6. Concluding Thoughts

Human rights

Human rights are not the exclusive responsibility of officials, politicians, experts, educators or other community leaders. Human rights are basically a public concern. They are a public responsibility.

You and I and everyone around us constitute the public. Every Canadian citizen is entitled to talk about rights with others, and through that talk, is entitled to participate in directing national policies concerning rights.

All this sounds fine, you say, but what are human rights? How do they come about? Are human beings born with rights? Or, are basic human rights given us by others?

With a partner or in a small group, and without referring to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, list ten to twelve basic human rights.

Select those rights in your list which lean more toward protecting individual freedom. Next, identify those rights in your list that emphasize consideration for others. In practice, how might an emphasis on the rights in your second list affect or limit the rights in your first list?

Intrinsic tension

These two lists reveal the central tension built into discussions about human rights.

People generally agree that human rights are founded on the notion that all human beings are basically equal. However, throughout history there has been unresolved debate about the meaning of equality.

This debate is often described as the conflict between liberty oriented rights and security oriented rights.

Freedom vs. mutual obligation

Some people take equality to mean that each person is entitled to the same degree of respect no matter what his or her status in the community may be. Thus every human being is equally important, is equally worthy of respect, and, as a citizen, is equally entitled to freely pursue self fulfillment and to enjoy the results of his or her efforts.

Others have an entirely different understanding of equality. They believe equality places upon us, as human beings living in community, the shared responsibility of ensuring that everyone has access to certain basic necessities of life such as shelter, food, clothing, education and employment.

Without this security, they point out, all other rights, no matter how fine they may seem, become meaningless because they cannot be enjoyed. To the person with no food or shelter, the right to liberty is probably the last thing on his or her mind.

Your rights versus my rights

There is yet another kind of tension built into the entire notion of human rights. The very exercise of fundamental individual rights, such as mobility, religion, speech, and association has potential for creating social conflict.

For example, one person's freedom of religion may trespass on another's right to life, liberty and security. One person's right to go where he or she chooses may infringe upon another's right to privacy.

The challenge for us, as members of a democratic society, is to determine how to protect individual freedoms while at the same time minimizing interpersonal discord.

Talk about rights

Thus rights do often come into conflict and such conflict gives rise to debate.

Open discussion about rights is essential to democracy. Without public debate the basic vitality of our society would be lost. The task of seeking solutions to these tensions must always remain the privilege and the responsibility of the larger public.

The dilemmas examined in the preceding chapters offer glimpses into a few of the human rights controversies which influence life in our society.

These debates are far from being resolved. Some are just beginning. As our society changes, similar tensions may arise in connection with other rights and liberties.

Consider developments that have affected the lives of Canadians during the past ten years. Some of these may give rise to important discussions about specific human rights concerns.

Can you think of a major human rights issue which we, as a nation, may need to confront and resolve in the next decade?