XPost: can.adiac.gen, can.arts.sf   
   From: istjohn@noemail.usa   
      
   Canada accused of hypocrisy on human rights   
   WebPosted Sun Apr 8 08:16:41 2001   
   CBC News   
      
      
   GENEVA - A new study claims most countries, including   
   Canada, are not honouring their obligations under United   
   Nations human rights treaties.   
      
   The author of the study is Anne Bayefsky, a professor of   
   political science from Toronto's York University. She   
   accuses Canada of hypocrisy.   
      
   The 900-page study says the whole human rights international   
   legal system is threatened and in need of reform. It notes   
   100 countries have ratified treaties that obligate them to   
   uphold human rights, yet they fail to implement these   
   requirements.   
      
   Bayefsky is critical of Canada's performance. She says   
   democracies have a special responsibility to play a   
   leadership role in the area of human rights.   
      
   "Canada is part and parcel of the attitude of democratic   
   regimes, which suggests that perhaps the UN treaty system is   
   primarily for countries with egregious human rights records,   
   and Canada doesn't need improving."   
      
   Over the years human rights monitoring committees have found  Canada in   
   violation of various provisions of the human rights treaties. Bayefsky says   
   Canada has a very poor record of compliance with their rulings. She says   
   this smacks of hypocrisy because Canada is always calling on other countries   
   to abide by their human rights commitments.   
      
   Canadian officials say they have not seen the study and cannot comment.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)