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Canada’s Position Paper / Exposé de Position du Canada 2020 ESMOAS Summit of the Americas / Sommet des Amériques ESMOAS 2020CanadaPosition Paper for 2020 ESMOAS Summit of the Americas/Exposé de Position du Canada pour Sommet des Amériques ESMOAS 2020I.? ? ? ? ? ? ? GENERAL STATEMENT / D?CLARATION G?N?RALE?Honourable members of the General Secretariat, fellow leaders and delegates attendants to the 9th Summit of the Americas, Canada is honoured to be once again part of the most important multilateral event in the hemisphere where all member countries meet in the framework of the Organization of American States (OAS) in pursuit of strengthening inter-American cooperation.????????????Canada, as one of the main promoters of multilateralism in the region, reiterates its strong commitment to the OAS and its tireless work promoting democracy, defending human rights, ensuring a multidimensional approach to security, fostering integral development, and supporting legal cooperation in the hemisphere (Organization of the American States, 2020).????????????Canada has always aligned its efforts in the hemisphere with those of the organization. Nowadays, Canada has contributed enormously to the construction of the OAS current foundations. This contribution would not have been possible without the endeavor of many illustrious Canadians who promoted the insertion of our country in an international and interhemispheric framework to provide security for both the world and the Americas (Canada Guide, n.d.). However, it is precise to start with a historical perspective of Canada’s internal policies to understand its international position as a state.Historically, many countries in the Americas were pioneers (except for Canada some territories) in constituting republics as a new model form of government for all countries in the hemisphere to follow. During the 19th century, the former Spanish colonies and the recently constituted United States were already independent States that had normative self-determination; in other words, both their internal and foreign policies were held by their governors and were no longer subordinate to any other State. Canada’s governmental system evolved in a different manner.????????????Canada has been under the sovereignty of the British crown since 1759 when the British defeated the French in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, and the citizens of New France in Quebec and Montreal became British subjects with the formation of a new province CanadaPosition Paper /Exposé de Position, Page Twonamed ‘The Province of Quebec’. This historical event was the beginning of Canada’s political connection with Great Britain. (Government of Canada, 2015).????????????After becoming British subjects, the parliament passed the Quebec Act of 1774 to better govern the French descendant majority in the colony. This document is one of the constitutional foundations of Canada as it accommodated the principles of British institutions to the province (Government of Canada, 2015).?Two decades later, the British parliament passed the Constitutional Act of 1791. This act divided the Province of Quebec into Upper Canada (later Ontario), which was mainly Protestant and English-speaking, and Lower Canada (later Quebec), heavily Catholic and French-speaking. The name Canada also became official at this time and has been used ever since (Pierre Tousignant, 2006).This Constitutional Act was a first step on the long path to Confederation. It was also notable for giving women who owned property in Lower Canada the right to vote, a high level of inclusion by the standards of the time. (The Canadian Encyclopaedia, n.d.).In terms of public representation, democratic institutions developed gradually and peacefully. The Constitutional Act granted to the Canadas legislative assemblies elected by the people. The first representative assembly was elected in Halifax, in 1758 (Government of Canada, 2015).Canada was starting to develop as an emergent economic power in the region. The first companies in Canada were formed during the French and British regimes and competed for the fur trade. The Hudson’s Bay Company, with French, British, and Aboriginal employees, came to dominate the trade in the northwest from Fort Garry (Winnipeg) and Fort Edmonton to Fort Langley (near Vancouver) and Fort Victoria, trading posts that later became cities. (Government of Canada, 2015). The first financial institutions opened in the late 18th and early 19th centuries and the Montreal Stock Exchange opened in 1832 (Pierre Tousignant, 2006).It was not until 1840 when Upper and Lower Canada were united as the Province of Canada. Reformers such as Sir Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine and Robert Baldwin, in parallel with Joseph Howe in Nova Scotia, worked with British governors toward responsible CanadaPosition Paper /Exposé de Position, Page Threegovernment. (Government of Canada, 2015). The unification of the Canadas represents the establishment of a Canadian Confederation, the current system of government in Canada. It was also after this event when the Canadian national motto was outlined: Ad mari usque ad mare / From sea to sea / D’un océan à l’autre.The first British North American colony to attain a fully responsible government was Nova Scotia in 1847–48. In 1848–49 the governor of United Canada, Lord Elgin, with encouragement from London, introduced responsible government. This is the system that we have today: if the government loses a confidence vote in the assembly it must resign. La Fontaine, a champion of democracy and French-language rights, became the first leader of a responsible government in the Canadas (Government of Canada, 2015).Nowadays, our legitimate monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, is the head of State in Canada. The Queen delegates her powers in our country to the Governor-General of Canada (la Gouverneur Générale du Canada). Thus, Canada's form of government is a Constitutional Democracy that evolved from a Constitutional Monarchy (Governor General of Canada, n.d.).When it comes to foreign policy, Canada's process of exerting regional and international influence has been much more intricate than that of other countries in the hemisphere. Since Canada is not, in a strict sense, a fully independent State, Great Britain had control over its foreign affairs for many years.?It was not until 1840 when Canada started having