It is a great pleasure to send out birthday greetings from Art’s History to that tireless champion of human rights, Irwin Cotler. Over his distinguished career he has served as federal Minister of Justice, helped represent Canada at the funeral of Nelson Mandela (where I had the honour to meet him), combatted antisemitism in all shapes and forms both domestically and abroad, and a world-renowned legal scholar throughout the decades. Cotler has also served as President of the Canadian Jewish Congress. Most recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin banned him from visiting Russia, a move Cotler described as a “badge of honour.”
Respected by partisans of all stripes both at home and abroad, Cotler continues his work fighting discrimination and seeking human rights for all.
Happy birthday Mr. Cotler!
Arthur Milnes is an accomplished public historian and award-winning journalist. He was research assistant on The Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney’s best-selling Memoirs and also served as a speechwriter to then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper and as a Fellow of the Queen’s Centre for the Study of Democracy under the leadership of Tom Axworthy. A resident of Kingston, Ontario, Milnes serves as the in-house historian at the 175 year-old Frontenac Club Hotel.