This panel presentation and discussion for the Ryerson community and civil society will focus on the recent review by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child of Canada’s implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Confirmed panelists: - John-Paul Chalykoff, CRC Pre-Session Youth Delegate - Irwin Elman, Ontario Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth - Francis Hare, Professor, Child and Youth Care - Gloria Small-Clarke, Durham Community Action Group (TBC) - Lisa Wolff, Director, Advocacy and Education, UNICEF Canada - Moderated by Tara Collins, Assistant Professor, School of Child and Youth Care Date: Thursday Jan 24, 2013 from 1:00 to 4:00 PM See poster for location details, or watch via Live Stream at https://ryecast.ryerson.ca/34/Page/Published.aspx or view the post-event video link at https://ryecast.ryerson.ca/34/live/768.aspx
Since the adoption of the Child Day Act in 1993, Canadians have recognized the 20th of November of each year as Na tional Child Day, a day to promote awareness of child rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The day was first proclaimed as Universal Children's Day by the UN General Assembly in 1954. More than 100 countries are now celebrating some form of Children's Day. For children and youth, parents and caregivers (and grandparents too!), daycare providers, teachers and education officials: Check out the following websites on how you can take an active role in the day: - Government of Canada National Child Day website - UNICEF Canada including - Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children Youth Corner including Color It Rights, a coloring book and teacher's guide - Canadian Child Care Federation
At the Landon Pearson Resource Centre, activities surrounding the day include the Shaking the Movers event, bringing together youth on Nov 16-17 at Ryerson University (Toronto) to talk about mental health issues, and the Child Rights Academic Network event, on Nov 23-24 at Carleton University (Ottawa) to talk about youth justice issues. Join in the Child Day celebrations! Consider sending an e-card. Why not sit down and "Color It Rights" ( book and activity guide). Read a book on child rights ( Children Just Like Me books are a great place to start). Or organize and Bring Your MP to School.
Mark your calendars. Canada will be up for its review at the UN Committee for the Rights of the Child on September 26th and 27th. The review will be from 9am to 12pm EST on September 26th and 4am to 7am/9am to 12pm EST on September 27th. Watch on line to see what the world has to say about Canada's treatment of children, including First Nations children: http://www.treatybodywebcast.org/
NEW: View lecture on YouTube or download pdf)
The Honourable Landon Pearson delivered the Florence Bird Lecture on Thursday, March 8th, 2012 at 2:30pm in Kailash Mital Theatre in Southam Hall. (Download poster). The Florence Bird Lecture is one of the major lecture series at Carleton University, named in honour of Senator Florence Bird who served as the Chair of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women (1967-1970). Each year, the Lecture features a prominent woman and highlights her important work in her respective field.
The topics of the Florence Bird Lecture have varied significantly over the years, but have always focus on areas of particular concern to women’s struggles for an equitable and just society. Previous speakers have included the Honourable Monique Bégin, Madeleine Parent, Dr. Glenda Simms, Judy Rebick, Maureen O’Neill, Maureen McTeer, the Honourable Susan Whelan, Nelofer Pazira and “Jane Doe”.
In December, the UN General Assembly adopted a new optional protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The optional protocol is being heralded as a big step for children’s rights because it gives children the option to launch complaints at an international level. But, the new optional protocol only comes into force if a country chooses to ratify it. This podcast explores what the new optional protocol is, what it could mean for Canadian children, and Canada’s status as a leader on children’s rights. Podcast guests: Sara Austin of World Vision Canada along with Landon Pearson. By Averie MacDonald; Producer Lana Cuthbertson.
Extended version of the address given by Landon Pearson to the research and policy conference held by the Institute for Health and Social Policy of McGill University in Montreal on May 1, 2010. The theme of the McGill conference was “Making Equal Rights Real”. Click here for the full report (PDF) or watch the video.
Ottawa, January 24 to January 25 - Landon Pearson attended the national gathering: The Sacred Space of Womanhood: Mothering Across the Generations. Hosted by the National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health the meeting explored the role of cultural transmission from grandmothers through to mothers-to-be in the post-residential school era. The event will lead to a third documentary film in a suite of DVDs that is continuing to support families and communities. Previous gatherings have focused on the role of fathers to strengthen the circle of care for children and youth, plus "Messages from the Heart - Supporting the Next Generation" in 2009, which included a Showcase on Aboriginal Child Rearing - Caring for Our Families and Children, with a presentation by Landon Pearson.
Excerpts from the speech at the United Nations World Summit for Children, in New York, dated September 30, 1990. On signing - on behalf of the Czech Republic - the World Declaration on the Survival, Protection and Development of Children:
... The international community has achieved something unprecedented. Most of the countries of the world have, within months, joined an exceptionally good, precise and exhaustive international agreement for the protection of children. I rejoice, as we all do, in this achievement and am proud that I had the honour of signing the agreement on behalf of my country this morning.
At the same time, however, I believe that this agreement or any other conceivable international document cannot protect children from pseudo-protection, that is, from their parents committing more evil in the name and in the interest of children whether in good faith, in self-delusion or by deliberately lying and from hurting themselves more than they can hurt the children.
As with any law, this one too can only acquire real meaning and significance if it is accompanied by real moral self-awareness, by which I mean the moral self-awareness of parents.
You cannot put that into a law. However, if it were possible, I would add another paragraph to the agreement I signed this morning. This paragraph would say that it is forbidden for parents and adults in general in the name and allegedly in the interest of children, to lie, serve dictatorships, inform, bend their back, be afraid of tyrants, and betray their friends and ideals. And that it is forbidden for all murderers and dictators to pat children on the head.
~ Václav Havel, statesman and playwright, born 5 October 1936; died 18 December 2011
October 27, 2011 -- In a special report to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child presented last week, the Canadian Council of Child and Youth Advocates made 40 recommendations for consideration as Canada prepares for a review of its compliance under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
In the report titled “Aboriginal Children—Canada Must Do Better: Today and Tomorrow”, child advocates recognize First Nation children as needing more attention in a way that is coordinated by First Nation governments, provincial and federal governments.
The report makes specific recommendations in regard to the full participation and engagement of First Nations in the matters that impact their citizens and communities, including developing a rights-based lens for reviewing and amending legislation.
The report also recommends the Government of Canada convene a special conference of federal/
provincial/territorial representatives, with Aboriginal leaders and child delegates, to explore key issues specific to Aboriginal children, suggesting that this conference would inform a national Aboriginal children’s plan.
Other key recommendations include naming a National Children’s Commissioner.
For the full report
Ottawa, November 1, 2011 - The Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children (CCRC) released a comprehensive analysis of Canada’s compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child today. The report, “Right in Principle, Right in Practice,” assesses how well Canada respects the basic rights of children and makes recommendations for major improvements.
This report is independent of the official report done by the Government of Canada. It was submitted to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, to inform its third review of Canada’s implementation of children’s rights in 2012.
Too many children face obstacles that prevent them from realizing their full potential, according to this report, even though the basic needs of most children in Canada are met.
The report shows that Canada can do much better. It cites numerous international studies on children’s well being that rank Canada below average or near the bottom of comparable countries. For infant mortality, Canada was 24th of 30 countries; 22nd for health and safety; and 20th for child poverty.
“Canada lacks a coherent policy framework for children,” said Kathy Vandergrift, Chair of the Coalition. “That needs to be fixed in Canada. November 20 is National Child Day. We hope this report will help Canadians focus on what needs to be done to improve Canada’s poor performance on children’s rights.”
For more information: Full News Release | Summary Report | Full Reports in English | French
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