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Annual General Meeting

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The AGM 2025 has passed. We look forward to seeing you next year!

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Thank you for joining us this year for Amnesty’s

Annual General Meeting

Stronger together: Building power to protect human rights

Our 2025 Annual General Meeting took place in Toronto from June 5 to June 8, 2025. This important gathering brought together staff, members, activists, and our Board to reflect on our impact and look ahead to the urgent challenges facing human rights in Canada and around the world.

Throughout the event, we stood in solidarity and creatively imagined the future of our movement. By working together to strategically plan how we meet, engage, and organize, we took meaningful steps toward strengthening our collective efforts and advancing our goals.

Date

June 5–8, 2025

Location

“The George”
George Brown College Residence & Conference Centre
80 Cooperage St
Toronto ON, M5A 0J3

Please reach out to members@amnesty.ca if you have any questions or concerns.

Schedule

Thursday

The 2025 Youth Leadership Summit

3:00 – 9:00 pm edt

Friday

The 2025 Youth Leadership Summit

9:00 am – 12:00 pm EDT

Annual General Meeting

2:00 – 9:00 pm EDT

Saturday

Annual General Meeting

9:00 am – 8:30 pm EDT

Sunday

Annual General Meeting

9:00 am – 2:30 pm EDT

AGM 2025 Agenda
Vision, Goals & Guiding Principles

important deadlines

Membership

Make sure your membership is up to date! Only Amnesty members are eligible to move and second resolutions, run for election, nominate candidates and vote in the election. Your membership must start 30 days prior to the Annual General Meeting to participate in governance activities.

RESOLUTIONS

Resolutions, including amendments to the By-laws or Standing Orders, may be submitted by any member of the Branch and by the Board of Directors (in accordance with Article 6.05 c of By-law No. 1). View our Resolution Guidelines for more details.

DIRECTOR NOMINATIONS

Find out more about the nomination process to become an elected member of Amnesty Canada’s Board of Directors. If you would like to request a Nomination Form or more information about board positions, please get in touch with the Board Nominations Committee.

ONLINE ELECTIONS

We are excited to announce our new Board Members. Please follow the link below to see our new Board Chair and Directors.

Board Members

Want to join amnesty’s Board of Directors?

At this pivotal moment, we need strong, visionary leaders to join our Board of Directors and Global Delegation. The world is at a crossroads, and Amnesty’s work is more critical than ever. We are looking for passionate individuals with leadership, governance, and nonprofit experience who want to make a tangible impact in shaping our human rights movement in Canada.

Why Join Amnesty’s Board?

By stepping into a leadership role, you will:

  • Shape Amnesty’s future – Help steer the organization’s strategic direction and strengthen our governance.
  • Expand your leadership experience – Gain invaluable skills in nonprofit management, advocacy, and governance.
  • Network with human rights leaders – Connect with professionals, activists, and change-makers from across Canada and beyond.
  • Make a real impact – Play a key role in advancing global and local human rights initiatives.

Leadership & Governance Info Session

Date

Tuesday, April 1, 2025

Time

7:00–8:30PM EDT

What to Expect

Get your questions answered and hear from current and former Board members and Global Delegation representatives about how strong governance enables Amnesty to create meaningful change.

Available Positions

Chair of the Board

 2-year term

1 position available

The Chair’s overall responsibility is to provide leadership and direction to the Board and staff. The person serves as an ex-officio member of all Board committees and chairs the Annual General Meeting. The Chair also maintains regular contact with the Secretary General and Executive Director and liaises with the International Board and International Secretariat. 

Board Directors

2-year term

4 positions available

(at least 1 position must be held by a youth candidate, aged 18-24)

Directors attend and actively participate in Board meetings and the Annual General Meeting. They approve the annual budget for the Branch, review and assess annual financial statements, mandates, and strategic plans, and participate in and/or lead various committees.

Board Directors

1-year term

1 position available

Directors attend and actively participate in Board meetings and the Annual General Meeting. They approve the annual budget for the Branch, review and assess annual financial statements, mandates, and strategic plans, and participate in and/or lead various committees.

2026 Global Delegates

1-year term

1 position available

(must be held by a youth candidate, aged 18-24)

The Global Delegate, alongside the Chair of the Board and the Secretary General, represents our Amnesty International Canada (English Speaking) members at the international level of our movement during the Global Assembly and Regional Forum. 

Overview of Candidates

The Nominations Committee encourages members to take the time to review all the candidates answers to make an informed decision on who to vote for at the Annual General Meeting. A written and video introduction are included below and the responses to the competency survey’s additional questions from nominated candidates will be sent to members separately.

View current board members
Collage of images of people participating in an event and holding up signs

The 2025 Youth Leadership Summit

Special Human Rights College Event

For more than 20 years, the Human Rights College for Youth (HRC) has launched young activists and shaped how youth engage in Amnesty’s governance, campaigns, and leadership. Our Activism Team has trained and connected generations of youth leaders who have gone on to lead human rights initiatives, influence decision-making, and drive real change.

What is the 2025 Youth Leadership Summit?

The Youth Leadership Summit 2025 was a reimagined version of the Human Rights College designed to:

  • Bring together youth leaders to connect and collaborate prior to the Annual General Meeting.
  • Empower young activists to actively participate in Amnesty’s governance and decision-making.
  • Welcome new voices and make space for fresh ideas and perspectives.
  • Strengthen ties to our National Youth Strategy so our work drives real impact.

