IACHR Agrees to Hear Demers vs. Canada
By Joanne Byfield

Jim Demers of Nelson, BC, will have his petition to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights heard on the grounds of free speech.
           
Mr. Demers, as reported in the last issue of LifeCanada News, appealed to the IACHR after the Supreme Court of Canada refused to hear an appeal of his case.
           
Mr. Demers was convicted under British Columbia's draconian bubble zone legislation after he held up a sign in front of the Every woman's Health Centre in Vancouver which read, "Every person has the right to have his life respected. This right shall be protected by law, in general, from the moment of Conception. Art. 4-1 American Convention of Human Rights." He spent seven weeks in jail awaiting trial. He asked the IACHR to hear his case, arguing that his conviction violated eight articles of the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man. ("American" refers to North and South America.) 
           
Earlier this month the commission informed Mr. Demers that it will accept his petition on two of the grounds, freedom of expression and freedom of association.
           
Mr. Demers has two months to file any additional information and the IACHR will then proceed to work with the petitioner and the government of Canada to reach a settlement of his complaint.
           
If you would like to help defray Mr. Demers' legal costs for this process, you can reach him at:

Jim Demers
c/o Nelson Right to Life Society,
Box 324
Nelson, BC  V1L 3Z2.  

Joanne Byfield is the President of LifeCanada.