:
No? Okay, I understand.
[English]
Anyway, I told them one might be coming, so I stand corrected on that. At any rate, that was all the business that transpired there. They did ask a little bit about our future business, so that they could plan. I advised them of this study on Venezuela and also of our study on the universal periodic review.
I think now that we're off one large thing and onto many small things, I'll probably be going back and reporting to them more or less once a month. The clerk and I will get into the habit of going together, a practice we didn't have in the past because it was the same clerk for both committees.
That said, we have with us today three witnesses. You are, I'm happy to say, our first witnesses on our study on Venezuela. Our witnesses today, all from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, are Alexandra Bugailiskis, who is the assistant deputy minister for Latin America and the Caribbean; Jeffrey Marder, who is the director for South America and inter-American relations; and Kirk Duguid, who is the desk officer for Venezuela.
Normally we allow 10 minutes. If it seems appropriate and you all want to have small contributions, we can run a little bit longer. It just means that we'll have to adjust our questions. Perhaps I will leave that to your discretion.
With that, please begin.
:
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I was going to open with an apology for perhaps stretching that 10-minute limit. I promise I'll be shorter next time, but since this is the first opportunity to speak to you, we wanted to give you the fullest picture possible.
[Translation]
Thank you for the opportunity to appear before this Committee today to discuss the human rights situation in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The Canadian government has made the strengthening of our relations with Latin America and the Caribbean a foreign policy priority. The Americas Engagement Strategy sees to build on our long and history of commerce, investment, development, immigration and people to people ties in the region.
[English]
Canada's interests and relations in the region focus on three interdependent and mutually reinforcing themes: democratic governance, prosperity, and security.
Through its support for democratic governance, Canada has established a reputation as a reliable partner and a principled participant whose voice and influence count. The promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of this effort.
Canada defends human rights and takes principled positions on important issues to help ensure that freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law--values that define this country--are enjoyed around the world and in this region.
Canada believes strongly in the value of democratic principles, processes, and institutions. Making democracies more effective, accountable, and inclusive is a key priority for Canada in the region, and Canada is committed to working with our partners in the Americas to build strong, effective, and accountable democratic institutions that respond to the needs and interests of citizens and sustain economic development.
[Translation]
Canada actively supports democracy in the region through its leadership within and support to the Organization of American States, the OAS. The OAS, through the Inter-American Democratic Charter, has made respect for fundamental democratic principles a condition of active membership.
The Charter represents an important milestone for the region, and for the past several years, Canada has introduced a resolution at the OAS General Assembly in support of the Charter and its application.
We believe the OAS can and should take an active role in providing support to strengthen nascent or fragile democratic institutions in the hemisphere and to take preventative actions when democracy is threatened.
[English]
The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade supports efforts to strengthen the voices of citizens and encourages their direct participation in exercising their franchise and their right to express their views.
The Glyn Berry program for peace and security provides up to a million dollars towards local democracy support in the Americas. Projects funded are designed to help strengthen civil society and empower them in protecting and promoting the principles of the democratic charter in their countries.
The department is further strengthening its focus on democracy support through our efforts to reinforce our presence in the field and in collecting and applying best practices. As part of this exercise, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade recently established a democratic unit within the Canadian embassy in Lima, Peru, to develop and advance democracy support policies and programming through a regional context. The unit will support our missions in the Andean sub-region in identifying and reporting on regional trends and challenges and will respond more effectively to the need for capacity-building through the joint application of best practices across the region.
Now I will move to the subject of Venezuela in particular.
[Translation]
The human rights situation in Venezuela continues to attract much concern from international human rights bodies, such as the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the IACHR.
On February 24, the Commission released a report identifying a series of issues that restrict the full enjoyment of human rights and highlighting the absence of an effective separation and independence of the public branches of power.
The Venezuelan government aggressively rejected this report along with statements on the situation in Venezuela in the Commission's April annual report.
In addition to criticizing members of the Commission, President Chavez threatened to withdraw from the IACHR, a threat that has been made in previous years following previous annual reports.
