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EVENTS 2009
FREE TO SPEAK, 2009: The Citizen As Journalist: Tasers, The RCMP and Public Perception/b>
International Press Freedom Awards
Word on the Street
CJFE Presents Vladimir Kabelik's 'So Far From Home'
CJFE Presents Pikin News: Out Loud!
Annual General Meeting
Free to Speak Series: Atom Egoyan and Arsinée Khanjian
Reporting in Afghanistan: World Press Freedom Day 2009
Hot Docs "FIXER: The Taking of Ajmal Naqshbandi"
Freedom to Read Week 2009 - Closer to the Land:
Freedom of Expression and the Environment
EVENTS 2008
International Press Freedom Awards
Word on the Street
CJFE Presents Rex Bloomstein's 'An Independent Mind'
Annual General Meeting
Free to Express Himself - An Evening With Alan Johnston
"Letters to Anna" film presentation
EVENTS 2007
Advance Film screening "A Mighty Heart"
Annual General Meeting
Rally for Alan Johnston
Write Aid
McLuhan's Wake
Leaks, Lies & Liability
Akbar Ganji Accepts Award
FREE TO SPEAK, 2009: The Citizen As Journalist: Tasers, The RCMP and Public Perception
Date:Tuesday, October 27, 2009 6:30p.m.
Location: Globe Restaurant, 124 Danforth Avenue, Toronto
Tickets: $250* (Wine selection, choice of main course, vegetarian option)
On October 14, 2007, Paul Pritchard kept his video camera running as RCMP officers Tasered Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski. These images shocked Canadians and rocked public perceptions
of the RCMP.
Paul Pritchard will speak about how he came to be at the Vancouver airport that night after mysteriously missing an earlier flight. He will tell us why he kept filming the event and then hired
a lawyer when the RCMP refused to return his footage. Terry Milewski will discuss the legal and political implications for the RCMP.
CJFE will present Paul with an award for "Citizen Journalism."
For ticket and sponsorship information contact us by clicking here or call (416) 515-9622 x.226
International Press Fredom Awards 2009
Date:Wednesday, December 9, 6:00p.m Reception 7:00p.m. Dinner & Program
Location: Fairmont Royal York Hotel, Toronto
The 2009 event will focus on the culture of impunity that allows those who kill journalists to go unpunished. Of the
730 reporters killed on the job since 1992, most of them were murdered. And almost no one was brought to justice for those
crimes.
For more information visit the official International Press Freedom Awards 2009 website
For ticket and sponsorship information contact us by clicking here or call (416) 515-9622 x.231
Word on the Street 2009
Toronto - Sunday, September 27 11:00a.m-6:00p.m Come visit CJFE's booth at Toronto's Word on the Street Festival. Meet a journalist, test your
knowledge of free expression, join up!
Date: Sunday, September 27
Time: 11:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M.
Location: MM2 - that's at the North East corner of the Magazine Mews
Queen's Park - South of Charles Street and North of Wellesley St.
Click here for more information about The Word on the Street
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression Presents Vladimir Kabelik's 'So Far From Home'
Date/Time: Wednesday, September 23, 2009, 6:00pm
Where: Signy & Cléophée Eaton Theatre, Royal Ontario Museum - South Entrance, 100 Queen's Park, Toronto, Ontario
The world rarely sees the challenges and dangers faced by native reporters reporting from conflict regions such as
Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iran, Pakistan and Uganda. Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE), Sheridan College
and Willing Mind Productions present "So Far From Home" an OMNI Television documentary film that offers a unique
window in to the world of five journalists who did report from these dangerous places.
These journalists worked without a safety net; they had no international media organisation to rescue them when
their reporting led to threats by factions or governments who did not want these stories told. The five were
forced to flee, often leaving behind families and loved ones. Director Kabelik says "their pursuit of truth garnered
them no awards, instead it forced them into exile."
In Turkey, speaking openly about the 1915 Armenian genocide can lead to prosecution. Dozens of Turkish artists,
intellectuals and journalists have been prosecuted under Turkish law for the crime of referring to the genocide.
Hrant Dink, a Turkish-Armenian journalist and free expression advocate, was assassinated for speaking and writing
about this and other human rights issues.
"So Far From Home" documents the journalists' experiences, their efforts to come to terms with their past and
their struggle to build a future in Canada.
The film will premiere on Wednesday, September 23, at the Royal Ontario Museum theatre. Before the screening there will be a
reception catered by Daniel & Daniel, and after the film there will be a panel discussion moderated by CBC Radio's Carol Off.
Director Vladimir Kabelik and several of the featured journalists will be in attendance and speak about the film.
When:
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Doors open - 6:00 pm
Film - 7:00 pm
Where:
Signy & Cléophée Eaton Theatre
Royal Ontario Museum - South Entrance, 100 Queen's Park, Toronto, Ontario
Tickets:
$10 Advance
$15 At the door
For more information and advance ticket sales please contact:
Max Rothschild
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression
(416) 515-9622 x.231
assistant@cjfe.org
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression present Pikin News: Out Loud!
Supporting young journalists in Sierra Leone

Support this initiative by making an online donation
to the Pikin News Fund through CanadaHelps.org.
Click to enlarge poster.
Date/Time: Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Doors open/Dining 6:00 PM, Program 8:00 PM
Where: Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. West (west of Dufferin).
Click here for map and directions.
