Thank you for listening to Pictures Media Radio. Welcome to Policy and Rights, the show about Welcoming Policy and human Rights. Welcome back to Policy and Rights here and Picks Media Radio.
I'm your host Michael Cloggs. In today's episode, let's just get ready to do the segments, because there's one segment from the United Nations General Assembly call for a deeper inter international cooperation to tackle global challenges, and this has remarks from Bill Yang, President of the seventy ninth Session of the United Nations General Assembly, and his opening remarks, he is calling for more global cooperation, fewer weapons, that we need to sit down and talk out our differences
rather than taking up arms, as he put it. Lastly, we will address persuasive challenges of international terrorism, drug and human trafficking, and modern slavery. He stressed the need to uphold human dignity. As President of the General Assembly, he says he is committed to facilitating these discussions and harnessing our elective will and experience to deliver significant solutions. We need more of these sort of things happening. We need
to have more collective solutions and agreements. We need fewer war We need less corporate control. We need our governments to stop saying yes to everything that the corporations are saying and start saying no to how we feel as the people as a collective. It simply put one of the things that we could do to help curb climate change as the people is simply buy less stuff. Fix the stuff that we have. Instead of racing out because oh my god, my gas engine is killing the environment,
try fixing and servicing that gas engine. Don't run out and go buy a brand new electric Tesla because you've already it has the same exact footprint carbon footprint from manufacturing as the gas card that you have bought. So now you've now doubled over your carbon footprint because you've bought a new vehicle. Stop buying the latest and greatest cell phone just because the features look better. Just update and demand that a phone that's over say, seven years old,
keep updating it from the manufacturers. We have to stop doing things to simply feed the bottom line to the CEOs who own these companies. Anyway, we're going to also hear from when we get back to Canada. We're gonna hear about a plan to sell, well sell more more weapons from the US and Canada to Israel. Okay, do we really need to sell more weapons to Israel? We're trying to get them to end the conflicts there, and
we're going to continue supply them with weapons. When we supply weapons, we supply the means to have armed conflicts. We have to start limiting the weapons that are actually going out there. We have to stop supplying the means for the conflicts to happen. We can we need to speak up with that about that as the people of the world. What can we do to curb the conflicts that are happening as the people of the world.
Up.
That is also our soapbox for for today, how to curb these conflicts. And we'll hear again from the the President of the General Family a little bit later on okay and moving forward, okay and forward, we're going to hear from Metal Melanie Melanie Jolie as she is going to discuss some of the things the candidate doing to Okay, So so let's we're gonna hear from UH Minister Jolie as she speaks about a plan of US sale of
Canadian made weapons to Israel. She's also going to make comments on Mark Corney's new position as chair of the Liberal Party's Task Force on Economic Growth. As we know the Canadian economy is struggling. I have amongst friends, I've heard other discussions about how what mister Trudeau did was he panted the ball down the road on the pandemic's economic decline that happened globally. He did things that made
that decline appear in Canada later rather than sooner. So in either way, we're seeing things in Canada look pretty blame on the economic return. And I get part of this with the sale of Canadian made weapons to Israel that it does supply income to Canada. But I go back to my other point earlier that we should be sewing down the supply of weapons to armed conflicts and
find more peaceful ways of actually handling our differences. Then we're also going to hear from representative from the Conservative government, as we're going to hear from Michelle Rinkey Garner as she announces the patty the party will table a new legislation to address online harms when Parliament returns. The Liberal Online Harms Bill Bill C sixty three was the second was at the second reading when the House of Commons adjourned, and the Conservatives want to push forward with h with
that bill. My thing about all these bills curbing Internet harm and alike is that we are allowing the government to control what we're saying do on the Internet when we should be trying to trying to do this without the government being involved. That we should be trying to limit the number of haters that appear and allowing more and more positive messages. Because what we're going to wind up with is with the government control is more of what the corporation want and less of what we could
possibly want. So it will be interesting to hear what more will happen with Bill h C sixty three, the Online Harms Bill. So why don't we move forward? And we're going to start on the United Nations press room and then we'll move into the other segments from the You and General Assembly to the with the Conservative Party is saying about the Online Harms Bill as well as the sale of you Canadian made weapons to Israel.
All right, give me just a minute, U, All right, good afternoon. I will start off with a statement on Gaza. The Secretary General condemns the death of at least eighteen people including children, women, and six UNWASH staff in Israeli airstrikes that hit a school serving as a shelter in Nuserrat on September eleventh. This incident raises the number of Unwashed staff killed in this conflict to two hundred and twenty. The Israeli Defense forces have stated that they had targeted
a commanding control center in the compound. This incident must be independently and thoroughly investigated to ensure accountability. The continued lack of effective protection for civilians in Gaza is unconscionable. Civilians and the infrastructure they rely on must be protected and it is the and meet the essential needs of the civilian population. The Secretary General calls upon all parties to refrain from using schools, from using shelters and areas
around them for military purposes. All parties to the conflict have an obligation to comply with international humanitarian law at all times. The Secretary General reiterates this call for an immediate ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages being held in Gaza.
This horrific violence must stop.
