society. We, the members of Parliament, reflect Canada's diversity, and we were chosen, through free and fair elections, to represent Canadians' values including dignity, freedom, equality, and honesty.

This is not something that happens everywhere around the world. Poor governance, the inability to provide essential services, high levels of corruption, and lack of transparency often lead to serious problems with development and security. Vulnerable populations are the ones who suffer the most from these problems, which can increase poverty levels, exacerbate inequalities, promote impunity, and hurt the economy.

According to the United Nations Development Programme, or UNDP:

Corruption, bribery, theft and tax evasion cost some US$1.26 trillion for developing countries per year; this amount of money could be used to lift those who are living on less than $1.25 a day above $1.25 for at least six years.

It is obvious that we must take action. In countries where the government can provide services to its citizens, where it is accountable for its decisions, and where power is transferred through regular peaceful elections, the benefits are clear. There is a better chance of achieving economic stability, it is more likely that there will be respect for human rights, governments can better meet the needs of their citizens, and communities are more resilient and capable of taking steps to combat radicalism and other social pressures.

Corruption erodes governance, which in turn results in poor health outcomes, unsatisfactory education systems, and fewer services across government. In simple terms, inclusive and responsible governance is necessary to achieve lasting results in all sectors of international development, whether we are talking about an agricultural project or training that makes it possible for people to acquire the skills needed to find a suitable job.

Our government is proud to focus its international aid once again on the poorest and the most vulnerable. We live in a world of abundance. Huge progress continues to be made because of innovation. However, there are still too many people on this planet who have next to nothing. We must improve the lives of these girls, boys, women, and men who live in conditions of abject poverty and extreme inequality.

Our government is committed to promoting inclusive and accountable governance, peaceful pluralism, respect for diversity, and human rights. That is the priority of the mandate of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie.

We are proud of Canada's contributions around the world to promoting inclusive and accountable governance, peaceful pluralism, respect for diversity, and human rights. Although we must always work to improve our own governance and diversity, many countries look at Canada and admire the type of country we have created. They recognize the strength of our experience and ask us to help them in their own development.

In September 2015, the world acknowledged that these qualities are integral to sustainable development. Goal 16 of the United Nations sustainable development goals recognizes the importance of inclusive societies, access to justice, and building inclusive and accountable institutions at all levels. It also recognizes that fighting corruption is central to creating a better world. Canada is determined to collaborate with its development partners in order to help countries achieve this goal.

Canada is working with Tanzania on fighting corruption by ensuring that information gathered on income, tax payments, royalties, assets, and export expenses for mining companies are accurate, complete, and more transparent.

Our development aid also makes it possible to strengthen the institutions and make them more accountable and transparent. These accountable and transparent institutions ensure that people have a say in their government's decisions and that they have access to timely and reliable information. That means that the authorities to whom the power has been given use that power legitimately and are held accountable for their decisions and use of funds.

That is why Canada is offering its support to enhance Bangladesh's capacity to plan and implement its national budget, strengthen internal and external auditing, and improve legislative oversight. The creation of efficient and effective governance models involving the rule of law, sound public policy, strong civic institutions, and inclusiveness, also makes it possible to establish pluralistic societies. Pluralistic societies respect and value human diversity. A commitment to pluralism benefits everyone and allows everyone to participate.

As part of its international assistance, Canada encourages pluralism in order to allow people and groups to express their cultural, religious, and linguistic identities in a context of shared citizenship. For example, we have a project in Sri Lanka to promote respect for diversity and language rights within the public service and the population in general.

However, pluralism is more than just linguistic diversity. We must also encourage a dynamic civil society that allows for an exchange of views, and respects freedom of association, assembly, and peaceful expression. A dynamic and diverse civil society must include religious groups, the media, think tanks, universities, businesses, and unions. It gives women, young people, indigenous people, and marginalized groups the opportunity to participate in political, social, and economic life.

As an example, Canada is helping Mali enhance the capacity of civil society organizations to ensure that Mali's national policies take into account the interests of the poor and focus on poverty reduction. Respect for the rule of law is central to establishing inclusive and accountable governance. Canada is helping to strengthen the rule of law in developing countries in order to ensure it is effectively and predictably enforced.