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) present Pikin News: Out Loud!, a fundraiser to support a
youth-run newspaper in Sierra Leone. The event will feature prominent artisits, journalists, and members of the Sierra Leonean
community as they take the stage to read articles and poetry from Pikin News. These pieces provide insight into the
collective experience of Sierra Leoneans, one that has been deeply impacted by the country's 11-year civil war and its aftermath.
All proceeds will go towards supporting Pikin News. Copies of the paper will also be available for purchase.
Host:
Rudy Blair, 680News radio host
Opening Remarks:
Susan McClelland, award-winning journalist and writer
Speakers:
Austin Clarke, C.M., O.Ont., author of "The Polished Hoe"
Jennifer Hollett, former Much Music VJ, journalist and social activist
Mariatu Kamara, student and UNICEF Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict
Innocent Madawo, Zimbabwean journalist and author
Umu Nabie, student and aspiring journalist from Sierra Leone
Leah Pinsent, Gemini Award winning actress
Performance by:
Ooh La La, traditional African dance group
For bios and pictures, click here!
When:
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Doors open/Dining - 6:00 PM
Program - 8:00 PM
Where:
Lula Lounge
1585 Dundas St. West (west of Dufferin)
(TTC Station: Dufferin)
Toronto
Tickets:
$10 Admission Fee
To join us for dinner and the program, call (416) 588-0303 or visit lula.ca
Dinner reservations guarantee seating
To join us for the program, call (416) 515-9622 x231 for advanced tickets
Limited number of tickets available at the door
Dinner is optional and not included in the admission fee
Cash bar will be available
For more information about Pikin News: Out Loud! please contact:
Megan Mitton by email or by calling (416) 515-9622 x.231
or
Find our event on Facebook.
For more information about Pikin News:
Read this Elle Magazine article by Susan McClelland
or
Read the UNICEF profile of the project
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression Annual General Meeting
Date/Time: Tuesday, June 16, 2009, 6:30p.m.
Where: Upper Library, Massey College, 4 Devonshire Place, Toronto. To view map,
click here.
What: The meeting will be open to all members of CJFE, with a reception to follow.
All CJFE members are welcome to attend the meeting. Please register with the CJFE office.
To become a member of CJFE contact our office
Guests of members are also welcome for the guest speaker lecture which will commence at approximately 8:00p.m.
Panel Discussion
Afterwards, we invite CJFE members and members of the public to join us for refreshments and a panel discussion in the Common Room.
Topic: The police practice of impersonating journalists.
Speakers: lawyer Phil Tunley
journalist Kelly Toughill
journalist and author Peter Edwards - click here for Peter's bio
We are also awaiting further confirmation from native activist Shawn Brant
Moderator: journalist Anita Mielewczyk
Here are a few words from Phil Tunley on this issue:
"Canadian police officers (including the Ontario Provincial Police, the Vancouver Police Service, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police) have been impersonating journalists.
Police have exploited the journalist-source relationship in order to enter into the trust of persons under investigation. Importantly, this approach has been used on at least two known
occasions to gather evidence about aboriginal groups engaged in protest -during the Ipperwash standoff, and during a protest led by Mohawk activist Shawn Brant.
It's clear that vulnerable and marginalized groups that need media attention to get their issues out are extremely susceptible to this tactic. That's why CJFE is working to bring a
charter application to end this practice."
Free to Speak Series: Atom Egoyan and Arsinée Khanjian
Date:Thursday, May 21, 6:30p.m.
Location: grano, 2035 Yonge St.
To view the event poster click here
In honour of World Press Freedom Day
CJFE is proud to present the first of the 2009 Free to Speak grano series featuring Atom Egoyan and Arsinée Khanjian in conversation with Anna Maria Tremonti.
In keeping with the 2009 theme of World Press Freedom Day - the potential of the media to foster dialogue, mutual understanding and reconciliation -- Atom Egoyan and Arsinée Khanjian will
speak with CBC's Anna Maria Tremonti about the unexpected challenges they confronted in the telling of the story of the Armenian Genocide in making their film "Ararat".
Proceeds from the Free to Speak series support CJFE's legal defence work in Canada and education on global free expression issues.
For tickets and information contact: Julie Payne, (416) 515-9622 x.226
or email to jpayne(AT)cjfe.org
Reporting in Afghanistan: World Press Freedom Day 2009
Date:Wednesday, April 29 12:30p.m.
Location: Glenn Gould Studio, 250 Front St. West
Join us to commemorate World Press Freedom Day
We'll explore the challenges facing foreign and local reporters, the pros and cons of embedded reporting, and the role of reporting in shaping Canadian policy and public opinion.
Panelists:
Graeme Smith, The Globe and Mail journalist
Louie Palu, photojournalist
Susan Ormiston, CBC News journalist
Hosted by Evan Solomon, CBC News Journalist
Reception to follow at 2pm
To reserve your seat for this event, send an email to events@cbc.ca by April 27
To view the event poster click here
Presented by CJFE and CBC News
Hot Docs "FIXER: The Taking of Ajmal Naqshbandi"
A film about an American journalist and his Afghan translator turns tragic when the translator is kidnapped by Taliban forces, abandoned by his government and shockingly murdered.
Date:Wednesday, May 6 7:15pm Location: The ROM Theatre
Date:Thursday, May 7 4:00pm Location: Innis Town Hall
CJFE is co-presenting this film with Hot Docs
For more information on this film, click here
Ticket Info: Prices are $12 for screenings
Tickets can be purchased online here or by phone 416-637-5150,
or in person at The Documentary Box Office, Hazelton Lanes - Lower Level, 55 Avenue Road.
