Beware UN Human Rights Probes

Belarus, Burma, China, Cuba, South Ossetia, Libya, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Chechnya, Zimbabwe, Sudan - among other sturdy stanchions of human rights must be celebrating their free pass, while countries like France, Greece, Hungary and Canada are quaking in their proverbial boots, knowing they have been and will be visited by the UN Independent Expert on minority rights.

Canada has come under special UN notice in the past, for its use of the term "visible minorities" used in census data. Canada was, after all, given due warning that the term was unpalatable to the tender ears of the United Nations. And, of course, the unsavoury reality within Canada of aboriginal rights along with the struggle of both government and First Nations leaders to solve the problems endemic to a disadvantaged minority is a sore patch.

Gay McDougall, an American national and the first UN chief monitor of governmental treatment of minorities, is visiting Canada. Bypassing China, Cuba, Libya and Saudi Arabia. She has had experience with checking into how democracies treat their minorities; Hungary was cited for issues revolving around their Roma; Greece for its "historical understanding" of minorities; France a reproof for its "serious discrimination ... targeted at 'visible' minorities of immigrant heritage". So Canada is forewarned.

To be perfectly fair, Ms. McDougall has also searched through the minority-respecting-rights backgrounds of the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Ethiopia and Kazakhstan; hardly first-world countries, more on the agonizingly-developing side of world affairs. It is, however, instructive to note that the decidedly black-tinctured Ms. McDougall praised Ethiopia for its "comprehensive foundation for rights, freedoms and quality", for which any observer could be excused for picking himself off the floor with incredulity.

All world affairs of late having taken on the politically correct language of relativity.

Ms. McDougall, on her ten-day tour of Canada, will be visiting Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. While in Canada she will meet with senior federal and provincial government officials, along with community members, academics, representatives of activist groups, and those striving toward the promotion of "equality and non-discrimination". Ten days to accomplish all that, and more. Amazing, what can be dredged out of a superficial glance at a country's values, priorities and constitutional supports for minority rights.

In the final analysis, Ms. McDougall, pursuing the avenues open to her through her UN special investigative office will draw her own conclusions, weighted with the impressions she will have garnered through her interviews with representatives of activist groups and those striving toward the promotion of 'equality and non-discrimination.

Aggrieved word-of-mouth always proves persuasive to the compassionate ear. Particularly one on a particular mission, pre-conceived or otherwise. Betcha Iran is waiting with bated breath to hear the outcome...!