And just to update for you on the polio vaccination campaign which is continuing despite the numerous challenges we keep talking about on what tells us that as of yesterday, five hundred and thirty thousand children have now received the vaccine across the Gaza strip. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization and its partners, in collaboration with United Arab Emirates, organized yesterday the largest medical evacuation from Gaza since October twenty
twenty three. Who tells us that ninety seven sick and severely injured patients and one hundred and fifty five with their companions will transport supported by the Green Shalom crossing to Ramona Airport in Israel for on war travel to Abu Dhabi for specialized.
Care in the West Bank.
We continue to follow the developments there with concern and been updating you about these for the last several days. Meanwhile, the economy in the Pastian territories has been heavily influenced by this ongoing conflict.
A report by the.
UN Conference on Trade and Development otherwise known as UN Trade and Development issued today we report that revealed that Gaza's gross domestic product plummeted by eighty one percent in the last.
Court of twenty twenty three.
Leading to a twenty two percent contraction for the entire year. By mid twenty twenty four, Gaza's economy is shrunk to less than one sixth of its.
Twenty twenty two level.
According to the report, the West Bank has been undergoing a rapid and alarming economic decline as well. More is online turning to Lebanon. As you well know, the situation on both sides of the Blue Line continues to be fragile and is taking its toll on civilians and particularly in children. Our colleagues at the Interim Force in a peacekeeping Force in Lebanon UNIFIL tell us that two children reportedly killed by a drone strike in southern Lebanon yesterday evening.
UNIFIL reiterates the condemnation of any attacks on civilians, which must stop again. UNIPHIL calls on all parties to the conflict to cease the exchange of fire across the Blue line and.
Return to a cessation of hostilities.
UNIPHIL will continue all efforts to use its mandate to de escalate the situation and underscores that a diplomatic solution must be found. This morning, the Secretary General spoke at the Global Call on the Summit of the Future, which was organized by Namibia and by Germany, who, as you know, are the co facilitators of the intergovernmental negotiations on the
Pact of the Future. Member states are in the final negotiations for the three agreements to be adopted the Summit, the Pact of the Future, the Global Digital Compact, and the Declaration on Future Generations. In his remarks, the Secretary General urged countries to push hard for the deepest reforms and most meaningful actions possible.
We need maximum ambition during.
These final days of negotiations, he said, because the challenges we face are moving much faster than our ability to solve these challenges. The Secretary General added that the Summit of the Future is an opportunity for far reaching agreement on international collaboration for a safer, more sustainable, and more
equitable world. He called on member states to act swiftly and with vision, and with courage and solidarity and in a spirit of compromise to get at the three draft agreements over the finish line, to make the most of this critical milestone on a road to a more networked, effective and inclusive multilateralism for the twenty first century. This morning, Special Envoy for Yemen, Hunts Gruenberg, spoke to Security Council
members via video technology. He underscored that his primary objective remains the mediation of a sustainable and just resolution to the conflict in Yemen. He mentioned that his office is preparing for further consultation with political parties and civil society to promote a vision for an inclusive peace process in the country. For her part, our acting Under Secretary journal for Humanitarian Affairs, George Musuya, said that for the first time on record, three districts, two Inho Data and one
in Tayis, are facing extremely critical levels of malnutrition. Four more districts are projected to reach that level by October, that is next month. By the end of twenty twenty four, she added, more than six hundred thousand children in the Government of Yemen controlled areas are estimated to be acutely malnourished. The Coordinated Humanitarian Appeal for Yemen is only twenty eight
percent funded. In response to the serious of the serious lack of funding for this appeal, OCHA released twenty million dollars from the UNS Central Emergency Fund to help our work in Yemen and.
Also I want to add that.
Joyce Smithsuya said today that she is outraged that aid workers continue to be killed so soon after World Humanitarian Day, which was less than a month ago. In addition to the six hundred one staff who were killed in Gaza, three staff from the International Committee of the Red Cross
were killed by shelling in Ukraine. Today, Miss Mesuyo said that like all civilians, aid workers must be protected and must never be a target in Ukraine or ICRC colleagues tell us that their staff were killed when a planned aid distribution site on the front lines of the Donets region the east of the country came under shelling. The two other staff were wounded when the organization's vehicle were hit.
We stressed the need for respect of international humanitarian law, including taking every precaution to ensure that these engaged in humanitarian activities are not targeted or caught up in hostilities. We of course to extend our most heartfelt condolences to our colleagues at the International Committee for the Red Cross. Today, steadily attack and dornets come amidst growing hostilities in other
parts of Ukraine. In the northeast of the country, aid workers are responding to an attack that struck the Subi region overnight. Authorities say civilians in the town of Kunotop were injured in homes in Civilian infrastructure also damaged.
Leaving the town with no power no order.
With our partners are continuing to reach people in need in the front lines parts of the Kharkiv region eastern Ukraine. Yesterday, a un LET convoy delivered a central hygiene supplies to vulnerable residents in one community there, including older people and people with disabilities. It was the seventh such convoy in twenty twenty four to the Kharkiv area. Some good news
coming out of Libya. Our Political mission there tells us that progress was made regarding the crisis surrounding the Central Bank of Libya.
In a meeting hosted by the.
Mission today and yesterday, participants from the House of Representatives and the High Council of State on one hand, and the representatives of the Presidential Council on the other agreed on taking steps leading to the appartment of a new governor and a board of directors for the Central Bank.