FREE tickets for students and seniors: Hot Docs is pleased to offer FREE daytime screenings (before 6 pm) for seniors and students. Tickets for free daytime screenings must be obtained at the
screening venue on the day of the screening, subject to availability. Free tickets are NOT available at the Documentary Box Office.
Freedom to Read Week 2009 - Closer to the Land:
Freedom of Expression and the Environment
Date:Friday, February 27 7:00p.m
Location: Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge St.
CJFE will have a display table at PEN Canada’s annual Freedom to Read Week event at the Toronto Public Library. The event will focus
on Freedom of Expression and the environment.
Panelists:
Ken McGoogan: Biographer and historian, author of Race to the Polar Sea: the Heroic Adventures of Elisha Kent Kane.
Trevor Herriot: Naturalist, writer, illustrator, author of the mulitple-award-winning book River in a Dry Land, and the recently
released Grass, Sky, Song, Promise and Peril in the World of Grassland Birds.
Taras Grescoe: Non-fiction writer and author of Bottomfeeder: How to Eat Ethically in a World of Vanishing Seafood.
Sarah Harmer: Music icon and environmental activist.
Host:
Matt Galloway, host of Here and Now on CBC Radio One.
Tickets:
$10
For more information please visit the Toronto Library website.
International Press Fredom Awards 2008
Date:Monday, December 8 6:00p.m Reception 7:00p.m. Dinner & Program
Location: Fairmont Royal York Hotel, Toronto
The 2008 event will showcase work from media on the front lines of world affairs. Photojournalists are the people who often take the greatest risks to show us the events of our day. Sadly,
dozens of photojournalists have lost their lives in recent conflicts. At the dinner this year, we'll share with you the evocative photographs and videos that changed the course of history.
And we'll acknowledge the brave men and women who provided them to us.
For ticket and sponsorship information contact us by clicking here or call (416) 515-9622 x.231
Word on the Street 2008
Toronto - Sunday, September 28 11:00a.m-6:00p.m Come visit CJFE's booth at Toronto's Word on the Street Festival. Meet a journalist, test your
knowledge of free expression, join up!
Date: Sunday, September 28
Time: 11:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M.
Location: MM2 - that's at the North East corner of the Magazine Mews
Queen's Park - South of Charles Street and North of Wellesley St.
Click here for more information about The Word on the Street
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression Presents Rex Bloomstein's 'An Independent Mind'
Date/Time: Tuesday, August 26, 2008, 7:00pm
Where: Innis Town Hall, University of Toronto, 2 Sussex Ave., Toronto
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE), Hot Docs and The Walrus present "An
Independent Mind", a documentary by Rex Bloomstein's. The film explores the state of
freedom of expression around the world in 2008, the 60 year anniversary of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, which protects freedom of expression under Article 19.
Following the screening, there will be a panel discussion on the limitations of freedom
of expression.
An Independent Mind consists of a series of interviews with people who have faced
oppression and censorship for expressing unpopular or radical opinions. Some of the
interviewees include The Moustache Brothers, a comedy troupe in Burma, Tiken Jah Fakoly,
a reggae star from the Côte d'Ivoire, Ali Dilem, an Algerian cartoonist, and David Irving,
a British writer and historian.
Panelists:
Frank Addario
Carol Off
Mary Deanne Shears
When:
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Doors open - 6:30 pm
Film - 7:00 pm
Where:
Innis Town Hall
2 Sussex Avenue (St. George subway station)
Toronto
Tickets:
$10
$8 for students and journalists in exile
At the door or call (416) 515-9622 x231
For more information please contact:
Max Rothschild
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression
(416) 515-9622 x.231
max@rothschildco.com
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression Annual General Meeting
Date/Time: Thursday, June 12, 2008, 6:00p.m.
Where: Upper Library, Massey College, 4 Devonshire Place, Toronto
What: The meeting will be open to all members of CJFE, with a reception to follow.
All CJFE members are welcome to attend the meeting. Please register with the CJFE office.
To become a member of CJFE contact our office
Guests of members are also welcome for the guest speaker lecture which will commence at approximately 7:30PM.
CJFE presents Free to Express Himself: An Evening With Alan Johnston
Celebrate World Press Freedom Day with a riveting discussion between BBC Journalist Alan Johnston and Host of CBC's The Current,
Anna Maria Tremonti.
On March 12, 2007, BBC Reporter Alan Johnston was kidnapped by a group of Palestinian militants while on assignment in Gaza. His
plight was monitored around the world and there were rallies urging his release in major cities, including Toronto. After 114 days
of captivity he was finally freed. This is his only public appearance in Canada. Alan will also take questions from the audience.
Canadian Journalists For Free Expression joins with the Canadian Media Guild and
the International Development Research Centre to
present "Free to Express Himself" honouring Alan Johnston.
When: 7:00 pm Wednesday, April 30 Cash Bar Reception 6:00 pm

Where: Glenn Gould Studio (CBC Broadcast Centre, 250 Front Street W. Toronto)
Tickets: $20 individual tickets $15 for students (with ID)
To Buy Tickets: Click here or Phone the Glenn Gould Studio Box Office at (416) 205-5555
Special thanks to our Co-presenters: Canadian Media Guild (CMG) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and
to our sponsors: Air Canada, NOW Magazine and Media Profile.
