Progress for Children’s Rights in the Business Sector

Canada announced this week that a new ombudsperson will be appointed to investigate violations of human rights by Canadian businesses operating globally.  This is a positive response to part of one recommendation that Canada received after the last review of children’s rights in Canada.  The new office will focus first on the extractive sector, but …

Children with Disabilities: Recommendations for Canada

The rights of children with disabilities received attention during the first review of how Canada implements the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.  The Concluding Observations includes recommendations relating to: inclusive education and teacher training; services for parents so disability is not a reason to put a child in care; access to services for …

Children’s Rights and Child Welfare in Ontario

Bill 89 in Ontario, if adopted, will give the rights of children priority in child welfare and children’s services in the province. It will provide a good example of taking children’s rights seriously in legislation that affects them. It refers to the Convention on the Rights of the Child in the preamble, extends services to …

Children in the National Poverty Reduction Strategy

The CCRC welcomes the next step in the development of a National Poverty Reduction Strategy. Ending child poverty should be a strong focus in the process and the final strategy. A discussion paper and on-line consultations invite input from across Canada.   The deadline for consultation is June. Release of the strategy is expected in …

Good News for Rights of Children with Disabilities

The federal government has announced that it will begin discussions with provinces and territories to adopt the optional protocol that establishes a complaint mechanism under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. When Canada ratified that Convention it excluded the provision for a complaints process. This is good news for several reasons: …

Evolving Capacity, Age, and Assisted Dying

Assisted Dying: Alternatives to Arbitrary Minimum Age The government has announced that they will hold further consultations on the question of the age of eligibility in the new legal framework for assistance in dying. For now, the proposed bill includes age 18 as a minimum age requirement. The use of arbitrary age limits in many …

Children and New Law on Physician Assisted Dying

Child Rights and Physician Assistance in Death The CCRC made a submission to the parliamentary committee that studied physician assisted death before introduction of a new law. Its recommendation that criteria be based on principles in the CRC rather than an arbitrary age criterion is reflected in the committee report.  The committee recommended a two-stage …