February 22 – 28, 2009 is Freedom to Read Week in Canada. This is an annual event that encourages Canadians to think about intellectual freedom.
Freedom to read can never be taken for granted. Even in Canada, a free country by world standards, books and magazines are banned at the border. Books are removed from the shelves in Canadian libraries, schools and bookstores every day. Free speech on the Internet is under attack. Few of these stories make headlines, but they affect the right of Canadians to decide for themselves what they choose to read.
Visit the Freedom to Read Week website for a calendar of the week’s events across Canada, information on censorship in Canada (including a list of over 100 books that have been challenged), and additional resources for educators and individuals for discussing intellectual freedom and censorship issues.