Amnesty International presses Ottawa to take action against U.S. on human rights

Open this photo in gallery:

Amnesty International is urging Canada to take action against the United States, in its “strongest warning ever” against the rise of authoritarian practices south of the border and around the world.

The organization pressed Ottawa to appoint a human-rights ambassador, withdraw from the Safe Third Country Agreement with the U.S. and address human-rights issues around the world.

“We are calling on the Canadian government to respond, not just on the trade issue, but to stand firm on the protection of human rights internationally and nationally,” said Agnès Callamard, secretary-general of Amnesty International, at a press conference on Monday.

Canada does not have a human-rights ambassador, but Ms. Callamard said the appointment of one would be a “symbolic gesture” amid a dire global landscape.

Ms. Callamard pointed to the erosion of the freedom of expression, saying those attending peaceful pro-Palestinian demonstrations have faced increased violence and “criminalization” for their support.

Though the appointment of human-rights ambassadors is becoming more common, especially in a number of European Union member states, it’s not a universal practice.

Ahead of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s meeting with the U.S. President at the White House on Tuesday, the organization urged Canada to maintain its principled stand against the 51st-state rhetoric by continuing to say “no” to Donald Trump‘s policies.

Ms. Callamard praised Canadian authorities for their determination to push back against U.S. tariffs despite being targeted early on in Mr. Trump‘s trade war. However, she emphasized now is not the time for negotiations.

“It is not the time to seek or make deals [if] the price will be human-rights protection,” she said.

Amnesty also urged Canada to exit the Safe Third Country Agreement, saying the U.S. is no longer “safe.”

The long-standing agreement between Canada and the U.S. has been in effect since 2004. Under the pact, asylum seekers who arrive in Canada after first entering the U.S. are required to return to the U.S. to file their claims there. The U.S. is the only country designated as a “safe third country” by Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

“It is not a safe country to send migrants and refugees back to,” Ms. Callamard said. “You do not send back people to places where their life is going to be at risk. That’s a basic principle.”

In 2017, Amnesty International was a party in the legal challenge against the agreement, which argued that sending migrants and asylum seekers back to the U.S. violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Canada’s Supreme Court rejected the claim in 2023 that the agreement violated their constitutional right to liberty and security, leaving the bilateral deal intact for now after it sent the case back to the Federal Court.

Paul O’Brien, executive director of Amnesty International USA, said though the degradation of human rights in the U.S. did not begin with Mr. Trump‘s presidency, in the last 100 days, it has become significantly worse.

“When asked if he will uphold the Constitution, [Mr. Trump‘s] response this weekend was, ‘I don’t know if I will,’ Mr. O’Brien said. “These are bits of evidence that the United States has gotten significantly less safe for those seeking sanctuary.”

Ms. Callamard said it’s equally as important to stand against the rhetoric that pits economic security against human rights. She said Canada needs to fight back against that “propaganda.”

“If you want to protect economy growth, if you want to protect your salaries ... that comes through the protection of human rights nationally and internationally,” Ms. Callamard said. “There is never a contradiction.”