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Political Science Political Freedom

Transforming Rights

Reflections from the Front Lines

by (author) Maxwell Yalden

Publisher
University of Toronto Press, Scholarly Publishing Division
Initial publish date
Sep 2013
Category
Political Freedom
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9781442640078
    Publish Date
    Aug 2009
    List Price
    $58.00
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781442697980
    Publish Date
    Sep 2013
    List Price
    $48
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781442697331
    Publish Date
    Aug 2009
    List Price
    $46.95
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781442670167
    Publish Date
    Dec 2009
    List Price
    $48.00

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Description

Maxwell Yalden began his career in the Department of External Affairs; he was posted to Moscow and Paris, and later as ambassador to Belguim. As Canada's Language Commissioner from 1977-1984, he worked to reinforce the Official Languages Act, and language equality, encouraging Canadians to become more inclusive in their attitudes towards both official languages. Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission from 1987-1996, he also served for eight years as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee. Transforming Rights draws on Yalden's extensive experience in rights work to provide a personal assessment of how issues of human rights and language rights have evolved over the past forty years, both within Canada and internationally.

Transforming Rights contends that Canadian rights principles reflect a unique history and character and examines the interplay of historical and contemporary Canadian standards with comparable international norms. Yalden argues that Canada's rights achievements demonstrate that though it may not be possible to change beliefs and attitudes through policy and legislation, it is certainly possible to change behaviour - facilitating the expansion of rights. Authoritative and anecdotal, Yalden offers an informed insider's opinion on continuously evolving human rights norms and the impact they have had on the way that people live their lives.

About the author

Maxwell Yalden is a Companion of the Order of Canada and an adjunct professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Ottawa.

Maxwell Yalden's profile page