Talking in Public
about humanitarian action

Workshop Agenda

Please visit this space regularly for frequent updates to the information on this webpage after the workshop. See speakers' and moderators' biographies and unedited notes of some presentations (in a variety of formats).

8:00 a.m. Arrival and reception (coffee provided by the Faculty of Law)

The Honourable Bill Graham, Minister of Foreign Affairs (8:15 a.m.) Mr. Graham will make a short appearance and will make brief informal remarks prior to the commencement of the workshop. (Introduced by Gordon Smith, Director, Centre for Global Studies, UVic.

1. Why this workshop and Why now? (8:45 a.m.) Brief introductions by workshop co-sponsors:

• Catherine Morris, director, Peacemakers Trust. Why this workshop and Why now?
• Gordon Smith, Director, Centre for Global Studies, UVic
• Maureen Maloney, Director, Institute for Dispute Resolution, UVic
• Andrew Petter, Dean, Faculty of Law, UVic
• Budd Hall, Dean, Faculty of Education, UVic
• Andrew Rippin, Dean, Faculty of Humanities, UVic
• Paz Buttedahl, Director, Masters Program in Human Security and Peacebuilding, Royal Roads University.

2. The Background of the Iraq Crisis (9:00 a.m.) (Moderator: Catherine Morris)

• Background on Iraq: Key factors and "players" in Iraq (Martin Bunton, UVic Department of History)
• Regional issues and implications (Gregory Blue, UVic Department of History)
• Iraq Crisis and Its Global Implications for Muslims (Arif Babul, UVic Department of Physics).
• Global Impacts on Minorities (George Irani, RRU, Peace and Conflict Studies)
• What Actions Now? What can Canadians do now? (Hon. David Anderson, PC, MP; Keith Martin, MD, MP)
• Questions and discussion

10:15 break (coffee provided by the Faculty of Law)

3. The shifting Canadian discourse: Mobilizing citizens' resources and action: (10:30 a.m.) (Moderator: Budd Hall, Dean, UVic Faculty of Education). See Dr. Hall's notes on a proposal about Humanitarian and Democratic Governance: Canada and the Kurdish Universities in Northern Iraq.

• Building understanding and dialogue among diverse moral perspectives and faith groups (Mohammad Younas Mirza)
• Mobilizing Academics: The Use of the Internet (Eric Sager, UVic Department of History)
• Responding in Iraq: Communications Strategies. (Ernie Fraser, RRU MBA Program in Public Relations and Communication Management).
• Discussion

12:00 lunch and discussions over no host lunch (reserved area "Sweet Greens," University Centre). You may also wish to visit the exhibition "Encountering Islam: Collecting, Scholarship, and Contemporary Visions" at the Maltwood Art Museum & Gallery, University Centre Building, Room B 115.

4. Refugees and Canada: Practical challenges of post-September 11 legal, policy and security framework (1:15 p.m.) (Moderator: Paz Buttedahl, Human Security and Peacebuilding, RRU)

• Iraq and Refugee Law. (Don Galloway, UVic Faculty of Law) See Prof. Galloway's unedited presentation notes
• Challenges with current Canadian immigration laws/regulations (Marianne van der Meij, Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society)
• What Actions from Citizens Now? Resources and Advocacy (Don Galloway and Marianne van der Meij).
• questions and discussion

5. Post-Conflict Iraq: Canadian civil society and government resources and policies (2:15 pm) (Moderator: Gordon Smith, UVic Centre for Global Studies)

• The challenges for Canadian civil society in working within a Western occupation regime: Yes or no? If yes, how? (Jon Tinker, Director, International Media Programs, IMPACS.
• Effective methods of citizen advocacy: influencing government (Lynn Hunter, government relations consultant)
• questions and discussion

3:15 Break (coffee provided by the Faculty of Law)

6. Effective Humanitarian Action Now (3:30) (Moderator: Andrew Pirie, Faculty of Law)

• International Humanitarian Law and the Iraq Crisis.(Susan Soux, RRU Human Security and Peacebuilding). See Ms. Soux's power point notes . [For additional resources on IHL, see the ICRC pdf brochure International Humanitarian Law: Answers to your Questions, or the plain language Canadian Red Cross webpages, Even War Has Limits.]
• Principles for Practitioners: Humanitarian action in the context of armed conflict (power point notes). (Greg Hansen, consultant and Associate of the Local Capacities for Peace Project) See also Mr. Hansen's handout notes on Patterns of Impact of Aid on Conflict; The SPHERE Project; Code of Conduct for Disaster Response.
• What Actions Now?: Resources and advocacy needed from citizens now (George Chandler, Global Education Coordinator, International Services, Lower Mainland Canadian Red Cross)
• questions

7. Next steps: Summary of the themes of the workshop (5:00 p.m.). (Maureen Maloney).

Close: 5:15 pm

After the workshop, the University of Victoria cordially invites you to a reception for the exhibition "Encountering Islam: Collecting, Scholarship, and Contemporary Visions," Wednesday, April 16, 2003 until 6:00 p.m. at the Maltwood Art Museum & Gallery University Centre Building, Room B 115 (reception runs from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m.) For the art gallery reception only, you are requested to RSVP to 472-5044.

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