Our Volunteer Activists are vital to the success Amnesty International enjoys in its protection of human rights. Our wonderful members make Amnesty’s efforts effective. Our researchers check the allegations and create the actions. Our staff distribute them and facilitate action. But it’s not until our members ACT that we raise our voices in a cry for justice. And its membership that makes Amnesty International an organization that differs from most. We witness, we report, but we also act. Thank you for all you do.
We recognize and extend our thanks to all of our Saskatchewan Amnesty International volunteers.
Gord Barnes is a volunteer Grassroots Activist Leader (formerly Fieldworker) with Amnesty International Canada. He lives in Regina and has connected with many people throughout S askatchewan to promote our human rights work. You can email Gord here.
“I have met people who have had family members executed. Other people who have been prisoners of conscience, jailed solely for their political or religious beliefs who have eventually been released. I have met First Nations people who live here in Regina who have gone through the terrible experience of having a mother, daughter or sister murdered or who is missing.
Fundamentally, I feel all human rights are universal, that the rights that are guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, all need to be enjoyed by everyone, I was involved with Amnesty International for a few years, writing letters and active locally here in Regina, and then (many years ago) I was encouraged by one of the AI Canada staff to consider applying tobecome involved in the volunteer Fieldworker program. I wasn’t sure I had the right experience and skills but I discovered this was a great way to learn more about human rights and about effective activism – I am grateful for being encouraged to do this.
We need people with a wide range of skills, experience and interests to build a strong community of human rights activists in Saskatchewan. I would say to people who are thinking about volunteering – thank you!!! You will be welcomed as you become involved with other people who are passionate about human rights.”
Crystal Giesbrecht joined Amnesty International Canada as a Grassroots Activist Leader (formerly Fieldworker) in 2012. She is also a member of the Regina Community Group (AI 91) and a dedicated Amnesty International letter-writer. You can contact Crystal via email here.
Crystal works at the Provincial Association of Transition Houses and Services of Saskatchewan (PATHS) and is a PhD Candidate in Justice Studies at the University of Regina. Her career, research, and volunteer work focuses on the prevention of gender-based violence.
David Hedlin has been a member of Amnesty International since 1981, serving off and on as secretary of Saskatoon’s Group 33. In his recently created capacity as Fieldworker/Grassroots Activist he aims to increase Amnesty’s profile in central and northern Saskatchewan. The Iran-Action Network he and the local Iran Paivand committee are building is meant to bring attention to Iran’s use of its judicial apparatus, and specifically torture and the death penalty, as a tool of terror. With other members of Group 33, he is working to strengthen Amnesty’s alliance with the Indigenous community, to advocate for the rights outlined in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. He is offering assistance to students at high school and university in organizing human rights work there. He and others are creating public events designed to explore the meaning of human rights, discuss specific cases of injustice in Canada and abroad, and present methods for taking action. He is communicating with members of Saskatoon’s professional, faith, labour, academic and business groups, seeking their ad hoc support on cases of injustices where it’s relevant to their work. For more information, contact David by email here.
Bill Rafoss has been active in Amnesty International Group 33 in Saskatoon for over ten years. Bill is the former lead investigator at the Sask. Human Rights Commission, and he was a sessional instructor in Political Studies at the University of Saskatchewan and St. Thomas More College in Saskatoon.
Bill currently conducts ‘code of conduct’ investigations for a number of regulatory bodies. In 2015, Bill was elected to the national board of Amnesty International Canada, and in 2017, he was elected national board chair. In 2017, Bill was recognized by the University of Saskatchewan as one of Canada’s 150 top nation builders for his work in human rights. Bill has an MA in Political Studies from USask and a Certificate in Law from Queen’s University. Bill’s interests center around civil and political rights.
You can contact Bill by emailing him here.
Dastageer Sakhizai, Director – Amnesty International Canada Board
Dastageer was elected to the Amnesty International Board in June 2022. Dastageer serves on the Governance Committee of the AI Canada Board of Directors.
Dastageer works as a Senior Policy Analyst at the Government of Saskatchewan in Canada. His career in public policy started in early 2006 after graduation from the School of Policy Studies at Queens University. Prior to transitioning to his new career in public policy, Dastageer worked in the conflict resolution area as a mediator in Saskatoon Community Mediation Services for five years.
In his previous career, Dastageer worked as a researcher in the academies of sciences of Afghanistan, Hungary, Uzbekistan, and Bulgaria, as well as at the University of Saskatchewan, where he was recruited for a research project and subsequently settled in Canada.
Dastageer’s work with Amnesty started with a local group in Saskatoon in 2000 that was expanded to some activities at a national level as well. Besides defending human rights, Dastageer’s work in promoting social justice in other areas included advocacy for electoral reform/proportional representation, workforce integration of professional immigrants, and raising awareness about Canadian citizenship (through organizing community-based citizenship ceremonies). His work in the voluntary sector led to the founding of three advocacy organizations/networks where he served as the founding president/chairman.
Dastageer holds a Bachelor of Science in plant sciences, a Master of Science in genetics, and a Master of Public Administration as well as two post-graduate specializations.
To contact Dastageer, email him here.
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