nationalobserver--2020-06-03--Defence Department accused of using pandemic to withhold info

The Department of National Defence stands accused of trying to take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to withhold information from Parliament and Canadians .
There has been widespread concern about federal departments failing to respond to access-to-information requests since the crisis first started in earnest in March , but the Opposition Conservatives say the problem is much worse at the Defence Department .
`` By far National Defence is the worst offender , '' said Conservative defence critic James Bezan .
`` There seems to be a systemic breakdown in being transparent in the department , or there 's intentional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The allegation stems from the department 's failure in recent months to respond to a large number of questions on the order paper , which are one of the primary means for members of Parliament to get information about the inner workings of federal departments .
Departments have 45 days to respond to order paper questions , which include everything from the number of veterans receiving government-subsidized Viagra to how much the government spent on advertising to the number of RCMP officers by province .
• How to rebuild after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Canadians protest George Floyd killing and racism in Canada in Montreal , Toronto and Vancouver Yet in more than a dozen recent requests , the Defence Department did not respond .
One of those asked how many government ships had broken down in the last year .
While the Canadian Coast Guard provided a response , the Defence Department did not .
`` During the unprecedented COVID-19 situation , public servants are required to work remotely and have limited access to the tools and files requested , '' the department wrote in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MP Lianne Rood .
Bezan also flagged concerns about testimony from parliamentary budget officer Yves Giroux to a House of Commons ' committee last week about the watchdog 's request for updated information on the government 's plan to invest billions in new military kit .
`` We were supposed to get the information on time to provide parliamentarians with an update , '' Giroux told the standing committee on government operations and estimates on Friday .
`` May was the target date for us , but we did n't get the information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will be delayed by a couple of weeks , but we have not received it yet . ''
The Liberal government 's defence policy unveiled in 2017 promised $ 553 billion in defence spending over the next two decades , though it has been slow in getting that money out the door .
The Department of National Defence stands accused of trying to take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to withhold information from Parliament and Canadians .
The Defence Department acknowledged it had failed to respond to 17 order paper questions in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide the information that Giroux asked to see about the planned defence spending , citing COVID-19 as the reason .
`` Work on the request the PBO referred to has , in fact , been impacted by COVID-19 given the requirements for our analysts to work from secure systems inaccessible from home , '' Defence Department spokesman Daniel Le Bouthillier said an in email .
He went on to blame personnel having `` limited access to certain records and databases '' and `` key military staff '' being tasked with supporting the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the order paper question .
At the same time , Le Bouthillier said officials did respond to 12 order paper questions while Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan 's office said officials helped the budget officer analyze the cost of the military 's response to the COVID-19 pandemic in April .
`` The Department of National Defence and the women and men of the Canadian Armed Forces have been working around the clock helping Canadians during this pandemic , '' Sajjan 's spokesman , Todd Lane , said in a statement .
`` Despite the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we remain committed to transparency and being accountable to Parliament . ''
Bezan nonetheless accused the government and department of failing to provide information to Canadians and parliamentarians , whose job is to hold the government to account .
`` At the beginning ( of the pandemic ) , I would say they had the right to make those decisions , '' he said .
`` But we 're getting to a point now that this has become a government and Minister Sajjan , in particular , stonewalling the accountability aspect of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns , he added , efforts should be underway to install proper protocols and provide adequate safety equipment to let defence officials return to their offices and `` fulfil the obligations the government has to Parliament . ''

The Department of National Defence stands accused of trying to take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to withhold information from Parliament and Canadians. There has been widespread concern about federal departments failing to respond to access-to-information requests since the crisis first started in earnest in March, but the Opposition Conservatives say the problem is much worse at the Defence Department. "By far National Defence is the worst offender," said Conservative defence critic James Bezan. "There seems to be a systemic breakdown in being transparent in the department, or there's intentional disregard for what Canadians have been requesting." The allegation stems from the department's failure in recent months to respond to a large number of questions on the order paper, which are one of the primary means for members of Parliament to get information about the inner workings of federal departments. Departments have 45 days to respond to order paper questions, which include everything from the number of veterans receiving government-subsidized Viagra to how much the government spent on advertising to the number of RCMP officers by province.
Yet in more than a dozen recent requests, the Defence Department did not respond. One of those asked how many government ships had broken down in the last year. While the Canadian Coast Guard provided a response, the Defence Department did not. "During the unprecedented COVID-19 situation, public servants are required to work remotely and have limited access to the tools and files requested," the department wrote in response to a recent request by Conservative MP Lianne Rood. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Bezan also flagged concerns about testimony from parliamentary budget officer Yves Giroux to a House of Commons' committee last week about the watchdog's request for updated information on the government's plan to invest billions in new military kit.
"We were supposed to get the information on time to provide parliamentarians with an update," Giroux told the standing committee on government operations and estimates on Friday. The Department of National Defence stands accused of trying to take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to withhold information from Parliament and Canadians. "May was the target date for us, but we didn't get the information on time. ... We were told it will be delayed by a couple of weeks, but we have not received it yet." The Liberal government's defence policy unveiled in 2017 promised $553 billion in defence spending over the next two decades, though it has been slow in getting that money out the door. The Defence Department acknowledged it had failed to respond to 17 order paper questions in April and May and was unable to provide the information that Giroux asked to see about the planned defence spending, citing COVID-19 as the reason. "Work on the request the PBO referred to has, in fact, been impacted by COVID-19 given the requirements for our analysts to work from secure systems inaccessible from home," Defence Department spokesman Daniel Le Bouthillier said an in email.
He went on to blame personnel having "limited access to certain records and databases" and "key military staff" being tasked with supporting the government's COVID-19 response for not responding to the order paper question. At the same time, Le Bouthillier said officials did respond to 12 order paper questions while Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan's office said officials helped the budget officer analyze the cost of the military's response to the COVID-19 pandemic in April. "The Department of National Defence and the women and men of the Canadian Armed Forces have been working around the clock helping Canadians during this pandemic," Sajjan's spokesman, Todd Lane, said in a statement.


nationalobserver--2020-06-03--Trudeau makes the case for co-ordinated global recovery plan

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will continue today to make the case for a co-ordinated global response to cushion the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the world 's poorest countries .
He 'll be among the leaders and heads of state to deliver remarks during a virtual summit of the Organization of African , Caribbean , and Pacific States ( OACPS ) .
Among other things , he is expected to promise that Canada will partner with developing countries , which stand to be the hardest hit by the pandemic , and help to rally the world behind measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crisis .
That is similar to the message Trudeau delivered last week while co-hosting a major United Nations summit , alongside UN secretary general Antonio Guterres and Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness .
Without a global co-ordinated recovery plan , the UN estimates the pandemic could slash nearly US $ 8.5 trillion from the world economy over the next two years , forcing 34.3 million people into extreme poverty this year and potentially 130 million more over the course of the decade .
• How to rebuild after the economic pain from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ George Floyd killing and racism in Canada in Montreal , Toronto and Vancouver While no country has escaped the economic ravages of the deadly novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 , developing countries , already in debt distress before the pandemic , can not afford the kinds of emergency benefits and economic stimulus measures undertaken in wealthy , industrialized countries like Canada .
Prior to the UN summit , Trudeau argued that ensuring poorer countries survive the crisis is not just the right thing to do , it 's in Canada 's own self-interest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on stable and productive economies in other countries , so it matters to us how everyone weathers this storm , ” he said last week .
Today 's summit is to be chaired by Kenya 's president , Uhuru Kenyatta .
OACPS is composed of 79 African , Caribbean and Pacific states , many leaders of which are expected to take part .
Trudeau is positioning Canada as a leader in the push for a global recovery plan just as the country is competing for one of two coveted , non-permanent seats on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Norway and Ireland .
Canada is running on a platform of trying to help rebuild the post-pandemic world .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will continue today , June 3 , 2020 , to make the case for a co-ordinated global response to cushion the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the world 's poorest countries .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 3 , 2020 .

