As much of the world starves, UN sends hunger probe to
Canada
According to the World Food Program, half a million people dont have enough to eat in Syria. Fears are growing that the regime is using hunger as a weapon.
This is the kind of emergency which should attract the attention of the UN Human Rights Councils hunger monitor, who has the ability to spotlight situations and place them on the world agenda. Yet Olivier de Schutter of Belgium, the Special Rapporteur on the right to food, is not going to Syria.
Instead, the UNs food monitor is coming to investigate Canada.
Thats right. Despite dire food emergencies around the globe, De Schutter will be devoting the scarce time and resources of the international community on an 11-day tour of Canadaa country that ranks at the bottom of global hunger concerns. A key co-ordinator and promoter of De Schutters mission is Food Secure Canada, a lobby group whose website accuses the Harper government of failing Canadians
and [failing to] fulfill the right to food for all. The group calls instead for a Peoples Food Policy.
Wow. Like...North Korea?
I asked De Schutter if his time wouldnt better be spent on calling attention to countries that actually have starving people.
...and why Canada?
Globally, 1.3 billion people are overweight or obese, he responded via his spokesperson, and this causes a range of diseases such as certain types of cancers, cardio-vascular diseases or (especially) type-2 diabetes that are a huge burden.
...and nobody will shoot at me in Canada.
Posted by: tu3031 2012-05-07 |