by: Obert Madondo | Twitter: @Obiemad: (AP Photo/Javier Galeano) In the US, an unarmed black teenager, Trayvon Martin, is murdered in cold blood. The jury finds the alleged murderer, Florida neighbourhood watchman George Zimmerman, not guilty. President Barack Obama calls for “calm reflection”. He mentions neither “George Zimmerman” nor the issue at the heart
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The Canadian Progressive: Malala Yousafzai addresses United Nations Youth Assembly [VIDEO]
by: Obert Madondo | Twitter: @Obiemad: Malala Yousafzai (Photo credit: Malala Yousafzai’s Blog) United Nations, New York, 12 July 2013 – Education activist Malala Yousafzai marks her 16th birthday, on Friday, 12 July 2013 at the United Nations by giving her first high-level public appearance and statement on the importance of education. Malala
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden’s statement to human rights groups
by: Obert Madondo | Twitter: @Obiemad: WikiLeaks has posted NSA surveillance whistleblower Edward Snowden’s statement to human rights groups, issued earlier today at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport. Here’s the full text: Hello. My name is Ed Snowden. A little over one month ago, I had family, a home in paradise, and I lived in
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Harper Conservatives failing BC’s First Nations children: PBO report
Reported by: Obert Madondo | Twitter: @Obiemad: First Nations demand a better deal from the Canadian Government during a massive December 2012 protest on Parliament Hill. (Photo: Obert Madondo) A report released by the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) on Thursday says the Harper Conservatives are failing BC’s First Nation children and on-reserve schools.
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: B.C. Premier Christy Clark wins Westside-Kelowna, returns to legislature
by: Obert Madondo | Twitter: @Obiemad: Premier Christy Clark. (Photo: via Facebook) Christy Clark got what she desperately needed to remain premier of British Columbia: a seat in the provincial legislature. Clark convincingly won Wednesday’s by-election in the riding of Westside-Kelowna over NDP challenger Carole Gordon. Clark was rejected by voters in her
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Ex-NHL star Georges Laraque seeks Bourassa riding for May’s Greens
by: Obert Madondo | Twitter: @Obiemad: Georges Laraque (Photo By Dave Sandford/CHC) Former NHL tough guy Georges Laraque is ready for his next great fight. If he wins, he’ll join Green Party Leader Elizabeth May in Ottawa. Laraque, once the NHL’s most feared hockey enforcer, announced Tuesday he’ll be the Green Party of
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Environment Minister Peter Kent embraces his imminent demotion from Conservative cabinet
by: Obert Madondo | Twitter: @Obiemad: Environment Minister Peter Kent. (Photo: Environment Canada) It’s a preemptive strike of sorts. Environment Minister Peter Kent knows he’ll be a backbencher after PM Stephen Harper’s much-anticipated cabinet reshuffle. That much the Conservative MP for Thornhill, Ontario, confirmed in a message published on Facebook on Friday. “If, in
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has a new website
by: Obert Madondo | @Obiemad: The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, arguably Canada’s leading progressive voice on public policy issues, has a new website. What’s new? This note from the communications team at CCPA: Aside from a spiffy new look, we hope you’ll find the site easier to navigate, and more fully integrated with
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Poll: 70% of Canadians think it’s time kick Stephen Harper out
by: Obert Madondo | @Obiemad: Stephen Harper (Photo: Remy Steinegger) An overwhelming majority of Canadians think it’s time to kick Stephen Harper out and elect a new government, according to a new CTV News Ipsos Reid poll. 70% us are fed up with Harper and the Conservatives’ dictatorship-style assault on our democratic institutions, values,
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Astronaut Chris Hadfield to write “An Astronaut’s Guide to Life”
by: Obert Madondo | @Obiemad: Astronaut Chris Hadfield. (Photo: Canadian Space Agency) On October 29, expect an awesome book penned by recently-retired Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield. The book will be titled “An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth”. Strange title, isn’t it? Gives the impression that the book is targeted at the astronauts
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: #MacheteSomethingYEG: Edmonton’s twitchy-eyed, machete-wielding savages strike back