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will continue today to make the case for a co-ordinated global response to cushion the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the world's poorest countries.
He'll be among the leaders and heads of state to deliver remarks during a virtual summit of the Organization of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS).
Among other things, he is expected to promise that Canada will partner with developing countries, which stand to be the hardest hit by the pandemic, and help to rally the world behind measures like debt relief to help them survive the crisis.
That is similar to the message Trudeau delivered last week while co-hosting a major United Nations summit, alongside UN secretary general Antonio Guterres and Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness.
Without a global co-ordinated recovery plan, the UN estimates the pandemic could slash nearly US$8.5 trillion from the world economy over the next two years, forcing 34.3 million people into extreme poverty this year and potentially 130 million more over the course of the decade.


nationalobserver--2020-06-03--Discovery Islanders weather West Coast commute

Island commuters hit a bit of rough water when ferry service between Quadra Island and Campbell River was cancelled all day Tuesday due to a mechanical issue .
A problem made all that much worse because of COVID-19 .
For Quadra and neighboring Cortes island located off Vancouver Island 's northeast coast — and for a score of other isolated coastal communities in British Columbia — ferries are a driver of local economies and a lifeline to the outside world , especially during the pandemic .
But folks arriving for the morning rush hour ferries on either side of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of commission with what BC Ferries originally described as a problem with a bilge water tank .
Vehicle passengers were out of luck , but BC Ferries contracted two water taxis to transport walk-on passengers back and forth from Campbell River and Quathiaski Cove for the day .
However , due to COVID-19 distancing protocols the vessels could only take six passengers at a time , or one person per bench on the aluminum vessel .
• How to rebuild after the economic pain from COVID-19 ?
Study Cuba • Canadians protest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Montreal , Toronto and Vancouver So , without much protest or mumbling , passengers lined up six feet apart in the spring rain at the top of the wharf to wait their turn to walk down the gangway .
Quadra Island residents Albert and Audrey Wilson weather the challenges commuting off-island to go to work , or visit family , as the trade off for living where they do .
Photo : Rochelle Baker , Audrey and Albert Wilson were unperturbed by the situation .
“ It is what it is , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Having lived in We Wai Kai Nation ’ s Cape Mudge Village on Quadra his whole life , Albert said he ’ s used to delays in crossing the waters of Discovery Passage to town .
“ And if the ferry doesn ’ t break down , it ’ s the weather , ” Audrey joked .
For Quadra and neighboring Cortes island located off Vancouver Island 's northeast coast — and for a score of other isolated coastal communities in British Columbia — ferries are a driver of local economies and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , executive director of the Laichwiltach Family Life Society , has been commuting to work in Campbell River by boat for 24 years .
“ It just becomes normal , ” she said .
And some times there are unavoidable hang-ups .
“ It ’ s a little like a lottery , ” she said .
“ It ’ s just part of island living for me.
” Life on Quadra is a fair trade off for the extra hassles to get off island , Albert said , adding he 's not tempted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s nice and quite here , but I ’ m still close enough to get what I need in town , ” he said .
After having spent his lifetime in a small community where he knows everybody , and they know him , he ’ s not leaving now .
“ I couldn ’ t get into trouble as a kid , ” Albert said .
“ Because everybody knows me , and if I did , word about it got home before I did.
” Most of the passengers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were locals , especially given the current BC Ferries advisories for visitors to avoid non-essential travel to small communities .
As a result , every second or third passenger heading down the gangway can ’ t resist a friendly jab at the terminal attendant they know by name .
“ So I hear the ship is sinking , ” said one with a laugh .
As Quadra resident Kathleen Power clambers onto the aluminum water taxi , she is also not fazed by the delay or the change in the mode of transport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ island 20 years and commutes to work in Campbell River Monday to Friday .
[ Quadra Island resident Kathleen Power is willing to put up with the hassles associated with commuting from a small island for the lifestyle she enjoys .
Photo : Rochelle Baker  “ It ’ s mostly good , ” Power said .
“ Except in summer , then it ’ s really a challenge to get on the ferry when you ’ re taking your car.
” Due to COVID-19 there ’ s been a significant drop in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ If this was a morning sailing in a normal time , we would have been standing in line much longer , ” Power said .
“ If all the kids were coming to school and lined up , I might not have come to work , ” she said .
Tuesday morning BC Ferries announced it would bring the Bowen Queen up from Salt Spring Island to act as a replacement vessel .
But Tuesday evening , BC Ferries spokesperson Deborah Marshall said engineers have determined the problem on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vessel ’ s engine ’ s salt-water cooling system .
“ The good news , is that some of our fleet maintenance team is coming up to make repairs overnight in the dock in Campbell River , ” said Marshall , adding the replacement ferry is cancelled and operations are expected to resume to normal on Wednesday .
However , Tuesday ’ s regular dangerous cargo runs that prohibit passengers have been shifted to Thursday .
The Powell River Queen , built in 1965 with a car capacity for 59 vehicles , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Powell River Queen was out of service on Tuesday due to mechanical issues , so walk-on passengers on the Quadra Island - Campbell River route were transported by water taxi .
File photo : Rochelle Baker BC Ferries is bringing two new hybrid-electric Island Class vessels online for the Campbell River - Quadra Island route in 2022 , Marshall said .
The new ferries will run in tandem to lessen summer overloads and sailing waits .
“ Certainly the new vessels will increase reliability in terms of maintenance , ” Marshall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quite rare for older vessels in the fleet to suffer serious service interruptions .
“ It just goes to show all the hard work our engineers are doing to maintain them .
”

Island commuters hit a bit of rough water when ferry service between Quadra Island and Campbell River was cancelled all day Tuesday due to a mechanical issue. A problem made all that much worse because of COVID-19. For Quadra and neighboring Cortes island located off Vancouver Island's northeast coast — and for a score of other isolated coastal communities in British Columbia — ferries are a driver of local economies and a lifeline to the outside world, especially during the pandemic. But folks arriving for the morning rush hour ferries on either side of the route discovered the Powell River Queen was out of commission with what BC Ferries originally described as a problem with a bilge water tank. Vehicle passengers were out of luck, but BC Ferries contracted two water taxis to transport walk-on passengers back and forth from Campbell River and Quathiaski Cove for the day. However, due to COVID-19 distancing protocols the vessels could only take six passengers at a time, or one person per bench on the aluminum vessel.
So, without much protest or mumbling, passengers lined up six feet apart in the spring rain at the top of the wharf to wait their turn to walk down the gangway. Quadra Island residents Albert and Audrey Wilson weather the challenges commuting off-island to go to work, or visit family, as the trade off for living where they do. Photo: Rochelle Baker, Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Audrey and Albert Wilson were unperturbed by the situation.
“It is what it is,” said Albert with a shrug. For Quadra and neighboring Cortes island located off Vancouver Island's northeast coast — and for a score of other isolated coastal communities in British Columbia — ferries are a driver of local economies and a lifeline to the outside world. Having lived in We Wai Kai Nation’s Cape Mudge Village on Quadra his whole life, Albert said he’s used to delays in crossing the waters of Discovery Passage to town. “And if the ferry doesn’t break down, it’s the weather,” Audrey joked. Audrey, executive director of the Laichwiltach Family Life Society, has been commuting to work in Campbell River by boat for 24 years. “It just becomes normal,” she said.
And some times there are unavoidable hang-ups. “It’s a little like a lottery,” she said. “It’s just part of island living for me.” Life on Quadra is a fair trade off for the extra hassles to get off island, Albert said, adding he's not tempted to live in Campbell River.