Improving justice can also help women become equal partners when it comes to decision-making and development. For example, we are working in countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo in order to ensure that women and young girls are protected from violence, exploitation, and abuse.

Respect for and protection of human rights are the principles that guide all accountable, transparent, and effective institutions and allow people to live in dignity and be protected against all forms of abuse. These principles are at the heart of our development efforts. We recognize that there is a greater likelihood of human rights being upheld when these principles are present.

What is more, we know that when we are helping countries achieve more inclusive and more accountable governance, we need to get every segment of society involved, including governments, the private sector, and particularly the public, in order to make this sort of progress.

Canada is a bilingual, ethnically diverse, multi-party federal democracy that is open and transparent, and it can share that experience with the entire world. We can help countries give people more freedom and set up institutions and procedures that allow everyone to participate equally in the society and benefit from it. That is what we are doing.

[Harold Albrecht, Conservative, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague certainly had a huge laundry list of human rights initiatives that I think we should all be supporting. I do not argue with that for a minute.

However, my concern is that by removing the Office of Religious Freedom and some of the great work done by Ambassador Bennett both internationally and here in Canada, referred to many times in the House, we are losing our focus on this very key aspect of human rights protection. I think most of us in the House would agree that religious freedom is often the very foundation of many of the other freedoms around the world. However, there is one particular aspect of religious freedom that I think is often missed, and that is for those of us of faith, it is a very personal aspect, and for those who choose to change their faith or religion, depending on how one wants to define it, I believe it is very important that that particular freedom be protected.

Could my colleague comment on that, because I am concerned that we have lost focus? We are talking about all of the other human rights freedoms that we should continue, but I do not want us to lose focus on this one very important part, namely, religious freedom.

[Brenda Shanahan, Liberal, Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question because, as a practising Catholic I am only too aware of how difficult it is to practise one's faith, particularly in a secular society.

That being said, we do not have a hierarchy of rights. I will quote—and I am sure the hon. member could say this along with me—article 2 of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which states:

Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms:

(a) freedom of conscience and religion;

(b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication;

(c) freedom of peaceful assembly; and

(d) freedom of association.

These are all included within that so important second article of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We hold them to be interdependent, and they must be taken together.

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her speech.

The NDP is going to oppose the Conservative motion. First of all, we have concerns about the work that has been done by the office, which seems to be rather blatantly biased.

A study done by the Osgoode Hall Law School shows that Christian minorities garnered twice as much attention from the office in question, whose mandate expires in March, as compared to Muslim and Jewish minorities. The NDP thinks it would be better to have an office that focuses on democracy and human rights. Religious freedom is a human right and it is protected here in Canada under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. However, elsewhere in the world, religious freedom could be included in a broader vision that would require the defence of all human rights and not just that one aspect.

[Brenda Shanahan, Liberal, Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question.

We believe that there is no hierarchy when it comes to human rights. That is why we are reviewing the work of the Office of Religious Freedoms. We believe that promoting and protecting human rights, especially freedom of religion or belief, are an integral part of Canada's leadership role around the globe, and that is exactly what we plan to do.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate my colleague on her excellent speech on freedom of religion, its relationship to poverty, and our global commitment as a nation regarding these issues.

The Conservatives want us to continue with their program exactly as it is, without considering the question of freedom of religion as part of a broader human rights issue.

Can the member elaborate a little on why we need to look at freedom of religion through the broader lens of global human rights?

[Brenda Shanahan, Liberal, Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question.

Our government is determined to renew and strengthen human rights protection in Canada and abroad. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie received mandate letters instructing them to champion the values of inclusive and accountable governance, peaceful pluralism and respect for diversity, and human rights including the rights of women and refugees.

We believe that all human rights are universal, indivisible, and interdependent. To broaden the scope of the Office of Religious Freedom's initial mandate, we are looking at the best way to situate freedom of religion and belief within the larger framework of human rights.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

Before we resume debate, it is my duty pursuant to Standing Order 38 to inform the House that the questions to be raised tonight at the time of adjournment are as follows: the hon. member for Regina—Qu'Appelle, Natural Resources; the hon. member for Vancouver East, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship; the hon. member for Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, Social Development.