Just to note that our Under Secretary John for Political Affairs, Rosemary de Carlo, ended her visit to Libya yesterday in all her meetings there, she underlined our commitment to stand by the Libyan people in their efforts to overcome years
of conflict and achieve durable and sustainable peace. Moving south to South Sudan, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns that hundreds of thousands of people in the country risk going without life saving support unless additional funding
is received as soon as possible. This year's appeal to help some six million vulnerable people in South Sudan is only forty three percent funded, with seven hundred and seventy three million dollars received of the one point eight billion dollars that we need. The need for additional resource for response efforts especially critical given the flooding that has impacted some seven hundred thousand people in South Sudan Between now and December, about three point three million people are expected
to be impacted. And turning to Nigeria, our humanitarian coordinator there, Mohammad Malik fal has condemned a deadly attack on civilians in Yobe State in the northeast. According to local authorities, at least one hundred and twenty eight men and boys were killed by non state armed groups in MafA Town on September first. Many others were injured in the attack,
including women and children. Shelters and businesses were reportedly or burnt down, and improvised explosive devices were reportedly planted along roads leading to the town. We will be conducting a joint mission there in the coming days with the government and our standby to provide assistance as required. In twenty twenty three, more than four thousand, five hundred civilians were killed as a result of the conflict in Northeast Nigeria.
That's according to our twenty our report on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict and Quick Update from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and our efforts to fight empox outbreak. UNICEF said today we're stepping up their support to the government to protect the lives of children under fifteen, who account for about sixty percent of suspected cases of empox in eighty percent of cases of deaths this year.
From the beginning of the year to the end of August, more than twenty one thousand suspected cases were recording the country, as well as seven hundred deaths. Over the past week, UNICEF has received the first shipment of empox vaccines totaling two hundred and fifteen thousand doses. More shipments are expected. UNSEF is also supporting the vaccine rollout through related supplies and logistics and the training of health workers in transportation, storage,
and the administration of vaccines to patients. The agency has also enhanced community based surveillance, the training of health workers and community engagement teams. UNSEF says they need thirty five million dollars to reach over two point two million people, including one point three million children, over the next six months.
UNICF has only received about twenty one percent of that needed amount and today is the day for South South cooperation and a message to the Secretary General said, today we celebrate the transformative power of unity and solidarity among developing countries.
He underscored that South South.
Cooperation does not reduce the responsibility of wealthier nations to help tackle global inequalities, but added that strong South South partnership, along with triangular cooperation, is crucial to building a better future for all. There's a panel discussion for those of your interests. It's going on right now. The discussion seeks to spotlight efforts made by member States, UN system and the private sector in civil society on South South cooperation. You can watch it on the web TV of the
United Nations our friends in Geneva. The International Telecommunications Union release today the Global Cybersecurity Index twenty twenty four, which says that countries around the world are improving cybersecurity efforts, but stronger actions is needed to meet and evolving cyber threats.
Threats to highlight it in the report include ransomware, tax targeting government services and other sectors, cyber breaches affecting industry, costly system outrages, breaches of privacy for individualanizations, spans Boden map to activities to other improvements to cybersecurity. Want to bring to your attention to a new statue, new piece of art in the Urine Garden.
It's called the.
Quibuka Flame of Hope and it's a gift from the Republic of Rwanda. It depicts the Quibuka Flame, which symbolizes the resilience and courage of Rwandan since the nineteen ninety four genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, when more than one million people were systematically killed. This is also a reminder of the need to speak out against hate speech. The flame was installed yesterday afternoon in the North Garden area.
It can be seen from the Visitor's plaza and you will see it during the ga because the journalist centrance will take you right past it.
Take a look at it.
It's a.
Moving monument.
New Resident Coordinator Secretary Generals appointed. Mama Keita of Guinea is a new Resident coordinat humanitarian coordinator for NIZER. She started the November September ninth. Not that she has a government's approval. She brings over twenty years of experience in development economics. We congratulate her and welcome her. Speaking of welcoming tomorrow, I will be joined virtually from Aman by
E Lailah Baker of the UN Population Fund. She is the Arab States Regional director who can just concluded a visit to Sudan, a forgotten crisis. She will share with you what she witnessed on the ground, the suffering of the Sudanese people, including especially women and girls, who struggle to obtain life saving sexual and reproductive health services and protection from all forms as sexual and gender based violence. No money, well sorry, veno, go ahead.
Thank you.
A two questions. The first one is about the upcoming announcement by the United States that it will support two permanent seats for African the United Nations Security Council. However, they don't want the VITA rights to be expanded nor abolished. All in all, my question to you is what does the Secretary General think Can there be a credible Security Council reform without the reform of the VITA right.
I think the announcement is an important one. It's a welcomed one, obviously. I think all of the details of how this will work will have to be decided by member states. But it goes along the lines the broad lines of what the Secretary General has said which has lamented, which is a lack of African representation on the permanent members of the Security Council.
Then you mentioned the Summit of the Future. Already German Chancellors charts that there are difference to differences to bridge. Still, the SG wants the most ambitious reforms possible. Does he think, though, that there might be a chance that there will be no agreement on September twenty two.
No, we are very we know is a short answer to your question. We believe they will be an agreement, and I think we're very thankful for the efforts of the Federal Republic of Germany for Namibia for co leading the negotiations on the pack.
Okay, then let me follow up. I mean, like this, Geez says he wants a very ambitious paper. I've seen how ambitious it looks right now, and it does not that much. So would he say better a bad deal than no deal.
No, he would not say that.