nationalobserver--2020-06-03--Stop with the ‘pretty words’ and fix racial profiling, Singh urges Trudeau

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh made an impassioned plea Tuesday to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to move beyond “ pretty words ” and use his position of power to fix racial profiling , over-policing and over-incarceration of Black and Indigenous communities in Canada .
Speaking in the House of Commons in Ottawa , Singh invoked the memories of 29-year-old Regis Korchinski-Paquet , whose family has raised concerns about police involvement in her death in Toronto in May , and 22-year-old Stewart Kevin Andrews , an Indigenous man killed by police in Winnipeg in April , to make a point about how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or death at the hands of Canadian police .
“ You know what ?
People are done with pretty speeches , ” said Singh , the MP for Burnaby South , and the first racialized leader in Canada to sit in the House .
“ I ’ m standing in a hall of power , the chamber of Commons , with a prime minister who has the power to not just say pretty words , but actually do something about this , ” he added .
Trudeau also admitted he had made “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which , he said , “ I deeply regret , and continue to learn from.
” While he did not mention it by name , media reports revealed during the 2019 federal election campaign that the prime minister wore brownface and blackface on multiple occasions .
“ I know that for so many people listening right now , the last thing you want to hear is another speech on racism from a white politician , ” said Trudeau .
“ I ’ m not here today to describe a reality I do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I have not felt .
I ’ m here because I want you to know that our government is listening.
” Video of Floyd killing was 'chilling ' says Singh But Singh argued that , while systemic racism , racial profiling , economic and social inequality and employment discrimination are all ever-present in Canada , the Trudeau government and the federal governments that preceded it “ prefer lip service to concrete action.
” Jagmeet Singh invoked the memories of Regis Korchinski-Paquet and Stewart Kevin Andrews to make a point about how Black and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the hands of Canadian police .
He said people the world over saw the killing of George Floyd , a Black man in Minneapolis who died while a white police officer pressed his knee on Floyd ’ s neck for almost nine minutes as he was handcuffed and lying face down in the street , unable to breathe .
The killing was filmed by a 17-year-old at the scene in a video that went viral .
The Floyd video was “ chilling , ” Singh said .
“ The casual violence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another human being ’ s life — it hurt to the core , ” he said .
“ There was pain , there was sadness and , rightly so , there is anger , there is frustration.
” But this isn ’ t just an American problem , he said .
Pointing to the words of Killer Mike and Cardi B , two rappers and songwriters who have made political statements in the U.S. , Singh admitted he didn ’ t have all the answers .
He called on Trudeau to commit to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Black bodies ” and the “ over-incarceration of Black people ” and Indigenous people , as well as ensuring there is better access to health and education resources , clean drinking water for everyone and action on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls calls for justice .
“ The prime minister has the power to do all these things right now , ” he said .
Trudeau had argued that , since coming to power , his government has taken steps to battle anti-Black racism , systemic discrimination and injustice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities and their leaders to bridge persistent gaps in Canada , ” he said .
He gave as an example the government ’ s Budget 2018 commitment to invest $ 9 million over three years to address the barriers faced by Black Canadian youth to their full participation in society , including through promoting Black history , culture and identity .

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh made an impassioned plea Tuesday to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to move beyond “pretty words” and use his position of power to fix racial profiling, over-policing and over-incarceration of Black and Indigenous communities in Canada. Speaking in the House of Commons in Ottawa, Singh invoked the memories of 29-year-old Regis Korchinski-Paquet, whose family has raised concerns about police involvement in her death in Toronto in May, and 22-year-old Stewart Kevin Andrews, an Indigenous man killed by police in Winnipeg in April, to make a point about how Black and Indigenous people have suffered violence or death at the hands of Canadian police. “You know what? People are done with pretty speeches,” said Singh, the MP for Burnaby South, and the first racialized leader in Canada to sit in the House. “I’m standing in a hall of power, the chamber of Commons, with a prime minister who has the power to not just say pretty words, but actually do something about this,” he added. “The prime minister of this country has the power to go beyond pretty words and pretty speeches, and do something.”
Trudeau admits to 'serious mistakes in the past' Black and Indigenous racial profiling and over-incarceration is a matter of fact in Canada. Black people were 20 times more likely to be shot and killed by police than white people in Toronto, according to a 2018 Ontario Human Rights Commission report, and the organization also said last year that police practices hurt Black and Indigenous communities. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Federal data also shows Black people were represented as federal offenders at a rate that's more than double that of those who identify as Black in the general population. The Department of Justice acknowledges that Indigenous people are wildly over-represented in the correctional system.
Singh’s remarks followed those by Trudeau, who had said that anti-Black racism is happening “everywhere in Canada, every single day” including against his own staff, cabinet ministers and colleagues, and pointed to “concrete steps” his government has taken to address the issue. Jagmeet Singh invoked the memories of Regis Korchinski-Paquet and Stewart Kevin Andrews to make a point about how Black and Indigenous people have suffered violence or death at the hands of Canadian police. Trudeau also admitted he had made “serious mistakes in the past,” which, he said, “I deeply regret, and continue to learn from.” While he did not mention it by name, media reports revealed during the 2019 federal election campaign that the prime minister wore brownface and blackface on multiple occasions. “I know that for so many people listening right now, the last thing you want to hear is another speech on racism from a white politician,” said Trudeau. “I’m not here today to describe a reality I do not know, or speak to a pain I have not felt. I’m here because I want you to know that our government is listening.” Video of Floyd killing was 'chilling' says Singh But Singh argued that, while systemic racism, racial profiling, economic and social inequality and employment discrimination are all ever-present in Canada, the Trudeau government and the federal governments that preceded it “prefer lip service to concrete action.”
He said people the world over saw the killing of George Floyd, a Black man in Minneapolis who died while a white police officer pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes as he was handcuffed and lying face down in the street, unable to breathe. The killing was filmed by a 17-year-old at the scene in a video that went viral. The Floyd video was “chilling,” Singh said. “The casual violence of anti-Black racism, the callous taking of another human being’s life — it hurt to the core,” he said. “There was pain, there was sadness and, rightly so, there is anger, there is frustration.” But this isn’t just an American problem, he said.


nationalobserver--2020-06-03--Will America tear itself apart?

Will America tear itself apart?

