Why is Canada speaking out more for gay rights abroad?

[Fintan]

Why is Canada speaking out more for gay rights abroad?

By Kristen Shane
EMBASSY MAGAZINE

The Harper government has moved to make the promotion of gay rights a more prominent part of its human rights agenda in its foreign policy, say observers.

In recent months, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has made more and more public statements on gay rights, continuing a trend that started before his time as minister.

Back in 2009, while he was still transport minister, he announced in Question Period, amid questions from the NDP's then-critic on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and trans-sexual issues, that the prime minister would meet with Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni at an upcoming Commonwealth summit to help stop a bill before Uganda's parliament that proposed life imprisonment for homosexuals.

Then-foreign minister Lawrence Cannon later released a statement again calling for Uganda to reconsider "its offensive anti-homosexuality bill" and "respect its obligations under international human rights law, ensuring equal enjoyment for all its citizens."

Last March, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney announced funding for a pilot project to help refugees who have been discriminated against for their sexual orientation.

Last fall, in the lead-up to another Commonwealth summit, at which gay rights were on the agenda, the NDP again called for the government to take a stand for gay rights.

Mr. Baird said Canada would make it clear that Canada is against the criminalization of homosexuality. In 41 of 54 Commonwealth countries, being gay is illegal.

Then came another proposed bill by an African government within the Commonwealth—this time, Nigeria. The bill, if passed, could see same-sex partners who marry put in jail for up to 14 years. People who publicly display homosexuality could be jailed for up to 10 years.

In a statement on Nov. 30, Mr. Baird said that if the bill became law it would "disregard basic human rights and fundamental freedoms."

In several end-of-year interviews with national media, Mr. Baird also noted Canada's vocal support for gay rights abroad, mentioning the Commonwealth figures.

"If you're a government which doesn't respect human rights, you're probably not keen on Canada talking about the rights of women, the rights of religious minorities, the rights of gays and lesbians," he noted to Postmedia News.

Embassy asked several academics who study foreign policy or gender about the gay-rights mentions, to which several replied that they hadn't noticed. Others, though, said they have seen the government increase its public support for gay rights abroad.

"We have noticed over the last little while that there has been more coming out of the government, more responses on some of these issues," said Helen Kennedy, executive director of Egale Canada, a national GLBT human rights group.

The Commonwealth has been key to Mr. Baird's messaging. That's deliberate, said Conservative strategist Tim Powers.

"Use your weight where you have it," he said.

When Mr. Baird named Conservative Senator Hugh Segal as Canada's special envoy for Commonwealth renewal, he said: "Human rights, including the rights of women and religious minorities, as well as the de-criminalization of homosexuality in certain Commonwealth countries, will be a focus of our government."

Mr. Powers said Conservative governments in Canada have a long history of promoting human rights—Brian Mulroney's government spoke out against apartheid in South Africa, for instance, and John Diefenbaker championed the Canadian Bill of Rights, which became law in 1960—and standing up for gay rights abroad is just part of that tradition.

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[steel03]

Why? Because Canada is one of like four of five countries that actually have most of their shit together.

[MK5golf]

AMEN. Boy am I glad I live here. Things aint perfect, but better than most!

[nebenebe]

I really want to live in Canada. Canada is like, one hundred times better than the United States, and like a million times better than Louisiana. This place sucks.

[shfh]

Originally Posted by MK5golf

AMEN. Boy am I glad I live here. Things aint perfect, but better than most!

It for sure isnt perfect, but I thank the stars everyday I am Canadian.

[Alexandria]

Canada as a nation has always tried to be a beacon for human rights for all people. We don't always get it right, but we do try, and we do have a far better track record than most the planet. The conservative party, despite wanting to be an american corporate puppet, is well aware Canadians will not tolerate much abuse of human rights, especially at home; so they don't rock the boat near as much as their counterparts down south do.

