Sometimes it takes an incident that hits a bit closer to home, in order to draw attention to the everyday iniquities and injustice that go unnoticed in many countries around the world.
For example, a person identified in the Guyanese press as a Canadian, Jean Le Blanc, died in hospital just over a week ago, after being shot in the buttocks almost two weeks earlier.
The man was shot in a bar during the assassination of an alleged gangland figure. According to some reports, Le Blanc claimed he was "in the wrong place at the wrong time", although some of the speculation is that he may also have been targeted.
After several days in the hospital, Le Blanc was said to be recovering well and was scheduled to leave the country, but he died quite suddenly on Oct. 26 (2012).
Since then, an autopsy has been delayed, purportedly because "financial arrangements" for storage of the body post mortem were being made, in connection with the Canadian Embassy.
No mention of this situation has appeared in Canadian media that I have been able to find. One Guyanese report mentioned that Le Blanc was a Montreal resident.
There is a photo of a person identified as Le Blanc in the hospital in Georgetown on a few Guyanese websites.
Meanwhile, a UN report recently released has revealed that crime rates in the Caribbean have been rising dramatically, even while they've been dropping in most other parts of the world.
A quick scan of the news items for the past few days in the Guyanese press is enough to informally confirm this, as you get the impression that there are more violent crimes in this small country of only 750,000 people, than there are in most of our big cities in Canada. Crime is bad enough when it occurs in developed countries. In less developed countries, it can destabilize the delicate balance of economic viability and social development.
As the The Caribbean Human Development Report 2012, prepared by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) says, the increasing crime rate is threatening economies and livelihoods in Caribbean countries.
“Violence limits people’s choices, threatens their physical integrity,
and disrupts their daily lives,” said UNDP Administrator Helen Clark at
the report’s launch.
Anyone think that more free trade deals and sweetheart corporate tax giveaways will improve this situation?
Monday, November 5, 2012
Friday, November 2, 2012
A Romney-esque Day at the CHLPA
There has been a flurry of reports over the past two days concerning the CHL Players Association and the mystery surrounding the identities of some of the people purportedly connected with the group.
One of the better accounts is by Sunaya Sapurji at Yahoo Sports.
According to this and other reports, the union's executive director, Georges Laraque, has now announced he will be leaving the union, saying he would like to pass the work done to date on to a person or persons who would have the wherewithal to move the endeavour forward.
Also word that two law firms that were doing pro bono work for the group are bailing.
There is a whole series of clips and interviews that can be seen on TSN.
There is certainly no denying the sketchiness of any of this. On the other hand, I haven't seen much, if any concrete evidence to show that the CHLPA's activities have not been on the straight and narrow.
The sudden appearance of all this "noise", without identifying any concrete transgressions that you can actually put a finger on, all has a kind of "Romney-esque" feel to it. Considered along with other factors, such as the sabotaging of Laraque's car, just as players are starting to vote on union certification, one is left with the feeling that there remains much more to this story than we have yet seen.
One of the better accounts is by Sunaya Sapurji at Yahoo Sports.
According to this and other reports, the union's executive director, Georges Laraque, has now announced he will be leaving the union, saying he would like to pass the work done to date on to a person or persons who would have the wherewithal to move the endeavour forward.
Also word that two law firms that were doing pro bono work for the group are bailing.
There is a whole series of clips and interviews that can be seen on TSN.
There is certainly no denying the sketchiness of any of this. On the other hand, I haven't seen much, if any concrete evidence to show that the CHLPA's activities have not been on the straight and narrow.
The sudden appearance of all this "noise", without identifying any concrete transgressions that you can actually put a finger on, all has a kind of "Romney-esque" feel to it. Considered along with other factors, such as the sabotaging of Laraque's car, just as players are starting to vote on union certification, one is left with the feeling that there remains much more to this story than we have yet seen.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Georges Laraque's Car Sabotaged - CHL Union Organizing Related?
NHL enforcer, Green Party of Canada Deputy Leader, animal rights activist, vegan entrepreneur, and now Executive Director of the new Canadian Hockey League Players Association, Georges Laraque has never been afraid to tread where the treading gets tough.
Two days ago, someone loosened the lug nuts on his hybrid vehicle, causing him to lose control on the highway. Thankfully, no injuries resulted.
This comes with news today that the players of the Sherbrooke Phoenix will become the first team to offically join the CHLPA, which seeks to represent junior hockey players.
Junior hockey players normally receive nominal, though variable, compensation, often considered to be below minimum wage. According to one report, a ridiculous $35 a week, plus some expenses, for the untold hours the players spend playing, traveling and training.
At least one other team will be voting soon and the union is using a range of strategies in attempts to line up the participation of players from other teams across the country.
Against this backdrop, a bizarre series of stories has appeared in the Toronto Sun and other media, where the identity of a CHLPA representative is questioned, although according to the CHLPA website and twitter feed, the person in question is to be interviewed on TSN today.