[English]
Despite Venezuela's rejection of the report, the fact is that numerous human rights challenges have been reported. The IACHR and the OAS Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression have repeatedly expressed their serious concern about the situation of the right to freedom of expression in Venezuela. Most recently, at the end of March, the IACHR issued a statement expressing its deep concern over the use of the punitive power of the state to criminalize human rights defenders and peaceful social protestors as well as the use of the legal system for the persecution of political opponents.
Human rights organizations in Venezuela have reported the following violations, among others: unlawful killings; harsh prison conditions; arbitrary arrests and detentions; an inefficient and politicized judicial system characterized by trial delays, impunity, and violations of due process; government intimidation and attacks on the independent media, as well as media closures and suspensions; and restrictions on workers' rights of association.
[Translation]
It should be noted that Venezuela has achieved some improvements. According to the IACHR report, there have been noted improvements in access to basic education and food security, as well as legislative advances in the protection of indigenous and minority groups.
However, there has also been deterioration in the health care sector, increased unemployment, dramatic increases in food prices and power blackouts. This in turn has led to increased protests and repression and detention of the protestors by security forces and a lack of enforcement of legislation designed to protect and empower marginalized groups.
[English]
Many observers agree that since assuming the presidency 11 years ago, Hugo Chávez has consolidated his domestic position through a series of actions that have concentrated power in the executive. This process has had implications for the independence of a number of important institutions and sectors, such as the judiciary. In December the UN expressed concern over the arrest of Judge Maria Lourdes Afiuni Mora, stating the incident points to a climate of fear among the legal profession in Venezuela and undermines the rule of law.
Canada is concerned over recent trends related to human rights and democratic governance in Venezuela, in particular by state-led moves against opposition and by interference with the independence of key institutions such as the judiciary, the media, and the education sector.
[Translation]
Canada continues to try to engage with the government of Venezuela, as well as with civil society on issues including human rights, democracy and rule of law. Canada supports the work of a number of Venezuelan NGOs. Through our Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, our Embassy provides financial support to NGOs working on priority issues of human rights, democracy, transparency and practices of good governance.
NGOs in Venezuela have also benefited from the Glyn Berry Program for work related to efficient and transparent public administration, media training and voter participation. Last year, we awarded, for the first time, the Human Rights Prize of the Embassy of Canada in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The winner, prisoners' rights advocate and human rights defender, Humberto Prado, was selected by a group of high-profile Venezuelans with backgrounds in human rights related work.
[English]
In January, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Peter Kent, visited Venezuela, but unfortunately was informed that no ministers would be able to meet with him. Instead he met with a number of civil society organizations. Following his visit, Minister Kent made public statements on the concerns raised to him by those organizations about the shrinking democratic space in Venezuela.
The Canadian government also released public statements expressing concern over the suspension of six cable satellite broadcasting stations for what appeared to be political reasons. We encouraged and supported a discussion at the Organization of American States on freedom of expression in the Americas, during which we made strong statements on the restrictive nature of Venezuela's most recent administrative measure to reduce and restrict media outlets. Minister Kent also issued a statement on March 25 expressing concern over the arrest of former state governor Oswaldo Álvarez Paz, allegedly for comments made during a talk show broadcast on Venezuelan television.
[Translation]
We believe that support from Canada and the international community for democratic governance and full respect for human rights in Venezuela is important. In line with our Americas strategy priorities, we will continue to encourage the Government of Venezuela to strengthen protection for human rights and adopt best practices related to democratic governance.
Thank you very much.
[English]
You can also ask any questions of the experts I have with me, Mr. Jeffrey Marder and Mr. Kirk Duguid.
:
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I apologize for having to be very short. Both I and Professor Cotler want to ask questions.
Obviously one of the reasons we're having this hearing on Venezuela is because we're deeply concerned. Certainly people I've met from Venezuela who are coming to Canada, as well as people I've met internationally, have expressed their concerns and outrage as to how they've been treated, particularly in relation to the treatment of political dissidents, people who don't agree with the government.
