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<p><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt">March 10, 2005 <i>(4:00 p.m. EST)</i><br>
No. 42</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt">MINISTER PETTIGREW TO ATTEND UN HUMAN RIGHTS
COMMISSION SESSION</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew today announced that he will address the
United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) in Geneva, Switzerland, on
March 14, 2005.</span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">“Canada is pleased to be back as a full member of the Commission on Human Rights
this year,” said Minister Pettigrew. “We attach strong importance to the Commission,
given its primary position within the United Nations in promoting and protecting human
rights worldwide. This is a particularly important year for the international community as
we look at ways to reinvigorate the United Nations and ensure that human rights remain
central to its work.”</span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">During his visit, the Minister will also deliver a speech at the Conference on
Disarmament urging progress on multilateral cooperation on the crucial issues of
nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation and the non-weaponization of outer space.</span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">The UNCHR meets for six weeks in March and April of every year. Minister Pettigrew
will attend the high-level segment of the session and meet with the UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour. Canadian priorities for this session will
include the Canadian-led resolutions on impunity, freedom of expression and opinion,
violence against women, the rights of Indigenous peoples, mass exoduses of people
and other issues such as ensuring the integration of gender perspectives throughout
the UN system. Specific objectives include the renewal of the mandate of the Special
Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and
expression, and the extension for one further session of the mandate of the Working
Group on the draft declaration on the rights of Indigenous peoples. Canada will also
use these meetings to continue raising its concerns about human rights situations in
specific countries.</span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">The UNCHR is composed of 53 member countries elected for three-year terms by the
UN Economic & Social Council. In 2004, Canada was an observer to the Commission
and was re-elected as a full member for the 2005 session.</span></p>
<br>
<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">- 30 -</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">For further information, media representatives may contact:</span></p>
<br>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">Sébastien Théberge<br>
Director of Communications<br>
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs<br>
(613) 995-1851</span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">Media Relations Office<br>
Foreign Affairs Canada<br>
(613) 995-1874<br>
</span><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070220184637/http://www.international.gc.ca/"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="color: #0000ff"><span style="text-decoration: underline">http://www.international.gc.ca</span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="color: #000000"></span></span></p>
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