Is America truly unravelling ?
Or is this just another of its periodic episodes of violence which eventually flames out ?
I think what we ’ re seeing is a country coming apart for real .
This past weekend saw protests and clashes with police across 140 cities in response to the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police .
Now Trump is threatening to send in the army to quell the unrest .
In the nearly two and half century history of the country we ’ ve seen this movie too many times before .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Confederate private during the American Civil War reported from Virginia where New York 's 8th militia , pictured , camped .
Photo from Library of Congress Realistically , the U.S. was most at peril during its bloody four-year civil war from 1861 to 1865 , triggered when 11 southern states broke away from the union to try and form their own country .
The south wanted to preserve slavery , which was critical to their plantation economy .
The war resulted in 620,000 dead — or about two per cent of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • How to rebuild after the economic pain from COVID-19 ?
Study Cuba • Canadians protest George Floyd killing and racism in Canada in Montreal , Toronto and Vancouver A few years later , the U.S. was roiled by the great labour wars of the Gilded Age as America industrialized and workers tried to unionize .
There were the Homestead and Pullman strikes that pitted workers against armed strikebreakers .
The murder of strikers was commonplace .
In 1892 alone , 1,298 strikes involving some 164,000 workers occurred across the nation .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Second World War .
The next big spasm of protests began in the late 1950s and into the 1970s over civil rights , the Vietnam War and the emerging women ’ s and gay rights movements .
Race riots tore through Birmingham , New York , Los Angeles , Chicago , Detroit , Atlanta and numerous other cities , burning down whole city sections .
In Los Angeles , the racist LAPD waged a brutal war of suppression against the African-American population , culminating in the 1965 Watts riots , which lasted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 1,032 injuries and 4,000 arrests , involving 34,000 people and the destruction of 1,000 buildings , totalling US $ 40 million in damages .
Soldiers of the California 's 40th Armored Division direct traffic away from an area of South Central Los Angeles burning during the Watts riot .
Photo from Wikipedia .
In 1968 , the police rioted in Chicago against demonstrators during the Democratic convention , which led to 11 dead and the police shooting another 48 people .
Racism is a by-product of a system that pits worker against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ becoming united against their common enemy - an economic system that no longer has much need for them .
Throughout the 1970s , left-wing urban guerilla groups set off a wave of bombings , kidnappings and hijackings .
Then there was the 1992 riots in Los Angeles after the Rodney King verdict , which lasted six days and left 63 people dead , 2,383 injured , more than 12,000 arrested , and property damage over US $ 1 billion .
Fast forward to 2014 , and the emergence of Black Lives Matter in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of outrages committed against African-Americans , especially the police killings of Michael Brown and Eric Garner .
In short , America is not new to violent clashes between enraged citizens and the state .
So are these new protests any different ?
Now is different - America has deep structural problems That ’ s difficult to say , but I would argue that unlike the protests of the 1960s , or of even six years ago , America ’ s current situation reveals its deep structural problems .
Empires tend to decline over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While the U.S. remains the world ’ s preeminent economic and military power , internally it ’ s bedevilled by a host of problems that just keep getting worse .
And the two most significant are the abandonment of its working class , and the corruption of its political system .
Going back to the Civil War , that conflict was rooted in economics — the industrializing north versus the agrarian south .
Capitalism has no use for slave labour .
But it does need cheap labour .
And the Civil War @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so they could be exploited as workers in the new factories of the north .
Even the labour wars that began in the late 1800s were about workers getting a bigger share of America ’ s burgeoning new wealth .
And I would argue the race riots of the 1960s were the final spasm over the end of slavery , reflected in segregation and the Jim Crow laws .
But beginning in the 1980s , America ’ s business class decided that the American working class — white , black or Latino — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and went to war against workers with the goal of taking away the post-war gains unions had won .
“ Neoliberalism is an attack on working class expectations and working class strength , ” explains Sam Gindin , the former research director of the Canadian Auto Workers union ( now called Unifor ) .
“ And the most important thing was how to weaken ( organized labour ) and weakening it actually required changing labour laws making it harder to organize .
But it especially meant letting unemployment rise.
” In 1981 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during a bitter strike , which opened the door to union-busting across the U.S .
But the 1980s also marked another threat to American workers — the arrival of free trade .
In 1988 , the U.S. and Canada signed a free trade agreement .
Six years later , Mexico , the U.S. and Canada put NAFTA into effect , which made free trade continent-wide .
Other free trade agreements soon followed .
The result was American workers found themselves competing for jobs with cheap labour in other parts of the world , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And they lost : Well-paying , unionized blue collars jobs vanished .
Now only nine per cent of the American workforce toils in manufacturing .
Wages stagnated and debt levels rose , as did permanent economic uncertainty .
Meanwhile , the Democrats and Republicans were turning their backs on workers .
The Democrats were once the party of labour .
But beginning in the 1970s , the party tapped into Wall Street money and marginalized organized labour .
Democrats embraced free trade and globalization .
“ You find that there was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ 70s , ’ 80s and ’ 90s where they convinced themselves that they needed to abandon working people in order to serve a different constituency : a constituency essentially of white-collar professionals , ” remarked journalist Thomas Frank in an 2016 interview for his book Listen , Liberal : Or , What Ever Happened to the Party of the People ?
“ That ’ s the most important group in their coalition .
That ’ s who they won over in the ’ 70s , ’ 80s and ’ 90s .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s where they draw from .
The leaders of the Democratic Party are always from this particular stratum of society.
” Meanwhile , the Republicans became the party of big business — and increasingly racist as their hold on the American south grew .
Together the Democrats and Republicans ignored the growing problems of working class Americans for decades while beholden to the money of the wealthy .
So how does this pertain to the murder of George Floyd ?
Racism is a by-product of a system that pits worker against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ united against their common enemy - capitalism , which no longer has as much need for them .
Indeed , one of the symptoms of working class alienation and frustration is the enflaming of racial tensions .
White workers who ’ ve lost good jobs are encouraged by business leaders , political elites and the right-wing media to blame minorities — African-Americans , Mexicans , women , LBGQT people — for their growing economic and political disenfranchisement .
This has been the overt agenda of Trump and the alt-right .
Lay on top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which are institutionally racist and militarized and voilà , you have the mess Americans find themselves in .
Will America tear itself apart ?
When you have so many people who corporations feel they don ’ t need anymore — and a political system that doesn ’ t respond to workers ’ problems — then there ’ s a very high probability it will .
Indeed , while these protests may eventually dissipate , the underlying reasons that gave rise to the tensions are not going away any time soon — even if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

