Children: The Silenced Citizens EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF CANADA’S INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN Final Report of the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights The Honourable Raynell Andreychuk Chair The Honourable Joan Fraser Deputy Chair April 2007 Ce document est disponible en français. This report and the Committee’s proceedings are available online at www.senate-senat.ca/rights-droits.asp Hard copies of this document are available by contacting the Senate Committees Directorate at (613) 990-0088 or by email at [email protected] Membership Membership The Honourable Raynell Andreychuk, Chair The Honourable Joan Fraser, Deputy Chair and The Honourable Senators: Romeo Dallaire *Céline Hervieux-Payette, P.C. (or Claudette Tardif) Mobina S.B. Jaffer Noël A. Kinsella *Marjory LeBreton, P.C. (or Gerald Comeau) Sandra M. Lovelace Nicholas Jim Munson Nancy Ruth Vivienne Poy *Ex-officio members In addition, the Honourable Senators Jack Austin, George Baker, P.C., Sharon Carstairs, P.C., Maria Chaput, Ione Christensen, Ethel M. Cochrane, Marisa Ferretti Barth, Elizabeth Hubley, Laurier LaPierre, Rose-Marie Losier-Cool, Terry Mercer, Pana Merchant, Grant Mitchell, Donald H. Oliver, Landon Pearson, Lucie Pépin, Robert W. Peterson, Marie-P. Poulin (Charette), William Rompkey, P.C., Terrance R. Stratton and Rod A. Zimmer were members of the Committee at various times during this study or participated in its work. Staff from the Parliamentary Information and Research Service of the Library of Parliament: Laura Barnett, Analyst Staff from the Senate Committees Directorate: Louise Archambeault, Administrative Assistant Matthieu Boulianne, Administrative Assistant Line Gravel, Clerk of the Committee Josée Thérien, Clerk of the Committee Vanessa Moss-Norbury Clerk of the Committee i Order of Reference Order of Reference Extract from the Journals of the Senate, Thursday, April 27, 2006: The Honourable Senator Andreychuk moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Keon: That the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights be authorized to examine and report upon Canada's international obligations in regards to the rights and freedoms of children. In particular, the Committee shall be authorized to examine: - Our obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child; and - Whether Canada's legislation as it applies to children meets our obligations under this Convention. That the papers and evidence received and taken on the subject during the Thirty- eighth Parliament be referred to the Committee; and That the Committee present its final report to the Senate no later than December 31, 2006 and that the Committee retain until March 31, 2007 all powers necessary to publicize its findings. The question being put on the motion, it was adopted. Extract from the Journals of the Senate, Wednesday, November 29, 2006: The Honourable Senator Andreychuk moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Meighen: That, notwithstanding the Order of the Senate adopted on Thursday, April 27, 2006, the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights which was authorized to examine and report upon Canada's international obligations in regards to the rights and freedoms of children, be empowered to extend the date of presenting its final report from December iii 31, 2006 to March 31, 2007 and that the Committee retain until June 30, 2007 all powers necessary to publicize its findings. The question being put on the motion, it was adopted. Extract from the Journals of the Senate, Thursday, March 29, 2007: The Honourable Senator Fraser moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Milne: That, notwithstanding the Order of the Senate adopted on Wednesday, November 29, 2006, the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights which was authorized to examine and report upon Canada's international obligations in regards to the rights and freedoms of children, be empowered to extend the date of presenting its final report from March 31, 2007 to April 30, 2007 and that the Committee retain until July 30, 2007 all powers necessary to publicize its findings. The question being put on the motion, it was adopted. iv Table of Contents Membership........................................................................................................................ i Order of Reference ..........................................................................................................iii Chair’s Forward............................................................................................................... ix Executive Summary......................................................................................................... xi Summary of Recommendations................................................................................... xvii Chapter 1 ‐ Introduction ................................................................................................ 1 A. THE MANDATE.................................................................................................... 1 B. THE COMMITTEE’S WORK................................................................................ 2 1. An In-Depth Examination of the Canadian Context and Fact-Finding Missions Abroad......................................................................................................................... 2 2. Who’s in Charge Here? The Interim Report....................................................... 5 3. This Final Report ................................................................................................ 6 Chapter 2 - Implementation of International Law in Canada ..................................... 7 A. RATIFICATION..................................................................................................... 7 B. RESERVATIONS................................................................................................... 8 C. APPLICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION ........................................................ 8 D. ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS...................................................................... 16 1. The Continuing Committee of Officials on Human Rights.............................. 17 2. Adequacy of the Reporting and Follow-Up Process......................................... 17 Chapter 3 - Children’s Rights and the Canadian Context.......................................... 23 A. BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CONVENTION........................................................ 23 B. THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF FOCUSING ON CHILDREN’S RIGHTS 24 1. The Rights-Based Approach............................................................................. 24 2. Why Children?.................................................................................................. 27 C. THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD - AN OVERVIEW ... 31 1. The Convention................................................................................................. 31 2. The Optional Protocols ..................................................................................... 33 3. The Committee on the Rights of the Child ....................................................... 34 D. THE GAP BETWEEN RIGHTS RHETORIC AND REALITY ............................. 35 Chapter 4 - Implementing the Convention on the Rights of the Child........................ 40 A. APPLICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION ...................................................... 40 1. No Enabling Legislation ................................................................................... 40 2. Statutory and Judicial Interpretation................................................................. 42 B. RESERVATIONS................................................................................................. 45 1. Article 21 – Customary Care ............................................................................ 45 2. Article 37(c) – Detention of Young Offenders in Separate Facilities .............. 46 3. Article 3(2) of the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflicts .................................................................................................................... 46 v CHILDREN: THE SILENCED CITIZENS TABLE OF CONTENTS C. ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS...................................................................... 47 D. CANADA’S FEDERAL NATURE ...................................................................... 48 E. THE COMMITTEE’S COMMENTS ................................................................... 49 F. THE FOLLOWING CHAPTERS......................................................................... 52 Chapter 5 - Articles 12 to 15: Participation and Expression ..................................... 54 A. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 54 B. THE RIGHT OF CANADIAN CHILDREN TO PARTICIPATE AND TO BE HEARD......................................................................................................................... 55 Chapter 6 - Articles 19, 28, 37, 38 and the Optional Protocol: Violence Against Children ........................................................................................................................... 61 A. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 61 B. ARTICLES 19 AND 28: CORPORAL PUNISHMENT...................................... 62 C. ARTICLE 19: BULLYING.................................................................................