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The B’nai Brith Canada Institute for International Affairs has a mandate to protest the abuse of human rights throughout the world and advocate on behalf of worldwide Jewish communities in distress. The Institute has a special focus on pro-Israel advocacy and education.

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Rochelle Wilner
President

Frank Dimant
Chief Executive Officer

Amos Sochaczevski
National Chair

Ruth Klein
National Director

STATEMENT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE

in preparation for the 59th session of the
United Nations Commission on Human Rights

FOOTNOTES

  1. Freedom in the World 2001-2002, Freedom House, http://www.freedomhouse.org/research/freeworld/2001/table1.htm
  2. Report on Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, submitted by Ms. Hina Jilani, Special Representative of Secretary-General on human rights defenders, pursuant to the Commission on Human Rights resolution 2000/61, 27 February 2002, E/CN.4/2002/106
  3. Record of the International Movement against all Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR) of the 58th session of the Commission on Human Rights, voting on Agenda item 9 entitled Question of the violation of human rights andfundamental freedoms in any part of the world, 19 April 2002, www.imadr.org/geneva/unchr.58th/dailyreports.3/0419
  4. Press briefing by Hannu Halinen, Special Rapporteur on Occupied Territories, United Nations Press Release, March 31, 1999
  5. Report of the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel since 1967, August 29, 2002, paragraph 2, United Nations General Assembly A/57/366.
  6. David Matas, Anti-Zionism as a Root Cause of Human Rights Violations, Institute for International Affairs of B’nai Brith Canada, 2002.
  7. Matas, ibid
  8. Addendum to the Report of the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel since 1967, 16 September 2002, United Nations General Assembly, A/57/366/Add.1.
  9. Statistics relating to the 58t session of the Commission on Human Rights, UN Commission on Human Rights, 59th session. It is interesting to note that only six statements at the Commission (20% of the total) were made by women. Though this figure is up from little more than 13% in 2001, it does give an indication of the patriarchal framework within which many of the Commission members function.
  10. E/CN.4/2002.L.4, April 12, 2002, passed by 51 to 1 with 1 abstention
  11. E/CN.4/2002.L.2, April 12, 2002, passed by 34 to 1 with 18 abstentions
  12. E/CN.4/2002.L.17, April 12, 2002, passed by 52 to 1 with no abstentions
  13. E/CN.4/2002.L.16, April 15, 2002, passed by 40 to 5 with 7 abstentions
  14. E/CN.4/2002.L.15, April 19, 2002, passed by 34 to 2 with 17 abstentions
  15. International Convention Against the Taking of Hostages, “Hostages Convention”, 1979
  16. E/CN.4/2002/L.116, April 26, 2002, passed by 33 to 1 with 19 abstentions
  17. A Critique of Canadian Foreign Policy in the Middle East, Submission to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Institute for International Affairs, February 2002, found at http://www.bnaibrith.ca/institute/docs/DFAIT2002b.html
  18. Lebanon Daily Star, March 3, 2001
  19. New Republic August 19, 2002
  20. Weekly Standard, May 13, 2002
  21. www.edume.org
  22. Freedom from Fear, Canada’s foreign policy for human security, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, 2nd edition, 2002.
  23. Resolution entitled Human Rights and Terrorism, UN Commission on Human Rights, April 22, 2002, E/2002/23-E/CN.4/2002/200, passed by 32 votes to none with 21 abstentions. Canada abstained on the above resolution due to disagreement with the preambular statement that “the most essential and basic human right is the right to life”. Canada’s opposition is based on its conviction that no one right takes precedence over another.
  24. E/CN.4/2002.L.16, April 15, 2002, passed by 40 to 5 with 7 abstentions
  25. Adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in resolution 54/109 of 9 December 1999
  26. Ibid
  27. Article 2, General Assembly resolution A/RES/52/164, 52nd Session, 9 January 1998
  28. Ibid, Article 5
  29. David Matas, Civil Society Smashes Up, A Report on the NGO Forum against Racism and the World Conference Against Racism, 2001, http://www.icare.to/
  30. E/2002/23 — E/CN.4/2002/200, adopted by 37 votes to 11, with 5 abstentions, April 25, 2002
  31. 2002 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents, League for Human Rights of B’nai Brith Canada, Toronto, March 2003
  32. See Antisemitism Worldwide 2001/2, The Stephen Roth Institute for the Study of Contemporary Anti-Semitism and Racism, Tel Aviv University, 2002 http://www.tau.ac.il/Anti-Semitism/annual-report.html
  33. Ils sont morts pour leur foi. La persécution des chrétiens au XXe siècle. A study commissioned by Pope John Paul II, Plon/Mame, 2002.
  34. E/2002/23-E/CN.4/2002/200, adopted by 30 votes to 15, with 8 abstentions, April 15, 2002
  35. Ibid
  36. Ibid
  37. Canada’s Explanation of the Vote
  38. Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Muslim and Arab peoples in various parts of the world in the aftermath of the events of 11 September 2001, advance edited version, January 3, 2002, E/CN.4/2003/23
  39. The five suggested amendments form part of the proposals to be put forward by B’nai Brith International at the 59th session of the Commission
  40. Article 4 of the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination states:

    “States Parties condemn all propaganda and all organizations which are based on ideas or theories of superiority of one race or group of persons of one colour or ethnic origin, or which attempt to justify or promote racial hatred and discrimination in any form, and undertake to adopt immediate and positive measures designed to eradicate all incitement to, or acts of, such discrimination and, to this end, with due regard to the principles embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the rights expressly set forth in article 5 of this Convention, inter alia:
        (a) Shall declare an offence punishable by law all dissemination of ideas based on racial superiority or hatred, incitement to racial discrimination, as well as all acts of violence or incitement to such acts against any race or group of persons of another colour or ethnic origin, and also the provision of any assistance to racist activities, including the financing thereof;
        (b) Shall declare illegal and prohibit organizations, and also organized and all other propaganda activities, which promote and incite racial discrimination, and shall recognize participation in such organizations or activities as an offence punishable by law;
        (c) Shall not permit public authorities or public institutions, national or local, to promote or incite racial discrimination.”

  41. E/2002/23-E/CN.4/2002/200, adopted without a vote, April 22, 2002
  42. The five suggested amendments form part of the proposals to be put forward by B’nai Brith International at the 59th session of the Commission

Table Of Contents | Introduction | The Need For Reform Of The UNCHR | The UNCHR Agenda | The Mandate of The Special Rapporteur
Canada’s Voting Record At The UNCHR | Positions Of The Department Of Foreign Affairs | Terrorism | Racism And Racial Discrimination
Freedom Of Expression | Conclusion | Summary Of Recommendations | Footnotes