tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27595409220484606862024-02-20T17:38:53.003-08:00SAGA TIMESTales, truth in politics, and other noteworthy stuffSaga Timeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02266326738387920527noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759540922048460686.post-75241598993898900672012-12-16T17:47:00.000-08:002012-12-16T17:48:42.160-08:00TAKING LIBERTIES: CANADA'S GROWING TORTURE INFRASTRUCTURE<div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">By <a href="http://rabble.ca/taxonomy/term/1807" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0066cc;">Matthew Behrens</span></a><span style="color: navy;">, <a href="mailto:tasc@web.ca"><span style="color: #0066cc;">tasc@web.ca</span></a></span></span><br />
<span style="color: navy; font-family: Bookman Old Style; font-size: x-small;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">The ease with which self-described democratic states embroil themselves in torture continues to be illustrated by the manner in which agencies of the Canadian state, from spies to judges, have wedged open a door to legitimize complicity in a practice that both domestic and international law ban outright.<span style="color: navy;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Before dismissing that paragraph as preposterous, it is worth considering that two federal inquiries into the torture of Abdullah Almalki, Maher Arar, Ahmad El Maati, and Muayyed Nureddin revealed a sinister level of Canadian complicity in torture, from which no accountability or systemic changes have emerged. Further, damning documents reveal Canadian knowledge of and culpability in the renditions and torture of Benamar Benatta and Abousfian Abdelrazik.<span style="color: navy;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Meanwhile, the Federal Court, while accepting CSIS memos acknowledging that secret trial "security certificate" cases are based largely on torture, continues with hearings that could result in deportations to torture. That latter possibility is courtesy of a <a href="http://scc.lexum.org/en/2002/2002scc1/2002scc1.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0066cc;">2002 Supreme Court of Canada decision</span></a> <span style="color: navy;">(<a href="http://scc.lexum.org/en/2002/2002scc1/2002scc1.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0066cc;">http://scc.lexum.org/en/2002/2002scc1/2002scc1.html</span></a>) </span>that left open the possibility of such complicity in torture under "exceptional circumstances."<span style="color: navy;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Outrage over Canadian involvement in torture remains fairly muted, especially as each new revelation of deepening complicity is met by government officials not so much with shamefaced promises to keep our hands clean, but rather bald-faced justifications in the name of security.<span style="color: navy;"> </span>Indeed, as in the U.S., there appears a growing Canadian effort to justify as legal and legitimate that which is neither.<span style="color: navy;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Part of that process of legitimization -- accepting torture as a normal course of social and political events in much the same mundane way we would assess price drops in overseas markets -- is now firmly fixed at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). As we learned last month in a declassified memo, CSIS runs a thinly disguised torture committee, using the more group hug-like moniker of the Information Sharing Evaluation Committee.<span style="color: navy;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">According to a <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/08/06/pol-cp-csis-secret-committee-torture-evidence.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0066cc;">formerly secret</span></a> <span style="color: navy;">(<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/08/06/pol-cp-csis-secret-committee-torture-evidence.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0066cc;">http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/08/06/pol-cp-csis-secret-committee-torture-evidence.html</span></a>) </span>August 2011 memo from CSIS Deputy Director of Operations Michel Coulombe, a group of six people sit around the table and shoot the breeze about information coming across their desks that may have come from torture (or, to use their preferred term, "mistreatment"). Their task is to decide whether to act on the fruits of torture and whether to share information that could lead to the torture of someone else.<span style="color: navy;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">This may sound familiar, because it's exactly what CSIS and the RCMP were already found to be up to in the decade following 9/11. Rather than ending such practices, they've developed an Orwellian process whereby they justify doing what they are not supposed to do, with subsequent Public Safety memos from Vic Toews to the Canadian Border Services Agency and the RCMP outlining the same process.<span style="color: navy;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">All of these documents clearly state that the "Government of Canada does not condone the use of torture," but then proceed to justify involvement in torture.<span style="color: navy;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">So what does the Gang of Six do when they decide whether they have to defy the law by getting down and dirty with torture? Their list of sources to consult starts with "CSIS databases," a less than objective or reassuring source of information which the departed Inspector General of CSIS, Eva Plunkett, slammed in her November 2011 report as "unreliable." (Her position has since been eliminated to save $1 million, while the War Department continues to spend upwards of $2 million on Viagra).<span style="color: navy;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">CSIS is then to look at their "foreign arrangements" as well as "assurances" that have been received by the foreign entity. In deciding whether to turn someone over to the Gestapo or to share information with those who turn the screws, CSIS must decide whether the Gestapo's promise not to torture someone can be taken at face value (this practice of "diplomatic assurances" has long been condemned as another disgrace that erodes further the outright ban on torture).<span style="color: navy;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">CSIS can also check the human rights reports from DFAIT (the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade). DFAIT was found to be complicit in torture by two federal inquiries (and their memos with respect to the torture of Abdelrazik, detained in Sudan for years, illustrated similar culpability as well). DFAIT human rights reports are not made public, according to the Arar Inquiry, because "there is some concern about the impact public reports may have on Canadian commercial interests with these countries." In addition, the reliability of DFAIT reports is far from certain.<span style="color: navy;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">The <a href="http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/206/301/pco-bcp/commissions/maher_arar/07-09-13/www.commissionarar.ca/eng/index.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0066cc;">Arar Inquiry</span></a> pointed out that while a DFAIT report on torture in Syria in 2001 referenced "credible evidence of torture" and the use of torture to extract confessions, the 2002 report qualifies the use of torture as "allegations" and omits mention of the use of torture to extract confessions. Notably, while Canadians like Maher Arar, Ahmad El Maati and Abdullah Almalki were detained and tortured in Syria, the DFAIT annual report failed to make any mention of them.<span style="color: navy;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">And when a perhaps junior staffer at DFAIT has the gall to report the truth, it is rewritten. Indeed, we learned in 2008 that an 89-page PowerPoint DFAIT training manual listed, among countries using torture, the U.S. and Israel (both of which are well-documented facts). Former foreign affairs minister Maxime Bernier <a href="http://www.mindfully.org/Reform/2008/Canada-US-Torture20jan08.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0066cc;">reacted by declaring</span></a><span style="color: navy;"> (<a href="http://www.mindfully.org/Reform/2008/Canada-US-Torture20jan08.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0066cc;">http://www.mindfully.org/Reform/2008/Canada-US-Torture20jan08.htm</span></a>)</span>: "It contains a list that wrongly includes some of our closest allies. I have directed that the manual be reviewed and rewritten."<span style="color: navy;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">The other items checked include "open source information" (code word for the <em><span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif';">National Pos</span></em>t and other right-wing publications and websites from which CSIS builds its cases). To cover their derrieres, they throw a sop about consulting Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and U.S. State Department reports, but they likely carry no weight given that CSIS and DFAIT officials have repeatedly refused to acknowledge that torture has been systematic in countries like Syria and Egypt.<span style="color: navy;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">By choosing to be part of the torture chain, and using lawyers at Canada's Department of Justice for cover (as they were during the torture of Canadians in Syria and Egypt), it appears that the Canadian government seeks not to hide its involvement, but rather to sanction it under the cover of law.<span style="color: navy;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Skeptics might ask whether this is blowing things out of proportion. Yet this is precisely what happens when the door to torture has been opened. U.S. lawyer Alan Dershowitz famously said that Americans should be able to obtain torture warrants for "extreme" cases," yet if one is to open that door, who does the torture? How is it practiced to ensure a torture team will be available and ready to roll when it is mandated by a torture warrant? <span style="color: navy;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Thus we enter the world of "torture controls and limitations," in much the same twisted way in which we have global holocaust controls with nuclear weapons limitations.<span style="color: navy;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Richard Matthews of Mount Allison University, in his excellent book <em><span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif';"><a href="http://mqup.mcgill.ca/book.php?bookid=2266" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0066cc;">The Absolute Violation</span></a></span></em>, notes that just as fighter pilots need to train so they can drop their bombs, "at some points torturers have to practice on victims if they are going to be any good. The spread of state torture is not merely a risk but is in fact inevitable once the state decides that torture serves a state interest."<span style="color: navy;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">In this instance, CSIS has clearly defined its state interest in torture by declaring there will be times when it is necessary to engage in the odious practice.<span style="color: navy;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Matthews notes that "defenders of torture typically accept that every human being has a right not to be tortured, and they agree that this should be enshrined in international law. The debate is not about whether there is such a right but about whether such rights may ever be overridden." <span style="color: navy;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Matthews, whose book was published in 2008, has clearly hit the nail on the head, since this is exactly how the CSIS memos are structured. What follows from this rationale, he notes, is a concerted effort to incorporate such processes within the framework of the law, so that any decision that leads to blood on the hands will be seen as lawful.<span style="color: navy;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">This is made possible because in the <a href="http://www.hrweb.org/legal/cat.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0066cc;">UN Convention Against Torture</span></a>, its early definition includes a dangerous exception in Article 1, when it states torture "does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions." From this definition, one can see the emerging legal and moral calisthenics engaged in by the Bush administration as well as Canada's Justice Department and associated government agencies when they try and bend the definitions, use temperate language, and wrap their procedures in the soothing gauze of international law and respect for human rights. Indeed, in the CSIS memo and related documents, torture becomes mistreatment, and an interrogation session with electric shock or genital crushing gets reduced to a "detention interview."<span style="color: navy;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Furthermore, CSIS declares that it will not "knowingly rely upon information" derived from torture, a convenient construction given the willful blindness with which it operates with its foreign partners. If CSIS does not knowingly acknowledge that Syria engages in torture, then how can it be knowingly relying on the fruits of torture when it receives information from Syria? With such reasoning CSIS maintains it is "essential" to nurture these relationships because, in their eyes, they're doing nothing wrong.<span style="color: navy;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">As Canada continually refuses to apologize to and provide compensation for the numerous returnees from overseas torture whose lives the government has ruined, it becomes even clearer how high the stakes have become in these cases: any acknowledgement that what was done in these situations was wrong, illegal, or unethical, would bump Canada from its comfortable position in the global torture chain.<span style="color: navy;"></span></span></div>
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<em><span style="color: navy; font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">[</span></em><em><span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Matthew Behrens is a freelance writer and social justice advocate who co-ordinates the Homes not Bombs non-violent direct action network. He has worked closely with the targets of Canadian and U.S. 'national security' profiling for many years.<span style="color: navy;">]</span></span></em></div>
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Saga Timeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02266326738387920527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759540922048460686.post-45545949722162652132012-12-14T10:39:00.000-08:002012-12-14T13:00:35.455-08:00Unions protesting over the exclusive use of temporary foreign workers in a BC mine is not racism <span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">It’s no surprise the exclusive use of Chinese temporary workers at a northern BC coal mine<b> <a href="http://thetyee.ca/News/2012/10/15/China-Temp-Miners/">ignited a heated debate about foreign investments by China and a fight for Canadian jobs</a></b>, but the fact it is now being used to fuel flames of racism is a shabby cheap shot at orgainized labour and is insulting to Canadians. </span><br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/12/13/bc-chinese-miners-human-rights-complaint.html"><span style="font-size: small;">According to a CBC report</span></a></b><span style="font-size: small;">, Huizhi Li, who works at HD Mining's Murray River project near Tumbler Ridge, and who allegedly penned a letter to the Canadian Human Rights Commission, allegedly says leaflets and the content on a United Steelworkers Union website are likely to create contempt for Chinese people.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">And we all believe in Santa Claus!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">The crux of Li's argument and his alleged letter to the Commission – written, no less, on HD Mining’s letterhead – says information posted to the union's website is somehow racist because Chinese miners will work for reduced wages and in substandard conditions and denies Canadians opportunity to those jobs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Mr. Li can allegedly complain all he wants because that is a right in Canada. But no, sir! The argument does not fly. And make no mistake on this one: there is <b><a href="http://sagatimes.blogspot.ca/2012/11/backgrounder-on-temporary-foreign.html">ample evidence to back the statements put out by the Steelworkers</a></b>. As such, the arguments put forward by all Canadian unions that, quite rightly, are fighting against the use of temporary foreign workers – from any country – has nothing to do with racism. Rather, it has everything to do with the fact that Canadian federal and provincial policies are fundamentally undermining Canadian labour standards and forcing down wages and other gains made by workers over the years.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">And these arguments, that are well founded, run deep with Canadians. The use of temporary workers at the Murray River coal mining operation, or anywhere else for that matter, is raising the ire of Canadians unwilling to accept a blatant sell-out of Canadian jobs by our governments.</span><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/12/10/immigration-survey-foreign-workers.html?cmp=rss"><span style="font-size: small;">According to a recent CBC/Nanos survey</span></a></b><span style="font-size: small;">, for example, sixty-eight per cent of respondents said they "oppose" or "somewhat oppose" allowing temporary foreign workers into the country if there are Canadians looking for work who are qualified for the same jobs. Six per cent were unsure.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">What this survey shows is Canadians don’t buy into what’s going on in this country with respect to the use of temporary foreign workers. Yet i</span><span style="font-size: small;">ronically, the survey results were released Monday, hours after <b><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/12/08/pol-skilled-trades-program-kenney.html">Immigration Minister Jason Kenney unveiled details of a new program</a></b> intended to speed the arrival to Canada of foreign tradespeople whose skills are allegedly in demand.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Kenney said the Skilled Trades Stream will accept up to 3,000 foreign workers next year, and touted the program as a way to address alleged labour shortages, particularly in remote regions of the country.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Say what you want Kenney, this scribe, along with many others, will argue this expansion of the program is directly linked to another hit on organized labour. And this point cannot be understated. Unions continue to represent workers in an effort to sustain fair wages and benefits for all Canadians. Their efforts need to be both applauded and supported. But it's something Kenny and his ilk don't appreciate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">As well, many others will most likely point out that <b><a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1270570--walkom-b-c-s-low-wage-migrant-coal-mining-jobs-send-us-back-to-the-future">politicians and their corporate masters have a long history</a></b> of making attempts to dismiss the relevance of unions, pit workers against each other, while turning the benefits unions have wrought for their workers into resentments from the broader population. This, in turn, has created a struggle between workers and the resulting depression of wages and benefits, causing a race to the bottom and eliminating the effectiveness of worker's advocacy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">As for the exclusive use of temporary foreign workers at the Murray River mine and playing the race card? Well, that just tops the list of assaults and insults. It is nothing short of another thinly veiled attack on labour.</span><br />
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Updates:<br />
<h4 style="background-color: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<a href="http://www.globalnews.ca/canada/chinese+miner+launches+human+rights+complaint+against+steelworkers+union/6442772133/story.html">Chinese mining firm launches rights complaint, threatens feds with lawsuit</a></h4>
