Marc Garneau, Liberal Member of Parliament for Westmount--Ville-Marie, tabled his first Private Member’s Bill today, which aims to ensure that Canadian children have a voice thanks to the establishment of a national Children’s Commissioner.



Marc Garneau’s Bill comes just two days after Canada responded, in Geneva, to the United Nations Report on our country’s Human Rights record; a response which was criticized by various NGOs claiming that Canada had once again failed to take action to address certain Human Rights concerns. “Now more than ever is the time for our country to take action on fundamental basic Human Rights,” declared Marc Garneau.



Marc Garneau made these remarks during a press conference at the National Press Theatre, where he was accompanied by a number of NGOs representatives, who have previously called upon the Canadian Government to establish a national Children’s Commissioner, including: Nigel Fisher, President and CEO of UNICEF Canada, as well as Marie-Adèle Davis, Executive Director of the Canadian Paediatric Society. Senator Lucie Pépin, co-author of the Senate report « Children: The Silenced Citizens » was also among the speakers. Also present was Kathy Vandergrift of the Canadian Coalition of Children’s Rights, and George Stamatis, Vice-President of Fundraising for North America for the International Bureau for Children’s Rights.



“Protecting children and providing for their health, protection, education and other aspects of well-being is a collective responsibility. It starts with parents and caregivers. But at the broadest level, it involves governments creating laws and policies that safeguard and enhance the development and protection of children,” asserted Nigel Fisher. “Children comprise a quarter of Canada’s population. They have no vote. They need someone to speak up for them on national issues that shape their lives today, and the future of our country. That someone is a national Children’s Commissioner,” added the President and CEO of UNICEF Canada.



A federal Children’s Commissioner will promote, monitor and report on the effective implementation of Canada’s obligations under the Convention of the Rights of the Child that are within the legislative authority of the Parliament of Canada, in order to advance the principle that children are entitled to special safeguards, care and assistance, including appropriate legal protections. That work will include engaging children in order to ensure that their voices are heard.



"When I took the decision to run for the Liberal Party of Canada, I made the engagement to become an efficient representative and defend the progressive social values in which I deeply believe. One of these concerns the protection of children’s rights," declared Marc Garneau. “I am confident that all my parliamentary colleagues will put their political allegiance aside while debating the merits of this Bill; for the good of all children throughout the country,” he concluded.



<@Ri>Source: Marc Garneau<@$P>