I think he remains determined and he hopes that the Member States remain determined to find a way forward to bring the agreement across the finish line.
Gabriel, than Benny.
Thank you, Steph. Going to the UNRA school shelter attack by Israel. Israel has already targeted just in the last couple of weeks a UN convoy World Food Program this week, as you know, another un marked convoy, and now we have six unremployees, not to mention over a dozen civilians that are killed. Clearly, deconfliction isn't working. It hasn't worked. So what more can the Secretary General do to stop his staff members from being killed?
Well, I think the question should also be directed at other parties in this conflict. We are working as hard as we can to keep that balance between keeping our staff safe and delivering the humanitarian aid that civilians so desperately need in Gaza, and we will continue to move forward on that.
We've raised these.
Issues at the highest levels of the Israeli government and we will continue to do so.
Israel's coming out and again saying that several of the six UNRES staffed members were combatants, were fighters, were part of Hamas, do you have any evidence so that.
Yeah, we've We've heard what they said, and I referred it to to to it in the statement. We have no way of We're not in a position to confirm it, to deny it. Our focus is on humanitarian help. What is what what has been, What is clear to us is that no one in this conflict, and all parties, and I do mean all parties should never use civilian infrastructure as a place from which to launch attacks, to
target attacks. The use of human shields is condemned, has been condemned, and we will continue in that direction.
Benny, mister pint to you, Uh, two questions mister mister sorry, two questions about that well never forgotten conflict. Yeah, I understand that I understand, first of all, in your statement or the SG statement, your name the party that attacked that that school. Then you say urged all parties to refrain from using facilities.
Which parties are those that.
Would include the Palasian groups that are operating Gaza, whether it's Ramas or Balsian Slam. Secretary Journal Secretary Journal has has used that word very directly on a number of times.
But not in this case.
I'm using it now and he's used it in a number of times.
All right, So the second question is Israel named nine Hamas operatives, names, ranks, and so on that were killed in that attack according to their information.
They also say.
That they asked Andra to give them the names of the ANRA workers who were targeted in that attack, who were hope they weren't killed in that and they say that ANRA is yet to give them the names.
Do you have the names?
I'm sure listen the whether it's the Foreign Ministry, colleague, the Foreign Ministry in Israel or or Kogat or the ide F.
No, they have the it's they have.
They have the phone numbers of of UH and and and the phone numbers. I'm sure that if they I'm sure they're speaking to each other. I don't have any information here. We're not we're also not releasing the names publicly of people who have been killed as an issue for the family members. But I'm sure that the Israel authorities and on what can have a constructive dialogue on this point.
Well, your counterpart of the idea, they have a spokesman said that they requested names. They didn't say for.
I don't know who did they request it of.
I don't know.
I mean so, I think people speak for you because you're you're a spokes my under sectard General and to the UN, which Andra.
Is part of.
I understand, And Andra, I'm asking you for a comment on my comment allegation.
Wait, let me.
Finish my question please, an allegation that was made by you, know as spokesman for the idea, who is involved in that.
My comment is that AHA has been as cooperative as possible with the Israeli security forces when it comes to accusations that you and humanitarian workers are involved in activities outside of.
Their humanitarian remit. Let me finish.
We saw it back in January of this year. We have been as open as transparent as possible. I would encourage all those involved to pick up the phone and to do it directly, face to face. And as much as I hate to say it, I think solving these problems through spokespeople statements is probably not the best way.
So you're not answering my question.
I'm answering.
No, I am answering your question to the best of my ability.
It's a little more focused.
Maybe there is Is there a list of the names of anra who were killed, and if so, was it conveyed to the Israeli authorities.
And knows who was killed, if.
Whether or not it was conveyed to the Israeli authorities, That's not a question I can answer from here.
What I'm saying to you. If there are any issues.
Between the Israeli security forces and they are built best dealt directly, well, there obviously are, Deji.
I'll follow Benny. I'm sorry, so continue that that that the incident. Obviously there are conflicting information from Onwar, who said they are not aware of this request from Israel, but IDEAF said they have repeatedly requested the names of those people who got killed.
There.
Please please follow this up and if you've got any update, please share with us. Not the names, but whether you have already communicate with Israel on this.
Go ahead, Okay, so my quest speak.
Yeah, okay, good, sorry.
Uh.
My question is do you have any knowledge before this attack how many on war staff it was in that school?
Large number.
I don't have the exact number of how many. I mean, you could ask on what colleagues. I don't have that data with me.
So according to the statement, it particularly said that it is that IDEAF stated that they had targeted the command and control center in this compound, and this incident must be independently and thoroughly invest gated to ensure accountability. If this is an on round school, why you is not in the position to tell whether this place has been used by Hamas as a commander in central UH control center.
I think one, uh, I.
Mean, I mean you can you can just say no, it's not it's not running as it is Hamas it is.
If this is an unhush shelter run by ANAH, if anyone is misusing UH, they.
Would know, we would know.
But if it was people were visibly misusing it, we would know. And and I would refer you to the statement that we do not want any parties to this conflict to use u N run facility, civilian infrastructure to run military operations.
But I still don't understand why why you cannot really make comments whether.
This is our focus.
I mean, I know what the focus of the u N is. But okay, like this is the aw school.
I understand it's not one school.
Yeah, so why it is run as it is a human it is a shelter, it is a humanitarian center. It is there to protect the lives of peace.