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<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/12/14/bc-chinese-miners-ruling.html">Chinese miners allowed to come to B.C., judge rules</a></h4>
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Federal judge denies unions' request for an injunction</div>
Saga Timeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02266326738387920527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759540922048460686.post-30249039534343775362012-12-10T08:03:00.001-08:002012-12-10T08:07:37.324-08:00Reported Elsewhere: Top court asked to settle battle over Tommy Douglas intelligence dossier<span class="meta-prep meta-prep-author"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="meta-sep">By </span><span class="author vcard"><a href="http://www.ipolitics.ca/author/joan-bryden/" rel="author" title="Posts by Joan Bryden">Joan Bryden</a> | </span><time class="entry-date" datetime="2012-12-09T13:16:31-05:00">Dec 9, 2012</time></span></span><br />
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<span class="meta-prep meta-prep-author">OTTAWA – The Supreme Court of Canada is being asked to settle a seven-year battle to lift the shroud of secrecy over a decades-old intelligence dossier on socialist trailblazer Tommy Douglas.</span><br />
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Jim Bronskill, a reporter with The Canadian Press, is seeking leave to appeal the case to the country’s highest court.<br />
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At stake is more than simply gaining access to the intelligence file compiled on the late Douglas, according to Bronskill’s lawyer.<br />
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In essence, the top court is being asked to be the final arbiter on whether national security should trump the public’s right to see historical documents. Read full story <a href="http://www.ipolitics.ca/2012/12/09/top-court-asked-to-settle-battle-over-tommy-douglas-intelligence-dossier/">here</a>.Saga Timeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02266326738387920527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759540922048460686.post-5217376882650700022012-12-07T06:50:00.000-08:002012-12-07T06:50:23.728-08:00Reported Elsewhere: Canada Climate Change Policy Ranks Worst In Wealthy World<span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>The Huffington Post Canada</strong> | By Daniel Tencer</span><br />
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Canada has the worst climate change policy of all wealthy nations, and the fourth-worst among all nations, says <a href="http://germanwatch.org/en/5698" s_oid="http://germanwatch.org/en/5698" s_oidt="0" target="_hplink" vglnk_1354891027625="1">a survey from environmental umbrella group Climate Action Network</a>.<br />
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The Great White North “<a href="http://germanwatch.org/en/download/7158.pdf" target="_hplink">still shows no intentions to move forward on climate policy and thereby leave its place as the worst performer of all western countries</a>,” reads the preamble to the Climate Change Performance Index 2013. Read full story <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/12/05/canada-worst-climate-policy_n_2246238.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular">here</a>.Saga Timeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02266326738387920527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759540922048460686.post-83195011983316542712012-12-03T05:51:00.000-08:002012-12-05T20:42:55.629-08:00FIPPA China and lax immigration policies could be a sellout of Canadian labour<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">by Bobbie Saga</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">The Canada-China Investment Protection & Promotion Treaty (FIPPA China), along with changes the Harper Conservatives made to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program earlier this year, may be setting the stage for a migration of Chinese workers into Canada.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">An Article within FIPPA China limits the ability of Canadian governments–at any level–to change regulations concerning the importation of Chinese nationals working for Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">"<b><a href="http://thetyee.ca/Documents/2012/10/14/Canada-China%20FIPA%20and%20Explanatory%20Memorandum%208532-411-46(OCR).pdf">The treaty</a></b> will constrain the ability of any government in Canada to take a wide range of decisions, including on economic and employment issues," Gus Van Hartan, Osgoode Hall law professor, expert on FIPPA China and <strong><a href="http://thetyee.ca/News/2012/10/19/Chinese-Trade-Deal/">outspoken critic of the trade deal</a>, </strong>said.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">"Article 7(3) would provide a basis for challenges to government decisions in this respect. So too would Articles 4, 5, and 6, although at a more general level than Article 7(3), which focuses on temporary entry of workers."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">Article 7(3), along with other provisions of FIPPA China, states that subject to Canadian laws, regulations and policies relating to entry of non-citizens at the time the agreement is signed, Canada shall permit workers employed by any enterprise that is a covered investment. Further, it states that workers may remain temporarily in a capacity that is managerial, executive or that requires specialized knowledge.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">Earlier this year, and despite reports of widespread abuse, the Harper Conservatives deregulated the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), which outraged labour and advocacy groups. Two interconnected, back-to-back and behind-closed-door policy decisions were made–<b><a href="http://sagatimes.blogspot.ca/2012/11/backgrounder-on-temporary-foreign.html">deregulating the TFWP and entirely eliminating the Fair Wages Act</a></b>, which Conservatives said, in both cases, were to get rid of "unnecessary red tape" for Canada’s business community.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">"It would require<strong> </strong><a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:jsck6wrmYWMJ:www.sfu.ca/~schmitt/cpp_paper.pdf+temporary+foreign+worker+program+history+canada&hl=en&gl=ca&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESi3Ft7LLyFKZfSE69M1uiFBdTFL7kxS-sk6i50SWWy9-gu3Q6jLydSNistmsZYyGWpy_UyohHbLK7OoeejY2fkHaRBiIkOb7FQ6Yg46wNVq4h39-A0pn5dLVFCsy2AUZtfKr3NJ&sig=AHIEtbQh6v3OEdX0hhb4Lih43GH5S2Qodw"><strong>further study</strong></a> to determine whether the employment picture for Canadians will be worsened. However, if the employment picture does worsen, due to federal approvals of temporary Chinese workers who compete with and undercut Canadian workers in any sector, then the treaty will make it difficult for any government other than the federal government, and (depending on the circumstances) possibly the federal government, to change the approvals or other decisions that worsened the employment picture," Van Hartan said.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">"A federal review of past approvals, or any provincial or municipal or First Nations decision, that led to a change in the approvals which affected a Chinese-owned company could give rise to an actionable claim by the company for taxpayer compensation. The claim would proceed outside of the Canadian legal system and Canadian courts, and--although it would depend on the circumstances and the decisions of the arbitrators–the claim would carry a reasonable prospect of success based especially on Articles 4, 5, and 6."</span></span><br />
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<h3>
Canada-China Corporate rights pact could spell trouble for Canadian workers competing with <a href="http://www.penguin.ca/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0%2c%2c9781846145391%2c00.html">China’s Silent Army</a></h3>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Experts also say that in its growing direct investments in African, South American and Asian resource assets, China relies on an "unemployment export" of blue-collar workers to mitigate internal social tension. Because of a double agenda of access to resources plus Chinese blue-collar workers employment overseas, Chinese SOEs are willing to pay hefty premiums on resource corporations by out-bidding competitors.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">Juan Pablo Cardenal, author and investigative journalist based out of Beijing, explains there are two main factors in force that drives China’s foreign investment policy.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">"The central government has two drivers–assuring the supply of resources and because China needs to grow (GDP per year) by 8 per cent to grow employment, it’s a domestic decision. We need to employ all those people. They want to go to the source (for raw resources). They don’t want their supply of natural resources disrupted," Cardenal said.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">He also says China usually prefers doing business with nations where there are lax or non-existent regulations and laws and cited the Congo as an example. He says he is surprised by recent developments in western countries.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">"The law, if there is a law, the decision to allow or not, is always in the hands of the receiving country. The Chinese, they are only interested in how much money they make. The reason they succeed is nobody has the money the Chinese have and they’re going to put in their own conditions," Cardenal said.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">"It’s a complete necessity. They use the cultural barrier... And on the other hand, there is a culture of how they work. They know that their labour force is disciplined, that labour force works hard and they’re not going to cause any problems... so those workers won’t be part of labour unions. It’s not uncommon to see it in the developing world. They are happy to go around the laws. What is surprising is countries like Canada and countries like <b><a href="http://www.euractiv.com/specialreport-rawmaterials/china-greenland-challenge-europe-analysis-513343">Greenland</a>. </b>China has asked very clearly that you have to allow us to bring in our own labour."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">On the Canadian front, the planned use of workers from China at a northern B.C. coal mine sparked a court fight and demands to have the BC government step in to shut down the Murray River mine operation near Tumbler Ridge. Indeed, the B.C. issues that arose last month have fueled flames of controversy, with dueling versions of events and denouncements of Canada’s "broken" immigration system. The dispute also called into question why the Harper Conservatives are siding with the company facing court action, doing a second review when one preceded the Haprer Conservatives deregulation of the TFWP, and why two Conservative ministers’ <b><a href="http://thetyee.ca/News/2012/11/10/TFW-Permits/">statements over the issues were conflicted</a></b>.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">The issuing of TFW permits first became a major concern among B.C. labour groups since the United Steelworkers Union found advertisements placed by HD Mining Ltd. preferring those applicants who have knowledge of the Mandarin language. Despite claims by laobur that Canadians applied for the positions, 201 TFW permits were granted for what labour groups say is to be the first of several thousand positions for the company’s Murray River project. It was later reported the ads in which Mandarin was preferred were placed by "mistake."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">Meanwhile, opposition to FIPPA China continues to mount as critics hammer the Harper Conservatives in an effort to delay the agreement's ratification. The federal government was in a position to ratify the agreement November 1 through an order-in-council, but it has yet to do so.</span></span><br />
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For additional information see <a href="http://sagatimes.blogspot.ca/2012/11/backgrounder-on-temporary-foreign.html">TFWP Backgrounder</a>Saga Timeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02266326738387920527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759540922048460686.post-80566891320666169622012-12-02T04:49:00.000-08:002012-12-02T04:49:07.290-08:00Reported Elsewhere: B.C. backs off on flu-shot policy for nurses<h3 class="deck">
<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/11/30/bc-flu-shots-nurses.html">Union declares victory in dispute; government suggests it's a 1-year reprieve</a></h3>
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<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/credit.html">CBC News</a> Posted: Nov 30, 2012 9:00 PM PT</h5>
The union representing B.C.'s nurses says members won't be forced to wear masks and stickers if they're not vaccinated against the flu.<br />
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The province's <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/08/23/bc-flu-health-care-workers.html">health officer Dr. Perry Kendall announced the policy in August</a>, arguing low vaccination rates among health professionals were putting patients at risk.<br />
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But the British Columbia Nurses Union says the provincial government has backed off on the policy following a "strong public campaign" by membersSaga Timeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02266326738387920527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759540922048460686.post-20804998350792383972012-11-30T13:08:00.000-08:002012-11-30T13:08:54.604-08:00Reported Elsewhere: Human rights museum staff leave amid interference allegations<h3 class="deck" id="yui_3_4_1_7_1354309203578_42">
<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/story/2012/11/30/mb-human-rights-museum-staff-quit-winnipeg.html?cmp=rss">CEO denies any political interference in content of Winnipeg-based museum </a></h3>
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<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/credit.html">CBC News</a> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Posted: Nov 30, 2012 10:47 AM CST</span></h5>
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The Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg has not yet opened, but there has already been an exodus of employees, amid allegations of indecision and political interference on the part of management and the board of trustees, CBC News has learned.</div>
Saga Timeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02266326738387920527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759540922048460686.post-41619995305506362832012-11-29T05:12:00.000-08:002012-11-30T18:49:28.028-08:00BC Fed delegates call for a moratorium on Temporary Foreign Worker Program<span style="font-size: x-small;">Update: Nov. 29, 2012, 4:36 pm</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">By Bobbie Saga</span><br />
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The BC Federation of Labour (BCFL) is stepping up pressure on the Harper Conservatives to not only conduct a full, open, and transparent review of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), but also place a moratorium on the program until a comprehensive investigation is conducted.<br />
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The move to increase pressure on the federal government came during this week’s BC Federation of Labour "Together for a Better BC" convention held in Vancouver. Delegates passed an emergency resolution Wednesday that includes calling for a moratorium on the program until a comprehensive review is conducted.<br />
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This latest move by labour groups follows the federal government <b><a href="http://ca.news.yahoo.com/controversy-over-chinese-miners-b-c-prompts-review-231000836.html">recently launching an investigation</a> </b>into the use of foreign workers at a coal mine in northern BC.<br />
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Jim Sinclair, BCFL President, says the investigation is welcome because the program is being abused and<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>jobs being offered to foreign labour are not temporary in nature. Sinclair also says although he is "cautiously optimistic" about the review, he is concerned about the government investigating itself.<br />
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"We're cautiously optimistic but frankly worried that it's only the government investigating itself, and we'd prefer to have an independent review," says Sinclair.<br />
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Others, however, are not convinced change is on the way for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, or as generous in their comments about the investigation.<br />
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Gil McGowan, Alberta Federation of Labour President, says the Harper Conservatives "created a monster" when it relaxed requirements for companies to prove foreign workers were needed. And he says the same people that "messed up" the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, "can't be trusted to fix it."<br />
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"They no longer have to keep records of Canadians that have applied." McGowan says.<br />
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"They no longer have to explain why the Canadians were not picked. All they have to do is post an on-line ad, and they don't have to demonstrate that Canadians have actually applied or not."<br />
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McGowan adds the program has expanded to cover menial labour and other jobs. And, he says, because workers are sent home after four years, "the program has created an exploited, disposable workforce."<br />
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As well, the BC Public Interest Advocacy Centre (BCPIAC) <b><a href="http://bcpiac.com/organizational/double-double-takes-on-new-meaning-as-temporary-foreign-workers-trapped-by-tim-hortons-boss/#more-554">launched a complaint earlier this month</a></b> with the BC Human Rights Tribunal on behalf of four temporary foreign workers from Mexico employed at two Tim Hortons locations in Dawson Creek, BC.<br />
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Living two to a room, in a five bedroom home, workers were asked to pay $200.00 each at the beginning of the month, and then asked by the employer for an additional $200.00 rent mid-month, which their employer allegedly referred to as a "tip."<br />
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"When Tim Hortons advertises the Double Double, I don’t believe this is what most Canadians had in mind," Eugene Kung, counsel with BCPIAC, said when the complaint was filed.<br />
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The complaint alleges that in total the employer received $4,000 a month in rent from each of two separate homes where he required his employees to live. In addition to overcharging workers for rent, the complaint asserts the workers were subjected to derogatory racist comments including "[expletive] Mexican workers are lazy" and "Mexican idiots," while the employer described himself as the "owner of their lives."<br />
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"When these workers raised any concerns about their working or living conditions, the employer threatened to send them back to Mexico," said Kung.<br />
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It is also alledged the employer regularly asked the workers from Mexico for their passports, would hold them for periods of time, and that two of the workers were fired after they complained about their working conditions, while others were forced to leave for fear of reprisals.<br />
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"These workers were left vulnerable to a flawed program where the power dynamic benefits the employer and creates a ripe situation for the exploitation of the workers," Kung added.<br />
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The next day, Tim Hortons spokeswoman Alexandra Cygal said the <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/11/10/bc-tim-hortons-complaint.html">company learned about the allegations</a> in the complaint just prior to it being submitted, but that Van Den Bosch, the owner/operator, has not been with the chain since July 2012.<br />
