News Releases

Coalition of Canadian Human Rights Lawyers Urges Canada to Suspend Existing Permits and Close All Loopholes in Arms Trade with Israel

On March 5, 2024, CLAIHR initiated legal proceedings together with Al-Haq – Law in the Service of Man, Ayman Oweida and an anonymous Palestinian applicant challenging Canada’s continued export of military goods and technology to Israel.

CLAIHR and its fellow applicants remain committed to closing all loopholes in Canada’s arms trade with Israel and ensuring that previously authorized Canadian military exports do not contribute to Israel’s violations of international law in Gaza and the West Bank.

Please read our full press release regarding our continued legal action in the light of new circumstances and ongoing human rights violations: English | French

By |April 8th, 2024|Blog, News Releases, Occupied Palestine|

Climate Change Litigation in Canada

Join CLAIHR at 12 E.T. on Friday, Nov. 4 for a timely discussion on climate change litigation in Canada. We will host experts on climate change litigation in Canadian courts, including David Wu from Arvay Finlay (La Rose), Richard Overstall from Richard Overstall Law Office (Lho’imggin et. al.), Bruce Johnston from Trudel Johnston & Lesperance (ENVironment JEUnesse), Andrew Gage from West Coast Environmental Law (Sue Big Oil), and Fraser Thomson from Ecojustice. CLE credit may be available.

Sign up here: https://bit.ly/3Wcjz9E

By |October 29th, 2022|Climate Change, Current Events, News Releases|

Corporations as Good Citizens: Can respect for human rights and the environment be good business?

Wednesday April 20, 2022  |  12.00 – 13.30 EDT

Please join Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights (CLAIHR) for a panel on Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) and other corporate responsibility initiatives. Is business that respects for human rights and the environment achievable within the framework of our current system of corporate economic organization? Or are the two fundamentally compatible? The discussion will be moderated by CLAIHR Board member Andrew Cleland, and featured guests will be Joel Bakan, Anita Dorett, Shin Imai, and Mónica Ospina.

This program is eligible for up to 1.5 substantive hours of Continuing Professional Development with the Law Society of Ontario.

To join the panel, please register in advance.

By |April 9th, 2022|Current Events, News Releases|

The Fourth Pillar: Community Principles for Business and Human Rights

12-2pm EST, Friday, December 10, 2021

International Human Rights Day 2021

To register, click here

By |November 29th, 2021|News Releases, Past Events|

Canada Behind Bars: A Conversation on Immigration Detention

Thursday, November 18, 2021  |  12:00 – 1:30 pm EST

Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights (CLAIHR) is pleased to partner with the Human Rights Research and Education Centre (HRREC) and Human Rights Watch (HRW) to present our second and final panel on dignity behind bars:

Canada Behind Bars: A Conversation on Immigration Detention

Canada incarcerates thousands of people, including those fleeing persecution and seeking protection, on immigration-related grounds every year in often abusive conditions. A recent report from Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International documents how people in immigration detention are regularly handcuffed, shackled, and held with little-to-no contact with the outside world. Those with mental health conditions experience discrimination throughout the process. With no set release date, they can be held for months or years. The Canada Border Services Agency remains the only major law enforcement agency in Canada without independent civilian oversight. Join us for this insightful conversation, moderated by Samer Muscati, about what is happening in Canada and how we can collectively push for an end to these abusive practices with Hanna GrosMolly JoeckJustin Mohammed and João Velloso.

Thursday, November 18 2021

12 p.m.

ONLINE | ZOOM Webinar

Event in English. | Free and open to all.

RSVP required to receive the link.

This event is part of a diverse and rich programme developed to highlight the 40th Anniversary of HRREC!

#CREDP40HRREC

By |November 8th, 2021|News Releases, Past Events|

Dignity Behind Bars: The Impact of Prisons on Mental Health

Wednesday, October 27, 2021  |  12:00 – 1:30 pm EDT

Please join Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights (CLAIHR) and the Law Union of Ontario (LUO) for a panel on the mental health impacts of prison and particularly solitary confinement. The discussion will be moderated by Zoë Paliare, creator and host of The Field podcast, who will be speaking with Mark Iyengar, associate at Peck and Company, and Vicki Prais, human rights consultant and lawyer.

