United Nations treaties
| (1) | Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide |
| (2) | Convention relating to the Status of Refugees |
| (3) | Convention on the Political Rights of Women |
| (4) | Slavery Convention signed at Geneva on 25 September 1926 and amended by the Protocol of 7 December 1953 |
| (5) | Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery |
| (6) | Convention on the Nationality of Married Women |
| (7) | Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness |
| (8) | International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination |
| (9) | International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights |
| (10) | International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights |
| (11) | Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights |
| (12) | Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees |
| (13) | Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women |
| (14) | Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment |
| (15) | Convention on the Rights of the Child |
| (16) | Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflicts |
| (17) | United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime |
| (18) | Protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime |
| (19) | Protocol against the smuggling of migrants by land, sea and air, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime |
| (20) | Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women |
| (21) | Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Pornography and Child Prostitution | (22) | Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities |
| Reference | UNTS, vol. 78, p. 277 CTS 1949/27 | |
| Adopted by | United Nations General Assembly | |
| Date | December 9, 1948 | |
| Date of entry into force internationally | January 12, 1951 | |
| Date of Canada's signature | November 28, 1949 | |
| Date of Canada's ratification (R) or accession (A) | September 3, 1952 (R) | |
| Date of entry into force for Canada | December 2, 1952 | |
| Reservations, statements or declarations made by Canada | none | |
| Reference | UNTS, vol. 189, p. 137 CTS 1969/6 | |
| Adopted by | United Nations Conference of Plenipotentiaries held in Geneva July 2-25, 1951 | |
| Date | Signed July 28, 1951 | |
| Date of entry into force internationally | April 22, 1954 | |
| Date of Canada's signature | n/a | |
| Date of Canada's ratification (R) or accession (A) | June 4, 1969 (A) | |
| Date of entry into force for Canada | September 2, 1969 | |
| Reservations, statements or declarations made by Canada | reservation and declaration(1) | |
| Reference | UNTS, vol. 193, p. 135 CTS 1957/3 | |
| Adopted by | Opened for signature pursuant to res. 640(vii) adopted by the GA December 20, 1952 | |
| Date | Opened for signature March 31, 1953 | |
| Date of entry into force internationally | July 7, 1954 | |
| Date of Canada's signature | n/a | |
| Date of Canada's ratification (R) or accession (A) | January 30, 1957 (A) | |
| Date of entry into force for Canada | April 30, 1957 | |
| Reservations, statements or declarations made by Canada | reservation(2) | |
| Reference | UNTS, vol. 212, p. 17 CTS 1928/5 CTS 1953/26 - Protocol | |
| Adopted by | (3) | |
| Date | (3) | |
| Date of entry into force internationally | July 7, 1955 | |
| Date of Canada's signature | n/a | |
| Date of Canada's ratification (R) or accession (A) | (3) | |
| Date of entry into force for Canada | July 7, 1955 | |
| Reservations, statements or declarations made by Canada | none | |
| Reference | UNTS, vol. 266, p. 3 CTS 1963/7 | |
| Adopted by | United Nations Conference of Plenipotentiaries held in Geneva August 13 - September 4, 1956 | |
| Date | Done at Geneva September 7, 1956 | |
| Date of entry into force internationally | April 30, 1957 | |
| Date of Canada's signature | September 7, 1956 | |
| Date of Canada's ratification (R) or accession (A) | January 10, 1963 (R) | |
| Date of entry into force for Canada | January 10, 1963 | |
| Reservations, statements or declarations made by Canada | none | |
| Reference | UNTS, vol. 309, p. 65 CTS 1960/2 | |
| Adopted by | Opened for signature pursuant to res. 1040(xi) adopted by the GA January 29, 1957 | |
| Date | Done at New York February 20, 1957 | |
| Date of entry into force internationally | August 11, 1958 | |
| Date of Canada's signature | February 20, 1957 | |
