Advertisement

Another UN body smacks Canada, this time for Quebec law restricting large protests

Canadians get a secret thrill when others mention their country. A laudatory reference by an American president, a high ranking in some global list about how wonderful Canada is as a place to live.

But there was probably a collective pursing of lips Monday when Canada found itself lumped in with North Korea, Syria, Sudan and Zimbabwe as a violator of human rights.

The slap came from Navi Pillay, United Nations high commissioner for human rights, in a long speech in Geneva. It's the latest in a spate of adverse references from UN agencies.

One paragraph in Pillay's address criticized recent Quebec legislation restricting gatherings of more than 50 people without a permit, aimed at curbing months of Montreal street protests over plans to raise post-secondary tuition fees.

"Moves to restrict freedom of assembly in many parts of the world are alarming," she said, according to a Canadian Press report. "In the context of student protests, I am disappointed by the new legislation passed in Quebec that restricts their rights to freedom of association and of peaceful assembly."

[Related: Quebec bill challenged]

Quebec and federal leaders were quick to jump on the reference.

Premier Jean Charest said Pillay's criticism could also have mentioned Geneva, where the commission is headquartered, and which has much tougher laws regulating public protests.

"It's ironic, though, that they're criticizing a law that requires eight hours' notice before a protest and an itinerary, when in Geneva — where the United Nations office is — it's 30 days' notice that they require," Charest told reporters at global environmental conference in Rio de Janeiro.

Federal Industry Minister Christian Paradis, the Conservative government's senior Quebec minister, said Pillay singled out the province while ignoring more serious human rights abuses in countries such as Iran, Sri Lanka and Belarus.

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird also expressed disappointment.

"Quebec is a very democratic place subject to the rule of law," Baird said according to The Canadian Press. "People can challenge the government's decisions in court so I stand behind the government of Quebec.

"With what's going on in Syria, with what's going on in Iran and Belarus, the UN would be better to spend its time on there."

UN Watch, a human rights group that monitors UN activities, also found Pillay's criticism difficult to swallow.

"While Pillay cites only two other countries in the world for restrictions on freedom of assembly — expressing 'concern' about Russia, and 'deep concern' for Eritrea — only Canada provokes her far stronger 'alarm," the organization said in a statement.

UN Watch director Hillel Neuer, originally from Montreal, said Allay needs to keep things in perspective.

"While Canada is certainly fair game for criticism, for Pillay to divert the world's attention to what in a global context is an absolutely marginal case — a law already under before the chief justice of the Quebec Superior Court, and less demanding than the Geneva laws regulating the human rights rallies we hold in front of her own building — is simply absurd," Neuer said.

Neuer noted a veteran Tibet activist was shocked that Allay singled out Canada in her speech while saying nothing about China's brutal repression of dissidents in Tibet.

[Related:Quebec government lawyers defend Bill 78]

Bill 78, passed a month ago, requires leaders of protests involving 50 or more people to inform police of their route eight hours in advance. Police also have the power to change the route if they perceive a threat to public safety.

The law, which has a July 1, 2013 expiry date, calls for fines of up to $35,000 for individuals and $125,000 for organizations that break the law.

But the law has provoked a wide public backlash among not only students but Quebec lawyers and the public, and prompted large marches through Montreal streets in defiance of its penalties.

[Related: Conservative MP says Canada consider leaving UN]

Just how much Pillay's negative shout-out will be taken to heart remains to be seen. As the National Post noted, federal officials dismissed recent criticism by the UN's special food rapporteur investigating food security in Canada, and other UN concerns about treatment of aboriginals and use of the country as a safe haven for war criminals.

(AFP photo)