National Child Day 2017: Children’s Rights Can Make Canada Work Better

Members of the Coalition will celebrate National Child Day with children across the country on November 20, 2017.  We also celebrate the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is the reason for this day. This year the CCRC is drawing attention to the potential benefits of the Convention on the Rights of the …

Food Fights and Children’s Rights

In 2012 Canada was specifically asked to address the high incidence of obesity in children by, among other steps, “ensuring greater regulatory controls over the production and advertisement of fast food and unhealthy foods, especially those targeted to children.  (Concluding Observations, paragraph 64, CRC/C/CAN/CO/3-4, page 15)  This was one recommendation among many  in the last review …

Marijuana Use and Young People: Open Letter

The CCRC calls for three steps to address the concerns related to marijuana use and young people in an Open Letter to Federal and Provincial Governments: Consider all the rights of young people through a Children’s Rights Impact Assessment of Bill C-45 Implement a comprehensive youth strategy, that includes support services as well as public …

Education and Children’s Rights in Canada

How well are children’s rights in education fulfilled across Canada?  In a discussion paper, the CCRC reviews the recommendations Canada received during its last review of children’s rights, notes some indicators of progress, and suggests what we hope to see in the next report, which will be submitted in July 2018. In particular, Canada was …

Back to School: The Aims of Education

Every child has a right to an education.  That is widely accepted in Canada.   It leads to debates about access, equity in funding, drop-out rates, and school fees as a barrier to some essential activities.  Article 28 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child provides principles for sound educational policy in these …

National Commissioner for Children and Youth

On July 10th 2015, a forum was held at the Université de Moncton, in New Brunswick, bringing together non-governmental organizations from across Canada to advance discussion in support of the establishment of an independent officer of Parliament responsible for protecting and promoting the rights and well-being of Canadian children and youth between the ages of …

Omar Khadr: A Lesson in Children’s Rights

The case of Omar Khadr shows the importance of recognizing and protecting the rights of every child.  Early recognition of Khadr’s rights as a child could have prevented harm to him and the need for redress and financial compensation now.  In a public statement the Canadian Coalition for the Rights of the Child (CCRC) explains …