Sept 23, 2015
Toronto Star – Tim Harper
Conservative candidate claims Muslim ‘agenda’ in refugee crisis: Tim Harper
Joe Daniel, a 60 year old immigrant from Tanzania, is also an MP for the district of Don Valley North and has apparently offered an insider’s view of the delays in responding to the refugee crisis of Syrians. It would seem that the Canadian government wants Muslim refugees to go to Europe, not Canada. The Star has the commentary from Daniel on video. http://www.thestar.com/news/federal-election/2015/09/23/conservative-candidate-claims-muslim-agenda-in-refugee-crisis-tim-harper.html Related article: Globe and Mail – Sean Fine Documents reveal government’s scramble to enact niqab requirements http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/documents-reveal-governments-scramble-to-enact-niqab-requirements/article26486680/ Related article: Globe and Mail – Joanna Slater The road to Germany: Waves of refugees show Europe’s disarray in tackling the crisis http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/the-road-to-germany-wave-of-refugees-show-europes-disarray-in-tackling-the-crisis/article26466025/ Ottawa Citizen: Terry Glavin Conservatives finally take responsibility for the roadblock facing Syrian refugees http://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/glavin-conservatives-finally-take-responsibility-for-the-roadblock-facing-syrian-refugees
iPolitics – Elizabeth Thompson
Harper government facing court challenge over secret OIC
The high number of order-in-council issued by the Harper government which have not been published and remain secret has prompted critics to wonder what the OIC’s are about. Here is one example: a Chinese communications company in Montreal ordered to divest itself of its shares of ownership in the company. It’s off to court to seek legitimacy for the order. http://ipolitics.ca/2015/09/22/harper-government-facing-court-challenge-over-secret-oic/
Toronto Star – Jennifer Yang
Turing CEO to roll back 5,000% price hike for Daraprim pills
Here’s a great example of why Canada needs a unified approach to the purchase of drugs from the pharmaceuticals: from $13.50 per pill to $750 per pill. Turing chief executive Martin Shkreli purchased the rights to the 62 year old drug and then raised the price, since reduced after a defiant Shkreli tried to defend the new price for the drug, one particularly important to HIV/ AIDS patients. http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2015/09/22/turing-ceo-to-roll-back-5000-price-hike-for-daraprim-pills.html Related article: Globe and Mail / Reuters Drug maker to roll back 5,000 per cent price hike after outcry http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/drugmaker-to-roll-back-5000-per-cent-price-hike-after-outcry/article26493735/
Vancouver Sun – Lori Culbert
B.C. teen in provincial care dies in fall from hotel window – Children’s representative denounces use of hotel to house 18-year-old
This article highlights a child custody practice happening across Canada. Children who are apprehended and become wards of the child care agency are placed in motels / hotels for housing, often with inexperienced and non-professional supervisors. The practice also provoked an outcry in Winnipeg after the death of 14 year old Tina Fontaine. Most government ministries say the practice is an exception to properly supervised group homes but the practice does continue. http://www.vancouversun.com/life/teen+provincial+care+dies+fall+from+hotel+window/11383147/story.html
The Walrus – Katherine Laidlaw
Jailhouse Bloc – What it’s like to vote behind bars
Unlike the US where an inmate, or that matter a former inmate, is disenfranchised for voting, in Canada the right of inmates to vote is enshrined by the Supreme Court since 1993 under the Charter. Every election brings out a pre-election day voting polling station at the prisons. The inmates vote for either the candidates in the riding from which they were arrested or for the riding in which the family lives, not the riding where the prison is located. http://thewalrus.ca/jailhouse-bloc/
Lion’s Roar – Cheri Maples
A Buddhist cop’s approach to justice
Maples is a follower of the Buddhist Thich Nhat Hanh who is an advocate of ‘mindfulness.’ After 20 years as a cop, Maples was ordained by his mentor and brings a reflection on the possibility of the badge and gun becoming symbols of people skills rather than authority and power. “It’s often hard for us to recognize that our hearts may have stopped quivering in response to the suffering of others.” Maples comments on a variety of problems faced by a police officer and how the ‘mindful’ approach helps. http://www.lionsroar.com/a-buddhist-cops-approach-to-justice/
International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group (ICLMG)
Election 2015: National security legislation info card
Here are the positions of the federal parties on anti-terrorism, privacy, immigration and other related legislations of concern to the ICLMG since 2001 (place your cursor on the titles of the legislation for more information) http://iclmg.ca/election-2015-national-security-legislation/