Current Focus:

Canada and the World: Human Rights

Issues and Policies on Human Rights

As demonstrated by our contributions to efforts in Afghanistan and Haiti, Canada does have an important role to play on the international scene. Through proactive multilateralism, our peacekeeping and military forces can help maintain peace and security abroad, thereby making the world safer for everyone.

However, as evidenced recently by the 10-year remembrance ceremony for the Rwandan genocide, where David was a representative for Canada, we must ensure that we act decisively when the world community needs our help. Government must also ensure that the men and women we send out on missions are properly equipped and have all of the resources and information required to do their job.

David was become the Chair of the Sub-Committee on Human Rights of the Committee of Foreign Affairs. He has also written numerous articles in defence of international human rights and freedom of speech. Human rights groups in various places have sought his advice and direction on effective ways to deal with government organizations. David brings his extensive international experience to Parliament in order to ensure that human rights remain an integral part of the Canadian foreign policy agenda.

David on Human Rights

• Top Sudan leaders had role in Darfur crimes, report Reuters (Dec 11, 05)

• Detainee Cleared for Release is in Limbo at Guantanamo by Josh White and Robin Wright, Washington Post (Dec 15, 2005)

• Expertly Demystifying the War in Darfur Embassy Magazine (November 23, 05)

• Sudan's Department of Gang Rape by Nicholas Kristof, New York Times (November 22, 05)

• Ghosts of Rwanda: The failure of the African Union in Darfur Part I Part II by Eric Reeves

• What's to be Done About Darfur? Plenty by Nicholas Kristof, New York Times (November 29, 05)

• The Need to Intervene in Sudan's Darfur Region Globe and Mail Editorial (November 30, 05)

• Unsimplifying Darfur by René Lemarchand, University of Florida (November 05)

• Sudan: A Tolerable Genocide by Nicholas Kristof, New York Times (November 27, 05)

• Sudan's Department of Gang Rape by Nicholas Kristof, New York Times (November 22, 05)

• Shadows of Rwanda: Darfur, Sudan - The Violence Continues   San Francisco (November 16, 05)

• Realism in Darfur: Consider the horrors of peace. Christopher Hitchins, Slate Magazine (November 7, 05)

• Rallying the World's Willpower Washington (November 4, 05)

• Reaction Time: Why the delay? Knowing Acquiescence in Genocide University of Western Ontario, London (October 29, 05)

• Uncompromising Course Ottawa Congress Centre (October 8, 05)

• China Today & Canada - Ottawa (September 8, 05)

• In memory of King David Boloko - Ottawa (August 18, 05)

• Rwanda's genocide still echoes in Congo - Globe & Mail Web-Exclusive (August 24, 05)

• Darfur's Genocide - Embassy Magazine (August 3, 05)

• In the Wake of John Garang's Death: Prospects for Peace in Sudan - sudanreeves.org (August 2, 05)

• Surmounting the Great Wall: Building Human Rights in China
  - Vancouver (July 17, 05)

• The AU's Mission in Darfur: Bridging the Gaps - International Crisis Group (July 6, 06)

• Talisman, Sudan & Canada's Involvement - Ottawa (July 5, 05)

• Darfur and the Responsibility to Protect - Ottawa (June 17, 05)

• Canada & Vietnam: Moving Forward Together - Ottawa (June 27, 05)

• On the Occasion of the 60^th Birthday of Aung Suu Kyi - Ottawa (June 17, 05)

• Canada Is Capable of Much More in Darfur -  Edmonton (June 8, 05)

• Saving Darfur Shouldn't be this Hard - Ottawa (May 27, 05)

• Canada is accepting easy defeat in Sudan - Globe & Mail (May18, 05)

• Not enough for Darfur - National Post (May 16, 05)

• Darfur: Tears are not enough - Toronto Star (May 16, 2005)

• The Child is Innocent - Edmonton (May 15, 2005)

• Key MP wins Liberal support for Darfur aid initiative - Ottawa Citizen (April 19, 2005)

• Darfur: Tears are not enough - Toronto Star (May 16, 2005)

• The Child is Innocent - Edmonton (May 15, 2005)

• Key MP wins Liberal support for Darfur aid initiative - Ottawa Citizen (April 19, 2005)

• The Recruitment of Child Soldiers in Sri Lanka - Ottawa (March 24, 2005)

• Reflecting on the Importance of Water on World Water Day - Ottawa (March 22, 2005)

• Does Canada Stand for Anything in Darfur? - Ottawa (March 14, 2005)

• The Human Right to Peace in the Middle East - Edmonton (February 19, 2005)

• The Human Right to Peace in the Middle East - Edmonton (February 19, 2005)

• Thinking About Human Rights in the 21st Century - (January 7, 2005)

• Parliamentary Film Review "What Remains of US" - Ottawa (December 14, 2004)

• Circle of Light for Human Rights - Edmonton (December 10, 2004)

• Remembering the Ukrainian Holocaust - (November 27, 2004

• Hunger Lunch - Remarks by David at St. Andrews - Ottawa (November 21, 2004)

• Open Letter to the Prime Minister re Action for the Darfur Region of Sudan  (August 31, 2004)

• Urgent Action Needed to End Darfur Slaughter - London Free Press (August 6, 2004)

• Sudan catastrophe tests Canada's role in the world - Embassy Magazine (August 4, 2004)

• What Went Wrong In Africa (May 20, 2004)

• Human Rights in Vietnam (May 16, 2004)

• Ending Human Rights Abuses in Tibet (May 4, 2004)

• Rwanda: A Diplomacy of Silence (Embassy Magazine, April 28th, 2004)

• We must ensure genocide that shattered Rwanda is never repeated (April 8, 2004)

• Canadian delegation to attend 10th anniversary remembrance ceremonies in Rwanda (April 2, 2004)

• Ten Cheers for Amnesty International on Human Rights Day (December 10, 2002)

• Remembering Raoul Wallenberg (October 27, 2002)

• Human Rights as Global Security - Future Directions for the Charter (April 25, 2002)

• Half a Century of Human Rights (Sept. 18, 1998)

• Human Rights Across the Commonwealth - A Joint Responsibility (April 1996)

For more on Human Rights please view David's Speeches and Articles as MP