Security and Human Rights in Canadian Foreign Policy
Group of 78 Annual Foreign Policy Conference
September 24-26, 2010
Cartier Place Suite Hotel, 180 Cooper St.,
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Keynote Speaker: Reid Morden, Former Director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
The Group of 78 is pleased to announce that its 2010 annual policy conference will focus on the theme “Security and Human Rights in Canadian Foreign Policy” and will be held in Ottawa, September 24-26.
Leading the line-up of speakers will be Reid Morden, who has held two important positions as former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Director of CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service). Also among our resource persons for the conference are Jean-Jacques Blais, former Solicitor General and Member of Parliament, and Michael Byers, Professor of International Law and Politics.
For many years, and particularly since 9/11, two major forces have been contending in the international political environment and affecting choices made by many governments in their foreign and domestic policies. These are the need to maintain vigilance and attack threats in the name of national security and the importance of protecting and promoting the human rights of individuals and groups of citizens. How does this struggle play out in Canada’s case, particularly in how Canada engages with the rest of the world? The conference will explore this and other questions and will develop recommendations for policy makers and the public on how Canada should manage these forces in the future.
Conference Documents
Security and Human Rights in Canadian Foreign Policy Final Report(PDF)
Conference 2010 Program (English) (PDF) Programme 2010 – Les volets « sécurité » et « droits de la personne » de la politique étrangère canadienne (PDF)
Conference 2010 Speaker Biographies (PDF) – Reid Morden, Carolyn McAskie, Eileen Olexiuk, Gar Pardy, Monia Mazigh, Amir Attaran, Manfred Bienefeld, Jean-Jacques Blais, Robert Miller.
Speaker Videos (courtesy of Professor Qais Ghanem)
Panel 2 “Treatments of Canadians under “National Security”
Part 1 – Features introduction by panel chair, Michael Byers, and opening remarks by Gar Pardy and Monia Mazigh
Part 2 – Conclusion of opening remarks by Monia Mazigh. Introduction of Amir Attaran and his opening remarks.
Part 3 – Panelists respond to questions from The Group of 78 members.
Luncheon Speaker: Manfred Bienefeld, “The Economic Roots of Political Instability”
Part 1 – Bienefeld assesses the current state of affairs and asks, “What happened to the dream of a leisure society?”
Part 2 – Bienefeld discusses the impact of economic crisis on Canada and the United States and the social consequences.
Part 3 – Bienefeld discusses the economic crisis: “The stakes have never been higher.”
Panel 3 “Security and Human Rights in the Law, Parliament, and Government Institutions”
Part 1 – Jean-Jacques Blais and Robert Miller introductory remarks. Panel chaired by Peggy Mason.
Part 2 – Robert Miller concludes introductory remarks and panelists respond to questions.
Background Materials
August 18, 2010 – How to balance security and rights? Ottawa Citizen Letter to the Editor by Richard Harmston, Board Chair.
October 2010 – Eyes on the Spies: Reforming Intelligence Oversight in Canada by Paul Robinson, CIPS Policy Brief (Centre for International Policy Studies, University of Ottawa).