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* Vancouver Sun, October 14, 1999: "A nation-wide plan to give students a vote on children's rights has hit roadblocks in B.C. after parents complained that it undermines their rights and responsibilities.... "This is a huge issue," said John Smith, chairman of the Abbotsford school board, which is disallowing the vote. "Many very reasonable, very normal and very rational parents don't like this."

* The Province, October 14, 1999: "[Maple Ridge parent Laurie] Geschke is largely opposed to the election ... because she believes students are being used as "pawns in a political process".

* Hamilton Spectator, November 6, 1999: "We have the right to know when these lessons and projects are actually part of a political agenda," said Phil Lees, [Hamilton-Wentworth Family Action] council president, who added council members had several concerns about the vote. They feel it's an attempt to manipulate children, that children's rights can undermine parents' rights, and that the vote amounts to an Elections Canada interference in the provincial jurisdiction over education."

* Medicine Hat News, November 4, 1999: "Phil Horch of the Medicine Hat Citizen's Impact Coalition... implored the school division to prohibit the election on the grounds that parents weren't involved in the process... Though Horch says it's admirable to teach children about democracy, he added the vote 'tends to push a big government' philosophy and adults could use it to demand tax-supported 'pet projects.'"

* Abbotsford News, September 28, 1999: "Summing up concerns raised by parents and politicians, mother Vickie Spenst [said], "This is an unacceptable manipulation of children by adults for political purposes, and an abuse of provincial public education."

* Kitchener-Waterloo Record, October 21, 1999: "The vote has sparked controversy, at least in British Columbia where some parents complained that a discussion of children's rights could undermine parental authority."

* Vancouver Sun, October 14, 1999: "The results of the vote will be forwarded to the federal government. That angers Maple Ridge parent Laurie Geschke, who urged her school board to disallow the vote. She said the plan is manipulative because the views of students as young as six will later be used by adults as a rationale for new spending. "I feel very strongly that UNICEF Canada, a non-government organization, and Elections Canada have no business in our schools using our students."

* Abbotsford News, September 16, 1999: "Eveyln Budzinski, chairman of the Abbotsford Community Impact Coalition urged the board Monday to reject the children's vote. 'The vote as constituted is an affront to children and their parents.,' Budzinski said in her presentation to the board."

* Bobcaygeon [ON] Promoter, October 22, 1999: John Panter writes: "I'm referring here to a hair-brained scheme of Elections Canada in conjunction with UNICEF Canada to hold "rights elections" in all of the schools in Canada on November 19th. .. The results of this so-called election will be cranked about by the special interest lobbyists to justify demanding that the government intrude further into family life, create more social programs and raise our taxes to pay for it all. Education is a provincial responsibility under the Canadian constitution. What business a federal elections agency like Elections Canada has intruding on provincial jurisdiction is beyond me.... But whatever these rights mean, they mean something. Social engineers will interpret the results of the election in a manner which best suits their agendas, and if that isn't manipulation of our kids I don't know what is."

* Calgary Herald, October 28, 1999: Naomi Lakritz writes: "Nothing Jean-Pierre Kingsley, Canada's chief electoral officer and head cheerleader for this exercise, says can convince me that the average 10-year old who reads Harry Potter and not the Hansard grasps the full significance of "freedom" or "conscience" or even "government. Nevertheless, since child rights and not parental ones are all the rage these days, Kingsley gushes that the ballot will be a "historic" experience.... Since when is democracy about exploiting kids for adult political agendas while feeding them propaganda about how benevolent government cares for and protects them? All this of course, without ever having asked parents' permission for the children to participate. But then, everything is about children's rights and nobody cares about parents anymore. Certainly not Kingsley, whose spokesman, Pierre Blain, responded to my question about parental concerns over the ballot with the cool rejoinder, "We don't deal with that. That's UNICEF's problem."... It's amazing how little concern there is about a document which blatantly usurps parents' authority by asking children as young as five to approve their right to access information from "many sources," to form their own associations and to have their own culture. This document also informs children that government will ensure they survive and develop while guarding them from harm and abuse.

If only government could learn to breastfeed, then kids wouldn't need parents at all. But government is too busy sucking at the public teat itself. While setting itself up in loco parentis to Canada's children, the only role Ottawa assigns parents is to fund this folly."

Reaction of School Boards?

* Vancouver Sun, October 14, 1999: "Abbotsford, Chilliwack and the Fraser-Cascade school districts have disallowed the vote in their schools."

* The Province, October 14, 1999: "Schools in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows won't be allowed to participate in the National Election for the Rights of Youth without parent approval. That was the decision of the school board after Maple Ridge parent Laurie Geschke asked trustees to prohibit schools from participating in the Nov. 19 nation-wide poll organized by UNICEF Canada and Elections Canada."

* The (Abbotsford) Times, October 1, 1999: "Abbotsford school board is keeping the UNICEF children's rights vote out of local schools. The board voted unanimously at Monday's meeting against letting Abbotsford school children take part. Richmond is [an] other school district in which a board has made the decision to keep the vote out.

