December 10, 2018 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement:

"One of the hard-won lessons of the 20th century was the recognition that the protection of human rights is a prerequisite for peace. This realization led to the creation of one of the documents that underpins the rules-based international order: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights [UDHR], whose first article states that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

"As we celebrate the Declaration's 70th anniversary, we proudly recall that a Canadian, John Humphrey, was one of the principal drafters of the Declaration, which later helped shape the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

"Human rights are at the core of Canada's foreign policy. We will always speak out against violations and strive for a world where the rights and freedoms of all people are respected—even when that causes us adversity.

"Faced with a world where more and more leaders are challenging the very premise of universal human rights, we must come together to preserve and uphold the spirit of this formative document. To all those countries that believe in the UDHR's call for the protection of human dignity, individual freedoms and democratic values, know that Canada will always stand with you."