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She says the company doesn't condone any of the behaviours or allegations made in the complaint.<br />
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More information on abuses with the TFWP:</h3>
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<b><u>Alberta Federation Takes On Advocacy Work For TFWs</u></b><br />
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In response to growing concerns, the Alberta Federation of Labour launches a Temporary Foreign Worker Advocate program to offer free services to TFWs needing assistance with work-related problems. The Advocate was launched in April 2007, with Edmonton lawyer Yessy Byl serving as the Advocate.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span>The Advocate releases findings after six months of assisting TFWs in a report called <em><a href="http://www.afl.org/index.php/View-document/19-Temporary-Foreign-Workers-Alberta-s-Disposable-Workforce.html">Temporary Foreign Workers – Alberta’s disposable workforce</a></em>. The report covers the Advocate’s activities until October 31, 2007.<br />
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<span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Then in April 2009,</span> <span style="font-size: small;">The Advocate releases a second report called</span> </span></span><em><a href="http://www.afl.org/index.php/View-document/123-Entrenching-Exploitation-Second-Rept-of-AFL-Temporary-Foreign-Worker-Advocate.html">Entrenching Exploitation</a></em>, which highlights <span style="font-family: GaramondPremrPro; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: GaramondPremrPro; font-size: small;">the re-occurring issues found in the Advocate’s casework. The report documents significant employer abuses and exploitation of foreign workers, plus highlights serious shortcomings of the TFWP advocate's caseload while serving as a volunteer lawyer and advisor to the program.</span></span><br />
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<u><span style="font-family: Calibri-Bold;"><strong>Alberta Federation of Labour Backgrounder: Temporary Foreign Worker Program</strong></span></u><span style="font-family: Calibri-Bold; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri-Bold; font-size: small;"><br /><br /><strong>Low Wage Agenda</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">In April 2012, the Conservative government made changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program by introducing an Accelerated Labour Market Opinion (ALMO) stream for higher‐skilled foreign workers. The ALMO stream is clearly designed to drive down wages: employers can pay workers under the TFW Program up to 15 per cent less than Canadian workers [Link</span></span><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">to <a href="http://www.afl.org/index.php/Press-Release/alberta-workers-protest-jason-kenneys-paycheque-rip-off.html">news release</a> and technical background document].</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri-Bold; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri-Bold; font-size: small;">Canadians Shut Out of Hiring</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">Under the ALMO stream, employers do not have to consider hiring Canadians first before turning to the TFW Program for foreign labour.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri-Bold; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri-Bold; font-size: small;">Lax Oversight</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">Under the ALMO stream, fewer than 20 per cent of successful applications are subject to a compliance review.</span></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Calibri-Bold; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri-Bold; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Calibri-Bold; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri-Bold; font-size: small;">Widespread Violations</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">In 2010, the Alberta NDP uncovered Alberta government documents showing that 74 per cent of employers with workers under the TFW Program were in violation of the Alberta Labour Code [Link</span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">to <a href="http://www.ndpopposition.ab.ca/node/2706">Alberta NDP Opposition news release</a>].</span></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Calibri-Bold; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri-Bold; font-size: small;"><br />Secret Consultations<br />
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">The review that led to the April changes to TFW rules was conducted behind closed doors, with no input from the public. Only employers were invited to participate. The AFL and other groups asked to make submissions, but were refused.</span></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Calibri-Bold; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri-Bold; font-size: small;"><br />Bogus Labour Shortage<br />
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">The Alberta Federation of Labour has shown that the Alberta government’s claims of a catastrophic "labour shortage" are not credible and overblown [Link</span></span><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">to <a href="http://www.afl.org/index.php/Press-Release/alberta-relying-of-bogus-labour-shortage-figures.html">AFL news release</a>].</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri-Bold; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri-Bold; font-size: small;">Many New Jobs Going to Foreign Workers</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">Jim Stanford, Chief Economist for the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW), found that nearly 30 per cent of new jobs in Canada were filled by workers under the TFW Program [Linl</span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">to <a href="http://www.progressive-economics.ca/2012/05/07/temporary-foreign-workers-and-the-labour-market/">Stanford’s work</a>].</span></span><br />
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<strong>Alberta #1 Destination for Workers under the TFW Program</strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">In 2011, Alberta employers were approved to bring in 50,840 workers under the TFW Program, the most in the country (Ontario was second with 47,635) [Link</span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">to <a href="http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/workplaceskills/foreign_workers/stats/annual/table1aa.shtml">federal government statistics</a>].</span></span>Saga Timeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02266326738387920527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759540922048460686.post-92083056795461485722012-11-28T16:29:00.001-08:002012-11-30T13:10:30.605-08:00Reported Elsewhere: The Limits of Liability in Canada's File-Sharing Lawsuits<h3>
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/michael-geist/file-sharing-lawsuit-canada_b_2204518.html?utm_hp_ref=canada">The Limits of Liability in Canada's File-Sharing Lawsuits</a></h3>
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<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/michael-geist" rel="author"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Michael Geist</span></a></h2>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Law professor, columnist, author</span><br />
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Over the past couple of days, there have been multiple reports about the return of file sharing lawsuits to Canada, with fears that thousands of Canadians could be targeted. While it is possible that many will receive demand letters, it is important to note that recent changes to Canadian copyright law limit liability in non-commercial cases to a maximum of $5,000 for all infringement claims.</div>
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In fact, it is likely that a court would award far less -- perhaps as little as $100 -- if the case went to court as even the government's FAQ on the recent copyright reform bill provided assurances that Canadians "will not face disproportionate penalties for minor infringements of copyright by distinguishing between commercial and non-commercial infringement."</div>
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<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/story/2012/11/28/edmonton-suncor-loses-appeal-injunction.html">Injunction against Suncor drug tests upheld on appeal</a></h3>
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<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/credit.html">CBC News</a> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Posted: Nov 28, 2012 4:36 PM MT</span></h5>
Suncor Energy has lost an appeal of a temporary injunction that prohibits the start of random drug and alcohol testing on its employees.<br />
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The Alberta Court of Appeal turned down the request on Wednesday after hearing arguments from the oilsands giant.Saga Timeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02266326738387920527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759540922048460686.post-73447750750855640612012-11-28T10:52:00.000-08:002012-11-28T15:41:59.134-08:00Civil liberties and human rights groups oppose Bill S-7 (Combating Terrorism Act)<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 11pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
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Toronto - November 28, 2012 - Representatives from civil liberties and human rights groups will testify before the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security on Wednesday, November 28 and Monday, December 3 to express their opposition to Bill S-7 (<em>Combating Terrorism Act</em>).</div>
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The British Columbia Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA), the Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN), the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), the International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group (ICLMG), the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) and La Ligue des droits et libertés are united in their opposition to the reintroduction of controversial security provisions into the Criminal Code of Canada. </div>
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In a <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001QIRTL6y4XLFkctsydPnm6nl5D1etwkpaYIC8Fw554WtltvNSnhgq7dq8o8D5RJw2TvVqVO7lXkdPkVTpRifCEktsJqgYqBkwNv9BtLwFfRnlHWubT6QWSf-SWLzqMKomxpVir1jeDBkjrBOjrh_ZgbFpseTKtGWwvmsE3JKkz594JJOTu-yqv-RIee__ujhiynZJGaHkhSQ=" linktype="document" ref="ACCOUNT.DOCUMENT.195" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" track="on">joint statement</a> released today,<strong> </strong>all are in agreement that the current powers of law enforcement already allow security agencies to pursue, investigate, disrupt, and successfully prosecute terrorism-related crimes.</div>
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Excerpt of joint statement:</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Bill S-7, also known as the ‘Combating Terrorism Act’, would allow persons to be detained for up to three days without charge ("preventive arrest"); strip individuals of their basic rights as accused under criminal proceedings to know and challenge evidence against them; threaten them with criminal punishment; and compel individuals to testify in secret before a judge in an "investigative hearing". Further, the judge may impose imprisonment of up to 12 months if the person does not enter into recognizance.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Individuals subject to these provisions do not necessarily have to be suspected of committing any crime. It is enough that they are alleged to have information relating to a terrorism offence, or that they are alleged to be associated with another individual suspected of committing (or about to commit) a terrorism offence, or that they are otherwise suspected of potential future involvement with a terrorism offence.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">Furthermore, the scope of Bill S-7 extends beyond Canada’s borders, and could potentially result in a reliance on foreign intelligence. Without the ability to challenge evidence, there is no guarantee that the evidence is accurate, or was not obtained from a third country or source that conducts or condones torture as a method to elicit information. [It should be noted that the Canadian government has already given the green light to law enforcement agencies to accept information that may have been derived through torture, in violation of international agreements and standards].</span><br /><br /> </span>
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Public Safety committee hearings on Bill S-7</strong></span></div>
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<em>November 28</em></div>
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Where: 151 Sparks Street, Room 306 When: 4:30 - 5:30 p.m , Wednesday, November 28, 2012</div>
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Who: Carmen Cheung, Senior Counsel, British Columbia Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA)</div>
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Nathalie Des Rosiers, General Counsel, Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) </div>
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<em>December 3</em></div>
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Where: To be determined</div>
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When: tbd, December 3, 2012</div>
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Who: Denis Barrette, spokesperson, International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group (ICLMG) and la Ligue des droits et libertés</div>
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Saga Timeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02266326738387920527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759540922048460686.post-7964368276814227052012-11-26T16:05:00.000-08:002012-12-02T18:36:25.751-08:00<h3>
Backgrounder on the Temporary Foreign Worker Program</h3>
<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><em>Fast facts</em></span></b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">For the first time in its history, in 2007 and 2008 Canada welcomed more temporary than permanent residents. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Between 2005 and 2008 there was a 5.7% decline in permanent residents (from 262,241 in 2005 to 247,202 in 2008) and a 37.6% increase in temporary entrants (190,724 students and temporary workers entered Canada in 2005, and 272,520 entered in 2008). </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">The number of temporary foreign workers entering Canada has gone up 71.2% between 2004 and 2008 (from 112,719 in 2004 to 193,061 in 2008).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Temporary residents do not have access to the same supports and services as permanent residents.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Most of the growth in the temporary worker program is the result of the Low Skill Pilot Project. This pilot allows for the expedited entry of temporary workers with little education or skills who are dependent on their recruiters and employers, are ineligible for services and therefore vulnerable to exploitation. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Low-skilled temporary workers cannot apply for permanent residence through the federal immigration system. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Experience in other countries has demonstrated that similar "temporary guest worker" programs have resulted in the creation of an undocumented underclass and its accompanying difficulties.</span></li>
</ul>
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<u><strong>Conservatives fast-track workers into Canada by relaxing Temporary Foreign Worker regulations</strong></u><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">In April, the Harper Conservatives make sweeping changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program by introducing an Accelerated Labour Market Opinion (ALMO) stream for higher skilled foreign workers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, made the announcement while touring Advance Engineered Products Ltd.’s manufacturing facility in Nisku, Alberta. The move was defended by Conservative MPs as eliminating "unnecessary red tape."</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">But the review leading to the new TFWP rules was conducted behind closed doors, with no public input. Only employers were invited to participate, despite labour and other advocacy groups asking to take part in the process. Their requests to make submissions were also refused.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.afl.org/index.php/Press-Release/alberta-workers-protest-jason-kenneys-paycheque-rip-off.html">The Alberta Federation of Labour denounced the new ALMO</a> stream as a "monster" and "clearly designed to drive down wages," with new minimum standards, such as a 10 business-day wait period and the ability of employers paying foreign workers up to 15 per cent less than Canadian workers.</span><br /><br /><b><u><span style="font-size: small;">Harper Conservatives Repeal the Fair Wages Act</span></u></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">The federal Fair Wages and Hours of Labour Act was repealed by a single line in the 425-page federal omnibus budget bill in May of this year. The act mandated minimum wages contractors had to pay their workers on federal government construction contracts, calculated based on the prevailing wages in the geographic region. NDP MP Pat Martin discovered the move just weeks before the budget passed. Prior to that, the government made no mention of its decision.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">In response to criticisms, Federal Labour Minister Lisa Raitt dismissed the legislation as "unnecessary red tape for employers," which was "really a matter of provincial jurisdiction." At the same time, she maintained that scraping the act would not impact construction wages. Except for her claim that scrapping the act won’t deflate wages, Raitt’s position is lockstep with that of </span><a href="http://www.meritcanada.ca/">Merit Canada</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">, the anti-union contractors’ association with a history of lobbying against the act. In an open letter to Raitt last fall, Merit Canada criticized the legislation for resulting in workers receiving wages that "often exceed the rates that would be payable in the absence of such policies."</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">It was a move that had members of the opposition parties fuming, particularly NDP MP Pat Martin who discovered the change among 70 or so other proposed changes in the bill. The former journeyman carpenter said </span><a href="http://openparliament.ca/debates/2012/5/10/pat-martin-4/">the drop in wages would deter Canadians from entering the construction industry</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> during a debate in the Commons in early May:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">"Contractors who bid a job by pricing out labour at 20% and 30% and 40% lower than their competitors will win every job, every time. They will drive down the prevailing wage, because those other contractors will now have to start bidding lower if they are to ever win a job. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: small;">"To whose benefit is it to drive down the fair wages of Canadian workers? Let me point out a secondary problem this raises. How are we going to attract bright, young men and women into the building trades if the normal wage is now going to be $8, $9 or $10 an hour instead of the $20 or $30 that it is now? Try feeding a family on $8, $9 or $10 an hour. Nobody in his or her right mind is going to go into that industry."</span> </blockquote>
</span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/politicians/laurie-hawn/">Laurie Hawn </a>Edmonton Centre, AB responded by saying, "Mr. Speaker, I always enjoy the performance of my thespian friend from Winnipeg. I would like to make a connection to something his boss said, who is in favour of shutting down the oil sands. I would like to make the connection between the oil sands and the manufacturing industry in Ontario that he cares so much, which I applaud, and the construction industry across the country.