some control over them with the achievement of responsible government. However, most of its international treaties and international relations continued to be under Great Britain’s management (Canada Guide, 2020).In 1920, Canada became a full member of the League of Nations and acted independently from London. In 1923, Canada signed the Halibut Treaty with the United States, the first treaty that Canada signed without Great Britain also signing (Canada Guide, 2020).CanadaPosition Paper /Exposé de Position, Page FourFrom 1930 to the present day, Canadian foreign policy has been based on close relationships with the United States and the rest of the hemisphere, especially in its trade and defense policy. (Canada Guide, 2020).?In terms of democracy, Canada, as a federal State, holds elections periodically. The federal elections result in the deposit of the executive power on the Prime Minister. Canada’s current prime minister is Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (2015 - present).The Canadian electoral system is based on a parliamentary system of government, modeled on that of the United Kingdom (Elections Canada, 2020). Although there are twenty-one registered federal political parties in Canada (Elections Canada, 2020), the one that represents Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is the Liberal Party of Canada (Parti Libéral du Canada). The party has dominated politics for nearly 70 years in the 20th century (Smith, C. 2016) and upholds the principles of individual freedom, responsibility and human dignity in the framework of a just society; political freedom in the framework of meaningful participation by all interested persons; and the Constitution and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms provides the framework for both a democratic society and for the interaction of members within the party.The Liberal Party has been the major party in the country since the establishment of the Dominion of Canada in 1867. It has been the governing party at the federal level for most of the period since the late 1890s, bringing together pragmatic social policy reformers and advocates of free enterprise. The Liberal Party traditionally has been described as a “brokerage” party, in recognition of its success in appealing to a range of interests divided by region, language, ethnicity, and social class (David Rayside, n.d.)The Liberal Party originated in the reformist opposition groups that emerged in the mid-19th century in what are now the provinces of Quebec and Ontario. There were some troubles establishing an organization within the party. However, in 1887 Wilfrid Laurier assumed the Liberal leadership and was able to unify the party around a centrist platform and bridge the linguistic and regional divisions that had previously fragmented the party. Laurier became the country’s first French Canadian prime minister in 1896 and held power until 1911. (David Rayside, n.d.)CanadaPosition Paper /Exposé de Position, Page FiveSome years later, William Lyon Mackenzie King became party leader in 1919. Two years after that, Mackenzie King was elected prime minister, a position he retained for all but five years until his retirement in 1948. Under his leadership, the Liberals had some success in mediating French-English and regional differences, and, by fashioning pragmatic centrist policies that included some social reforms, the party was able to draw votes from a growing social-democratic constituency without diminishing its business support (David Rayside, n.d.).Louis Saint Laurent replaced Mackenzie King as the party leader in 1948 and served as prime minister until the Liberals’ defeat in 1957. Six years later, led by Nobel Prize-winning diplomat Lester Pearson, the Liberals regained power in 1963. They once again expanded social insurance programs and introduced a comprehensive national health-care system. Pearson's government also sought to accommodate the growing nationalist movement in Quebec, allowing the province to opt-out of some federal programs and extending the recognition of official bilingualism in federal government operations (David Rayside, n.d.).????????????In April 2013, Pierre Trudeau’s eldest son, Justin Trudeau, became the interim leader of the party. The youthful and charismatic Trudeau dramatically led the party to a landslide victory in the 2015 federal election, in which the Liberals garnered 184 seats, allowing them to establish a majority government with Trudeau as prime minister (David Rayside, n.d.).Justin Trudeau’s policies have brought several changes designed to improve the lives of those who need it the most. Our policies have always been thought to improve the lives of those who need it the most since we have prioritized the well-being and inclusion of every person, not only our citizens but people abroad.In support of this argument, it is worth mentioning that according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (2019) in 2018 Canada resettled more refugees than any other country, conscious of the persecution, terror and war they fled from. For the Syrian conflict alone, the Canadian government has opened Canada’s borders to more than 40,000 refugees. (Aiello, 2019).? Thus, the Government of Canada has firmly been CanadaPosition Paper /Exposé de Position, Page Sixcommitted to welcoming refugees and giving them opportunities to have a better quality of life.?Attention to minorities has been another essential aspect of the ongoing government. No relationship is more important to Canada than the one with peoples with first nations ancestry since they are “the historical backbone of our country” (Trudeau, 2020). In 2017, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signed agreements with the leaders of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the Assembly of First Nations, and the Métis National Council, “establishing a process to advance shared priorities for Inuit, First Nations, and the Métis Nation” (Trudeau, 2017). At present, we continue working together in the protection of their human rights, looking forward to eliminating the invisibilization, injustices and systemic racism they have faced for centuries.Our efforts have also been concentrated on advancing gender equality. The government of Canada is strongly committed to providing women and LGBTQ people with a life free from violence as well as an equal chance at success. Over the last five years, Canada has made important progress in such areas.?In 2017, we