UN notes Canada's record on poverty

The UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review of Canada took place yesterday, with the review focusing on Canada’s record on Aboriginal rights, domestic poverty, and racial discrimination, among other issues. The UPR Working Group will adopt the report on Canada on Thursday.

The focus on domestic poverty is welcome, and mirrors the concerns presented by CPJ in our brief to the UPR, “From Promise to Action.” CPJ’s brief is also quoted in the UN’s summary of stakeholder submissions.

Among the recommendations brought by the country delegations participating in the review was a recommendation that Canada finally adopt the suggestions posed by the UN Special Rapporteur on Housing, Miloon Kothari. Kothari recommended a national housing strategy, and extension of the Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program.

The attention paid to poverty is a good sign. Now we wait for the report, and even more importantly, to see if Canada will pay attention to the report and its recommendations.

Canada’s submission to the UPR can be found here, and the UN’s report (from all of its organizations, treaty bodies, etc.) can be found here.