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Sign the Declaration of the Voices-Voix coalition

Raise Your Voices!
Thursday, June 17th, 2010

Since 2006 the Government of Canada has systematically undermined democratic institutions and practices, and has eroded the protection of free speech, and other fundamental human rights.  It has deliberately set out to silence the voices of organizations or individuals who raise concerns about government policies or disagree with government positions. It has weakened Canada’s international standing as a leader in human rights.  The impact and consequences for the health of democracy, freedom of expression, and the state of human rights protection in Canada are unparalleled.

Organizations that disagree with the Government’s positions and/or engage in advocacy have had their mandates criticised and their funding threatened, reduced or discontinued.  In many cases these organizations have a long history of service to the public, such as KAIROS, MATCH International, the Canadian Council for International Co-operation, Alternatives, the Canadian Arab Federation, the Climate Action Network, the National Association of Women and the Law and the Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women.  The Court Challenges Program, which funded many human-rights cases, has had its mandate drastically reduced. The Women’s Program at Status of Women Canada now effectively excludes many women’s groups that conduct research and work to advance women’s equality and participation in society.

Individuals have been personally sanctioned in response to their efforts to defend democratic and human rights principles.  Linda Keen, President of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission and three managers from the highly respected organization Rights and Democracy have all been summarily dismissed.  Peter Tinsley, Chair of the Military Police Complaints Commission, was not renewed in his position. Diplomat Richard Colvin was intimidated and derided for his parliamentary testimony about the torture of Afghan detainees handed over by the Canadian military. Partisan appointments to the board of directors of Rights and Democracy resulted in the resignation of internationally renowned board members and have thrown the organization into crisis.

Further, an unprecedented level of secrecy now shrouds a long list of government activities and decisions, making it increasingly difficult for the public to hold the government accountable across a range of fundamentally important issues.  Robert Marleau, the Federal Information Commissioner, has reported that access to information regarding government action has been restricted.  Diplomats, leaders of governmental agencies, public officials, senior military officers, and scientists at Environment Canada are being pressured to obey a law of silence and censored from communicating to the Canadian public.

The Government has eroded freedom of the press by exercising central control of the information available to journalists.  It abused the right to prorogue Parliament in order to avoid serious allegations that the Canadian military has been complicit in the torture of Afghan detainees.

The Government has taken positions domestically and within such key international bodies as the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council that undermine essential human rights, environmental and other global principles.  The government’s actions have set back or weakened crucial international human rights initiatives such as global protection of the rights of Indigenous peoples, a worldwide moratorium on executions, more effective protection of human rights in the Middle East, protection against torture, the rights of gays and lesbians, the rights of women,  and the rights of children.  Among many distressing examples, since the Supreme Court of Canada found that Canada is responsible for continuing violations of Omar Khadr’s human rights, the government’s response has been grossly inadequate and a source of shame on the world stage.

In this context, Canadian democratic institutions, civil society organizations, and human rights defenders have been weakened, marginalized and silenced. Their capacity to monitor and safeguard the respect for democracy, free speech, and other rights is in jeopardy. The quality and health of democratic life in Canada is under serious threat.

United, we call upon the Government of Canada to:

1. Respect the right to freedom of opinion and expression. Therefore,

  • Cease to deliberately target those who speak out against government policies with the use of smear campaigns, dismissal from employment, funding cuts, blatant and subtle threats, regulations designed to obfuscate and prevent public debate, and other acts of bad faith.
  • Commit to parliamentary hearings in the Fall of 2010 that address widespread concerns about the loss of democratic space in Canada.

2. Act in accordance with Canada’s democratic traditions and values. Therefore,

  • Actively promote and support political diversity and public debate, instead of avoiding it.
  • Recognize and respect the vital role, expertise, and necessary independence of civil society organizations.

3. Be transparent. Therefore,

  • Demonstrate full respect for and accountability to the Parliament of Canada and the Canadian People.
  • Allow complete access for Canadians to information regarding public policy decisions.
  • Base funding decisions for government and civil society organizations on fair standards and democratic principles, instead of partisan agendas.





