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[https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/5235f192-bb89-605...] 2025 SPRING NEWSLETTER Table of Contents (click on title to read) [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/0a91fa94-c966-893...] Lodhi Memorial Lecture in Human Rights [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/824cee90-3059-340...] AHRC Affiliate Book Launch [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/d6c5cf74-5239-bca...] AHRC Fellow to give Massey Lectures [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/78d93cfd-0aca-92c...] Meet the AHRC Project Manager [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/26cbbf35-c7e7-ef6...] Meet the AHRC 2025 Intern [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/058608d1-e01e-cda...] Board Member Profiles [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/37ddcade-ffa7-b9d...] New Interdisciplinary Major [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/b32a1b19-3d46-9d0...] Moot Court Update [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/6391d537-9704-72a...] Profile of the STU Human Rights Initiative [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/b2f507c8-a478-e94...] HMRTs Grads: Where are they now? [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/7e2164d8-52dd-d2c...] HMRTs Grads: Making a Difference at UNB Law [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/820d051a-719a-dcb...] Thank you to guest speakers for 2024-25 [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/414ac039-d745-e40...] Plan Ahead: Fall 2025 HMRTs Schedule
Tariq Ali Delivers 2025 Lodhi Memorial Lecture in Human Rights [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/7765d261-42ff-1a3...] [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/26763194-7a45-808...] [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/4bb0e26a-e228-a4c...] [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/f688f31b-95f7-cac...] World renowned public intellectual Tariq Ali delivered the 2025 Dr. Abdul Lodhi Memorial Lecture in Human Rights on February 4 at the St. Thomas University Kinsella Auditorium. Titled “The Frailties of Western Civilization,” the lecture explored themes of colonialism and imperialism, tracing their historical roots and connecting them to contemporary global crises.
Speaking to a standing-room only audience which included people who had travelled from the far corners of New Brunswick, the human rights problem he addressed was this: “Civilizations are mortal. Is the current dominant civilization on its death-bed and if so, what is likely to replace it?”
Mr. Ali is an Oxford-trained historian, novelist, and filmmaker. He has authored over fifty books on world history and politics, as well as six novels, including The Islam Quintet. His most recent books include Winston Churchill: His Times, His Crimes, and You Can't Please All: Memoirs 1980-2024. He is a longstanding editor at New Left Review and the Chair of Verso Press.
The lecture was hosted by the Atlantic Human Rights Centre and co-sponsored by the Departments of Political Science, History, English, and Sociology. See the NB Media Co-op feature HEREhttps://stu.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc&id=0d89ba4894&e=ac90e861c8
Listen to Tariq Ali’s CBC interview HEREhttps://stu.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc&id=7984cfab82&e=ac90e861c8
Watch the full 2025 Lodhi Lecture HEREhttps://stu.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc&id=f289de795d&e=ac90e861c8
AHRC Faculty Affiliate Book Launch [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/4f855fa1-ac79-92a...] The February launch of Dr Shannonbrooke Murphy’s first research monograph, The Human Right to Resist in International and Constitutional Law, published by Cambridge University Press, was attended by faculty and staff colleagues, Dr Murphy’s current and former students, colleagues from the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission and STU Human Rights Internship Community Partners, and family members from Ireland and Ontario. (Dr. Murphy is seen here at the event with former student and Research Assistant Emilia Gutierrez.) The book addresses the perennial question of who has a ‘right’ to resist – and what, when, why and how – from a legal perspective.
In her remarks introducing the event, fellow STU legal theorist Dr Karla O’Regan (Criminology and Criminal Justice), called the work “a formidable exposition of the right to resist … showcasing more than a decade of research Dr Murphy has dedicated to the question”, resulting in a book that is “brilliant, thoughtful, conceptually adventurous, fiercely pragmatic, and yet somehow, amidst a landscape of human rights atrocities, quite hopeful.”
Dr Murphy said, “I am grateful to St Thomas University and to my talented Human Rights student Research Assistants for the support that made it possible to translate this research into a finished book. I hope my work inspires other scholars to do more research in this area, and that activists and advocates will find the material useful in their practice.” [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/32d3fcfd-eaaa-7a2...] ORDER NOWhttps://stu.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc&id=2428ce49f3&e=ac90e861c8
Use discount code MURPHY24 for 20% off until May 31, 2025.
