Supreme Court of Canada Agrees to Hear Charter Challenge of BIlls 5 & 6
A panel of three Supreme Court Justices has decided that the Supreme Court of Canada will, in fact, hear the case of the SFL et al, in the matter of…
human rights
october 10: world day against the death penalty
Al Jazeera Today is World Day Against the Death Penalty. Al Jazeera has a fascinating infographic about the use of the death penalty worldwide, as far as can be known…
snowden: mass surveillance threatens to be the greatest human rights challenge of our time
The heroic Edward Snowden, in his own words, via Jesselyn Radack, at the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee in Brussels. I thank the European Parliament and the LIBE Committee for…
Sunday Afternoon Links
This and that to end your weekend. – Daniel Goleman writes about the role of wealth in undermining empathy: (I)n general, we focus the most on those we value most.…
Winnipeggers demand justice for missing and murdered aboriginal women
Oct. 4, 2013: Winnipeggers gathered at the Manitoba Legislature to remember the lives of 600 missing and murdered Aboriginal women in Canada, 75 of whom came from Manitoba. Photo: Paul…
Video: Human Rights – The Chilean Experience
Winnipeg, September 28, 2013 – In commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the coup d’etat against the democratically elected government of Salvador Allende, Winnipeg’s Chilean community held numerous educational and…
The deeper reasons for the “war on drugs”
There is a deeper reason for the war on drugs, which is the central reason for the policy, even outweighing profits from private prisons and seizure of property by law…
september 28: global action for accessible, safe, and legal abortion
Today, September 28, women all over the world are taking action to demand the right to accessible, safe, and legal abortion. Women and our allies in more than 50 countries…
Remembering the first 9/11
Salvador Allende Forty years ago, on September 11, 1973, the military forces commanded by General Augusto Pinochet, overthrew the democratically elected government of Chile led by Salvador Allende. Thousands of…
PTSD Service Dogs: Not Widely Known, But Critical
Lots of stores, places, etc. have “no pets” signs up. That’s fine, but there are usually exceptions for service dogs. Preventing a visually-impaired person from entering a restaurant except without…
Stephen Harper and the Neverending Torture of Omar Khadr
I knew that something was terribly wrong when the very first thing he did when he came to power was go after the equality of women. I still remember the…
hedges: "when harper passes right-to-work, you must go on a massive general strike, or you’re finished"
Last night, I heard author, journalist, and activist Chris Hedges speak at the Bloor Street United Church in Toronto, sponsored by the excellent Canadian Dimension. Hedges is a radical intellectual,…
No Rainbow for Queer People: A Right-Wing Support for Russia Roundup
While much of the attention surrounding Russia’s “homosexual propaganda” law has been about whether there should be a boycott of the Sochi Olympics, the saga has continued to ripple outward…
war resister rodney watson: four years in sanctuary
Today marks four years since Iraq War resister Rodney Watson requested sanctuary from the First United Church in Vancouver. Watson has been in sanctuary ever since. We can honour Watson’s…
the other september 11, why "they" might hate "us", and the right to live in peace
For many people in the world, especially people in South America, the date September 11 was significant long before 2001. On that date in 1973, Augusto Pinochet, with the help…
What UBC and SMU’s rape chant scandals say about women in the Canadian economy
The news of UBC Sauder Business School students chanting about rape of underage girls during a FROSH week event has generated much outrage. As it should. While the chant might…
Creating Hierarchies of Rights
Recently, we have had a series of stories where there have been arguments put forth that there should be “exemptions” in non-discrimination laws for religious beliefs. Yesterday’s column by Licia…
labour day 2013: low-wage workers rising
This week, port truckers went on strike in California, and fast-food workers in more than 60 cities walked off their jobs. Today in the US, Labor Day is Walmart’s last…
What’s it all about, Alfie?
“What’s it all about, Alfie?” sings Cilla Black in the title song for the eponymous 1966 movie. But it could be the anthem for the human race, or at least…