* Calgary Herald, October 21, 1999: "Linda Wellman, past chairwoman of the Calgary Catholic School Board, said it is unlikely Catholic students will take part. "We as a district have not received any details or a request to participate in this," said Wellman."

* Calgary Herald, October 30, 1999: "The school board has nixed a UNICEF proposal to include Rocky View School Division students in a national youth vote on children's rights. Board chairman Lorne Kosack said the project, which proposes holding elections for students under 18 to choose the most important of 10 basic rights of children, was not officially communicated to the board. Trustees voted 6-1 against approving the project after concerns were raised about its content and the lack of consultation with parents and teachers. "It's utterly appalling, UNICEF has been used for some worthwhile causes but I do not see the issue here," trustee Kim Salkeld said. "I think this is an exercise in futility," said Wendy Metzger, board co-chairman."

* Hamilton Spectator, November 6, 1999: "The National Election for the Rights of Youth ... is supposed to give kids under 18 the chance to choose which of 10 rights they feel are most important. But none of the region's Catholic schools will be participating after a board decision earlier this week. The public board, which in September supported the vote, is now reconsidering after the Hamilton-Wentworth Family Action Council presented its case against the election to an education committee meeting Thursday night. ... Pat Daly, chairman of the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board, said trustees have written a letter to both UNICEF and Elections Canada, expressing their concerns with the process. The board argues the two organizations didn't consider school boards' rights to determine educational programming when they sent election information directly to the schools. "This action on your part demonstrates a marked lack of understanding, not only for the suitability of the material and how it would be introduced into the curriculum; but also for the demands, such an undertaking would place on principals and school staff," Daly wrote on behalf of the board. "It is our hope that our concerns regarding this matter will be taken into consideration in any future endeavours."

* Medicine Hat News, November 4, 1999: "The [Medicine Hat] public [school] board voted 3-2 Wednesday against allowing its schools to participate in the National Election for the Rights of Youth, slated for Nov. 19. ... Board chair Fred Kramer said school boards and parents should have been notified before the federal government went to schools. 'If they're going to try to foist it upon us, they'd better be here to defend it," said Kramer. ... Prairie Rose School Division board chair Les Brost says the vote is just a waste of time and money. The board plans to take a position on the issue at its meeting Nov. 9"

* Lakeshore (MB) School Division No. 23 letter to Eric Lowther, MP, October 28, 1999: "At their regular meeting of October 26, 1999, the Board of Trustees of Lakeshore School Division #23 discussed the 'First National Election for the Rights of Youth' and passed a motion not to support the project. Schools in our division will not take part in the election."

* Ottawa Citizen, November 5, 1999: "With the help of Elections Canada, UNICEF is asking children as young as six to vote on a contentious set of human rights that critics believe erode the authority of parents in their own homes. ... Several school boards in Canada have voted not to permit the vote. The Ottawa-Carleton Catholic School Board has voted not to endorse the vote - but won't stop it either - and the public board is leaving it up to individual schools."

* Calgary Herald, November 7, 1999: "School districts across the country have balked at the kids' rights vote, with many questioning its organization and purpose. The Calgary Catholic school board is ducking the vote, and Calgary's public-school board said it will leave the decision to individual schools. Rocky View School Division, surrounding Calgary and representing 28 schools, ruled last week that none of its schools will participate, claiming Ottawa committed a breach of protocol in handling vote information. Information was sent directly to the division's schools, bypassing Alberta Learning and the school board, said Rocky View division vice-chairwoman Wendy Metzger. 'Alberta Learning and the board were left out of the loop,' and the information provided failed to address how the vote data would be used, she said."

* Saskatoon Star Phoenix, November 8,1999: "The public school board on Tuesday will wade into a national debate about an election for young people and whether Saskatoon students should participate ... Trustee Robin Bellamy says he will do some investigation before he casts his vote because he does not want to put children in a situation where their ideas can be manipulated for someone else's gain ... 'My gut feeling is that I am always extremely concerned when any group, whether it be the government or anybody else, does massive involvement with kids that is not part of the curriculum.' ... Bellamy said he wants to know what will happen with the results - if they will end up in the hands of political lobby groups or direct government policy."

* The Province, November 7,1999: "Parents in a number of BC school districts have put the kibosh on an upcoming youth election. ... Only 200 of BC's 1,700 schools are taking part in the National Election for the Rights of Youth, Nov. 19th. [D]istricts like Abbotsford, Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows banned it outright. Others, such as Coquitlam and Chilliwack, left decisions to individual schools. ... Abbotsford school board chairman John Smith said the board got complaints from parents and a family rights group. 'We don't want politics permeating our schools,' he said. 'Why should they stake out their ground in our schools, which should be neutral territory?'"