CJFE and Hot Docs present "Letter to Anna" documentary
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) is pleased to co-present a new documentary "Letter to Anna" - The Story of Journalist
Politkovskaya's Death at the 14th Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival running from April 17 to April 27, 2008

On October 7, 2006, Vladimir Putin's 54th birthday, the journalist Anna Politkovskaya is shot in the lift of her Moscow home. Anna's
death is a personal tragedy: she has just learnt that she is to become a grandmother. But the murder is also a political act, for
Politkovskaya was the President's fiercest critic. Why was she shot in cold blood, this elegant woman who was always on the side of
the weak and those who had no rights? Was it because of the stance she took against the war in Chechnya, a war that was virtually
ignored in the world at large and yet became a turning point in Anna's life? Letter to Anna is a personal quest, but also a
political film.

Who: Directed by Eric Bergkraut | 84 min | Switzerland
When: April 17 to April 27, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Where: Innis Town Hall, 2 Sussex Avenue
What: The film will be followed by an open discussion regarding journalists at risk
Tickets: $10. Order | Online at www.hotdocs.ca | or Phone: 416-588-8DOC (8632)
Click here to find out more about the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival
CJFE and PEN Canada present
An advance screening of A Mighty Heart
A new film by Michael Winterbottom starring Angelina Jolie
Based on the book by Marianne Pearl
Featuring Speakers:
Haroon Siddiqui - Editor Emeritus, The Toronto Star
Shira Herzog - Columnist, The Globe and Mail
When: Thursday, June 21, Doors open 6:30pm film screening 7pm
Where: Cumberland Theatre, 159 Cumberland Street
Tickets: $20, Tickets available at
the Toronto Women’s Bookstore (73 Harbord Street)or Pages Books (256 Queen Street W)
For more information please call 416.515.9622 x233, 416.703.8448 x21
Proceeds support CJFE and PEN Canada
View Poster
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression Annual General Meeting
Date/Time: Thursday, June 7, 2007, 6:00p.m.
Where: Upper Library, Massey College, 4 Devonshire Place, Toronto
What: The meeting will be followed by a talk by our special guests, journalist Derek Finkle and lawyer, Ian MacKinnon,
with a reception to follow.
In 1998 Derek Finkle wrote "No Claim to Mercy" about the Robert Baltovich case. CJFE, along with the Canadian Association of Journalists, the Writers' Union and
the Professional Writers Association of Canada, are interveners in Finkle's bid to quash the Crown's request to access his material.
Derek is represented in court by Iain MacKinnon
To read more about Derek Finkle, visit this website
All CJFE members are welcome to attend the meeting. Please register with the CJFE office.
To become a member of CJFE contact our office
Guests of members are also welcome for the guest speaker lecture which will commence at approximately 7:30PM.
Toronto Rally for Alan Johnston

Date/Time: Thursday, May 10, 2007, 12:00p.m. - 12:30p.m.
Where: Simcoe Place Express Park, 200 Front Street West, Toronto, Ontario
What: Canadian Journalists for Free Expression and the Canadian Media Guild have called on their members and
all journalists to mark May 10, 2007, by attending a rally in support of British journalist Alan Johnston. BBC Gaza correspondent
Alan Johnston was kidnapped by gunmen near his office in Gaza City on March 12, 2007. Thursday, May 10 marks his 60th day in
captivity.
Who: Speakers include:
Peter Mansbridge, CBC Television
Brian Stewart, CBC Television
Anna Maria Tremonti, CBC Radio
Rick MacInnes Rae, CBC Radio
Patrick Martin, The Globe and Mail
Sandro Contenta, Toronto Star
CJFE and PEN Canada present
An advance screening of A Mighty Heart
A new film by Michael Winterbottom starring Angelina Jolie
Based on the book by Marianne Pearl
Featuring Speakers:
Haroon Siddiqui - Editor Emeritus, The Toronto Star
Shira Herzog - Columnist, The Globe and Mail
When: Thursday, June 21, Doors open 6:30pm film screening 7pm
Where: Cumberland Theatre, 159 Cumberland Street
Tickets: $20, Tickets available at
the Toronto Women’s Bookstore (73 Harbord Street)or Pages Books (256 Queen Street W)
For more information please call 416.515.9622 x233, 416.703.8448 x21
Proceeds support CJFE and PEN Canada
View Poster
Write Aid: Benefit for Derek Finkle
Date/Time: Thursday, May 24, 2007, 7:30p.m.
Where: Stones Place, 1255 Queen Street West (just west of Dufferin)
Who: 3 Chord Johnny (featuring Toronto Life editor John Macfarlane) and DJ Dave Morris (Eye Weekly’s music editor) with special guests
What: Raising funds to fight the subpoena ordering Toronto writer Derek Finkle to turn over the research for his
book, No Claim to Mercy, to the police
Tickets: $25 in advance, $30 at the door. To buy a ticket(s) click here
In 1998 Derek Finkle wrote "No Claim to Mercy" about the Robert Baltovich case. CJFE, along with the Canadian Association of Journalists, the Writers' Union and
the Professional Writers Association of Canada, are interveners in Finkle's bid to quash the Crown's request to access his material.
Derek Finkle is represented in court by Iain MacKinnon
To read more about Derek Finkle, visit this website
Derek Finkle leaving courthouse. Credit: Ryan Carter
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression is pleased to co-present
"McLuhan's Wake"
at the 14th Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival
running from April 19-29, 2007
McMahon's key concerns-the relationships between culture, technology, environment and national identity-coalesce in this artful
and sophisticated overview of Marshall McLuhan's background, ideas and insights. The guru of the electronic age, McLuhan formulated
most of his groundbreaking theories working largely outside the bounds of proper scholarship; by the late 1960s, he was both
revered and reviled, a jaunty provocateur and sage to some and an anarchistic technophobe to others. Structured around such central
McLuhan concepts as pattern recognition and the four universal laws of media, McLuhan's Wake captures his unique and influential
perspectives on the maelstrom of our media environment.
