Tribute at Government House

Approximately 100 people gathered at Government House in Regina on December 10, 1998 to commemorate the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Paris 50 years earlier. The celebration was hosted by the Honourable John E. N. Wiebe, Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan, and organized by the government's 50th anniversary interdepartmental committee.

Donna Scott, chair of the committee and Chief Commissioner/Director of the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission, acted as emcee. Other speakers were the Lieutenant Governor; the Honourable Bernhard Wiens, Minister of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs; and the Honourable John T. Nilson, Q.C., Minister of Justice. Guests included the Honourable Glenn Hagel, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly; Arlene Julé, M.L.A. for Humboldt; Dick Proctor, M.P; and many representatives of community organizations.

Minister Wiens described the Universal Declaration as "the living embodiment of the view that human rights derive from the inherent dignity and worth of the human person." He said the people of Saskatchewan want to live in a world where all governments and all people respect human rights, and quoted the words of former premier Tommy Douglas: "Courage, my friends. 'Tis not too late to make the world a better place."

With regard to future directions, Minister Wiens said, "The Government of Saskatchewan will be consulting and developing ways in which the spirit and intent of the Declaration can be carried forward into the wider society. In Saskatchewan, with our past record of attention to human rights, we can meet that challenge and improve citizens' lives across the province."

Chief Commissioner/Director Scott reflected on progress made during the past half-century and on continuing violations of human rights both around the world and in our own province. She said, "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights remains the standard and provides hope for the work that is yet to be done. However, in order to make an occasion such as the 50th anniversary meaningful, we need to reaffirm our commitment to the principles contained in the Declaration. We need to find the courage to make the achievement of human rights for all people a priority in our society. We need to recognize that those of us still struggling to achieve equality may need the rest of us to accept changes that will make our communities work for everyone."