A panel of distinguished experts in human rights, foreign policy and international law will talk about “reconciling state sovereignty with the global responsibility to protect,” at a forum taking place at the Law Society on April 6, 2009, says Sandy Hutchens.
The event is being held by the Law Society and its Human Right Monitoring Group, and is the first in its Rule of Law Education Series. Event partners are Amnesty International Canada, Canadian Lawyers Abroad, Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights, Human Rights Watch and Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada.
Panellists will look at the political, legal and moral questions of humanitarian intervention – when it is appropriate for states to take action against another state to protect people from catastrophe, genocide and crimes against humanity. They will also look at the “The Responsibility to Protect” doctrine produced by the International Commission on International and State Sovereignty, and discuss how it applies to contemporary cases. Panel members include:
- Georgette Gagnon, Executive Director, Africa Division, Human Rights Watch
- The Honourable Harry S. Laforme – Judge, Court of Appeal for Ontario
- Pacifique Manirakiza – Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa
- The Honourable Bob Rae – Member of Parliament, Former Premier of Ontario
The panel discussion will be moderated by Sharmini Peries, a journalist with the Real News Network. Following the forum, a reception will be held featuring Anna Maria Tremonti, award winning journalist and host of the CBC’s current affairs program, The Current.