The big questions du jour have been Afghanistan and the tratment of Taliban POWs, and the environment – how we will cope with climate chage and its impact on civilization. Both of these issues are connected, and the thread binding them is human rights.
Human society is a complex and ever-evolving thing. Hopefully we are progressing, but many days, that’s not too clear. The concept of human rights is a profound one, and extends from treating prisoners as you would like to be treated, or at least with respect, to respecting the rights of generatons that might come after us.
Just days ago a proposed new Human Rights Museum was dedicated in Winnipeg, which concerns itself with such matters. The brainchild of late media baron Izzy Asper, this will be the first national museum located outside of the National Capital Region, and PMSH was in The Peg to rev it up. So was Anita Neville, a Winnipeg-area MP, who is extremely proud of the accomplishment.
MPtv caught up with Neville just outside Parliament.
To view the video, click here.
For more info on the museum, click here.
26 comments ↓
It is MY RIGHT defend my personal financial interests and REGAIN what was stolen from me and A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER GOOD PEOPLE. The FIGHT is against the entire CPC, as well as Champagne Jack Layton and the DIPoC [Dipper Party of Canada]. The Dippers stood by while the CPC plundered seniors’ nest eggs and then lied about having a reason for doing it. The Dippers like people to come to them with begging bowls … They don’t like it when seniors make every attempt at self sufficiency.
Don’t..Don’t…D..D..DON’T FORGET!
We won’t Stevie, WE SURE AS HELL WON’T!
“A Conservative government will stand for certainty for seniors and never allow raids on seniors’ nest eggs by changing investment rules or imposing death taxes on inheritancesâ€â€”Mike Wallace
Our Stand Up Plan for the country and for Burlington…Accompanied by a photo depicting TWO FAT GUYS walking through the east end of Burlington, telling lies to anyone who would speak to them.
I do hope they have the courage to canvass me for my vote in the next election. It’ll be like the running of the bulls in Pamplona.
If I am ever in Winnipeg, I intend to pay a visit to the Museum. Human rights are an integral part of our Canadian culture, thank goodness. Imagine what a wonderful world it would be if every single person had the opportunity to think and live without fear of reprisal or repression. We are so blessed to live here.
Hey garth…i think it was announced for funding..it’s nowhere near completion..in fact I dont think it has even had its ground breaking ceremony?
Hi Garth, the fact that Canada has most likely violated the Geneva Convention regarding the transfer of prisoners is absolutely shocking: Harper really is taking Canada down the same path as GWB of the U.S after all!
By the way, would you be able to provide a link to a site that would allow viewers of this blog to view the text of ‘The Geneva Convention’?
UPDATE: Here is the link for Geneva Convention on Treatment of Prisoners of War [courtesy of site webmaster]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vda1KRF75M
For all interested in the North American Union.This be for you.There’s some mention here about slipping it in by way of NAFTA.
Isn’t it rich that Harper tries to portray himself as a leader in human rights when he spreads hatred because someone is of a different political.
This is Canada (so far), it is a democracy (so far) and it is our “right” to be on the political view of our choice.
A kind person can’t hate the way Harper does. It’s hatred that causes human rights problems.
http://ca.search.yahoo.com/search?p=Canada.USembassy.gov&fr=FP-tab-web-t340&toggle=1&cop=&ei=UTF-8&meta=vl%3D
Lots here as well with Can/US/Mex relations.
If Bush veto,s the Democrats, the American people will vote the Republican’s into political history for a long time.If he doesn’t veto, his Iraq policy fails-that’s obvious already- and he’s done anyway.
But he still has lots of time to pass laws and creat havoc.This is where we have to watch this North American Union.
Even without a majority,is it possible to sneak this in through the back door by way of NAFTA or an amendment of some kind.Not so sure QC will go along with all this.But ya never know.
You know what Garth.I don’t care how it gets done but Mr. Harper has to go.Unite the opposition into one party and all the leaders can take turns being leader every other day.Sounds crazy right.So does this NAU.But they are proceeding.
