SENATORS’ STATEMENTS — International Human Rights Day
December 10, 2020
Honourable senators, today, for International Human Rights Day, I wish to highlight an organization that has been advocating for the rights of African Nova Scotians.
The African Nova Scotian Decade for People of African Descent Coalition, or DPAD for short, focuses on the historic injustices against Black Canadians in Nova Scotia and current issues related to institutional and systemic racism, and on developing a foundation for future generations.
The organization’s mission is to build strength and health across communities, and to build a relationship between African Nova Scotians and all levels of government. DPAD advocates for action on pressing current issues, including police brutality, racial profiling, disaggregated data and ensuring African-Nova Scotian voices are represented in government.
Black Canadians have endured a difficult year. On top of a global crisis jeopardizing our health and livelihoods, we have also endured the racial trauma of the murder of many Black people at the hands of police and the echoing impact of injustices. We have been forced to experience the collision of dual pandemics — racism and COVID-19.
Throughout this time of grief, DPAD has been a stabilizing force. The theme for this year’s Human Rights Day is “Recover Better — Stand Up for Human Rights.”
DPAD stands up for African-Nova Scotian rights as we build back better.
I particularly congratulate the staff of this organization, Vanessa Fells and Bernadette Hamilton-Reid, their executive committee and all member organizations that work collectively to lead change. They mobilize and coordinate change in each of the 50 African-Nova Scotian communities and represent us at the federal level.
I look forward to watching this organization grow in the coming years as they recognize African Nova Scotians as an integral part of Nova Scotia’s past, present and future.
Honourable colleagues, please join me in celebrating the exceptional human rights work of the African Nova Scotian Decade for People of African Descent Coalition.
Honourable senators, I rise on this International Human Rights Day to pay special tribute to all those whose “universal, inalienable and indivisible” human rights are still being violated. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted on this day, December 10, 72 years ago.
Quite ironically, today also marks the second anniversary of the arbitrary and illegal detention of the two Michaels. I would like to emphasize, however, that this has been a long-standing practice of the Chinese Communist Party well before it brazenly kidnapped our two Michaels. There are also 123 other Canadians languishing in Chinese prisons and those are just the ones that Global Affairs is aware of. Let us not forget them, either. Despite our glowing international reputation as a defender of human rights, much still needs to be done, both at home and around the world.
Despite Canada’s stellar international reputation as a champion of human rights, we still have a lot to do, both nationally and internationally.
As a G7 country with 20% of the world’s freshwater, the fact that our First Nations continue to lack access to clean, safe drinking water, especially during an unprecedented global health crisis, is a national tragedy to say the least. It is shameful, unacceptable and a colossal failure.
Beyond our borders, we must be critical of our trade partners, particularly those whose human rights records are abysmal.
We must continue to do all that we can to help the oppressed. Having narrowly avoided another genocide, the innocent and the displaced people of Artsakh are now in dire need of humanitarian aid.
Let us continue to stand with the victims of tyranny and communism — those in Hong Kong, Uighurs, Tibetans, Falun Gong practitioners and all other religious minorities persecuted for their beliefs.
Enough with the talking. It’s time for the government to finally act. Thank you.