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, London North Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak to this government's commitment to human rights. The promotion and protection of human rights is central to our government's foreign policy. Canada's fundamental approach to human rights is that all human rights are interdependent, universal, and indivisible.

The universality of human rights means that it is the duty of states, regardless of their political, economic, and cultural systems, to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The indivisibility of human rights means that all rights are considered equal and, as such, there is no hierarchy of rights. Not only is each one important, but they are also equally important. The interdependence and interrelatedness of human rights means that the enjoyment of one right depends on the ability to freely exercise other human rights.

Nowhere is this truer than in regard to the freedom of religion and belief. Freedom of religion and belief is a unique right, but it is also deeply connected to other rights. Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, along with article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights says that everyone has the rights to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. This includes the right to manifest one's religion or belief in public, as well as in private and individually or in a community with others.

How meaningful will this freedom be if one does not also enjoy the freedom of association and the freedom of peaceful assembly? Freedom of religion and belief also includes observance, practice, and teaching. Without the freedom of expression, without the ability to speak about and share one's belief with others, can we talk about freedom of religion? I do not think we can.

It is important to remember that Canada played a central role in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1947 and 1948. John Humphrey, a Canadian lawyer and noted scholar, was one of the key drafters of the declaration. In turn, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is one of the fundamental instruments that has served as a basis for drafting the Canadian federal, provincial, and territorial laws that provide human rights protections.

Canada has remained involved in the development of international mechanisms that help to protect these rights, including our work with other UN member states in creating the UN Human Rights Council in 2006. Canada was elected as one of the founding members of the council and served as one of the original members of the council.

Canada played a key role in setting up the universal periodic review mechanism within the UN Human Rights Council. The universal periodic review allows all countries to be evaluated by their peers. This review ensures that the human rights situation in all 193 UN member states is assessed every four to five years. Canada participates by providing recommendations and observations to each and every country. Our comments are constructive, clear, and principled.

Thanks in large part to international efforts spearheaded by the UN since 1948, more people can exercise their rights today than at any other time in history. Human rights are now increasingly mainstreamed into the work of the UN, including in its sustainable development goals and in the work of the Security Council. These developments serve as further evidence of the understanding that human rights are not only universal, indivisible, and interdependent, but that their respect is instrumental for sustainable development, peace, and security.

The expansion of human rights has stalled somewhat of late. The 2016 survey by Freedom House of freedom in the world, released just recently on January 27, reported a tenth consecutive year of declines in global respect for civil and political rights.

As the Minister of Foreign Affairs stated in the United Nations Human Rights Council, we face many challenges. Violent extremism is rising. Human rights defenders are harassed for daring to speak out against human rights abuses and violations.

Sexual minorities are a target of extreme violence and hate. Sexual and gender-based violence is committed against some women and girls at alarmingly increasing rates.

Fifteen million young girls around the world every year are forced into marriage, which keeps them from reaching their full potential, interrupts their education, jeopardizes their health, and makes them vulnerable to violence.

Children are abused, exploited and neglected, turned into instruments of war, trafficked or made to labour in inhumane conditions, deprived of an education and adequate health care, and denied an opportunity to just be kids.

Above all, what we see today is the proliferation of the misguided belief that diversity—cultural, religious, ethnic, political, social, and other forms of diversity—is a threat.

Our government says the exact opposite. Our government says that Canada is strong not in spite of its diversity but precisely because of its diversity. When universal human rights are respected, pluralism is an opportunity, not a danger.

It is also important to remember that the international human rights system is based on universality as a fundamental and underlying principle of the system. To ensure the credibility and impartiality of the UN, all member states are regularly subject to scrutiny in the universal periodic review. This scrutiny strengthens the overall system by ensuring that all states are systematically engaged in protecting the human rights of their own people.

Put another way, human rights are not simply an international issue but a domestic one as well. When we work to strengthen the international human rights system, we are also working to strengthen human rights here at home in Canada.