Two days ago, someone loosened the lug nuts on his hybrid vehicle, causing him to lose control on the highway. Thankfully, no injuries resulted.
This comes with news today that the players of the Sherbrooke Phoenix will become the first team to offically join the CHLPA, which seeks to represent junior hockey players.
Junior hockey players normally receive nominal, though variable, compensation, often considered to be below minimum wage. According to one report, a ridiculous $35 a week, plus some expenses, for the untold hours the players spend playing, traveling and training.
At least one other team will be voting soon and the union is using a range of strategies in attempts to line up the participation of players from other teams across the country.
Against this backdrop, a bizarre series of stories has appeared in the Toronto Sun and other media, where the identity of a CHLPA representative is questioned, although according to the CHLPA website and twitter feed, the person in question is to be interviewed on TSN today.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Hi! My Name is Sandy, This is Your Wake-Up Call!
At the end of a U.S. election campaign that has ignored climate change and global warming, Mother Nature has weighed in with a persuasive argument.
Sandy's wake-up call couldn't have been any more loud or clear. (note - the link to the Huffington Post article is not working at time of posting due to power outages effecting the site's operations)
Numerous cities and towns along the U.S. eastern seaboard have experienced flooding and damage on a scale never seen before.
Despite tragic loss of life and billions of dollars worth of damage that has already occurred, it seems that we may have dodged a bullet to some extent. If the water had been one foot higher, or the winds a little stronger, no telling how much worse it could have been.
Unfortunately, the latter scenario is exactly where we're headed.
Worldwide temperatures are on the increase. The sea level is rising. Extreme weather events are becoming larger, more frequent and more extreme.
Katrina was a once-in-a-lifetime event. Sandy, another once-in-a-lifetime event. How many lives do we get?
This year, the Arctic ice cap melted down to 20-30% less than the previous record low level, which had been set in 2007.
The increasing pace of melting ice packs and rising sea levels, combined with higher global temperatures, can only mean more severe and more frequent weather events in the near future.
Sandy is telling us that measures to reduce co2 emissions are desperately needed.
Sandy's wake-up call couldn't have been any more loud or clear. (note - the link to the Huffington Post article is not working at time of posting due to power outages effecting the site's operations)
Numerous cities and towns along the U.S. eastern seaboard have experienced flooding and damage on a scale never seen before.
Despite tragic loss of life and billions of dollars worth of damage that has already occurred, it seems that we may have dodged a bullet to some extent. If the water had been one foot higher, or the winds a little stronger, no telling how much worse it could have been.
Unfortunately, the latter scenario is exactly where we're headed.
Worldwide temperatures are on the increase. The sea level is rising. Extreme weather events are becoming larger, more frequent and more extreme.
Katrina was a once-in-a-lifetime event. Sandy, another once-in-a-lifetime event. How many lives do we get?
This year, the Arctic ice cap melted down to 20-30% less than the previous record low level, which had been set in 2007.
The increasing pace of melting ice packs and rising sea levels, combined with higher global temperatures, can only mean more severe and more frequent weather events in the near future.
Sandy is telling us that measures to reduce co2 emissions are desperately needed.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Alexandre Trudeau: embedded in Justin's campaign.
According to the Winnipeg Free Press, Sacha Trudeau is "stepping up" to act as senior advisor to his brother Justin's campaign for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada.
Unlike the story in the WFP, I would never stretch this so far as to mention "Jack and Bobby" in the second paragraph of the story. (oops)
Nor would I mention that I saw this coming and predicted it here. (oops)
But I will say this: anyone who thinks that the Liberals under Justin Trudeau will be "same old same old" may well want to reconsider.
Sacha is probably most well known for his film, Embedded in Baghdad, which he made before, during and after the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Certainly no lack of courage, conviction or imagination in this young man.
Given the low profile Alexandre has kept, it is difficult to say what his influence will be and how much he will have. Just a gut feeling that he could be bringing a leftish perspective to things, but this could be altogether wrong. His role will probably be more that of the trusted confidante, rather than a strategist or policy advisor.
Indeed, I could see a Liberal Party under Justin (best case scenario) that would transcend left and right, neutralizing this whole "Fox News vs Daily Show", "right vs left" sham of political discourse that exists. When one considers that the vast majority of Canadians (and Americans) really live outside of "left" and "right" interest groups, it becomes plausible to hope that there is room for other more valid movements.
Anyway, Justin's first week on the campaign trail has been a success and I presume it will be very interesting to keep an eye on as the campaign unfolds...
Unlike the story in the WFP, I would never stretch this so far as to mention "Jack and Bobby" in the second paragraph of the story. (oops)
Nor would I mention that I saw this coming and predicted it here. (oops)
But I will say this: anyone who thinks that the Liberals under Justin Trudeau will be "same old same old" may well want to reconsider.
Sacha is probably most well known for his film, Embedded in Baghdad, which he made before, during and after the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Certainly no lack of courage, conviction or imagination in this young man.