Organizations that have endorsed the Declaration thus far include:

    1. Aboriginal Council of Winnipeg
    2. Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada
    3. Action Canada for Population and Development
    4. Ad Hoc Coalition for Women's Equality and Human Rights
    5. Alternatives (Montreal)
    6. Alternatives North (Yellowknife)
    7. Amelia Rising Sexual Assault Centre of Nipissing
    8. Amnesty International Canada (anglophone)
    9. Amnistie internationale Canada (francophone)
    10. The Anna Project
    11. Artistes pour la Paix
    12. Asian Canadian Labour Alliance, Ontario Chapter
    13. Association des professionnels des arts de la scène du Québec
    14. Association québécoise de lutte contre la pollution atmosphérique
    15. Association québécoise des organismes de coopération internationale
    16. BC Peace & Global Educators (PAGE)
    17. British Columbia Civil Liberties Association
    18. Business and Professional Women's Association of Canada
    19. Canada Palestine Association (Vancouver)
    20. Canada Palestine Support Network
    21. Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (Toronto)
    22. The Canadian Arab Federation
    23. Canadian Association of University Teachers
    24. Canadian Auto Workers Union
    25. Canadian Centre for Community Renewal
    26. Canadian Centre for Progressive Christianity
    27. Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations
    28. Canadian Council for International Co-operation
    29. Canadian Council on Social Development
    30. Canadian Dimension Magazine
    31. Canadian Environmental Law Association
    32. Canadian Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs
    33. Canadian Federation of Students
    34. Canadian Federation of University Women
    35. Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action
    36. Canadian Friends Service Committee (Quakers)
    37. Canadian Harm Reduction Network
    38. Canadian Health Coalition
    39. Canadian Labour Congress
    40. Canadian Law & Society Association (Winnipeg)
    41. Canadian Peace Alliance
    42. Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women
    43. Canadian Shia Muslims Organization
    44. Canadian Solidarity for Ethiopian Political Prisoners
    45. Canadian Society for International Health
    46. Canadian Union of Postal Workers
    47. Canadian Union of Public Employees
    48. Canadian Voice of Women for Peace
    49. Canadian Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
    50. Canadians Advocating Political Participation (Toronto)
    51. Canadians Rallying to Unseat Stephen Harper
    52. Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation
    53. Central Alberta AIDS Network Society
    54. Centre d'écologie urbaine de Montréal
    55. Centre for Law and Democracy (Halifax)
    56. Centre for Northern Families (Yellowknife)
    57. Centre for Research on Latin America and the Caribbean at York University
    58. Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada
    59. Childcare Resource and Research Unit (Toronto)
    60. Citizens Assembly for Democracy (Wolfville)
    61. Civil Liberties Association, National Capital Region
    62. Climate Action Network-Réseau action climat Canada
    63. Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid (Toronto)
    64. Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid (Victoria)
    65. Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (Ontario Chapter)
    66. Code Pink Canada
    67. CoDevelopment Canada
    68. Common Frontiers
    69. Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada
    70. Community Matters Toronto
    71. Conscience Canada
    72. Conseil d'intervention pour l'accès des femmes au travail
    73. Conseil régional de l’environnement de Laval
    74. Contactivity Centre Inc.
    75. Cooper Institute (P.E.I.)
    76. Champ & Associates (Ottawa)
    77. Council of Canadians
    78. Canada Without Poverty Advocacy Network
    79. Citizens in Action Montreal
    80. Democracy Watch
    81. Early Learning Childcare Coalition of Saskatchewan
    82. Earth Action (PEI)
    83. Ecology Action Centre (Halifax)
    84. Edmonton Friends of the North Environmental Society
    85. Edmonton Small Press Association
    86. Educating for Peace (Ottawa)
    87. Educators for Peace and Justice
    88. The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario
    89. Entraide missionnaire (Montréal)
    90. Environment Haliburton (Ontario)
    91. Équiterre
