On November 1st at the United Nations, Canada broke with the free world and joined Syria, Iran and North Korea by voting no on eight separate measures that sought to hold Cuba accountable for widespread human rights violations. According to anonymous Canadian diplomats, quoted in a recent article in Canada’s leading newspaper The Globe and Mail, Canada “considers it strategically important to maintain a comparatively close relationship with Cuba’s Communist regime, for trade and political reasons.” In particular, “They are afraid of upsetting Cuba because of Canada’s bid for a UN Security Council seat,” one diplomat said.

“Canada is in the midst of an intensive lobbying campaign to win a rotating seat on the United Nations Security Council in 2021-22. Cuba is considered vital to such UN votes as it holds influence over many African and Latin American UN member states,” write The Globe and Mail.

My fellow Canadians: these 8 UN votes by Ottawa—breaking with the democratic world—are a stain on our country's reputation. But it's not too late. Tweet your MP today to demand that Canada reverse its policy & introduce a UN resolution for Cuba's persecuted human rights victims. — Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) November 28, 2018



VOTE ON 8 U.S. AMENDMENTS TO HOLD CUBA ACCOUNTABLE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES

Amendment 1 (A/73/L.9):

Insert the following new preambular paragraph immediately after the last preambular paragraph:

Expressing serious concern that in Cuba the severe lack of access to information and freedom of expression, the complete absence of judicial independence, and arbitrary arrests and detentions are undermining the collective efforts to implement Sustainable Development Goal 16 meant to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels,

On this motion for freedom of expression in Cuba, Canada — unlike the EU, Australia, Switzerland, Japan and dozens of other democracies — joined Syria, Iran and North Korea in voting No, thereby siding with Cuba’s Castro regime:



Amendment 2 (A/73/L.10):

Insert the following new preambular paragraph immediately after the last preambular paragraph:

Expressing serious concern that in Cuba the absence of women from the most powerful decision-making bodies, including the executive committee of the Council of Ministers and senior military leadership, severely undermines the collective efforts to implement Sustainable Development Goal 5 meant to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls by countering the deeply rooted gender-based discrimination that results from patriarchal attitudes and related social norms,

On this motion for gender equality in Cuba, Canada — unlike Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, Australia, Switzerland, Japan and dozens of other democracies — joined Syria, Iran and North Korea in voting No, thereby siding with Cuba’s Castro regime:



Amendment 3 (A/73/L.11):

Insert the following new preambular paragraph immediately after the last preambular paragraph:

Expressing serious concern that in Cuba the trade union monopoly of the Central Union of Cuban Workers, the prohibition on the right to strike, and restrictions on collective bargaining and agreements, including that government authorities and Central Union officials have the final say on all such agreements, severely undermine the collective efforts to implement Sustainable Development Goal 8 meant to promote sustained and inclusive economic growth and full and productive employment and decent work for all,

On this motion for the rights of workers in Cuba, Canada — unlike Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, Australia, Switzerland, Japan and dozens of other democracies — joined Syria, Iran and North Korea in voting No, thereby siding with Cuba’s Castro regime:



Amendment 4 (A/73/L.12):

Insert the following new operative paragraph immediately after operative paragraph 3:

Calls upon Cuba to fully grant its citizens internationally recognized civil, political, and economic rights and freedoms, including freedom of assembly, freedom of expression and free access to information;

On this motion for civil, political, and economic rights and freedoms in Cuba, including freedom of assembly and freedom of expression, Canada — unlike Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, Australia, Switzerland, Japan and dozens of other democracies — joined Syria, Iran and North Korea in voting No, thereby siding with Cuba’s Castro regime:



Amendment 5 (A/73/L.13):

Insert the following new operative paragraph immediately after operative paragraph 3:

Calls upon Cuba, including the judicial and security branches, to create and maintain, in law and in practice, a safe and enabling environment in which an independent, diverse, and pluralistic civil society can operate free from undue hindrance and insecurity;

On this motion for a Cuban civil society free of undue hindrance, Canada — unlike Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, Australia, Switzerland, Japan and dozens of other democracies — joined Syria, Iran and North Korea in voting No, thereby siding with Cuba’s Castro regime:



Amendment 6 (A/73/L.14):

Insert the following new operative paragraph immediately after operative paragraph 3:

Urges Cuba to end widespread and serious restrictions, in law and in practice, on the right to freedom of expression, opinion, associations and peaceful assembly, both online and offline, including by ending the harassment, intimidation and persecution of political opponents, human rights defenders, women’s and minority rights activists, labour leaders, students’ rights activists, journalists, bloggers, social media users, social media page administrators, media workers, religious leaders and lawyers;

On this motion for ending Cuba’s persecution of human rights defenders, Canada — unlike Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, Australia, Switzerland, Japan and dozens of other democracies — joined Syria, Iran and North Korea in voting No, thereby siding with Cuba’s Castro regime:



Amendment 7 (A/73/L.15):

Insert the following new operative paragraph immediately after operative paragraph 3:

Strongly urges Cuba to release persons arbitrarily detained for the legitimate exercise of their human rights, to consider rescinding unduly harsh sentences for exercising such fundamental freedoms and to end reprisals against individuals, including for cooperating with the United Nations human rights mechanisms;

On this motion for releasing Cuban political prisoners, Canada — unlike Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, Australia, Switzerland, Japan and dozens of other democracies — joined Syria, Iran and North Korea in voting No, thereby siding with Cuba’s Castro regime:



Amendment 8 (A/73/L.16):

Insert the following new operative paragraph immediately after operative paragraph 3:

Calls upon Cuba to launch a comprehensive accountability process in response to all cases of serious human rights violations, including those involving the Cuban judiciary and security branches, and calls upon the Government of Cuba to end impunity for such violations;

On amendment L.16 calling on Cuba to hold accountable its serious rights violators, including in the judiciary and security branches, Canada — unlike Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, Australia, Switzerland, Japan and dozens of other democracies — joined Syria, Iran and North Korea in voting No, thereby siding with Cuba’s Castro regime:

