Maina Kiai visited Canada last fall on an unofficial academic visit, during which he met with a wide range of people within civil society. He also took time to sit down with the Voices-Voix Coalition for a brief interview about civic space in Canada. The interview is now available via the link below (in English with French subtitles).
In the interview, Kiai speaks about what he sees as a trend toward narrowing space for dissent in Canada and the need for an honest assessment of where fundamental democratic rights stand in the country. He also urges Canadians to exercise their rights to assemble, protest and organize. These rights – and indeed democracy itself – should not be taken for granted.
For more on the Special Rapporteur’s work on Canada, see this link.