Canada: Most Reputable Nation In The World

One, only one but perhaps the most egregiously dysfunctional of all the United Nations special interest groups -- the Human Rights Council, where infamously human-rights-abusing nations have their special representatives sitting in judgement on other countries, and where scarcely a nod of outrage is given to the many countries of the world whose abusive actions toward their oppressed populations are rarely mentioned, but which focuses time and again on democratic Israel for repeated censure -- has once again slammed Canada.

On a number of issues, the report issued by the UN's human rights committee deplores Canada's 'backsliding' on human rights. "The [human rights] committee is also concerned about the lack of adequate and effective oversight mechanisms to review activities of security and intelligence agencies and the lack of resources and power of existing mechanisms to monitor such activities", says the report, and among other things, lists the following:

• Business: "Human rights abuses by Canadian companies operating abroad, in particular mining corporations," should be addressed by an independent authority and a framework that give victims the possibility of legal remedies.
• Gender equality: The committee notes "persisting inequalities between women and men" in Canada and wants better equal pay legislation across the country," with a special focus on minority and indigenous women."
• Violence against women: Continued violence against women in Canada, and the "the lack of statistical data on domestic violence," led the committee to call for better legal protections for victims, and for more shelters and services.
• Missing and murdered aboriginal women: In the wake of reports on murdered and missing women, the committee said "indigenous women and girls are disproportionately affected by life-threatening forms of violence, homicides and disappearances." It said there should be a national inquiry.
• Bill C-51: Canada's new anti-terror law allows mass surveillance, too much information-sharing, and a no-fly list that lacks proper governance and appeal, the committee says. It suggests Canada should review the act and allow for better legal safeguards.
• Police use of force: The committee notes excessive force during protests such as those at the G20  in 2010 and recommends prompt, impartial investigations, along with prosecutions of those responsible where warranted
• Refugees and immigration: The committee worries "that individuals who are nationals of designated 'safe' countries are denied an appeal hearing against a rejected refugee claim before the Refugee Appeal Division and are only allowed judicial review before the Federal Court" — increasing the risk they may be sent back.

So this is Canada's comeuppance for several issues; one, its support for the State of Israel the sole demonized country in the world, UN-style; two, Canada's annual drive within the United Nations to bring a resolution forward for the purpose of a vote to condemn the Islamic Republic of Iran for its blatant abuse of human rights against its own population, never mind its destructive influence in the Middle East, empowering and supporting and financing terrorist groups as their proxy militias.

Canada is taken to task for its amendments to the Security Intelligence Act and the "broad mandate and powers" allotted to Canada's security services. "...Excessive use of force by law enforcement officers during mass arrests in the context of protests at federal and provincial levels, with particular reference to indigenous land-related protests, G20 protests in 2010 as well as student protests in Quebec in 2012", are cited, completely without context as to circumstances and emergency responses, but obviously satisfying the criteria of condemnation.

Syria's barrel-bombing of its Sunni population, its chemical weapons attacks on its civilians, the corrupt African states whose governments oppress their populations, Argentine and Venezuelan dysfunction and corruption, North Korea's lunatic oppression of its starving masses, China's threatening belligerence toward its neighbours, Iran's potential as a mendaciously menacing nuclear power-in-waiting, Hamas's use of Gazan civilians as shields in military conflicts, to name but a few issues close to many countries of the world are not sufficiently noteworthy to elicit condemnatory human rights-abuse reports.

Of course, there is the incendiary issue of hundreds of aboriginal women who have been killed or are missing over the decades and the popular insistence that a formal enquiry be launched into their disappearances and murders. That such enquiries have previously been undertaken and their results noted appear irrelevant. That police have succeeded in solving and bringing to account the vast majority of these events is overlooked. That aboriginal women are largely persecuted, attacked and murdered from within their own communities, by husbands, partners, acquaintances is hushed up.

The report urges that the Government of Canada introduce an "effective, independent mechanism" to investigate human rights abuses they assign to Canadian companies, particularly in the mining field, operating internationally. It takes issue with Canadian laws that mandate that groups acquiring charitable status within Canada not unduly devote their funding, energy and time to political activities without endangering their charitable status.

On the opposite side of the ledger, as a balance to the sitting-in-judgement of a biased, corrupt human rights committee there is the Reputation Institute's annual report which gives Canada the top spot of a 55-nation list for trust, admiration and respect perceived through a survey of 48,000 people around the world. The common perception universally, it would seem, by those viewing Canada's presence on the world scene is one of approval; now why is that?