    92. ETC Group - Action Group on Erosion, Technology and Concentration (Ottawa)
    93. Executive Committee of the Trent University Faculty Association's
    94. Extractive Industries Research Group at York University
    95. Faculty Association of the University of St. Thomas
    96. Fédération interprofessionnelle du Québec
    97. Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec
    98. Feminists for Just and Equitable Public Policy (FemJEPP)
    99. ForestEthics
    100. Fredericton Peace Coalition (NB)
    101. Friends of the Earth Canada
    102. Gerald & Maas publishing house (Ottawa)
    103. Good Company Communications Inc.
    104. Greenpeace Canada
    105. Halifax Initiative Coalition (Ottawa)
    106. Halifax-Dartmouth and District Labour Council
    107. Human Rights Research and Education Centre of the University of Ottawa
    108. Humanist Association of Toronto
    109. Humanist Chaplaincy at the University of Toronto
    110. Independent Jewish Voices
    111. Institute for Women's and Gender Studies, University of Winnipeg
    112. Interagency Coalition on AIDS and Development
    113. International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
    114. International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group
    115. International Women's Rights Project
    116. Inter Pares
    117. Island Peace Committee (PEI)
    118. Justice for Mohamed Harkat Committee
    119. Kitchen Table Collective (Regina)
    120. Law Office of Barbara Findlay
    121. Law Office of Pearl Eliadis (Montreal)
    122. Lawyers Rights Watch Canada
    123. Les Alter citoyens
    124. Ligue des droits et libertés du Québec
    125. MATCH International
    126. McLeod Group
    127. MiningWatch Canada
    128. The Montreal Council of Women
    129. Mouvement Au Courant (Montréal)
    130. Muslim Presence (Ottawa)
    131. National Association of Women and the Law
    132. National Centre for Child Care Inclusion
    133. National Council of Women of Canada
    134. National Union of Public and General Employees
    135. Natural Health Products Protection Association (Kamloops)
    136. Near East Educational and Cultural Foundation (Canada)
    137. New Brunswick Coalition for Pay Equity Inc.
    138. North-South Institute
    139. NoWar-Paix
    140. Nycole Turmel Chair on Public Spaces and Political Innovations
    141. Ontario Humanist Society
    142. Ontario Public Interest Research Group
    143. Oxfam Canada
    144. Palestine Freedom of Expression Campaign (Toronto)
    145. Palestine House Community Centre
    146. Parkland Institute (Edmonton)
    147. Peace Brigades International-Canada
    148. People's Health Movement: Canada Circle (Ottawa)
    149. Physicians for Global Survival (Ottawa)
    150. Pink Triangle Press (Toronto)
    151. Polaris Institute
    152. Prairie Lily Feminist Society of Saskatchewan
    153. Public Interest Alberta (Edmonton)
    154. Public Service Alliance of Canada
    155. Quaker Committee for Refugees
    156. Queer Ontario
    157. Queer Ontario Media Committee
    158. Réseau d’Action du Genre et de Développement Social (RAGDS)
    159. Renfrew County Coalition Against Poverty
    160. RightOnCanada
    161. Sierra Youth Coalition
    162. The Canadian Muslim Forum (FMC-CMF)
    163. The Social Planning Council of Winnipeg
    164. The Village Voice Hudson
    165. Socialist Project (Toronto)
    166. Sombrilla Refugee Support Society (Edmonton)
    167. Student Christian Movement of Canada (SCM)
    168. Syndicat des étudiant-e-s employé-e-s de l'UQAM (SÉtuE-UQAM)
    169. Teachers for Peace and Global Education British Columbia
    170. Thousand Islands Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
    171. Together Against Poverty Society (Victoria)
    172. Transition House Association of Nova Scotia
    173. United Jewish People's Order
    174. United Church of Canada (Moderator)
    175. United Steelworkers
    176. Vancouver Island Persons Living With HIV/AIDS Society
    177. Vegans & Vegetarians of Alberta Association
    178. Victoria AIDS Resource & Community Service Society
    179. Voice of Palestine (Vancouver)
    180. Womanspace Resource Centre (Lethbridge)
    181. Women's Centres Connect (Nova Scotia)
    182. Women Elders in Action WE*ACT Society (BC)
    183. Women of Halton Action Movement
    184. World Federalist Movement – Canada
    185. Zonta Club of Montreal





    Organizations that wish to endorse this Declaration should send an email to communications@voices-voix.ca.





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