Omar Alghabra, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Consular Affairs), on March 17, welcomed the Government of the Philippines’ accession to the Hague Convention of October 25, 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction:
“We welcome the Philippines’ announced accession to the Convention, and stand ready to share our expertise,” the Liberal MP said.
Alghabra also said: “Canadian parents suffer incredible loss and pain when their children are abducted and removed to another country. International abduction cases are very complex in nature and frequently deal with conflicting justice systems. As such, the Convention is the foundation for the peaceful and orderly resolution of these cases, facilitating the prompt return of children to the state of their habitual residence.”
The parliamentary secretary added: “The Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is an important mechanism that we will continue to promote actively in order to assist more families facing issues of international child abduction.
“Canada looks forward to continuing to work with the Philippines, with the aim of making the Convention operational between the two countries,” Alghabra said.
The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is a multilateral treaty seeking to protect children under the age of 16 from the harmful effects of their wrongful removal or retention and to establish procedures to ensure their prompt return to the state of their habitual residence, as well as to secure protection for the rights of custody and of access under the laws of its contracting states.
The Convention was concluded on October 25, 1980, and entered into force internationally on December 1, 1983.
On March 16, 2016, the Philippines became the Convention’s 94th contracting state. As a new acceding state, a treaty relationship will not be established between Canada and the Philippines until Canada formally accepts the Philippines’ accession by depositing a declaration with the depositary of the Convention. Once Canada receives notification of the accession, it will undertake the necessary review and consultations to consider the possible acceptance of the Philippines’ accession.
Canada ratified the Convention, which applies to all Canadian provinces and territories, in 1983. Canada currently applies the Convention along with 78 other contracting states.