Given the low profile Alexandre has kept, it is difficult to say what his influence will be and how much he will have. Just a gut feeling that he could be bringing a leftish perspective to things, but this could be altogether wrong. His role will probably be more that of the trusted confidante, rather than a strategist or policy advisor.
Indeed, I could see a Liberal Party under Justin (best case scenario) that would transcend left and right, neutralizing this whole "Fox News vs Daily Show", "right vs left" sham of political discourse that exists. When one considers that the vast majority of Canadians (and Americans) really live outside of "left" and "right" interest groups, it becomes plausible to hope that there is room for other more valid movements.
Anyway, Justin's first week on the campaign trail has been a success and I presume it will be very interesting to keep an eye on as the campaign unfolds...
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Alexandre Trudeau: “It’s not my show tonight”
For anyone tempted to speculate that the Liberals under Justin Trudeau would be "same old same old", there was one new face in the crowd last night whose influence may yet become powerful, even if not necessarily front and centre.
Trudeau’s younger brother, Sacha, was on hand with his young family, too, but politely rebuffed reporters’ questions. “It’s not my show tonight,” he said.
The operative word being, "tonight"(?)
Trudeau’s younger brother, Sacha, was on hand with his young family, too, but politely rebuffed reporters’ questions. “It’s not my show tonight,” he said.
The operative word being, "tonight"(?)
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Canadian Business Innovation Tanks Under Harper
Canadian business innovation has dropped from 11th to 22nd place in the world over the past year.
Earlier this month, and for the second consecutive year, Canada dropped two places overall in the annual ranking of global economic competitiveness by the World Economic Forum. Canada's economic competitiveness has now gone from 9th to 14th since 2009. This is just a small part of the story though.
The real story came out a couple of days ago in a report issued by the Conference Board of Canada, entitled Who Dimmed the Lights? Canada’s Declining Global Competitiveness Ranking.
In this report, it is revealed that Canada's innovation and business sophistication dropped 6 places, from 15th to 21st over the past year. Even worse, the report says that Canada's innovation performance dropped from 11th to 22nd.
The innovation performance indicator measures factors such as such as "university–industry collaboration in R&D, quality of scientific research institutions, capacity for innovation, company spending on R&D, and government procurement of advanced technology products".
Don't tell me - sending raw materials to Asia and buying stuff churned out over there in sweatshops no longer qualifies as "thinking outside the box". Combine this with the Conservative government's war on science and it is easy to see how Canada has dropped so quickly.
I don't even know how this all meshes with what's going on on the street. For example, at least four pharmaceutical multinationals closing major research labs in the Montreal area alone this year. The latest of these, Boehringer Ingelheim, will result in 170 high tech job losses.
On the link above, there is a table which further breaks down the indicators into sub categories. Canada is worst in Nature of Competitive Advantage (81st), Value Chain Breadth (53rd), Government Procurement of Advanced Technology Products (47th) and Quantity of Local Suppliers (33rd).
Solving the problem won't be a matter of simply ramping up university graduate numbers though - Canada is already 6th in availability of scientists and engineers.
Exactly how we're going to turn this around, I don't know. One thing for sure is that current Harper government policies have us headed in the wrong direction with a bullet.
Earlier this month, and for the second consecutive year, Canada dropped two places overall in the annual ranking of global economic competitiveness by the World Economic Forum. Canada's economic competitiveness has now gone from 9th to 14th since 2009. This is just a small part of the story though.
The real story came out a couple of days ago in a report issued by the Conference Board of Canada, entitled Who Dimmed the Lights? Canada’s Declining Global Competitiveness Ranking.
In this report, it is revealed that Canada's innovation and business sophistication dropped 6 places, from 15th to 21st over the past year. Even worse, the report says that Canada's innovation performance dropped from 11th to 22nd.
The innovation performance indicator measures factors such as such as "university–industry collaboration in R&D, quality of scientific research institutions, capacity for innovation, company spending on R&D, and government procurement of advanced technology products".
Don't tell me - sending raw materials to Asia and buying stuff churned out over there in sweatshops no longer qualifies as "thinking outside the box". Combine this with the Conservative government's war on science and it is easy to see how Canada has dropped so quickly.
I don't even know how this all meshes with what's going on on the street. For example, at least four pharmaceutical multinationals closing major research labs in the Montreal area alone this year. The latest of these, Boehringer Ingelheim, will result in 170 high tech job losses.
On the link above, there is a table which further breaks down the indicators into sub categories. Canada is worst in Nature of Competitive Advantage (81st), Value Chain Breadth (53rd), Government Procurement of Advanced Technology Products (47th) and Quantity of Local Suppliers (33rd).
Solving the problem won't be a matter of simply ramping up university graduate numbers though - Canada is already 6th in availability of scientists and engineers.
Exactly how we're going to turn this around, I don't know. One thing for sure is that current Harper government policies have us headed in the wrong direction with a bullet.
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