The Western Canada Highschool Eco-Club did a wonderful job organizing today's Candidates Forum, which was attended by Heesung Kim, Tyler Kinch and me. The Eco-Club has about 100 very enthusiastic members. Question topics included the environment, arts and culture, and education. One of the final questions was about the different parties' position on the case of Omar Khadr, a Canadian citizen and child soldier, injured and held in Guantanamo Bay since 2002. As a child, Omar has rights that Canada must protect. Information about Child Soldiers, the Convention on Rights of the Child and the Green Party's position follow. For Moe...
Amnesty International - Worldwide, hundreds of thousands of children under 18 have been affected by armed conflict. They are recruited into government armed forces, paramilitaries, civil militia and a variety of other armed groups. Often they are abducted at school, on the streets or at home. Others enlist “voluntarily”, usually because they see few alternatives. Yet international law prohibits the participation in armed conflict of children aged under 18. It means that in reality girls and boys illegally and under force, participate in combat where frequently they are injured or killed. Others are used as spies, messengers, porters, servants or to lay or clear landmines. Girls are at particular risk of rape and other sexual abuse. Such children are robbed of their childhood and exposed to terrible dangers and to psychological and physical suffering.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted in 1989 to protect the rights of children, is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history. It encompasses civil rights and freedoms, family environment, basic health and welfare, education, leisure and cultural activities and special protection measures for children.
Greens demand repatriation for Omar Khadr
OTTAWA – The Green Party is demanding that Prime Minister Stephen Harper take whatever steps necessary to repatriate Omar Khadr, a Canadian and former child soldier held by the United States since 2002. Secret documents made public yesterday show the federal government was aware of shocking mistreatment endured by Mr. Khadr at the Guantamamo Bay prison camp. More... http://www.greenparty.ca/en/releases/10.07.2008
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