In the nearly two-and-a-half-century history of the country we’ve seen this movie too many times before.
This past weekend saw protests and clashes with police across 140 cities in response to the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. Now Trump is threatening to send in the army to quell the unrest.
I think what we’re seeing is a country coming apart for real.
Is America truly unravelling? Or is this just another of its periodic episodes of violence which eventually flames out?
The next big spasm of protests began in the late 1950s and into the 1970s over civil rights, the Vietnam War and the emerging women’s and gay rights movements. Race riots tore through Birmingham, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta and numerous other cities, burning down whole city sections.
A few years later, the U.S. was roiled by the great labour wars of the Gilded Age as America industrialized and workers tried to unionize. There were the Homestead and Pullman strikes that pitted workers against armed strikebreakers. The murder of strikers was commonplace. In 1892 alone, 1,298 strikes involving some 164,000 workers occurred across the nation. The labour wars continued on right up until the Second World War.
Realistically, the U.S. was most at peril during its bloody four-year civil war from 1861 to 1865, triggered when 11 southern states broke away from the union to try and form their own country. The south wanted to preserve slavery, which was critical to their plantation economy. The war resulted in 620,000 dead — or about two per cent of the entire U.S. population at the time.
In 1968, the police rioted in Chicago against demonstrators during the Democratic convention, which led to 11 dead and the police shooting another 48 people.
In Los Angeles, the racist LAPD waged a brutal war of suppression against the African-American population, culminating in the 1965 Watts riots, which lasted six days, resulting in 34 deaths, 1,032 injuries and 4,000 arrests, involving 34,000 people and the destruction of 1,000 buildings, totalling US$40 million in damages.
In short, America is not new to violent clashes between enraged citizens and the state.
Fast forward to 2014, and the emergence of Black Lives Matter in the wake of a whole new series of outrages committed against African-Americans, especially the police killings of Michael Brown and Eric Garner.
Then there was the 1992 riots in Los Angeles after the Rodney King verdict, which lasted six days and left 63 people dead, 2,383 injured, more than 12,000 arrested, and property damage over US$1 billion.
So are these new protests any different?
Now is different - America has deep structural problems
That’s difficult to say, but I would argue that unlike the protests of the 1960s, or of even six years ago, America’s current situation reveals its deep structural problems.
Empires tend to decline over decades, and then often very rapidly. While the U.S. remains the world’s preeminent economic and military power, internally it’s bedevilled by a host of problems that just keep getting worse. And the two most significant are the abandonment of its working class, and the corruption of its political system.
Going back to the Civil War, that conflict was rooted in economics — the industrializing north versus the agrarian south. Capitalism has no use for slave labour. But it does need cheap labour. And the Civil War was really about freeing up African-American slaves so they could be exploited as workers in the new factories of the north.
Even the labour wars that began in the late 1800s were about workers getting a bigger share of America’s burgeoning new wealth. And I would argue the race riots of the 1960s were the final spasm over the end of slavery, reflected in segregation and the Jim Crow laws.
But beginning in the 1980s, America’s business class decided that the American working class — white, black or Latino — was expendable. They embraced neoliberalism, and went to war against workers with the goal of taking away the post-war gains unions had won. “Neoliberalism is an attack on working class expectations and working class strength,” explains Sam Gindin, the former research director of the Canadian Auto Workers union (now called Unifor). “And the most important thing was how to weaken (organized labour) and weakening it actually required changing labour laws making it harder to organize. But it especially meant letting unemployment rise.”
In 1981, Ronald Reagan broke the air traffic controllers during a bitter strike, which opened the door to union-busting across the U.S.
But the 1980s also marked another threat to American workers — the arrival of free trade. In 1988, the U.S. and Canada signed a free trade agreement. Six years later, Mexico, the U.S. and Canada put NAFTA into effect, which made free trade continent-wide. Other free trade agreements soon followed.
The result was American workers found themselves competing for jobs with cheap labour in other parts of the world, especially Latin America, China and India. And they lost: Well-paying, unionized blue collars jobs vanished. Now only nine per cent of the American workforce toils in manufacturing. Wages stagnated and debt levels rose, as did permanent economic uncertainty.
Both parties abandoned average workers
Meanwhile, the Democrats and Republicans were turning their backs on workers. The Democrats were once the party of labour. But beginning in the 1970s, the party tapped into Wall Street money and marginalized organized labour. Democrats embraced free trade and globalization.
“You find that there was a transition in the Democratic Party in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s where they convinced themselves that they needed to abandon working people in order to serve a different constituency: a constituency essentially of white-collar professionals,” remarked journalist Thomas Frank in an 2016 interview for his book Listen, Liberal: Or, What Ever Happened to the Party of the People?
“That’s the most important group in their coalition. That’s who they won over in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. That’s who they serve, and that’s where they draw from. The leaders of the Democratic Party are always from this particular stratum of society.”
Meanwhile, the Republicans became the party of big business — and increasingly racist as their hold on the American south grew. Together the Democrats and Republicans ignored the growing problems of working class Americans for decades while beholden to the money of the wealthy.
So how does this pertain to the murder of George Floyd?
Racism is dividing workers
Racism is a by-product of a system that pits worker against worker so they don’t become united against their common enemy - capitalism, which no longer has as much need for them.
Indeed, one of the symptoms of working class alienation and frustration is the enflaming of racial tensions. White workers who’ve lost good jobs are encouraged by business leaders, political elites and the right-wing media to blame minorities — African-Americans, Mexicans, women, LBGQT people — for their growing economic and political disenfranchisement. This has been the overt agenda of Trump and the alt-right.
Lay on top an American justice system and police forces which are institutionally racist and militarized and voilà, you have the mess Americans find themselves in.
Will America tear itself apart?
When you have so many people who corporations feel they don’t need anymore — and a political system that doesn’t respond to workers’ problems — then there’s a very high probability it will.
Indeed, while these protests may eventually dissipate, the underlying reasons that gave rise to the tensions are not going away any time soon — even if Trump loses the White House this fall.
In short, the abyss beckons.


nationalobserver--2020-06-03--Here’s every environmental protection in Canada that has been suspended, delayed and cancelled durin

Here’s every environmental protection in Canada that has been suspended, delayed and cancelled during COVID-19

Across Canada , governments have suspended , delayed and cancelled environmental protection measures as the country grapples with COVID-19 .
The changes started in Alberta , with Ontario following soon afterwards .
Now , the federal government and most provinces have made changes related to environmental protection that they say are temporary .
“ Some of that stuff is understandable , ” said Dale Marshall from green non-profit Environmental Defence .
“ But it ’ s clear from the very few examples that are happening in some provinces… that this isn ’ t just about COVID.
” “ The bottom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that essentially the old adage about not letting a crisis go to waste , ” Marshall said .
“ We ’ re in COVID times and people are distracted with more fundamental things like their jobs and their salaries .
I think that 's when you see the true colours of some of these governments.
” A spokesperson for Savage , Kavi Bal , said the environmental monitoring suspensions in Alberta are short-term , and “ work is already underway to determine when exemptions will be lifted.
” Bal did not respond to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the changes , and a spokesperson for Alberta Environment Minister Jason Nixon didn ’ t respond to a request for comment .
Across Canada , governments have suspended , delayed and cancelled environmental protection measures as the country grapples with COVID-19 .
# onpoli The office of Ontario Environment Minister Jeff Yurek did not respond to a question about criticism of the province ’ s environmental rollbacks .
The list below is meant to be a full accounting of the changes , regardless of intent , whether or not they were linked to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any backlash .
National Observer assembled it by scouring news articles , government announcements and legislative notices from across the country .
Wherever possible , National Observer has provided links to sources and context .
If there ’ s an item you think we missed , please let us know at [ email protected ] .
Here ’ s a list of every rollback , suspension or delay of environmental protections in Canada since COVID-19 struck in mid-March : • Proposed a new law that would allow companies who propose exploratory oil and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Labrador to skip the typical impact assessment process .
Instead , they would have to meet general environmental conditions , and wells would not be individually reviewed .
The public consultation period for the new law ended on April 30 , but there 's no news yet on whether it will go ahead .
( source )

Across Canada, governments have suspended, delayed and cancelled environmental protection measures as the country grapples with COVID-19. The changes started in Alberta, with Ontario following soon afterwards. Now, the federal government and most provinces have made changes related to environmental protection that they say are temporary. “Some of that stuff is understandable,” said Dale Marshall from green non-profit Environmental Defence. “But it’s clear from the very few examples that are happening in some provinces… that this isn’t just about COVID.” Now, Canada's National Observer has scoured legislative websites and local news to make a comprehensive list of all the environmental changes made by federal, provincial and territorial governments. Many of the measures may have been deemed necessary due to COVID-19, and many more are temporary. Others weren’t explicitly linked to the pandemic.
This list shows two standouts, in terms of the level and scope of environmental rollbacks: Alberta and Ontario. In Alberta, Energy Minister Sonya Savage has said the COVID-19 restrictions on gathering sizes mean it’s a “good time to build a pipeline.” And even as the government jostled to host NHL games, it suspended environmental monitoring requirements for the oil and gas sector, saying the pandemic was too severe for that work to continue — a change that aligned closely with some asks made by the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions And in Ontario, Premier Doug Ford’s government suspended a large section of environmental oversight law, saying it could delay response to the pandemic. Under the temporary rules, the government does not need to notify or consult the public about any environment-related changes it makes or projects it approves.
“The bottom line for both Ontario and Alberta is that essentially the old adage about not letting a crisis go to waste,” Marshall said. Across Canada, governments have suspended, delayed and cancelled environmental protection measures as the country grapples with COVID-19. #onpoli “We’re in COVID times and people are distracted with more fundamental things like their jobs and their salaries and their health. I think that's when you see the true colours of some of these governments.” A spokesperson for Savage, Kavi Bal, said the environmental monitoring suspensions in Alberta are short-term, and “work is already underway to determine when exemptions will be lifted.” Bal did not respond to a request for comment on criticism of the changes, and a spokesperson for Alberta Environment Minister Jason Nixon didn’t respond to a request for comment. The office of Ontario Environment Minister Jeff Yurek did not respond to a question about criticism of the province’s environmental rollbacks. The list below is meant to be a full accounting of the changes, regardless of intent, whether or not they were linked to COVID-19 specifically or whether the move received any backlash. National Observer assembled it by scouring news articles, government announcements and legislative notices from across the country.
Wherever possible, National Observer has provided links to sources and context. If there’s an item you think we missed, please let us know at [email protected]. Here’s a list of every rollback, suspension or delay of environmental protections in Canada since COVID-19 struck in mid-March. This story was last updated on June 16, 2020.