So there is no visual Let me put this away. There's no visual evidence that this school has been used as a.
Commander and we have no evidence.
Okay, okay, so you said the Secretary General said, this isn't must be independently and thoroughly investigated by whom. I think if you if you don't, if you don't clarify yourself, I think we need.
I think we need.
First of all, one can imagine that it is difficult to investigate anything while this conflict is going on. Is I said, as I've said, once this conflict is over, they will need to be accountability. Okay, uh, Vladimir.
I thank you, Steffan. In addition to the Russian exploits you mentioned, today Russians launched a Misseel attack in the Black Sea on a civilian ship and in grain from Ukraine to Egypt, just after the ship left Ukrainian territorial abats. Do you have any comments on these sections of put in Russian?
What I can tell you is that the Secretary General condemns all attacks wherever they occur against civilians, against civilian infrastructure, and the latest the latest strikes. Sorry, this is yet another another example of the risk to the global economy, to to global trade that we've seen in in that.
In that in that region.
It's a stark reminder that vessels continue to face threats in the Black Sea. Ensuring the safety and sustainability of agricultural exports passing through the Black Sea remains a critical for supporting global food security and keeping global prices under control.
D thank you.
Steph on on Yemen and the Houti detentions of U N staff and so many others. Has the Secretary General reached out to the Hooti's leaders to actually try and get.
Yeah, I mean his representative, mister Gruenberg has on a number of times, as well as the Resident Coordinator Julian Harness.
But no No, the Secretary.
General has had has not had any direct contact.
Sorry, yeah, go ahead, yes, sir, Yes, question on Venezuela still, the US government has announced new sanctions against sixteen allies of President Manduru.
How does that.
Help the process of dialogue and what is your position on these things?
I don't think it helps, or concern about respect for human rights and the way the lack of transparency on the election results remains unchanged, Gabriel, and then.
Say thanks Steph.
Going back to the UNRA shelter, we're told that there were about twelve thousand people sheltering in that facility.
Does that sound right? That sounds just about right.
Yeah, okay, And a simple question, but I'll ask it anyway. Does the killing of one fighter justify the killing of any civilians in any military action?
I understand the simplicity of the question. The point is that everything must be done to protect civilian lives and protect civilian infrastructure.
Yes, thank you, Steph. I have a question about Iran and Iraq. As you know, the president of Iran visited Curtician original for k and also about that, and the picture looks like really, I mean, both sides standing positive messages.
The reason I'm asking this question is like the region has been very intense, especially in the Middle East, and both sides the actors of the region, some of them at least giving us some positive messages, and I wonder how sake the general views such a picture like positive pictures, and how he urges the other actors in the region for such.
We hope to see in that part of the world an increase in dialogue and increase in instability as opposed to the other way around.
Abdel Hahmid, thank.
You, Stephan.
Yes, already lost two hundred and twenty staff. Does that fall within the policy is right to target on all because it's accusing it of being a terrorist organization? So does not on all learn the lesson and see that it's staff are targeted by this ISRAELI onslaught.
I'm not sure. I can't.
I can't speak to I can't speak to the motivation. I can only speak to right now the results and the condemnation that we've we've expressed.
And yesterday, Stephan, five Palastinians were killed and the refugee camp near the city of Tobas and the West Bank. I haven't heard anywhere coming from any and official about those who are targeted by air force.
I have not seen any information on that. I will get back to if I.
Do, Benny, Just to follow up on Gabriel's question the other day in a in a statement, the Secret General mentioned proportionality as part of the international law requ regarding wars. What is proportionality? Can you give us a little bit of explanation?
I think, Benny, neither of I mean. I'll speak for myself. I'm not a native English speaker, but I think I know what the word proportion means.
Uh, I believe it.
I will leave it to those who will stand in judgment too on those who have the parties who've conducted this war.
What does it mean?
As far as the law of war, which is the context that work there was.
The proportionality of force visa VI, what your your aims are and the cost the collateral costs.
Thank you, Excellency mister Denis Francis, President of the General Assembly for the seventy eighth session. Excellency mister Antonio Guterius, Secretary General of the United Nations. Excellencies, distinguished Delegates, ladies and gentlemen. I am honored to stand before you as the President of the General Assembly for his seventy ninth session, and I am humbled and grateful that the membership has
entrusted me with this immense responsibility. My sincere thanks also go to President Francis, under whose leadership the General Assembly navigated a year filled with great challenges and uncertainty, guided by his watchwords of peace, progress, prosperity and sustainability. I express my deep appreciation and gratitude to his excellency, mister Paul Bier, President of the Republic of Cameroon. I accept this distinctive honor as a testament of our shared aspirations
for a better world. Our world faces numerous challenges. Climate change is devastating the plan and endangering countless lives and societies. Conflicts and armed violence rage on from Sudan to Haiti, from Ukraine to the Gaza Strip, leaving traits of death, destruction, and wanton misery. Worldwide, soffering caused by poverty and hunger continues to linger. Prejudice and hate, often amplify by new digital tools that bring opportunities but also risk, continue to
fuel tensions and strife. The least expands, sowing doubt about our collective capacity to come together for the common good difference. We must meet these doubts with a clear call to action, draw inspiration from the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international cooperation, we must demonstrate that international cooperation remains the most effective tool at our disposal for
addressing the profound and borderless issues we confront. Cooperation among member states is what allows us to harness our collective resources and ingenuity to realize humanity's greatest aspirations, such as peace, justice, and sustainable development among them. The General Assembly, with this near universal membership of one ninety three member states, stands as our most powerful platform to fully cease its promise.