added gender identity and gender expression as prohibited grounds of discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act. In the same year, recognizing the safety and security of Indigenous women, girls and LGBT people as a priority, our government launched the first $200 million federal strategy “to help prevent and address gender-based violence, support survivors and their families, and create more responsive legal and justice systems” (Trudeau, 2020). Canada also provided life-saving services, including sexual and reproductive health care for women.Now the crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified gender inequalities and complicated gender-based violence, putting the safety and human rights of these groups at risk. In response, the government has invested $94.8 million in many organizations providing support and services for women, girls and? LGBTQ people to keep them safe from both violence and the COVID-19 virus (Trudeau, 2020).Likewise, Canada is working with experienced partners to meet urgent needs (Development Canada, 2020). Providing food, water, sanitation, shelter and protection for CanadaPosition Paper /Exposé de Position, Page Seventhose who need it in the region is part of the response of our government to diminish affectations provoked by the current difficult context of the pandemic.?The delegation of Canada is aware that all these issues are not exclusive to our Canadian reality; in fact, similar situations, in some cases worse, are faced by every fellow country in the Americas. All the threats present in our hemisphere besides the COVID-19 pandemic have also undermined our democratic institutions and risk the hemispheric security including the public safety of every individual.The specific goals Canada at the Summit of the Americas are the promotion of democracy, institutional strengthening, public safety and security through collaboration with inter-American bodies and agencies focusing on marginalized groups; we will try to push forward diversity, pluralism and inclusion all over the hemisphere, to support multilateral action in the Americas to deliver meaningful results for our citizens and vulnerable people, particularly women and girls, and to foster cooperation based on human rights, gender issues, indigenous populations and democratic principles with the aim to offer a more peaceful and secure world for everyone.In this regard, the? government of Canada is not only committed to ending gender-based violence, discrimination, inequalities, racism and so on domestically but also to supporting projects and initiatives in the Americas of this kind that allow increasing opportunities for women and marginalized groups. We will undoubtedly stand behind the proposals of other member states that address these important issues.Moreover, Canada will also support actions towards conflict-prevention, plans to respond more effectively to humanitarian crises, and strengthen measures to counter the spread of violent extremism.Likewise, the delegation of Canada will strongly back the plan to improve the problem about health systems and inequalities in access to health care exposed following the COVID-19 pandemic.To get excellent results on these important initiatives, Canada will encourage us all to maximize our work in key forums for hemispheric cooperation within OAS such as Inter- CanadaPosition Paper /Exposé de Position, Page EightAmerican Human Rights Commission, Inter-American Commission on Women, Inter-American Development Bank and Pan American Health Organization.Canada’s approach to international challenges is shaped by our domestic policy, in particular by our determination to build a more diverse and inclusive society (Trudeau, 2018) but also because by guaranteeing respect to human rights, we contribute to attaining healthier, stronger, happier, and more resilient societies.We are all in this pandemic together and we will get through it together. That is why Canada is resolute in our response to humanitarian crises. Everyone deserves to be safe and healthy, no matter where they live.??II. PARTICULAR STATEMENTS / D?CLARATIONS PARTICULI?RES?Committee Topic A: Setting the Strategic Vision for the OAS 2020-2025 / Définition de la Vision Stratégique de l’OEA 2020-2025?Canada is and has been a strong supporter of multilateralism and international cooperation in the hemisphere over its thirty-three years being part of the Organization of American States; likewise, the country is heavily committed to promoting diplomacy and human security among all American countries (Government of Canada, 2020). As a consequence, Canadian delegates have always had a leading role at the OAS assemblies and summits on safeguarding peace and stability in the hemisphere; especially in terms of democracy, human rights, gender equality, economic development, and hemispheric security.As such, Canada has developed a deep commitment to the OAS. Since this organization is the principal promoter of inter-American cooperation, Canada proposes an integral and multidimensional strategic vision for the sake of improving its effectiveness, expanding its reach, and providing benefits for all inhabitants in the continent.The Americas, along with the world, are confronted with the serious challenges posed by this severe global health crisis. Canada is no stranger to the very serious consequences that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to all countries in our hemisphere and is fully CanadaPosition Paper /Exposé de Position, Page Nineaware that this crisis has been particularly harmful to our fellow states with developing economies. Therefore, Canada is entirely committed to cooperating with all of them to face together the pandemic and its consequences (Champagne, 2020).The virus affected economies, but it has also uncovered social problems that local authorities had no prior correctly attended. Socioeconomic inequality, sexual violence against women, and marginalization of vulnerable groups are some of the problems that this crisis has made more visible (Champagne, 2020).Thus, Canada has drawn up a strategic vision that takes into consideration all four pillars of the OAS (democracy, human rights, development and security), adding the features that this country considers the most relevant in the framework of the pandemic.1. ? ? DEMOCRACY / D?MOCRATIE?????????????One of the most important approaches of Canadian foreign policy is democracy. This country seriously takes its duty as a