| Date of Canada's ratification (R) or accession (A) | October 21, 1959 (R) | |
| Date of entry into force for Canada | January 19, 1960 | |
| Reservations, statements or declarations made by Canada | none | |
| Reference | UNTS, vol. 989, p. 175 CTS 1978/32 | |
| Adopted by | United Nations Conference on the Elimination or Reduction of Future Statelessness held in 1959 and in 1961 | |
| Date | Concluded at New York August 30, 1961 | |
| Date of entry into force internationally | December 13, 1975 | |
| Date of Canada's signature | n/a | |
| Date of Canada's ratification (R) or accession (A) | July 17, 1978 (A) | |
| Date of entry into force for Canada | October 15, 1978 | |
| Reservations, statements or declarations made by Canada | none | |
| Reference | UNTS, vol. 660, p. 195 CTS 1970/28 | |
| Adopted by | United Nations General Assembly | |
| Date | December 21, 1965 | |
| Date of entry into force internationally | January 4, 1969 | |
| Date of Canada's signature | August 24, 1966 | |
| Date of Canada's ratification (R) or accession (A) | October 14, 1970 (R) | |
| Date of entry into force for Canada | November 13, 1970 | |
| Reservations, statements or declarations made by Canada | none | |
| Reference | UNTS, vol. 993, p. 3 CTS 1976/46 | |
| Adopted by | United Nations General Assembly | |
| Date | December 16, 1966 | |
| Date of entry into force internationally | January 3, 1976 | |
| Date of Canada's signature | n/a | |
| Date of Canada's ratification (R) or accession (A) | May 19, 1976 (A) | |
| Date of entry into force for Canada | August 19, 1976 | |
| Reservations, statements or declarations made by Canada | none | |
| Reference | UNTS, vol. 999, p. 171 CTS 1976/47 | |
| Adopted by | United Nations General Assembly | |
| Date | December 16, 1966 | |
| Date of entry into force internationally | March 23, 1976, except article 41 which came into force March 28, 1979 | |
| Date of Canada's signature | n/a | |
| Date of Canada's ratification (R) or accession (A) | May 19, 1976 (A) | |
| Date of entry into force for Canada | August 19, 1976 | |
| Reservations, statements or declarations made by Canada | declaration (4) | |
| Reference | UNTS, vol. 999, p. 171 CTS 1976/47 | |
| Adopted by | United Nations General Assembly | |
| Date | December 16, 1966 | |
| Date of entry into force internationally | March 23, 1976 | |
| Date of Canada's signature | n/a | |
| Date of Canada's ratification (R) or accession (A) | May 19, 1976 (A) | |
| Date of entry into force for Canada | August 19, 1976 | |
| Reservations, statements or declarations made by Canada | none | |
| Reference | UNTS, vol. 606, p. 267 CTS 1969/29 | |
| Adopted by | The Protocol was taken note of by the GA in resolution 2198(xxi) of December 16, 1966 which requested the Secretary-General to transmit the text of the Protocol to States to enable them to accede to it | |
| Date | Done at New York January 31, 1967 | |
| Date of entry into force internationally | October 4, 1967 | |
| Date of Canada's signature | n/a | |
| Date of Canada's ratification (R) or accession (A) | June 4, 1969 (A) | |
| Date of entry into force for Canada | June 4, 1969 | |
| Reservations, statements or declarations made by Canada | none | |
| Reference | UNTS, vol. 1249, p. 13 CTS 1982/31 | |
| Adopted by | United Nations General Assembly | |
| Date | December 18, 1979 | |
| Date of entry into force internationally | September 3, 1981 | |
| Date of Canada's signature | July 17, 1980 | |
| Date of Canada's ratification (R) or accession (A) | December 10, 1981 (R) | |
| Date of entry into force for Canada | January 9, 1982 | |
| Reservations, statements or declarations made by Canada | statement (5) (withdrawn May 28, 1992) | |
| Reference | A/RES/39/46 CTS 1987/36 | |
| Adopted by | United Nations General Assembly | |
| Date | December 10, 1984 | |
| Date of entry into force internationally | June 26, 1987 | |
| Date of Canada's signature | August 23, 1985 | |
| Date of Canada's ratification (R) or accession (A) | June 24, 1987 (R) | |
| Date of entry into force for Canada | July 24, 1987 | |
| Reservations, statements or declarations made by Canada | declarations (6) | |
| Reference | A/RES/44/25 CTS 1992/3 | |
| Adopted by | United Nations General Assembly | |
| Date | November 20, 1989 | |
| Date of entry into force internationally | September 2, 1990 | |
| Date of Canada's signature | May 28, 1990 | |
