Editorials

Selkirk College And Amnesty International Launch Mir Lectures

Selkirk College and Amnesty International will be launching the fall Mir Centre for Peace Lecture Series with a passionate and important talk by Alex Neve, Secretary-General of Amnesty International Canada.

His lecture, Protecting Human Rights: Whats Happening to Canadas Voice, will focus on the concerns surrounding Canadas fading human rights leadership and will put a powerful call out for renewal and revitalization to Canadas policies and reputation as a human rights leader.

In examining Canadas recent human rights record, Alex will discuss a broad number of inter-related domestic and global topics such as; indigenous peoples, the ongoing detention of Omar Khadr at Guantanamo Bay, the silencing of dissent through funding cuts to many human rights and development organizations, the death penalty and rights to water.

There are many domestic and global situations that are inter-related and reflect Canadas current approach to human rights, said Neve. It is time to talk openly and honestly on where we are going as a country.

Alex Neve has been Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada since January 2000 and is a lawyer with a Masters degree in International Human Rights Law from the University of Essex in the United Kingdom. He has been a member of Amnesty for twenty years and has worked for the organization nationally and internationally, participating in numerous missions around the world. Alex is also an Officer of the Order of Canada.

This Mir Centre for Peace Lecture takes place on Friday, September 10, at 7:30 pm at the Capitol Theatre in Nelson. Tickets are $5 for seniors, students and those on fixed income and $10 for adults. They are available at Capitol Theatre (421 Victoria Street), online at www.capitoltheatre.bc.ca or by calling 250-352-6363.