Ask your local candidates how their parties plan to address the critical human rights challenges facing Canada
Note: This action has expired and is provided for information and archival purposes only
The tool below allows you to generate a complete list of the candidates in your local riding, and then send them all an email outlining your human rights questions and concerns. You can use a letter that's provided, or you can write something of your own to find out what political parties plan to do nationally or internationally to promote and support universal human rights.
If you're interested in making human rights an issue in the upcoming election, this is one way to do it.
For more information about the critical issues facing Canada take a look at Amnesty International's election brief: Strengthening our commitment - A Human Rights Agenda for Canada. A french version of the report can be found here
Sample questions can be found here. A sample of the letter that is included with the submission can be found at the bottom of this page.
If you get a response let us know by emailing us at info@amnesty.ca
Below is the text of the email that is included. It can be used as is, modified, or replaced with your own words:
Subject Line: Human Rights are getting my vote
I am writing as a constituent to share my deeply held belief on the importance of Canada’s role as a world leader and practitioner of universal human rights.
Before I cast my vote I want to know what plans you and your party have to address what Amnesty International has identified as the critical human rights challenges facing our country, nationally and internationally.
In short, they are:
- the need to repatriate Omar Khadr, to implement the recommendations of the Arar Commission, and to ensure that Afghan detainees are handled by Canadian military personnel in accordance with international standards
- the imperative for Canada, in its dealings with other countries, to put human rights first - above investment, national security and military interests
- the opportunity for Canada to renew its commitment to lead in the promotion and protection of human rights at the United Nations
- the protection of the rights of Indigenous Peoples
- the protection of Indigenous women from violence
- the safety of Refugees
- the resumption of Canada’s international leadership in the effort to abolish the death penalty world-wide
- a moratorium on the use of Tasers
- the implementation of the recommendations for a new corporate social responsibility framework
- the implementation, by the federal government, of a human-rights based strategy for addressing poverty in Canada
I look forward to finding out about your party’s plans to address any or all of these challenges.
Thank you, in advance, for your response.
For more information about Amnesty’s recommendations go to http://www.amnesty.ca/canada
Yours sincerely,
Posted: 26 September 2008