Charlottetown – The Chief Justice of Canada will share her views on national security, civil liberties and terrorism, at the upcoming Symons Lecture on the State of Canadian Confederation in Charlottetown. The Right Honourable Madame Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin presents the sixth annual lecture at the Confederation Centre of the Arts on October 21.
In her speech entitled National Security and Civil Liberties – Canada’s Response to Terrorism, Chief Justice McLachlin will discuss Canada’s response to terrorism, and the problem of how a democratic state can respond to terrorism while preserving the civil liberties that are the hallmark of a free society. The Chief Justice’s remarks will include discussion of the respective roles of Parliament, the Executive and the courts in maintaining the balance between security and protection of civil liberties; the role of international human rights norms; and how Canada has struck the balance on specific legal issues.
“Terrorism poses special challenges to democratic states that prize civil liberties,” Chief Justice McLachlin says. “The question is how we preserve the rights and freedoms that we hold dear, that are our historic birthright and the hallmark of our societies, while preventing acts of terrorism by those in our midst who at once despise and exploit these freedoms for terrorist ends. The challenge for our legislators and our courts is to maintain our civil liberties to the maximum extent possible, while protecting our citizens against terrorist attacks. The task is not easy.”
“The Chief Justice is arguably one of the most powerful people in the country, and this speaking engagement is a rare opportunity for our audience in the Maritimes,” says H. Wayne Hambly, Chair of the Fathers of Confederation Buildings Trust. “We are fortunate to have a speaker of such calibre join us for the lecture with a topic that is so timely and important.”
The Symons Lecture takes place on the Mainstage at the Confederation Centre of the Arts at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, October 21. There is no charge for admission but tickets are required. To reserve tickets, please contact the box office at 566-1267 or 1-800-565-0278.
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Media contact: Dan Wall, publicist, Confederation Centre of the Arts, phone (902) 628-6135
Email: confederationcentre.com, web www.confederationcentre.com