A picture with then Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte figured prominently in Kevin Lamoureux’s ad which appeared in two local Winnipeg papers. (Screen grab)

Updated: October 23, 2019, 10:30 PM

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Does Kevin Lamoureux support this human rights violator?

Opinion 

By Ted Alcuitas

A veteran politician is in hot water for using his picture with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in his campaign ad.

Liberal Kevin Lamoureux used a picture of him with then Davao City Mayor Duterte in one of his frequent trips to the Philippines since becoming a member of Parliament for Winnipeg North in 2010. The riding is said to contain the most number of Filipino voters.

The Winnipeg Free Press broke the story about the picture when it was alerted to its use by a local resident who found it “disturbing” Lamoureux had chosen to “promote his campaign” with an image of a “violent tyrant.

“Right now, I don’t know exactly what’s in the ad; I would have to take another look at it,” Lamoureux told The Free Press. “But my understanding is it highlights the fact that I’ve had discussions… with individuals who have been president of the Philippines.

“Politicians come and go. I’m committed to do what I can to further a positive relationship with the Philippines. That’s my primary objective.”

The Free Press called Duterte a ‘dictator’ in headlining the story. While he was democratically elected in 2016, Duterte is virtually ruling like a dictator and the country is in a  ‘de facto’ martial law situation.

Duterte declares martial law in bits and pieces – Marawi City here and Boracay there where he unitarily closed the country’s prime tourist attraction without consulting local officials.

Of course he controls practically every institution in the country – from the military to the courts and the legislature.

In short, he calls the shots.

The tough-talking Duterte showing off.

And he does.

With close to 30,000 dead under his watch. Killed without due process, most of whom are poor people suspected of being drug addicts.

Yet, Imelda Marcos, the former dictator’s wife, convicted of fraud is scot free. Other suspected drug lords and traffickers are free and not being ‘killed’ by Duterte.

If this is not a dictatorship, I don’t know what to call it.

His record of human rights violations is so abominable, international agencies including the United Nations is investigating.

Canada cancelled its helicopter deal with Duterte because of his record.

And here, in Winnipeg where Filipinos are reputedly the most numerous, we have Kevin Lamoureux proudly standing by Duterte’s side.

Henry Hizon wants to protect families against the LGTB agenda.  (Facebook)

Lamoureux is running against nine other candidates including a Filipino-Canadian.

Henry Hizon, called ‘Pogs’ (short for ‘Pogi’ or handsome) by friends, is running for the Christian Heritage Party.

According to his party information, he is running “to defend the rights of families and their young children against the provincial sexuality curriculum and the LGBT agenda”. 

The father of three works as an Animal Production Technician.

He serves as the President of Nazarene Missions International and on the Church Board at River of Life Church of the Nazarene.

“I decided to run for CHP because of its biblical principles and to be a voice of the Christian community,” he pledges.