INTRODUCTION TO THE STANDING COMMITTEE
ON HUMAN RIGHTS

MANDATE

The Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights has a mandate to deal with issues relating to human rights generally as may be referred to it by the Senate. Within this broad policy field, the committee focuses on examining, exploring and monitoring issues of human rights.

HISTORY

On March 15, 2001, the Senate amended the Rules of the Senate to establish the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights. Since that time, it has closely monitored the implementation of Canada’s domestic and international human rights obligations and has provided through its reports, a series of recommendations for government departments and agencies. The committee has also been involved in monitoring the development of legislation and policy at the federal level with a human rights component. In addition, the committee has undertaken studies on the human rights of various groups.

SELECTED STUDIES

In July 2022, the committee tabled a report entitled The Scars that We Carry: Forced and Coerced Sterilization of Persons in Canada following its own recommendation to further study this issue from its initial report tabled in June 2021. 

During the 43^rd Parliament, the committee tabled two important reports. The first one completed a study which the committee undertook during the 42^nd Parliament and is entitled Forced and Coerced Sterilization of Persons in Canada. The second report is the outcome of a long-term study also undertaken during the 42^nd Parliament and is entitled Human Rights of Federally-Sentenced Persons. In February 2019, the committee released an interim report on the same topic, Study on the Human Rights of Federally-Sentenced Persons: The Most Basic Human Right is to be treated as a Human being (1 February 2017-26 March 2018). Also tabled were reports on the human rights of various groups including North Korean defectors, Syrian refugees, and Rohingya refugees:  The Forgotten Many: Human Rights and North Korean Defectors (June 2016); Finding Refuge in Canada: A Syrian Resettlement Story (December 2016); and An Ocean of Misery: The Rohingya Refugee Crisis (February 2019), as well as a report on how Canada can use its economic levers to enhance respect for human rights, particularly with regard to Canada’s Export and Import Permits Act, Promoting Human Rights - Canada’s Approach to its Export Sector (June 2018). The committee also studied the Passenger Protect Program (no-fly list).

In the previous parliaments, the committee issued reports on the functioning of various international human rights instruments (8 reports) as well as reports on the human rights of specific groups: children (5 reports), public servants (4 reports), Indigenous Peoples (3 reports), women (2 reports), persons with disabilities (1 report) and persons working in the garment industry (1 report).

SELECTED LEGISLATIVE WORK

In June 2022, the committee examined Bill S-224, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (trafficking in persons), and reported the same without amendment.

In April 2022, the committee examined Bill S-211, An Act to enact the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act and to amend the Customs Tariff, and reported the same with amendment and observations.

During the 43^rd Parliament, the committee examined one bill, Bill S-204, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (trafficking in human organs), and reported the same without amendment.

CURRENT WORK

For information on the current work of the committee, you may wish to review the orders of reference the committee has received from the Senate, or review the committee proceedings. Detailed information on current work of the committee can be found on the Senate website at https://sencanada.ca/en/committees/ridr.