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"Talking about cars and toys for kids, if his boss had his way and shut down the oil sands, there would be nobody in Alberta buying the cars that nobody in Ontario would be making. There would be no workers building, not just in Alberta but in other parts of the country. Could he make that connection for me?"<br />
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Scrapping the Fair Wages Act followed the Harper Conservatives ordering workers from both <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/05/31/cp-rail-back-to-work-bill_n_1560008.html">CP Rail</a> and<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/04/14/air-canada-back-to-work-delays_n_1425375.html"> Air Canada</a> back to work, and in each case within a few days of strike action.<br />
<b><u><br />Academic Study of Temporary Foreign Workers</u></b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">In January this year, Nicolas Schmitt from Simon Fraser Uuniversity's Department of Economics, and Dominique Gross from SFUs School of Public Policy, release an academic study called <em><a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:jsck6wrmYWMJ:www.sfu.ca/~schmitt/cpp_paper.pdf+temporary+foreign+worker+program+history+canada&hl=en&gl=ca&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESi3Ft7LLyFKZfSE69M1uiFBdTFL7kxS-sk6i50SWWy9-gu3Q6jLydSNistmsZYyGWpy_UyohHbLK7OoeejY2fkHaRBiIkOb7FQ6Yg46wNVq4h39-A0pn5dLVFCsy2AUZtfKr3NJ&sig=AHIEtbQh6v3OEdX0hhb4Lih43GH5S2Qodw">Temporary Foreign Workers and Regional Labour Markets In Canada</a></em>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Their report highlights that beginning in 2002, the temporary foreign worker program has been expanded and conditions to access made easier. And although the two authors unequivocally state study in this area of public policy is in its infancy and much more research needs to be done, initial findings into the expansion of the TFWP suggest policy makers got it wrong and changes have been a detriment on Canada’s labour market.</span></span><br />
<b><u><br />Auditor General’s damning report</u></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Canada’s former Auditor General, Sheila Fraser, released her Fall Report on November 3, 2009 containing the chapter </span><a href="http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_oag_200911_02_e_33203.html"><i>Selecting Foreign Workers Under the Immigration Program</i></a><em> </em>including an examination of how the government manages the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. In this damning report, Ms. Fraser exposes major problems with key aspects of Canada's immigration system that finds Ottawa is bringing in big changes with little understanding of the potential consequences. Ms. Fraser said decisions in the Canadian immigration system are increasingly being shifted to the provinces and people who employ immigrants without any follow-up to root out fraud and abuse. She took direct aim at the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, which she said is bringing in an increasing number of often low-skilled workers for jobs ranging from oil sands labourers to construction workers on Olympic sites and live-in nannies.<br />
<b><u><br />Media investigation into temporary foreign workers<br />
<br /> </u></b><span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: small;">At the same time, the Toronto Star, in a </span><a href="http://www.thestar.com/topic/TempWorkers">three-part series</a>, investigates Canada’s program for bringing in temporary workers. The <em>Star </em>investigation found the recession, employer abuse and poor monitoring is leaving more and more of these workers vulnerable and without legal employment. The three articles point to a program that "has been widely criticized for being poorly monitored and leaving low-skilled migrants vulnerable to abuse."<br />
<b><u><br />Poverty advocacy group takes on issues surrounding temporary foreign workers</u></b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">In July 2009, Maytree released Naomi Alboim’s report <em><a href="http://maytree.com/policy-papers/adjusting-the-balance-fixing-canadas-economic-immigration-policies.html">Adjusting the Balance: Fixing Canada’s Economic Immigration Policies</a></em>, proposing a new national vision for economic immigration. Among the 15 recommendations, Ms Alboim also listed three that dealt with the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. She made the following three recommondations:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Recommendation #1: Eliminate the Low Skill Pilot Project for temporary foreign workers.</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">Temporary foreign workers are vulnerable to exploitation and abuse at the low end. Unlike the Live-In Caregiver Program which has a built-in transition to permanent residence, and the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program which is tightly controlled, the Low Skill Pilot Project runs the risk of becoming Canada’s version of the European Guest Workers’ program with all its difficulties. Therefore, the Low Skill Pilot Project for temporary foreign workers should be eliminated as soon as possible.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">To increase the pool of workers to fill low-skilled jobs on an ongoing basis, employers should make these jobs more attractive to people already in Canada, whether immigrants or Canadian born. In addition, Citizenship and Immigration Canada should increase family class and refugee admissions to provide more labour force participants who, as permanent residents, have rights and access to services to prevent exploitation. Increasing points in the Federal Skilled Worker Program for demand occupations, the trades, and validated job offers will also broaden the pool of workers.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Recommendation #2: Monitor recruitment and working conditions of temporary foreign workers.</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">While workplace safety and employment standards come under provincial jurisdiction, temporary foreign workers are a federal responsibility. The federal government should therefore provide leadership and support to provinces to help them monitor and enforce the working conditions of temporary foreign workers (including live-in caregivers and seasonal agricultural workers) and to regulate recruitment agencies.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Recommendation #3: Strengthen the "labour market opinion" process.</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">Before recruiting temporary foreign workers, employers must generally obtain a positive labour market opinion from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada to ensure that the recruitment is warranted.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">A strong labour market opinion process is essential to protect unemployed and underemployed Canadians and permanent residents. It also ensures that temporary workers do not jump the queue of applicants for permanent residence. The labour market opinion process should be strengthened in the following ways:</span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-size: small;">Require employers to search the database of those already in Canada and those in the applicant inventory recommended above before being considered for approval of a highly skilled temporary worker. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Provide positive labour market opinions only after the employer’s recruitment practices, training, wages and working conditions have been reviewed and determined not to be a barrier to employing unemployed or underemployed people already in Canada.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Implement a monitoring system to follow up on employers who were issued positive labour market opinions to ensure the proper treatment of temporary workers and others in the workplace.</span></li>
</ul>
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<strong><u>Alberta Federation of Labour Takes On Advocacy Work For TFWs</u></strong><br />
<strong><u><br /></u></strong>In response to growing concerns, the Alberta Federation of Labour launches a Temporary Foreign Worker Advocate program to offer free services to TFWs needing assistance with work-related problems. The Advocate was launched in April 2007, with Edmonton lawyer Yessy Byl serving as the Advocate.<br />
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The Advocate releases findings after six months of assisting TFWs in a report called <a href="http://www.afl.org/index.php/View-document/19-Temporary-Foreign-Workers-Alberta-s-Disposable-Workforce.html">Temporary Foreign Workers – Alberta’s disposable workforce</a>. The report covers the Advocate’s activities until October 31, 2007.<br />
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Then in April 2009, The Advocate releases a second report called <a href="http://www.afl.org/index.php/View-document/123-Entrenching-Exploitation-Second-Rept-of-AFL-Temporary-Foreign-Worker-Advocate.html">Entrenching Exploitation</a>, which highlights re-occurring issues found in the Advocate’s casework. The report documents significant employer abuses and exploitation of foreign workers, plus highlights serious shortcomings of the TFWP Advocate's caseload while serving as a volunteer lawyer and advisor to the program.Saga Timeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02266326738387920527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759540922048460686.post-38896804443690247032012-11-26T07:17:00.000-08:002012-11-26T07:48:51.234-08:00Temporary foreign worker update<h4>
<a href="http://www.theprovince.com/business/Spectre+racism+raised/7609378/story.html#axzz2DLAwO5jW">Spectre of racism raised</a></h4>
VANCOUVER - Debate? Or hate?<br />
The use of temporary workers from China at a northern B.C. coal mine has sparked a court fight, duelling versions of events, a federal review and a great deal of discussion.<br />
And that's good, says Victor Wong of the Chinese-Canadian National Council.<br />
But the issue around HD Mining International Ltd.'s decision to bring in the foreign workers for its Murray River coal mine near Tumbler Ridge, B.C., also highlights an "anti-China bias" that threatens to descend into plain, old-fashioned racism, he said.<br />
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<a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Mining+company+behind+Chinese+workers+plan+appeals+federal+court+ruling+temporary+foreign+workers/7606322/story.html#ixzz2DFmcmgWd">Dehua shuts separate project over temporary worker concerns</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></h4>
<span style="font-size: small;">VANCOUVER - One of the companies behind a plan to bring Chinese workers to a coal mine in B.C. has shut down a separate project due to a legal challenge over foreign worker permits.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANgtVAPaVMo">Steelworkers protest over issues of Canadian jobs and safety for temporary foreign workers in BC coal mines</a></h4>
PRINCE GEORGE - Members of the Steelworkers Union protest outside the Prince George office of Pat Bell, Minister of Jobs and Skills Training. Tension grew last week in the wake of hundreds of temporary foreign workers being hired by HD Mining International for initial work on a long wall project for the company's Murray River mine.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQNfZ2ZtsYQ&feature=youtu.be">Steelworkers put Liberal MLA Bill Bennett on notice during protest</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></h4>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">CRANBROOK –Steelworkers from the East Kootenays speak loudly Wednesday about the Christy Clark government’s BC Jobs Plan, plus serve a notice of eviction to Liberal MLA Bill Bennet to take effect election day 2013.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/11/23/chinese-foreign-mine-workers-hd-mining-appeal_n_2179095.html">HD Mining appeals unions standing in judicial review</a></h4>
VANCOUVER - The company bringing workers from China for its northern B.C. coal mine has filed an appeal of a Federal Court ruling granting two unions the right to pursue a judicial review of the decision to grant the temporary foreign worker permits.Saga Timeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02266326738387920527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759540922048460686.post-16313783916972648912012-11-23T03:42:00.000-08:002012-11-26T22:58:40.249-08:00United Steelworkers challenge BC government to suspend mining operation over safety of temporary foreign workers<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">The United Steelworkers (USW) District 3 is challenging the BC Minister of Energy and Mines to order a suspension of work at HD Mining International’s Murray River coal mine in northern British Columbia.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">A lawyer representing the USW filed the complaint against HD Mining with B.C.'s Minister of Energy and Mines Rich Coleman and Chief Inspector of Mines Al Hoffman Wednesday citing numerous violations of the Health Safety and Reclamation Code for Mines in British Columbia.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">The complaint involves the company's use of temporary foreign workers from China and its plans to teach those workers only 100 words of English prior to commencing work.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">The USW complaint points to sections of the B.C. Mines Code, which requires that in order to understand and comply with the occupational health and safety rules and standards, all workers in mines must have appropriate facility in the English language.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">"Given the dangers posed by a continuous production underground coal mine, it is critical that all workers have a clear understanding of workplace safety and rules at all times. Inserting a foreign national without fluency in English into such a maze of overlapping and precise safety requirements is a recipe for disaster," says Steve Hunt, United Steelworkers Director for Western Canada (District 3).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">The USW complaint follows court action recently initiated by The International Union of Operating Engineers Local 115 and the Construction and Specialized Workers Union Local 1611. Those two unions are seeking a federal judicial review of approximately 200 temporary foreign worker permits granted to HD Mining for its mine near Tumbler Ridge, B.C.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">Lawyers for the company and the federal Immigration and Human Resources departments sought to have the application dismissed. But yesterday, the Federal Court ruled it would hear the challenge brought by the two unions. Judge Douglas Campbell said in his decision there is a public interest in the case.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">"I note that presently there is almost no knowledge of the contents of the (labour market opinions) in question, nor is there a method in the present circumstances by which their production can be ordered without granting the applicants standing in these proceedings," Campbell wrote.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">At the provincial level, the BC Code mandates individual workers understand and fully comply with the following documents and procedures:</span><br /><ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">The operation of a joint health and safety committee </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Material safety data sheets </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Extensive confined spaces procedures </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Special requirements and training of a mine rescue team member </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">The written lockout procedure and training </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Log books for suspended work platforms </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Emergency and rescue plans </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">All provisions of the Mines Act, Regulations and the Code, in relation to the operation of mobile equipment </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Log books for mobile equipment </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Operating procedures for the introduction of water into rock passes</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: small;">Hunt says these requirements make clear how essential it is to the safety of each employee that everyone on a mine site has an adequate grasp of the English language.</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">"Given the importance of competency to the safe operation of a mine, the idea of teaching employees only 100 words of English is extremely disturbing, and it is clearly contrary to the purposes of the Mine Code," Hunt says.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">"This rudimentary knowledge of English will not even come close to satisfying the requirements of the Code."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">The union is asking the provincial government invoke its powers to order a suspension of work at HD Mining Murry River operation. It is also asking the ministry utilize its powers under the Mines Act to conduct an investigation into the alleged violations</span>.</span>
Saga Timeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02266326738387920527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759540922048460686.post-80317010367799419802012-04-06T08:04:00.005-07:002012-04-06T17:38:38.171-07:00Wildrose Party policies defile Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms<b>by Bobbie Saga</b><br />
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<b>Wildrose Party leader Danielle Smith refused to say Wednesday whether she personally believes in the concept of "conscience rights."<br />
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It’s a concept whereby commissioners can opt-out of marrying same-sex couples, or doctors can opt-out from prescribing birth control pills to a patient, or family planning counselors can opt-out of referring women for appropriate family planning – all in the guise of freedom of conscience and guided by a person’s values or beliefs.<br />
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It seems an unbelievable concept, this twist of Canadian Charter rights that cloaks discrimination. Yet the specter of religious fanatics and their nefarious influence are pushing for such policies, most notably within Alberta’s far right of the political spectrum. And it’s become a familiar aspect of Alberta’s provincial election with home-schooling parents pushing for their "god given right" to pick and choose what’s taught to their children in a publicly funded education system, or the chant to limit access to justice by way of abolishing the Human Rights Commission (HRC).<br />
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These intolerant polices should scare anyone who believes in a respectful society whereby everyone's rights are taken seriously and are balanced with competing views and guided by the <em>Charter of Rights and Freedoms</em> and not by one's personal values and beliefs. The whole concept smacks of state-sanctioned bigotry and justification for zealots imposing their views and values on the rest of society. Plus, it does so in tandem with another Wildrose policy that taints the purpose and <a href="http://www.chumirethicsfoundation.ca/files/pdf/AB%20HR%20Comparison%20Commissions%20in%20Canada%20SCF%20April%202007.pdf#value of HRCs"><b>value of HRCs</b></a> and would limit access to justice for only those well-heeled enough to afford it. <b>Indeed, in the November/December 2010 issue of </b><a href="http://www.cdn-hr-reporter.ca/new/viewpoints?page=1#Canadian Human Rights Reporter"><b>Canadian Human Rights Reporter</b></a><b>, it was noted that, "none of the last five full external reviews of human rights processes in Canada have seen any merit in abandoning human rights tribunal systems in favour of high courts!"</b></b><br />
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<strong>How is this "conscience rights" policy any different from the Jim Crow laws in the US that allowed systemic discrimination and widespread de jure racial segregation in all public facilities with a supposedly "separate but equal" status for black Americans? This separation led to unequal economic treatment in bank lending practices, in employment, in education, in housing with all leading to social disadvantages for one segment of the population.</strong><br />