AHRC Fellow to give Massey Lectures for 2025 Alex Neve, a New Brunswick-born leading Canadian human rights activist, former Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada, and AHRC Fellow, will deliver the CBC Massey Lectures for 2025, entitled “UNIVERSAL: Renewing Human Rights in a Fractured World.” [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/d6c5cf74-5239-bca...] The Massey Lectures, co-sponsored by CBC Radio, House of Anansi Press, and Massey College in the University of Toronto, “provide a forum on radio where major contemporary thinkers address important issues of our time.” Alex Neve’s forthcoming lectures “will lay out the unprecedented and daunting challenges humanity faces and offer a vision, both aspirational and pragmatic, that is grounded in the vital truth enshrined over 75 years ago in the first article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.”
The lectures will be recorded live in venues across Canada in September and October, and will be broadcast on CBC Radio in November 2025. Final broadcast details forthcoming. They will also be published as a book.
Congratulations, Alex!
Meet the AHRC Project Assistant [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/e3e36bdb-4f92-9ed...] Jazmyne LeBel is a third-year student at St. Thomas University pursuing a double major in Human Rights and Law, Politics, and Society, with minors in Criminology and Political Science. She is also an executive member of the STU Pre-Law Society, a Moot Court competitor, and an active member of the STU Human Rights Initiative. Last year, Jazmyne was recognized as a Top Third Oralist at the University of Toronto Moot Court Cup. She recently completed an internship with the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission through the STU Human Rights Internship course, and will shortly embark on a summer internship with the Canadian Civil Liberties Association in partnership with the AHRC.
Currently, Jazmyne serves as the Project Assistant with the AHRC. Her work with the AHRC focuses on conducting an environmental scan of New Brunswick’s human rights sector including its academic, legal, civil society, governmental, and civil service components, as well as the relevant provincial legislation and jurisprudence. Through this research, she aims to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the human rights sector challenges and opportunities in the province.
She says, “working with the AHRC has reinforced my passion for human rights advocacy and research, equipping me with the knowledge and skills necessary for my future career in human rights law. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the Centre’s work and to collaborate with peers dedicated to advancing human rights in the region.”
Meet the AHRC 2025 Intern Majd Mowahed is an international student from Syria currently in his third year of an Honour's degree in Human Rights. His commitment to human rights has been shaped by personal experiences, particularly through volunteering in Syria where he has contributed to various human rights initiatives. [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/26cbbf35-c7e7-ef6...] Motivated by these experiences, Majd is currently working on a
research project exploring the role of human rights commissions in Canada and internationally. His research involves conducting an extensive literature search on human rights commissions, national human rights institutions, and the Paris Principles, with the goal of creating an annotated bibliography under the guidance of the AHRC Director.
Majd says that through this internship he is gaining valuable experience in human rights research and advocacy. “The opportunity to work with Dr. Murphy has been incredibly enriching, and I am learning a great deal about the practical application of human rights law,” Majd says. “Working with the Atlantic Human Rights Centre has been a particularly rewarding experience. The Centre’s commitment to advancing human rights, both locally and globally, aligns with my own values and aspirations. I am excited to contribute to the Centre’s mission and to continue expanding my knowledge of human rights law and practice. I am eager to learn from the talented team and to contribute to ongoing projects that make a real impact in the world.”
Board Member Profiles Recently reappointed to the AHRC Advisory Board, Dr. Jamie Gillies connects Human Rights to Canadian Politics and Public Policy [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/2eeedb4d-9391-c3f...] Dr. Jamie Gillies is Professor of Journalism and Communications, Chair of the Department of Journalism and Communications, and Executive Director of the Frank McKenna Centre for Communications and Public Policy. He is the editor of five books on political marketing in the recent Canadian and US elections. Dr. Gillies’s research focuses on executive leadership in Canada and the United States, political marketing and branding, and New Brunswick politics. He also writes about television, film and music. He has served on the board of the Atlantic Human Rights Centre since 2019.
Dr. Gillies said, “The Atlantic Human Rights Centre is such an important space for discussion and exchange of ideas in these disruptive times. So many themes cross over between our respective disciplines and the AHRC provides a venue for these needed debates here at St. Thomas.” Meet the AHRC Vice-Chair, Dr. Kim Fenwick [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/b3dd92d3-c009-021...] Dr. Kim Fenwick has served as Vice-Chair (ex-officio) of the Atlantic Human Rights Centre Board since 2016. She holds a BSc from Acadia University, and an MA and PhD in Psychology from the University of Western Ontario. Dr. Fenwick joined the Department of Psychology at St. Thomas University in 1995 after teaching at the University of Western Ontario, and later served as Department Chair. She is also a past recipient of the University’s Excellence in Teaching Award and the author of numerous scholarly publications including her contribution to Witnesses and the Law.
In 2012, she became Dean of Social Sciences, and was appointed Vice-President (Academic and Research) in 2016. She also served a 6-month term as Acting President and Vice-Chancellor of STU. Throughout her service to the AHRC she has ensured consistent high-level institutional support for our work.
