The Non-Conference, 2015

Lawrence Krauss

Brian “Mr. Deity” Dalton

Stephanie Guttormson

Armin Navabi

Armin Navabi

Ensaf Haidar (wife of Raif Badawi) and
Spencer Lucas (organizer of Non-Conference)

Ensaf Haidar and her interpreter

Carolyn Hyppolite

Blasphemy Panel

Sandy Donaldson

The Non-Conference

The Non-Conference

August 22^nd 2015, Kitchener, Ontario

The Non-Conference 2015, an “event for supporters of humanism, secularism, and atheism,” will take place in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada on August 22^nd 2015.

The conference promises an excellent list of engaging speakers, including Lawrence Krauss; Brian “Mr. Deity” Dalton; Ensaf Haidar from Quebec and wife of persecuted Saudi blogger Raif Badawi; Faisal Al Mutar; Armin Navabi; Sandy Donaldson; Doug Thomas, President of Secular Connexion Séculaire; Eric Thomas, President of Humanist Canada; Carolyn Hyppolite; Stephanie Guttormson; Christine Shellska, President of Atheist Alliance International; and David Rand, president of Atheist Freethinkers (Libres penseurs athées)

Several of the above speakers, including David Rand, will participate in a panel discussion about blasphemy laws in many countries around the world and the importance of repealing all of them. Canada’s Criminal Code includes a provision (§296) banning “Blasphemous Libel.” The same Criminal Code also includes provisions (§318–§320) banning hate propaganda; however there is a religious exception which declares that “an opinion on a religious subject or … based on a belief in a religious text” is not prosecutable, thus giving religions a privilege that is denied to others. Furthermore, in Quebec, the current Couillard government is introducing dangerous legislation, draft Bill 59, which would constitute a form of anti-blasphemy law at the provincial level because it would make “hate speech” prosecutable by the human rights commission.

For further information and ticketing see: thenon-conference.com.

See also:

• Video: Blasphemy Panel at The Non-Conference 2015