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<b>It seems, however, Ms. Smith does not wish to publicly acknowledge the toned-down word -- that is, the government "should" implement conscience rights. The party's 2010 policy handbook says a Wildrose government "<u>will</u> implement legislation protecting the conscience rights of health care professionals." But the 2012 Wildrose platform has that one different word on the subject, which <i>hopefully should</i> put tarnish on a carefully polished campaign.<br />
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Conscience rights are hotly disputed in other jurisdictions, as they tend to involve medical professionals refusing to perform or counsel for procedures they have moral objections to. These procedures include abortion, sterilization or other forms of birth control. There have also been civil commissioners opting out of marrying same-sex couples. Just last year, Saskatchewan’s Court of Appeal upheld the principle that those sworn to carry out public duties <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/story/2011/01/10/sk-marriage-commissioners-1101.html#cannot unilaterally pick and choose par"><b>cannot unilaterally pick and choose parts of their job</b></a><b> they will perform. That case involved a marriage commissioner refusing to perform same-sex marriages because of his religious beliefs.</b><br />
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<strong>What’s disturbing is that since this story broke in the mainstream press, there are comments popping up on media boards and blogs suggesting those who question or oppose such policies should have more respect for politicians holding religious values. Ignorance is bliss, I gather.</strong><br />
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<strong>Most reasonable people, I suggest, don’t have a problem with politicians of faith. Rather, they have a problem with those seeming to believe that their religion gives them greater moral authority than those who don’t share their particular set of values and beliefs. It should not – and does not – under Canada’s Charter. I would further suggest that most reasonable people would draw the line at politicians using their belief system to justify casting out those who don’t share their bigoted beliefs. Democratic policies are supposed to be inclusive and government is supposed to govern for <i>all people</i>.</strong><br />
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<strong>Are we now so far distanced from the past that we have forgotten the mistakes of the past? I would hope not. But asked repeatedly about her stance, Ms. Smith dodged reporters' questions, stating only, "I'll tell you where I stand… I am fundamentally a populist… I fundamentally believe that Albertans should decide the direction of the province."</strong><br />
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<strong><strong>That is not good enough, Ms. Smith. It is blatant deflection on an exceedingly important question, a question of state-sanctioned discriminatory policy you have previously </strong><a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Wildrose+leader+Smith+dflects+questios+conscience+rights/6412821/story.html#gone on record endorsing"><strong>gone on record endorsing</strong></a><strong>. </strong></strong></b><strong>It’s a simple question, so answer it and allow the people to decide if this is what is truly wanted for the future of Alberta.</strong>Saga Timeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02266326738387920527noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759540922048460686.post-73679294856478859482012-04-02T12:38:00.085-07:002012-12-08T08:01:08.257-08:00Echoes of theocracy in a Canadian sub-culture<h3>
Part three in a series</h3>
<b>Updated to include comments from a member of the Alberta Teachers Association</b><br />
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<b>by Bobbie Saga</b><br />
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<b>A theo-conservative sub-culture – spawned by our southern neighbours, financed by well-heeled devotees, fuelled by teary-eyed, indefatigable devotion and linked through heavyweight think tanks, evangelical churches, charter schools and the Internet – has flourished largely ignored or unnoticed within Canada for the better part of 30 years.<br /><br />For the already initiated and enlightened, whose numbers have dramatically increased, they believe they are called on to be saviors for a higher purpose – "called to be salt and light in all the world."<br /><br />Their aim is "God blessed" reformation of Canada’s multicultural and civil nature, an anachronism of driving Canada back into the Biblical dark ages with an exclusionary theo-conservative agenda running counter to our inclusive culture.<br /><br />And they’ve taken aim for over a quarter of a century by parachuting people into key positions within the Canadian<i> </i>establishment, elevating those showing promise and adherence to a theocratic worldview by giving both financial and other support in the background. Many of the chosen have a cult-like following few truly understand.<br /><br />Theocracy echoes throughout this sub-culture’s chamber. At the same time, carefully crafted and controlled messaging – designed to be palatable to the less enlightened, designed to garner public support, designed to score political points – is unquestionably picked up by the mainstream press that has an affection for shifting views, votes and ultimately, public policy.<br /><br />Canada’s corporate media uncritically echoes the messages of this sub-culture to the masses, chanting its requiems and chattering about a families first, libertarian agenda – aiding and abetting in a process to capture and maintain political power.<br /><br />But for those paying close attention, they knew something was up dating back to the mid-1980s when politics took on a new and decidedly different tone, when people like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockwell_Day#Stockwell Day"><b>Stockwell Day</b></a><b> began arriving on the political scene with his </b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crationism#creationist"><b>creationist</b></a><b> tendencies.</b><br /><br /><b>Shortly thereafter, self-righteous silhouettes emerged more prominently on Alberta’s landscape with the most extreme elements of the movement showing a penchant for </b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligent_design#intelligent design"><b>intelligent design</b></a><b>.</b><br /><br />It all seems so <b>strikingly familiar</b> with attempts made to influence both education and human rights policies during Alberta’s provincial election today and under the guise of standing up for human rights. And it’s déjà vu with politicians such as Rob Anderson, Wildrose Party education critic, pandering to this same and much expanded constituency, while counting on the media not to take notice of the repackaged rhetoric.</b><br />
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<h3>
Back to the light</h3>
<b><br />But long forgotten stories relegated to the annals of history and buried in morgues of Alberta’s press chronicle events that influenced policies and ultimately threatened to split Alberta’s mighty PC party.<br /><br />One such story took place in March of 1994, a time when book banning was alive and well, when one defender of morality stepped from the shadows of the Legislature’s back-benches to denounce John Steinbeck’s <em>Of Mice and Men</em>.<br /><br />Victor Doerksen, former Tory MLA for Red Deer South, stepped into the spotlight brandishing the book as one example of literary works he wanted removed from schools in the province. Doerksen referred to the passage "…too goddammed lazy…" as offensive, and said the book contained 197 other profanities – yes, someone actually went through it and counted! He also introduced a petition from 881 Albertans wanting all educational literature intolerant of religion removed from curricula and school library shelves.<br /><br />Following a brief encounter with disbelief, it was pointed out that John Stienbeck won the 1962 Nobel Prize for literature and that in the presentation address, Anders Osterling, the then Permanent Secretary of the Swedish Academy, called <em>Of Mice and Men</em> "the little masterpiece". Osterling went on to praise Steinbeck, "With your most distinctive works you have become a teacher of goodwill and charity, a defender of human values, which can be said to correspond to the proper idea of the Nobel Prize."<br /><br />Shortly thereafter, Doerksen admitted he had never read <em>Of Mice and Men</em> and within a week he was removed from two government education committees.<br /><br />Yet playing in the shadows of education debates was another important issue: sexual orientation as protected grounds for discrimination. Canada repatriated its Constitution over a decade earlier that included the <em>Charter of Rights and Freedoms</em>. And following its 1982 implementation, federal, provincial and territorial governments brought in human rights legislation mirroring the Charter that today still govern human rights complaints and the processes throughout Canada. But Alberta, unlike other jurisdictions, refused steadfastly to include sexual orientation in its human rights legislation. It was, after all, a time when the once fringe of the PC Party and <a href="http://thetyee.ca/Books/2007/04/11/GayAlberta/#gay bashing articles in the Alberta Report"><b>gay bashing articles in the Alberta Report</b></a><b> held sway. The Alberta Report was published<b> by current Wildrose candidate Link Byfield. </b></b><br /><br /><b>Then in 1991, Delwin Vriend, a lab coordinator at Edmonton’s King’s College, was fired from his job because of his sexual orientation. Vriend, when it was disclosed to his employer that he was in a same-sex relationship, displayed a "lifestyle choice" deemed incompatible with a newly created statement of religious belief adopted by the private religious college.</b><br /><br /><b>Yet when Vriend attempted to file a discrimination complaint with Alberta’s Human Rights Commission, he was refused on the grounds that sexual orientation was not protected grounds under the province's human rights code.</b><br /><br /> Vriend sued the Government of Alberta and its Human Rights Commission, seeking a declaration from the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench, arguing the omission breached Section 15 of the Charter. But when the Court of Queen's Bench found in his favour, the Government of Alberta, under political pressure from religious groups, appealed the decision. Then the Alberta Court of Appeal overturned the trial decision, and that decision was, in turn, appealed to the Supreme Court, which <a href="http://scc.lexum.org/en/1998/1998scr1-493/1998scrl-493.html#ruled in Vriend's favour"><b>ruled in Vriend’s favour</b></a><b>. The SCC ruled (excerpt):</b></b><br />
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<dir><dir><strong> </strong><strong>Far from being rationally connected to the objective of the impugned provisions, the exclusion of sexual orientation from the Act is antithetical to that goal. With respect to minimal impairment, the Alberta government has failed to demonstrate that it had a reasonable basis for excluding sexual orientation from the IRPA <b>[Individual’s Rights Protection Act]</b>. Gay men and lesbians do not have any, much less equal, protection against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation under the IRPA. The exclusion constitutes total, not minimal, impairment of the Charter guarantee of equality. Finally, since the Alberta government has failed to demonstrate any salutary effect of the exclusion in promoting and protecting human rights, there is no proportionality between the attainment of the legislative goal and the infringement of the appellants’ equality rights.</strong></dir></dir><br />
<strong>It did not take any time following the April 2, 1998 ruling before the Alberta Government announced it was considering invoking the Constitution’s notwithstanding clause to opt out of the ruling. A backroom brawl ensued principally between Ralph Klein duking it out with Stockwell Day, who was pushing for usage of the notwithstanding clause.</strong><br />
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<b>But in the wake of the government’s announcement, a group calling itself the Alberta Human Rights Coalition that supported the SCC ruling went into high gear lobbying every single MLA in the province, plus staged a celebration on the steps of McDougall Centre in Calgary in an effort to put a spotlight on the issue. Religious groups, however, pushed back, taking out full page ads in most of Alberta’s daily newspapers that were deemed by some legal experts to be "one word shy of hate speech" against gays and lesbians. Their publication touched off a bitter firestorm of controversy that soon led to an announcement by the government that it was allowing the SCC ruling to stand. Klein had won the brawl, but paid a political price.<br /><br />The case was not against King's College, and Vriend never pursued a human rights complaint against his former employer. The case strictly involved whether provincial Human Rights Commissions could, under provincial legislation, investigate claims on the basis of sexual orientation. Nor did the ruling set any legal precedent for the resolution of such claims. That was left to the Human Rights Commissions, independent from <b>government bodies mandated by legislation and supported by case law to mediate resolution to thousands of disputes arising each year throughout Canada (more on that in my next post).</b></b><br />
<b><br />Vriend vs. Alberta still stands as one of the most important rulings by the Supreme Court with the decision since being used to argue <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/story/2011/01/10/sk-marriage-commissioners-1101.html#provinvial cases against bans on same-s">provincial cases against bans on same-sex marriage</a>. In addition, the decision has greater ramifications within Canadian law outside of sexual orientation issues. It helped shape legal precedent concerning provincial and federal government relationships as well as labour and other civil rights and constitutional laws.</b><br />
<h3>
<br />Old arguments die hard</h3>
<b><br /><b>As far as the issues being raised in Alberta’s current education debate over the now defunct Bill 2, it is not freedom of religion itself that is at issue but whether exclusionary forms of education can or should be in the bailiwick of publicly funded education. The Supreme Court says no, but both home-schooling parents and candidates from the Wildrose Party say yes as does Bill 44 that was brought in by the old guard of Alberta's PC Party who have mostly jumped ship or changed political allegiance.</b><br /><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br /><b>The groups wading into the debate cut and paste from each other, filling boards and blogs alike with their self-regarding opinions that are smugly self-righteous and tinged in no small way by self-interest. All are endorsing one another’s deeply flawed conclusions.</b></b><br /><br /><b><b><b><b>And as <a href="http://www.teachers.ab.ca/Publications/ATA%20News/Volume%2046%202011-12/Number14/Pages/Home-educators-miss-the-point.aspx#Jonathan Tegtmeyer from the Alberta Tea">Jonathan Teghtmeyer from the Alberta Teachers Association points out</a>, the arguments being put forward by those representing home-schoolers are "illogical."<br /><br />"Many home-schooling parents suggest that the lines between class time and home time are blurred, and since their home is defined (according to the act) as a school, any conversation in their home would be subject to the <i>Alberta Human Rights Act </i>and, under Bill 2, discussions around the kitchen table could be governed by legislation. Some believe that Bill 2 would, for example, prevent parents from teaching their particular views on homosexuality or abortion," Teghtmeyer said.<br /><br />"These complaints are unfounded and ridiculous," he continued.<br /><br />"The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms<i> </i>is part of our constitution and applies to legislation and programs of study regardless of whether a provincial education act refers to it or not. As for the <i>Alberta Human Rights Act</i>, it also expressly applies to all legislation in Alberta."</b></b></b></b></b>Saga Timeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02266326738387920527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759540922048460686.post-79002869549500661622012-03-29T00:48:00.025-07:002012-04-04T12:11:01.833-07:00Far right’s amplified web of deception<h3>Update</h3><h3>Part 2 in a series (more posts to follow)</h3><br />
<strong>by Bobbie Saga</strong><br />
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<b>An amplified voice of the evangelical far right is leading the charge on Alberta’s education and human rights debate.<br />
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To give this more clarity and context, the <a href="http://www.aheaonline.com/#Alberta Home Education Association"><b>Alberta Home Education Association</b></a><b> (AHEA) first organized a rally on the steps of the Alberta Legislature March 5, which </b><a href="http://globaltvedmonton.smdg.ca/home+educators+protest+education+act+outside+legislature/6442594825/story.html#drew hundreds of protestors"><b>drew hundreds of protestors</b></a><b>. It was reported the parents’ concern is Section 16 of Bill 2 "that enshrines the Alberta Human Rights Act into the Education Act" and infringes "on their right to teach their children what they want."</b><br />
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Education Minister Thomas Lukaszuk, addressed the protestors (the writ was dropped Monday triggering the provincial election).<br />
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<b>"What you do at home, your values, you will not be asked to develop any particular curriculum," Lukaszuk said according to Global TV Edmonton. "There is no reason to believe that you will be required to do anything differently than you have up to now. Not only the minister of education, but no ministry of this government will ever, ever venture into interfering with what we do at home, with what we practice at home, and what we believe in that home. That is our private lives and that will be respected."</b><br />
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<b>Not appeased by Lukaszuk’s comments, the AHEA, which openly works in cooperation with another group, the </b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/home_School_Legal_Defense_Association#Home School Legal Defense Association"><b>Home School Legal Defense Association</b></a><b> (HSLDA), turned up the political heat. The two followed up by organizing </b><a href="http://globaltvedmonton.smdg.ca/two+people+gather+legislature+to+protest+new+education+act/6442603590/story.html#a second rally"><b>a second rally</b></a><b> March 19, set to work lobbying with a letter writing campaign, plus put out calls for people to contact the government.</b></b><br />
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<strong><b>But the AHEA and the HSLDA are supported in their lobbying efforts by other far right leaning and evangelical groups, including </b><a href="http://www.concernedchristians.ca/about-ccc#Concerned Christians Canada"><b>Concerned Christians Canada</b></a><b> (CCC) that, for example, put out an </b><a href="http://concernedchristians.ca/take-action-mainmenu-67/133-action-alerts/327-political-correctness-gone-mad-alberta-alert#e-alert"><b>e-alert</b></a><b> (last updated February 23) about the first protest entitled Political Correctness Gone Mad (Alberta Alrt – Calls Needed Immediately). The alert states:</b></strong><br />
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<strong><em>"The new Education Act</em> (<em>Bill 2</em><i>) proposed in Alberta will force political correctness on parents in their own homes when teaching their children. Under this powerful new legislation, all homeschooling, including all material and teaching, must meet these requirements. It essentially makes parents subject to the </i><em>Alberta Human Rights Act</em><i> when they interact with their own children in their own homes. Furthermore, it requires this communication to promote understanding and respect as set out in the </i><em>Alberta Human Rights Act</em><i>: the same Act that has been responsible for repressing virtually all forms of religious expression that have come before the Human Rights Tribunal. How then, is a parent to read the bible to their child, or pray with them, or share any of their own religious beliefs without fearing the political correctness police."</i></strong><br />
