Canada wants Cuba to improve human rights, democracy

Canada said on Wednesday Cuba would have to meet minimum standards on human rights and democracy before it would support Havana's reintegration into the Organization of American States (OAS).

Cuba's exclusion from the body is expected to come up this weekend at the Fifth Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain, Trinidad.

The summit host, Prime Minister Patrick Manning of Trinidad & Tobago and several Latin American countries, including Venezuela and Brazil, have been demanding that Cuba be admitted to the talks.

But the U.S. government has made it clear that Cuba doesn't qualify to sit among the leaders of 34 democratically elected western hemisphere nations.

However, on Monday President Barack Obama eased some restrictions on Cuba, instructing his administration to let Cuban Americans remit unlimited sums of money to family in the communist nation. He also said he would allow U.S. telecommunications companies do business in Cuba.

But Washington has remained adamant that it is not ready to lift the decades old trade embargo against Cuba, which was suspended from the OAS in 1962.

Read the story: Obama eases Cuba restrictions ahead of T&T summit

The Press Secretary to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper told reporters in Ottawa Wednesday Cuba's eventual return "will obviously depend on Cuba's will to address hemispheric norms of participation, including representative democracy and respect for human rights."

Dimitri Soudas was addressing reporters before Harper's participation in the weekend summit in Port of Spain.

Canada has active diplomatic, travel and business ties with the Caribbean country. Obama's announcement this week sent up shares of Canadian mining and energy company Sherritt International, which is active in Cuba, by 28 per cent.

Soudas said Canada welcomes the U.S. moves and encouraged Cuba to respond. "It's important for Cuba to take stock of that openness that was demonstrated by the American administration, and obviously look at doing its fair share on making progress on their side as well," he told a news conference.

An organization known as Avaaz.org is circulating an online petition seeking signatures to pressure the Obama administration into lifting the embargo against Cuba.

"We urge the United States government to move from isolation to constructive engagement with Cuba--initiating dialogue and lifting the embargo," the petition reads.

Visit Avaaz.org and sign the petition if you believe the U.S. should lift the embargo.