Media & Conferences

Selected Op Eds and Commentary 

Opinion: Unpaid internships can be tempting, but many are unethical Montreal Gazette August 12, 2021 

Opinion: All children in Quebec should have health coverage Montreal Gazette, October 13 2020

New report finding racism at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights was shocking — but predictable The Conversation, August 10, 2020

The coronavirus is costing us more than just our health and economy, The Conversation April 9. 2020

The Dangers of Governing by Decree, Montreal Gazette April 21 2020

"Crimes against humanity have been committed in Cameroon. Let’s not turn away" 5 Human Rights Issues that Need Attention OpenCanada.org May 31 2019.

Opinion: Unjust Bill 21 dispenses with an array of rights, Montreal Gazette, April 15, 2019.

Reform of Quebec's human rights commission is long overdue Montreal Gazette December 5 2018

Curbing rights would violate treaty obligations (Bill 21) Montreal Gazette October 11 2018 (Available on PressReader.com)

Respect accessibility rights, boost public transit ridership Montreal Gazette July 25 5 2018

Scorn for multiculturalism in Quebec yields troubling results Montreal Gazette December 15 2016

On the Paris attacks, freedom of expression and human rights OpenCanada January 20 2015 

A Disservice to Murray and the Museum Winnipeg Free Press October 17, 2014 (with Ken Norman)

CMHR A Symbol for Dissent and Protest Winnipeg Free Press September 24 2014

Quebec's Charter of Values: Will a colourful Hermès scarf disrupt classrooms? Globe and Mail, August 22 2013 (ONLINE)

An Important Victory for Kenya's 160 Girls, Edmonton Journal July 4 2013.

Changes Proposed by Bill 14 Risk Serious Rights Violations, Montreal Gazette, April 19, 2013.

Whatcott SCC Ruling: Fair and Balanced, Montreal Gazette (February 27, 2013) 

Bill 14 Chips away at English Minority Rights Montreal Gazette, December 11, 2012.

"Minister Toews Must Approve Omar's Transfer Now", Hill Times, 9 July 2012. "Countries, like people, are considered to be more respectable and reliable when they demonstrate... trustworthiness, keeping promises... By these standards alone, Canada’s standing has plummeted as a result of its handling of Omar Khadr" (with Audrey Macklem)

The National Assembly Should Not Be a Rights-Free Zone (Montreal Gazette, January 26, 2011) "The kirpan debate: It's about equality"

Why not all Speech should be Free (Ottawa Citizen, November 29, 2010) 

"Quite Simply, Torture is a Crime" (Montreal Gazette, May 2, 2009) "The influence of democratic countries plummets when the rule of law becomes nothing more than sanctimonious sermons reserved for less developed nations."

Supreme Court was Right in its Decision on Jewish Divorce (Montreal Gazette, January 29, 2008 Top judges signal that religious rights be put on the same scale as other rights.

The Controversy Entrepreneurs, Maisonneuve (August 20 2009. Issue 20) How the Maclean’s hate speech debate turned into the biggest fake news issue in the country today 

"Human rights commissions are Getting a Bad Rap" (Montreal Gazette, April 10, 2008). "Sure, there are some excesses, but the commissions still do a lot of good work."

Tous les droits sont égaux (La Presse, le dimanche 21 octobre 2007) "Le Conseil du statut de la femme du Québec veut que soit établie une règle qui permettrait aux droits des femmes à l'égalité de primer sur la liberté de religion. M Charest, lui, nous propose des codifications à la Charte québécoise qui auraient pour effet de concrétiser cette proposition."

Quebec Status of Women's Position is an attack on Minority Rights (Montreal Gazette, October 7, 2007). There should be no hierarchy of rights in Canada - all rights are equal

MEDIA ARE GETTING ALL LATHERED UP OVER NOTHING (Montreal Gazette, Monday, February 18, 2008). Human-rights cases against Maclean's and Levant are nothing to get excited about; "A controversy has been ignited over the climate of free speech in Canada.... "

ROBIN PHILPOT’S INCONVENIENT DENIAL (Montreal Gazette, March 17, 2007. “Calling what happened in Rwanda genocide is not an exaggeration, a racist fantasy or a colonial plot as PQ candidate’s book would have us believe.”

Selected Interviews

CBC Daybreak. "Lawyer asks why a child born in Canada is being denied health insurance" October 15 2020. 

CBC The 180 with Jim Brown: DEBATE: Are we asking for too many rights? Thursday June 04, 2015

CBC's Day 6, Should Canada Impose Exit Controls? April 2014 

CBC's The Current. Will the proposed secular charter help or hurt Quebec? with Anna Maria Tremonti. January 30 2014. 

CBC Radio, Home Run "Landmark legal victory for Kenyan rape victim" With Sue Smith 27 May 2013

Montreal Gazette: Trial ignites broader debate "I think we're fascinated right now with the concept of honour killings - but the ...label doesn't change what the underlying activity is. It's a violent assault on women because they're women.' - A3 January 31 2011. more: 

Alumni in the Spotlight: Pearl Eliadis (2010) McGill University 

Beaudoin, 'Regard international sur le Québec', Journal du Barreau 2011 at 22. 

Human Rights Commissions, Law is Cool (2008) 

Selected Conferences and Presentations 

2021. Chair. Racial Profiling in Policing, Montreal, Max Bell School of Public Policy.

2019. #RightsCity, Montreal. Concordia University. Panel Discussion. “Cameroon’s Unfolding Catastrophe” 

2019. Canada. Foreign Affairs Committee (House of Commons). Invited Witness.  (February 7, 2019) on Canada's Role in International Support for Democratic Development.

2018. Keynote speaker. “Enabling Human Rights Commissions as Norms-Brokers”, Canadian Association of Statutory Human rights Association. Whitehorse, Yukon.  (June 26, 2018).

2014. “Speaking Out on Human rights” Keynote. Vancouver Public Library (Lawyers Rights Watch Canada) (June 9)2011. Legal Frontiers. Entretien avec Pearl Eliadis

2013. McGill University Lecture, International Women's Week: The Muriel V. Roscoe Lecture: A World at War with Women (McGill Women's Alumnae Association)

2012. Lawyers Rights Watch Canada. Keynote Remarks: Day of Dissent (Vancouver)