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<strong><strong>Not by coincidence, no information is given on the CCC site clearly explaining its <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_right#US roots"><b>US roots</b></a><strong> or its affiliation with </strong><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_Group_for%20Independent_Business#Progressive Group for Independent Business"><b>Progressive Group for Independent Business</b></a><strong> (PGIB). And most references to the infamous PGIB founder and CEO </strong><a href="http://site.chandlerslist.info/#Craig Chandler"><b>Craig Chandler</b></a><strong> were removed from the CCC site. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Chandler#His Wiki profile"><b>His Wiki profile</b></a><strong> doesn’t do him justice!</strong></strong></strong></strong><br />
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<strong><strong><strong><strong><b>Chandler, who founded the CCC, was replaced as National Chairman by Jim Blake who hails from Balzac. What is stated on the CCC site, however, and located on its "<a href="http://www.concernedchristians.ca/christian-politics#Christian Politics"><b>Christian Politics</b></a><strong>" page, is the following (direct quote with an archaic notation of "rhelm" included):</strong></b></strong></strong></strong></strong><br />
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<strong><strong><strong><strong><b><em>"Christians for too long have bought the lie from secular media and secular education, in short secular propaganda, that Christians should not take their Christian worldview to the rhelm of politics, but the time has come that Christians push back, that Christians understand that we are called to be overcommers in all the world. We are called to be salt and light in all the world. We are called to preach the gospel to all creation, not all creation but the world of politics. Check out these news items for updates on Christians who are not afraid to be involved in politics, as Christians, not by stealth, but unashamedly Christian all the time…"</em><br />
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<strong><b>Further, the CCC also boasts feeds to 20 other groups with evangelical orientations and is often quoted in </b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campaign_Life_Coalition#LifeSite"><b>LifeSite</b></a><b> news that has ties to a site calling itself </b><a href="http://www.blogger.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=concerned+christians+canada&source=web&cd=11&ved=0CFsQFjAK&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnoapologies.ca%2Ftag%2Fconcerned-christians-canada&ei=SMZyT_GWIsHe2QWV8qDQDg&usg=AFQjCNFWKv4M6VK6Ac6JXG-A-omhH8hF_w"><b><span style="color: blue;"><em>Concerned Christians Canada</em></span> | No Apologies</b></a><b>. And No Apologies is directly linked to another site </b><a href="http://humanrightscommissions.ca/index.php/in-a-nutshell#Stand up for Freedom Canada"><b>Stand up for Freedom Canada</b></a><b> (SFC), which appears to be a stand-alone "grassroots" lobby against Human Rights Commissions.</b></strong><br />
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The content of Stand up for Freedom Canada is pure propaganda (more on that in my next post), without religious context or content. But as stated implicity on the site – without clarification, including the full name or a link to the affiliated organization – it is connected to the <a href="http://www.arpacanada.ca/#Assoication for Reformed Political Action"><b>Association for Reformed Political Action</b></a><b> (ARPA) Canada. That site has the caption, "Sharing the light of God’s word across our nation." And this group is connected to another group called </b><a href="http://christiangovernance.ca/"><b>ChristianGovernance</b></a>.<br />
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But getting back to the Alberta debate, the AHEA and the HSLDA are working in stride with an umbrella group called <a href="http://albertacde.org/open-letter-to-the-government-of-alberta/#Association and Citizens for Diversity in Education"><b>Association and Citizens for Diversity in Education</b></a><b> (ACDE). And this group sent a letter to the provincial government March 19 with an interesting list of 14 evangelical signatories. They include:</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.acsi.org/tabid/535/itemid/1305/default.aspx#Association of Christian Schools International"><b>Association of Christian Schools International</b></a><b> (or the </b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association%20of%20Christian%20Schools%20International#Wikipedia version"><b>Wikipedia version</b></a><b>)</b><br />
<b><a href="http://www.scasociety.ca/AboutUs/tabid/59/Default.aspx#Strathcona Christian Academy Society"><b>Strathcona Christian Academy Society</b></a><br />
<a href="http://www.opencharity.ca/charity/107685620RR0001#MCS Foundation"><b>MCS Foundation</b></a><b> (a registered name)</b><br />
<a href="http://millwoodschristianschool.com/about/mission-and-vision/#Millwoods Christian School Society"><b>Millwoods Christian School Society</b></a><b> (</b><a href="http://www.calvarycommunity.ca/#Calvary Community Church"><b>Calvary Community Church</b></a><b>)</b><br />
<a href="http://www.realwomenca.com/page/aboutus.html#REAL Women of Canada"><b>REAL Women of Canada</b></a><b> (Or the </b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REAL_Women_of_Canada#Wikipedia version"><b>Wikipedia version</b></a><b>)</b><br />
<a href="http://www.lcg.org/about-us.shtml#Congregations of the Living Church of God"><b>Congregations of the Living Church of God</b></a><br />
<a href="http://gracepointchurch.ca/?page_id=79#Grace Point Church of God"><b>Grace Point Church of God</b></a><br />
<a href="http://www.mwpa.com/about#Mill Woods Pentecostal Assembly"><b>Mill Woods Pentecostal Assembly</b></a><br />
<a href="http://www.calvarylutheran.ca/#Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church"><b>Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church</b></a><br />
<a href="http://www.olivetreemessianicfellowship.com/#Olive Tree Fellowship"><b>Olive Tree Fellowship</b></a><br />
<a href="http://www.emptytombministries.org/#The Empty Tomb Ministries"><b>The Empty Tomb Ministries</b></a><br />
<a href="http://www.lwca.ab.ca/about-lwca#Living Waters Christian Academy"><b>Living Waters Christian Academy</b></a><br />
<a href="http://www.christianprogram.ca/membership.html#Logos Society of Edmonton"><b>Logos Society of Edmonton</b></a><br />
<a href="http://lhpc.biz/about-us/what-we-believe"><b>Lighthouse Pentecostal Church</b></a><br />
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<b>Although the Association claims representation of about 80,000, the above list is a fraction of churches in Alberta and represents a very small portion of Alberta’s voting population (3,653,840 latest statistics on total population). The Catholic Church, however, has weighed into the debate.</b></b></b></strong></strong></strong></strong><br />
<strong><strong><strong><strong><b><b><b><br />
<b>More problematic is the caption above the letter on the AHEA site. It states "Alberta Catholic School Trustees’ Association and Citizens for Diversity in Education write Letters." But all links to the supposed letter from the school board are broken or people are redirected to another page on the AHEA site. And the letter is not a feature on the school board’s site. This is not to say, however, the school board has not made its views known to the Alberta government.<br />
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<b>Nor do the numbers game and alleged representation negate potential political influence in real and present in ways.</b></b><br />
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<b><b>The request appearing on the AHEA site entitled </b><a href="http://www.aheaonline.com/#Response from Education Minister and Education Critics"><b>Response from Education Minister and Education Critics</b></a><b> has a link on the title that also goes nowhere. It, however, states, "ACDE would welcome a statement from the Ministry of Education and Education Critics from all political parties as to your position on parent’s roles in the education of their children, rationale for the votes you made. Your responses will be posted on our website. If you would like to provide a response, please address it to myself, and I will be sure to have it posted on our website."</b></b><br />
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<b><b>The post appeared on the site March 26 – and the initial post was accompanied by a single, prominently featured partisan response from Rob Anderson, Wildrose Party education critic. </b></b><b><b>At the time of this post, no other political party comments were posted to the site.</b></b><br />
<br />
<b><b>Again, it gets a little confusing with all the sites and names, but that is not without purpose. (see Part 1 in the series).</b></b><br />
<br />
See related story on the federal level and the environment:<br />
<a href="http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2012/03/26/Harper-Evangelical-Mission/">http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2012/03/26/Harper-Evangelical-Mission/</a><br />
See article posted by the Alberta Teachers Association <br />
<a href="http://www.teachers.ab.ca/Publications/ATA%20News/Volume%2046%202011-12/Number14/Pages/Home-educators-miss-the-point.aspx">http://www.teachers.ab.ca/Publications/ATA%20News/Volume%2046%202011-12/Number14/Pages/Home-educators-miss-the-point.aspx</a><br />
See press release from the Public School Boards Assoication of Alberta<br />
<a href="http://public-schools.ab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/News-Release-March-26-2012.pdf">http://public-schools.ab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/News-Release-March-26-2012.pdf</a></b></b></b></strong></strong></strong></strong>Saga Timeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02266326738387920527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759540922048460686.post-25396677536741285392012-03-24T23:25:00.009-07:002012-03-25T22:38:16.248-07:00The religious right hijacks Alberta’s education and human rights policy<h3>Part One (more postings to follow)</h3><b><br />
by Bobbie Saga<br />
<br />
What appears to be a small group of several hundred homeschooling parents framing the debate on Alberta’s education policy succeeded in delaying a key bill Thursday. And the group, which is embedded with the religious right and backed by the Wildrose Party, vow to make it an election issue.<br />
<br />
The Alberta Education Act (Bill 2) went into limbo March 22, leading some media pundits to speculate opposition to it may cost Alberta Premier Alison Redford an important platform piece as the provincial election looms.<br />
<br />
Ms. Redford, who casts herself as a health-and-education premier, inherited the bill from the previous provincial Tory government. Now, however, she could go into the campaign without the law that was years in the making, and one supported by major stakeholders like teachers and school boards.<br />
<br />
Bill 2, intended to get tough on bullying, pulls together outdated and pre-Internet legislation. It also aims to improve graduation rates by raising the dropout age to 17 from 16, plus allows students to stay in school for free until age 21, up from age 19. And if passed, the act would allow for local decision making by granting broader powers to school boards, including the power to direct how education is provided, close schools, set the school calendar and dismiss trustees who breach codes of conduct.<br />
<br />
But Section 16 of the bill ties the legislation to Canadian human rights laws, a move that riled a small number of people engaging in vitriolic discourse, including <a href="http://www.edmontonjournal.com/life/Education+reasoned+debate/6338681/story.html#death threats"><b>death threats</b></a><b> against Education Minister Thomas Lukaszuk, which promptly pushed the issue into the pre-election spotlight.</b><br />
<br />
<b><b>Ms. Redford’s Progressive Conservatives, who hold a majority, didn’t invoke closure on the bill but criticized chief rival, the Wildrose Party, for tabling amendments that delayed its passage. The PCs, under political pressure, then delayed it further by canceling a legislative session Wednesday evening, returning Thursday afternoon with four amendments. Wildrose, with four MLAs, to the PCs’ 66, balked at the move, equating it to a filibuster and an attempt to "railroad four last-minute omnibus amendments through the Legislature." As such, they refused unanimous consent to extend the session past a 4:30 p.m. deadline. Time ran out, with the Legislature adjourning until April 2.</b></b><br />
<br />
<strong><strong>Meanwhile, and according to comments published in the National Post, the Wildrose Party will take the issue to Alberta voters</strong>.<br />
<br />
<strong>"This is definitely going to be an election issue," said Wildrose House leader and education critic Rob Anderson. "The PCs have failed to listen to Albertans on this issue," he continued, adding the party supports passage of the act, but if elected, Wildrose would restore its original language. "There are conflicts between people’s personal beliefs and the interpretation of the Charter of Rights," he said. "What we’re saying is, let’s let those parents teach their children according to their personal beliefs."</strong></strong><br />
</b><br />
<h3>Optics <em>v.</em> Reality</h3><br />
<b><b>But in the midst of political posturing and finger pointing, scratch the surface of the debate and something more insidious emerges. Indeed, the brouhaha over the proposed education act – and Alberta’s education policy – is a lesson in hypocrisy. Moreover, the optics and <a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/03/22/what-the-home-school-protest-rises-in-alberta-over-updated-education-act/#the arguments being put forward"><b>the arguments being put forward</b></a><b> by spokespeople for some parents – and carefully crafted remarks by the Wildrose – are deceitful.</b></b></b><br />
<br />
<strong>The optics shows a vocal group of homeschooling parents taking issue with a section of the proposed Alberta Education Act (The actual head count is subject to dispute). Paul van den Bosch, a spokesperson for the protesting parents and treasurer of a group calling itself the </strong><a href="http://www.aheaonline.com/#Alberta Home Education Association"><strong>Alberta Home Education Association</strong></a><strong> (AHEA – an innocuous sounding name) says the proposed legislation amounts to "</strong><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_engineering_(political_science)#social engineering"><strong>social engineering</strong></a><strong>." That sounds rather nasty, at least if the term is used in a negative context!<br />
<br />
Peeling back layers of the protest, however, one finds an </strong><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Echo_chamber#echo chamber"><strong>echo chamber</strong></a><strong> with </strong><a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/article/806535--how-canada-s-christian-right-was-built#deep theo-conservative roots"><strong>deep theo-conservative roots</strong></a><strong> and fundamentalist Christian social values. All are sporting the same talking points in various incantations and for similar reasons. Most notably, they take exception to the </strong><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secularization#secularization"><strong>secularization</strong></a><strong> of Canadian society. It’s the latest fiasco playing out over human rights in Canada and in a chain of events dating back a few years (more on that in my next post).<br />
<br />
Not by coincidence, the AHEA limits itself to only taking issue with the Alberta Human Rights Act. Conveniently, they leave out details that can put a negative twist on their spin.<br />
<br />
In </strong><a href="http://www.aheaonline.com/index.php/political-updates/313-over-two-thousand-albertans-say-change-the-education-act#a statement posted on the AHEA's site"><strong>a statement posted on the AHEA’s site</strong></a><strong>, for example, "The focal point of the peaceful rally was the last six words of Section 16 of Bill 2 – ‘and the Alberta Human Rights Act’ – which need to be removed in order to protect the rights and freedoms of all parents, all home educators, and indeed all Albertans."<br />
<br />
It went further by advising members, "There is a provincial election coming soon. While AHEA and HSLDA won’t tell you how to vote in that election, we would ask that you carefully consider who to vote for. If your elected representative – or a candidate for that position – won’t stand up for parental freedoms and your human rights, then [sic] why would you vote for them?"<br />
<br />
To put this in perspective, spokespeople for the AHEA say parents worry they’ll face complaints that they’re not necessarily teaching their children according to what’s in the human rights code. More specifically, this group is concerned with Section 16 of the education act (under the heading ‘Diversity’), which says all academic materials must respect the </strong><a href="http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/charter/page-1.html#Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms"><strong>Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms</strong></a><strong> and the </strong><a href="http://www.albertahumanrights.ab.ca/about/legislation.asp#Alberta Human Rights Act"><strong>Alberta Human Rights Act</strong></a><strong>.<br />
<br />
But Alberta’s Human Rights Act was amended in 2009 via the highly controversial and arguably unconstitutional Bill 44, enshrining parental rights into that legislation. It gives all parents a right to exempt their children from any instruction relating to sexuality, sexual orientation or religion. This is what the PCs want to change. Last summer Ms. Redford committed to </strong><a href="http://www.rmcla.ca/Survey.html"><strong>repealing</strong></a><strong> Section 3 but the issue was stalled pending a </strong><a href="http://alberta.ca/NewsFrame.cfm?ReleaseID=/acn/201111/314796F2E7C47-FEA7-B637-B7B2E8B1DFAAA944.html"><strong>review</strong></a><strong>.<br />
<br />
For opponents, however, they now worry that due to Section 16 of the proposed education bill, decisions and interpretations of Alberta Human Rights Commission might become a mandatory part of the provincial curriculum, including for students educated in Catholic schools, faith-based private schools and for those students who are homeschooled. They, therefore, centre concern on the controversial Section 3 of human rights legislation, which has gained oxymoronic notoriety. They say it’s a clause used by the Alberta Human Rights Commission to "attack the rights of freedom of speech and freedom of religion."<br />
<br />
Of course the AHEA does not want to openly discuss the Charter, and with very good reason. On one hand, they don’t want to be restricted by human rights legislation promoting diversity and tolerance within acceptable norms of a </strong><a href="http://www.un.org/en/civilsociety/index.shtml#civil society"><strong>civil society</strong></a><strong>, while on other hand, they take a very libertarian approach, wanting absolute rights to freedom of expression, freedom of religion and their ‘God given’ parental rights. And they refer to them as if they are absolute rights, which they are not.<br />
<br />
It can be a little confusing, but that’s exactly the point. Neither the AHEA, nor the Wildrose bring up pesky little facts like Section 1 of the Charter, or a recent Supreme Court challenge that failed. One can’t allow facts to get in the way of ideology!<br />
<br />
Rather, they stick to provisions of the Alberta Human Rights Act (AHRA) that was subject to much scorn and negative media attention over the past few years. Incidentally, but not in any small way and in a legal sense, the AHRA – other than amendments made by Bill 44 – mirrors Section 1 and Section 2 of the Charter.<br />
<br />
They don’t want clarity because, in essence, the protest is, in fact, part of a larger and complicated issue: a back-door attack against Canadian Charter rights and, in particular, a Christian fundamentalist war being waged on the secularization of our society.<br />
<br />
Indeed, one omitted fact is a February 17<sup>th</sup> </strong><a href="http://scc.lexum.org/en/2012/2012scc7/2012scc7.html#ruling by the Supreme Court of Canada"><strong>ruling by the Supreme Court of Canada</strong></a><strong>, (SCC) that was very specific on the issues being twisted in the Alberta debate (S.L. <i>v</i>. Commission scolaire des Chênes).<br />
<br />
The case began when in 2008 the Ethics and Religious Culture ("ERC") Program became mandatory in Quebec schools, replacing Catholic and Protestant programs of religious and moral instruction. The parents, (court documents refer to S.L.), requested the school board exempt their children from the ERC course putting forward the argument there was an existence of serious harm to the children<i>. S.L.</i> sought a declaration the ERC Program infringed on their and their children’s right to freedom of conscience and religion, claiming that decisions were made at the dictate of the Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport ("Ministère"). The case was appealed up to the SCC, which dismissed the parents’ case.<br />
