Amnesty International Ottawa-Gatineau
312 Laurier Ave East K1N 6P8 Ottawa, ON, Canada

Allow me a rant ... So back in 2002 the UN adopted an important new treaty, all about preventing torture. I think we can all agree that is a very, very good thi...ng to do. It goes by a rather wordy, unwieldy name - the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT) - but with an ambitious and vital purpose to "establish a system of regular visits undertaken by independent international and national bodies to places where people are deprived of their liberty, in order to prevent torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment." [OPCAT, article 1] A very, very good thing to do. You'd have thought that Canada was first in line to sign on, or at least among the first ten. We are all for preventing torture after all. Think again. Things looked up 4 years later, in 2006. Standing for election to the brand new UN Human Rights Council, Canada promised to "consider" ratifying OPCAT if voted onto the Council. Canada was elected and served a 3 year term. Surely ratification occurred before the end of that term? Think again. Next chance, 2009. Canada's first examination under the UN Human Rights Council's new Universal Periodic Review process, a system of human rights scrutiny that Canada had championed. Many governments raised OPCAT in the review. In response, Canada promised that it was "considering" ratification. Good sign, some pressure from our peers, maybe just another year needed? Think again. Brings us to 2013, second time through the Universal Periodic Review. Again loads of recommendations from other states that Canada get on board with OPCAT. This time the response is that Canada accepted the recommendation "in principle" but had no "current plan" to ratify. A step back from considering? Then in May 2016, amidst Amnesty International's global Stop Torture Campaign, at an event on Parliament Hill, then Minister of Foreign Affairs Stéphane Dion breaks the logjam, agrees that "the government of Canada should join this important protocol" and was "taking the first step towards doing so by beginning formal consultations on the optional protocol with provincial and territorial governments." (Thus the hopeful, encouraging photo below.) So now things will really get moving, maybe 18 months to wrap it up? Think again. December 2017, for the first time in 29 years the federal government hosts a meeting of all federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for human rights. One of the key commitments made: "to consider" becoming a party to OPCAT. They also promised to hold another ministerial human rights meeting. So of course ratification would finally cross the finish line before that next ministerial meeting? Think again. Things keep moving along, now it is 2018 and our third round of the Universal Periodic Review. Again, many other governments press us on OPCAT, especially in light of Minister Dion's promise back in 2016. The response this time? No decision yet on joining OPCAT. Think again. And then, the follow up to the 2017 ministerial meeting took place this week (only the 3rd such meeting in 32 years, but I digress). The outcome? You guessed it, to "consider" becoming a party to OPCAT. I've stopped thinking again, and I'm fed up with "considering". This is all about preventing torture. Which is, yes, even an issue in our detention centres, witness the disgraceful use of solitary confinement across the country (no matter what other terms it may go by: administrative segregation, structured intervention units, ). And it is out of control in countless countries around the world, countries where the inspection system that comes with OPCAT would make a huge difference. But Canada can't even mildly suggest those governments sign on, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T DONE SO OURSELVES. By now 91 countries have ratified/acceded to OPCAT, including almost all of our closest allies (southern neighbour excepted of course). Because those 91 countries know how vital it is to do everything possible to prevent the brutal, ugly, racist, dehumanizing and degrading use of torture anywhere, everywhere and at all times. I don't have the right word for this disgraceful 18 year long failure of human rights responsibility. Shameful and abdication don't even come close. Maybe some day we will stop "considering" whether we are prepared to commit to preventing torture, and actually do it.

The uOttawa chapter is hosting another great online event. Sign up today! https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/a-night-to-remember-a-discussio

Call for the protection of the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in Belarus https://takeaction.amnesty.ca/page/66180/petition/1

https://www.cbc.ca//15802994-amnesty-international-canadas Meet Amnesty International Canada's new secretary general. A radio interview with Robyn Bresnahan.

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Activists from the grassroots of Amnesty Canada (English Speaking) are delighted to announce the first ever virtual, nation-wide human rights conference! We will be releasing exciting information about the conference in the coming weeks and registration is open now! Registration link: https://forms.gle/BSai3z7bFGqUfzPf7