UN Special Rapporteur joins prominent Canadian, Quebec and Indigenous speakers to discuss state of dissent and free expression in Canada

Montreal (Aug. 5 2016)–An important discussion on the state of dissent and free expression in Canada is set to take place on Aug. 11 at the 2016 World Social Forum in Montreal.

Maina Kiai, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association will be joining three prominent Canadian, Indigenous and Quebec speakers in conversation about the state of free expression in the country.

Mr. Kiai will be joined by:

• Sylvia McAdam (Saysewahum), one of the co-founders of Idle No More, is a nêhiyaw (Cree) woman, a citizen of the nêhiyaw Nation, author of “Nationhood Interrupted: Revitalizing Nehiyaw Legal Systems” and holds a Juris Doctorate (LL.B) from the University of Saskatchewan.
• Leilani Farha, Executive Director of Canada Without Poverty and UN Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing
• John Philpot, defense lawyer, specialist in international criminal law, and a member of the coordinating committee of the BDS-Quebec Coalition.

Since October 2015, the new federal government has hailed a change in Canadian politics towards greater openness, debate and discussion. But has the situation shifted, and what remains to be addressed? This roundtable will present one of the first opportunities to hear an in-depth account of the current situation and compare it to trends in other parts of the world.

• What: Raising Our Voices: The state of dissent and free expression across Canada
• When: Aug. 11 from 9am to 11:30am
• Where: Université du Québec à Montréal –SH Building (Room SH-3620), 200 Sherbrooke Street West

This event is organized by the Voices-Voix Coalition, Pas de démocratie sans voix and the Canadian Council for International Co-operation.

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Contact:

Tim McSorley, Voices-Voix coordinator: 514-561-9919

WSF media accreditation: https://fsm2016.org/en/medias/

Event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/642388669253292/