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. 
  
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