Oct 26 2015
Ottawa Citizen – Erna Paris
Canada is not immune to the most dangerous tactic in politics
The article is a timely warning us of a most dangerous political tactic and to be wary of pitting the majority against an immigrant minority in a country largely dependent on immigrants but equally to be wary of thinking that we cannot be enticed into that stance of discrimination and devaluing persons. Says Paris “Recent events proved otherwise. We had a close call.” http://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/canada-is-not-immune-to-the-most-dangerous-tactic-in-politics
Toronto Star – Jim Bronskill, Canadian Press
CSIS operations under C-51 raises accountability concerns – The new bill allows CSIS to team up with allies abroad to derail threats
C-51 allows Canadian CSIS agents to break the law in foreign countries to derail suspected terrorist operations that may impact Canada. The bill calls it disruptive practices. It further allows CSIS with a judge’s approval to violate provisions of the Charter of Rights. Critics think the bill is also without accountability and perverts the role of a judge in seeking a judge’s permission to violate the charter. http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/10/25/csis-operations-under-c-51-raises-accountability-concerns.html
Toronto Star – Allan Woods
Quebec probes alleged police abuse of aboriginal women
Spokespersons for the Aboriginal women alleging sexual abuse by the Sureté de Québec are suggesting that the cases uncovered so far are just the tip of the iceberg and probably is common across Canada. So far, at the request of the provincial government Montreal police are investigating eight provincial police officers for a variety of sexual assaults and other offences against native women in Val d’or. Quebec Public Security Minister Lise Theriault was in tears at the press conference announcing the investigation. http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/10/23/quebec-probes-police-treatment-of-aboriginal-women.html
Ottawa Citizen – David Pugliese
Military faces crude jokes on its sexual misconduct plan
The long awaited plan from the Canadian Forces for responding to sexual abuse and assault in the military is out and drawing crude jokes instead of any comfort for the victims. Op-Honour (short for Operation Honour) has become “Hop-on-her” and Lt. General Christine Whitecross who designed and delivered a hard hitting plan has been re-assigned. Canadian Forces spokesman Capt. Jean-François Lambert said: “the military believes it has made significant progress dealing with sexual misconduct but “we cannot expect to change culture overnight.” http://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/military-faces-crude-jokes-on-its-sexual-misconduct-plan
Ottawa Citizen – Anne Cools
We cannot forget the Senate’s place in the foundation of Canada
This article may be both timely and fortuitous in the light of the questions around the future of the senate and its possible role with a majority Conservative members capable of being an obstacle to the new Liberal government. Trudeau has the option of making some 26 appointments to the Senate but he has already decided to exclude Senators from the Liberal caucus and set them as independent members. The NDP has insisted on getting rid of the Senate and the Conservatives under Harper, having appointed 59 senators, proclaimed they would appoint no more. Yet the Senate must give approval to laws. Cools is herself the longest sitting member of the Senate and an independent. She says: “Senate abolition means abolition of the federation.” http://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/we-cannot-forget-the-senates-place-in-the-foundation-of-canada
Democracy Now! – Amy Goodman
Complicity in Neoslavery: Chris Hedges Calls Out Corporate America for Exploiting Prison Labor
Presbyterian minister and Pulitzer Prize winner Chris Hedges denounced corporate America for its unabashed exploitation of prison labour following the practices of mass incarceration. Hedges, author of Wages of Rebellion: The Moral Imperative of Revolt was speaking at a New York protest this past week-end around the death of so many Black persons at the hands of police. http://www.democracynow.org/2015/10/26/complicity_in_neoslavery_chris_hedges_calls
PRI – Robert Reich
What Germany’s got that America doesn’t
Reich is a well-known economist and former US Secretary of Labour looks at income inequality between the US and Germany and points out some considerable differences. In Germany, the top 1% take home only 11% whereas in the US the top 1% take home 20%. Why? Reich says in Germany it’s strong labour unions, loss in the 50’s in the US. “Unions do have a say in what corporations do in terms of pay and many things that in the United States are prerogatives of management,” he notes. http://www.pri.org/stories/2015-10-26/america-global-leader-income-inequality