The Subcommittee on International Human Rights met to study the current situation of democracy and human rights defenders around the world. Witnesses appearing were Mirja Trilsch, professor; Chris Yonke, political and strategic affairs adviser; Ryota Jonen, founding member of Demos Kratos; Taajbakhsh Daliran and Kian Pakdel, founders of the Iranian Canadian Cultural Society of Vancouver Island; Tamara Cofman Wittes, president of the National Democratic Institute; and Ivo Balinov and Marci Surkes from the Parliamentary Centre.
Mirja Trilsch described strategies used to attack human rights defenders, including criminalization, censorship, and discrimination, and noted that international protection mechanisms like the UN Special Rapporteur are themselves under threat from funding cuts and sanctions. She recommended that Canada adopt legislation creating a national protection mechanism for human rights defenders, which would set an example for other countries.
Chris Yonke warned that 72% of the world lives under autocratic regimes and that authoritarians like Russia and China are rapidly filling gaps left by democratic disengagement. He proposed creating a Canadian endowment for security and democracy, building a coalition of democracy-supporting states, and establishing an ambassador for democratic resilience, emphasizing that democracy support is cost-effective compared to managing the fallout of authoritarianism.
Ryota Jonen highlighted that civic space is shrinking globally, with laws labelling NGOs as foreign agents spreading from Hungary to Georgia and Uganda, forcing defenders into exile. He recommended that Canada protect the public square by engaging with the UN Human Rights Committee, connect Canadian civil society with counterparts in the global south, and invest in convening power to bring together diverse democratic actors.
Taajbakhsh Daliran and Kian Pakdel detailed systematic repression in Iran since 1979, including mass executions, killings of protesters, and gender-based violence, arguing the regime cannot be reformed through negotiation. They urged Canada to recognize Iran's crimes as mass atrocities under the Responsibility to Protect framework and press the UN Security Council to enact all measures, including collective military intervention, as peaceful efforts have failed.
Tamara Cofman Wittes noted that the National Democratic Institute has been forced to shrink from 1,200 staff in 58 countries to 250 staff in 30 countries due to U.S. funding cuts, leaving local partners without support. She stressed that democracy support builds better environments for trade and investment, and recommended that Canada focus on convening power and supporting credible elections and citizen election monitoring, which are critical gaps left by the U.S. withdrawal.
Ivo Balinov argued that democratic backsliding can often be reversed if addressed early, and that Canada's support for democratic development represents only $165 million of a $12.3 billion ODA portfolio, with parliaments and political parties receiving less than three per cent. He recommended making democracy support a strategic government priority and shifting from project-to-project funding to predictable, long-term partnerships, as done by EU member states and the U.K.
Marci Surkes endorsed Balinov's remarks, emphasizing that the Parliamentary Centre operates paycheque to paycheque and needs a new funding model to respond to urgent global challenges.
During questions, witnesses agreed that democracy support is a prerequisite for national security and economic interests, with Yonke noting that authoritarianism is easy but democracy requires constant maintenance. Wittes and Jonen highlighted the importance of including women in peace processes and coalition building, with Wittes citing evidence that peace agreements last longer when women are at the table. Daliran and Pakdel reiterated that Iran's regime will not change through reform and that Canada must take concrete actions, including military intervention, to protect Iranians. Trilsch emphasized that international mechanisms like the Special Rapporteur are essential for protecting defenders and must be shielded from funding cuts and attacks. Balinov noted that parliamentary exchanges can find common ground even between countries with profound political disagreements, citing the Women Legislators in Defence, Security and Peace network as an example.
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