champion of democracy and its values in the region and is always willing? to fight for peace, democracy, and stability in every fellow country that requires Canadian support.The Canadian government was very pleased to see the will of the Guyanan people in the democratic process held in their country in August 2020. Canada also congratulates Luis Acre on his election as president of Bolivia. (Champagne, 2020)Furthermore, Canada strongly upholds Juan Guaidó's legitimate presidency in the Republic of Venezuela as it faces Maduro's unconstitutional election (Trudeau, 2019).? On the other hand, Canada condemns the current Nicaraguan political situation as well as calls on its government to restore the basic freedoms of its citizens and establish free and fair elections with the surveillance of the OAS (Government of Canada, 2020).All American States must, with urgency and purpose, collectively reaffirm the relevance of the Inter-American Democratic Charter and strengthen its implementation as a key foundation for democracies in our hemisphere. When it comes to democracy, we all need to strengthen our democratic institutions when, during the pandemic, they start facing popular demands (Champagne, 2020).CanadaPosition Paper /Exposé de Position, Page Ten2. ? ? HUMAN RIGHTS / DROITS DE LA PERSONNE????????????Defending Human Rights is a priority in our foreign and domestic policies. Canada is fully committed to fostering the respect of Human Rights within its territory and works actively with organs of the OAS to promote their defense all around the region.????????????The hemisphere experiences a wave of violence in recent decades that put people's Human Rights at risk. However, those at particular risk of being affected by the violence are vulnerable groups, including women and girls, immigrants, indigenous groups, people of African descent, and the LGBT community (Champagne, 2020).????????????Canada has made previous efforts on this matter. For instance, John Humphrey, a Canadian lawyer and scholar, played a key role in writing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 (Canadian Human Rights Commission, 2020) which, along with the Charter of the Organization of American States and the American Convention on Human Rights, has laid the foundations of the Inter-American Human Rights System (Duhaime, 2012, p.639). Canada has tirelessly contributed to building the basis of this institution in support of diversity and pluralism.Canada calls on all American States to reinforce our strategies to eliminate sexual violence against women and girls by strengthening all institutions that protect the Human Rights of women. Those organs must be particularly active during the pandemic considering the rise in gender-based violence.The region is also witnessing increasing insecurity and further marginalization of many individuals that belong to vulnerable minorities (Champagne, 2020). That is why Canada affirms that all people in our hemisphere, regardless of their gender, ethnic origin, skin color, or sexual orientation, must be able to have complete access to all the benefits granted by their rights. No State must be an agent that prevents its citizens to fully enjoy their human freedoms.Canada is also conscious that this pandemic threatens decades of progress on poverty reduction (Champagne, 2020) and acknowledges that a large part of the population in the region does not have access to health care. Hence, Canada highly recommends all States in the hemisphere work tirelessly to guarantee the access of all their citizens to health services. CanadaPosition Paper /Exposé de Position, Page Eleven3. ? ? DEVELOPMENT / D?VELOPPEMENT?????????????Another important priority of Canada at the OAS is promoting an effective, prosperous, and sustainable development among all State members, including fostering economic growth in all of them (Government of Canada, 2020). Canada also acknowledges that Caribbean and Latin American countries are struggling with the pandemic, and will be there to help them contain COVID-19 and recover their economies.Canada has spent over a billion dollars in direct support to the global pandemic response. This includes significant support to the Pan American Health Organization in order to save lives, protect workers, and stop the spread of COVID-19 in our hemisphere (Pan American Health Organization, 2020).????????????Canada is currently working on the equitable development of safe and affordable COVID-19 vaccines. Last month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a $230 million contribution to the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility to purchase doses for developing countries (Organization of American States, 2020).?Prime Minister Trudeau was also pleased to join the Jamaican Prime Minister Holness and the UN Secretary-General Guterres, in convening a meeting on financing for development among developing countries, including the Caribbean and some countries in Latin America (Champagne, 2020).????????????Nevertheless, if we all desire to achieve sustained economic growth, all American States must work together with the private sector to push for innovative solutions to ease the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our entrepreneurs and our companies are critical to economic recovery and lasting prosperity in our hemisphere.?4. ? ? SECURITY / S?CURIT?????????????In general, all the previously mentioned problems are hemispheric security threats, since security is a multidimensional concept. Canada makes important efforts to build a safer world and keep security in the region, that is why its presence in the Secretariat for Multidimensional Security has been very active since it joined in 1992. Our country, as a determined agent against threats to hemispheric security, fights along with the OAS CanadaPosition Paper /Exposé de Position, Page Twelvedrug trafficking, terrorism, organized transnational crimes, cybernetic attacks, inter alia (Organization of American States, 2020). Notwithstanding, the COVID-19 pandemic has provoked an unprecedented increase in all of these problems.Faced with this diagnosis, all American States must act together to ensure that all of us are fighting against this crisis, our response will shape our region for generations to come. Canada is committed to cooperating with our fellow countries in the hemisphere to face the pandemic and its consequences. None of us will be successfully recovering if countries outside our borders