nationalobserver--2020-06-03--Pandemic could hasten higher education transformation, but critics abound

Canada ’ s post-secondary institutions face major financial challenges as COVID-19 forces more students to access their education online , but the Royal Bank of Canada also sees an opportunity for them to streamline their operations .
Universities and colleges will need to ramp up investment in online tools , while at the same time grappling with a likely dip in enrolment , the bank said in a discussion paper .
But the bank argues the wrenching disruption from COVID-19 could also give schools the space to expand alternative teaching methods that have in the past been met with resistance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critics .
“ I don ’ t think we ’ re going to instantly go back to the textbook and lecture model when thousands of faculty and millions of students have now experienced a whole new delivery method , ” said Andrew Schrumm , RBC ’ s senior manager for research and author of a report on the future of education released this week .
It suggests schools spend more to develop virtual and augmented reality learning tools and even look to build more campuses outside of Canada to cater to those seeking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reluctant to leave their home country .
• Canada protests police violence , racism in shadow of U.S. tumult • Canadians protest George Floyd killing and racism in Canada in Montreal , Toronto and Vancouver Schools should also collaborate , within Canada and abroad , and even share specific online curricula , Schrumm said .
“ The benefit for the schools is that you don ’ t have each school teaching Econ 101 , ” he said in a phone interview , adding that such a move could enable post-secondary schools to reduce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggling to right-size themselves , ” he said , adding that smaller schools would likely face the toughest financial crunch due to COVID-19 .
But the notion that a more fulsome embrace of virtual learning could reduce the need for staff is anathema to student and faculty unions and the head of the body representing Canada ’ s colleges and other technical institutes .
“ The idea that you could have one faculty member teaching 600 students across the province in their first-year history class by themselves is ludicrous , ” said Michael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Confederation of University Faculty Associations .
Canada 's post-secondary schools must think creatively to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic , @ RBC says in a report on the future of education “ We ’ re calling this emergency remote teaching , and we take a diametrically opposed view that somehow this is a transition to a new normal , ” he said , adding that governments should be rethinking the sustained cuts to public funding of education that have pushed institutions to lean more heavily on international enrolments in recent years .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a cohort of students and found their experiences of online learning were much more negative than that portrayed in the RBC report .
`` If the reaction to remote teaching during the pandemic has taught us anything , '' said the association 's executive director , David Robinson , `` it is that most students crave the in-class interaction and residential learning experience that universities and colleges offer . ''
While schools charge students coming from abroad much higher fees , the pandemic is expected to hit that revenue stream hard in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Student visa permits fell by 45 per cent in March versus a year earlier as processing slowed with the public sector largely working remotely , and Schrumm said the uncertainty of the Canadian labour market during the recovery may limit the attractiveness of coming here to study for an extended period .
Meanwhile , more domestic students are considering a gap year and high school dropout rates could also spike , Schrumm said , forcing a lot of schools to rethink their business models .
Schrumm also pointed to a South Korean example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ education in Canada might look like .
There , students can collect academic credits across multiple institutions that are then certified by the country ’ s Academic Credit Bank , and the ministry of education issues a degree .
Other changes universities and colleges should consider , Schrumm said , include wider recognition of so-called `` micro-credentials '' that certify mastery of a specific skill and can be counted toward a diploma or degree .
In Ontario , a working group of 14 universities and colleges formed last summer and has created a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Denise Amyot , the president and chief executive of Colleges and Institutes Canada , says that her member schools are broadly supportive of a more flexible and collaborative arrangement , including the expansion of micro-credentials , but that online learning requires much in the way of customization and other support and would not allow schools to cut costs .
“ It ’ s not enough to have the what , it ’ s all about how you present it , the support you provide to students , ” she said , pointing out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and test and require regular work to keep content relevant , while also lacking the hands-on experience necessary for many college courses .
“ Although virtual reality will serve up to a certain point , you also need to touch the knife with which you will cut the meat , ” she said , adding some colleges are looking to get back to classes this year with one third of the typical number of students .
Amyot said the cumulative financial fallout of COVID-19 for Canada ’ s colleges in the 2020-21 academic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and $ 3.5 billion , mostly coming from lost revenue from a drop in international enrolment , but also the costs of moving online .
The range covers a best-case scenario in which the pandemic is largely under control by the fall and courses are delivered close to `` business as usual '' by January , and a worst-case scenario where learning remains mostly or fully online throughout 2021 and into 2022 .
Meanwhile , thousands of students studying across the country — including at Toronto 's York University , Ryerson University and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ petitions calling for reduced tuition fees due to the move online , which they say will result in a lower quality of education , and the loss of access to facilities such as libraries and athletic programs .
In Quebec , students are even pushing for a class-action lawsuit .
Schrumm pointed out that the schools ' costs are largely fixed and that any reduction in student fees would likely require the financial support of governments .
Student and faculty groups are largely in agreement on this point , but also took umbrage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the role of education within the economy .
“ They talk about education as a commodity that is bought and sold , but in reality , education is for the greater good and it ’ s a public service , ” said Kayla Weiler , a national executive representative for Ontario at the Canadian Federation of Students .
“ We don ’ t support short-term contracts or outsourcing work using different technologies to eliminate teaching positions .
”

Canada’s post-secondary institutions face major financial challenges as COVID-19 forces more students to access their education online, but the Royal Bank of Canada also sees an opportunity for them to streamline their operations. Universities and colleges will need to ramp up investment in online tools, while at the same time grappling with a likely dip in enrolment, the bank said in a discussion paper. But the bank argues the wrenching disruption from COVID-19 could also give schools the space to expand alternative teaching methods that have in the past been met with resistance from faculty, student unions and other critics. “I don’t think we’re going to instantly go back to the textbook and lecture model when thousands of faculty and millions of students have now experienced a whole new delivery method,” said Andrew Schrumm, RBC’s senior manager for research and author of a report on the future of education released this week. It suggests schools spend more to develop virtual and augmented reality learning tools and even look to build more campuses outside of Canada to cater to those seeking a Canadian education but who are now reluctant to leave their home country.
Schools should also collaborate, within Canada and abroad, and even share specific online curricula, Schrumm said. “The benefit for the schools is that you don’t have each school teaching Econ 101,” he said in a phone interview, adding that such a move could enable post-secondary schools to reduce faculty headcount. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “Universities have been struggling to right-size themselves,” he said, adding that smaller schools would likely face the toughest financial crunch due to COVID-19.
Tough sell to faculty, students But the notion that a more fulsome embrace of virtual learning could reduce the need for staff is anathema to student and faculty unions and the head of the body representing Canada’s colleges and other technical institutes. Canada's post-secondary schools must think creatively to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, @RBC says in a report on the future of education “The idea that you could have one faculty member teaching 600 students across the province in their first-year history class by themselves is ludicrous,” said Michael Conlon, executive director of the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations. “We’re calling this emergency remote teaching, and we take a diametrically opposed view that somehow this is a transition to a new normal,” he said, adding that governments should be rethinking the sustained cuts to public funding of education that have pushed institutions to lean more heavily on international enrolments in recent years. The Canadian Association of University Teachers recently surveyed a cohort of students and found their experiences of online learning were much more negative than that portrayed in the RBC report.
"If the reaction to remote teaching during the pandemic has taught us anything," said the association's executive director, David Robinson, "it is that most students crave the in-class interaction and residential learning experience that universities and colleges offer." While schools charge students coming from abroad much higher fees, the pandemic is expected to hit that revenue stream hard in the upcoming academic year and perhaps beyond. Student visa permits fell by 45 per cent in March versus a year earlier as processing slowed with the public sector largely working remotely, and Schrumm said the uncertainty of the Canadian labour market during the recovery may limit the attractiveness of coming here to study for an extended period.


