Bill S-41
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1st Session, 38th Parliament,
53-54 Elizabeth II, 2004-2005
senate of canada
BILL S-41
An Act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Act (human rights reports)
R.S., c. E-22; 1995, c. 5, s. 2
Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:
1. The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Act is amended by adding the following after section 11:
HUMAN RIGHTS REPORTS
Tabling of human rights report
11.1 (1) The Minister shall cause to be laid before each House of Parliament a copy of any report submitted by the Government of Canada to the United Nations on the progress made by Canada in giving effect to the provisions of any of the following international human rights instruments or any protocols or supplementary conventions relating to those instruments to which Canada is a party:
(a) the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
(b) the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination;
(c) the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;
(d) the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights;
(e) the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women;
(f) the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment;
(g) the Convention on the Rights of the Child; and
(h) any other instrument that is designated by the regulations as an international human rights instrument for the purposes of this subsection.
Tabling of response
(2) The Minister shall cause to be laid before each House of Parliament a copy of any response to a report referred to in subsection (1) received by the Government of Canada from the United Nations.
Timing
(3) A report or response that is required to be laid before a House of Parliament under subsection (1) or (2) shall be laid on any of the first fifteen days on which that House is sitting after the day the report is submitted or the response is received, as the case may be.
Interpretation
(4) A reference to the United Nations in subsections (1) and (2) includes a reference to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and any committee established by or under an international human rights instrument of the United Nations to monitor or administer the implementation of the instrument.
Regulations
(5) The Governor in Council may make regulations designating any United Nations instrument relating to human rights to which Canada is a party as an international human rights instrument for the purposes of subsection (1).
Published under authority of the Senate of Canada
Explanatory Notes
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Act
Clause 1: New.