| |
“Canadians: below the 50 % mark
According to the results of a recent poll undertaken by a firm in Quebec, over half of Canadians cannot name any of the rights defined by the Canadian Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. The population of British Colombia appears to be the least knowledgeable on this subject, 62 % of the population of this West Coast province were incapable of citing one right of the Charter, according to the survey conducted by Léger Marketing. Elsewhere, throughout the country, the following percentages were noted: Manitoba and Saskatchewan, 57 %; Quebec, 54 %; Ontario, 50 %; the Atlantic Provinces, 48 %; and Alberta, 44 %. In the whole of the country, the number registered was 52 %. Freedom of expression was cited by 27 % of those who took part. It was followed by freedom of opinion, freedom of religion and the right to speak one’s own language, at 12 %.
If schools started teaching the basic elements of the Charter, this would have a huge impact on the daily life of the Canadian population, deems Jacques Frémont, law faculty dean of the University of Montreal. He stated: “I have noticed that my children in secondary school learn about Canada’s food guide in order to eat healthily. They learn to read clothing labels in order to wash them correctly.” “Perhaps it would be a good thing for them if we taught them their rights. ”
In French : http://www.ledevoir.com/2002/11/18/13622.html
- And the Americans?
Quoting the results of a poll conducted by Human Rights USA,
Nancy Flowers, writer and consultant on human rights education, wrote: “Here, no student can obtain their high school diploma without having passed an exam on the [American] Constitution. As this does not mention economic or social rights, or education, a majority of Americans think that human rights are limited to civil liberties and politics.” Referring to the poll in question, the writer underlines the fact that 93 % of Americans have never heard of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights […]. For its part, Human Rights USA points out that when Americans “think” of human rights, they presume that such a term applies to foreign countries such as Africa, Bosnia or Columbia.
In French: http://www.chrf.ca/francais/publications_fran/files/bulletin/vol_13_n3_article.htm
In English: http://www.alternet.org/issues/humanrights.html
- The priorities of the Russians: economic, social and cultural rights
According to the Interfax Agency, 70 % of Russians consider free education, health services and a good standard of living for the elderly as the most important human rights. Other lesser choices include: 44 % for the protection of private life; 25 % for the right to property; 19 % for freedom of expression; 12 % for the right to information and 8 % for the right to elect their own governmental representatives.
In English:
http://www.interfax.ru/one_news_en.html?lang=EN&tz=0&tz_format=MSK&id_news=5610243