* National Post, November 4, 1999: "Elections Canada is facing opposition from some parents and school boards to its plan to hold a national election asking children to pick their favourite United Nations human right. Several school boards in Alberta and British Columbia have banned to coming National Election for the Rights of Youth after complaints from parents who fear the vote undermines their rights and responsibilities. ... They will be asked to select the human right that is most important to them. The results will be posted on the Internet and provided to Jean Chrétien, the Prime Minister. 'Some of these rights appear on the surface to be very much motherhood issues, but when you read the underlying fine print, you find they appear to conflict with the responsibilities of parents,' said John Smith, chairman of the Abbotsford Public School Board in British Columbia, which last month ruled its 48 schools should not participate. 'Parents feel that the child's charter is a form of social engineering that has been foisted on to them.'"

* Edmonton Journal, November 7, 1999: "The federal government and UNICEF Canada are spending more than $600,000 to conduct a controversial children's rights vote this week - a vote the Opposition says will be used by the Liberals purely for political gain. Access to Information documents released by the Reform Party show UNICEF is spending $150,000 for the vote, while Canadian taxpayers will foot a bill for $465,000. The results of the vote are to be presented to the government as 'the children's agenda.' ... Parents and school boards... have expressed concern. The Calgary Catholic School Board is not taking part. Calgary's public school board said it will leave the decision to individual schools. Rock View School Division, representing 28 schools surrounding Calgary, ruled last week that none of its schools will participate."

* Surrey (BC) School District 36 letter to Jean-Pierre Kingsley, September 16, 1999: "We are troubled regarding several aspects of this project. [W]e are concerned that you did not request School District approval before promoting this project directly to schools. ... The lack of information about your project coupled with your bypassing of school district protocols and the direct involvement of children in political activity (the development of public policy is related to controversial social issues) is of concern to us."

* Mission (BC) School District 75 letter, October 14, 1999: "To date, the school district has not received a formal request from either Elections Canada or UNICEF to involve our schools in the Rights of Youth election. Until the school district receives a request, we are not in a position to consider the merits of this activity and consequently will not formally participate."

* Langley (BC) School District, October 19, 1999 DRAFT meeting minutes - "It was moved ... that all schools considering participating in the children's rights vote sponsored by Elections Canada and UNICEF ... be required to receive written permission from parents before their children are allowed to participate in this vote. Motion Carried."

* Ottawa-Carleton (ON) Catholic School Board, October 22, 1999 Memorandum sent to "School Principals": "Schools may have received correspondence from Elections Canada concerning a program sponsored by Elections Canada and UNICEF Canada to conduct a 'National Election for the Rights of Youth' in Canadian schools on November 19, 1999. Please be advised that the Board does not endorse this project and recommends that individual schools deal with this matter at the school level."

* Vancouver Sun, October 14, 1999: "Several school boards have already nixed the project after complaints by parents, or are instructing schools to get parents' approval before proceeding with the vote, which is being organized by UNICEF and Elections Canada for mid-November."

* Abbotsford News, September 28 1999: "Abbotsford school board trustees voted unanimously last night to turn down a request to let students participate in a controversial Elections Canada/UNICEF vote on children's rights. Most trustees cited the concerns of parents and the lack of parental input. Others questioned the rationale for the vote, since its results are non-binding, and the resources that would be required to carry it out."

* Vancouver Sun, October 14, 1999 "[T]he Maple Ridge school board ... passed a motion Tuesday night requiring schools to survey their community before allowing students to participate. If a significant number of parents are opposed, the school shouldn't allow the vote, said board chairwoman Judy Dueck. Any school that does participate must give parents a veto over their child's involvement."

* Edmonton Sun, November 1, 1999: "[Alberta Learning Minister Lyle] Oberg revealed to The Sun he has already put his department on full alert and will be sending warning letters to Alberta school boards as early as this week about the Liberals' plan to do a constitutional end run around the provincial government. "My biggest fear is first of all they're invading our provincial jurisdiction," Oberg spat. "They didn't really ask us, they just moved in." But more disturbing, the feds and their lefty pals at the United Nations UNICEF agency appear ready to exploit Alberta school kids as young as six to force their anti-family agenda on Alberta parents. "With regards to the UN convention it's highly contentious," Oberg continued. ... [R]ecently he has learned that the feds want to examine kids as young as Grade 1. "I have a problem when you are asking six year olds to vote on something that is highly contentious," Oberg said."

* Abbotsford News, September 16, 1999: "At Monday's school board meeting, trustees Gerda Fandrich and Joanne Field spearheaded a motion rejecting District 34 participation in the contentious referendum. 'It undermines the integrity of the family and involves children in a political undertaking,' Field said yesterday of the children's vote. 'There's a gradual erosion of parental authority and this is one more step in that direction.'"

* School District No. 34 (Abbotsford, BC) letter, October 25, 1999: "I wish to advise that, at its meeting held on September 27,1999, the following motion was carried: 'That the Board of School Trustees deny the request byElections Canada and UNICEF which would allow access for our students to use school computers to participate in Canada's First National Election for the Rights of Youth."

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Reaction to Elections Canada's National Election for the Rights of Youth

From the office of Eric Lowther MP, Reform Party - family issues critic

Reaction of Parents?

Reaction of School Boards?