This program is eligible for up to 1.5 substantive hours of Continuing Professional Development with the Law Society of Ontario.

To join the panel, please click the link at the appropriate time: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82557820749?pwd=L050V0h5U1JQUlVpRTB6bVdCTmVmdz09

Meeting ID: 825 5782 0749

Passcode: 450507

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Meeting ID: 825 5782 0749

Passcode: 450507

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kYwjfoC4e

About Zoë:

Zoë Paliare is the creator and host of The Field podcast, which shares the stories of formerly incarcerated people with the goal of inspiring a future where they are seen for their humanity, not judged for their past. Zoë is also a transformational coach, entrepreneur, former litigator, learning & development professional, traveller, foodie, lifelong learner, mentor, and speaker. She also serves as the Director of Equity & Associate Performance at Cassels. In this role, Zoë is responsible for supporting the Cassels’ work allocation program, leadership development initiative, and the firm’s mentorship program, as well as coaching associates to reach their career goals. She is also a part of Cassels’ EDI team, advancing the firm’s inclusion and diversity efforts and related initiatives and events.

About Mark:

Mark Iyengar is an associate at Peck and Company and CLAIHR is lucky to have him as our pro bono counsel. He practices criminal, quasi-criminal, and administrative law. He joined Peck and Company in 2020, after serving as a judicial law clerk at the Supreme Court of Canada and the Court of Appeal for British Columbia. Before clerking, Mark articled in criminal and extradition law with the federal government. Mark sits on the board of directors of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers in British Columbia, serving as the chair of the advocacy committee.

About Vicki:
Vicki is an international human rights lawyer and academic, an engaging voice who speaks and writes in an accessible and eloquent manner including through hosting a podcast series, “The Passion Factor: Pursuing a Career in Human Rights.” As an independent human rights consultant, she exhibits expertise in prisoners’ rights, prison reform, dignity behind bars, and torture prevention. This year, she published an article in the Journal of Human Rights Practice, entitled “The Implementation in Canada of the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners: A Practitioner’s Perspective.”

By |October 21st, 2021|News Releases, Past Events|

From the Field: Building a Career in Human Rights With Vicki Prais


Friday, September 17th at 12:00 pm (noon) EDT (presentation with Q&A to follow) 

The Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights (CLAIHR) Board is pleased to offer a back to school event open to all students and recent graduates from Canadian University Chapters of CLAIHR. As we transition back into our academic and working lives we are provided with an opportunity to contemplate and rethink what direction we want to take our careers. We hope you will join us for an inspiring conversation with our guest Vicki Prais who has 25 years’ experience as a human rights practitioner, to explore the many ways you can apply a passion for human rights to the work that you do.

This event is free of charge.

Special thanks to the Law Union of Ontario for their support.

Please register here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/from-the-field-building-a-career-in-human-rights-with-vicki-prais-tickets-170147911985

About Vicki Prais:

Vicki is an international human rights lawyer and academic, an engaging voice who speaks and writes in an accessible and eloquent manner including through hosting a podcast series, “The Passion Factor: Get Soaked in the Human Rights World”. As an independent human rights consultant she exhibits expertise in prisoners’ rights, prison reform, dignity behind bars and torture prevetntion. 

Find her here: www.vickiprais.com

More about CLAIHR: https://claihr.ca/

By |September 9th, 2021|News Releases, Past Events|

CLAIHR Board Member Heather Cohen Selected as Fellow at the Philippe Kirsch Institute

Our Board Member, Heather Cohen, has been selected for the role of Fellow at the Philippe Kirsch Institute (“PKI”). PKI is a legal training institute with a variety of continuing professional development (“CPD”) programs focused on international human rights and corporate social responsibility. PKI’s faculty consist of a consortium of former Supreme Court and international Judges, as well as leading lawyers.  They include such esteemed legal professionals as former Supreme Court of Canada Justice Ian Binnie, lawyer and educator John Norris, and Lorne Sossin, Dean of Osgoode Hall law school. PKI’s curriculum includes such programs as “Anti-Terrorism in Troubling Times: National Security and Secret Evidence” and “Effective Use of International Law before Canadian Courts,” along with many other topics, delivered both in person, and through webinars.

