Human RightsArticle - Sunday, March 21, 2010
Kandahar offensive 'the real test' for NATO
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — As Canada prepares for a key role in a major offensive in Kandahar province, serious questions remain about NATO’s ability to carry out its new population-focused strategy for the war.
Article - Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Is Canada Still a Leader when it comes to human rights?
Canada's reputation as a leading advocate of human rights has suffered in recent years, says Alex Neve, secretary general of Amnesty International Canada. Speaking at CIGI, Mr. Neve highlighted Canada's successes and shortcomings with regard to human rights. While he called for Canada to end the disconnect between its actions on human rights at home and abroad, he is confident Canada can restore its international standing.
Article - Tuesday, November 3, 2009
The Unheard Truth: Poverty and Human Rights
Irene Khan, Amnesty International's first female secretary general, spoke at CIGI about poverty and human rights. In her recently published book, The Unheard Truth, she asserts that economic solutions alone cannot end poverty. Empowering people is key to lifting them out of poverty. Ms. Khan's appeared as part of CIGI's Premier Lecture series.
Article - Friday, October 30, 2009
Negotiation inevitable in Afghanistan
It’s now the conventional wisdom that all options in Afghanistan have become bad options. But one that still earns only occasional and sometimes grudging mention – negotiation – is different from the others in one important sense. It’s inevitable.
Article - Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Out for the count: How Canada got caught in Afghan election that doesn’t add up
In the back offices of the multiple-pizza-box structure where Canada’s Foreign Affairs is housed, the conversations must be getting pretty frenzied right about now.
Article - Sunday, August 30, 2009
Getting away with torture
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder's appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate CIA torture practices and the release of the former CIA inspector general's report on the subject constitute a milestone in the ongoing saga of the Obama administration's efforts to come to terms with this evil past.
Article - Friday, August 21, 2009
The petty power of public officials
As societies have become more complex, the balance of power has shifted away from citizens toward governments. Laws and regulations encompassing functions of government are deeply intrusive in requiring information and compliance.
Publication - Friday, April 3, 2009
Coalitions of the Caring: Inter-State Networks For Human Rights
A new genre of purposive, inter-state organizations has been established specifically to promote rights, democracy and the rule of law.
Article - Sunday, March 29, 2009
A truth commission for the US?
The leak of a secret report by the International Committee of the Red Cross about the torture of detainees has brought to the fore the issue of what to do about the human rights violations committed under the Bush administration.
Article - Saturday, March 21, 2009
Nothing but the truth about the Bush era
While judicial proceedings are not the best mechanism to establish the historical truth, Truth Commissions have turned out to be potent instruments of establishing what really happened in black historical periods.