Maria Eva Villate, Colombian Labour Leader visits Canada

Maria Eva Villate, President of the Union of Workers of the People's Defender Office in Colombia was invited to Canada to address the Human Rights panel during the 2006 PSAC Convention in Toronto.

Following the convention, Sister Villate traveled to the North West Territories, Montréal and the NCR to speak about privatization, human rights violations and the resistance of aboriginal peoples, communities and unions leader throughout Colombia.  In the Northwest Territories, Maria Eva walked the picket line with striking Ekati miners, and spoke to schools and Community meetings in Rae Edzo (Behchoko), Yellowknife and Hay River. 

Maria Eva Villate joins the Hay River Airport Picket, May 2006

She also visited with Rights and Democracy in Montreal, and had a public speaking engagement on labour rights and repression in Colombia during a public forum in Ottawa.

SJF contribution: $3,100, May 2006.