Points of View: A National Human Rights Photography Exhibition

Human rights stories are all around us. Sometimes it just takes a different point of view to bring them into focus.

Points of View offers glimpses into how people perceive human rights around them – rights related to expression, inclusion and diversity, reconciliation and the environment.

Comprised of 70 images selected by a jury from the 984 photographs submitted between September 15 and December 31, 2016, this exhibition was crowd-sourced from people across Canada to mark Canada 150.  Some of these images may convey viewpoints similar to your own. Others may inspire you to think about an issue in a new way. We all have different points of view.

The jury selected an outstanding photograph in each of the four themed categories, as well as an outstanding youth photograph. It also recognized one photograph as the most outstanding image in the exhibition at large.

Best Photograph, Points of View and Best Photograph, Reconciliation - Mi’kmaq Woman, 2013, Ossie Michelin, North West River, Newfoundland and Labrador

Best Photograph, Freedom of Expression - I Me Myself, 2012, Rajneesh Fontana, Victoria, British Columbia

Best Photograph, Inclusion and Diversity - Melinda, 2014, Darren Ell, Montréal, Quebec, and Philippe Montbazet, Outremont, Quebec

Best Photograph, Human Rights and the Environment - Toxic Childhood, 2013, Michael Toledano, North York, Ontario

Best Photograph, Youth - Gone But Not Forgotten, 2016, Madelaine Toupin, Beausejour, Manitoba

Visitors online and in-gallery were also invited to vote for their favourite photograph. Over 24,362 votes were cast, and on January 16, Melanie Gray’s entry, The Next Generation (2015) received the People’s Choice Award.