Summary
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"This book attempts to identify and explain the level of Canada's commitment to the rights of the child, as reflected in its record. This chapter will provide a brief background of the significance of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (hereafter, the CRC or the Convention) and examine Canada's commitment to it. Throughout this book, we assume that the Convention and rights-based approach have great value as a means to improve the lives of children. It is beyond the scope of this book to provide a philosophical defence of children's rights or the Convention. We leave this to others. But briefly put, we follow Joel Feinberg in the belief that claims based on rights - rather than actions based on benevolence or pity or a sense of duty - have value in conveying the understanding that the holders of rights are persons worthy of respect. It is not out of pity or benevolence or paternalism that children have a legitimate claim to the things they need for their healthy development. Rather, it is because they - as persons worthy of respect - have rights. It is their due." (abstract)
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