Human Rights Talks

Human Rights Talks: Discussing Sharp Power with Kevin Sheives and Rachelle Faust

In this episode of Human Rights Talks, Kevin Sheives and Rachelle Faust (International Forum for Democratic Studies) join us to discuss the concept of sharp power and how it differs from soft and hard power. They also talk to us about the International Forum's Sharp Power Research Portal, which features examples and analyses of the scale and impact of authoritarian sharp power around the world. This conversation is part of our initiative on Digital Authoritarianism, supported by the  U.S. Embassy in Ottawa.

 

Rachelle Faust is Assistant Program Officer at International Forum for Democratic Studies at NED

Kevin Sheives is the Associate Director at the International Forum for Democratic Studies at NED

Human Rights Talks: Jaime Kirzner-Roberts, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies

The Canadian Taskforce to Combat Online Antisemitism is a MIGS project aimed at analyzing current trends in online antisemitism, holocaust denial and distortion, and looking at ways we can build better Canadian resiliency to it while addressing what tech companies and other actors can do to tackle this issue. As part of the project, we are launching a series of podcast episodes.

In this episode, MIGS student fellow Nadia Trudel interviews Jaime Kirzner-Roberts the Director of Policy at the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies (FSWC).

Human Rights Talks: Professor Marlene Grossman on the rise of antisemitism

The Canadian Taskforce to Combat Online Antisemitism is a MIGS project aimed at analyzing current trends in online antisemitism, holocaust denial and distortion, and looking at ways we can build better Canadian resiliency to it while addressing what tech companies and other actors can do to tackle this issue. As part of the project, we are launching a series of podcast episodes. In this episode, MIGS student fellow Nadia Trudel interviews Professor Marlene Grossman, the coordinator of the psychology department at Vanier College and the coordinator of Vanier’s Symposium on the Holocaust and Genocide.

What’s next? – US-Canada relationship to confront digital authoritarianism

This episode is a recording of an event organized as part of the digital authoritarianism series supported by the US Embassy to Canada.

This discussion features U.S. Consul General Ana Escrogima, David Kaye (clinical professor of law, University of California, and former UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression), Chris Walker (VP for Studies and Analysis, National Endowment for Democracy), Suzanne Nossel (Chief Executive Officer of PEN America), Ron Deibert (Director of the Citizen Lab at the Munk School, University of Toronto) and Inga Kristina Trauthig (Research Manager and Senior Research Fellow, Center for Media Engagement, University of Texas, and Research Fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation).

Human Rights Talks: Interview with Richard Marceau

The Canadian Taskforce to Combat Online Antisemitism is a MIGS project aimed at analyzing current trends in online antisemitism, holocaust denial and distortion, and looking at ways we can build better Canadian resiliency to it while addressing what tech companies and other actors can do to tackle this issue. As part of the project, we are launching a series of podcast episodes. In this episode, MIGS' Executive Director Kyle Matthews interviews Richard Marceau, former MP and senior advisor for the Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA). 

Human Rights Talks: Interview with Dr. Kathrin Meyer, IHRA Secretary General

In this episode on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Nadia Trudel interviews Dr. Kathrin Meyer, Secretary General of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). The IHRA unites governments and experts to strengthen, advance, and promote Holocaust education, remembrance, and research worldwide.

Tools and Resources:

IHRA Toolkit Against Holocaust Distortion 

Protect the Facts Campaign

Human Rights Talks: Oren Segal, Vice President of the Center on Extremism for Anti Defamation League

The Canadian Taskforce to Combat Online Antisemitism is a MIGS project aimed at analyzing current trends in online antisemitism, holocaust denial and distortion, and looking at ways we can build better Canadian resiliency to it while addressing what tech companies and other actors can do to tackle this issue. As part of the project, we are launching a series of podcast episodes. In this episode, MIGS student fellow Nadia Trudel interviews Oren Segal, Vice President of the Center on Extremism for Anti Defamation League.

To Make Us Slowly Disappear:The Chinese Government‘s Assault on the Uyghurs

The Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies, the Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights hosted a special event to mark the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and Prevention of this Crime.

The event was the official Canadian launch of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s new report and consisted of a presentation of the report’s findings and a discussion on the role of Canada in helping protect the Uyghur minority in China.

Speakers:

- Naomi Kikoler, Director of the Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

- Kyle Matthews, Executive Director of Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies at Concordia University.

- Irwin Cotler, Founder and International Chair of the Raoul Wallenberg Center for Human Rights, former Attorney General of Canada and former Minister of Justice of Canada.

- Robert Fife, Ottawa Bureau Chief for The Globe and Mail and the host of CTV's "Question Period with The Globe and Mail's Robert Fife."

-  Nursiman Abdurashid, Uyghur activist.

Digital Authoritarianism Without Borders

As the illiberal use of technologies threatens to reshape the balance of power, MIGS is organizing a speaker series on digital authoritarianism. American and Canadian practitioners, researchers, and members of the private sector and civil society shine light on the strategies used by authoritarian states and discuss the pressing need for alliances between Canada, the U.S., and like-minded democratic countries.

This 4th event in the series focused on exporting digital authoritarianism. How is the export of technologies and tactics used by authoritarian states affecting democracy worldwide? Is digital authoritarianism becoming a governance model?

Speakers:

- Steven Feldstein, Senior Fellow at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

- Jessica Brandt, Policy Director for the Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology Initiative at the Brookings Institution

- Yinka Adegoke, Strategic Initiatives editor at Rest of World; former Africa editor for Quartz

- Noura Aljizawi, Researcher, CitizenLab

Moderator : Marie Lamensch, MIGS Project Coordinator

This virtual speaker series is part of MIGS' "Canada-U.S. Democracy and Human Rights Collaboration Initiative" funded by the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa.

What Can Be Done to Prevent New Atrocities in Afghanistan?

On 15 September, only a few days after the 20^th anniversary of the 11 September attacks, Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) and the Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies (MIGS) held a closed roundtable with the active participation of Members of Parliament (MP), human rights defenders, women’s rights activists, and other experts and academics. The roundtable explored actions that could be undertaken by the international community which could have an impact toward the prevention of atrocity crimes and improve, to the extent possible, the safety and security of Afghan civilians. 

A summary of the discussion is available here