[External Email]

Thanks Christina for the quick and positive response!

Best wishes,

John

Sent from my iPhone

On Apr 6, 2020, at 1:23 PM, Christina Szurlej <cszurlej@stu.ca> wrote:

Attention : courriel externe | external email

Hello everyone,

I would like to indicate my personal support and that of the AHRC. I emailed Alex privately before seeing this message.

John suggested providing collective support as CAHRI and I'm on board with that too.

Best wishes,

Christina

Christina Szurlej, Ph.D.
Atlantic Human Rights Centre, Director
Human Rights Program, Associate Professor
St. Thomas University, Fredericton, NB. E3B 5G3
P: 506-452-0451 ~ E: cszurlej@stu.ca ~ FB: STU Human Rights

From: hr-research-centres-bounces@lists.umanitoba.ca <hr-research-centres-bounces@lists.umanitoba.ca> on behalf of Frederick John Packer <John.Packer@uottawa.ca>
Sent: April 5, 2020 10:08 PM
To: hr-research-centres@lists.umanitoba.ca <hr-research-centres@lists.umanitoba.ca>; Helen.Fallding@umanitoba.ca <Helen.Fallding@umanitoba.ca>
Cc: Viviana Fernandez <Viviana.Fernandez@uottawa.ca>
Subject: [HR-rsch] Fw: URGENT DEADLINE: Seeking endorsement of call for human rights oversight of covid responses

Dear CAHRI Members,

I hope this finds you, your colleagues, families, and communities well in this most unusual time.

Please see below and attached an important initiative from Alex Neve (Sec-Gen of AI Canada [English Section]) seeking endorsements from entities and individuals. The case is straightforward and, I believe, compelling. I have already indicated my endorsement (both individually and on behalf of HRREC-uOttawa).  Please consider doing the same. And please share with others who you believe would be appropriate and willing to endorse.

Thanks in advance for your active cooperation.

Best wishes,

John

Prof. John Packer
Neuberger-Jesin Professor of International Conflict Resolution

Professeur Neuberger-Jesin sur la résolution de conflits internationaux

Directeur, Centre de recherche et d'enseignement sur les droits de la personne

Director, Human Rights Research and Education Centre

Université d'Ottawa | University of Ottawa

Et/and Faculté de droit | Faculty of Law

Pavillon Fauteux Hall
57 Louis-Pasteur, Ottawa,

Ontario, K1N 6N5

Canada

Tél. | Tel: +1 613-562-5800 (3462)

Téléc. | Fax: +1 613-562-5124

jpacker@uottawa.ca

JP_Peacemaking
www.cdp-hrc.uottawa.ca

From: Alex Neve <aneve@amnesty.ca>
Sent: 05 April 2020 12:45
To: Alex Neve <aneve@amnesty.ca>
Subject: URGENT DEADLINE: Seeking endorsement of call for human rights oversight of covid responses

Dear friends and colleagues,

It seems so woefully inadequate to say that I hope this finds you – and yours – safe and healthy; but I most certainly do. Unprecedented and such unsettling times in so many profound ways. Such an important time to be doing all that we can to bring human rights to the very core of how governments are crafting and carrying out their responses to the COVID-10 pandemic; and where we need to see transformative change going forward. And I know that we have all be doing so – with broad visions and suggested frameworks for a human rights approach to the crisis, and specific interventions and recommendations with respect to particular issues of concern.

Central to any attempt to strengthen human rights at this time, is oversight and accountability. And we hope that you will join us in endorsing the attached statement calling on governments (federal, provincial, territorial and municipal) across the country to take immediate steps to enhance that oversight (see details below).

Across the human rights community we of course have longstanding concerns and recommendations that pre-date the COVID crisis about gaps and inadequacies in human rights oversight, accountability, transparency, implementation and remedies in Canada. Those concerns have obviously increased dramatically at the present time, for two obvious reasons: (1) major decisions, with substantial human rights implications, are being made rapidly by governments at all levels; and (2) existing human rights “oversight” – through courts, human rights tribunals, Parliament, legislative assemblies, public forums, and other bodies and processed – has been weakened at this time due to those offices, bodies and processes being closed, suspended or constrained.

Many of us have important proposals for substantial reforms when it comes to human rights oversight, which would likely involve reforming existing laws, adopting new laws and creating new institutions. That is not feasible in the short-term, particularly with Parliaments and legislatures suspended. What is proposed in the attached, therefore, are significant measures that can be taken without the need to pass or revise laws or create new institutions that would take significant time.

So here is what we are looking for:

-             Would you like to endorse this statement? We will have both a list of organizations and individuals. We aren’t at this time opening it up for broad public endorsement but certainly welcome endorsement from human rights leaders, activists and academics.

-             Time is so short these days, with things moving so rapidly. We would like to send this statement to governments and release it publicly on Wednesday April 8^th. We need responses by 5 pm on April 7^th, please send your endorsement to me at aneve@amnesty.ca.

-             PLEASE SHARE THIS WIDELY with organizations and colleagues who may share the concern about the need for human rights oversight.

-             A French translation is underway and will be ready soon.

With much solidarity and appreciation for the important work you are doing at this time.

All the best,

Alex Neve (he/him)

Secretary General

Amnesty International Canada

(English branch)

aneve@amnesty.ca

+1 613 744 7667 extension 234

@AlexNeveAmnesty

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312 Laurier Avenue East

Ottawa, Ontario

K1N 1H9 Canada

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