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e-7106 (Foreign affairs)
E-petition
Initiated by Devon Tremain from Burnaby, British Columbia
Original language of petition: English
Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament assembled
Whereas:
- Canada signed the Canada-Philippines Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) and subsequently committed over $60 million in security and development assistance to the Government of the Philippines;
- Canada has policies and commitments that uphold the protection of human rights, gender equality, transparency, and accountability, including the Voices at Risk Guidelines and the Feminist International Assistance Policy;
- By entering into the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement, the Government of Canada risks binding our country’s reputation to a military establishment accused of corruption and systemic human rights violations including extra-judicial killings of journalists, union members, and Indigenous peoples which violate the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL);
- As of November 2025, the Philippines holds 696 prisoners of conscience who are subjected to human rights violations and inhumane prison conditions; and
- Continued Canadian support and cooperation with the Government of the Philippines contributes to more human rights violations which undermines Canada’s stated commitments to peace, democracy, and the protection of human rights worldwide.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to
1. Conduct a transparent public review of the SOVFA’s human rights, corruption, and governance implications;
2. Suspend or reject the agreement as it cannot guarantee accountability, civilian oversight, and compliance with Canada's human rights obligations;
3. Call for the immediate release of prisoners of conscience in the Philippines, and urge the Philippine government to end the criminalization of human rights defenders;
4. Reaffirm Canada's independent commitment to peace, human rights, and democracy by engaging with peoples and civil society organizations in the Philippines, not through military pacts.
- Open for signature
- February 18, 2026, at 12:12 p.m. (EDT)
- Closed for signature
- June 18, 2026, at 12:12 p.m. (EDT)
