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Vancouver B.C. – B.C.’s Human Rights Commissioner is launching a new Beyond the Headlines livestream series with a discussion of housing as a human right. On Thursday, Nov. 28 at 1 p.m. PST, Commissioner Kasari Govender will sit down with Federal Housing Advocate, Marie-Josée Houle, for a candid conversation about navigating the housing crisis while keeping human rights in focus. 

Media and public are invited to watch the discussion via Zoom or the Commissioner’s YouTube, Facebook or Instagram pages. Those who register and join the Zoom webinar will be able to ask questions during the event that may be answered live. 

As described in the Commissioner’s landmark Rights in Focus report, released earlier this year, ​the housing crisis has exposed vulnerable people to increased risk of violence and exploitation—and has pushed thousands of people in B.C. into homelessness. Coming on the heels of National Housing Day (Nov. 22), this Beyond the Headlines discussion will provide a space to better understand how to address homelessness through a rights-based lens.   

  •  WHO:
    • Kasari Govender, B.C.’s independent Human Rights Commissioner 
    • Marie-Josée Houle, Federal Housing Advocate  
  • WHAT: Beyond the Headlines: A conversation on housing and human rights with Marie-Josée Houle 
  • WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024,  1:00 – 2:00 p.m. PST 
  • WHERE: Via a Zoom webinar and streaming live on YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn 
  • REGISTER: To register for the Zoom webinar, visit: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_EBp60LqqQr-GNOyICJjPTQ#/registration 

Note: Please note that the Commissioner and Advocate will only be accepting audience questions from registered webinar participants via the Zoom platform during the Q and A. When registering, please advise us of any accessibility needs or translation requirements you may have. We will work to accommodate you.   

This will be the Commissioner’s first installment of Beyond the Headlines. Additional conversations will be scheduled in the months to come to share insights on some of the most important rights issues facing people in B.C.

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Contacts 

To request an interview with Commissioner Kasari Govender, please contact Lindsey Bertrand, Manager, Communications, at or 604-306-7369. 

Media kit 

Visit our media kit for images of Commissioner Kasari Govender, pronunciation guidance, bios and more.  

About BCOHRC 

BC’s Office of the Human Rights Commissioner exists to address the root causes of inequality, discrimination and injustice in B.C. by shifting laws, policies, practices and cultures. We do this work through education, research, advocacy, inquiry and monitoring. Learn more at: bchumanrights.ca 

About the Commissioner 

Kasari Govender began her work as B.C.’s first independent human rights commissioner in September 2019.  As an independent officer of the Legislature, Commissioner Govender is uniquely positioned to ensure human rights in B.C. are protected, respected and advanced on a systemic level. In her first five-year term, her work through BC’s Office of the Human Rights Commissioner included a public inquiry into experiences of hate in the pandemic, a report on systemic discrimination in policing, community embedded research about a range of human rights issues experienced by British Columbians, public awareness campaigns about ableism and racism and guidance to government that, among other things, informed the creation of both the Anti-Racism Data Act and the Anti-Racism Act. Commissioner Govender was reappointed for a second term beginning in September 2024.  

About Marie-Josée Houle, Federal Housing Advocate 

Marie-Josée Houle was appointed as Canada’s first Federal Housing Advocate in February 2022, marking a new chapter in her career in affordable housing and homelessness. Prior to her appointment, Ms. Houle held a number of roles including frontline work in housing co-ops, consulting and project management for affordable housing development, bylaw review, housing-related research projects, developing educational programs for housing co-ops and non-profits and senior leadership roles. She has worked with diverse partners in the sector to foster innovation, leverage strategic partnerships and address gaps and human rights violations related to housing. She is recognized for her leadership, community activism, human rights expertise and extensive knowledge of the housing system. 

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Get the latest human rights news from us on Twitter (@humanrights4BC), Facebook (facebook.com/HumanRights4BC) and Instagram (@humanrights4BC). 

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