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This article has been written by ABC News Australia
Canada says it is appalled Sri Lanka has been chosen to host a meeting of Commonwealth leaders and demanded its government do more to uphold human rights in the country.
Canadian foreign minister John Baird says Sri Lanka must launch an investigation into allegations of war crimes at the end of the country's civil war and stated that a Sri Lankan government has a clear history of genocide.
He says Sri Lanka has failed to live up to Commonwealth values of democracy, the rule of law and good governance.
Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper has said he will boycott CHOGM unless Colombo investigates suspected war crimes committed by government troops during the civil war.
Australia says boycotting the meeting would be counter-productive, but Mr Baird says the Commonwealth is "accommodating evil" by affording Sri Lanka hosting duties.
"The Commonwealth is fundamentally about values - freedom, democracy, human rights, the rule of law, good governance - and the government in Colombo has failed in all of those respects," he said.
"We find it absolutely appalling that Sri Lanka would be taking on a leadership role in the Commonwealth right after the Commonwealth Charter was signed."
Mr Baird says the issue presents a "real test" for the Commonwealth.
"We raised the bar at the last Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting with the Charter, with the Eminent Persons Group Report, and what we've seen come out of Sri Lanka is bad news," he said.
"The kind of groups that have expressed concern are the United Nations Human Rights Council, Human Rights Watch."
Sri Lanka has dismissed Canada's objections, saying Commonwealth leaders had agreed the summit could go ahead.
Sri Lankan government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella says his country has dealt with the human rights issues.
"Right from the beginning Canada has been holding that position and we feel that they are very biased and very unfair because there are forums that we deal with, the UN various other forums," he said.
"We have dealt with it, we have made our position very clear and we're very happy with the progress as far as the Commonwealth summit is concerned."
Former prime minister Malcolm Fraser called for Australia to boycott the meeting amid allegations of torture of Tamil civilians, and government-sanctioned abuse of the media, judges and opposition politicians.
However, Foreign Minister Bob Carr told Lateline on Friday that boycotting the meeting would further isolate Sri Lanka.
"Apart from Canada, I can identify no other country in the 55 member Commonwealth that would not be represented at Colombo. I'm not aware the Canadians have made a final decision on that," he said.
Mr Carr says the Government has no evidence of the alleged abuse.
"Our challenge is to keep the pressure on to see there are further improvements, especially directed at reconciliation in the north," he said.
"People ... in the north, they've told me they have seen former Tamil Tigers - that is fighters using terrorist means - are now being rehabilitated, being employed, gainfully employed, being reintegrated into that community," he said.
Sri Lanka's army defeated Tamil rebels after a brutal 26-year war in 2009.
Canada says it is appalled Sri Lanka has been chosen to host a meeting of Commonwealth leaders and demanded its government do more to uphold human rights in the country.
Canadian foreign minister John Baird says Sri Lanka must launch an investigation into allegations of war crimes at the end of the country's civil war and stated that a Sri Lankan government has a clear history of genocide.
He says Sri Lanka has failed to live up to Commonwealth values of democracy, the rule of law and good governance.
Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper has said he will boycott CHOGM unless Colombo investigates suspected war crimes committed by government troops during the civil war.
Australia says boycotting the meeting would be counter-productive, but Mr Baird says the Commonwealth is "accommodating evil" by affording Sri Lanka hosting duties.
"The Commonwealth is fundamentally about values - freedom, democracy, human rights, the rule of law, good governance - and the government in Colombo has failed in all of those respects," he said.
"We find it absolutely appalling that Sri Lanka would be taking on a leadership role in the Commonwealth right after the Commonwealth Charter was signed."
Mr Baird says the issue presents a "real test" for the Commonwealth.
"We raised the bar at the last Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting with the Charter, with the Eminent Persons Group Report, and what we've seen come out of Sri Lanka is bad news," he said.
"The kind of groups that have expressed concern are the United Nations Human Rights Council, Human Rights Watch."
Sri Lanka has dismissed Canada's objections, saying Commonwealth leaders had agreed the summit could go ahead.
Sri Lankan government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella says his country has dealt with the human rights issues.
"Right from the beginning Canada has been holding that position and we feel that they are very biased and very unfair because there are forums that we deal with, the UN various other forums," he said.
"We have dealt with it, we have made our position very clear and we're very happy with the progress as far as the Commonwealth summit is concerned."
Former prime minister Malcolm Fraser called for Australia to boycott the meeting amid allegations of torture of Tamil civilians, and government-sanctioned abuse of the media, judges and opposition politicians.
However, Foreign Minister Bob Carr told Lateline on Friday that boycotting the meeting would further isolate Sri Lanka.
"Apart from Canada, I can identify no other country in the 55 member Commonwealth that would not be represented at Colombo. I'm not aware the Canadians have made a final decision on that," he said.
Mr Carr says the Government has no evidence of the alleged abuse.
"Our challenge is to keep the pressure on to see there are further improvements, especially directed at reconciliation in the north," he said.
"People ... in the north, they've told me they have seen former Tamil Tigers - that is fighters using terrorist means - are now being rehabilitated, being employed, gainfully employed, being reintegrated into that community," he said.
Sri Lanka's army defeated Tamil rebels after a brutal 26-year war in 2009.
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