April 27, 2009
Media Advisory
Human rights advocate Louise Arbour to address PSAC convention
Vancouver – The Honourable Louise Arbour, acclaimed human rights expert, former Supreme Court Justice, outgoing UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and incoming President of the International Crisis Group, will address the Public Service Alliance of Canada's National Triennial Convention on Tuesday, April 28 at 2:00 p.m.
Louise Arbour recently completed a four-year term as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. In July 2009, she will become President and Chief Executive Officer of the International Crisis Group.
A Canadian national, Arbour began her academic career in 1974. In 1987, she was nominated Associate Professor and Associate Dean at Osgoode Hall Law School of York University in Toronto, Canada. In December of 1987, she was appointed to the Supreme Court of Ontario (High Court of Justice) and in 1990 she was appointed to the Court of Appeal for Ontario. In 1995, Arbour was appointed Commissioner to conduct an inquiry into the Prison for Women in Kingston, Ontario.
In 1996, she was appointed by the Security Council of the United Nations as Chief Prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda. In 1999, she was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada.
“The western world is emerging from a decade of intense preoccupation with its security, focused principally on the threat caused by international terrorism, to face an economic crisis of unprecedented proportion since the Second World War,” says Arbour. “These two issues mirror the fundamental freedoms articulated by President Roosevelt as ‘freedom from fear ‘ and ‘freedom from want', which became the pillars of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. The time has come to broaden our understanding of security to embrace both civil and political rights as well as social and economic rights, both at home and abroad. "
WHAT:
Address by the Honourable Louise Arbour
WHEN:
Tuesday, April 28, 2009, 2:00 p.m.
WHERE:
PSAC National Triennial Convention
Vancouver Convention & Exhibit Centre, West Building
A media room will be set up at all times during the convention and will be equipped with a television monitor with live coverage from the convention floor. Media badges and kits will be available upon registration in the media room. PSAC staff members will be on hand to provide assistance.
The full agenda for PSAC's 15th National Triennial Convention is available online: http://www.psac.com/convention2009/home-e.asp
For information:
Ariel Troster, PSAC Communications 613-292-8363 (cell)
20-270409
Date Modified : 2010/07/29
