PHM-Exch> Canada to reject 14 of 68 international human rights recommendations including for a national strategy to eliminate poverty

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: Maija Kagis maija.kagis at sympatico.ca

*From "Rob Rainer" <rob at cwp-csp.ca>*









   On Friday June 5, 2009 the Government of Canada made public Canada’s
response to the 68 human rights-related recommendations made to Canada by
the UN Human Rights Council, per the 2009 Universal Periodic Review (in
English at http://www.pch.gc.ca/pgm/pdp-hrp/inter/upr-eng.cfm; in French at
<http://www.pch.gc.ca/pgm/pdp-hrp/inter/upr-eng.cfm>http://www.pch.gc.ca/pgm/pdp-hrp/inter/upr-fra.cfm).
 This response will be communicated by the government before the Council on
Tuesday June 9, 2009.

Of the 68 recommendations, Canada is accepting 39, rejecting 14 and
partially accepting 15.  Canada is rejecting some recommendations that, were
they to be accepted, would mean Canada would join and/or ratify several
international human rights treaties.  The rejected recommendations also
include a number specific to economic and social rights, including:

- #1 (Ratify the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights)
- #10 (Recognize the justiciability of social, economic and cultural rights,
in accordance with the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; ensure legal enforcement of economic,
social and cultural rights in domestic courts; grant the same importance to
and treat equally civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, in
its legislation at all levels); and
- #17 (Develop a national strategy to eliminate poverty)

On #17, that Canada is rejecting the call for a national strategy to
eliminate poverty undermines the recent or current efforts of the House of
Commons' HUMA Committee and various Senate committees and sub-committees to
help determine the appropriate role of the federal government in combating
poverty Canada-wide.  It also flies in the face of calls from at least a
couple of provinces (e.g., Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario), pursuant to
their provincial poverty action strategies, for complementary engagement of
the federal government to help ensure progress on poverty.

If you have not already done so, please register your support for the new
Dignity for All Campaign for a Poverty-free Canada (www.dignityforall.ca).
 Through this campaign civil society will strengthen its press for enduring
federal commitment for a pan-Canadian approach to combating poverty, in
which the federal government exercises the leadership it ought to exercise.
 Such leadership includes convening a process by which a pan-Canadian
strategy to eliminate poverty, that complements and supports provincial and
territorial strategies, will be realized, with a strong foundation in
Canada’s international and domestic human rights commitments.

CANADA WITHOUT POVERTY / CANADA SANS PAUVRETÉ
www.cwp-csp.ca and www.dignityforall.ca

<http://www.pch.gc.ca/pgm/pdp-hrp/inter/upr-fra.cfm).%20
This%20response%20will%20be%20communicated%20by%20the%20government%20before%20the%20Council%20on%20Tuesday%20June%209,%202009.Of%20the%2068%20recommendations,%20Canada%20is%20accepting%2039,%20rejecting%2014%20and%20partially%20accepting%2015.%20
Canada%20is%20rejecting%20some%20recommendations%20that,%20were%20they%20to%20be%20accepted,%20would%20mean%20Canada%20would%20join%20and/or%20ratify%20several%20international%20human%20rights%20treaties.%20
The%20rejected%20recommendations%20also%20include%20a%20number%20specific%20to%20economic%20and%20social%20rights,%20including:%20-%20#1
(Ratify the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights)- #10 (Recognize the justiciability of social,
economic and cultural rights, in accordance with the Optional Protocol to
the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; ensure
legal enforcement of economic, social and cultural rights in domestic
courts; grant the same importance to and treat equally civil, political,
economic, social and cultural rights, in its legislation at all levels);
and- #17 (Develop a national strategy to eliminate poverty)On #17, that
Canada is rejecting the call for a national strategy to eliminate poverty
undermines the recent or current efforts of the House of Commons' HUMA
Committee and various Senate committees and sub-committees to help determine
the appropriate role of the federal government in combating poverty
Canada-wide.  It also flies in the face of calls from at least a couple of
provinces (e.g., Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario), pursuant to their
provincial poverty action strategies, for complementary engagement of the
federal government to help ensure progress on poverty.If you have not
already done so, please register your support for the new Dignity for All
Campaign for a Poverty-free Canada (www.dignityforall.ca).  Through this
campaign civil society will strengthen its press for enduring federal
commitment for a pan-Canadian approach to combating poverty, in which the
federal government exercises the leadership it ought to exercise.  Such
leadersh>
<http://www.eset.com/>
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