Louise Arbour

Born in Winnipeg in 1927, Lois Wilson was the first female moderator of the United Church of Canada, the first female president of the Canadian Council of Churches, and the first woman and first Canadian president of the North American region of the World Council of Churches. A respected human rights defender and activist for peace and social justice around the world, she was appointed by successive Canadian governments to head missions in Korea, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Sudan, among others, over her long and distinguished career. For the Sake of the Common Good is a tribute to the life and work of this remarkable Canadian. It brings together contributions from internationally recognized figures such as Louise Arbour, Lloyd Axworthy, and Irwin Cotler; national leaders such as Bill Blaikie, Alia Hogben, Mary Jo Leddy, Stan McKay, and Michael Blair; and local heroes such as Alexa Gilmour and Brent Hawkes, who have been influenced by Lois Wilson’s practical Christianity, progressive values, and commitment to ending oppression in all forms. Their essays urge us to think about the many ways we can work toward the common good: by welcoming refugees, developing ecologically sustainable ways of life, repairing relations with Indigenous Peoples, protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ people and all who are oppressed, defending political prisoners, and respecting religious rights and the place of faith in public life. In such ways, we can restore right relations with the Earth and with each other. For the Sake of the Common Good gratefully acknowledges Lois Wilson’s inspiring legacy while taking on the important task of continuing her work.

Born in Winnipeg in 1927, Lois Wilson was the first female moderator of the United Church of Canada, the first female president of the Canadian Council of Churches, and the first woman and first Canadian president of the North American region of the World Council of Churches. A respected human rights defender and activist for peace and social justice around the world, she was appointed by successive Canadian governments to head missions in Korea, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Sudan, among others, over her long and distinguished career. For the Sake of the Common Good is a tribute to the life and work of this remarkable Canadian. It brings together contributions from internationally recognized figures such as Louise Arbour, Lloyd Axworthy, and Irwin Cotler; national leaders such as Bill Blaikie, Alia Hogben, Mary Jo Leddy, Stan McKay, and Michael Blair; and local heroes such as Alexa Gilmour and Brent Hawkes, who have been influenced by Lois Wilson’s practical Christianity, progressive values, and commitment to ending oppression in all forms. Their essays urge us to think about the many ways we can work toward the common good: by welcoming refugees, developing ecologically sustainable ways of life, repairing relations with Indigenous Peoples, protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ people and all who are oppressed, defending political prisoners, and respecting religious rights and the place of faith in public life. In such ways, we can restore right relations with the Earth and with each other. For the Sake of the Common Good gratefully acknowledges Lois Wilson’s inspiring legacy while taking on the important task of continuing her work.

The world is facing the worst humanitarian crisis since the Second World War. Over 300,000 are dead in Syria, and one and half million are either injured or disabled. Four and a half million people are trying to flee the country. And Syria is just one of a growing number of failed or failing states in the Middle East and North Africa. How should developed nations respond to human suffering on this mass scale? Do the prosperous societies of the West, including Canada and the U. S., have a moral imperative to assist as many refugees as they reasonably and responsibly can? Or, is this a time for vigilance and restraint in the face of a wave of mass migration that risks upending the tolerance and openness of the West? The eighteenth semi-annual Munk Debate, which was held on April 1, 2016, pits former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour and leading historian Simon Schama against leader of the UK Independence Party Nigel Farage and bestselling author Mark Steyn to debate the West’s response to the global refugee crisis.

Few names are so closely connected with the cause of human rights as that of Mary Robinson. As former President of Ireland, she was ideally positioned for passionately and eloquently arguing the case for human rights around the world. Over five tumultuous years that included the tragic events of 9/11, she offered moral leadership and vision to the global human rights movement. This volume is a unique account in Robinson's own words of her campaigns as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. A Voice for Human Rights offers an edited collection of Robinson's public addresses, given between 1997 and 2002, when she served as High Commissioner. The book also provides the first in-depth account of the work of the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights. With a foreword by Kofi Annan and an afterword by Louise Arbour, the current High Commissioner for Human Rights, the book will be of interest to all concerned with international human rights, international relations, development, and politics.

The last fifty years have witnessed the development of a global system of human rights promotion and protection. Canada has played a significant role in its growth and will likely continue to do so. Yet until now, there has not existed a comprehensive textbook on international human rights law written for Canadians. "International Human Rights Law" seeks to meet this need in a way that will encourage greater understanding of, and use of, international human rights law by lawyers, students and others. Part One introduces the international law of human rights, including the related areas of international labour, refugee, humanitarian, and criminal law. The history and sources of international human rights are described and the leading treaties discussed. Part Two addresses the reception of international human rights norms in Canadian domestic law. After introducing Canadian reception law and the leading Canadian human rights laws, this part embarks on an ambitious survey of the means by which the "Charter" and other laws implement--or fail to implement--Canadian human rights obligations. Part Three is devoted to the promotion and protection of human rights in Canadian, international, and (to a lesser extent) foreign law. This part emphasises remedial measures available to victims of human rights abuses, whether suffered in Canada or abroad. Finally, the conclusion considers contemporary trends and issues in human rights law, including terrorism, humanitarian intervention, transitional justice, and domestic reception. The book also includes a foreword by the incoming UN Human Rights Commissioner, the Hon. Madam Justice Louise Arbour, and useful appendices on Canadian human rights treaty obligations.

In 1996, Louise Arbour was appointed by the Security Council of the United Nations as Chief Prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. Reflecting on these experiences, she argues in War Crimes and the Culture of Peace that the level of public awareness and understanding of the significance of these events is minimal in part as a result of the way in which international criminal law is practiced. Justice Arbour contends that previous efforts to unite concepts of international law and criminal law in the practice of these tribunals are evolving, and suggests that the ties between personal criminal accountability and peace should be central to the decisions made in the future concerning procedural models for the permanent International War Crimes Tribunals. As a result, the public might better understand the context and causes of such crime, and the notion of crime as a breach of the peace would be made central to these trials. Justice Arbour delivered War Crimes and the Culture of Peace as the fifth annual Senator Keith Davey Lecture at Victoria University at the University of Toronto in January 2001.