14 Arguments in Favour of Human Rights Institutions

Today, many human rights commissions are threatened or are no longer in existence. This book argues in support of our human rights institutions, including the new Canadian Museum for Human Rights. These arguments debunk current challenges to our human rights commissions and tribunals. Further, they chronicle the ways in which governments have backed away from the project of growing a culture of human rights, and of maintaining the role of human rights commissions to promote and protect human rights. In sum, this book will help readers to evaluate criticism of human rights institutions so that Canadians can strengthen current systems and ensure that they are responding to today’s problems in the field of human rights.

Shelagh Day is an expert on human rights with many years of experience working with governments and non-governmental organizations. She is the President and Senior Editor of the Canadian Human Rights Reporter, as well as a Director of the Poverty and Human Rights Centre in Vancouver.

Gwen Brodsky is an equality rights and human rights litigator, and a founder and Director of the Poverty and Human Rights Centre in Vancouver.

Ken Norman is a professor of Law at the University of Saskatchewan.