nationalobserver--2020-06-04--Trudeau government gets failing grade for lack of action plan on MMIWG

It was Sonya Nadine Mae Cywink 's 31st birthday when she went missing in Ontario in mid-August of 1994 .
She had been planning to celebrate her birthday by meeting her sister , Meggie Cywink , at a Toronto Blue Jays game .
But she never showed up .
Eleven days later , her body was found at the Southwold Earthworks National Historical Site , south of London , Ont.
, wearing only a T-shirt and socks .
Her cause of death was described as blunt force trauma .
`` Obviously , my grief , and the anxiety of never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Sonya 's life have haunted me , '' Cywink said Wednesday .
• Here ’ s every environmental protection in Canada that has been suspended , delayed and cancelled during COVID-19 • Canada protests police violence , racism in shadow of U.S. tumult She expressed her disappointment that the massive three-year effort of the National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls has not led to change .
`` Families , communities , and allies have not received any information about what governments — either federal or provincial — have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this file , '' she said .
`` I can tell you that , whatever it is , it has had little or no impact on the families left behind , '' Cywink said .
`` It has brought us no solace and it has not changed the violence we witness or the genocide we survive . ''
The inquiry delivered its final report June 3 , 2019 , concluding that decades of systemic racism and human rights violations had contributed to the deaths and disappearances of hundreds of Indigenous women and girls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In a report card released Wednesday to mark the anniversary of final report 's release , the Native Women 's Association of Canada found little has been done to address the inquiry 's 231 calls for justice in the last 12 months .
It awarded the federal government a `` resounding fail '' in the four broad categories of human rights under which the inquiry made recommendations : health , security , culture and justice .
`` Instead of a national action plan , we are left with a lack-of-action plan , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was Sonya Nadine Mae Cywink 's 31st birthday when she went missing in Ontario in mid-August of 1994 .
She was with child .
`` The sad fact is , we can not afford to do nothing in the face of the violence that continues to take the lives of First Nations , Metis and Inuit women . ''
Last week , Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett said Ottawa is delaying its intended release of the national action plan this month because of the COVID-19 pandemic .
Whitman said using the pandemic as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a `` double slap in the face '' to Indigenous women who are facing even greater risks of violence because of isolation measures aimed at slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus .
`` These are things we have been trying to tell the government , but they have not been doing much listening , '' Whitman said .
On Wednesday , Bennett acknowledged these concerns , but also said a national action plan is not just up to Ottawa to craft .
It must also involve commitments and reforms within provinces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the inquiry 's final report .
`` Some people think that this was a federal inquiry .
It was the first-ever national public inquiry so it requires that kind of inter-governmental work that is never easy , shall we say , '' Bennett said in an interview Wednesday .
`` The commission report insisted ( the response ) be regionally relevant .
We will work with them provinces and territories in order to get the best possible national action plan we can . ''
In a joint statement Wednesday , the national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deplore inaction on the part of some governments . ''
`` As the final report asserts , the calls for justice are not mere recommendations or a quaint list of best practices — they are legal imperatives rooted in Canada 's obligations under international and domestic human rights norms and laws , '' the commissioners said .
Chief commissioner Marion Buller is among many calling for transparency .
`` I would like to see all governments , not just the federal government , be transparent about what they 've done to date and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I think all Canadians deserve that transparency , '' Buller told The Canadian Press earlier this week .
Bennett would not commit to a timeline , but she did point to a federal website launched Wednesday that lists what she calls `` concrete actions '' taken across federal departments to date on addressing some of the issues identified by the inquiry .
Those initiatives include : legislation to preserve Indigenous languages , legislation to give Indigenous communities control over their own child-welfare systems and the elimination of gender discrimination in the Indian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling on the federal government to establish an ombudsperson and tribunal — as per one of the recommendations — to ensure oversight into governments ' work on the implementation of the calls for justice and to ensure full participation of families and survivors .
Bennett said this would require provinces and territories to agree to an independent office having jurisdiction within their respective governments , which was also needed for national inquiry .
But she did n't rule it out , saying this is `` something that would be discussed . ''
NDP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrong '' that a year has passed and Ottawa has not yet completed a national action plan .
`` The government does n't need to plan this out and find the best time to do it , '' he said .
Bennett committed to continue working with all partners , pointing to the need to establish indicators and metrics to measure progress .
`` I 'm very optimistic that we will not let these families and survivors down , we will get this done and we will continue to work across all government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report by The Canadian Press was first published June 3 , 2020 .

It was Sonya Nadine Mae Cywink's 31st birthday when she went missing in Ontario in mid-August of 1994. She was with child. She had been planning to celebrate her birthday by meeting her sister, Meggie Cywink, at a Toronto Blue Jays game. But she never showed up. Eleven days later, her body was found at the Southwold Earthworks National Historical Site, south of London, Ont., wearing only a T-shirt and socks. Her cause of death was described as blunt force trauma. "Obviously, my grief, and the anxiety of never knowing what happened in the final moments of Sonya's life have haunted me," Cywink said Wednesday.
She expressed her disappointment that the massive three-year effort of the National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls has not led to change. "Families, communities, and allies have not received any information about what governments — either federal or provincial — have been doing over the past year on this file," she said. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "I can tell you that, whatever it is, it has had little or no impact on the families left behind," Cywink said. "It has brought us no solace and it has not changed the violence we witness or the genocide we survive."
The inquiry delivered its final report June 3, 2019, concluding that decades of systemic racism and human rights violations had contributed to the deaths and disappearances of hundreds of Indigenous women and girls and that it constituted a genocide. It was Sonya Nadine Mae Cywink's 31st birthday when she went missing in Ontario in mid-August of 1994. She was with child. In a report card released Wednesday to mark the anniversary of final report's release, the Native Women's Association of Canada found little has been done to address the inquiry's 231 calls for justice in the last 12 months. It awarded the federal government a "resounding fail" in the four broad categories of human rights under which the inquiry made recommendations: health, security, culture and justice. "Instead of a national action plan, we are left with a lack-of-action plan," said association president Lorraine Whitman. "The sad fact is, we cannot afford to do nothing in the face of the violence that continues to take the lives of First Nations, Metis and Inuit women." Last week, Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett said Ottawa is delaying its intended release of the national action plan this month because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Whitman said using the pandemic as an excuse for not delivering a plan is a "double slap in the face" to Indigenous women who are facing even greater risks of violence because of isolation measures aimed at slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus. "These are things we have been trying to tell the government, but they have not been doing much listening," Whitman said. On Wednesday, Bennett acknowledged these concerns, but also said a national action plan is not just up to Ottawa to craft. It must also involve commitments and reforms within provinces and territories — something that was highlighted in the inquiry's final report.


