Human Rights

Protest against Filipino President Marcos Jr. with police presence
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Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visit to Vancouver sparks local outrage

Peak Web July 27, 2026

From July 1 to 4, Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited Vancouver to meet with Prime Minister Mark Carney to discuss the growing partnership between Canada and the Philippines. Carney reportedly spoke with Marcos Jr. about the Canada-ASEAN free-trade agreement. This agreement, which has been in negotiations for five years, is slated to open new markets for Canadian goods. Additionally, Carney and Marcos Jr. continued negotiations on a Canada-Philippines free-trade agreement. This deal would theoretically reduce barriers to trade between both countries and expand bilateral cooperation in key sectors. Local Canadian organizations were critical of Carney’s willingness to meet with…

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A headshot photo of Dr. Amyn Sajoo
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SFYou: Dr. Amyn Sajoo

Peak Web June 29, 2026

By: Zainab Salam, Editor-in-Chief with contributions from Petra Chase, Features Editor If you’re studying political science, international studies, or history at SFU, you’re likely to have had the pleasure of encountering this remarkable professor. Having taken a course previously instructed…

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Understanding the Rohingya genocide, heritage, and the path forward, from a Rohingya Canadian

Peak Web June 7, 2026

Content warning: mentions of sexual violence. While the turn of 2026 triggered widespread 2016 nostalgia, this period was, rather, a harrowing reminder of genocide and ongoing struggle for the Rohingya community, the world’s largest stateless ethnic group. In late 2016,…

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A collage of police tape, phone, microphone, and video camera expresses the media being barred from reporting. The background consists of newspapers and a “Hastings St.” sign.
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“Not at all” represented: Unhoused residents respond to Hastings decampment report

copy March 20, 2026

In February, BC’s human rights commissioner Kasari Govender released a report on “the exclusion of media from the April 2023 Hastings decampment.” This two-day decampment was significant in scale, with 94 tents removed and residents forcibly displaced. Despite the City…

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The queer agenda is solidarity

Peak Web November 8, 2025

Like many other communities, the queer community experiences marginalization that intersects with various social issues. Some of those issues are related to mental health, poverty, race, and physical ability. Because systems of oppression politicize queer and trans existence, the community’s…

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This is a photo of a bunch of people protesting, with one large sign reading, “No One is Illegal.”
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Understanding Bill C-2

Peak Web July 21, 2025

For many, the newly proposed Bill C-2 (also known as the Strong Borders Act) is cause for concern. According to a joint press release, it has received pushback from over 300 organizations.  The federal government has touted the bill as…

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this picture is of the inside of the house of commons, and it is empty.
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Section 33 of the Canadian Charter lets the government legally violate your rights

Peak Web February 4, 2025

Section 33, also known as the notwithstanding clause under the Canadian Charter of Rights and freedom, allows the provincial and federal government to override certain components of one’s human rights. When section 33 is invoked, the government can override certain…

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This is a photo of Oppenheimer park in march. The Cherry Blossom Trees are blooming, and there are pink flower petals sprinkling the area.
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Unhoused residents of Vancouver parks subjected to discrimination

Peak Web January 15, 2024

Since 2018, Fiona York has dedicated her time to advocating for some of Vancouver’s most vulnerable populations. Unhoused residents of Vancouver parks, such as CRAB Park and Oppenheimer Park, are subjected to street sweeps, exposure to the elements, and discrimination.…

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This is a photo of the International Criminal Court building in Geneva. The sign is clearly visible, in front of the building.
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International human rights lawyer discusses genocide and conflict

Peak Web November 22, 2023

Content warning: mentions of violence and genocide.  Payam Akhavan is an international human rights lawyer and special advisor to the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC). He’s best known for his work with the United Nations (UN) investigating conflicts…

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This is an image of the Filipino flag. Their flag is blue and red, with a sun image in the centre. The flag is blowing in the wind on a flagpole outside.
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Attorney Neri Colmenares speaks on the growing fascism in the Philippines

Peak Web November 2, 2023

On October 17, SFU Harbour Centre set the stage for “Defending Human Rights: Resistance Against the Growing Fascism in the Philippines,” an event that explained the political and economic climate of the Philippines. Headlining the event was a talk by…

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