Who: Directed by Kevin McMahon, 94 min.
When: April 25, 6:45 pm
Where: at Innis Town Hall, 2 Sussex Ave.,
What: The film screening will be followed by a Q&A with the director.
Tickets $10. Order in person at CBC Newsworld Advance Box Office, 581 Bloor St. W., online at www.hotdocs.ca or by phone at
416-588-8DOC (8632).
FREE for students and seniors at screenings before 6 pm.
For more information, including other films for the "Focus on Kevin McMahon" programme, visit Hot Docs' website.
We all live in Marshall McLuhan's wake. Fascinated by the role technology played in transforming our lives, one of the 20th century's
most famous intellectuals realized with stunning accuracy the impact the digital age would have on our social, spiritual, economic a
nd ideological selves.
'The global village' and 'the medium is the message' are among the most quoted phrases of our time. Now, twenty years after his death
, in the midst of the Internet, virtual and wired technologies, McLuhan's Wake explores the enduring hold of McLuhan's message.
Blending all forms of media, including animation and special effects, this documentary features narration by performance artist
Laurie Anderson and commentary by scholars Eric McLuhan, Neil Postman, Lewis Lapham and journalist Patrick Watson.
Click here to find out more about the Hot Docs Festival
Click here to see the bios of the panelists
Renowned Iranian Journalist and Dissident Akbar Ganji Speaks in Toronto
(Toronto, January 22, 2007)

Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) and the University of Toronto
Departments of Historical Studies-UTM & Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations & the Toronto Initiative for Iranian Studies welcome
Iran's most renowned journalist and dissident, Akbar Ganji in one of his first public appearances in North America since being released
after six years of imprisonment in the infamous Evin prison in Tehran. Mr. Ganji will also accept the prestigious International Press
Freedom award from CJFE awarded to him in 2000.
Date:
Thursday, January 25, 2007, 7:00 p.m.
Venue:
The Koffler Institute, 569 Spadina Avenue, University of Toronto, Room 108 Admission is free. All are welcome, but come early as
space is limited.
Who:
Akbar Ganji, Iranian journalist
Arnold Amber, President, CJFE
Carol Off, Host of CBC Radio One 99.1's "As It Happens"
What:
Discussion of state of Press Freedom in Iran
Presentation of the 2000 International Press Freedom Award
PAST EVENTS 2006
International Press Freedom Award Banquet 2006
Word on the Street 2006
Annual General Meeting
World Press Freedom Day
Express Yourself: Groovin for a Good Cause
PAST EVENTS 2005
International Press Freedom Awards
Annual General Meeting
Hot Docs & CJFE Co-Present "Bearing Witness"
World Press Freedom Day
Press Freedom in Russia: Talking to Grigory Pasko
Feeding the Hand That Bites You
International Press Freedom Awards
Wednesday, November 1st 6:00 PM
The Arcadian Court, 401 Bay Street, Toronto
To find out more about CJFE's 9th Annual International Press Freedom Awards Event
click here.
Word on the Street
2006
Toronto - Sunday, September 24 11:00a.m-6:00p.m Come visit CJFE's booth at
Toronto's Word on the Street Festival. Meet a journalist, find out about free expression, join up!
Date: Sunday, September 24
Time: 11:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M.
Location: Queen's Park - From Bloor to Wellesley The CJFE booth is MM15 located in the North East corner of the park,
in the Magazine Mews section.
Click here for more information about The Word on the Street
CJFE Annual General Meeting
Tuesday, September 19th 6:30 PM
Upper Library, Massey College, 4 Devonshire Place, Toronto
The meeting will be followed by a talk by our special guest, Ron Deibert, with a reception to follow.
Ronald Deibert is the Director of Citizen Lab/Open Net Initiative and Associate Professor of Political Science at the Munk Centre
for International Studies, University of Toronto
All CJFE members are welcome to attend the meeting. Please register with the CJFE office.
Guests of members are also welcome for the guest speaker lecture which will commence at approximately 8:00PM.

Join us to commemorate World Press Freedom Day on May 3. Three months after the Danish cartoon controversy flared up, tempers have
calmed down, the protests have ended, and the story has fallen out of the headlines. But do we have any better understanding of what
happened, what it means for a multi-cultural, 'tolerant' country such as Canada, and how this has affected free expression around
the world. CJFE presents a panel discussion on free expression, cartoons, cultural sensitivity and the media.
Panelists include: Anver Emon, Professor of Islamic law and torts, University of Toronto,
Nikahang Kowsar, Iranian cartoonist, Josh Paterson, Acting Director of the Freedom
of Expression at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and Haroon Siddiqui, Editor Emeritus of the
Toronto Star.
Date/Time: Wednesday, May 3rd Evening. 7:00 P.M.
Venue: The Debate Room, Hart House, the University of Toronto
Admission: Free, but seating is limited.
For more information call (416) 515-9622 x.226
For information about UNESCO World Press Freedom Day visit their website here


All proceeds support the work of CJFE, specifically
the Journalists in Distress Fund which provides support to journalists in need around the world.
