Civil Society Forum Statement on Human Rights Implementation in Canada

Helix is proud to be a signatory on the statement that emerged from the first ever Civil Society Forum on Human Rights in Winnipeg in April 2026.

As federal, provincial, and territorial representatives gather at the Forum of Ministers on Human Rights this week, the newly-formed Civil Society Forum for Human Rights in Canada is calling on governments to take immediate and concrete action on human rights implementation. The Civil Society Forum delivered their statement to the Honourable Minister Marc Miller, responsible for human rights implementation at the federal level, the Honourable Minister Rebecca Alty, and the Honourable Rob Oliphant, along with Attorneys Generals from several provinces and territories — stressing the statement’s importance as a guidepost for human rights implementation at all levels of government.

Six Demands for Immediate Action

The Civil Society Forum is calling on governments to act on six priorities:

1. Transparent and accountable Ministers’ Forum — Establish a public mandate, clear decision-making processes, and a follow-up mechanism to track implementation commitments.
2. A legislated national human rights implementation framework — Develop a legal framework, with civil society input, to translate Canada’s domestic and international human rights obligations into lived reality no later than December 2027.
3. A federal Department of Human Rights — Create a dedicated central body, working in coordination with the Departments of Intergovernmental Affairs and Justice, to champion human rights implementation and ensure cohesion across all levels of government.
4. Economic, social, and cultural rights as binding legal obligations — Affirm these rights are justiciable and align legislation, budgeting, and policy accordingly — including ratification of the American Convention on Human Rights and the Optional Protocol of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, ahead of Canada’s UN review in early 2027.
5. A formal role for municipalities — Formalize local governments’ participation in human rights forums and implementation processes, given their frontline role in delivering programs that engage these rights.
6. Stable, ongoing funding for civil society engagement — Establish a civil society engagement fund, with contributions from each Forum member, to support treaty reporting, monitoring, and implementation work.