Then again here’s that other reason.
The NCC was founded in 1967 by Colin M. Brown, a wealthy life insurance executive from London, Ontario, to fight against the creation of public healthcare. Brown took out full-page advertisements in newspapers nationwide in an effort to recruit like-minded citizens. One of the NCC’s early efforts was a campaign against the admission of Vietnamese refugees in the late 1970s, during which Brown made comments that were criticized as racist.
Stephen Harper, the current Prime Minister of Canada, was at one time president of the NCC.
By Jordan on 04.29.07 8:21 pm,
By your logic, we should also include Bill Graham, Paul Martin, and Jean Chretien.
While we are at it. It’s a well known that China at times violates its citizen’s human rights. And fact, that Canada sends China 50 million $ per year. And fact, that China has invested and armed itself much more than any other country in the world. So by extension, can we say that Canada is contributing to China’s human rights violations?
“China has invested and armed itself much more than any other country in the world.”
You might want to check the records, Catherine. The U.S. outspends the other 9 countries in the Top 10 military spenders combined.
Jordan, be very careful what your arguing here. While I do believe that the detainees should be treated humanely, they by the letter of the law have no true protection to the Geneva Convention. Please read section two I believe of the convention. The insurgents/terrorists do not comply with even one aspect of it.
Well, I just watched a rep. from the UN on CTV.He said many countries turn the prisoners over to the Afghan government, that it is the right thing to do. He said that the UN is looking into the ALLEGATIONS of abuse. He said these are people taken into custody on the war field. He said they are the RESPONSIBILITY of the Afghan government.
So, now exactly, what is the problem? L
Lease asks “So, now exactly, what is the problem?”
The problem is that the truth is not sensational enough for some folks. They’d rather let themselves be whipped into a frenzy. Frenzies are lots of fun, apparently.
DI-YAWN———I love it. A most awe-inspiring politician Canada has ever had.
Mr. Turner, how can you be so supportive of a citizen of France to be our Prime Minister. Do you want to take us back to the 18th century ?
And as far as the Taliban detainees are concerned, when they start to observe the Geneva Convention then, and only then, should we accord them the same rights.
You don’t see our troops murdering, raping and killing children.
If we are not at war,why do we have prisoners of war?My concern is not with what happens with these bombers and murderers of innocent people.Rather,I’m more concerned with the big lie from our so called New Government,Be up front with Canadians for once.If I wanted a dishonest and deceitful government,I would have moved out of Canada ages ago.
Listen to the reporters on the ground with Canadian troops. Our troops are hesitant to hand over detainees because they hear the Afghan security forces saying the detainees will be executed.
If our troops are worried about the handovers, why isn’t our government listening to their concerns???
Why isn’t the transfer of detainees being halted until the so-called “investigation” is completed?
Wouldn’t our troops be better served if they knew they did not have to hand over detainees for possible torture?
And for those who think torture is O.K. as long as it is directed at the other guys–you will be the first to wail and moan if NATO soldiers are detained and abused.
You can’t be fighting for democracy and human rights on one hand and then denying them to select individuals on the other.
You are hypocrites. You are the ones devaluing the work of our soldiers.
I have to question why we need to pour millions of dollars into a museum of human rights. If we have our human rights, that should be what is important. We all know about history and atrocities which were committed. Why use our tax dollars to showcase this? Why not reduce our taxes instead.
“You don’t see our troops murdering, raping and killing children.”
How quickly people forget Somalia.
http://www.dnd.ca/somalia/somaliae.htm
Judy, Rant On, Why do you not read the whole story, The time the troops did not want to hand over the detainees was directly after a fire fight in which a lot of Afgan Soldiers were killed and the Afgan unit was totally pissed, The afgan unit involved asked for the detainees to be turned over to them and the boys rightly refused. As to the reporters in the Gan, I hate to break it you, but the vast majority of soldiers will not even talk to them, every time you do they twist it, and it appears in the MSM as something you did not say. I am still waiting for this reporter to release at least one of the six names of the persons that were tortured. Until that point it is just an allegation. I in no way think torture is ok before you come back with that, What people fail to understand is what we consider torture, the Afgan consider the daily business of rehabilitation, much like some of the other countries we do business with around the world, i.e China, Cuba, Russia, Turkey, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, shall I continue?. For freak sakes it is almost considered torture in a penal system if we do not provide the movie channel to inmates. OK,, Rant off.
