During his stay in Canada, the Special Rapporteur attended extensive meetings and site visits to gain first-hand knowledge of the country's policies to address racism, racial discrimination and related intolerance, including its official policy of multiculturalism. He has met with federal, provincial and local government officials, Aboriginal communities and leaders, as well as representatives of diverse ethnic, racial, religious and other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax, Regina and Toronto.
Mr. Diène will report his findings to the Commission on Human Rights at its next meeting in March 2004. As interlocutor, the CRRF provided the Special Rapporteur with information on substantive issues, and coordinated meetings with representatives of NGOs and academia in all cities he visited while in Canada.
Mr. Diène is a former UNESCO Director of the Department of International Dialogue and Pluralism for a Culture of Peace and was appointed in April 2002 by the UN Commission of Human Rights as its Special Rapporteur on Racism. Since his appointment, he has also visited Guyana and Trinidad. He will visit Colombia following his trip to Canada.
CRRF, as Appointed Interlocutor, Facilitated Canadian Visit for Civil Society
Press Q&A Session (Ottawa)
2:00 - 2:45 p.m.; Friday, September 26, 2003
Suite 900, 130 Slater Street
United Nations Association of Canada