Cablegate: Canada's Un Universal Periodic Review

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PP RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHMT RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHOT #1567 3531915
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 181915Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8882
INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1304
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0514

UNCLAS OTTAWA 001567

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR DRL/MLGA (CHRIS SIBILLA) AND IO/RHS (AMY
OSTERMEIER)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM UNHRC CA
SUBJECT: CANADA'S UN UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW

REF: STATE 130829

1. (SBU) According to Department of Foreign Affairs and
International Trade Deputy Director for Human Rights Victoria
Berry and Policy Officer for Human Rights Daniel Ulmer, the
Canadian government will soon submit a 20 page report for the
Human Rights Council's February 3rd Universal Periodic Review
(UPR) of Canada. Berry explained that Canada's October 14
federal election had delayed its official submission to the
UPR. Canada plans to hold six nationwide engagement
consultation meetings with NGO stakeholders to prepare the
government for its February appearance at the UPR Fourth
Session in Geneva. The meetings will take place in
Vancouver, Winnipeg, Halifax, Ottawa, Montreal, and Toronto.
The Department of Canadian Heritage, which has federal
responsibility for promoting a greater understanding of human
rights and reporting to the UN on the implementation of human
rights instruments, will be the government's lead agency in
the meetings. Berry added that the Deputy Minister of
Justice will likely head the Canadian delegation to Geneva.

2. (SBU) The Secretary General of Amnesty International
Canada confirmed to poloff that his NGO had made a submission
on Canada, and noted that it was especially critical of the
government's performance regarding aboriginal peoples. He
also expressed dissatisfaction about the tardiness of and
lack of consultations so far on the government's submission.

3. (U) According to the UN Office of the High Commissioner
for Human Rights' (OHCHR) website, 50 Canadian stakeholders
have already submitted reports for Canada's UPR, including 49
NGOs as well as the Canadian Human Rights Commission, an
independent national body.

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