Where: Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. West (just west of Dufferin)
When: 8:00 PM Tuesday, March 7th
Tickets: $40 for the general public, $30 for CJFE members and students, $50 for new members (the $50 price includes a membership fee)
Tickets can be purchased from CJFE Board members or at the CJFE Office
What: Music by Mr. Something Something. Dancing by all. Guest Speaker: Carole MacNeil. Cash Bar. Great raffle prizes
Contact: CJFE office (416) 515-9622 x.226 email: Julie Payne
A Freedom to Read Week Event
For more information about Freedom to Read visit this website.
International Press Freedom Awards
Tuesday, November 1st 6:00 PM
The Arcadian Court, 401 Bay Street, Toronto
To find out more about CJFE's 8th Annual International Press Freedom Awards Event click here.
CJFE Annual General Meeting
Thursday, September 29th 6:00 PM
Upper Library, Massey College, 4 Devonshire Place, Toronto
The meeting will be followed by a talk by our special guest, Zimbabwean lawyer and human rights activist Gabriel Shumba.
Read more about Gabriel Shumba here.
All CJFE members are welcome to attend the meeting. Please register with the CJFE office.
Guests of members are also welcome for the Gabriel Shumba talk which will commence
at approximately 8:00PM
Hot Docs and CJFE Co-Present
the 1:30 p.m. Friday, April 29th Screening of
Bearing Witness
An A&E IndieFilms™ Original by Two-Time Academy Award Winner Barbara Kopple, Three-Time Emmy Award Winner Bob Eisenhardt and Marijana Wotten
Bearing Witness is an intimate look at the personal and professional lives of five accomplished women journalists and the immense risks they take to cover the world's hot spots. In doing so, they provide audiences with an unparalleled view of life behind the scenes of war-torn Iraq:
Freelance photographer Molly Bingham
Arrested by Muhuborat, Saddam's Secret police, and imprisoned at the infamous Abu Ghraib
CNN Camerawoman Mary Rogers
Chronicled tales of war from around the country with partner Ben Wedeman
Sunday Times of London writer Marie Colvin
Broke story that unearthed Iraq's mass graves
American Al Jazeera journalist May Ying Welsh
Torn between nationality and career in securing event coverage
Times of London writer Janine DiGiovanni
Forced to choose between motherhood and career while traveling the Gaza Strip
For more information about Hot Docs and ticket information visit them at their website
World Press Freedom Day


Join us at the ROM on May 3, for a lunch time discussion about journalists' rights and responsibilities.
Hamilton Spectator journalist Ken Peters speaks to author and CBC Reporter Carol Off about the legal battle which could have landed him in jail.
Date/Time: Tuesday, May 3rd 12:00 p.m.
Venue: The Glass Room, 4th Floor of the Royal Ontario Museum,Toronto, Ontario
Map: Click here for a Yahoo map
Admission: Free, but seating is limited.
For more information call (416) 515-9622 x.226
For information about UNESCO World Press Freedom Day visit their website here
Press Freedom in Russia: Talking to Grigory Pasko
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression,
Amnesty International and PEN Canada
invite you to a talk by
Russian Journalist Grigory Pasko
on the topic of
Press Freedom in Russia
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE), Amnesty International and PEN Canada are honoured to receive a visit from Grigory Pasko, a world-renowned environmental activist, military and environmental journalist, and whistleblower
who exposed Russia's dumping of nuclear waste in the Japan Sea. As a result of his reporting on that topic, Mr. Pasko suffered political persecution from Russian authorities, including criminal charges, long court battles and years in prison.
Grigory Pasko's legitimate work and commitment to freedom of expression have made him a hero to the international human rights community. Amnesty International considers Mr. Pasko to have been a prisoner of conscience and the organization
performed extensive campaigning on his behalf. CJFE has also been actively involved in supporting Mr. Pasko and publicizing his case. He is also an Honorary Member of PEN Canada. This talk is a rare opportunity for supporters of CJFE, Amnesty
International and PEN Canada to meet a person for whom they have passionately campaigned.
Grigory Pasko is currently the Galina Starovoitova Fellow on Human Rights and Conflict Resolution at the Kennan Institute/Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. He is also the Editor-in-chief of the Russian magazine Environment and Rights (Ekologia i pravo).
In 2002, Mr. Pasko won the Reporters Without Borders - Fondation de France Prize, given out by an international jury to alert the public to press freedom issues. The prize is given to journalists who have shown devotion to freedom of information through
their work. Grigory Pasko has also been nominated for a number of awards that spotlight freedom of expression abuses, including the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought and UNESCO's World Press Freedom prize.
Date: Monday, February 21, 2005 Time: 7:15 pm
Location: Timothy Eaton Memorial Church, 230 St. Clair Avenue West
(Enter the church from the east side, off Dunvegan Rd.)
Details: Free Admission
Grigory Pasko's talk will be followed by a question and answer session.
For more information: Visit www.cjfe.org or call (416) 515-9622 x.223
Feeding the Hand That Bites You
What should Investigative Reporters do
when the State comes calling - with a stick in its hand?
Four Case Studies
Date: Tuesday, January 18, 2005
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Place: Jorgenson Hall - L-72, Ryerson University, Toronto, 350 Victoria St. (at Gould)
Featuring: Author Stevie Cameron, Juliet O'Neill (Ottawa Citizen), Andrew McIntosh (National Post), and Ken Peters (Hamilton Spectator)
Moderator: Peter Desbarats, former Maclean Hunter Chair of Media Ethics, Ryerson Polytechnic University
Presented by Poking the State With a Stick Enterprises., in association with the Canadian Journalists for Free Expression and the Ryerson School of Journalism.
