India, Bangladesh urge Canada to address hate speech, prevent attacks on places of worship

India has asked Canada to strengthen its efforts to prevent attacks on places of worship and to effectively address hate speech. Indian diplomat Mohammed Hussain made this statement during the UN Human Rights Council Review meeting.

Bangladesh’s diplomat Abdullah Al Forhad also urged Canada to intensify its measures to combat racism, hate speech, hate crimes, and discrimination against migrants and Muslim minorities.

Forhad however appreciated Canada’s progress in the protection of human rights and its strategy to fight human trafficking.

Hussain also made a note of legislative enactments by Canada to combat human trafficking.

“We note the enactment of the National Housing Strategy Act, Accessible Canada Act, and national strategy to combat human trafficking,” said the Indian diplomat.

Abdullah Forhad in his statement said, “We commend the valuable progress made by Canada in the promotion of the protection of human rights. We acknowledge the ongoing implementation of its nationalist strategy to combat human trafficking 2019-2024. In spite of cooperation, Bangladesh offers recommendations to Canada – intensify its efforts to combat racism, hate speech, hate crimes, and discrimination against migrants and Muslim minorities, take necessary measures to reduce carbon emissions, and strengthen international cooperation in addressing the negative impacts of climate change, and consider ratifying international convention on the protection of the rights of all migrants, workers, and members of their families.”

The diplomat from Sri Lanka Thilini Jayasekara also recommended that Canada accede to the Convention of the Protection of Rights of All Migrant Workers, take measures against racial discrimination affecting the rights of immigrants, counter misinformation against minority communities, and strengthen its national mechanism for comprehensive reporting and follow-up on international human rights recommendations.

Diplomatic relations between India and Canada are frosty after Canadian PM Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of being involved in the killing of the Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. India has vehemently denied any role in the killing.

On Saturday (November 11), Trudeau accused India of violating the Vienna Convention by “kicking out” 40 Canadian diplomats, and said “if bigger countries can violate international law without consequences, it will make the world more dangerous.”

He however added that Canada wants to work constructively with India and that his government would always stand up for the rule of law.