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Intellectual freedom is the right of all people to hold and express opinions without interference and to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. Intellectual freedom is recognized by the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 19, as a basic human right.

News March 7, 2022

Todd Kyle Joins the CFE Working Group on Intellectual Freedom

Todd Kyle, CEO of the Brampton Public Library, is joining the Centre for Free Expression’s Working Group on Intellectual Freedom. “Mr. Kyle is a long-time champion of intellectual freedom who brings a wealth of experience from his many leadership roles in the Canadian library world,” said James L. Turk, Director of the Centre for Free Expression. “We are delighted he is joining our working group.”
Blog October 26, 2021

When politics trumps teachers’ professional judgment, students and society lose

Freedom of Expression is an important foundation of a democratic society and protected as a “fundamental freedom” in Section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Yet, in both countries, free expression is being used paradoxically to justify censorship. A disturbing recent example is the enactment of Texas House Bill 3979: “An Act relating to the social studies curriculum in public schools.”
News June 1, 2021

Marcellus Turner and Carla Graebner join CFE Working Group on Intellectual Freedom

Marcellus Turner, CEO and Chief Librarian at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, and Carla Graebner, Data Services and Government Information Librarian at Simon Fraser University, are the newest members of the Centre for Free Expression Working Group on Intellectual Freedom. Turner spent the past ten years as the Executive Director and Chief Librarian at The Seattle Public Library in Seattle, Washington which, in 2020 under his leadership, was awarded the prestigious 2020 Library of the Year by Gale/Library Journal. 
News February 8, 2021

Mark Williams Joins CFE Working Group on Intellectual Freedom

Milton Public Library Chief Librarian and CEO Mark Williams is joining the Centre for Free Expression’s Working Group on Intellectual Freedom. “We are delighted to welcome such a dedicated champion of intellectual freedom to the CFE Working Group,” said James L. Turk, the Centre’s Director.