No action on human rights


Prime Minister Mulroney kicked an MP from Alberta out of the Tory caucus to enforce party discipline on the Goods and Services Tax.

He packed the Senate to make sure the GST eventually passes.

He spent more than $35 million tax dollars on propaganda to get Canadians to accept the GST without kicking him out of office.

The millions and muscle he spent before that on the U.S. trade deal is another example of what the Preem can and will do for a program his financial and political backers want.

He's not lifted a finger - not even the Trudeau digit - to show any interest in human rights issues in Canada.

The only Mulroney Minister of Justice to come right out with a deadline for passing needed amendments to the Canadian Human Rights Act - John Crosbie - was shifted from the job before the promise came due.

Ray Hnatyshyn replaced Crosbie and would say only that the government would keep its promises as soon as possible. Now he's signing our $20 bills as Governor General of Canada.

Hnatyshyn's successor as Justice Minister - Doug Lewis - came close to saying the amendments were just months away early last year.

He ended up heading the Transportation Ministry in the next Cabinet shift.

Now we have Kim Campbell, an ambitious - if nothing else - person from British Columbia.

It took Campbell more than 100 days to respond to a written request from the Advocate for information on when to expect the amendments and what new coverage, if any, is planned.

Nothing in her answers hints at any commitment...


From the October-November issue of The Canadian Human Rights Advocate. The Advocate ceased publishing at the end of 1990 because financial difficulties faced by human rights groups, coupled with the GST and large increases in postal rates, made continued publication impossible.

Published in the Connexions Digest #53, January 1991

(CX4171)

 

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