On December 10, 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted by the United Nations. Since then, Human Rights Day, December 10, has become an annual opportunity to celebrate and promote the human rights which are the foundation of a democratic and just country.

Each year the United Nations sets a special theme for Human Rights Day. For 2012, the theme is "My Voice Counts", with a special focus on the human rights of all people to have to their voices heard in public life and be included in political decision-making. These fundamental human rights — the rights to freedom of opinion and expression, to peaceful assembly and association, and the right to a government based on the will of the people — are described by articles 19, 20 and 21 of UDHR.

The denial of these rights is an attack on democracy, so it is not so surprising that a recent poll showed that Canadians are losing faith in democracy. Many of those surveyed were dismayed that their vote, and their voice, have been lost to a government under the complete control of an elite few whose agenda is power and corporate capitalism; not the public good.

The results of this poll must have been good news to the Harper government which has done its best to alienate the public from the political process. It has done this by specifically undermining the fundamental human rights that are in the Human Rights Day spotlight this year.

Regrettably, freedom of opinion now means freedom for the Harper government to call people "dangerous radicals" if they voice their concerns about the government's attacks on environmental regulations, immigrants, and political refugees. Freedom of association has been aggressively carved away by right-wing governments at the federal and provincial levels which feel free to toss aside collective bargaining agreements and the rights of workers to be collectively stronger by forming unions. As for the human right to a responsive, transparent government, we currently have a federal government that shut Parliament twice to avoid scrutiny, and became the first Canadian government ever be found in contempt of Parliament.

As other countries around the world struggle towards democracy, we must also consider the vulnerability of our own democracy. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is not a guarantee. It is a road map to social justice and a call to make it a reality. As community members, and as members of Canada's most progressive union, let us recommit on Human Rights Day to take action to promote and protect the rights of all of us to a true democracy and to legitimate governments that respect human rights, including labour rights, throughout the year.