On a downtown street in our capital stands a monument in honour of the contributions Canada has played in the past as an international leader in HumanRights. Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party and MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands, stated, “As we again celebrate Human Rights Day on December 10, Canadians need to reflect upon our past and the role each of us must play to preserve and enhance those rights. One cannot guarantee the dignity andrights of individuals without a strong democracy.”
Human Rights Day is observed by the international community every year on December 10th to commemorate the day in 1948 when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Canada played a significant role in helping to draft this document, which remains a powerful instrument and symbol worldwide for enhancement of the common good.
The Preamble includes the phrase, “the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want.” Article 20 goes on to add, “Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.” These fundamental rights have been severely tested both here in Canada and abroad. “Now in Canada, freedom of speech and assembly are challenged by arrest, fines and the barring from Parliament Hill for a year. This is particularly shameful for our native Canadian leaders who are now further restricted from speaking out on behalf of their peoples, as they tried to do when demonstrating against the XL Pipeline,” commented Joe Foster, Green Human Rights Critic.
A healthy democracy requires the continued challenge of those holding power in public and private organizations. An important group is the unions working in collaboration with corporations to enhance the rights and productivity of workers and to make a positive contribution to the community. "International evidence clearly shows that labour rights are a key component to a functioning democracy and an equitable and sustainable economy,” said James Clancy, National President, The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE).
A key pillar of the UN Declaration is “the freedom from want.” With the economic downturn, poverty is on the rise, with no leadership provided at the national level. “Poverty is not only a social embarrassment to Canada but also has a significant economic cost that is neither morally or economically acceptable,” said Foster.
Each of us as Canadians who believe in the common good and the dignity of each individual, as expressed in the preamble to the Universal Declaration ofHuman Rights, need to take leadership in our communities and speak out through the media, contact our elected officials and join non-violent demonstrations. There is no dignity without human rights and there are no human rights without democracy.
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Contact:
Rebecca Harrison
media@greenparty.ca
613-614-4916