NLIS 6
April 7, 2000
(Justice)

National human rights conference builds human rights culture

The Canadian Association of Statutory Human Rights Agencies hosts an annual conference dealing with human rights issues. This year, the annual conference is being hosted by the Alberta Human Rights Commission in Banff, Alberta. The conference runs from Saturday, May 6 commencing with a pre-conference session dealing with employment law and human rights issues and continues until Tuesday, May 9, 2000.

A copy of the news release from the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission promoting the conference follows.

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Exploring how to "live" human rights and what a "human rights culture" looks like is the focus of the 2000 annual conference of the Canadian Association of Statutory Human Rights Agencies (CASHRA) in Banff, Alberta. The conference runs Sunday, May 7 through Tuesday, May 9, 2000, and will look at strategies and successes in raising awareness and encourage positive

action on human rights and diversity. A half-day pre-conference session held on the afternoon of Saturday, May 6 will deal with employment law and human rights issues.

The CASHRA 2000 annual conference is being organized and hosted by the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission. Each year, Canada's human rights agencies, such as human rights commissions, use the conference as a forum to discuss human rights trends and issues that shape Canadian society and culture. Chief Commissioner Charlach Mackintosh of the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission is the current president of CASHRA and chairs the conference organizing committee.

This year Mackintosh is extending a special invitation to community representatives beyond the scope of CASHRA. "All sectors of society, including not-for-profit organizations, community organizations, human resource staff, teachers, the legal community or anyone who is interested in human rights will bring valued perspectives that we can all learn from," said Mackintosh. "Their

input will prompt dynamic discussions on a variety of human rights and diversity issues."

Mackintosh adds there are good things being done in individual communities and workplace environments. Organizers are gearing conference activities around discussion and a showcase of successes. It is expected that participants will come away with fresh ideas, new strategies, and networks that extend across society and across the country.

Workshop topics and keynote sessions will encompass models for human rights and diversity in the workplace, successful strategies in the education system to build understanding and commitment to human rights, building human rights awareness through the use of various media, and collaborative community-based initiatives. A showcase of innovative ideas will be the backdrop for a learning fair so that the conference participants can see what has worked in other parts of the country.

More than 30 special guests and speakers will participate, including Senator and human rights educator Noel Kinsella; Karen Mock, National Director of the League for Human Rights of B'nai Brith Canada; Barbara Thomas, author and human rights educator; Associate Dean of Law June M. Ross, Faculty of Law, University of Alberta; lawyer Warren Kinsella, author Web of Hate-Inside Canada's Far Right Network; Nancy Hannemann from the University of Alberta's International Centre; and Bill Black, Faculty of Law, University of British Columbia, and member of the Canadian Human Rights Review Panel.

Conference sponsors include the Alberta Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Education Fund, Canadian Heritage, Cultural Diversity Institute (University of Calgary), Canadian Human Rights Commission, Alberta Association for Multicultural Education, and the Banff Centre for Conferences.

Registration costs are $425 per registrant. Registration for not-for-profit community organizations and students is being kept affordable at $175 per registrant. GST will be added to registration costs, and prices do not include transportation or accommodation at the Banff Centre for Conferences.

For more information, visit the conference Web site located at www.albertahumanrights.ab.ca. For inquiries regarding registration and accommodation, contact ICDR Inc. in Edmonton at (780) 437-8013 or toll-free at 1-800-378-3199.

For further information contact:

Cassie Palamar
Education Services
Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission
(403) 297-6571

2000 04 07                                                                 2:25 p.m.