Between the Lines of the Public Consciousness “Share your story and we will fight together” Be aware of injustice in the society!

“Canada museum of human rights in Winnipeg”

Damien B. June 3, 2014

HISTORY: 10 Awful Canadian Violations of Human Rights! Or 10+…Petrified Canadian Atrocities Never in Human History have Seen Perpetrated with Such Cruelty?

When a citizen of any other country thinks of Canada, the thought that usually comes to mind is a peaceful and cooperative nation that is a shining example of tolerance and civil rights. However, Canada has had many dark chapters in its history. If one looks deeper, the innocent facade of the Great White North is shattered, revealing some disturbing truths behind it.                                                                                 

001.-Eugenics

Unbelievably, the program and the board lasted until 1972. During that time, they recommended sterilization in 99 percent of the 4,795 cases they oversaw, which were overwhelmingly women and Aboriginal people. It was only under Premier Peter Lougheed that the act was finally repealed and the board disbanded. David King, one of the politicians who introduced the bill to kill the act, said at its reading “I come finally to the last [reason] which, for me personally, is the most compelling. That is, simply, that the act violates fundamental human rights. We are provided with an act, the basis of which is a presumption that society, or at least the government, knows what kind of people can be allowed children and what kinds of people cannot . . . It is our view that this is a reprehensible and intolerable philosophy and program for this province and this government.”

Leilani Muir, one of the victims of the practice, sued the government of Alberta in 1995 and was awarded $1 million Canadian in damages. This led to a flood of lawsuits against the government over the next few years, which raised public awareness of the horrible program. Due to the sheer volume of lawsuits, the Alberta government tried to impose a limit on the amount that could be claimed by victims of the eugenics board of $150,000 Canadian. Public outcry killed this law within 24 hours, and eventually, the government settled for a lump sum of $80 million Canadian to be paid out to the victims.