The debate concerning freedom of speech and the Human Rights Commissions rages on. I worked for the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission for six years and for the Canadian Commission for twelve years, and retired in 1991, so I have … Continue reading
Category Archives: Human Rights
I highly recommend a fascinating history of how the role of government, attitudes towards social justice and economic development have developed and changed over the last 100 years particularly in the democracies of Europe and North America, given in a … Continue reading
In the 1970s both the American and the Canadian Psychiatric Associations struck homosexuality from their lists of disorders to be cured. In 1979 a study of the scholarly literature on the subject of sexual orientation was carried out by a … Continue reading
Our Canadian Government holds that our complicity in Guantanamo Bay is the litmus test for our devotion to the American War on Terror. Is our complicity in American treatment of Omar Khadr and Maher Arar the litmus test for our … Continue reading
Finance Minister Flaherty has promised us tax cuts. The recent surplus, and projections for the future, make such a promise possible. And many people and corporations are happy. But we would prefer to see more compassionate and progressive use of … Continue reading
I understand that the Palestinian people are suffering enormous deprivation partly because the international embargo is crippling their economy. It is bad enough that Israel is taking over much of the most valuable Palestinian property through the illegal “settlements”, is … Continue reading
The Hon. Judy Streatch, M.L.A. Government of Nova Scotia Dear Judy: It was very kind of you to meet with our group at Grace McClung’s on May 25. I hope you got – and continue to get – some satisfaction … Continue reading
The Hon. Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Government of Canada Ottawa, ON. Dear Peter MacKay: I have heard on reliable authority that since 2001 more than 800 social activists in the Philippines have been assassinated in waves of state-sponsored … Continue reading
The Hon. Monte Solberg, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Government of Canada. Dear Monte Solberg: Just in case you missed it, I am enclosing a copy of a recent article published in the November issue of The United Church Observer, … Continue reading
Yesterday I saw Jeffrey Sachs on CPAC, and was most impressed. He is Special Advisor to Kofi Annan on the subject of the Millennium Goals, and is with the Earth Institute of Columbia University. He expressed most eloquently some thoughts … Continue reading