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Geneva, Switzerland - On August 5th and 6th, 2002 the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) considered Canada's periodic report re: domestic implementation of the Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. The CERD committee, comprised of international human rights experts appointed by the UN General Assembly, also received "shadow" reports from community -based organizations in Canada. Among these was a report from this Ad Hoc National Network addressing Aboriginal Peoples' experience of racism (online - use "convenient pulldown form" to find Report on Racial Discrimination...in Canada, a .pdf file).

Members of the Committee expressed much concern about what was named "Canada's most glaring human rights problem". Monday's session was dominated by questions about Aboriginal issues to the high-level Canadian delegation. 10 of the 12 CERD Committee members spoke to Ottawa's failure to consult with First Nations about the Governance initiative, discriminatory provisions of the Indian Act, non-implementation of the RCAP Report and the Delgamuukw decision, the lack of an inquiry into Ipperwash, the negative impact of Bill C-31, and more. CERD members paid special attention to Ottawa's Comprehensive Claims Policy and its continuing effort to extinguish Aboriginal Title, which violates both Canadian Supreme Court of Canada decisions and international human rights law.

"The experts seem to have a greater understanding of the root causes of our Peoples' problems than the government of Canada," said Ravyn Godwin, an Indigenous activist in Geneva to represent the Skwelkwek'welt Protection Centre. Today, Godwin commented, "Members of the Canadian delegation [which included the Departments of Justice and Indian Affairs, among others] kept making up excuses and not really answering questions."

"A senior member of the Canadian delegation complained about the CERD Committee's extensive questioning and implied that there should be less time spent on this," reported Sharon Menow, a Cree woman representing the Coalition for a Public Inquiry into Ipperwash. "On the other hand, the UN heard when we asked that further meaningful consultations be held in Canada and that public inquiries be conducted into violations of the rights of Indigenous activists who exercise their Inherent Rights, such as the killing of Dudley George, " The Ad Hoc Network's report details the criminalization of Indigenous human rights activists in Canada, evidenced by hundreds of arrests in just in a few communities.

Aboriginal Peoples responded enthusiastically to reports from Godwin and Menow. Asits' Amniyaak (Nuxalk Nation) remarked: "This helps break down Canada's illusion of being a human rights champion. It is apparent that racism against Indigenous peoples runs rampant in Canada. It is unfortunate that Indigenous peoples are required to shame Canada on the international stage before Canada acts to correct any of the injustices suffered by our Peoples."

The Ad Hoc Network will hold media conferences on return of the delegates. The CERD Committee will release its comments to Canada on August 23rd. Relevant CERD Committee media releases can be found on OHCHR-UNOG, under the Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.