OTTAWA, ON, Dec. 10, 2025 /CNW/ - On the occasion of International Human Rights Day, December 10, Charlotte-Anne Malischewski, Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, issues the following statement:
Hard times test who we are--and what we really stand for.
Today marks the 77th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Born from the atrocities and horror of the Second World War, the Universal Declaration became a guiding light for a broken world.
Human rights are central to Canadian identity. Prime Minister Carney recently told the UN General Assembly: "Canada has always been and always will be committed to fundamental human rights, to human dignity, to individual freedom, and sustainability."
But what do fundamental human rights and dignity look like for people in Canada who are unable to make ends meet? Are rights real for a child who goes to school hungry? What about a single mom struggling to keep a roof over their heads? Or, a young person working two jobs and still not making a living wage?
Eleanor Roosevelt, one of the architects of the Declaration, famously said that human rights begin "in small places, close to home." She argued that if rights lack meaning in those small places, they have little meaning anywhere.
Today, as income inequality in Canada rises to the highest levels ever recorded, and the cost of living continues to climb, the challenges of a generation are being felt in those small places close to home.
We know that the gender wage gap and the burden of unpaid caregiving mean that women are bearing the brunt of the rising cost of living. We know that people with disabilities face higher living costs while also experiencing barriers to stable employment or accessible barrier-free services. And, we know these struggles are more acute for those who face systemic racism and discrimination in their daily lives.
These struggles to access the basic needs like food, housing, and medical care are not unique to our times. From its founding, the Universal Declaration recognized that these basic needs are a matter of human rights.
Yet the recognition of the right to an adequate standard of living is largely absent from human rights laws in Canada. Even though the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Human Rights Act and provincial and territorial human rights codes are all based on the Universal Declaration.
To put it plainly, instead of recognizing that people have a right to the essentials of life when they are unable to provide for themselves, Canada has a system that relies on charity in hard times. Generosity to our neighbours is an essential part of a caring society, but it cannot be a substitute for Canada's promise to uphold human rights.
There are real costs to leaving people behind. Economic growth, technological innovation, housing security, and national safety are all connected – and each one depends on whether we uphold fundamental human rights for everyone, not just for those who are already doing well.
When everyone has access to the essentials of life, our economy is stronger, our democracy is more resilient, and our communities are safer.
Over 85% of people in Canada agree that human rights are a shared Canadian value. They are a guiding principle and part of our national identity. The Prime Minister once wrote, "It's our shared values that enable our shared prosperity."
Those values must include a firm commitment to human rights – in their fullest sense. Building a strong economy, strengthening our democracy and protecting our sovereignty will take all of us, and we need to ensure that everyone is included.
The years to come will test our commitment to fairness and inclusion. Rising to the challenge will mean being true to who we say we are as a nation: caring, compassionate, equitable and innovative--and willing to back those words with action.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is as relevant today as it was the day it was written. Let's ensure it continues to light our way by treating access to the essentials of life as a matter of rights.
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SOURCE Canadian Human Rights Commission
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