There is growing reaction to an exclusive Global National investigation that revealed the Canadian Museum of Human Rights has been selling merchandise manufactured in countries with poor records on human rights and workers’ rights.
Some of the T-shirts being sold to help raise money toward the Winnipeg facility’s construction – which is nearly $100 million over budget – originated from Vietnam, where independent unions are illegal. Other clothing is from Honduras, where human rights defenders have been repeatedly threatened, according to Amnesty International.
Callers to one Winnipeg radio show expressed their disappointment with the CMHR, describing the organization as hypocritical and said it should stop selling the shirts. Some Global News viewers have been asking why the products weren’t made in Canada.
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The museum, however, is standing by the merchandise – for now. While declining Global National‘s requests for an on-camera interview Thursday, CMHR officials would say that it’s still investigating to determine whether the clothing was produced in a way that didn’t comply with the organization’s standards.
Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger was surprised to hear about where the T-shirts were made. “They do have to set an example and they know that, because otherwise it can come back and put a stark contrast on the symbol of human rights and the practices, in terms of the products that they sell,” he told Global National Manitoba correspondent Crystal Goomansingh on Wednesday.
NDP heritage critic Andrew Cash is confident the CMHR will resolve the matter. “I’m sure over the course of time, they’ll rectify this situation,” he said Thursday in Ottawa.
Canadian Heritage and Official Languages Minister James Moore was unavailable for comment. His department said, however, that the CMHR does operate independently from the federal government and “we understand that they are taking steps to rectify the situation.”
The $351 million facility is being hailed as an international symbol for human rights. The province of Manitoba contributed $40 million, while Ottawa has invested $100 million in addition to annual operating costs.
The museum is scheduled to open in 2014.
Follow Crystal on Twitter: @CGoomansingh
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