All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Prevention of Genocide and Other Crimes Against Humanity

Preventing Genocide in our time has become the ultimate international community test. Since the phrase “Never Again” was first uttered in response to the terrible events of the Holocaust, responding to the tragedies in Cambodia in the 1970s, Rwanda in 1994, and, a year later, the Srebrenica massacre in Bosnia, the world shamefully found itself repeating them again and again.

This critical work continues, especially in the face of relentless mass killing in regions like Darfur. There are lessons to be learned from past failures, and the next challenge is to ensure that they are remembered, disseminated, and applied. In this way, the world can honour the memory of those we failed to protect.

Treblinka Memorial, Poland

Who we are

Inspired by the success of a similar Parliamentary Group in the UK, the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Prevention of Genocide and other Crimes Against Humanity (Genocide Prevention Group) has grown from the Save Darfur Coalition initiated in 2006. It is an informal group of Parliamentarians uniquely composed of all parties in the House of Commons and the Senate possessing an interest in the prevention of Genocide and similar crimes against humanity.

Membership in the Group is open to all Parliamentarians. The Executive is composed of a Chair, four Vice-Chairs, one from each of the parties represented at Parliament, and two ex-officio members. Since the group does not receive Parliamentary funding, it is self-funded through membership fees.

To view our current executive, please click here. Our membership list is also available here.

What we do

Created in 2006, the Genocide Prevention Group endeavours to:

1. Ensure that the government of Canada galvanizes to prevent and protect civilian populations from Genocide, crimes against humanity, and the incitement to such crimes in accordance with the principles of “The Responsibility to Protect (R2P)”
2. Increase the flow of information and analysis to Parliamentarians about Genocide and other crimes against humanity;
3. Promote understanding of the importance of long-term approaches to Genocide prevention; and
4. Engage in communication and collaboration with like-minded bodies in civil society and other Parliaments in order to:

- exchange information about strategies for the prevention of Genocide and other crimes against humanity;
- work in conjunction with the United Nations Special Advisor for the Prevention of Genocide, the International Criminal Court, and other organizations working in the field of Genocide prevention and post conflict justice; and
- create international channels for the timely exchange of information regarding emerging crises that have a potentially genocidal component.