Current youth leaders, youth and student group representatives, and emerging activists from the Greater Toronto Region are invited. We’ll do our best to ensure regional diversity! The Summit will be youth-led, with a planning team comprising youth leaders and Amnesty’s Activism Team.

Membership Benefits

Amnesty Icons

Urgent Updates

Timely emails with how you can take action to protect human rights.

Witness your impact

Inspiring stories and photos showing how your support is changing lives.

Amnesty Icons

Have your say

Help shape the future of Amnesty by contributing your ideas and views.

Want voting rights at the Annual General Meetings, Special Meetings and in online elections?

Become an Amnesty member

You must formally notify us of your choice to become a member and make a financial contribution of any amount at least 30 days before the Annual General Meeting. You will then have the right to vote in elections for board members and on resolutions.

All Amnesty Canada supporters can become members.

What’s the difference?

Supporters

Supporters are the backbone of Amnesty’s activism and campaigns. By donating or taking action, they help drive the movement forward and can engage in many opportunities to organize and lead. However, their role does not extend to voting in formal governance decisions.

  • Contribute financially or through action (e.g., monthly donors, petition signers).
  • Can join committees or take on leadership roles.
  • Can attend regional, annual, and special member meetings in a non-voting capacity.
  • Cannot run for elected positions
  • Cannot vote on resolutions of the Branch
  • Cannot vote in elections for Directors or international representatives

Members

Members hold the organization’s decision-making power. They not only participate in meetings and elections but also shape the leadership and governance of Amnesty International Canada. Membership carries both rights and responsibilities under the Not-for-Profit Act.

  • Must be in good standing to access governance rights.
  • Receive official notification of Annual General Meetings (AGMs) and Special Meetings.
  • Can vote at AGMs and Special Meetings.
  • Eligible to run for positions on the Board of Directors.
  • Eligible to run for the delegation to the Global Assembly Meeting.
  • Can vote in elections for Directors and international representatives.
  • Required by Canada’s Not-for-Profit Act to allow their contact information to be shared with other members for certain governance purposes.

If you have questions, please email Member Services directly: members@amnesty.ca.

Board Members

Kim Doyle Thorsen | Amnesty International Canada

Kim Doyle Thorsen

Board Chair

Current term concludes June 2027

Kim is a lifelong activist, with a remarkable journey of over three decades of unwavering commitment to human rights. First joining Amnesty Canada as a passionate 19-year-old in 1987, her dedication has only deepened over the years.

Geneviève Thériault-Lachance, Vice-Chair, Amnesty International Canada

Geneviève Thériault-Lachance

Vice-Chair

Current term concludes June 2026

Geneviève Thériault-Lachance is a lawyer based in Quebec that specializes in corporate accountability. She is particularly interested in corporate ethics and the connection between corruption and human rights violations.

Fariha Khan

Treasurer

Current term concludes June 2026

Fariha has over a decade of management and technology consulting experience, during which time she strategized, designed, and developed actionable solutions to global and emerging challenges in the public, private, and social sectors.

Aisha Ryan

Director

Current term concludes June 2026

Aisha Ryan is an experienced human rights researcher and consultant currently based in Islamabad where she designs and implements development projects across Pakistan. She has worked on social impact and human rights projects in Canada, the UK, France, Italy, Guinea, Senegal, and Australia.

Young man smiling

Declan Sander

Director

Current term concludes June 2027

Declan Sander is a finance student at the University of Calgary and co-founder of BirchBark Health, a nonprofit focused on expanding access to culturally safe healthcare in rural Indigenous communities through data infrastructure and local capacity building.

Young man smiling

Haris Ahmad

Director

Current term concludes June 2027

Haris Ahmad is a medical student at Toronto Metropolitan University and a long-time advocate for equity, youth empowerment, and human rights. An immigrant and community builder, Haris brings over a decade of grassroots organizing and nonprofit governance experience to the board.

Lana smiling

Lana Verran

Director

Current term concludes June 2027

With over two decades of involvement in Amnesty International, Lana brings deep experience in governance, strategic leadership, and people-centered activism. Having served in a variety of roles—including Director-at-Large, Board Chair, and Global Assembly Chair—Lana has consistently demonstrated the ability to lead through complexity with a steady hand.

Laurin Liu, Director, Amnesty International Canada (English-speaking)

Laurin Liu

Director

Current term concludes June 2026

Laurin Liu was a Canadian Member of Parliament between 2011-2015 and served as the youngest female Parliamentarian in Canadian history. For years, she has also worked for international philanthropies and NGOs, where she has played a behind-the-scenes role in strategic communications.

Man smiling in suit outside

Saad Hammadi

Director

Current term concludes June 2026

Saad Hammadi has served in leadership positions of international media and human rights organizations during more than two decades of his professional experience. He is the Policy and Advocacy Manager and a Fellow at the Balsillie School of International Affairs, where he manages among others the case studies of human rights implications in technology governance.

Woman smiling in front of colourful balloons

Vanessa Dib

Director

Current term concludes June 2027

Vanessa Dib is an activist with Amnesty Canada, specifically a member of the Refugee Migrants Group. She has a background in political science from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in development studies from the University of Cambridge.

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