Thoughts From a "Lost Canadian" About How Canada Respects & Values Their People with strong Human Rights

This "Lost Canadian" is still waiting for my final four documents to arrive so I and my family are able to request our official Canadian citizenship (because of Bill C-3 - which says if you have Canadian ancestors - and I have 15 ancestors who were born in Canada since 1800 - you are already a Canadian - a "Lost Canadian" - and if you are able to document your direct line to a Canadian-born ancestor, you are able to receive your Canadian citizenship!). The most recent article I saw said the current wait for receiving citizenship through Bill C-3 is now 33 months! This is on top of the time it takes to get official documents showing the direct line to Canadian-born ancestors. But, it will be worth the wait, so I am trying to be patient!

As I wait, I continue to learn more about Canada. In light of the tremendously rude and disrespectful way the massively corrupt convicted felon/sexual abuser who currently occupies the white house here in the US has been talking about and treating our dear neighbors, friends, allies, and family in Canada, I want to spend the coming week just learning about - and sharing what I learn about how Canada is an amazing place - I believe I could learn about and share about this for more than a week, but I will begin with a week, starting with Canada is amazing because they respect and value their people! On Canada.ca I learned . . .

Human rights are the rights to which persons are inherently entitled to because they are human beings. Human rights describe how we instinctively expect to be treated as persons. They define what we are all entitled to – a life of equality, dignity and respect, to live free from discrimination and harassment.

In Canada, your human rights are protected by Canada’s Constitution and by federal, provincial and territorial legislation. These rights are consistent with those under international treaties to which Canada is a party.

Canada is a party to the seven principal United Nations human rights conventions and covenants. By ratifying each of these conventions and covenants, Canada agreed to implement them and is required to report back to the UN.

The Canadian Bill of Rights, passed in 1960, was the first federal law that specifically set out fundamental human rights for Canadians. It applies to laws and policies of the federal government and guarantees rights and freedoms similar to those found in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (e.g. equality rights, legal rights, and freedom of religion, speech and association). However, the Bill is not part of the Constitution of Canada.

The Charter guarantees broad equality rights as well as fundamental freedoms, democratic rights, mobility rights, legal rights and language rights. It applies to all government action, meaning to the provincial legislatures and Parliament, and to everything done under their authority. This means that governments must take the Charter into account in developing all laws and policies.

Canada seeks to reduce barriers and increase opportunities for people with disabilities, to ensure their full participation in our society. Our nation has a strong legislative framework that guarantees the equal rights of people with disabilities. In addition, a range of federal programs support the lives of Canadians with disabilities.

“Indigenous peoples” is a collective name for the original peoples of North America and their descendants. The Canadian Constitution recognizes three distinct groups of Indigenous (Aboriginal) peoples: Indians (referred to as First Nations), Métis and Inuit. Increasingly, and in keeping with international agreements, “Indigenous Peoples” is being used instead of “Aboriginal peoples.”

For many decades, First Nations people were not provided with full access to human rights protection – due in part to section 67 of the Canadian Human Rights Act. The legislation was finally repealed in 2008; this means that First Nations individuals can now make complaints of discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

Same-sex sexual attraction, sexual behaviour and/or relationships have been subject to discrimination (or discriminatory attitudes, actions, regulations and laws) in many societies around the globe.

In Canada, same-sex sexual activities between consenting adults were considered crimes punishable by imprisonment before 1969. That year, the Canadian government passed an omnibus bill decriminalizing private sexual acts between two people over the age of 21 – a breakthrough in treating gay men, lesbians and bisexuals equally under the law.

Almost ten years later, in 1977, Quebec became the first jurisdiction in Canada to amend its provincial charter of human rights to include sexual orientation as a prohibited ground for discrimination.

Children's rights have earned increased attention across the UN spectrum. Both the United Nations Human Rights Council and the General Assembly of the United Nations have adopted resolutions on the rights of the child.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child defines a child as a “human being below the age of 18, unless national laws recognize an earlier age of majority”.

Canada’s history has been shaped by countless determined women who worked to promote and uphold gender equality in Canada. Women championed a number of important human rights that have become core Canadian values — the right to vote in provincial and federal elections, the right to own property, the right to earn a fair wage, and finally, the right to be recognized as “persons” under the law.

Women are now protected from discrimination on the grounds of gender, age, marital status and more by the Canadian Human Rights Act.

You will find more information about how Canada values the people of Canada by having strong Human Rights laws at this link.