Iran, Egypt, Cuba, Pakistan criticize Canada on human rights

Politics International Politics
1

vancouversun.com/news/Canada … story.html

Here is a selected list of criticisms, followed by the latest report from Amnesty International (AI) of that country’s rights record:

  • Cuba “noted that aboriginals are disadvantaged in terms of self-generated income, education and health, with the highest ranks in suicide and poverty indexes, asking about measures to repair this historic injustice.”

  • Pakistan, in an apparent criticism of Canada’s refusal at the council to criticize Israel’s conduct in Gaza, said Canadians “have been on the forefront of human rights promotion and protection. Yet Canadian policy in the Council often contradicts these high values.”

  • Iran, in addition to criticizing Canada’s treatment of minorities, said Canada’s foreign policy is subjected to a double-standard when it comes to Israel’s behaviour in Gaza.

  • Egypt said Canada "boasts of sophisticated human rights architecture and is a multicultural :fume: [color=#BF0040]melting pot[/color], :astonished: :loco: :astonished: :noway: :noway: " but then proceeded to criticize the government for its treatment of minorities and immigrants. Egypt also urged Canada to train judges and lawyers on dealing with racial hate crimes.

  • Russia called on Canada to launch a “national strategy to eliminate poverty.”

AI: “The Russian authorities were increasingly intolerant of dissent or criticism, branding it ‘unpatriotic’.”

  • “Italy asked about and recommended legislation on domestic violence (and) noted reports that, since 2003, over 20 people have died in Canada after being shot by police with a Taser.”

…

You know what? Screw you and your stupid criticisms. If this is what we get for being on your side against the USA than you can forget about it. Just because we praise you doesn’t mean we mean it, stupid tinpot dictatorship countries, we just like to pretend we do. Now go back to doing the same illegal things you always do and stop criticizing us.

Really, what’s up?

2

UN committee urges Canada to improve human rights record
Long list of concerns about Canada’s performance raised with particular attention to living conditions of Canada’s aboriginal peoples, the use of Tasers, and the refusal to ratify outstanding human rights agreements.

Geneva (6 Feb. 2009) - At its first examination under the Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review, the UN body raised concerns about Canada’s performance on a number of human rights issues.

In particular, Canada was urged to do more to improve the welfare of aboriginal peoples, review its policies on police use of Taser weapons, the security certificate process and ratify outstanding human rights conventions.

The National Union of Public and General Employees, along with 49 other non-governmental organizations in Canada, made a submission to the periodic review about Canada’s failure to ratify a number of UN Conventions. The union also supported a number of the other submissions.

Canada offers weak excuses

John Sims, Canada’s deputy justice minister, told the 47-member state forum “no country, including Canada, has a perfect human rights record.”

“It is important that every country open their human rights records to scrutiny, both domestically and internationally.”

When questioned over it’s anti-terrorism laws, in particular the security certificate process, the Canadian delegation claimed that everything was being done to balance detainee rights and security interests. They cited the controversial special advocate program as a step forward.

Sims said that the program of “special advocates will be challenged and will work its way through the Canadian court system. It will, in this way, be tested for how well the government has struck this important balance.”

Facing criticism for not ratifying the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Sims replied that Canada felt that “it was too vague on some issues.”

“We are aware that Canada’s position has generated a number of adverse reactions. I wish to stress, however, that Canada remains committed to fulfilling its human rights commitments to aboriginal peoples in Canada,” he said.

50 submissions criticizing Canada’s Human Rights performance
This one is even worse! :raspberry: :noway:

nupge.ca/node/1528
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) was one of the 50 civil society organizations submitting briefs to the the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in preparation for the February review.

NUPGE concentrated on the serious erosion of labour rights in Canada over the past 27 years as well as Canada’s poor record of ratifying and complying with International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions.

And this one, from a Muslim newsrag
english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8711171040
basically claims that Muslims are discriminated against in canada, which says to me that Muslims complain in every coutry where Muslims are not a majority and Canada is no different. BIG DEAL WHOOP DEE DO.

screw you guys. I am beginning to understand why Americans want to bomb everything.

3

Canada, for example, took a pounding from Iran :raspberry: – assailed by international human rights groups for rights abuses – on several fronts, including treatment of “aboriginal women, migrants, Muslim, Arabs and Afro-Canadians.”

Still, much of the review consists of material provided in submissions to the working group by human rights and civil society organizations in Canada who present written reports for study by member nations. They largely focused on treatment of aboriginal people that was termed “shameful,” from high suicide rates to missing and murdered women.

Canadian responses were usually general, with the specific promise on Tasers being an exception. Among several countries to voice concern about the deaths of people who have been Tasered by police, Italy recommended Ottawa “prescribe more rigorous procedures for their possession and use.”

thestar.com/News/Canada/article/583256

Who the hell does Iran think they are, anyway? Since when did they not love Canada? What the hell is going on!

4

Okay, this is the worst one yet. At leasxt it is from a Canadian newspaper. We don’t censor our news like China. yet.
pacificfreepress.com/news/1/ … acism.html
Canada’s Universal Periodic Review at the UN - The situation of aboriginal peoples is denounced by 35 states
by AFNQL
The image of Canada, as the great defender of human rights does not hold water when it’s a matter of First Nations’ rights. Two days ago, within the scope of Canada’s Universal Periodic Review of the Human Rights Council, the representative of the Canadian government was unable to defend and justify Canada’s numerous acts of negligence towards the First Nations.

Out of 47 countries who interrogated the representative of Canada, some 35 of them raised profound concerns for the fate of Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples.

Numerous countries, including Austria, Mexico and Norway strongly criticized Canada, and enjoined it to reconsider its decision of not supporting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, adopted in 2007. Canada was among the four countries to vote against the document. Later on, Canada remained silent when Denmark asked questions about a letter signed by one hundred lawyers from Canada who were questioning its reasons for not supporting the Declaration.

GENEVA, Feb. 5 /CNW Telbec/ - As a means of defense, the representative of Canada affirmed that the Declaration “does not provide for equilibrium between the rights of Aboriginals and Non-Aboriginals”.

“This position is ludicrous and hare-brained”, replied the Chief of the Assembly of the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador (AFNQL), Ghislain Picard, emphasizing that Canada’s laws, policies and programs, and more particularly the Department of Indian Affairs, has created and maintained since a very long time, numerous injustices towards the Aboriginals. " If the Declaration doesn’t sit well with the Harper government, it’s definitely because it respects our fundamental rights ", stated Chief Picard.

Violence suffered by Aboriginal Women

The adoption of the United Nations Declaration was not the sole concern put forward in regards to the First Nations. Numerous States also questioned Canada on the violence which the Aboriginal women are subjected to, while over 500 of them have gone missing or have been killed up until recently in Canada. On this matter, the representative of Canada had difficulty explaining that Aboriginal women in Canada are five times more at risk than the rest of the female population of being victims of domestic violence or to die from a violent death.

“The large number of questions asked by the other countries shows that, as far as the rights of Aboriginal Peoples are concerned, Canada does not project the image of a country that champions human rights”, stated John Martin, the political adviser of the AFNQL, who was on site in Geneva. “We are hoping that this international pressure will bring Canada to change its ways of doing things and to recognize our rights”, concluded Mr. Martin on behalf of the AFNQL.

I CAN’T STAND IT I CAN’T STAND IT.

“pounds head”

I’m serious. I am really angry. I need to do something else. I think I’ll look up China’s stupid record. At least I know that’s worse.
They just hate Canada because they wish they were Canadians. What are they trying to do besides make themselves look good?