[sokk]

I would love to live in Canada too. The only thing stopping me is the conservative government, I really can't stand them. They have ruined Canada. While most countries actually increase their GDP, Canada has a decrease. Harper sold out all Canadians as criminals in the border deal.. registering my ass. It's just more of big brother wanting to surveillance everything and everyone. Harper talked about how much "easier" it would be to cross the border, but at the same time he approved an American registry for all Canadians.. why? Why treat Canadians as criminals? Why the need to register people? I mean.. I can understand real criminals, but the average Canadian.. WTF?!?! I don't see the point. He is selling out Canadian democracy and I don't like it. Harper is in USA's pocket, and is willing to do everything USA asks him to do, without questioning it. Like the pipeline.. he is spending millions of dollars to have the pipeline to USA, and the refinery there, which could have been in Canada, and created jobs there, but nah.. now USA will get Canadian oil AND jobs that were supposed to go to Canadians. Harper does what Obama wants, even if it means selling out the country to USA.. and his latest scandal, privatizing VIA Rail.. what happened to the promise he made about less privatization? oh.. I guess it was a lie. Oh yeah.. and then there was the scandal of an EL agency Harper created, and all of the employees do... nothing, it cost millions of dollars, but.. the people have NOTHING to do! What a great job Harper is doing! There's also the fact that native communities all over Canada are falling apart, people live in tents! While Harper spend billions of dollars on prisons Canada doesn't need, because guess what.. the crime has GONE DOWN! But sure.. lets spend money to build MORE prisons! WTF?!?! those money could have been used in a much better way. I am sick and tired of Harper and his idiot decisions.

It's just scandal after scandal for Harper and his crap government. Harper is an incompetent idiot. Harper has run Canada to the ground, and unfortunately, it will take years, probably decades to fix what Stevie has done to the country. There's one thing binding all Canadians together today: and it's their hate for the current government. I hope you guys have enough sense to elect someone who is actually competent and not a complete idiot the next time.

[Alexandria]

Well, I don't see it as quite that bad, and there's a lot of issues that existed prior to harpers reign. Still, there's a lot he could of done a lot better.

[Fintan]

I think the reason that Harper's Conservative Government has been so vocal about protecting gay-rights around the world is because of one MAJOR thing.

Harper's Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird is gay.

In fact, Harper appointed John Baird to the highest post in Canada that any openly gay man has ever attained.

Moreover, I think Mr. Baird is doing a fantastic job.

[sokk]

Originally Posted by Alexandria

Well, I don't see it as quite that bad, and there's a lot of issues that existed prior to harpers reign. Still, there's a lot he could of done a lot better.

So you don't think it's quite as bad, huh? the GDP is SHRINKING, the economy is doing worse and worse.. that doesn't bother you? Native communities all over Canada living in squalor, that doesn't bother you? Harper selling out all Canadians as criminals.. that doesn't bother you? It doesn't bother you that he spends billions of dollars building prisons when the crime rate is GOING DOWN? Or what about the el agency that they pay millions for every year, so the people can do.. NOTHING. Oh yeah, and you also have the fact that Harper wants to privatize ViaRail after he promised he wouldn't. It's a FACT that more and more people in Canada are living paycheck to paycheck, and the middle class is shrinking. This is a FACT. The numbers speaks for themselves. Harper is destroying Canada, it's pretty much a given by now, and it will take DECADES to fix the mess Harper is leaving behind. Hell, you have more debt than ever! Ontario is close to going bankrupt!

But you don't think it's "quite as bad" huh? Oh well.. then I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree. Harper is an effing moron, he's the worst PM Canada has ever had, and the con government is a joke, not listening to the people, just doing what USA and the big companies want. But as long as you're happy with him.. C'est la vie!

[Alexandria]

I didn't say I was happy with him. I said we aren't near as bad off as the US under bushel or obama. As far as the issues noted -

Regarding the natives - I can't speak for the rest of Canada but in the Yukon, they live a lot better and have more resources then I do. They just choose to squander it. Before anyone argues that, or calls me a racist or some bullsh!t, live here for a while first. Its not a racist comment, its one of canada's dirty little secrets that's existed since day one.

Crime rate - some rates have gone down, some up; but the justice system has been f***ed for 30 years, harper sure won't fix it.

EI - has also been a clusterf*** for years, though harpers made it worse.

Middle class - also been shrinking here - and yankeeland - for years, harper isn't the only criminal in this.

Via - same mess as the alberta health care ( I just spent 5 years down there), where, as I have stated before, harper is an american wannabe. I've said that before too.

To be blunt, he is the PM most canadians deserve, given the abysmal turnout of less than 65% of the populace in the last election. Maybe NEXT election the connies will get the same thumping the PQ got.

But again, my point stands - harper has still defended most of canadians rights, not gone out of his way to destroy them like bushel *AND* obama. So even one of our worst pm is still miles above yankeeland's own.