Family Forum / Parenting / Parenting / May 2009

    I would guess it depends entirely on the political support you
can muster for your case.  

    I know little or nothing about Canadian law.  However, if the
process of deciding what is a human right is the same as in the U.S.,
then the crude application of interest group politics is the crucial
element. If the situation's the same in Canada, the Human Rights
Tribunal decision will be determed by such factors as whether there is
an influential interest group representing men.  If demonstrations
(and perhaps riots) can be organized in support of the "correct"
tribunal decision, that would help.

    I read that recently a Human Rights Tribunal in one of the
western Canadian provinces ended its proceedings against the Western
Standard newspaper over republication of Danish cartoons that Moslems
said were offensive.  The tribunal did so because of the pressure of
public opinion, and because the newspaper publisher had carefully
videotaped and otherwise recorded his contacts with the tribunal,
making it clear that tribunal officials were using improper tactics.

    It seems to me that illustrates the way the Canadian process
works.  There are powerful Moslem interest groups, and these tribunals
favor them unless some counter-forces can be mustered.  Presumably,
the same would apply to issues relating to the rights of the two
sexes.

    Can mothers in Canada have their children adopted without the
consent of the father?  What happens if the father says he wants
custody of the child?