How about Hard Labour? Where does that fit in ‘torture’? Sure would seem to for the White Collar criminals like soon to be convicted Conrad Black, and the others doing ‘Easy Time’ in some Minimum Security Correctional facility!
Back during the Boxer Rebellion they just stretched the POW’s necks, and cut off their heads with a sword…WHOOSH! or just buried them alive.
JCLH,
Thanks. I think that is after they activated Steve’s ‘Emotion Chip’ which must have been a short lived event, eh?
Jorden,
Canada most definitely has not violated the Geneva Convention. The captives do not fall under the Geneva Convention because they do not comply with two of the four mandatory requirements contained in Article 4 if the Convention.
The first being para 2(b) which reads
Quote”That of having a fixed distinctive sign recognizable at a distance;” Unquote ( ie no uniforms)
The second is article 2(d) which reads
Quote ” That of conducting their operations in accordance with the laws and customs of war.” Unquote. Suicide bombers and killing civilians and children does not follow the laws and customs of war.
The Liberal defense critic is wrong in his accusations towards the Government and should be forced to apologize to the government and the Canadain people and in turn the military. This is the second time he has gone off the deep end and Dion should replace him with someone who knows something about defense.
Van,
Suiccide bombers, eh? Okay, what do you call the Kamakazis of WWII? Were they not under the Geneva Convention? Ask those at Pearl Harbour what they think of your analysis?
The VC in ‘Nam used Booby traps including grenades under their own body, but I guess they were not covered either because they were in a non-declared war…right?
Line the troops up, march in vollies of fire towards the enemy, that’s the ticket to defining WAR! CHARGE!
Van: Are you implying that because detainees do not meet criteria they should be handed over for torture?
Seems to me NATO is not having any trouble “identifying” the Taliban. They are the ones shooting at them.
And when you declare war on a noun –terror–it’s pretty hard for that noun to know what the “rules” of war are.
Because as you know we have not officially declared war on the Taliban–this is a religious, social sect within a specific country, Afghanistan. So, instead, we are on a mission–to fight a war on terror ( the noun).
JCLH,
Thanks. I think that is after they activated Steve’s ‘Emotion Chip’ which must have been a short lived event, eh?
By Bill-Muskoka on 04.30.07 2:53 pm
“Captain I’m having some intense sensations in my neural net I can’t explain. Fascinating ! Do humans have these feelings all the time Captain ?
“Of course Data . At least if they are not Stephen Harpo PPOC .”
“I see Captain .And why not this Stephen man ? ”
“Well you see Data he is not engineered the same way as you. His neural net does not function at the same level. If at all .”
“I see Captain. Thank you for the explanation ”
” Most welcome Data “
Judy wrote,
>Are you implying that because detainees >do not meet criteria they should be >handed over for torture?
Not at all. All I am saying is that Canada are not in contravention of the Geneva Convention because the Taliban do not meet the requirements of the convention under the articles I outlined previously.
Secondly, there is no proof that they are actually being tortured. Where’s the evidence? Sorry, you can not convict upon here say and so far that is all we have and that is exactly what the opposition parties are doing in the house. I am positive if they had any they would produce it. So far they haven’t.
Bill
First of all you are not the one to be lecturing me on Pearl Harbour as I lost an aunt in the Japanese attack.
Secondly we are talking about the Taliban and not the WW2 and Viet Nam and and by you bring this up is a red herring and does nothing for the discussion at hand.
IMO, the prisoners captured by our troops in Afghanistan do not meet the requirements of the Geneva Convention under the articles previously mentioned and therefore are not protected by that Convention.
If you have evidence to dispute my position then please feel free do so. So far you haven’t.