| Date of Canada's ratification (R) or accession (A) | December 13, 1991 (R) | |
| Date of entry into force for Canada | January 12, 1992 | |
| Reservations, statements or declarations made by Canada | reservations and statement (7) | |
| Reference | A/RES/54/263 CTS 2002/5 | |
| Adopted by | United Nations General Assembly | |
| Date | May 25, 2000 | |
| Date of entry into force internationally | February 12, 2002 | |
| Date of Canada's signature | June 5, 2000 | |
| Date of Canada's ratification (R) or accession (A) | July 7, 2000 (R) | |
| Date of entry into force for Canada | February 12, 2002 | |
| Reservations, statements or declarations made by Canada | declaration (8) | |
| Reference | A/RES/54/4 | |
| Adopted by | United Nations General Assembly | |
| Date | October 6, 1999 | |
| Date of entry into force internationally | December 22, 2000 | |
| Date of Canada's signature | n/a | |
| Date of Canada's ratification (R) or accession (A) | October 18, 2002 (A) | |
| Date of entry into force for Canada | January 18, 2003 | |
| Reservations, statements or declarations made by Canada | none | |
| Reference | A/RES/54/263 | |
| Adopted by | United Nations General Assembly | |
| Date | May 25, 2000 | |
| Date of entry into force internationally | January 18, 2002 | |
| Date of Canada's signature | November 10, 2001 | |
| Date of Canada's ratification (R) or accession (A) | September 14, 2005 (R) | |
| Date of entry into force for Canada | October 14, 2005 | |
| Reservations, statements or declarations made by Canada | none | |
| Reference | A/RES/61/106 | |
| Adopted by | United Nations General Assembly | |
| Date | December 13, 2006 | |
| Date of entry into force internationally | May 3, 2008 | |
| Date of Canada's signature | March 30, 2007 | |
| Date of Canada's ratification (R) or accession (A) | March 11, 2010 (R) | |
| Date of entry into force for Canada | April 11, 2010 | |
| Reservations, statements or declarations made by Canada | reservations and interpretative declarations (9) | |
- At the time of accession, Canada made the following reservation:
"Canada interprets the phrase 'lawfully staying' as referring only to refugees admitted for permanent residence: refugees admitted for temporary residence will be accorded the same treatment with respect to the matters dealt with in Articles 23 and 24 as is accorded visitors generally."
In a communication received by the Secretary-General on 23 October 1970, Canada made the following declaration:
"The Government of Canada declares that for the purposes of its obligations under the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees done at Geneva on July 28, 1951, the words 'events occurring before 1 January 1951' in article 1, Section B(1) of the said Convention shall be understood as meaning 'events occurring in Europe or elsewhere before 1 January 1951'."
- Upon accession, Canada made the following reservation:
"Inasmuch as under the Canadian constitutional system legislative jurisdiction in respect of political rights is divided between the provinces and the Federal Government, the Government of Canada is obliged, in acceding to this Convention, to make a reservation in respect of rights within the legislative jurisdiction of the provinces."
- The Slavery Convention was adopted by the Assembly of the League of Nations on September 25, 1926. It entered into force internationally on March 9, 1927. Canada signed the Convention on September 25, 1926 and ratified it on August 6, 1928. The Convention came into force for Canada the same day.
The Convention was amended by the Protocol amending the Slavery Convention done at the Headquarters of the United Nations, New York, on December 7, 1953. The Protocol came into force internationally on December 7, 1953. Canada deposited its definitive signature on December 17, 1953. The Protocol came into force for Canada the same day.
For the text of the Convention see:
League of Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 60, p. 253; CTS 1928/5
For the text of the Protocol see:
UNTS, vol. 182 p. 51; CTS 1953/26 - An optional declaration under article 41 of the Covenant was made by Canada on October 29, 1979. This declaration recognizes the competence of the Human Rights Committee created under the Covenant to receive and consider communications to the effect that a State Party claims that another State Party is not fulfilling its obligations under the Covenant.
