In the days approaching the September 20, 2021 Canadian Federal elections, every Canadian should ponder the questions that those who wish to govern the country must address. We are in unprecedented times with the year and a half long pandemic that has hurt the global and Canadian economy and put unexpected stresses upon all our lives.
Canada sees itself as an open multicultural mosaic with progressive values of diversity, tolerance, and fairness. The Government of Canada has gone so far as to admit that “Canadians care about human rights. They expect their government to help build respect for human rights at home and around the world.”[1]
Yet for all that, the practice of the Government of Canada of building respect for human rights at home and around the world leaves much room for improvement.
For one, the multi-tier immigration system of Canada leaves many migrants, refugees, students, workers, and undocumented persons in a precarious situation that renders them vulnerable to exploitation, abuses, and violations of their human rights. This outrage against Canada’s value of fairness can be easily fixed by giving all such persons full and permanent immigration status.
Another, Canada currently works closely with the pompous and murderous Duterte regime in the Philippines.
“The International Criminal Court issued a preliminary report on Tuesday in which it said there was evidence to show crimes against humanity had been committed in the Philippines under President Rodrigo Duterte, whose bloody drug war has left thousands dead since 2016.”[2]
Canadians need to know why the Government of Canada is not pressuring the Duterte Regime to uphold the human rights of the Filipino people, and end his genocidal war against the poor and their human rights advocates.
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[1] Government of Canada. Voices at Risk: Canada’s Guidelines on Supporting Human Rights Defenders.