Canada not only calls for the scrutiny of other countries with respect to human rights situations, but we also welcome and appreciate the scrutiny of the international system. This is why Canada has a standing invitation to all UN special rapporteurs when we engage in good faith in the universal periodic review mechanism and when we provide regular reports to the UN on our record with regard to specific human rights treaties.

However, no country's record is perfect, and that needs to be said. If it is not obvious, then it should be. In order for Canada to be effective in the struggle for human rights, we must recognize that we have our own set of human rights issues, historically and certainly at present. We must be ready to work toward addressing these issues openly and transparently, and that is precisely what this government is doing. I would also submit that our diversity gives us a privileged position to do so. Our diversity is not only a strength; it also allows us to have a voice on this issue on the wider international stage.

One area where Canada has to face up to the reality of a difficult past and build a better future is Canada's relationship with its indigenous peoples. The Right Hon. Prime Minister has been unequivocal about our commitment to a renewed nation-to-nation relationship with indigenous peoples built on a foundation of recognition, rights, co-operation, and partnership based on the spirit of reconciliation.

In closing, I will refer to the mandate letters given to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie.

These ministers are tasked to work together to champion the values of an inclusive and accountable government, peaceful pluralism, and respect for diversity and human rights, including the rights of women and of refugees. While still imperfect, in Canada we have managed to engender an environment in which diverse communities have the freedom to live and grow.

It is because Canadians believe that diversity makes us stronger that we have welcomed 25,000 Syrian refugees over the past few months, and we have promised to do more. Canada strongly believes that these individuals will contribute to the Canadian fabric to help build a pluralistic, diverse, and inclusive society.

This is the vision of human rights that Canada is striving for here at home and the vision we are promoting in the world at large.

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I commend the member for his speech and congratulate him on his election.

I found a rather obvious logical incoherence in the member's remarks. He began by asserting that there is no such thing as a hierarchy of rights and that rights are indivisible, and then he went on to prioritize particular sets of rights, particular themes under the heading of rights, including, quite understandably and appropriately, the rights of women and aboriginal rights.

Is it the position of the member that, because of the alleged indivisibility of rights, we cannot emphasize any sets of rights except those the Liberal government chooses to prioritize? Is not the real question here that the government is now seeking to de-prioritize an emphasis on the growing wave of violent attacks on religious minorities around the world? Is that not what this is really about?

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, London North Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, I think the point about hierarchy has been misunderstood by the hon. member. I simply raise it as a way to point him to the logical conclusion of where the motion would lead.

Certainly the promotion of religious freedom is important. I do not think there is a member on this side of the House who would disagree with that. However, the logical conclusion of the motion would suggest that we need an office to promote not only religious freedom but also freedom of the press, freedom against racism, arbitrary arrests, and all these other important human rights that matter. These are all human rights. Do we need a specific office to promote each of these fundamental human rights and values? I do not think we do.

That is what I would respond with. I think it is a misunderstanding on the part of the member.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in terms of the hierarchy, we talk about how there is no hierarchy, but then why do we have a department for status of women if their rights are the same as everyone else's? Why then, having a department of status of women, do we create a special committee on pay equity? The reality is that it is about priority and focus.

We just heard today that 75% of the world's population live with some kind of restriction on their religious freedom, so it is a huge issue. How, then, are we going to prioritize when there is a limited amount of funds? I am very concerned that if we eliminate the Office of Religious Freedom, how would we prioritize? My question for the member is, how will he prioritize?

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, London North Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, there is an interesting editorial piece in one of the national papers today. It is written by Bruce Ryder and Luka Ryder-Bunting. Bruce Ryder is an associate professor at Osgoode Hall Law School. He is a noted authority on such issues. Let me point to what he says. His comments are quite instructive. While not discounting at all the importance of promoting religious rights, Mr. Ryder said:

...women and children may be denied basic rights across an entire society, whether or not they are members of religious minorities. States may imprison individuals solely on the basis of their beliefs, religious or otherwise. Viewing complex and interwoven issues through the lens of a single human right will not produce adequate responses. Canada should take an expansive view and advocate for the protection of all human rights.

This is a noted authority on such issues. This is why I say that focusing on one human right—