are not secure. We must reconfirm the importance we attach to the OAS and demonstrate our unshakeable commitment to democracy, human rights, security, and sustainable development (Champagne, 2020).Committee Topic B: OAS Plan to Combat Racism and Systemic Inequality / Projet de l’OEA pour Combattre le Racisme et l’Inégalité Systémique????????????In a general definition, racism is the experience of “some form of discrimination on a personal level in the daily lives of individuals” (The College of Family Physicians of Canada, 2016). Racism involves an imbalance of power and resources to the detriment of certain communities, which led to social exclusion, isolation that limits or prevents political, social and economic participation, or access in other social systems such as education, health and labour market (The College of Family Physicians of Canada, 2016). Therefore, racism is an issue that promotes and perpetuates marginalization and systemic inequality.Throughout the Americas, significant racial inequalities are persistent today. Despite a significant process of poverty and extreme poverty reduction in Latin America, in four of the five countries for which information is available (Brazil, Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay), the rates of poverty and extreme poverty among Afro-descendants are significantly higher (Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, 2019).Moreover, women, young people, Indigenous peoples and Afro-descendants populations particularly women and young people of these groups are the most affected by the labour market exclusion, a situation that reduces chances for overcoming poverty. CanadaPosition Paper /Exposé de Position, Page ThirteenOn the other hand, it is pertinent to mention that not only Latin America but North American countries deal with the problem of racism as well. According to an Oxfam report, “35% of Mexicans who self-identify as dark skinned and 72% of those who speak an indigenous language fall in the bottom quartile of an index that measures occupational, educational and economic indicators” (Oxfam Mexico et al, 2019).?Meanwhile, we watch with truly concern the situation that African-american live at the United States since the birth of our neighbor nation. The African American population is 2.5 times more likely to live in chronic poverty, experiencing higher rates of poverty, leaving their academic development unfinished, leaving schools at an early age to be able to satisfy basic needs? (Freire, G. 2018).Unfortunately, Canada also faces social problems related to racism and we recognize it since this is the first step to build up solutions. Denying our challenges would perpetuate these practices. Prejudice, discrimination, and violence are a lived reality for far too many Black and racialized Canadians (Trudeau, 2020). “There is systemic discrimination in Canada, which means our systems treat Canadians of colour and racialized Canadians differently than they do others” (The Telegraph, 2020). It is necessary to visibilize that, to listen, to learn and to take action together.That is why the government of Canada is committed more than ever to joining efforts in order to combat racism and systemic inequalities the latter involves in the region. At present, we experience different types of inequality and social injustice, but the Canadian delegation believes it is appropriate to emphasize the following population sectors: Indigenous peoples, aboriginal women, the LGBTQ community, and Afro-descendant groups.Despite there is still much work to be done, Canada is implementing plans to reduce the exclusion of marginalized areas. In this regard, the Government of Canada has provided $15 million for 85 anti-racism projects across the country, which will address barriers to employment, justice, and social participation among Indigenous Peoples, racialized communities, and religious minorities (Government of Canada, 2020).CanadaPosition Paper /Exposé de Position, Page FourteenLikewise, understanding there must exist a government-communities dialogue, from October 2018 to March 2019, engagement sessions were held across the country to gather input from Canadians, especially those with lived experiences of racism and discrimination, in order to help inform the development of a new federal anti-racism strategy (Government of Canada, 2019). This way, we officially create Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy.The delegation Canada within OAS will encourage other delegations to carry out an international project that guarantees human rights for people who suffer racism. The way to do this is studying, analyzing, and understanding selected issues that allow us to find the factors that put communities at a disadvantage. Once understanding them and listening to their context and their needs, the government will be able to detonate and take actions that allow the consolidation of peace and security within the continent. (Organization of American States, 2020)?Committee Topic C: OAS Statement on Balancing Hemispheric Security and Individual Human Rights / Declaration de l’OEA sur l’?quilibre entre la Sécurité Continentale et les Droits de la Personne?Canada’s strongest engagement at the OAS is in the areas of democracy, human rights and security (Government of Canada, 2020) and as such, we recognize there is much work to do yet.The hemispheric security has been targeted by traditional and new threats like drug trafficking, transnational organized crime, trafficking in persons, rapes, terrorism, cybernetic attacks, illegal arms trafficking, among others, which in turn have led to social social problems such as migration, social exclusion, extreme violence and inequality. We need to act now to promote and protect the rights, freedoms, and safety of our citizens.For over a decade, the Americas have had the highest rates of lethal violence in the world, making violent crime part of the daily life of millions of citizens across the region. Despite our hemisphere accounts for about 9 percent of the world’s population, it is the region where most homicides are registered worldwide (Carbonari, 2018, p. 3).CanadaPosition Paper /Exposé de Position, Page FifteenNow we face a new security challenge: the COVID-19 pandemic. This has exposed the fragility of our healthcare systems and inequalities in access to care, threatened the decades of progress on poverty reduction and gender equality, and increased insecurity in many countries of the