[van-announce] Borders Within: Two-Tiered Citizenship in Post 9/11 Canada

[announcements at resist.ca]

Borders Within: Two-Tiered Citizenship in Post 9/11 Canada

Where:
Norm Theatre SUB - University of British Columbia

When:
Friday, 19th of March 2004 from 2:00 PM until approximately 4:00 PM

Cost: Free

Borders Within: Two-Tiered Citizenship in Post-9/11 Canada
Friday March 19, 2004 2-4 pm
Norm Theatre - Student Union Building – UBC
Keynote Panel Featuring Tarek Fatah, Hind Charkaoui, Amina Sherazee and Sunera Thobani

In the last three years, post-9/11 legislation has been hastily pushed 
through Parliament under the pretence of "security concerns," 
yet the majority of Canadians are unaware of their full implications. These 
sweeping changes in citizenship, immigration, and security policy 
radically alter the rights of foreign-born citizens, immigrants, 
refugees, and "non-status" people, entrenching a system of 
two-tiered rights in Canada. 

Arab and Muslim people currently face mass deportations, racial profiling, 
denial of judicial rights, and even the stripping of citizenship, while a 
culture of fear has isolated and demonized these communities. At the same 
time, the legislation has given the state increased powers to criminalize 
all immigrants and refugees. 

These changes have long-term ramifications for the ongoing struggle for racial 
equality and social justice. How have these communities, already fighting 
economic marginalization, displacement, and unequal access to 
resources, responded to recent attacks, and how can we support them in their 
struggle for equal rights?

Featuring guest speakers:
Tarek Fatah - Tarek is the founder of the Muslim Canadian Congress, a progressive 
grassroots organization that advocates for a more anti-racist and 
accessible immigration policy, and works to build communities free from 
racism, intolerance, patriarchy, and poverty. Tarek is the host of the TV 
show Muslim Chronicle, and is regularly featured on Counterspin, the Globe 
and Mail, and other news media, writing on a variety of topics from attacks on 
civil liberties and gay rights to Pakistan and Palestine.

Hind Charkaoui - Hind is the sister of Adil Charkaoui, Montreal student and 
father of two who has been detained without charge, evidence, or trial since 
May 2003 under a "national security certificate." Adil's case 
has been central in federal court appeals challenging the 
constitutionality of security certificates. Hind has been extremely 
active speaking out against the use of secret trials through the Coalition 
for Justice for Adil Charkaoui. Hind states: "This process is itself a 
danger to security - not only to my family but to all of us in Canada."

Amina Sherazee - Amina is a Toronto-based immigration, employment and human 
rights lawyer. She is also a member of Lawyers Against the War, and one of 
Canada's leading voices against repressive federal legislation such as 
Bill C-36. 

With UBC faculty:

Dr. Sunera Thobani: Sunera is a professor in the Women's Studies' Department at 
UBC and a former president of the National Action Committee on the Status of 
Women. She has been an outspoken critic on the War on Terror, and is active on 
many feminist and anti-racist issues. 

Presented by Colour Connected. Contact: march21ubc at yahoo.com 604-822-1421. 

For more information:
Tao
march21ubc at yahoo.com
604-822-1421
ams.ubc.ca

This event is being organised by Colour Connected
  




==================
This message was submitted via http://calendar.resist.ca which copies it 
to both the calendar and van-announce at lists.resist.ca.

Submitting messages directly to the van-announce list does not guarantee 
that your event will be added to the calendar.