She says, “The Atlantic Human Rights Centre is an important resource not only for students and faculty at St. Thomas University, but also for the greater Fredericton community and the Atlantic Region. The Centre hosts two annual public lectures in human rights, the Dr. Bernie Vigod Memorial Lecture and the Dr. Abdul Lodhi Memorial Lecture. Through these lecture series, speakers of outstanding calibre have spoken on campus on topics such as the status of refugees, state brutality, government and corporate ethics, environmental ethics, the ‘deep state’, equality, individual rights, disarmament, profiling, racism, Indigenous law, among others. These lectures and other work undertaken by the Centre provides our students with outstanding learning opportunities in the classroom and engagement with society.”
STU HUMAN RIGHTS PROGRAM UPDATES New Interdisciplinary Major: Reimagining Disability In the 2025-26 academic year, a new interdisciplinary major on human rights, ageing, and disability titled “Reimagining Disability” will be offered. Given New Brunswick's aging population, this interdisciplinary major will equip students and graduates with the skills needed to address the complex intersections of aging, disability, and human rights. Students will develop a deep understanding of policy, accessibility, and social inclusion, while gaining practical skills in research, advocacy, and community engagement.
As part of this new major, a new course titled "Exploring Disability (HMRT-2113)" will be offered. The course will examine the history of disability and societal constructions of disability, including in media, workplaces, family, and environmental barriers. By examining ableism and ageism in society and how visible and invisible disabilities, including mental health and neurodiversity, intersect with our culture and institutions, this course will challenge cultural representations of disability in society by reframing disability as an issue of oppression, access, inclusion, and equality.
Moot Court Update In- House Moot Court Competition [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/f4f9d961-4417-9bb...] In November, STU Moot hosted an in-house tournament for the new Moot Court competition team. The case R. v. Hills asked whether a mandatory minimum sentence violated Hill’s Section 12 right to be protected against cruel and unusual punishment under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Students Grace Cunningham and Cameron Rouse (shown here left and centre) placed first out of their colleagues. Grace said, “Getting to compete in the in-house moot competition at STU was a great way to gain experience with mooting in a familiar environment while learning the ropes of effective oral advocacy.” Their prize for placing first included attending the Osgoode Cup at York University with the upper-year Moot Court team. Grace said, “The opportunity to compete at the Osgoode Cup with our team and against undergraduates who have been competing much longer than I have allowed me to get better with every round and have essential feedback from students and judges.” University of Toronto [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/89796783-3815-4d9...]
In February, six STU Moot Court competitors travelled to Toronto to compete in the University of Toronto’s Moot Court Competition to argue the case Canada (Attorney General) v. Power. Ellie Namit described it as “an amazing experience. The case was challenging for an undergraduate competition, as it dealt with
intricacies of constitutional law. Where most competitions deal with rights violations this was more concerned with government functions, which took a lot of work to understand. But it also gave us insight into the workings of constitutional law and we learned a lot.” Ellie and Nicholas Reis moved on to the second day of the competitions. Together they beat out the first team and placed in the top eight. Nicholas. When asked how it felt to compete on the second day, Nicholas said “It was thrilling! It was an awesome feeling to have our work be recognized and move on to day two.”
Profile of the STU Human Rights Initiative [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/672fa723-231a-da4...]
The STU Human Rights Initiative is a new student-led effort to promote human rights. This includes, but is not limited to, providing information, support, opportunities, and partnerships to the student body through engaging, motivating, and meaningful activities. Their goal is to offer everyone the opportunity to become human rights leaders and advocates for the issues that matter to them. Social issues and human rights are deeply interconnected, and human rights violations often serve as the root of deeply troubling societal problems that students may encounter in their life. The future of the Human Rights Initiative is to be recognized as a central avenue for addressing human rights issues both on campus and in the community. It aims to structure the initiative to foster collaboration and create projects that are acknowledged by the community.
Meet the executive team (left to right): Faith Lalonde Steeve (Secretary-Treasurer), Emma Peters (Communications Officer), Sebastien Doucet (Co-President), Alex Ryan (Co-President), Edyn Clowater (Vice-President).
Get involved by following them on Instagram @stu.hrihttps://stu.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc&id=36b757dfd8&e=ac90e861c8 or emailing them at humanrightsinitiative@stu.camailto:humanrightsinitiative@stu.ca?subject=&body=
STU HMRT Grads: Where are They Now? Manuel Garcia Manuel Garcia (BA Hons, Class of 2020) is a Consultation Advisor at the Department of Indigenous Affairs for the Government of New Brunswick. In this role, he is part of a team responsible for leading consultation with First Nations regarding private industry project proposals and provincial government initiatives. Garcia provides guidance to [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/f934b393-c9a8-b17...] both government and private sector proponents on their obligations under the duty to consult and accommodate First Nations. He strives to integrate a human rights lens into the insights he shares with decision-makers.