hemisphere. (Organization of American States, 2020). This evidence shows that public health has a close relationship to security so we must act accordingly by incorporating it in our priorities.Those situations have affected the stability of governments but also harm the social fabric of peoples everywhere. While we see the deterioration of democracies and the weakening of the institutions in our region, the marginalization of people, women, men and children because of their social context is also visible. This reality has worsened given the serious impact of the pandemic.On the other hand, some reports (Organization of American States and the Government of Canada, 2019; Inter-American Commission of Women, 2020; Women and Gender Equality Canada, 2019) highlight that women have been especially vulnerable to these security issues. Gender-based violence, a term that refers to “violence that targets individuals or groups on the basis of their gender, commonly women and children” (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2019, p. 8), presents a major obstacle to attaining gender equality and equity, one of the main goals that Canada deeply promotes at the OAS agenda.That is the reason why hemispheric security must be addressed through? a multidimensional, human and gender-based approach. As we reaffirmed in the Declaration on Security in the Americas (2003) “the basis and purpose of security is the protection of human beings” and to improve human security it is essential to fully respect human rights. Individuals must be the center of the attention in the dialogue on hemispheric security as they are the primary level of all societies.?In order to do so, the Government of Canada along with various sectors has successfully implemented diverse plans of action at the national level to prevent violence from a public health perspective so as to avoid its propagation to higher levels and to guarantee the right of everybody to a dignified and free from violence.?CanadaPosition Paper /Exposé de Position, Page SixteenThere is the case of the Organization Prevention of Violence-Prevention de la violence Canada (n.d.) which considers the multiple levels of risk that can impact a person at the individual, relationship, community or societal level, stressing the importance of “integrated strategies that involve different governmental and nongovernmental sectors tackling the roots of violence in a coordinated way”.Another action aimed to avoid insecurity is the Canadian Municipal Network on Crime Prevention (CMNCP), created to build capacity and mobilize Canadian municipalities to prevent and reduce crime and foster community safety and well-being of people through preventive measures? in sectors such as schools, housing, social and youth services, health and preventative policing (Canadian Municipal Network on Crime Prevention, 2016).?In addition, understanding that women are who suffer the most the worst deeply-rooted human rights violations of our times from the digital space until their local and family environment, in 2017, the Government of Canada took action by launching the first-ever federal strategy of its kind on gender-based violence, which “takes a whole-of-government approach informed by grassroots activism and feminist action” (Women and Gender Equality Canada, 2019, p. 4).Furthermore, at the regional level, the Government of Canada is committed to participating in collective solutions for shared security concerns. For example, positive outcomes have been obtained through multilateral arrangements such as the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism (CICTE), where the government of Canada had the honor to assume the chairmanship for the year 2019-2020 and our main priority was to build and promote resilient societies (Loten, 2020).??Immersed in an environment of diverse challenges able to feed the insecurity and to risk the guarantee of the vulnerable communities’ human rights along the hemisphere, governments must assure public safety as a priority, essentially amid a context of a pandemic where inequalities have amplified and violence in general.Our efforts to eliminate sexual and gender-based violence must be reinforced. On behalf of the Government of Canada, this delegation encourages us all to carry out a monitoring of data and public records of violence before and after isolation in both home and CanadaPosition Paper /Exposé de Position, Page Seventeenpublic spaces with the purpose to understand the impact of the pandemic on violence against women so as to improve the planning of public policies.The government of Canada is determined to support the most vulnerable and marginalized who are bearing the brunt of this crisis, focusing on indigenous, afro descendants, migrants, refugees, and LGBTQ women (Organization of American States, 2020). We call OAS member states for a collective response to attaining a peaceful and free hemisphere from mittee Topic D: OAS Plan of Action to Increase Government Participation and Voter Turnout among Underrepresented Groups / Plan d’Action de l’OEA pour Augmenter la Participation du Gouvernement et le Taux de Participation parmi les Groupes Sous-représentés?????????????Canada has significantly increased the number of voters in our last election due to a plan of action constituted on several easements for minorities such as the Asian, Jewish, African American, and Indigenous communities, as well as people with disabilities. These communities, except for the Indigenous, were formed based on migration from several continents.1.- INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY / COMMUNAUT? INDIG?NEThe indigenous population was estimated at almost 1.7 million (1,673,785) in the 2016 Census.? (Minority Rights Group International, 2020).??In 1876 with the Indian Act the Indigenous people acquired rights and also the government regulated trade and other “Indian businesses”. It was until 1898 in Nova Scotia became the first province that allows Indigenous people to vote provincially; it wasn't until 1951 when an amendment was made to the Indian Act to allow some indigenous women to vote, and in 1988 the first indigenous woman was elected to the federal government.?As we can see, only 32 years have passed since all the Indigenous community was represented in the government, this has caused a major discontent between the Indigenous community and the government. In 2016 the UN announced that they support the Declaration CanadaPosition Paper /Exposé de Position, Page Eighteenon Indigenous Rights, the main statements in this declaration are: the recognition of Indigenous rights as human rights, the land rights they have, and self-determination rights. (Elections Canada, 2019)The government provides voting and ID information in printable format in these several languages: Atikamekw, Blackfoot, Denesuline, Gwich'in, Inuktitut, Innu (Montagnais), Michif, Mi'kmaq, Mohawk, Moose-Cree, Nisga'a, Ojibway, Oji-Cree, Plains Cree, Salteaux, Stoney. (Elections Canada, 2019)????????????Trudeau’s government has a liberal and progressive stance on several issues like promoting equal laws,? he also succeeded in decreasing discrimination, violence and murders against? indigenous women. Trudeau has also fought social and racial profiling, and systemic discrimination against indigenous homeless, and the violation of the communal land rights by the government.?2.