UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review of Canada - February 3 2009
The United Nations Human Rights Council will be presenting their review of Canada's human rights record on February 3, 2009. The following is a message contains a number of documents submitted to the UN's Human Rights Council from different groups about how Canada addresses the human rights of First Nations across the country.
A message to Canadian NGOs, PTOs and Leaders
The following message is sent on behalf of Grand Chief Edward John, Executive member of the First Nations Summit, Representative of the Assembly of First Nations on international issues, and Co-Coordinator of the North American Regional Indigenous Peoples Caucus.
Contact information for Edward John: EdJohn@fns.bc.ca
Thank you
Attached for your information is information on the Universal Periodic Review Process – Canada.
As you may know, the Universal Periodic Review ("UPR") is a new process of the United Nations Human Rights Council ("HRC") that reviews the fulfilment of human rights obligations by United Nations Member States. Canada is scheduled to be reviewed at the fourth session of the Working Group on the UPR, to be held February 2 - 13, 2009. Specifically, the Canada review is scheduled for February 3, 2009 with adoption of the report on Canada scheduled for February 5, 2009.
In early September Indigenous Peoples, NGO’s and other relevant stakeholders were permitted to make submissions to the Human Rights Council concerning the upcoming UPR of Canada.
The following files relating to the UPR of Canada are available by clicking on each of them:
PDF files
- Assembly of First Nations (08-09-05 AFN Submission to the UN HRC Universal Periodic Review.pdf)
- Joint NGO submission (NGO brief on implementation gap.pdf)
- Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC UPR Submission September 8 08 Final.pdf)
- First Nations Summit (UPR – Canada – First Nations Summit.pdf)
- Joint submission by Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights NGOs (Univ Per Rev – Canada – Joint Submission IPs and H Rts NGOs FINAL – Sep 8 08.pdf)
WORD files
- Amnesty International (UPR 2009-1 Amnesty International submission on Canada.doc)
- Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (08-09-08 UPR Submission by Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation.doc)
- Treaty 6 First Nations and International Indian Treaty Council, NGO with ECOSOC Special Consultative Status (T6FN IITC UPR Submission Canada.doc and T6FN IITC Attachment Canada UPR Declaration of Pithers Point 2008 (2).doc)
Please be advised the Office of the High Commissioner has now posted the summary of NGO and Indigenous peoples' submissions as well as the Office's own summary of comments by UN mechanisms. That information will be provided in a separate email from our office entitled Canada and UPR – new postings to UN website.
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From the AFN submission ...
Two specific examples of discriminatory funding are particularly informative. The Government of Canada provides 22% less in funding for child and family services for First Nations children than the responsible provincial authorities provide for non-Aboriginal children in their care. Similarly, the Government of Canada provides an average of $2,000 less per child for education of First Nations children than is spent by provincial governments on the education of non-Aboriginal children. Much of the explanation for lower income and employment rates and higher incarceration and suicide rates can be found in these expenditure statistics.