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: …

25th Anniversary of Ratification of CRC in Canada: How Are We Doing?

2016 is the 25th Anniversary of Canada’s Ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child – time to ask about progress in implementation.  Substantive progress in some areas is combined with no action in others, based on recommendations to Canada in the last review of children’s rights in 2012.  The CCRC offers this …

Children’s Rights: Making Canada Work Better for Young People

November 22:  Panel and Workshop discussion on how children’s rights could improve federal/provincial/first nations cooperation to benefit all children in Canada.  2016 is the 25th Anniversary of Ratification of the Convention on the Rights on the Child.  Implementation remains a challenge.  This topic is timely because progress in many areas involves more several governing bodies. …

Violence Strategies and Children’s Rights

The CCRC welcomes the strong focus on ending violence against women and girls. Paying attention to children’s rights is essential and beneficial for the success of proposed national strategies.  That is the message in two submissions the CCRC is making. We hope Status of Women Canada will consider Article 19 of the Convention, General Comment …

Children’s Rights could improve International Assistance Program

The CCRC has proposed a way to strengthen Canada’s international assistance program. In a submission for the current review, the CCRC proposes that the Convention on the Rights of the Child be adopted as the framework for all international assistance that impacts children, rather than being one small area of programming.   This would improve …

National Dialogue on Children’s Commissioner

For many years the CCRC has proposed establishment of a National Children’s Commissioner as a focal point for implementation of children’s rights in Canada.  The need for and benefit of such an office have been well-documented.  What we need now is a national dialogue to build consensus on the mandate and how the office would …