- JEWISH COMMUNITY / COMMUNAUT? JUIVE???????????Early in Canadian history, the Jewish community experienced indirect discrimination in the voting area because they refused to swear the three oaths. However, our current government has? improved that to include everyone.In 1810 in? New Brunswick, the oath requirement was lifted. In the 1830s, Aaron changed the oath to include not Christian citizens. Nova Scotia. But this improvement did not include neither children nor women.? It was not until 1960, when, like all other women, the Jewish women could vote (Elections Canada, 2019).In this last administration, specifically in 2019,? the government has given Jewish voters the chance of voting by mail or voting at an advance poll, due to Jewish holidays which are on Saturday, October 12, Monday, October 14, Tuesday, October 15, Monday, October 21. Elections Canada is working with community leaders to set up additional service points. (Elections Canada, 2019)?3.-AFRICAN AMERICAN? COMMUNITY / COMMUNAUT? AFRO-AM?RICAINIn the early 1600s, the African American enslavement began in the region. However, in 1804, with the abolition of slavery, the African American men earned the right to vote. In CanadaPosition Paper /Exposé de Position, Page Nineteen1859 Abraham Shadd became the first African American to be elected for a municipal government. In 1916, being pioneers in the continent allowing women to vote, and not only white women but also some African American women which started voting in some provinces such as Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, then in 1960, all women were able to vote and be elected.In 2004 the Operation Black Vote Canada (OBVC) was established, their main goal was to educate, motivate and advocate for Black Canadians to participate in Canada's political life and process at all levels, they also assist those interested in a political career. (OBVC,2020). In addition to the OBVC, the government has encouraged the African-American to vote, and also given more chances and increased the polls and?4.-ASIAN COMMUNITY / COMMUNAUT? ASIATIQUE?????????????According to a census in 2006, with data on racialized population, which is 16.2% of the total population, the Asian population was the predominant racialized group with 48.8%, having, in order of size, South Asian, Chinese, and West Asian, as the most discriminated groups, which in total form 2,901,700 people. This is a result of the rapid transformation in immigration patterns. Also according to a 2006 Census by Statistics Canada, those who identify as Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Pakistani, Indian and Arab/West Asian have a lower participation rate.????????????Certain actions taken are The Second Asian Canadian National Conference Against Racism and the Chinese Canadian National Council and prioritizing areas such as immigration and security; employment; media; racial profiling; and education.5.-PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES / PERSONNES HANDICAP?ESThe elections for people with disabilities have improved since the government? has addressed the problem and has created several initiatives to inform the voters in accessible formats, like giving information about voting and registration online, printed in several options on demand, like, large printed or braille ballots, audios and videos with voter information.The Community Relations Officers have created several goals for future and present elections such as increasing election awareness, providing information on where, when, and CanadaPosition Paper /Exposé de Position, Page Twenty ways to register to vote and making voting as accessible as possible for the communities in which they work. To ensure your polling place has the right services, you must find out in several online services if the place meets your needs. (Elections Canada, 2019)?III. CONCLUDING STATEMENTS / D?CLARATIONS FINALES?As it was addressed throughout the paper, Canada has always been a loyal and strong supporter of multilateralism and inter-American cooperation. Canada fully trusts the OAS to enforce the spirit of mutual support among the member States in our hemisphere. Canada will work tirelessly to attempt to solve the problems that afflict every inhabitant in the Americas. For that reason, our ultimate goal in the region is based on including everyone on our agenda, and this goal will only be achieved by changing our joint action paradigms and adding new to the list.First, including a gender perspective in our institutions so they work to guarantee a dignified life free of violence for all girls and women. Second, fostering a generalized acceptance of sexual diversity with the aim of allowing all people, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, to enjoy the same rights as everyone. Third, promoting empowerment among vulnerable groups that are still victims of systemic inequality and lack social, political and electoral representation. Fourth, valuing and embracing the ethnic plurality of our societies and eradicating the discrimination to which Afro-descendant, immimgrants and indigenous people are subjected. Fifth, strengthening our healthcare institutions so that they provide better quality services that are available to everyone, especially in the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sixth, monitoring our electoral institutions to make democracy last in our region. Seventh, promoting our private sector to achieve economic recovery and allow an environment suitable for sustainable economic development.Canada is conscious of the difficult times we are going through. