Articles

Selected articles from the Freedom to Read review.

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Franklin Carter on Fighting Censorship in the Age of Twitter

People who care about freedom of expression in Canada have likely read something by Franklin Carter — but they may not realize it. He’s an unsung hero for Canadian creators and publishers.

 

Dorothy Macnaughton’s Fight for More Accessible Reading Materials

Dorothy Macnaughton has spent the last 20 years leading a different freedom-to-read fight: improving the availability of accessible reading material for more than three million Canadians who have a visual, physical or learning disability.

 

Talking Censorship and Sensibility with Charles Montpetit

When I Googled “Charles Montpetit” three different options came up: a lawyer, an author and an inspector of explosives. The Montpetit I’m interested in isn’t a lawyer or a bomb expert, but considering his passion for crafting weighty arguments on censorship issues and his love of wading into explosive situations, I think he elegantly juggles all three roles.

 

Word Warrior

In 2015, Alvin M. Schrader marked the fortieth anniversary of the year that he embarked on his career as a librarian and educator. During those four decades, he has been a passionate advocate for the role of the library as a vehicle for free expression, an outspoken critic of Internet filtering and an ardent spokesperson for the inclusion of LGBTQ materials in library collections.

 

Brian MacLeod Rogers: Just Cause

By Julie Payne “Among a small handful of dedicated lawyers expanding the envelope of free expression in the media, Brian has consistently been at the forefront of arguments at the Supreme Court and elsewhere.” — Ivor Shapiro, Chair of Ryerson University’s School of Journalism If you want to learn about the evolution of Canadian free […]

 

Heiltsuk Cultural Architect

Jessie Housty in conversation with Elizabeth Raymer — In the early morning of July 12, 2013, a fire destroyed the Thistalalh Memorial Library in the island town of Bella Bella, B.C. The community was devastated, but Housty resolved to build a new one.

 

Teaching Controversy

One alternative to banning controversial publications in schools is to provide students with the tools to think critically about difficult and divisive issues.

 

Cyberspace Visionary

Ron Deibert is one of the most important and prominent figures defending human rights and free expression in the rapidly shifting frontier of media and technology.

 

Enduring Advocate for Free Expression: John Ralston Saul in Conversation with Brendan de Caires

In February of 2011, the Writers’ Union of Canada awarded John Ralston Saul its Freedom to Read Award. The award honours Canadians who have made a significant contribution to defending the right to read and write freely without fear of reprisal.

 

Breaking Ground: Patsy Aldana in Conversation with Peter Carver

Patsy Aldana is the publisher of Groundwood Books in Toronto, which produces children’s books for all ages, including fiction, picture books and non-fiction. In recent years, at least two of Groundwood’s titles have been attacked for their content.