OTTAWA, May 22 (Xinhua) -- A UN committee has criticized Canada for not caring enough for its poor and disadvantaged despite the country's economic prosperity, local media reported Monday.

    The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights scolded Canada in a report for failing to heed its earlier recommendations aimed at improving the lives of aboriginals, youth, single mothers, African-Canadians, people with disabilities and women, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported.

    The UN watchdog group released the document Monday after an examination earlier this month of Canada's compliance with the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, an international treaty that protects such rights.

    It noted that Canada ranks at the top of the UN Human Development Index and praised it for improving equal pay for equal work, extending maternity benefits and plans to improve health care.

    But despite the country's wealth, ".. poverty rates remain very high among disadvantaged and marginalized individuals and groups such as Aboriginal peoples, African-Canadians, immigrants, persons with disabilities, youth, low-income women and single mothers," the report said.

    In 2004 there were still roughly 11.2 percent of the population living in poverty in 2004, although it dropped from 13.7 percent in 1998, the report said.

    The report also criticized Canada for cutting social assistance and social services during recent years, which resulted in the inadequacy of employment insurance, food bank services and other programs.

    There are "significant disparities" between aboriginals and the rest of the population in areas of employment, access to water, health, housing and education, it said.

    The report also urged Canada to repeal section 67 of the Canadian Human Rights Act, which prevents First Nations people from filing complaints of discrimination before a human rights commission or tribunal.

    CBC reported that a representative from an advocacy group said Canada must give this report serious attention since its recent inclusion in the new UN Human Rights Council.

    "It really needs to take a look at its own human rights record before starting to criticize others," said Emily Paradis, with the Feminist Organization for Women's Advancement of Rights. Enditem