The Case Against Canada: Easier Said Than Done (2010)

Easier Said Than Done (2010) is the latest Report on Canada (and 11 other Commonwealth countries) concerning commitments and performances at the United Nations Human Rights Council.  The other Commonwealth countries at the Council are: Bangladesh, Cameroon, Ghana, India, Malasia, Mauritius, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Africa, the United Kingdom and Zambia.

This the 3rd such Report in the Easier Said Than Done series as conducted by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative. Here is the verbatim overall assessment regarding Canada in italics. Emphasis is marked by underscoring.

The report compares pre-election pledges made to the United Nations Human Rights Council by Canada and eleven other Commonwealth countries, with each country’s performance at the domestic and UN levels.

According to the report, from mid-2008 until mid-2010, Canada did not measure up to the high standard of human rights promotion and protection to which it committed itself in its pre-election pledge to the Council in 2006.

At the domestic level:

In its pledge, for example, Canada committed to actively pursue the implementation of human rights domestically, including with respect to indigenous peoples, and noted that the promotion and protection of human rights was an integral part of its foreign policy. Despite these pledges, the report’s findings indicate that aspects of Canada’s foreign policy seemed to be void of human rights considerations, and that the human rights situation of indigenous peoples in Canada remained poor.

At the UN level:

Canada further pledged to strengthen and support UNHRC mechanisms, including the special procedures. Despite generally adhering to this pledge, the report’s findings show that on a couple of occasions Canada attempted to limit the scope of certain special procedures. Canada’s pledge to submit its future treaty bodies on time was not fulfilled.

Easier Said Than Done (2010) calls on Canada to adhere to the voluntary pledges it made prior to Council elections and to promote the fundamental values of the Commonwealth by taking positive stances at international human rights fora, such as the Council.

For the chapter on Canada, click here:
www.humanrightsinitiative.org/publications/hradvocacy/ESTD_2010/Canada_Chapter.pdf

For the full report, click here:
www.humanrightsinitiative.org/publications/hradvocacy/ESTD_2010/Full_report_without_Annexure_III.pdf

For a table which summarizes the voting records of the Commonwealth countries at the UN Human Rights Council, click here:
www.humanrightsinitiative.org/publications/hradvocacy/ESTD/Annexure_II_Voting_table.pdf

To view pre-election pledges made by the 12 countries, click here:
www.humanrightsinitiative.org/publications/hradvocacy/ESTD_2010/Annexure_III_Pledges_made.pdf

To view the 2007 report, click here:
www.humanrightsinitiative.org/publications/hradvocacy/easier_said_tha_done.pdf

To view the 2008 report, click here:
www.humanrightsinitiative.org/publications/hradvocacy/easier_said_than_done_2008.pdf

For information on the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative and its work at the United Nations Human Rights Council, please visit:
http://www.humanrightsinitiative.org/