You mentioned that the shrinking of the democratic space in the country is a troubling factor. As you know, minority communities, particularly the Jewish community, have also decreased over a number of years. There has also been a ratcheting up of rhetoric by Chávez and his supporters in making some very anti-Semitic remarks. They're also collaborating with Iran, which is a hostile country that has made threats to wipe Israel off the face of the earth. This is a grave concern to us that I think needs to be addressed in a much more serious way.
Chávez, through his moderators and spokespeople in television.... In fact, one of his key persons, who has his own very popular television program, has the same name as I do, unfortunately. That individual is blatantly anti-Semitic and blames the Jews for every cause there is in the world. Even if Chávez is not uttering the words, the people he surrounds himself with and the people who are his official voices have been extremely anti-Semitic. They have also been providing hostility towards the Jewish community, making them fearful for their lives. That's one of the reasons that many of them have left and are trying to leave Venezuela.
I want to know what type of assistance we're providing from an immigration perspective in assisting those who come here. Also, are we meeting with the opposition leaders? If we can't meet with ministers and government officials, which I think is totally outrageous, are we making an effort to deal with opposition leaders within the country?
:
Perhaps I'll take the first part, Mr. Marston, and then leave the others to my colleagues.
With regard to the priority in the Americas, I think it was in 2007 that Prime Minister Stephen Harper decided that one of his key foreign policy priorities would be the renewal and strengthening of relations with the Americas. I've been very lucky to be part of that effort. It is new, I think, in the sense that our approach in the Americas, as we mentioned earlier, is through the three pillars or priorities of democracy, security, and prosperity.
One of my first posts was in Africa, so I always take umbrage when people feel that somehow this development has been on the backs of Africa. It has not. If you look at the record, the commitments this government made with regard to the G8 and the funding to Africa have been maintained.
In fact, with regard to engagement in the Americas, there hasn't been an enormous amount of money. I'm actually proud of that fact, because what we're trying to do is build sustainable linkages. These linkages, which may be through free trade agreements, air cooperation, or youth mobility, don't cost a lot of money, but they build very long-term sustaining relationships between Canada and the region. Obviously there has been some money through CIDA, and we've certainly increased our presence in Haiti with the development assistance we're giving to Haiti and to the Caribbean, but these additional moneys have come largely through the growth of the aid envelope, and not, I would say, at the expense of Africa.
I will give Mr. Marder the floor with regard to the second part of Mr. Marston's question.
:
Thank you very much for that question.
When we joined the Organization of American States over 20 years ago, one of the first measures Canada took was to establish a unit for the promotion of democracy. It has different names now, but that office has continued to develop and grow. A lot of the expertise so far has been on the observation of elections. The OAS has become very good and very strong in that regard. I think that's a fundamental building block of good democracies.
What we've always promoted, and continue to promote, is that we think the Organization of American States can do more. We believe that capacity-building is the key. Reporting is one thing, particularly by other governments. Being able to empower civil society to bring its government to task regarding what it thinks are abuses or lack of respect for human rights is much more important. We think the Organization of American States should be providing more and more technical assistance. We ourselves are providing moneys in that regard.
The other aspect is that when conditions reach a certain critical point, the OAS needs to become activated. It has a permanent council, and at council meetings that country's representatives, our ambassadors, can make statements. We have done so on several occasions, not only on Venezuela but on others.
Again, we think there should be an opportunity for not only countries but also other branches to bring those points of view. Thus far, it is only when a country's executive brings a critical threat to democracy to the OAS that it is heard. We believe that in this case it should be open to the judiciary as well as to the legislator.
A good example would be in the case of Venezuela, where I think we see a trend line of disrespect for the rights of the judiciary to have a capacity to be completely independent. I would like to see the OAS be open to, as I said, having other branches of the government come forward and be able to lay their concerns in advance of a major rupture, such as we saw take place in Honduras just about a year ago.