<br />
The SCC held that although the parents sincerely believe they have an obligation to pass on the precepts of the Catholic religion to their children (A.F., at para. 66), the sincerity of their belief in this practice is not challenged.[Ref 26]. The parents had alleged the ERC course was liable to cause the following harm [Ref 28]: </strong><br />
<br />
<dir><dir><strong>[translation]<br />
1. Losing the right to choose an education consistent with one’s own moral and religious principles; interfering with the fundamental freedom of religion, conscience, opinion and expression of children and their parents by forcing children to take a course that does not reflect the religious and philosophical beliefs with which their parents have the right and duty to bring them up.<br />
2. Being put in the situation of learning from a teacher who is not adequately trained in the subject matter and who has been deprived of freedom of conscience by being forced to perform this task.<br />
3. Upsetting children by exposing them at too young an age to convictions and beliefs that differ from the ones favoured by their parents.<br />
4. Dealing with the phenomenon of religion in a course that claims to be "neutral".<br />
5. Being exposed, through this mandatory course, to the philosophical trend advocated by the state, namely relativism.<br />
6. Interfering with children’s faith.</strong></dir></dir><strong>With respect to the arguments put forward to the court, the judgement stated (highlights): </strong><br />
<br />
<br />
<dir><dir><strong>The principal argument that emerges from the reasons given by the appellants in their requests for an exemption is that the obligation they believe they have, namely to pass on their faith to their children, has been interfered with. In this regard, the freedom of religion asserted by the appellants is their own freedom, not that of the children. The common theme that runs through the appellants’ objections is that the ERC Program is not in fact neutral. According to the appellants, students following the ERC course would be exposed to a form of relativism, which would interfere with the appellants’ ability to pass their faith on to their children. Insofar as certain of the appellants’ complaints focus on the children’s freedom of religion by referring to the "disruption" that would result from exposing them to different religious facts, I will discuss this in my analysis of the alleged infringement of the appellants’ freedom of religion [Ref. 29].<br />
<br />
We must also accept that, from a philosophical standpoint, absolute neutrality does not exist. Be that as it may, absolutes hardly have any place in the law. In administrative law, for example, the concept of impartiality calls for an assessment that takes account of the context and the intervention of human actors (<i>Baker v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration)</i>, [1999] 2 S.C.R. 817, at para. 47). Moreover, in analysing infringements of rights protected by the Charters, this Court has often repeated that no right is absolute (<i>Thomson Newspapers Ltd. v. Canada (Director of Investigation and Research, Restrictive Trade Practices Commission)</i>, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 425, at p. 596). "This is so because we live in a society of individuals in which we must always take the rights of others into account" (<i>Amselem</i>, at para. 61) [Ref. 31].<br />
<br />
Therefore, following a realistic and non-absolutist approach, state neutrality is assured when the state neither favours nor hinders any particular religious belief, that is, when it shows respect for all postures towards religion, including that of having no religious beliefs whatsoever, while taking into account the competing constitutional rights of the affected individuals affected [Ref. 32].<br />
<br />
Parents are free to pass their personal beliefs on to their children if they so wish. However, the early exposure of children to realities that differ from those in their immediate family environment is a fact of life in society. The suggestion that exposing children to a variety of religious facts in itself infringes their religious freedom or that of their parents amounts to a rejection of the multicultural reality of Canadian society and ignores the Quebec government’s obligations with regard to public education. Although such exposure can be a source of friction, it does not in itself constitute an infringement of s. 2(a) of the <i>Canadian Charter </i>and of s. 3 of the <i>Quebec Charter</i> [Ref. 40].</strong></dir></dir>Saga Timeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02266326738387920527noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759540922048460686.post-53146918010062958332012-03-22T04:00:00.003-07:002012-03-23T00:43:53.592-07:00Tell the Senate to stop silencing environmental groups<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<h3>Action Alert:</h3><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><b>The following was posted on the Suzuki Foundation site yesterday:<br />
<br />
With their insulting and uninformed statements during an inquiry into international funding for Canadian charitable organizations that are standing up for our country’s rich natural environment, senators are doing a disservice to all Canadians.<br />
<br />
The government has already labelled Canadians who question the Northern Gateway pipeline proposal as "radicals" and potential terrorists, but its appointed senators recently kicked things up a notch.</b><br />
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<b>Senator Don Plett, former president of the federal Conservative Party, asked his fellow senators during the inquiry, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/03/13/green-charities-harper-conservative_n_1343509.html?ref=canada"><b>"If environmentalists are willing to accept money from Martians, where would they draw the line on where they receive money from? Would they take money from Al Qaeda, the Hamas or the Taliban?"</b></a><br />
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<strong>Senator Percy Mockler referred to the David Suzuki Foundation and others as "qualified bad, not to mention ugly, foundations."</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Such statements from senators are an affront to the democratic principles of this country. We expect more from our government and Senate leaders. We expect rational discussion of issues of national and global importance. </strong><br />
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<strong>Environmental organizations have often stepped in where government and industry have failed to protect the air, water, and land that we all depend on – from raising the issue of acid rain, which led to a successful treaty to address the problem, to protecting valuable habitat and natural areas. The issue of relatively small amounts of international funding is a distraction and effort to silence environmental organizations. Trying to stifle those who don’t agree with the government's positions is undemocratic and goes against the values and traditions that Canadians of all political stripes have worked for many years to establish.</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>The David Suzuki Foundation is transparent about its funding. We received 94 per cent of our funding from Canadians last year and six per cent from international sources. We're proud of all our donors, wherever they are from. After all, we share one biosphere.</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>If you support our work and the work of other environmental organizations, please send the government and the senators a message. Tell them that democracy requires listening to what all Canadians have to say and not trying to demonize or silence those with differing points of view.</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Take action at: </strong><a href="http://action.davidsuzuki.org/senate">http://action.davidsuzuki.org/senate</a></b><br />
<br />
<b><b>Related Article:</b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><a href="http://blogs.canada.com/2012/03/21/david-suzuki-letter-writing-campaign-aims-for-10000-messages-to-reach-sen-nicole-eaton-on-funding-charities-debate-in-senate/"><b>David Suzuki letter writing campaign aims for 10,000 messages to reach Sen. Nicole Eaton on funding charities debate in Senate</b></a></b></b>Saga Timeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02266326738387920527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759540922048460686.post-19802918426018678282012-03-21T07:42:00.025-07:002012-03-23T01:35:41.046-07:00EthicalOil.org’s hypocritical Katheryn Marshall requires a lesson in logic<b>by Bobbie Saga<br />
<br />
A recent post on EthicalOil.org by Katheryn Marshall entitled <a href="http://www.ethicaloil.org/news/this-cant-be-what-charitable-tax-breaks-were-meant-for/#This can't be what charaitable tax brea"><b>This can’t be what charitable tax breaks were meant for</b></a><b> is so wonderfully hypocritical and illogical.</b><br />
<br />
<b>Ms. Marshall – whose best before date expired during </b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toR3Tt9fS2E#her CBC meltdown"><b>her CBC meltdown</b></a><b> just over two months ago – reveals a distinct inability to answer a simple question: does EthicalOil.org take money from Enbridge?</b><br />
<br />
<b>Along with Sun Media's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezra_Levant#Ezra Levant">Ezra Levant</a>, Ms. Marshall was lampooned Friday by the BC publication The Tyee in the brilliant satirical video <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYUd7WOdjyU#Ethical Oil The Puppet Rap">Ethical Oil The Puppet Rap</a><b> – when the original interview showed her incompetence in spinning talking points. It must hurt!</b></b></b><br />
<br />
<b><b><b><b>She continues, however, to blather on about tax credits for organizations with charitable status, but does not do a great job of that either.</b></b></b></b><br />
<b><b><br />
</b></b><b>Ms. Marshall, who is currently a law student, should possibly take a class in logic. Every point she makes in her article compounds a couple of problems she has – that is, a failure to be transparent about funding, and an inability to present a well thought out case for her point of view that can be backed by facts.<br />
<br />
This time, Ms. Marshall begins her article by making reference to charities, such as the Heart and Stroke Foundation. She then switches to the federal government having "the right to at least insist that this is the kind of good and helpful work that’s being done: that’s why it has rules about how much money groups that get those subsidies are allowed to put towards fighting political campaigns."<br />
<br />
Most people would agree. Hence, the rules for charitable status in the first place.<br />
<br />
Yet without making reference to the political purpose of the organization she works for, Ms. Marshall turns her illogical pen against registered charities she claims "spend all day long hollering attacks against the oil sands."<br />
<br />
She rightly points out that under charitable status, an organization is limited in the time spent on what can be considered lobbying for a particular cause. But her unsubstantiated claims against environmental groups can, legitimately, be turned on EthicalOil.org. It certainly begs a question of <a href="http://deepclimate.org/tag/kathryn.marshall/#what exactly this organization is all about">what exactly this organization is all about</a>.<br />
<br />
Based on its own mandate, not to mention its shameless flogging of Levant’s book of the same name, or <a href="http://deepclimate.org/2012/01/13/ethical-oil-political-connections-part-1-conservatives-go-newclear/#it's political connections"><b>its political connections</b></a>, EthicalOil.org "encourages people, businesses and governments to choose Ethical Oil from Canada, its oil sands and other liberal democracies. Unlike Conflict Oil from some of the world’s most politically oppressive and environmentally reckless regimes, Ethical Oil is the ‘Fair Trade’ choice in oil."<br />
<br />
And that begs the question: what else does this organization do?<br />
<br />
Well, according to EthicalOil.org’s own statements posted on its site, it "began as a blog created by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alykhan_Velshi#Alykhan Velshi">Alykhan Velshi</a> to promote the ideas in Ezra Levant’s bestselling book Ethical Oil: The Case for Canada’s Oil Sands."<br />
<br />
The statement continues with, "The blog, in addition to rebutting inaccurate and unfair criticisms of the oilsands, also sought to engage its readers: inviting them to write letters to their local newspapers, call talk radio stations and suggest ideas for Access to Information requests to expose the network of anti-oilsands lobbyists who meet regularly with senior Environment Canada officials."<br />
<br />
It then goes on to say, "Within a month, based on the generosity of its readers, EthicalOil.org has become an online community that empowers people to become grassroots community activists on the front-lines of the campaign for ethical oil."<br />
<br />
Okay! If that’s not "fighting a political campaign," it’s difficult to discern what is. And that begs the question: how did EthicalOil.org get charitable tax status?<br />
<br />
In Marshall’s own words, it’s "a free country: any group that wants to can go out and raise money and spend all day long hollering about… that industry; it just shouldn’t expect taxpayers to help pay for it with those write-off subsidies."<br />
<br />
Ms. Marshall either ignores or <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/matt-price/the-conservatives-charity_b_1314933.html#pretends EthicalOil.org - and the industry it supports - doesn't get tax subsidies"><b>pretends EthicalOil.org – and the industry it supports – doesn’t get tax subsidies</b></a>. But in the process, the article is also another thinly veiled attack on those "radical foreigners." It is an organization that does not engage with, nor give credit to Canadians, including First Nations, that might not support the claims of Levant in his book, and by extension EthicalOil.org, the tar sands, or the Enbridge pipeline project.<br />
<br />
The wind-up doll routine of reiterating, ad nauseam, tired talking points does little to mask <a href="http://www.pacificfreepress.com/news/1/10657-the-oxymorons-personified-meet-your-qethical-oilq-team.html#the roots and connections of this so-ca">the roots and connections of this so-called "grassroots" organization</a>. Here, the optics don't look good. It is suspect that big oil’s multinationals aren't trying – at all – to influence Canada's energy policies with millions being poured into a public relations war.<br />
<br />
So now it comes back to the original question posed over two months ago: does EthicalOil.org take money from Enbridge?</b>Saga Timeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02266326738387920527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759540922048460686.post-69102669917503265052012-03-20T10:53:00.003-07:002012-03-20T15:59:11.185-07:00Green Party leader Elizabeth May's short list of election irregularities and crimes<b>Green Party leader </b><a href="http://www.greenparty.ca/leader/biography#Elizabeth May">Elizabeth May</a><b> shows refreshing intellectual</b> <b>alacrity as she cuts through robo rhetoric and ops for a little clarity on election irregularities and crime. The following appeared on her blog yesterday.</b><br />
<h5></h5><strong>By Elizabeth May on 19 March 2012</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Lately, a lot of allegations have been made that there were election irregularities and some outright crimes committed in the 2011 election. What we do not know is who was responsible.</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>But we may be dealing with a serial offender, or offenders. When one thinks about the election skulduggery of the last six years, it is clear that Canada does a poor job of getting to the bottom of some serious crimes.</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Here’s a short list of the ones that still bother me. They remain unsolved.</strong><br />
<ol><li><strong>RCMP </strong><a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/407799--rcmp-likely-swayed-federal-election-report-says"><strong>interference in the 2006 election</strong></a><strong>. (Remember </strong><a href="http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20080331/rcmp_incometrust_080331/"><strong>Zaccardelli issuing a press release</strong></a><strong> about looking into NDP charges that the Liberals had leaked details about the income trust taxation issue? There was nothing to it, but it arguably changed the outcome of the election. Issuing a press release in an election campaign was a violation of RCMP normal practice.) Naming a Finance Minister in the release was unheard of. The Public Complaints Commission for the RCMP, under its director Paul Kennedy, tried to question former RCMP Commissioner Guiliano Zaccardelli. Zaccardelli refused to be questioned and Kennedy lacked subpoena powers. No one knows if there was any political involvement, inducement or pay-off involved. Zaccardelli is now a senior Interpol officer in Lyon, France.</strong></li>
<li><strong>How hard did the Conservatives try to bring down the Martin government in spring 2005? Did the effort include the offer of a million dollar life insurance policy to Chuck Cadman?? It was alleged, there was a tape. What happened to the investigation? If it happened, it was illegal.</strong></li>
<li><strong>The Conservative campaign in the Nova Scotia riding of Cumberland-Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley in 2008. Courageous MP Bill Casey had been </strong><a href="http://www.trurodaily.com/Politics/2007-10-17/article-346056/Casey-not-surprised-by-decision/1"><strong>expelled from the Conservative caucus</strong></a><strong> for voting against the 2008 budget which violated the contract with NS, known as the "Atlantic Accord." In 2008, Casey ran as an Independent. The Conservative Candidate Joel Bernard left Stockwell Day’s office to challenge him. (In an interesting side-bar, the entire Conservative riding association </strong><a href="http://www.theobserver.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=734912"><strong>insisted that Bill Casey was their candidate</strong></a><strong>. The Conservative Party fired the whole of the local executive and appointed a secret group to chose their candidate.) Casey was re-elected handily. After the election,</strong><a href="http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/02/03/official-bill-casey-open-thread/"><strong> Casey learned</strong></a><strong> that Bernard’s campaign had gone to the RCMP and alleged that Casey had embezzled funds from the Conservative riding association. There was no truth to such charges, but it also emerged that efforts had been made to peddle the story to the local media during the election. Media did not cover it because Casey’s reputation for integrity made it too implausible to treat seriously. But making unsubstantiated allegations and wasting RCMP resources were themselves possibly criminal acts. According to Wikipedia, Bernard is now in Industry Minister Tony Clement’s office.</strong></li>
<li><strong>In 2008, well-documented robocalls were made into the riding I now hold -- Saanich-Gulf Islands. There are many details of this case in my </strong><a href="http://www.greenparty.ca/blog/emay"><strong>previous blogs</strong></a><strong>. It was clearly illegal. The automated calls claimed to be from the NDP and demonstrably were not. The home fax line of the NDP riding association president had been "spoofed." (So that his number appeared to be the source of the calls.) Calls were made that urged citizens to vote for the NDP candidate who had withdrawn from the race. The robocalls may well have changed the outcome of the election. Yet, Elections Canada dropped the case and ruled no laws had been broken.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Were Larry Smith and Fabian Manning given any promises that if they left the Senate to run for a Commons seat in 2011, and were to lose, they would be re-appointed to the Senate? Both Conservative Senators vied for a seat, one in Montreal, the other in Newfoundland. Both lost and were re-appointed to the Senate within weeks of the May 2, 2011 election. </strong><a href="http://dwatch.ca/camp/OpEdMay1911.html"><strong>Democracy Watch demanded</strong></a><strong> an investigation as, if such a promise was made, it violated the Criminal Code. </strong></li>
</ol><strong>Add these to the spate of calls in 2011 designed to misdirect voters to non-existent polling places, the allegations of a secret Conservative bank account in Vaughn. Add to that the legal, but unethical, use of "voter suppression" techniques – attack ads, writ periods at the legal minimum length, disgusting behaviour in the House of Commons – and you have a toxic recipe for poisoning democracy. </strong><br />
