TORONTO, Nov 8 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A United Nations human rights committee ruled Friday that Ontario, and thus Canada, is violating an international agreement by allowing public funding for Catholic schooling in the province without funding other religious schooling. The ruling gave Canada 90 days to comply with the order, although it is not legally binding. The Ontario government responded that it is committed to the current system of funding, but the federal government appears to be taking the ruling more seriously.
Michael O’Shaughnessy, Foreign Affairs spokesman, told the National Post, “The government of Canada will not be able to provide a response until the decision is first studied and consultation is undertaken with the government of Ontario, keeping in mind that education is a provincial responsibility.” The Post suggests that without following the ruling Canada stands to lose its reputation at the UN as a “human rights” leader.
While the right of Catholics to direct their taxes to support the Catholic school system is guaranteed by the constitution, a serious matter of contention in this case is the despotic attitude of the United Nations, which clearly considers Canadian domestic affairs within its sphere of jurisdiction. This disregard for national sovereignty is a gross violation of human rights as historically understood by Civil Society.