NEWS RELEASES
AXWORTHY MEETS WITH HUMAN RIGHTS NGOS
February 5, 1997 No. 21
AXWORTHY MEETS WITH HUMAN RIGHTS NGOs
Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy met today with representatives of Canadian
Human Rights non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the course of the Department
of Foreign Affairs and International Trade's annual consultations to prepare for
the UN Commission on Human Rights (CHR).
This was Mr. Axworthy's second opportunity to meet with the NGOs, having done so
last year prior to his addressing the CHR in Geneva in March 1996. Mr. Axworthy
announced that Secretary of State (Latin America and Africa) Christine Stewart
would represent Canada at the CHR this year. He also announced that Mr. Ross
Hynes, Minister-Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United
Nations in New York, would head Canada's delegation to the CHR which will meet in
Geneva from March 10 to April 18, 1997.
The Minister reviewed Canada's vigorous participation in the last session of the
Commission on Human Rights and pointed out that Canada would be taking the lead on
six resolutions at the CHR this year, including those on Rwanda, violence against
women and mass exoduses.
"The protection and promotion of human rights is a primary Canadian value and a
key goal of our domestic and foreign policy," stated Mr. Axworthy. "In the past
year, we have pursued this goal vigorously in a wide range of settings, using an
expanding set of foreign policy tools. Human rights considerations inform our
multilateral and our bilateral relations, and are increasingly integrated across
the full range of Canadian foreign policy," he added.
In characterizing Canada's approach to human rights, the Minister described the
government's policy as being one of "effective influence," based on the conviction
that dialogue and engagement, rather than isolation, represent the most useful
avenues for influencing governments. Where necessary and useful, Canada speaks
out strongly and is prepared to act. Human security requires not only political
rights but also stability, as well as economic and social rights.
Mr. Axworthy paid tribute to the NGOs, human rights workers and peacekeepers
around the world who risk their lives in order to protect human rights. In the
memory of the recent deaths of Father Pinard, Nancy Malloy and UN aid workers in
Rwanda, the Minister committed to working with the international community to
protect the safety of these many dedicated individuals around the world.
The Minister highlighted the establishment of the Canadian Centre for Foreign
Policy Development and the John Holmes fund to support discussion of foreign
policy issues among Canadians. He also announced the launch of a Human Rights
page on the Department's Web site, which provides information about human rights
in Canadian foreign policy and about specific human rights initiatives.
The Minister detailed Canada's active engagement on a number of specific issues
through our participation in several multilateral bodies, including the
Organization of American States (OAS), the Commonwealth, the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and NATO. He highlighted Nigeria as a particular
example where Canada had taken a leading role through the Commonwealth Ministerial
Action Group (CMAG). Frustrated at the limited progress so far, Mr. Axworthy
remains committed to a multilateral approach and vigilant attention to the issue,
while continuing to leave the door open for dialogue with Nigeria. He also
stressed the importance of the ASEAN forum as a means of achieving progress on the
human rights issues facing Burma.
The Minister further spoke of Canada's bilateral efforts to influence change in
the human rights behaviour of various countries, citing China as an example where
Canada has made its concerns known directly, both in terms of continued liberties
in Hong Kong and in terms of women's and prisoners' rights within China. Canada
has also had direct and important bilateral discussions on the subject of human
rights with Mexico and Colombia and most recently with Cuba. India, Iran,
Indonesia and Guatemala are other examples of countries where Canadian influence
and NGO expertise are having real impact on human rights behaviour.
"Where Canada has made a niche for itself, and perhaps the most distinctive
feature of our human rights policy, is in supporting change from within. We
believe that the impulse towards democracy is inevitable, but at the same time we
are realistic about the governments we are dealing with. We do not expect these
governments to become sudden converts to the cause of democracy. But they will
yield gradually -- because they have no other choice -- to pressure for change from
within their own society," said the Minister.
On the issue of trade and human rights, Mr. Axworthy said, "The key issue here is
not a crude choice between trade or human rights but rather the need for
responsible trade. This requires a closer look at the specific type of economic
activity involved, in terms of its social impacts. In this context we have
focussed on issues such as core labour standards, child labour and military
exports."
Mr. Axworthy also addressed what has become a key priority for him, the issue of
children's rights. He highlighted action that Canada has taken on this front over
the past year and announced that he would be participating at the Amsterdam Child
Labour Conference later this month.
The Minister went on to say that, in a time of profound international change,
Canada is developing new tools of foreign policy. Two examples Mr. Axworthy
identified were the Peacebuilding Initiative and the Canadian International
Information Strategy (CIIS).
The Peacebuilding Initiative aims to increase Canada's capacity for rapid, co-ordinated and flexible response to intrastate conflicts. Activities under this
initiative will include promoting free access to the media, providing human rights
training and establishing a roster of human rights experts to assist with such
projects. He announced that, in addition to the regular consultations that the
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade holds with NGOs on human
rights, it would also be holding consultations on peacebuilding on Friday,
February 7.
He went on to speak of the potential of the CIIS to influence respect for human
rights. The strategy will be a concerted effort of government and the private
sector to make more effective use of modern communications technologies to achieve
Canada's international objectives, including means to use information technology
to present to the world Canada and Canadian values, such as respect for human
rights.
Mr. Axworthy concluded by reaffirming his commitment to maintaining Canadian
activism on human rights as we prepare to celebrate both the 50th anniversary of
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the five-year review of the Vienna
Declaration and Programme for Action in 1998, and by challenging NGOs to play a
leading role in ensuring a meaningful anniversary year.
"The Universal Declaration has been a shaping force in our world for almost 50
years," he said. "Celebration of this important anniversary should be an occasion
for reaffirmation and renewal. And a time for tough, concerted actions that will
move the human rights agenda to the centre of a reformed and revitalized United
Nations."
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The complete text of Minister Axworthy's address has also been released to media.
For further information, media representatives may contact:
Catherine Lappe
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
(613) 995-1851
Media Relations Office
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
(613) 995-1874
This document is also available on the Department's Internet site:
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca
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