Canadian groups at Geneva UN conference express dismay with Canada's refusal to participate

Canadian civil society is at the UN Durban Review Conference but Canadian Government is not.
Canadian groups at Geneva UN conference express dismay with Canada’s refusal to participate.Canadian civil society condemned Canada’s withdrawal from the Durban Review Conference (DRC) in a statement at the United Nations.



Speaking to the Preparatory Committee of the DRC today, Canadian civil society representatives denounced the shameful absence of the federal government from this important anti-racism conference.



Canadian anti-racism NGO’s and labour organizations are in Geneva advocating for measures to combat racism at international and national levels. In Canada, racism continues to be a harsh everyday reality for Aboriginal and racialized communities who suffer disproportionate levels of poverty, social exclusion, access to decent employment, and social services such as education, housing and healthcare. Too many aboriginal peoples must struggle for the most basic of human and environmental rights.



“African Canadians continue to struggle against anti-Black racism. We suffer high levels of poverty and hate crime victimization, criminalization and racial profiling.” said Margaret Parsons of the African Canadian Legal Clinic.



After 9/11, Arabs and Muslims were targeted for hate crimes and racial and religious profiling by overzealous security legislation. “Arab Canadians such as Mahar Arar, Abousfian Abdelrazik, have been marooned in their birth countries by our government. They have been subjected to torture and horrific human rights violations because of flawed anti-terrorism measures and willful political negligence “added Mohamed Boudjenane from the Canadian Arab Federation.



Karl Flecker the Human Rights Director for the Canadian Labor Congress said “The Canadian government should have been a part of this process. We consider the government’s shameful withdrawal nothing less than a failure to conform to its UN obligations. Fortunately civil society groups are here to share with the international community inputs designed to eliminate the pernicious grip of racism.”



The statement was endorsed by the following Canadian civil society groups:

Canadian Labour Congress

African Canadian Legal Clinic

Canadian Arab Federation

Metro Toronto Chinese and South East Asian Clinic

Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants

National Anti-Racism Council of Canada

Colour of Poverty

Karuna Community Services

Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (Canada)





The United Nations Durban Review Conference (DRC) will begin on April 20, 2009 in Geneva, as a follow-up to the Durban World Conference Against Racism which took place in 2001.



In 2001, Canada was a participant and a signatory to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action that resulted from the World Conference. This time however, Canada is one of only three countries that have withdrawn from the review process.



The DRC is intended to assess member nations’ progress in implementing the anti-racism measures in the DDPA. Member nations will draft critical text that will guide nations in their national task to eliminate racism and other forms of intolerance and discrimination. Critical issues include the impact of slavery, rights of indigenous people, the impact of security and anti-terrorism legislation, migrants’ rights, human trafficking and economic and social equality.



For more information, please contact:
Karl Flecker: 011-613-614-7065

Margaret Parsons: 011-41-76-286-6578

Mohamed Boudjenane : 011-613-614-7065