Canadian CJ terms poverty as denial of fundamental right

Kochi, Jan 8 (UNI) Terming extreme poverty as denial of fundamental right, Canadian Chief Justice Right Honourable Beverely Mc Lachlin said poverty is posing serious problems in the developed countries.

Delivering 'The S Easwara Iyer Memorial Lecture on The Rule of Law, Prosperity and Social Justice' here yesterday, she said, ''the developed countries have been facing serious problems due to poverty, particularly among the vulnerable or historically-marginalised groups.'' ''In Canada, child poverty is a serious probelm as one in every six children lives in poverty and the rate, among some other groups, is even higher,'' she said.

''Forty per cent of children raised by single mothers live in poverty and the aboriginal children are more than twice likely as non-aboriginal children to live in poverty,'' she added.

Justice Mc Lachlin said beyond children, members of the aboriginal communities had a high poverty rate, estimated between 30 and 50 per cent, depending on whether a family lived on reserve or in urban centre.

She said the rule of law was important for a successful modern society and without it, economic prosperity and social justice would flounder. It was essential for economic development to govern economic exchanges and related activities.

She noted that India and her country had a strong legal culture.

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