Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Human Rights
Issue 29 - Thirteenth Report of the Committee
Tuesday, June 25 2013
The Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights has the honour to table its
THIRTEENTH REPORT
Your committee, which was authorized by the Senate on Wednesday, June 22, 2011, to examine and monitor issues relating to human rights and, inter alia, to review the machinery of government dealing with Canada's international and national human rights obligations, is pleased to report as follows:
1. The implementation of international human rights treaties
The Committee has continued to monitor the implementation of international human rights treaties in Canada and held hearings pertaining to the United Nations Human Rights Council on 6 February 2012 and to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child on 25 March 2013. During these hearings, we heard from representatives from the Government of Canada, members of civil society organisations and other experts.
The Committee previously recommended in its 2012 report, Canada and the United Nations Human Rights Council: Charting a New Course, that the "Government of Canada ensure that its operations in relation to its human rights treaty obligations are more transparent and open to public scrutiny." We recommended the creation of a central public database on the Internet to inform Canadians about: the status of Canada's accession to or ratification of international treaties; any public consultations that will be held in this respect; any programs designed to meet Canada's human rights treaty obligations; and information pertaining to reports and complaint mechanisms. We also recommended that the Government of Canada immediately develop a plan for its next Universal Periodic Review preparations that would outline a process to "ensure open and transparent, timely and substantive engagement with civil society, Aboriginal peoples' organizations, parliamentarians, and the Canadian public with respect to Canada's human rights obligations."
The Committee recognizes the significant work that the Government of Canada has put into the reporting processes to both the Committee on the Rights of the Child and to the Human Rights Council for the Universal Periodic Review. We have learned that the Government of Canada is taking positive steps with regard to the above-noted recommendations. The Committee notes, however, that the Government of Canada could do much more in making information available to Canadians pertaining to Canada's international human rights treaty obligations. Witnesses from civil society groups continue to inform us about challenges they face in attempting to obtain information from the federal government and raise concerns that there is insufficient engagement with non-governmental organisations in the consultation process (which is a required element of the Universal Periodic Review). The Government of Canada should make every effort to ensure that all relevant information pertaining to Canada's implementation of human rights treaties, its reporting to UN bodies on its human rights obligations, and its consultations with civil society organisations is made accessible and promoted to all Canadians.
To assist in informing Canadians, the Committee believes that the Government of Canada should provide action plans, as previously recommended in Charting a New Course, outlining how it intends to implement the recommendations it accepts from Canada's Universal Periodic Reviews and from other UN treaty bodies. Witnesses have continued to raise concerns that the lack of such plans makes it difficult to assess the federal government's progress in these matters.
2. The Implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (and its successor resolutions)
The Committee has continued to monitor Canada's implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 and held hearings on 5 and 12 March 2012 and 6 May 2013. During these hearings, we heard from representatives of the Government of Canada, members of civil society organisations and other experts.
The Committee recognizes that the Government of Canada has played a leading role in promoting to the world the importance of Resolution 1325 and its successor resolutions (Resolution 1820 (2008), Resolution 1888 (2009), Resolution 1889 (2009) and Resolution 1960 (2010)). Canada's National Action Plan for the implementation of these resolutions, Building Peace and Security for all: Canada's Action Plan for the Implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions on Women, Peace and Security, was released in 2010. The plan stated that the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada will "compile an annual report of Canada's progress in implementing the UNSC Women, Peace and Security Resolutions." Three years later, no report has yet been made publicly available.
The Committee is concerned that the delay in publishing this report is preventing the critical analysis and review of Canada's progress in implementing the National Action Plan. We urge the Government of Canada to release its report without further delay and to publish subsequent annual reports on a regularly scheduled basis hereafter.
Respectfully submitted,
MOBINA S. B. JAFFER
Chair