Keynote Speaking

Thomas Waugh, PhD, Director Concordia HIV/AIDS Project, Professor & University Chair

"Gillian Maxwell, currently of the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, was our featured speaker in 2008 in our Concordia Community Lecture Series on HIV/AIDS, a prestige forum that has been a regular feature of the Montreal scene since 1993.

Then working with the Vancouver safe injection site “Insite” Ms. Maxwell spoke on “Insite: The Right to Healthcare for Injection Drug Users” and focused on harm reduction and the favourable outcomes of the “Insite” experiment.

Our interdisciplinary roster over the years has included both a Nobel and a Pulitzer laureate, as well as many international experts in many fields. Ms. Maxwell’s lecture was one of our most successful over the years and has not been forgotten. Her analysis of her controversial topic and her personal insights into its history and social stakes, based on her exemplary and courageous community-based work and advocacy, were delivered in an eloquent, clear, impassioned and authoritative manner that inspired students and community members alike.

We recommend her highly, and hope that she will come back to Concordia for a repeat performance in the near future."