Sept 6, 2015
Huffington Post / Human Rights Watch – Kenneth Roth
The Refugee Crisis That Isn’t
The current furor around the refugee crisis in Europe is misplaced says Human Rights Watch. In fact, there is a political crisis around refugee settlement but the total population of the EU is over 500 million with less than .067% currently in Europe, a trickle of people compared to the wave that could absorb the trickle. “The biggest concern among the hawkers of crisis seems to be fears about culture.” https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/09/03/refugee-crisis-isnt Related article: The Vancouver Sun – Daphne Bramham: Canada has lost its way as a compassionate country – We no longer are who we think we are
http://www.vancouversun.com/daphne+bramham+canada+lost+compassionate+country/11339152/story.html#ixzz3kmByko5q Related article: Toronto Star – Rosie DiManno Time for Canada to look in the mirror: DiManno http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/09/04/time-for-canada-to-look-in-the-mirror-dimanno.html Related article: Human Rights Watch – Peter Bouckaert Dispatches: Why I Shared a Horrific Photo of a Drowned Syrian Child https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/09/02/dispatches-why-i-shared-horrific-photo-drowned-syrian-child Related article: Toronto Star – David Rider and Jennifer Pagliaro Mayor John Tory sponsoring Syrian family, in wake of refugee crisis – Mayor John Tory says Torontonians need to make the crisis top of mind, act generously towards Syrian refugees http://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2015/09/03/mayor-john-tory-sponsoring-syrian-family-in-wake-of-refugee-crisis.html Related article: Globe and Mail – Sean Fine Canada’s response to refugee crises today a stark contrast to past efforts http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/canadas-response-to-refugee-crises-today-a-stark-contrast-to-past-efforts/article26223762/ Related article: Globe and Mail – Ratna Omidvar Practical solutions for refugees flow from political will http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/practical-solutions-for-refugees-flow-from-political-will/article26215802/ Related article: Telesurf TV (BC) – Harsha Walia Canada: From Permanent Residency to Permanent Precarity http://www.telesurtv.net/english/opinion/Canada-From-Permanent-Residency-to-Permanent-Precarity-20150903-0038.html
The Toronto Star – Lorne Waldman and Lobat Sadrehashemi
Canada’s refugee policies are mean and incompetent
Both authors are executive members of the Canadian Association of Refugees Lawyers. They insist that the government failure is a part of a larger failure in welcoming refugees to Canada. Now, they say, the Canadian government is failing in their duty in international law and to international communities. http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2015/09/05/canadas-refugee-policies-are-mean-and-incompetent.html Related article: Toronto Star Editorial (Sept 3, 2015) Canada can be much more open to Syrian refugees http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2015/09/03/canada-can-be-much-more-open-to-syrian-refugees-editorial.html
Toronto Star – Vincent Larouche
Anti-terrorism branch of public safety ministry dysfunctional prior to terror attacks, top secret probe finds
“The section of the federal public safety ministry in charge of anti-terrorism was completely dysfunctional because of a rotten work environment, according to a top secret investigation conducted by the former head of the RCMP at the request of the government.” The realization that something was broken was already surfaced on April 17, 2014, six months before the attacks, in an anonymous letter. The deputy minister then ordered an investigation to discover the identity of the letter writer and the actual circumstances around the allegation of a dysfunctional service. Former RCMP retired commissioner Norman Inkster was given the job of investigating. Now the ministry is refusing to discuss the results. http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/09/05/anti-terrorism-branch-of-public-safety-ministry-dysfunctional-prior-to-terror-attacks-top-secret-probe-finds.html
Toronto Star – Wendy Gillis
Province did not ask police forces for carding data
The province of Ontario is doing a comprehensive review of the practice of carding by police. Or maybe it isn’t. The province has not asked police services for information about the current carding practices. Critics are thinking the best to expect is a white washing of the practice. Police claim carding is helpful but if the police themselves have no stats or are saying that stats are difficult to compile, on what basis the claim of usefulness? http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2015/09/06/province-did-not-ask-police-forces-for-carding-data.html
Toronto Star – Editorial (Sept 6, 2015)
Closing the income gap…
The Star takes up support for a Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives insistence that we need to change the economy discussion to include those who have experience drastic reversals of fortune and are now at wits end to make financial ends meet. The editorial accepts a four point plan from CCPA. http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2015/09/06/making-inequality-an-issue-in-the-election-campaign-editorial.html CCPA document: Good for Canada: A platform to end income inequality in Canada http://goodforcanada.ca/