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By Howard Hampton
If you have been reading the newspapers like I have, you may have noticed the numerous incidents of racism and hatred reported in the media. The recent attack by a University of Toronto professor on women marking the December 6 killings
of 14 young women at the Montreal Polytechnique in 1989 left me with chills. He equated their actions to those of the white supremacist organization, the Ku Klux Klan. How many times have we heard politicians scape-goating immigrants? Despite
persistent demands, the rights of Ontarians with disabilities to live full lives remain illusive.
Aboriginal people continue to live in inhumane conditions. Women still are not paid fully for the work they do. Violence against women continues unabated. For the first time in more than a decade, the last three years saw cases based on
race grounds overtake cases on other grounds at the Ontario Human Rights Commission. And those who fan the flames of hatred against poor people ensure that the rights of welfare recipients are trampled upon as governments strip away whatever
dignity is left to hold on to. Yet the numerous studies and reports calling on the provincial government to act to end these routine violations of the human rights of many Ontarians are greeted with silence, even contempt.
On December 10, 2000, we marked the International Human Rights Day commemorating the signing of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948. This being the first commemoration of the International Human Rights
Day of the new millennium, we are presented with an opportunity to pay tribute to the work of human rights leaders, activists, advocates and workers who have led the fight for human rights worldwide. It is time to recommit ourselves to tackling
the obstacles to protecting human rights that continue to exist in many countries and here at home. We must choose to fight to eradicate racism, sexism, violence against women, homophobia, and to ensure the rights of persons with disabilities,
Aboriginal people, children, seniors and low income people.
In principle, Canada’s commitment to human rights is known around the world. Canada is a signatory to the UDHR. The Canadian Charter of Rights, the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Ontario Human Rights Code, as well as our official
commitment to multiculturalism, all speak to our desire to see human rights protected. Yet too often in this province, we have seen that diversity is regarded by some as a threat rather than an opportunity to build a truly multicultural
society. Demands for human rights are dismissed as political correctness or worse, those advocating for human rights are denigrated. Going into the new millennium, I believe there is a need to shift to an active, constructive, positive and
forward-looking approach to the protection of all human rights.
New Democrats and other progressive people believe that the new millennium represents a new start for the respect and protection of all human rights. We cannot remain smug about the human rights abuses in places like Burma, East Timor,
China, Algeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Palestine, and Colombia, to name a few. Rather, such actions as the killing of aboriginal rights activist Dudley George, at Ipperwash in 1995 should remind us daily of the challenge that many
people face here in Ontario because their human rights are routinely disregarded. We need to broaden the focus beyond political and civil rights. I believe that we should adopt a new, constructive approach that recognizes that Human Rights are
indivisible rights. He Universal Declaration of Human Right guarantees social, economic and cultural rights as well as political rights. It guarantees the rights to shelter and education as well as the right to vote.
We must now resolve not to stand idly by as the human rights of many of our people go unprotected. Disproportionate numbers of women, children, people with disability, First Nations people and people of colour struggle with poverty and
homelessness daily because of systemic discrimination. It is unacceptable to leave thousands of children homeless or in sub-standard housing and many more living in poverty, or to subject poor people to drug tests against their will. In 1998, a
United Nations Committee called particular attention to Ontario and demanded that the government take prompt action to rectify the denial of the rights to some in the province. It is time to heed that call and protect the human rights of all
people. The Hon. Howard Hampton is the Leader of the NDP Party of Ontario. -
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