________________________________________________________________________
There are no rule books and few reliable guides to assist investigative journalists who set out to probe the State - only to find it hitting back via the police, the courts and even CSIS, our homegrown spooks.
What do you do when the State comes calling?
The RCMP turned up at the offices of the National Post's Andrew McIntosh demanding his copy of an allegedly forged document that was a key twist in
the murky Shawinigate scandal. His paper fought the search warrant and won a lower court ruling that says freedom of the press can sometimes trump police investigative demands.
The RCMP tailed the Ottawa Citizen's Juliet O'Neill, tapped into her e-mail, pawed through her garbage - and then raided her office, her home and her underwear drawer,
all in an effort to learn the identity of a source they say may have broken national security laws by leaking her a document outlining their case against Maher Arar.
Hamilton Spectator reporter Ken Peters used confidential city documents to write an expose of a troubled nursing home. Ten years later he faced a possible jail term after a Superior court judge
in a civil suit found him in contempt for refusing to reveal his sources. In the end Peters was ordered to pay $31,600 in court costs.
Author and investigative reporter Stevie Cameron initially agreed to meet RCMP officers who were playing catch-up to her investigations of allegedly corrupt Canadian government officials.
Nine years later the RCMP claimed in court that she was a confidential informant and it landed on the front pages of a national newspaper. The claim eclipsed the real story about government corruption and came close to destroying her reputation.
In a forum moderated by veteran journalist Peter Desbarats, this quartet of battle-hardened investigative reporters will quiz each other on the following questions:
1) Should an investigative reporter ever turn over evidence of a crime he/she uncovers? What principles govern that decision?
2) What should/must reporters know in order to best deal with the state when it comes calling?
3) Do journalists in Canada need a general shield law that protects them from having to reveal confidential sources?
4) In a free and open society, what kind of police/investigative journalist relationship serves the public interest best?
For more information or to arrange interviews with any of the panelists, please call Bill Dunphy - 905.526-3262 or e-mail at bill.dunphy@gmail.com
Poking the State With a Stick Enterprises is a joint effort of Bill Dunphy, Kimberley Noble and Jan Wong,
and has nothing to do with their respective employers.
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2004 EVENTS
International Press Freedom Awards
Annual General Meeting
Panel: Freedom on the Internet: Should there be Regulation?
Word on the Street
RSF and CJFE present "Mirrors of the War"
World Press Freedom Day, May 3
Rock The Voice: Ryerson Fundraiser for CJFE
Alexandre Trudeau joins CJFE for screening of "Embedded in Baghdad"
Journalists, Leaks and Our Freedom to Read
CJFE International Press Freedom Awards
Toronto - Wednesday, November 17, 2004 6:00 P.M. The International Press Freedom Awards is a major gathering of media companies, journalists, and leaders in the public and private sectors. Over 500 distinguished guests gather to celebrate freedom of expression and to salute the courage of journalists around the world.
Proceeds from the dinner help maintain a free press in Canada, and support persecuted journalists around the world.
Date: Wednesday, November 17
Time: 6:00 P.M
Location: Westin Harbour Castle, One Harbour Square, Toronto
Guest Speaker: Nobel prize winner, John Polanyi For more information about John Polanyi click here
Enquiries: Registration, Event, Tribute Book: contact Lynda Adler
For more information and to purchase tickets please visit the Event website
CJFE Annual General Meeting 2004

Toronto - Tuesday, October 26, 2004 All CJFE members are invited to attend the annual general meeting of CJFE.
Special guest Peter Raymont will deliver a short talk after the meeting. Refreshments will be served.
Date: Tuesday, October 26
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Upper Library, Massey College, 4 Devonshire Place, Toronto
Panel: Freedom on the Internet: Should there be Regulation?
Toronto - Wednesday, October 13 - 7:30pm CJFE & Photostart.com present
a panel to discuss pressing issues of regulation on the internet and how this impacts freedom of expression both online and in other media.
Panelists & Moderator
Moderator: Bob Carty, member of CJFE Board, CBC Radio Producer; Ottawa
Karin Spaink, freelance writer, Bits of Freedom, External Adviser Internet for OSCE/FOM www.osce.org/fom; Amsterdam
Ronald Deibert, Director Citizen Lab/Open Net Initiative, Associate Professor of Political Science, Munk Centre for International Studies, University of Toronto; Toronto
Julian Sher, former CAJ President, creator and webmaster of JournalismNet. Julian has trained journalists in using the internet as a tool for investigative reporting, and writes extensively about journalism and the web; Montreal
Date: Wednesday, October 13
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Velma Rogers Graham Theatre (Rogers Building)333 Bloor St East (@ Jarvis)
Sponsored by: the Consulate General of The Netherlands
Note: Free Admission & Wheelchair Accessible
Word on the Street 2004
Toronto - Sunday, September 26 11:00a.m-6:00p.m Come visit CJFE's booth at Toronto's Word on the Street Festival. Meet a journalist, find out about free expression, join up!
Date: Sunday, September 26
Time: 11:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M.
Location: New Location: Queen's Park - From Bloor to Wellesley
Click here for more information about The Word on the Street
Mirrors of the War
Toronto - Wednesday, May 12, 2004 -Reporters Without Borders and Canadian Journalists for Free Expression present Mirrors of The War, the premier screening of Patrick Chauvel's documentary film.