- Upon ratification, Canada made the following statement:
"The Government of Canada states that the component legislative authorities within Canada have addressed the concept of equal pay referred to in article 11(1)(d) by legislation which requires the establishment of rates of remuneration without discrimination on the basis of sex. The component legislative authorities within Canada will continue to implement the object and purpose of article 11(1)(d) and to that end have developed, and where appropriate will continue to develop, additional legislative and other measures."
At the request of the Government of Canada, the statement was withdrawn on May 28, 1992.
- On November 13, 1989, Canada made the declarations under articles 21 and 22 of the Convention, recognizing the competence of the Committee against Torture to receive and consider communications to the effect that a State Party claims that another State Party is not fulfilling its obligations under the Convention (art. 21), and to receive and consider communications from or on behalf of individuals subject to its jurisdiction who claim to be victims of a violation by a State Party of the provisions of the Convention (art. 22).
- Reservations deposited at the time of ratification by the Government of Canada
(xvii) article 21
"With a view to ensuring full respect for the purposes and intent of article20(3) and article 30 of the Convention, the Government of Canada reserves the right not to apply the provisions of article 21 to the extent that they may be inconsistent with customary forms of care among aboriginal peoples in Canada."
(ii) article 37(c)
"The Government of Canada accepts the general principle of article 37 (c) of the Convention, but reserves the right not to detain children separately from adults where this is not appropriate or feasible."
Statement of understanding deposited at the time of ratification by the Government of Canada
article 30
"It is the understanding of the Government of Canada that, in matters relating to aboriginal peoples of Canada, the fulfilment of its responsibilities under article 4 of the Convention must take into account the provisions of article 30. In particular, in assessing what measures are appropriate to implement the rights recognized in the Convention for aboriginal children, due regard must be paid to not denying their right, in community with other members of their group, to enjoy their own culture, to profess and practice their own religion and to use their own language."
- Declaration:
"Pursuant to article 3, paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on Involvement of Children in Armed Conflicts, Canada hereby declares:
1. The Canadian Armed Forces permit voluntary recruitment at the minimum age of 16 years.
2. The Canadian Armed Forces have adopted the following safeguards to ensure that recruitment of personnel under the age of 18 years is not forced or coerced:
(a) all recruitment of personnel in the Canadian Forces is voluntary. Canada does not practice conscription or any form of forced or obligatory service. In this regard, recruitment campaigns of the Canadian Forces are informational in nature. If an individual wishes to enter the Canadian Forces, he or she fills in an application. If the Canadian Forces offer a particular position to the candidate, the latter is not obliged to accept the position;
(b ) recruitment of personnel under the age of 18 is done with the informed and written consent of the person's parents or legal guardians. article 20, paragraph 3, of the National Defence Act states that 'a person under the age of eighteen years shall not be enrolled without the consent of one of the parents or the guardian of that person',
(c) personnel under the age of 18 are fully informed of the duties involved in military service. The Canadian Forces provide, among other things, a series of informational brochures and films on the duties involved in military service to those who wish to enter the Canadian Forces; and
(d) personnel under the age of 18 must provide reliable proof of age prior to acceptance into national military service. An applicant must provide a legally recognized document, that is an original or a certified copy of their birth certificate or baptismal certificate, to prove his or her age."
- Upon ratification, Canada made the following reservations and interpretative declarations:
"Canada recognises that persons with disabilities are presumed to have legal capacity on an equal basis with others in all aspects of their lives. Canada declares its understanding that Article 12 permits supported and substitute decision-making arrangements in appropriate circumstances and in accordance with the law.
To the extent Article 12 may be interpreted as requiring the elimination of all substitute decision-making arrangements, Canada reserves the right to continue their use in appropriate circumstances and subject to appropriate and effective safeguards. With respect to Article 12 (4), Canada reserves the right not to subject all such measures to regular review by an independent authority, where such measures are already subject to review or appeal.
Canada interprets Article 33 (2) as accommodating the situation of federal states where the implementation of the Convention will occur at more than one level of government and through a variety of mechanisms, including existing ones."