As a Fellow, Heather is looking forward to supporting future programs at PKI, developing partnerships, and designing events.  Revenues generated from PKI’s programs support the Canadian Centre for International Justice (“CCIJ”) which works with survivors of genocide, torture, and other atrocities. CCIJ also seeks redress for these individuals and works to bring perpetrators to justice.  Fellows are appointed for a two-year term.

CLAIHR is pleased with the opportunity to strengthen its partnership with the CCIJ, an organization with which it has jointly intervened in the past.

 

By |August 31st, 2015|Blog, News Releases|

Should Canada Intervene to Protect Human Rights?

A panel at University of Toronto, September 27, 2012
Featuring
Senator Romeo Dallaire
Senator Art Eggleton
Martha Hall Findlay
and Jon Kay as Moderator

PLUS: A sneak preview of rough cuts from Senator Dallaire’s new documentary with Producer Peter Raymont, “Fight Like Soldiers, Die Like Children.”

On September 27, 2012, CLAIHR will host “International Crises: Should Canada intervene to protect human rights?” a panel discussion to conclude its year-long symposium commemorating the 10th anniversary of Responsibility to Protect (“R2P”).

The R2P is an international doctrine on human rights. The R2P doctrine places the primary responsibility on states to protect their populations from mass atrocities. When the State is unwilling or unable to protect its population the international community has a responsibility to take collective action.

Intervention under R2P doesn’t always mean military measures. It can include preventative diplomacy, fact-finding missions, economic sanctions and embargos as well as operations such as no-fly zones, monitoring and civilian defence missions.

Social and political unrest has resulted in human rights crises in nations — most lately in Syria. On Sept. 27 at the University of Toronto’s Ignatieff Theatre, Senator Romeo Dallaire, Senator Art Eggleton and Martha Hall Findlay will discuss the application of the R2P doctrine, looking at whether and in what circumstances Canada should intervene.

Senator Romeo Dallaire will share his perspectives on intervention from his experience as Force Commander of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda prior to and during the 1994 genocide. Senator Dallaire disobeyed the UN command to withdraw its peacekeeping forces and remained in Rwanda to protect those who sought refuge with the UN forces. His courage during the mission earned him numerous honours, including the Meritorious Service Cross and the United States Legion of Merit. Since his mission in Rwanda, Senator Dallaire has served on the UN Advisory Committee on Genocide Prevention and as Advisor to the Minister of Veterans Affairs Canada and Minister of National Defence. Senator Dallaire was appointed to the Canadian Senate in 2005.

Senator Art Eggleton served as Toronto’s longest serving Mayor in Toronto history. Senator Eggleton also served 11 years as a member of the House of Commons and the federal Cabinet where he held several positions including Minister of National Defence. Senator Eggleton will share his thoughts on intervention as he served as Minister during the NATO intervention in Kosovo in 1999. In 2005, Senator Eggleton was appointed to the Senate.

Martha Hall Findlay is the former Liberal Member of Parliament for Willowdale. Ms. Findlay held several positions during her time as MP, including the Official Opposition Critic for International Trade. Ms. Findlay is also a successful lawyer, businesswoman and entrepreneur. In addition to her legal and business career, Ms. Findlay has been involved in non-profit and volunteer initiatives including the Couchiching Institute on Public Affairs, the Georgian Bay Association and the York Region Community Foundation. She recently authored an important analysis of Canada’s supply management system for farmers.

Jon Kay, Managing Editor of the National Post, will serve as moderator of the discussion.

Event Details

September 27, 2012 6:30-8:30 PM
Ignatieff Theatre, Toronto

By |August 27th, 2012|News Releases|

The Way Forward for Responsibility to Protect

The Canadian Lawyers Association for International Human Rights (CLAIHR) and the International Law Students Association (ILSA) University of Ottawa Chapters hosted the 8th Annual Global Generations Conference on February 24th in Ottawa. This year’s conference title “The Way Forward – The Promise of R2P” was selected to recognize the 10th anniversary of the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty’s (ICISS) Report on the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) and Canada’s Canada’s important role in the creation of this doctrine.

The conference featured student presentations and a panel of experts whose current work engages with the responsibility to protect, including former Canadian Ambassador to the UN, Allan Rock, PC.

To learn more about the conference please read an article published in Canadian Lawyers Magazine 4 Students.

By |March 5th, 2012|News Releases, Student News|