Let us recommit to the eight billion people in every corner of the world that this August body can and ad meet their hopes for a brighter future. The opportunities to do so are immense, especially i meet the revolutions in technology equipping us with powerful new tools to accelerate progress. It is up to us to ensure that the benefits of international cooperation are shared regularly and equitably, leaving no
one behind. Excellencies, as we get ready to seize the opportunities together, allow me to outlign the vision that will guide us through my tenure. The cornerstone of my presidency will be built on the principles of unity and diversity, fostering an environment wherever voice is not only heard but valued. We will pursue the advancement of peace, ensuring that our
efforts towards conflict resolution are both proactive and enduring. So samil development will be a key for use as we strive to balance equitable economic growth with environmental governance, and underlying our efforts will be a thorough and uncompromising commitment to human dignity for everyone every where. Hailing from a country with more than two fifty national languages and two official languages, English and French, I am committed to prioritizing
multilingualism in the General Assembly's work. I believe that the Assembly mirrors the richness of peoples and nations, and that linguistic diversity is part of our common language of equality, understanding and mutual respect. The same holds true for gender equality and women's empowerment, a fundamental expression of our commitment to human dignity and a nursery foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. All the data show that when
women fully participate, societies win. Therefore, all my actions and efforts will incorporate a gender perspective and strive to achieve gender equality. I encourage Member states to not just likewise increase the number of women in their delegations to United Nations, but also mainstream a gender perspective in their policies and programs back home. With these principles, will pursue prior is extracted from meaningful discussions in Member states to deliver solutions
across the work of the General Assembly. First, unsustainable economic growth. It is imperative that we explore strategies that foster growth wide insurance, sustainability, and equity. This includes championing innovation, supporting green economies, and ensuring that the benefits of economic development are accessible to all nations large and small. Second, peace and security will continue to be paramount of paramount importance.
Prioritizing conflict prevention rather than resorting to weapons to settle our differences, will help you reducing the current high military expenditures which complicate the achievement of this stage development goals. We must invest in all efforts to decrease tensions and instead build trust around the world. The tensions and the continuing deficit of trust are minimizing our common sage for the best ways and means to eliminate nuclear weapons on
the face of the Earth. We will thus seek to build and effective peace operations and conflict resolution strategies, emphasizing the need for a concerted and unified approach to resolving conflicts and preventing new ones. This is why I will urge the Assembly to intensify its determination to prioritize the resolution of conflicts, including the intractable ones in the Gaza, Strip, Haiti and Ukraine, as well as fine durable solutions to
the situation in the Great Lake Region and elsewhere in Africa. Third, human rights will remain at the core of our gender. The General Assembly will continue to advocate for the protection and promotion of human rights, ensuring that the dignity of all individuals is upheld worldwide. We will also seek to enhance coordination of humanitarian efforts, ensuring that our response to crisis is timely and efficient and that aid reaches those
most in need. Fourth, the strengthening of international law and Joseph frameworks will be a key topic of our deliberations in all fields relevant to the work of the Assembly. These discussions will aim to support the creation of safe environments and crucially, the upholding of international norms. Lastly, we will address the perversive challenges of international terrorism, drug and
human trafficking, and modern slavery. We indeed intend to uphold human dignity in all its contours and manifestations by enhancing international cooperation and understanding of the underlying courses of these phenomena. We will aim to avoid strategies that promote global security and peace. As President of the General Assembly, I am committed to facilitating these discussions and harnessing our collective will
and expertise to deliver significant solutions. Excellencies. To keep our focus sharp, we must build upon the momentum of the Summit of the Future and inject new vigor into achieving the twenty thirty Agenda for Sustainable Development, the cornerstone of our mission. As we work to safeguard the future of people and planet, special attention will be given to least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, and small island developing states,
which face unique structural weaknesses that hamper their sustainable development. Additionally, our efforts will concentrate on Africa. We will continue to support Agenda twenty sixty three, spearheaded by the African Union, which envisions are transformed continent thriving through sustainable trade and development. THROUGHO I will prioritize initiatives to empower young people, including in Africa, who are by twenty thirty five, my young people will enter the workforce each year than in the
rest of the world. Excellencies, rest assured, I remain committed to carrying out the mandays of this Assembly with determined focus on the following the reform of the Security Council,
the revitalization of the General Assembly. The Socials submit twenty twenty five the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, United Nations Conference in support of Sustainable Development Goal fourteen, the Fourth High Level Conference in Uncommunicable Diseases, and the implementation of the Pact of the Future, to be adopted soon. Letters advance these priorities with a call laborative spirit, ensuring that the United Nations continues to serve as a beacon
of hope and a source of solutions for the global community. Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen, My commitment to you and to all peoples represented within the General Assembly is to hold the highest standards of integrity and professionalism in every aspect of my duties. The oath I took to day is not a formality. It is a solemn vow to serve with honesty, impartiality, and an unshielding dedication to the Charter and principles of
the United Nations. It is my arness hope that through unity we can innovate and implement strong, inclusive solutions that address the pressing issues facing our global community. By fostering an environment where diverse perspectives are acknowledged and integrated into our decision making, we set ourselves off for success in pursuing our shared goes. My approach will be collaborative and consultative.
