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Article

7 Jun 2017

Author:
Sara Seck, Law at the End of the Day (Canada)

Law Professor criticizes UN Working Group statement on Canada for remaining silent on climate change

"The Canadian Country Visit of the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights, and US President Trump’s Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement: Trains passing in the night? Reflections on the events of June 1, 2017," 2 June 2017

The UN Working Group [on Business and Human Rights'] statement on its visit to Canada is silent on climate change. While the statement is clearly a reflection of the issues raised by Canadians during the visit, the absence of any reference to climate change and human rights is also evidence... deep silos... between... international law on business and human rights and international climate law...[T]he Working Group highlighted indigenous rights issues within Canada...[as well as] referenc[ed] allegations that peaceful protestors and human rights defenders are subject to arrest and harassment... It is striking that this...focused upon the extractive industry, in light of the arrest of peaceful protestors at... a hydro-electric dam project... during the visit of the Working Group, resulting in the imprisonment of an Inuit grandmother...This is an issue of immense importance in the Canadian context given the devastating impact of climate change on northern indigenous communities...therefore [it is]...ironic that the Working Group statement on the Canadian country visit is silent on climate change, given that it was released on the same day that President Trump announced the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris climate agreement.

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