Open Letter to Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Federal Party Leaders on Human Rights Priorities
May 9, 2011
Fr: Human Rights Watch
Dear Prime Minister Harper,
Canada has a celebrated and respected history as a leading advocate for human rights on the international stage. Unfortunately, in recent years, Canada's voice as a champion of these principles has become muted. In light of your re-election, we hope that you will work for this trend to be reversed.
Human Rights Watch conducts research on a number of human rights issues where Canada has an important role to play. In some instances, our research has documented a failure by Canada to defend adequately or to adhere to international standards.
We are concerned about the impact that Canada's record on these issues will have on the country and on the global human rights community. Below, we present our concerns and suggest steps that Canada and its parliament, with your leadership, should take to address them.
These issues are not an exhaustive list of the human rights concerns facing the Canada, but instead reflect areas studied by Human Rights Watch.
Human Rights Watch strongly urges that these issues be made a priority during the next legislative session and that concrete solutions are pursued to help Canada improve its role as an advocate for fundamental human rights and its conduct as a responsible global citizen. We would welcome the opportunity to provide you and members of Parliament with additional information on our work, and to engage in discussion about how we might work together in the future to protect and promote fundamental human rights, both within Canada and abroad.
Sincerely,
Kenneth Roth
Executive Director
Jasmine Herlt
Canada Director
Suresh Bhalla
Co-Chair, Canada Committee
Nancy Hamm
Co-Chair, Canada Committee
Cc: Jack Layton, Leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada, Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition
Interim Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada
Interim Leader of the Bloc Quebecois
Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada
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