by: Obert Madondo | @Obiemad: Earlier this week, National Post opinion writer Chris Selley said that if the southern Alberta floods had touched Edmonton, that city would become “a smoking hole in the ground at this point, infested with twitchy-eyed, machete-wielding savages“. A gigantic sarcasm fail that turned out to be. Edmontons took to
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Sovereignty Summer: Idle No More Launches New Website
by: Obert Madondo | @Obiemad: Idle No More protest on Parliament Hill, Ottawa. Dec 2012 (Photo: Obert Madondo) The Idle No More movement just launched a new, activism-oriented, social media-friendly website! The launch coincides with the beginning of Sovereignty Summer (#SovSummer), an education and action-based campaign focused on Indigenous Rights and in defense
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: President Obama showed leadership on climate change: Environmental Defence
President Barack Obama (Photo: Pete Souza) In his much-anticipated speech on climate change and the environment this week, US President Barack didn’t exactly kill TransCanada’s proposed Keystone XL pipeline as environmentalists had hoped. He simply stated that Keystone should only be approved if it doesn’t lead to an increase in
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Aided by WikiLeaks, NSA whistleblower Snowden leaves Hong Kong, heads for asylum
By: Obert Madondo Twitter: @Obiemad With WikiLeaks’ aid, NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden left Hong Kong over the weekend and landed in Moscow en route to asylum in a third country. His departure came after Hong Kong authorities rejected U.S. government demands for his extradition. Snowden, a former National Security Agency contractor wanted by the
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Today, Canadians Fight For Refugee Health Care: 2nd National Day of Action
By: Obert Madondo Twitter: @Obiemad Today, June 17, 2013, is the 2nd Annual Day of Action for refugee health care! Canadians, rights activists, doctors and other health care workers assemble in cities across the country to protest the federal government’s 2012 draconian cuts to essential health services for refugees. On June 30, 2012,
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: First Nations slam Harper Gvt’s legal case for Canada-China FIPA deal
By: Obert Madondo Twitter: @Obiemad Earlier this month, the Federal Court heard oral arguments in the Hupacasath First Nation’s legal case against the Canada-China Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Act (FIPA) trade deal. The Hupacasath, a small band in Port Alberni, Vancouver Island, argued that the deal infringed on their inherent Aboriginal title and rights.
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Pro-business Harper Conservatives coddling tax havens, tax cheats
By: Obert Madondo Twitter: @Obiemad An Alberta businessman is included in a massive online database of secret tax-haven names released to the public on Friday by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. David Ghermezian, the president of the West Edmonton Mall, is linked to a British Virgin Islands-registered company called Regal Mega Malls Development Corp,
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: International report condemns Harper government’s attacks on workers, trade unions
By: Obert Madondo Twitter: @Obiemad A new report by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) condemns the Harper Conservatives for repeated violations of union and worker rights. The annual report, titled Countries at Risk: 2013 Report on Violations of Trade Union Rights, was released in Geneva earlier this week. It suggests that labour conditions have deteriorated under Prime Minister
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Londoners arrested for protesting petrocrat Stephen Harper, tar sands
By: Obert Madondo Twitter: @Obiemad Activists outside the British Parliament protest Canada’s tar sands. (Photo: Facebook/Idle No More UK Solidarity Action) Environmental activists protesting “petrocrat” Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and our dirty tar sands were arrested at the British Parliament earlier today, The Guardian (UK) and other media report. The protesters, identifying
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Massive anti-tar sands protest to greet PM Stephen Harper in London
By: Obert Madondo Twitter: @Obiemad A massive anti-tar sands protest will greet Prime Minister Stephen Harper when he arrives in London on Thursday en route to the June 17-18 G8 summit in Lough Erne, Northern Ireland. The UK Tar Sands Network and a coalition of environmentalists hope to show Harper “that there is huge
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