Lodhi Panel Discussion: Recent Human Rights Developments in Canadian Legislation

Senator Lillian Eva Dyck, Senator Marilou McPhedran and Senator Kim Pate will deliver the Lodhi Memorial Lecture in Human Rights in the form of a panel titled “Recent Human Rights Developments in Canadian Legislation.” The panel will take place on Wednesday, January 23 at 7 p.m. in the Kinsella Auditorium at St. Thomas University.

Senator Marilou McPhedran is a tenured full-time professor. She is the founding director of the Institute for International Women’s Rights at Global College and the founding course director of the annual ‘Human Rights UniverCity’ summer institute – a knowledge partnership promoting “lived rights” - with the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. In addition to her teaching and senatorial responsibilities, her focus for pro bono work is on strategies to augment diversity in governmental and civil society organizations that focus on Women, Peace and Security, building peace and defending human rights through inclusion of youth and Indigenous peoples.

Senator Lillian Eve Dyck is a member of the Gordon First Nation in Saskatchewan, and a first generation Chinese Canadian, The Honourable Dr. Lillian Eva Quan Dyck is well-known for advocating for equity in the education and employment of women, Chinese Canadians and Aboriginals.  She is the first female First Nations senator and first Canadian born Chinese senator. She is the Chair the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples. Her priority areas are Aboriginals, Chinese Canadians, Women in Science, Engineering & Technology and Post-secondary education. She continues to speak across Canada on these topics and others, such as the tragedy of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.

Senator Kim Pate strongly believes that the contributions of women who have experienced marginalization, discrimination and oppression should be recognized and respected and she seeks to credit and empower women. She maintains contact with women in prison through her numerous visits to Canada’s federal prisons and strongly encourages other advocates, scholars, service providers, judges and parliamentarians to ground their efforts in a similar way.