The film looks at the work of eight Photographers on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
A discussion between Israeli photographer Miki Kratsman of the Israel daily newspaper Haaretz
and Palestinian cameraman Naël Shyoukhi of Reuters will follow. Both will speak about the risks and challenges of working in the embattled region. The Toronto event is hosted by Susan Ormiston, Host of CBC's Inside Media.
Date: Wednesday, May 12
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: The Royal Cinema, 608 College St. West (Major intersection: College & Bathurst
*Please note there is major construction on College Street, which may cause a longer than normal trip. If travelling by TTC, please call them for information.
Admission: $10 (Must be 18 years or older) Tickets can be purchased in advance at Soundscapes, 572 College St.
Click here for more information about
Miki Kratsman,and
Naël Shyoukhi
World Press Freedom Day
Toronto - Monday, May 3, 2004 -Canadian Journalists for Free Expression presents Spotlight ON/Spotlight OFF, a panel discussion exploring the media's ability to shine a spotlight on human rights issues, hosted by Anna Maria Tremonti. She will be joined by eminent journalists and writers Sally Armstrong, Charlie Foran and Paul Knox who will discuss issues in Afghanistan, Hong Kong/China and Haiti.
CJFE hosts this event in celebration of May 3rd World Press Freedom Day. Each year this event is celebrated in recognition of the Declaration of Windhoek, a statement of principles drawn up by African journalists in 1991 calling for a free, independent and pluralistic media on that continent and throughout the world. CJFE reaffirms the basis of the declaration which states that a free press is essential to the existence of democracy and a fundamental human goal.
World Press Freedom Day brings together journalists, media and free expression organisations from around the world in pursuit of these common goals, and CJFE is happy that this event has received the support of the Globe & Mail and the Royal Ontario Museum, and will also include the participation of Amnesty International, PEN Canada, JEX, World Press Photo 04 Toronto, the Society of Environmental Journalists, Canadian Ethnic Journalists and Writers Club and the Freedom of Expression Committee of the Book and Periodical Council, who will have information booths at the event.
Admission is free to Spotlight On, Spotlight Off, and members of the public are invited to either bring or purchase food and refreshments at the ROM, and enjoy lunch while listening to the speakers.
Date: Monday, May 3,
Time: 12 to 2pm
Location: Canada Court, Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen's Park, Toronto, Ontario
Rock The Voice: Ryerson Fundraiser for CJFE

Toronto - April 1, 2004 Rock the Voice: a CJFE benefit concert organized by students of the Ryerson School of Journalism,
Date: Thursday April 1st
Time: doors open at 8:30pm.
Place: the 360 (North side of Queen, Less than a block east of Spadina)
Admission: $7 at the door
Featuring: Wilma; The Blood; Les Dangereux; The Imperial Library DJ Joe G
Alexandre Trudeau joins CJFE for screening of "Embedded in Baghdad"
Toronto - March 16, 2004 - Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) presents "Embedded in Baghdad", Alexandre Trudeau's powerful documentary about his experience living with an Iraqi family during the 2003 war on Iraq. Following the screening, CBC journalist Wendy Mesley joins Alexandre Trudeau onstage for a rare discussion about his war-time experiences in Iraq, and about the changes in Iraq he has seen since the making of the film. Mr. Trudeau recently returned to Canada after an extended visit to the Middle East this winter.
It was a year ago this month that US forces invaded Iraq.
"We wanted to present timely films and discussions about important free-expression issues," said CJFE Board member, Carol Off. "Alexandre Trudeau's film offers a compelling alternate perspective to the reports of journalists 'embedded' in the armed forces." This is CJFE's second movie night, following last year's succesful screening of "War Photographer".
The event, co-hosted by the Ryerson School of Journalism, is on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 at 7:30P.M. at the Ryerson University Library Theatre(L-72), 350 Victoria St., 1 block north of Dundas, east of Yonge. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Advance tickets can be purchased at Pages Books and Magazines (256 Queen St. West). Proceeds support the programs of CJFE.
Journalists, Leaks and Our Freedom to Read
Vancouver - February 25, 2004 - The Vancouver Chapter of Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) is holding a panel discussion on the latest threat to your freedom to read. It was a year ago this month that US forces invaded Iraq.
When the RCMP raided the home and office of Ottawa Citizen journalist Juliet
O'Neill, many said they had gone to far to cover up an embarrassing leak inside their own organization. They used the provisions of the post 9/11 Bill C-36, Security of Information Act, Section 4. Under this law it is a crime in Canada for anyone to retain "for any purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the State any official document...when he has no right to retain it."
Journalist argue that the right to protect the confidentiality of sources is a key pillar of media freedom as outlined in Section 2 of the Charter of Rights, and that media freedom is a pillar of our democracy itself. Judges and the Prime Minister have agreed. But not everyone, including Public Security Minister Anne McLellan and the RCMP see it that way.
Join our panel for what promises to be a lively debate to mark Freedom to Read Week, 7:30pm on Feb 25 in the Peter Kaye Room, Lower Level, Central Library, 350 West Georgia Street.
Panel members are:
Kim Bolan, Vancouver Sun Reporter
Charles Campbell, former editor of the Georgia Straight and the Vancouver Sun Entertainment Page
Richard Rosenberg - Professor, Compute Sciences Department, UBC and Vice-President Electronic Frontier Canada
Michael A. Skene, Media Lawyer and Partner, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Call 604 331-3602 for more information.
Co-sponsored by Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE), Vancouver Public Library, and the BC Library Association.
Admission is Free.
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