Country: Canada

Committee: The United Nations Humans Right Council (UNHRC)

Topic A: Oppression and maltreatment of minority groups in a state
Mass killings and other atrocities continue to threaten civilian populations, especially
those belonging to minorities and indigenous peoples, in many parts of the world.
Globally, many minority groups have continued to suffer oppression due to inaction by
the government and the international community’s inability to fully address and resolve
the issue. Despite growing intolerance, Canada is among the very few countries who has
attracted considerable international attention for its liberal stance on issues such as
diversity, asylum and inclusion, with its current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau praised
by many for his progressive attitudes towards minority and indigenous concerns in
particular.
The delegation of Canada recognises that for a country to progress, eradicating racism
and protecting the rights of the Indigenous people is crucial. Around 7.7 million
Canadians identified themselves as a visible minority in the 2016 Census, accounting for
22.3 per cent of the population. Canada believes that it must do its best to eliminate any
form of injustice faced by these minority groups and as a result taken action by passing
laws, such as The Employment Equity Act of 1996 attempted to address workplace
discrimination for indigenous peoples, women, persons with disabilities and
‘visible’ minorities, defined as ‘persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-
Caucasian in race or non-white in colour’.
Nevertheless, in recent years a cultural, social and political revival has
occurred among many minority groups and indigenous peoples in Canada that has
strengthened their communities, cultures, institutions and languages. Especially
involved are minority and indigenous youth. The commitments made by the federal and
provincial governments to address indigenous peoples’ rights since the Royal
Commission on Aboriginal Affairs published its recommendations in 1996 represent an
important break from past assimilationist strategies. Similarly, the government has
embarked on a number of reconciliation efforts, aimed towards
indigenous peoples, Chinese Canadians, Japanese Canadians, Ukrainian Canadians and
Acadians in recognition of historic injustices towards their communities.  In recent
decades Canada has made significant strides in the recognition and protection of its
indigenous and minority communities, including a series of landmark rulings
acknowledging historic abuses and the granting of a number of land agreements
reaffirming the territorial rights of indigenous peoples over some of their historic
territories. In short, we have been working hard, in partnership with other orders of
government, and with indigenous leaders in Canada, to correct past injustices and bring
about a better quality of life for Indigenous Peoples in Canada.
Canada not only is trying to improve the quality of life of its own minority
communities, but is also vocal when it comes to maltreatment of minorities in other
countries, such in Myanmar. In responding to Rohingya crises, Canada has played a
leadership role, and our concerted efforts continue to have a real, positive effect on the

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lives of hundreds of thousands of people. Canada’s response to the Rohingya crisis
recognizes that the current situation does not have an immediate solution. It will
require sustained engagement for years to come. This will ensure the humanitarian
needs and security situation in Bangladesh and Myanmar remain at the forefront of a
coordinated international response. Since early 2017, Canada has provided more than
$68 million for the provision of life-saving and gender-responsive humanitarian
assistance in Bangladesh and Myanmar. Canada’s support is helping to meet the needs
of refugees, displaced people, and the communities who are hosting them.
Canada believes that it is our moral obligation to provide the next generation, a future
which is just and provides equal opportunities to all human-kind irrespective of their
race, ethnicity and colour. Canada hopes to show the world how these ideals are
implemented and support the oppressed minorities all over the world.

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Country: Canada
Committee: The United Nations Humans Right Council (UNHRC)
Topic B: The rights of migrant workers and their family members 
With the growing rate of economic globalization, there are more migrant workers than
ever before. Many workers from developing countries, choose to work in developed
countries to escape poverty and poor living conditions. According to ILO (International
Labour organization), there are approximately 244 million migrants around the world,
representing 3.3 per cent of the global population. Canada welcomes many migrants
every year, and acknowledges the human rights of migrant workers and their families,
such as, the right to work and receive wages that contribute to an adequate standard of
living. As well as, the right to freedom from discrimination based on race, national or
ethnic origin, sex, religion or any other status, in all aspects of work, including in hiring,
conditions of work, and promotion, and in access to housing, health care and basic
services.
Canada is one of a handful of countries where immigration has traditionally been a
major shaping factor in society and culture. With its small population and vast
tracts of unsettled land, Canada’s immigration policy was initially fuelled by a desire
for expansion, with most immigrants settling in rural, frontier areas. In the early
twentieth century, Canada began to control the flow of immigrants, adopting
policies that excluded applicants whose ethnic origins were not European. However,
by 1976 new laws removed ethnic criteria, and Canada became a destination for
immigrants from a wide variety of countries, which it remains today. The 2006 UN
Report on International Migration and Development ranked Canada seventh among
twenty-eight countries that currently host 75 percent of all international migrants.
Immigration policy in Canada is structured around three main categories:
 Economic: This category represents the largest portion of immigrants each year.
Selection is based on a point system that rewards applicants with higher levels of
education, job experience, and language skills (i.e., English and French).
 Family reunification: This class of immigrants includes spouses and children
joining family members who are already living in Canada. This is the second-
largest group of immigrants admitted on a yearly basis.
 Refugees: This is the smallest group of immigrants admitted to Canada every
year. It includes both humanitarian resettlement programs and claims for
asylum protection.
Between 1990 and 2002, 49 percent of immigrants to Canada were from the economic
class, 34 percent were from the family reunification category and 13 percent were
humanitarian cases.
Canada also accepts temporary foreign nationals if they have a student visa, are seeking
asylum, or under special permits. The largest category however is called the Temporary
Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), under which workers are brought to Canada by their
employers for specific jobs. Whether a person is a migrant or a permanent resident of

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Canada they are protected by Canada’s labour law. According to Canada’s labour laws
the employer must pay them for their work, must make ensure that your workplace is
safe and can’t take their passport or work permit away from them. Each province and
territory has an employment or labour standards office that deals with labour and
employment laws. They can talk to them about fair pay, hours of work, rest periods,
working conditions and provide other services.
Canada is aware that along with protecting migrant workers, it also has a responsibility
to protect their families. Canada offers free education, health care and also provides
subsistence allowance to new immigrant parents to ensure children’s needs are met.
Canada is advancing a child rights-based framework for Canada’s immigration system
affecting children (under age 18), in line with the United Nations Convention on the
Rights of the Child. Canada ratified the Convention in 1991 and is also a party to two of
the three optional protocols:
 The Optional Protocol on the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the
Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict prohibits the compulsory recruitment
and the direct participation in hostilities by the forces of a State of persons under
the age of 18.
 The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of
Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography requires states to criminalize
these activities, making prosecution of offenders easier, and instituting measures
for the protection of child victims.
Canada is working hard to ensure that none of its migrant workers are exploited and
that their rights and that of their families are protected. The delegation of Canada,
realizes that there are still low class workers, who are underpaid and overworked. We
hope that today’s debating session can help us resolve the issues faced by migrant
workers especially, those with poor working conditions. We also hope to work
alongside the international community to find ways to help for families living in poverty
and children who are deprived of basic rights such as health and education.

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