Since graduating, Garcia has remained actively involved with the Human Rights Department at STU in various capacities. He has worked as a Research Assistant, Internship Supervisor and Grant Officer for the AHRC, and as a Teaching Assistant for Dr. Shannonbrooke Murphy. Additionally, he is also a mentor in the Study and Succeed in NB program, a project led and organized by Immigration NB. As a former international student himself, Garcia supports newcomers by offering professional and personal guidance to help them navigate life in Canada and plan for their post-graduation future. Elizabeth Tuck [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/6eae31c9-dec9-4fa...] Elizabeth Tuck (BA Hons, Class of 2020) is 1LJD/BCL Candidate at the McGill University Faculty of Law. After leaving STU, Elizabeth went on to pursue two master’s degrees: an MSc in Comparative Social Policy from the University of Oxford, and an LLM (with distinction) in Human Rights Law from Oxford Brookes University. Her LLM thesis argued that incarcerated people in the United Kingdom should have the right to vote on the premise that the disproportionate disenfranchisement – removing one’s right to vote – of people of colour ultimately dilutes their overall voting strength, and therefore violates the group element of the right to vote contained in Article 1, Protocol 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Elizabeth also has a focus on human rights for 2SLGBTQIA+communities on a local level through her work with Healthy Minds Cooperative based in Dartmouth, NS. Elizabeth leads suicide prevention programming for queer, trans, and 2Spirit communities, including increasing access to name changes for trans and non-binary people. She is also a long-time volunteer with the Girl Guiding movement where, in addition to running programming for girls and gender-diverse youth in her local community, she holds a volunteer position with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts focused on challenging appearance-related anxiety. Are you a STU HMRTS grad and want us to profile your human rights field work? Get or keep in touch!
Dispatches from Down the Hill: STU HMRTS Grads Making a Difference at UNB Law School [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/c4a5e594-acb0-1f8...] In March, the University of New Brunswick’s newly established Feminist Legal Association (FLA) hosted the Law Needs Feminism Because conference—a compelling event that explored the intersections of law, gender, and social justice. One of the main organizers was STU HMRTs grad Julia Evans (BA Hons, Class of 2023).
Conference attendees learned from a powerful lineup of speakers who challenged legal norms and underscored the need for feminist approaches within the justice system. The event created space for meaningful dialogue and encouraged participants to reflect on how feminist legal thinking can shape a more equitable future.
Justice Sudaba Yameen shared insights on “Law Needs Feminism Because: Women in Afghanistan are still fighting for their basic rights.” Dr. Suzanne Zaccour (National Association of Women and the Law | L’Association nationale Femmes et Droit) presented on “Law Needs Feminism Because: Survivors deserve justice, not blame.” Dr. Rashmee Singh (University of Waterloo) spoke on “Law Needs Feminism Because: Only feminism can expose the law’s limits in countering domestic violence.” Are you a STU HMRTs grad making a difference at law school or in the legal profession? Contact us to keep us posted on your work.
Thank you to HMRTs guest speakers for 2024-2025 [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/f58a4b0e-1e59-b92...] Reid Lodge AHRC Advisory Board Member, Equity Diversity and Inclusion Research Advisor, UNB Office of Research Services “2SLGBTQQIA+ Rights” (Intro. to HMRTs) [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/34972c0e-d60e-06c...] Randy Dickinson Chair of the Premier’s Council on Disabilities and Member of the New Brunswick Human Eights Commission “New Brunswick Accessibility Act” (Intro. to HMRTs) [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/be376764-37cc-491...] Dr. Tracy Glynn Co-founder of the Madhu Verma Migrant Justice Centre “Temporary Foreign Workers and other Migrants with Precarious Status in New Brunswick” (Intro. to HMRTs) [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/ee0ebe6f-485a-6c9...] Harini Sivalingam Equality Program Director, Canadian Civil Liberties Association “Strategic Charter Litigation” (Rights Revolution in Canada) [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/820d051a-719a-dcb...] Chancellor Graydon Nicholas “Strategic Litigation for Indigenous Rights” (Rights Revolution in Canada) “UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples” (Intro. to HMRTs)
Plan Ahead: Fall 2025 HMRT Course Schedule [https://mcusercontent.com/2c8a37d98a8af39d412d788dc/images/8a504b9e-1a88-437...]
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