A/HRC/24/11 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007, held its sixteenth session from 22 April to 3 May 2013. The review of Canada was held at the 9th meeting on 26 April 2013. The delegation of Canada was headed by H.E. Ms. Elissa Golberg, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations at Geneva. At its 13th meeting held on 30 April 2013, the Working Group adopted the report on Canada. 2. On 14 January 2013, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Canada: Brazil, Ireland and the Philippines. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to resolution 16/21, the following documents were issued for the review of Canada: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/16/CAN/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/16/CAN/2 and Corr.1); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/16/CAN/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by the Czech Republic, Estonia, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was transmitted to Canada through the troika. These questions are available on the UPR extranet. I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. The head of Canada’s delegation, Ms. Elissa Golberg, provided a general overview of human rights in Canada, and more detail on five significant areas: relationship with Aboriginal peoples; violence against women and children; Canada’s social protection framework; immigration and refugee protection; and national security and public safety. 6. Human rights are protected by constitutional and legislative measures, and advanced through policies and programmes. All levels of government cooperate to ensure protections are in place across the country. Where Canadians consider themselves to be subject to a rights violation, avenues for redress are well established and openly accessible. 7. She outlined some developments since the last universal periodic review, reporting that Canada ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2010. 8. Efforts to strengthen the relationship between Aboriginal peoples and other Canadians are fundamental to reconciliation and to paving the way for the full participation of Aboriginal people in the social, economic and cultural prosperity of Canada. 9. Equality between men and women is central to Canada’s foreign and domestic policies. The rights of women and girls are firmly entrenched in Canada’s Constitution and 3