For four decades, Alex Neve, the CBC Massey Lecturer, has dedicated himself to defending human rights principles enshrined in the 1948 Universal Declaration. However, Neve emphasizes that his journey has been shaped significantly by the people he has encountered in the front lines of human rights battles. These personal encounters serve as the core narrative of his 2025 CBC Massey Lectures, titled Universal: Renewing Human Rights in a Fractured World.
Neve recounted to IDEAS host Nahlah Ayed that his introduction to the core of human rights activism occurred during his childhood in Calgary. At the age of eight, Neve’s father passed away suddenly, leaving his mother, Jean Neve, as the sole provider for him and his sibling. Jean, a homemaker thrust back into the workforce without adequate childcare, became a vocal advocate for daycare services during a time when the concept was met with skepticism in Alberta.
Neve vividly recalls watching his mother depart for meetings and events with a bag full of buttons proclaiming “Daycare Now!” whenever the babysitter arrived, a moment that planted the seeds of his future dedication to social justice.
This pivotal moment instilled in Neve a sense of agency to address societal injustices rather than passively accepting them.
“It instilled in me a belief that the world harbors numerous inequities and injustices that require remedy and change. Instead of mere lamentation, we should actively engage in rectifying these wrongs,” Neve articulated.
A Paternal Influence
Reflecting on his father, Robert Neve, also a legal practitioner known for his reluctance to prioritize financial gain over client welfare, Neve remarked that his father’s ethos left a lasting impression on him.
“His emphasis was always on ensuring individuals received the necessary support and services, with financial considerations being secondary,” Neve shared.