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<strong>Canadians must not allow allegations of serious election crimes to be swept under the carpet once again. It may that the guilty party is a "win at all costs" attitude; an acceptance of the morally bankrupt idea that anything goes and the only sin is getting caught.</strong><br />
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<strong>We need to know and we need to stop it.</strong>Saga Timeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02266326738387920527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759540922048460686.post-21245639251072305802012-03-17T21:27:00.010-07:002012-03-18T15:22:37.271-07:00Just a bit of BC humour aimed at Alberta tar sands supporters - LMAO<h2 class="title">Ethical Oil: The Puppet Rap</h2><div class="tagline">K-Mart and Easy-E drop some oil sands science. Your Friday satire.</div><div class="meta">By <a class="contrib-link" href="http://thetyee.ca/Bios/Various__Contributors/" title="Bio page for Various Contributors">Various Contributors</a>, Yesterday, TheTyee.ca </div><div class="meta"><br />
</div><div class="meta">Click on the following link to view video:</div><div class="meta"><a href="http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2012/03/16/Ethical-Oil-Rap/">http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2012/03/16/Ethical-Oil-Rap/</a><br />
<br />
Or view it on Youtube (it deserves to go viral):<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYUd7WOdjyU">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYUd7WOdjyU</a><br />
<br />
See original interview at:<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toR3Tt9fS2E">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toR3Tt9fS2E</a><br />
<br />
<strong>Update:</strong><br />
<h3 class="entry-title">Ezra Levant fires back at Tyee over puppet rap satire</h3>Ezra Levant is firing back at The Tyee after a <a href="http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2012/03/16/Ethical-Oil-Rap/" target="_blank">satirical video</a> featuring a puppet version of the Sun News Network host and Ethical Oil spokesperson Kathryn Marshall rapping was published today.<br />
<br />
Click here to view Tyee's response:<br />
<a href="http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/Media/2012/03/16/Ezra-Fires-Back/">http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/Media/2012/03/16/Ezra-Fires-Back/</a></div>Saga Timeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02266326738387920527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759540922048460686.post-18568550490666540612012-03-13T07:18:00.002-07:002012-03-13T07:25:03.395-07:00Tories' crime bill passes in House<h5><span style="font-size: xx-small;">By Meagan Fitzpatrick, </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/news/credit.html"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">CBC News</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Posted: Mar 12, 2012</span></h5><strong>The Conservative government's controversial crime bill has passed a final vote in the House of Commons, a few days later than the government expected.</strong><br />
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<strong>The Tories had planned to pass Bill C-10 last Wednesday, but the NDP was able to delay the last day of debate until Friday and push the final vote to Monday. </strong><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/03/12/pol-crime-bill-monday.html#Read Full Article Here"><strong>Read Full Article Here</strong></a><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Lobbyists Behind Omnibus Crime Bill Aimed at Privatizing Prisons</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">By </span><a href="http://404systemerror.com/author/min-reyes/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Min Reyes</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Posted: January 30, 2012</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">In a period of declining crime rate and supposedly out of hand national deficit, Canadians are beginning to wonder why our government is so intent on passing such a costly legislation that challenges the most basic reasoning. There has not been one reasonable justification for the Harper Government’s Omnibus Crime Bill. That is until one connects the dots… </span></span></strong><br />
<blockquote><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>the Justice Policy Institute (JPI) released a </strong></span><a href="http://404systemerror.com/?attachment_id=4693"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>report</strong></span></a><span style="font-size: small;"><strong> chronicling the political strategies of private prison companies "working to make money through harsh policies and longer sentences." The report’s authors note that while the total number of people in prison increased less than 16 percent, the number of people held in private federal and state facilities increased by 120 and 33 percent, correspondingly. Government spending on corrections has soared since 1997 by 72 percent, up to $74 billion in 2007. And the private prison industry has raked in tremendous profits. Last year the two largest private prison companies — Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) and GEO Group — made over $2.9 billion in revenue. [ </strong></span><a href="http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2011/06/23/251363/cca-geogroup-prison-industry/"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>source</strong></span></a><span style="font-size: small;"><strong> ]</strong></span></blockquote><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>According the Justice Policy Institute, there are two major corporations at play in the political sphere of private correctional services: Corrections Corporation of America and The GEO Group Inc. What you do not know is that </strong></span><a href="https://ocl-cal.gc.ca/app/secure/orl/lrrs/do/publicSummary?_flxKy=&regDec=656154"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>GEO Group Inc</strong></span></a><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>. is an active registered lobbyist that deals with the following branches of the Canadian Federal Government:</strong></span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) </strong></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Public Safety Canada (PS) </strong></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) </strong></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Public-Private Partnerships Canada, Solicitor General Canada (SGC)</strong></span></li>
</ul><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><strong>We urge you read through the reports and articles below and put the Omnibus Crime Bill in perspective. What is the relation between GEO Group Inc. and the Harper Government’s unreasonable, unjustifiable Bill C-10? </strong></span><a href="http://404systemerror.com/lobbyists-behind-omnibus-crime-bill-aimed-at-privatizing-prisions/#Read Full Article Here"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Read Full Article Here</strong></span></a>Saga Timeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02266326738387920527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759540922048460686.post-50882810372841727422012-03-08T13:05:00.001-08:002012-03-10T09:39:43.362-08:00The Commons: The yellow piece of paper<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">by </span><a href="http://www2.macleans.ca/author/aaronwherry/"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Aaron Wherry</span></b></a><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"> on Macleans.ca, Wednesday, March 7, 2012</span></b></b><br />
<strong>The Scene.</strong><b> Immediately after Question Period, Dean Del Mastro stood to complain that the phrase "exaggerated prevarications," which had been directed at him by the NDP’s Charlie Angus, was unparliamentary.</b><br />
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<strong>Regardless of whether this was inbounds—Mr. Angus argued it was and offered to produce a dictionary definition to prove it—it was most certainly an attack, though perhaps not one that Mr. Del Mastro can claim to take personally.</strong><br />
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<strong>At least so long as he seems to be merely the conduit for what is written on a yellow piece of paper.</strong><br />
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<strong><b>On the yellow piece of paper that sat atop Mr. Del Mastro’s desk this day seemed to be written something like the following.<br />
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<b>"These outrageous and exaggerated allegations made by the member opposite demean millions of voters who cast legitimate votes in the last election. The opposition paid millions of dollars to make hundreds of thousands of phone calls … Before continuing these baseless smears, they should prove their own callers are not behind these reports."<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: magenta;"> </span></b><a href="http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/03/07/the-commons-the-yellow-piece-of-paper/"><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #e06666;">Read full story here</span></b></a></b></strong>Saga Timeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02266326738387920527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759540922048460686.post-20375893798653961212012-03-08T02:53:00.020-08:002012-03-27T12:32:56.445-07:00Social engagement is key to potential and power this International Women's Day<b>by Bobbie Saga<br />
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Women across the globe are using the power of social media to call for equality this International Women's Day.</b><br />
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<b>And what’s being said is that International Women’s Day is much more than just another day of celebration. Online women are using Twitter, facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn to focus global attention on areas where inequalities still prevail.<br />
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For a vast majority of those who can, and much more important to many, is that today is an opportunity to connect on very important issues. Overwhelmingly, girls and women are using the world-wide web to say this is an occasion to reflect on past struggles, as well as to engage, to inspire, to learn and to discuss what more needs to be done for the sake of future generations of girls and women.<br />
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Unfortunately, part of that dialogue is the horrifying fact that some people think women already have equality. </b><b>Nothing could be further from the truth.</b><br />
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<b>Across the globe, and for a sobering example, gender-based violence causes more deaths and disabilities among women of childbearing age than cancer, malaria, traffic accidents and war combined.</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Feminism shouldn’t be an F-word</strong></span></span><br />
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<b>As an ambassador for Oxfam, and working to raise awareness about Aids and women’s issues, singer songwriter <a href="http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate-uk/2011/03/08/feminism-shouldn%e2%80%99t-be-an-f-word-annie-lennox/">Annie Lennox put it into perspective</a> during last year’s International Woman’s day celebration and 100<sup>th</sup> anniversary.<br />
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"Despite the fact that half of the world’s population is female, women’s rights have become marginalized as a ‘minority issue’. Many young women feel that the label of ‘feminist’ is, at best, irrelevant to their lives and, at worst, a stigma to be avoided at all costs," Lennox said.<br />
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"Sullied by stereotypes of hairy arm-pitted man haters, the concept of feminism and its principles of equality and anti-sexism need to be refreshed and reclaimed by a new generation. Feminism shouldn’t be an F-word. We should embrace it."<br />
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Lennox went on to say, "From Milwaukee to Malawi, women are being short-changed on life chances. From India to Illinois, women face violence just for being female. Of the 1.3 billion people living in extreme poverty worldwide, the vast majority are female. For many, just getting an education is a real struggle, major decisions such as who to marry and when to have children are made for them by others, and without economic independence or a say in their own future the chances of women escaping the poverty trap are virtually non-existent."<br />
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The result of her work, along with many other very dedicated people, is the <a href="http://www.weareequals.org/">EQUALS coalition</a>, a group of 30 leading charities and arts organizations that together, aim to re-open debate and discussion about equality, plus act as a catalyst for positive change.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">A global hub for sharing International Women's Day</span></b><br />
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<b><b>As such, and this year, there is much more information available online. Of particular note is the global <a href="http://www.internationalwomensday.com/default.asp">online hub for sharing International Women’s Day</a> news, events and resources. And the site’s theme says it all – Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures.<br />
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The IWD site highlights the power of women on a global scale. It recognizes achievements, regardless of divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. And it is a place to go for looking back on past struggles, or for looking ahead to the unrealized potential for all girls and women.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">A Little Herstory</span></b></b><br />
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<b><b>In 1910, Clara Zetkin, the leader of the Women’s Office for the Social Democratic Party in Germany tabled the idea of an International Women’s Day at the second International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen. The proposal received unanimous assent from over one hundred women representing seventeen countries.<br />
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The first International Women’s day was held March 19 the following year. Meetings and protests were held across Europe, with the largest street demonstration attracting 30,000 women. The day sparked great public debate, and advocates drew attention to the absolute necessity of extending the right of women to vote and to make governments more accountable and democratic. In 1913, IWD was changed to March 8th, and has been held on this day ever since.</b></b><br />
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<b><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Canadian Connection</span></b></b><br />
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<b>In Canada, this year's theme for International Women's Day and International Women's Week celebrates women's roles in the economic prosperity of rural, remote and Northern regions.</b><br />
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<b>Canada is home to 17.4 million women and girls and contains more than 5,400 communities —of which, approximately 5,200 are rural, remote or Northern.<br />
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During the week of March 8, 2012, Canadians are celebrating the three million women and girls across every province and territory that are integral to life in these rural, remote and Northern communities.<br />
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In rural and remote areas, women make up approximately 45 per cent of the labour force, but significant gaps still exist between women and men in labour participation rates, employment rates and income. These trends are more pronounced for Aboriginal women, who make up a large part of the rural, remote and Northern population.<br />
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Women and girls are contributing to economic prosperity in these regions through innovative projects such as business networks and training in non-traditional occupations. Leadership initiatives for women and girls in rural and remote areas can also be found across the country.</b>Saga Timeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02266326738387920527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759540922048460686.post-29756312920828292702012-03-06T19:35:00.005-08:002012-03-10T09:45:57.347-08:00Canadians want an independent investigation into robocalls, Angus Reid survey suggestsby Bobbie Saga<br />
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<h4>Most Canadians are calling for an independent investigation into robocalls, with a majority believing they are not isolated incidents limited to the riding of Guelph, a new Angus Reid poll shows.</h4><br />
<h4>The online survey, released today, reveals that most Canadians think Robocalls were used broadly in the last federal election, with four-in-five respondents calling for an independent investigation.</h4><br />
<h4><b>The survey shows respondents are divided on what impact robocalls may have had on the last federal ballot, with slightly less than half, or 44 per cent, agreeing that misleading messages definitely changed the outcome of the May 2011 federal election. Only 36 per cent of those polled disagreed that robocalls changed the outcome.</b></h4><h4> </h4><h4><b>But half of those polled, or 50 per cent – including 61 per cent of Quebecers – believe every riding subjected to misleading robocalls should have a by-election as soon as possible. Moreover, four-in-five, or 81 per cent, want an independent investigation to find out exactly who was behind any misleading calls.</b></h4><br />
<h4><b>A breakdown of the poll, conducted from March 1 to 3, shows most opposition voters believe that robocalls definitely changed the outcome of the last federal ballot, a view shared by just 17 per cent of Conservative voters.</b></h4><br />
<h4><b>The survey also suggests almost two thirds of Canadians, or 64 per cent of those polled, think the Guelph occurrence is "probably" or "definitely" one of many that took place and where robocalls were a method used widely in the last federal campaign.</b></h4><br />
<h4><b>As well, 80 per cent of Canadians who voted for the Green Party, 78 per cent for the New Democratic Party, and 77 per cent for both the Liberal Party and the Bloc Québécois believe the robocalls extend beyond Guelph. </b><b>Only 47 per cent of Conservative Party voters stated they believed the calls are an isolated incident.</b></h4><br />
<h4><b>Respondents were also asked which of the five major federal parties are likely to provide false and misleading information to voters through telephone calls with pre-recorded messages.</b></h4><h4><b> </b> </h4><h4></h4><h4><b>Only a third of respondents, or 32 per cent, think the Green Party and 33 per cent the New Democratic Party are "very likely" or "moderately likely" to rely on this tactic. In Quebec, 32 per cent of respondents think the Bloc Québécois is likely to use robocalls with misleading information.<br />
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A majority of Canadians, however, believe the Liberal Party and the Conservative Party are most likely to provide false and misleading information to voters through telephone calls. The Liberal Party chalked up 55 per cent on this question, while the Conservative Party came in at 63 per cent. Indeed, two-in-five Canadians, or 39 per cent, think the Tories are "very likely" to rely on this tactic.</b></h4><br />
<h4><b>Another question put to respondents is that of holding by-elections in affected ridings. At least three-in-five Canadians who voted for any of the four opposition parties currently want to hold by-elections in the ridings that were subjected to misleading robocalls. Only 31 per cent of Tory voters concur.<br />
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The survey also shows half of respondents say they have followed stories related to robocalls made during the last federal election campaign "very closely" or "moderately closely."<br />
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Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted the online survey among 1,001 randomly selected Canadian adults. The margin of error is 3.1 per cent, 19 times out of 20.</b><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></h4>Saga Timeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02266326738387920527noreply@blogger.com0