Jan 26, 2018
Edmonton Journal – Emma Graney
Accuser hopes Kent Hehr’s resignation triggers broader talk about harassment in politics
The consequences of charges of sexual harassment or assault seem to move at some considerable speed. Within 24 hours of 10 year old allegations from Kristin Raworth of Calgary, an Alberta civil servant, Kent Hehr, minister of sport and persons with disabilities had resigned as a federal cabinet minister while retaining his Calgary riding. Raworth herself was startled by the results. “For her, there’s a bigger issue at play — political staffers working in an environment where they don’t feel they can speak up against powerful MLAs. And that, she said, needs to change.” http://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/accuser-hopes-kent-hehrs-resignation-triggers-broader-talk-about-harassment-in-politics Related article: Globe and Mail – Justin Giovannetti, Karen Howlett, and Laura Stone Ontario PCs in turmoil amid sexual-misconduct allegations against Patrick Brown https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ontario-pc-party-to-appoint-interim-leader-in-wake-of-patrick-brown-sexual-misconduct-allegations/article37731210/ Related article: CTV News – Rachel Aiello Canadian political scene shaken by sexual misconduct allegations https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/canadian-political-scene-shaken-by-sexual-misconduct-allegations-1.3776294 Related article: National Post – Christi Blatchford What happened to Brown is fundamentally wrong. Every man in the world is now vulnerable – I can think of almost nothing that requires less fortitude than accusing someone else of wrongdoing when your own face, name and identity are hidden http://nationalpost.com/opinion/christie-blatchford-what-happened-to-brown-is-fundamentally-wrong-every-man-in-the-world-is-now-vulnerable Related article: Toronto Star – Rosie DiManno Patrick Brown’s downfall an affront to fairness – Patrick Brown is a man ruined, on the word of two anonymous complainants whose allegations have been accepted as facts https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/2018/01/25/patrick-browns-downfall-an-affront-to-fairness.html Related article: TV Ontario – Steve Paikin The most astonishing night in Ontario political history https://tvo.org/blog/current-affairs/the-most-astonishing-night-in-ontario-political-history Related article: Globe and Mail – John Ibbitson Powerful men laid low by the hour: #MeToo remaking society literally overnight https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/powerful-men-laid-low-by-the-hour-metoo-is-remaking-society-literally-overnight/article37728029/ Related Article: CBC News – Aaron Wherry What happens when #MeToo comes to Parliament Hill – ‘Many of the stories I heard were heartbreaking,’ says Labour Minister Patty Hajdu http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/brown-hehr-me-too-analysis-wherry-1.4503839
Globe and Mail – Michelle Zilio
AFN Chief calls on First Nations to create their own child-welfare legislation
“Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde is urging First Nations across Canada to create their own child-welfare legislation – something the federal government says it supports – to prevent more Indigenous children from entering foster care.” https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/national-chief-calls-on-first-nations-to-create-their-own-child-welfare-legislation/article37740911/ Related article: NationTalk – Canadian Press Political will there to solve child welfare crisis for Indigenous kids: Philpott – CP http://nationtalk.ca/story/political-will-there-to-solve-child-welfare-crisis-for-indigenous-kids-philpott-cp
N.Y. Times – Angus Deaton
The U.S. Can No Longer Hide From Its Deep Poverty Problem
The conversations in Davos around gender and income inequality re prompting suggestions that we need to look at poverty through different lenses than traditionally. Rich countries have been excluded from the criteria for poverty as it applies to poor countries. Now, the UN has made possible the direct comparison between the poor living in the rich and poor countries. “According to the World Bank, 769 million people lived on less than $1.90 a day in 2013; they are the world’s very poorest. Of these, 3.2 million live in the United States, and 3.3 million in other high-income countries (most in Italy, Japan and Spain).” https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/24/opinion/poverty-united-states.html
National Newswatch – Lee Bethiaume
Military police charge top military judge with fraud, two other counts
The Canadian military is rocking with revelations of charges against its highest ranking judge. Col. Mario Dutil is accused of one count of committing an act of a fraudulent nature, one count of wilfully making a false entry in an official document, and one count of conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline, all apparently in consequence to a consensual but inappropriate relationship with a subordinate. https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2018/01/25/military-police-charge-top-judge-with-fraud-two-other-counts/#.WmpJm66nGUk Related article: Ottawa Citizen – David Pugliese Canada’s top military judge charged, and one his own staff could decide the case http://ottawacitizen.com/news/canada/top-military-judge-charged-and-his-own-staff-could-decide-case/wcm/46c0dc73-b901-40fa-ae77-35868fbd1a8f
Toronto Star – Nicholas Keung
Canada’s refugee board abruptly changes its scheduling system amid surging backlog – By changing the system, the board is “shifting things around without solving the problem,” one lawyer says
With the sweep of a pen, the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board has cancelled the currently scheduled hearings and introduced a new approach in order to confront the current backlog of cases. By law, refugee cases must be determined with 60 days, a statutory requirement introduced in 2012 by the Conservative government to process the backlog. The board is now adopting a first come, first serve, policy and warning applicants that they will wait between 12 and 24 months. Critics say the policy is good news to those already in the backlog but bad news for new arrivals. The real problem, say the immigration lawyers, is that the board is not resourced sufficiently to complete its workload. https://www.thestar.com/news/immigration/2018/01/26/canadas-refugee-board-abruptly-changes-its-scheduling-system-amid-surging-backlog.html
National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM)
Community Vigils to be Held across Canada for First Anniversary of Quebec City Mosque Massacre
Commemorative vigils and other events will be held across Canada on and around January 29, 2018, to mark the first anniversary of the Quebec City Mosque Massacre, in which six men were murdered and many others injured, some gravely, during evening prayers at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City.
Info on local events: Vigils and Events Across Canada for First Anniversary of Quebec shooting https://www.nccm.ca/vigils-memorials-across-canada-for-victims-of-quebec-shooting/?utm_source=Media+Advisory+re+Jan+29+commemorations&utm_campaign=NCCM+CA+%26+MA+re+Jan+29+Commems&utm_medium=email Contact: Ihsaan Gardee, Executive Director, 613-254-9704 or 613-853-4111, igardee@nccm.ca