We deeply believe in the power of dialog and the necessity of listening to all voices, ensuring that every Member state is heard and valued. To this end, I will work tirelessly do not only fulfill the promise of our aspirations, but to exceed them. The challenges are complex, but shared commitment and mutual respect we can overcome them.
Thank you, good morning.
When Parliament resumes next week, Conservatives will do what the Liberals have not done, after nearly a decade in government, table a comprehensive piece of legislation to protect Canadians online while preserving their civil liberties. The need for this approach
is clear and present. Imagine opening your email or direct messages to find explicit messages about how someone is going to kill you or rape you, or maybe it's a message threatening some sort of blackmail like releasing deep fake nude photos if you don't comply with.
The abuser's demands.
Then imagine the police telling you that there's not much that they can do to help you, and even if they do, living with the fear and constant anxiety of knowing that there's not much to stop the perpetrator from immediately beginning that pattern of harassment again. And then imagine this harassment escalating into physical violence or self harm. Now imagine this happening to a child. Unfortunately, imagining any of
these situations shouldn't take much effort. Criminal level online abuse happens every day to countless Canadians from every walk of life, and little is being done to stop it. Last week, high profile journalist Mercedes Stevenson posted about how an online stalker had begun reabusing her despite police intervention. And I've
experienced criminal, violent online threats too. But what hope do other Canadians have if the system struggles to protect people in positions of power and authority from criminal online abuse. After nine years of government, the federal Liberals have failed
to answer that question. In twenty twenty one, former Liberal Justice Minister David Lametti tabled Bill CE thirty six, which failed after being roundly criticized by every political stripe for its incursions on freedom of speech, but also for failing to include updates to Canada's criminal Code that would make it easier for law enforcement officials to bring criminals to justice for committing crimes online that are already illegal in
the physical world. And earlier this year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's new Justice minister a Referraani tabled Bill C sixty three, which is suffering the same fate as C thirty six and for the same reasons. For nearly a decade, the Liberals have presented Canadians with a false dichotomy that they should have to water down their civil liberties to be protected online.
It doesn't have to be this way.
New Conservative legislation will introduce protections in three areas of focus. Unlike previous Liberal bills, it will obtain these protections for Canadians without creating a government managed surveillance state or putting a chill on Charter protected speech.
The new legislation will first.
Seek to modernize the existing crime of criminal harassment to address the ease and particularly the anonymity of how it happened online. To be clear, this update won't criminalize something like two people disagreeing about policy online or other types
of expression of opinion that is protected under the Charter. Specifically, the provision in our new Conservative legislation will be based on the existing definition of criminal harassment, applying specifically to those who repeatedly send unwanted harassing content that causes somebody
to reasonably fear for their safety or well being. And as criminal harassment is largely already legally defined, there is an abundance of clear legal precedent to define what things like reasonable cure of safety means, so normal speech will unambiguously remain protected, and unlike Liberal Bill C sixty three, these provisions could be immediately and clearly defined and management by law enforcement and judicial officials rather than the rather
than left vague and overseen by the type of expensive kangaroo court that the liberals in Bill C.
Sixty three posed to create.
So in this context, the new Conservative legislation will propose measures to enable victims of criminal harassment that happens online, who today have limited viable recours to quickly and permanently end their harassment, to apply to a judge to identify their harasser and the harassment, and impose a variety of conditions to stop the harassment as the judge see fits, including indefinite no contact orders, and particularly, the legislation will
provide additional legal clarity for the scenarios and criminal thresholds under which online operators like social media platforms must disclose the identity of an alleged abuser. The new Conservative legislation will also propose an aggravating factor if a perpetrator repeatedly sends criminally harassing material anonymously, for example, repeatedly sending criminal
harassment criminally harassing materials from multiple anonymous burner accounts. These measures are designed to make it easier and faster for victims of online harassment to interact with law enforcement and receive protections that actually work, and in turn for law enforcement to de escalate violence in a timely fashion.
Bill C.
Sixty three contains no provisions in this regard, a glaring oversight for a bill ostensibly designed to protect Canadians from online harm the sex.
Seria area as the new con service line of.
Legislation, wiprovide is mechanisms designed specifically to protect miners so children who are online. These measures recognize that miners are particularly vulnerable online and need specific measures to keep them safe, while providing their parents with tools to make decisions about their children's online activity.
As opposed to C.
Sixty three, which pushes setting specific rules for miner's use of online social media platforms and other online operators far far into the future and behind closed doors through an opaque regulatory process, our new conservative legislation will directly legislate a duty of care for miners that online operators, like
social media platforms, must adhere to. The bill road require online operators to do things like the following, provide parents with safeguards, controls, and transparency to prevent harms to their kids when they are online, while providing adults with a clear and easy to use mechanism to opt out of any default parental controls, implement privacy preserving and trustworthy age verification methods, for example, computer algorithms that ensure reliable age
verification to detect when a user is a miner, and restrict access to any content that is an appropriate inappropriate for miners to such users, while expressly prohibiting the use of a digital ID for these purposes. Ensure the appropriate enforcement of such measures through a system of administrative penalties and consequences by government agencies and bodies that already.
Exist and which are already mandate.
