Time to execute the law

Page 5

Dear Editor:

The Montreal Gazette reported on April 10 that a U.N. Human Rights committee has ruled that "Canada's treatment of Aboriginals is in violation of international law," and that the condition of Indians in Canada is the "most pressing human rights issue facing Canadians."

The U.N. statement is not specific enough. Canada is actually in violation of the 1948 U.N. Convention on Genocide, which it signed in 1952, because of its complicity in genocide and alleged murder at church-run Indian residential schools in our country. Not only the government, but the RCMP and the Catholic, United and Anglican churches, can and should be brought before the U.N. and charged with genocide; that is, if the U.N. actually intends to enforce its own laws.

"I never examine whether a country has good laws," commented Benjamin Disraeli. "There are good laws everywhere. I examine whether they are executed." The same applies to the international community and its agencies, like the U.N. Human Rights Commission.

The test now is to see not only whether this body has the courage of its convictions, but whether international law is merely a nicety or an actual binding covenant on nations.

Sincerely,

(Rev.) Kevin D. Annett