Legal repercussions to signing UN Migration Pact

By Letter to the Editor on January 9, 2019.

Re: “Scheer’s stance on migration pact a nod to Bernier supporters,” Dec. 15

Jeremy Appel should inform himself of the facts pertaining to the UN Migration Pact and what it really means to signatory countries such as ours. There is a very informative session online. The session is about 50 minutes long but it explains what the various sections of the pact actually mean. This information session can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WRszRZBfYw<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WRszRZBfYw>.

If the writer takes the time to listen to the explanation of the pact and what it means he will find that basically residents of the host country have no rights in the proposed freedom of migration. Migration is open to anyone and the host country is obligated to pay for the migrants’ needs including housing, health care, etc. And the host country people, including the press, are ill advised to say anything negative about migrants. The migrants, however, are free to express their views on whatever issue.

Appel states “…This compact is a political declaration, not a legally binding treaty. It has no impact on our sovereignty.”

I would ask him to discuss the validity of this statement with a certain Jessica Clogg of West Coast Environmental Law who commented on the indigenous rights over pipeline development. I will quote from an article by Sarah Berman as follows: “When asked what this means for future pipeline projects, Clogg said Canada’s commitments to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples supersedes today’s ruling. Canada signed onto the UN declaration in 2016, and in doing so committed to obtaining free, prior and informed consent on all matters impacting Indigenous rights. “That’s the principle piece,” Clogg told VICE.

“Today’s ruling” quoted above by the way was a ruling by the Supreme Court of Canada. Either Ms. Clogg is incorrect or Jeremy Appel is. It is clear in either case there are legal repercussions to signing the pact.

Marcia Garman

Medicine Hat