To ensure compliance with legislative authorities enactive by Parliament. Specifically, the legislation will require operators to act in the best interests of a user whom it knows or should reasonably know, is a miner by taking reasonable steps in the design and operation of its products and services to prevent or mitigate the effects of the following physical harm or incitement of such harm and online bullying and harassment of miners,
online sexual violence against miners, including any contact directed at a minor online that constitutes an offense under the Criminal Code and is committed for a sexual purpose or unsolicited or one wanted sexual actions or commun or communications directed at a minor online. The creation or dissemination of imagery of a miner that is sexually exploitative, humiliates them, is harmful to their dignity, or invades their privacy. The promotion and marketing of products and services that.
Are currently unlawful to minors.
For miners, mental health disorders include anxiety, depression, loneliness, eating disorder, and substance use disorders, and the promotion of self harmed suicide and suicidal behaviors and patterns of use that indicate or encourage addiction like behaviors. The legislation will outline in detail how operators must comply with and operate under this duty of care, including reporting requirements, marketing prohibit prohibitions, and
other items. Operators who don't comply with these provisions will face steep fines as well as a private right of action. And Finally, the new Conservative legislation will update Canada's existing laws on the non consensual distribution of intimate images to ensure that the non consensual distribution of highly realistic intimate images created by artificial intelligence, for example, deep nudes, is criminalized. While preserving the existing provisions in current.
Law about fair use.
The bill will also increase penalties for this offense and even more so for the following non consensual distribution of
intimate images that depict sexual assault. This action will close a glaring loophole and Canadian criminal law that I have been calling for on behalf of victim's rights advocates for nearly a year now, in which Bill C sixty three did not address, and unlike Liberal Bill C sixty three, our conservative legislation will not seek to reinstate the former Section thirteen of the Canadian Human Rights Act, which even the Toronto Star has argued is unnecessary to protect Canadians
from hate speech. If more evidence was needed to bolster their argument, the Liberals had it provided to them in spades this past summer. The debacle of attempting to appoint someone to arbitrate decisions under Liberal Bill C.
Sixty three, who had.
Argued that terror was not an irrational approach, underscored that an extra judicial system governed by overly vague definitions of what constitutes appropriate speech is putting it mildly, a flawed approach bound to result and vexatious com plaints and a
child on protected speech. And then the cost of the new three armed extra judicial bureocracy that the Liberals proposed to administer their provisions in c. Sixty three was revealed by the Parliamentary Budget Officer to be a staggering two hundred million dollars that could be better used to bolster the capacity of existing regulators and law enforcement across the country.
As the Toronto Star wrote, Canada already has laws and numerous legal decisions that interpret those laws to protect against hate speech. These laws applied to online hate speech as well. Existing laws regarding hate speech need to be enforced, something the Liberal government has been loathed to do. In addition to the measures the new Conservative legislation will provide, the Liberals could also, in their tenure have educated the public about Providence.
Initiatives, which seeks to give online users more tools to ask appertaining the sources of information. As well, they could have educated the public on how information is present to them by online operators, rather than being myopically focused on finding ways to limit their right to speech at all. Because in a democracy, the way to address difficult speech that doesn't cross the line of criminality is more speech.
Not less, so.
Conservatives will call upon liberals to scrap Bill C. Sixty three and pursue our new approach instead. While Liberal Bill C. Sixty three includes one supportable measure strengthening mandatory reporting requirements of Internet child pornography by Internet operators, this component could be hived off and likely passed on unanimous consent while the measures of our new legislation are considered or put
into a new bill should an election be called. Additionally, measures for measures to prevent online sex sex stortion provisions in bill Conservative Bill C three eight one could be revisited. Canadians are living in fear and anxiety and are dying because of criminal harassment, particularly because of the ease and anonymity with which it can incur online. They need common sense tools to protect them while protecting their civil liberties, not more in liberal and competence and foot dragging on
this issue. The Liberals must adopt the common sense approach set forth in this new legislation, or given recent events, they must call an election and let Canadians tell them which approach they prefer. Immediate common sense protections for when they are online, or more costly censorship bureaucracy.
Thank you.
Okay, Hey guys, I don't think you have any questions.
You asked all of them to Mark Miller.
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Yes, Mary Kay, just a second, yes, Mary Kay, yesterday can't win.
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People not Oh of course, and we're doing that.
So what's the method, what is the what what do you say them to convince.
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You know, Marykay, what I heard this summer was Canadians don't want elections. They just want us to do the job. They just want us to govern. And that's what we're doing.
We're governing. We're taking tough decisions. Why because.
Times are tough and so wait wait, let me finish I'm speaking. So the reality is, like I said in French, is we know that cost of living is too expensive.
That people are frustrated with it. So what do we do.
We do everything to reduce the cost of things and services. So that's why we have dental care. That's why we're working on a medical a medic care plan. That's why we have also affordable housing, and that's also why we're really working on childcare. These are all things that the government are doing, and good news. We have new people now that will be there to help us to make sure that we have a very strong economy at the same time that the middle class is protected.
Yes, still the island.
You can.
I'm convinced we will win.
Sorry, sorry David. Yeah, well, well, I said, I know Marcarni. I've known him for some time now and we had a good conversation yesterday. I think it's good news that he's going to be there to help us with economic issues.
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Have a Montreal and Winnepe or when the majority you need to wait.
We're working and making sure that we get the confidence of electors. Voters may be uh, of course in Manitoba. But I've been working specifically also on Montreal.
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