Poste - Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children

Positive Factor
C A N A D I A N C O A L I T I O N F O R T H E R I G H T S O F C H I L D R E N
• Children’s Bureau for ensuring that the UNCRC
is taken into account in the development and
implementation of federal policies and activities to
disseminate Convention information
Update
• Since Canada’s last report to the UN Committee,
the Children’s Bureau has ceased to exist as a
separate entity. There is little public information
about how the federal government monitors
Canada’s ongoing implementation of the
Convention. However, the Health Canada Web site
reports that the Strategic Policy and Systems
Coordination Unit, Childhood and Youth Division,
Health Canada supports “departmental and
interdepartmental coordination of child and youth
health and well-being issues, as well as issues
related to children’s rights from a domestic and
international perspective.” 3
Positive Factor
• government’s expressed commitment to reduce child
poverty, despite the economic recession
Update
• Statistics Canada reports that the incidence of
low income among children under 18 years of age
was 21.3 percent (an estimated 1,484,000 children)
in 1993, 19.5 percent (1,362,000) in 1994,
21.0 percent (1,472,000) in 1995, 21.1 percent
(1,498,000) in 1996, and 19.8 percent (1,397,000)
in 1997. 4
Positive Factor
• efforts by schools and social services for the early
identification of children’s disabilities
Update
• The Coalition’s research indicates that there is
insufficient funding for the early diagnosis of
children with disabilities and insufficient supports
and services. A full discussion of the issue can be
found in the research paper on Article 23, Children
with Disabilities.
128
Positive Factor
• Canada’s cooperation with UNICEF and other
organizations
Update
• Canada continues to cooperate with international
organizations and although children’s rights are a
stated foreign policy priority, spending on overseas
development assistance has declined an average of
3.3 percent per year from 1990-91 to 1995-96. A full
discussion of the issue can be found in the research
paper on Article 4, International Cooperation to
Promote and Enhance Children’s Rights.
Concerns and
Recommendations
Cited by the Committee
Concern
• jurisdictional issues and disparities
Recommendation
• better legal and administrative coordination across
jurisdictions to reduce disparities in children’s rights
across the country
Update
• The devolution of federal responsibilities to the
provinces is a growing trend in the context of the
current social union agreement, which has the
potential to lead to greater variations in programs and
services for children and families. For example, the
Canada Assistance Plan framework for federal tax
transfers to share social assistance costs with the
provinces has been replaced by the Canada Health
and Social Transfer, which provides block funding
and gives the provinces greater discretion in deciding
how the money will be spent.
• The Coalition’s research papers illustrate the overall
lack of national goals and standards for protecting
children’s rights and well-being.