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused serious repercussions in our realities, but we all must be committed to strengthening mutual support and cooperation between nations. As a fraternal region, our CanadaPosition Paper /Exposé de Position, Page Twenty Onecompromise for democracy, human rights, gender equality, diplomacy, and inclusive economic recovery must never cease.We are in the middle of a humanitarian crisis, but there has never been a better time to build a strong and united OAS. On our way to overcome this crisis, to all our fellow countries in the hemisphere, rest assured that Canada will accompany you every step of the way.“This land is your land, this land is my land. This land was made for you and me.”“Cette terre est votre terre, cette terre est notre terre.” / “Esta tierra es tu tierra, esta tierra es nuestra tierra.” / “Esta terra é a sua terra, esta terra é a nossa terra.”??IV. REFERENCES / R?F?RENCES??Abramo, L., & Rangel, M. (2019, November 15). Children of African descent in Latin America | Briefing note | Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. Economic Commission for Latin American and the Caribbean. , R. (2019, July 15). Here’s how Canada changed under Justin Trudeau. CTVNews. in Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua. (2020, October) Canada calls on Govt of Nicaragua to restore basic freedoms & work with all parties for reforms [...]. Paper /Exposé de Position, Page Twenty TwoCanadian Municipal Network on Crime Prevention. (2016). Together For Safer Canadian Municipalities. , F. (2018, December). Reducing Urban Violence: A Common Vision for the Western Hemisphere. The Chicago Council on Global Affairs. Canada. (2020, October 27). Women & girls often bear the greatest burden during crises. As #COVID19 continues to afflict the world, Canada responds to the urgent needs of populations, including by taking action against sexual and gender-based violence. #CanadaAid [Tweet]. Twitter. , R. (2004). Security Challenges in Latin America. Bulletin of Latin American Research, 23(1), 43–62. , B. (2012). Canada and the inter-American human rights system: Time to become a full player. International Journal, 67(3), 639-659. Canada. (2020, May 12). A History of the Vote in Canada. Canada. (2019, May 12). Information for Indigenous Electors – Elections Canada Canada. (2020, May 12). Information for Jewish Voters. Canada. (2020, May 15). Information for People with Disabilities. Paper /Exposé de Position, Page Twenty ThreeFreire, G. (2018, August 14). Afro-descendants in Latin America: Toward a Framework of Inclusion. News. (2019, January). Trudeau says a clause in the Venezuela constitution shows Guaido as interim president. ómez Camacho, J. J. I.? (2019, May 17) Canada reaffirms its commitment to protecting the rights of LGBT people around the world.??Government of Canada. (2020, March 26). Canada and the Organization of American States. , K. H. (2016, December 9). Indigenous Val-d’Or residents face racial profiling, systemic discrimination, study suggests Social Sharing. CBC. Commission of Women. (2020). COVID-19 in Women’s Lives: Reasons to Recognize the Differential Impacts. Organization of American States. , J. (2020, September 25). STATEMENT BY MRS. JENNIFER LOTEN, DIRECTOR GENERAL, INTERNATIONAL CRIME AND TERRORISM, GLOBAL AFFAIRS CANADA AND CHAIR OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMITTEE AGAINST TERRORISM (CICTE) OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES, DURING THE INAUGURALINAUGURAL SESSION SESSION AT THE NINETEENTH REGULAR SESSION OF CICTE. Inter-American Committee against Terrorism. Black Vote Canada. (n.d.). Canadian Black Political Timeline. Retrieved October 27, 2020, from Paper /Exposé de Position, Page Twenty FourOrganization of American States. (2003, October). Declaration on Security in the Americas. Special Conference on Security, Mexico City, Mexico. of American States. (2020, October 20). Canada Participates in #OASassembly (1/2) @CanadaFP @FP_Champagne @CanadaOAS @CanadayOEA @CanadaOEA [Online forum post]. Twitter. of American States & Government of Canada. (2019, November). Combating Online Violence against Women: A Call for Protection. Organization of American States. Mexico, Solis, P., Güémez, B., & Lorenzo, V. (2019). Por mi raza hablará la desigualdad. Oxfam Mexico. Tousignant. (2006, February 6). Constitutional Act, 1971. The Canadian Encyclopaedia. of Violence Canada-Prévention de la Violence Canada. (n.d.). Violence Prevention through Public Health. Prevention of Violence Canada. Retrieved October 23, 2020, from discrimination. (n.d.). Ontario Human Rights Commission. Paper /Exposé de Position, Page Twenty FiveStatus of Women Canada. (2019, August 20). A year in review 2018-2019 Canada’s Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence. Government of Canada. College of Family Physicians of Canada. (2016, February). Health and Health Care Implications of Systemic Racism on Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Telegraph. (2020, June 2). Justin Trudeau pauses for 22 seconds before answering question about Donald Trump[Video]. YouTube. Canadian Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Indigenous Suffrage. , J. (2017, June 22). Statement by the Prime Minister of Canada on accomplishments made by the Government of Canada since January 2017. Prime Minister of Canada. , J. (2020, August 9). Statement by the Prime Minister on the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. Prime Minister of Canada. Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. (2019, June). Global Trends. Forced Displacement in 2018. Paper /Exposé de Position, Page Twenty SevenUnited Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2019, December). Support Project for the SADC-UNODC Regional Programme on Making the SADC Region Safer form Drugs and Crime, with the specific focus on Violence against Women and Children. , J. (2019). Public Inquiry Commission on relations between Indigenous Peoples and certain public services in Que?bec: Listening, reconciliation and progress: Appendices. Commission d'enque?te sur les relations entre les Autochtones et certains services publics.?Women and Gender Equality Canada. (2019). It’s time: Canada?s Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence. Government of Canada. Directory of Minorities and Indigenous People. (2020). Asian Canadians. ? ................
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