Benjamin Peterson
Encyclopedia
Ben Peterson is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Journalists for Human Rights(jhr), Canada’s largest international media development non-governmental organization.
Premier of Ontario
, David Peterson
and Canadian actress Shelley Peterson
. He is the nephew of Jim Peterson
, former Canadian Minister of International Trade, and Tim Peterson
, former Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament, and Deb Matthews
, a current Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament and Minister of Health and Long Term Care.
Peterson graduated high school from North Toronto Collegiate Institute
. He holds a BA in Economics
and a BAH in Political Studies from Queen’s University (Kingston), and a MSc in Political Theory at the London School of Economics
(LSE) where he played Varsity Basketball and studied under David Held.
While completing University Peterson worked for Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Lloyd Axworthy
and for David Bonior, the Democratic Whip in the United States House of Representatives
.
(now Ghana’s Minister of Justice), Peterson helped write Ghana’s report to the UN on the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
While in Ghana, Peterson met Alexandra Sicotte-Levesque
, employed with a similar internship in Côte d'Ivoire, and created the idea behind jhr over MSN Messenger.
Peterson and Sicotte-Levesque both lived in their respective parents house, taking no salary. jhr received start up funding from Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada in 2003 to start a small project in Ghana.
Sicotte-Leveque left jhr in 2005, making Ben the sole Executive Director. Sicotte-Levesque has since remained on jhr's Advisory Board and Board of Trustees
jhr has since grown into Canada's largest media development organization, working in over 15 countries is Sub-Saharan Africa. As of Spring 2009, jhr has offices in Toronto
, Sierra Leone
, Liberia
, and the DR Congo.
In 2007 Peterson contributed a Chapter to Notes From Canada's Young Activists, published by Greystone Books.
Early life
Peterson is the son of former LiberalOntario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
Premier of Ontario
Premier of Ontario
The Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario...
, David Peterson
David Peterson
David Robert Peterson, PC, O.Ont was the 20th Premier of the Province of Ontario, Canada, from June 26, 1985 to October 1, 1990. He was the first Liberal premier of Ontario in 42 years....
and Canadian actress Shelley Peterson
Shelley Peterson
Shelley Peterson is a Canadian television and film actress, best known as the star of the 1987 Canadian sitcom Not My Department. Peterson is also a author of many books, her most known book being Dancer....
. He is the nephew of Jim Peterson
Jim Peterson
James Scott "Jim" Peterson, PC is a retired Canadian politician and former Minister of International Trade.Born in Ottawa, Ontario, he has a DCL from McGill University, a Master of Laws from Columbia University, and a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Western Ontario...
, former Canadian Minister of International Trade, and Tim Peterson
Tim Peterson
Tim Peterson is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the Greater Toronto Area riding of Mississauga South...
, former Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament, and Deb Matthews
Deb Matthews
Deborah Drake Matthews, Ph.D. is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the riding of London North Centre for the Ontario Liberal Party, and is currently the province's Minister of Health and Long-Term Care in the government of...
, a current Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament and Minister of Health and Long Term Care.
Peterson graduated high school from North Toronto Collegiate Institute
North Toronto Collegiate Institute
North Toronto Collegiate Institute is a non-semestered public high school of over 1,000 students located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Toronto District School Board....
. He holds a BA in Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
and a BAH in Political Studies from Queen’s University (Kingston), and a MSc in Political Theory at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
(LSE) where he played Varsity Basketball and studied under David Held.
While completing University Peterson worked for Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Lloyd Axworthy
Lloyd Axworthy
Lloyd Norman Axworthy, PC, OC, OM is a prominent Canadian politician, statesman and University President from Manitoba. He is best known for having served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien...
and for David Bonior, the Democratic Whip in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
.
Time in Ghana
From 2001 to 2002 Peterson worked at the Ghanaian Ministry of Justice on an intership funded by the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Under the direction of Betty Mould-IddrisuBetty Mould-Iddrisu
Betty Mould-Iddrisu is a Ghanaian lawyer and politician. She is the Minister for Education in Ghana. Her first direct involvement in the Ghana government was as the Attorney General and Minister for Justice of Ghana since 2009. Prior to that, she had been the Head of Legal and Constitutional...
(now Ghana’s Minister of Justice), Peterson helped write Ghana’s report to the UN on the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
While in Ghana, Peterson met Alexandra Sicotte-Levesque
Alexandra Sicotte-Levesque
Alexandra Sicotte-Levesque founded Journalists for Human Rights in 2002 with Benjamin Peterson. Sicotte-Levesque has also worked as a Radio Producer for the United Nations radio in Sudan...
, employed with a similar internship in Côte d'Ivoire, and created the idea behind jhr over MSN Messenger.
The Creation of jhr
Peterson Co-Founded jhr with Sicotte-Levesque in 2002. jhr was founded with the mission of building the capacity of the African media to report more effectively on human rights issues.Peterson and Sicotte-Levesque both lived in their respective parents house, taking no salary. jhr received start up funding from Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada in 2003 to start a small project in Ghana.
Sicotte-Leveque left jhr in 2005, making Ben the sole Executive Director. Sicotte-Levesque has since remained on jhr's Advisory Board and Board of Trustees
jhr has since grown into Canada's largest media development organization, working in over 15 countries is Sub-Saharan Africa. As of Spring 2009, jhr has offices in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
, Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
, and the DR Congo.
Writing
Ben writes a daily blog at www.BenPeterson.ca and is a contributing writer for The Mark News and Our Neighbourhood Magazine.In 2007 Peterson contributed a Chapter to Notes From Canada's Young Activists, published by Greystone Books.