Human Rights Awards Presented

Human Rights Awards were presented to Juan Carlos Canales-Leyton and Lee Cohen by the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission on Thursday, March 21. The awards were presented during the seventh Annual Harmony Brunch to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

"The commission is pleased to recognize achievements in human rights in Nova Scotia through the Human Rights Award," said Mayann Francis, executive director of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission. "This award honours the efforts of Mr. Canales-Leyton and Mr. Cohen to protect and promote human rights in the community."

Juan Carlos Canales-Leyton immigrated from Santiago, Chile, in 1978. His work in the area of multi-culturalism and race relations is impressive: co-founder and vice-chairman for the Centre for Diverse Visible Cultures; member of the Advisory Committee on Community and Race Relations, Halifax Regional Municipality; co-founder and former president of the Spanish Speaking Association of Nova Scotia; co-founder and managing editor of Kaleidoscope, the first multi-cultural newspaper in Atlantic Canada; co-founder and chairman of the Federal Business Development Bank's Multicultural Business Advisory Committee; original member of the Nova Scotia Advisory Committee on Multiculturalism; co-founder and co-chair, Nova Scotia Visible Minorities Association.

Mr. Canales-Leyton is also a director with the Centre for Islamic Development and with the Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia. He works as a computer consultant and a Spanish-English interpreter and as a publishing consultant with Street Feat -- The Voice of the Poor.

The award honours in particular Mr. Canales-Leyton's work in multi-culturalism and race relations and with Street Feat, a newspaper that is sold by the homeless and unemployed as well as supporters. The paper provides a voice for the poor and is a community-based solution to generate income for those living in poverty. The Human Rights Commission recognizes that poverty is an area where individuals face discrimination.

Lee Cohen's award was in appreciation of his work in immigration and human rights. Mr. Cohen is a lawyer who specializes in immigration and human rights matters and has been practising law in Canada since 1981. He has assisted hundreds of foreign nationals seeking entry into Canada and has extensive experience preparing all categories of immigrant applications and procedures.

He is a frequent commentator in local, national and international media on matters relating to immigration and human rights.

Mr. Cohen lectures at universities and to public interest groups on immigration issues, racism and human rights. He is the former chair of the Canadian Bar Association, Nova Scotia Branch, Immigration Law Section, and has appeared before Canadian parliamentary committees to comment upon proposed amendments to immigration legislation.

Most recently, he founded the Halifax Refugee Clinic, a non- profit organization representing eligible refugees seeking political asylum in Canada. He provides these services at no charge to his clients.