nationalobserver--2020-06-04--BC Premier calls for national anti-racism program

B.C .
Premier John Horgan is calling on the federal government to lead an anti-racism program , saying fighting racism needs a nationwide plan to ensure the participation and support of Canadians .
The premier said Wednesday he will lobby for a national anti-racism program during a conference call with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his fellow premiers Thursday .
Horgan said he 's horrified by the death of George Floyd in the United States and saddened by the unfolding situation as protests continue in cities across America .
`` We are pretty clear in B.C .
that again we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can for national approaches to these vexing problems , '' he said at a news conference .
`` We have enough to deal with here in B.C .
by ourselves , but if we are aided by a federal program and a federal initiative that has us all working together from coast to coast to coast , I think that lifts up all Canadians . ''
Horgan said a federal plan , supported by the provinces , will add strength to messages of anti-racism in Canada .
• Here ’ s every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspended , delayed and cancelled during COVID-19 • Canada protests police violence , racism in shadow of U.S. tumult Recently , Horgan denounced alleged racially motivated attacks against Chinese-Canadians in Metro Vancouver during the COVID-19 pandemic .
At Wednesday 's news conference , he said despite efforts to treat people equally there are blotches on the province 's past .
`` Although we do our level best to address racism here in B.C.
, it exists here as well , '' Horgan said .
`` We 've had certainly challenges with racism going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Komagata Maru when it comes to South Asians and Indigenous Peoples have experienced racism from the beginning of settlement here in B.C . ''
He said law enforcement agencies aim to treat people equally , but there are also blemishes on that record in B.C .
`` What we do in those situations is try and get better , '' said Horgan .
He said providing law enforcement with more tools to understand and interact with people of different backgrounds can help .
B.C .
Premier John Horgan is calling on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program , saying fighting racism needs a nationwide plan to ensure the participation and support of Canadians .
`` It 's imperative all of us stand together , '' Horgan said .
`` Like you , I 'm horrified to see what happened to George Floyd .
I 'm horrified when I see the response in major U.S. cities .
When we look to the south it causes me great sadness , and I know the vast majority of Canadians feel the same way . ''
Tens of thousands of people have marched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in cities across America since video emerged showing an officer pressing his knee on Floyd 's neck .
On Wednesday , prosecutors upgraded charges against the officer involved to second-degree murder and three other offices at the scene were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter .
The Minneapolis police fired all four officers last week .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 3 , 2020 .

B.C. Premier John Horgan is calling on the federal government to lead an anti-racism program, saying fighting racism needs a nationwide plan to ensure the participation and support of Canadians.
The premier said Wednesday he will lobby for a national anti-racism program during a conference call with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his fellow premiers Thursday.
Horgan said he's horrified by the death of George Floyd in the United States and saddened by the unfolding situation as protests continue in cities across America.
"We are pretty clear in B.C. that again we are wanting to push as hard as we can for national approaches to these vexing problems," he said at a news conference. "We have enough to deal with here in B.C. by ourselves, but if we are aided by a federal program and a federal initiative that has us all working together from coast to coast to coast, I think that lifts up all Canadians."
Horgan said a federal plan, supported by the provinces, will add strength to messages of anti-racism in Canada.


nationalobserver--2020-06-04--Trudeau joins third pandemic summit amid campaign for Security Council seat

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is taking part in his third international summit in a week as Canada campaigns for a coveted United Nation 's Security Council seat on a platform of helping to rebuild the post-pandemic world .
Today 's summit , hosted by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson , is aimed at ensuring poor countries will have ready access to an eventual vaccine for the deadly coronavirus that causes COVID-19 .
Trudeau will join leaders from 50 countries and major organizations , including philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates , at the international pledging conference , which hopes to raise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Vaccine Alliance — the leading agency for distributing vaccines to less-developed countries .
He has already announced Canada 's five-year , $ 600-million pledge to GAVI , which has immunized 760 million children and prevented 13 million deaths in the world 's poorest countries since 2000 .
Trudeau 's participation in the virtual conference comes one day after he delivered an address to a virtual summit of the Organisation of African , Caribbean , and Pacific States .
• Here ’ s every environmental protection in Canada that has been suspended , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests police violence , racism in shadow of U.S. tumult He told members that Canada is committed to helping developing countries hardest hit by the pandemic to survive the crisis .
His remarks underlined a message he delivered last week when he co-hosted a UN-sponsored conference aimed at developing a co-ordinated global recovery plan that leaves no country behind .
Without a global plan , the UN estimates the pandemic could slash nearly US $ 8.5 trillion from the world economy over the next two years , forcing 34.3 million people into extreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more over the course of the decade .
Trudeau 's leading role in the international conferences comes just two weeks before the UN 's 193 ambassadors are to start voting by secret ballot to fill two , non-permanent seats on the Security Council .
Canada is competing for one of the two seats against Norway and Ireland .
The June 17 vote is to be conducted without a full meeting of the General Assembly because of physical distancing requirements to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus .
Closer to home , Trudeau @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seniors can expect to receive a promised emergency boost to the old age security pension and guaranteed income supplement to help them defray additional costs caused by the pandemic .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is taking part in his third international summit in a week as Canada campaigns for a coveted United Nation 's Security Council seat on a platform of helping to rebuild the post-pandemic world .
On May 12 , Trudeau announced the federal government would provide a tax-free , one-time payment of $ 300 for seniors eligible for the OAS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eligible for the GIS .
That money — totalling some $ 2.5 billion — has not yet begun to flow .
In April , the federal government spent $ 1.3 billion to provide seniors with a one-time special payment through the goods and services tax credit , worth an average of $ 375 for each single senior .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 4 , 2020 .

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is taking part in his third international summit in a week as Canada campaigns for a coveted United Nation's Security Council seat on a platform of helping to rebuild the post-pandemic world. Today's summit, hosted by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, is aimed at ensuring poor countries will have ready access to an eventual vaccine for the deadly coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Trudeau will join leaders from 50 countries and major organizations, including philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates, at the international pledging conference, which hopes to raise nearly $10 billion for GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance — the leading agency for distributing vaccines to less-developed countries. He has already announced Canada's five-year, $600-million pledge to GAVI, which has immunized 760 million children and prevented 13 million deaths in the world's poorest countries since 2000. Trudeau's participation in the virtual conference comes one day after he delivered an address to a virtual summit of the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States.
He told members that Canada is committed to helping developing countries hardest hit by the pandemic to survive the crisis. His remarks underlined a message he delivered last week when he co-hosted a UN-sponsored conference aimed at developing a co-ordinated global recovery plan that leaves no country behind. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Without a global plan, the UN estimates the pandemic could slash nearly US$8.5 trillion from the world economy over the next two years, forcing 34.3 million people into extreme poverty this year and potentially 130 million more over the course of the decade.
Trudeau's leading role in the international conferences comes just two weeks before the UN's 193 ambassadors are to start voting by secret ballot to fill two, non-permanent seats on the Security Council. Canada is competing for one of the two seats against Norway and Ireland. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is taking part in his third international summit in a week as Canada campaigns for a coveted United Nation's Security Council seat on a platform of helping to rebuild the post-pandemic world. The June 17 vote is to be conducted without a full meeting of the General Assembly because of physical distancing requirements to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. Closer to home, Trudeau is also expected today to announce when seniors can expect to receive a promised emergency boost to the old age security pension and guaranteed income supplement to help them defray additional costs caused by the pandemic. On May 12, Trudeau announced the federal government would provide a tax-free, one-time payment of $300 for seniors eligible for the OAS and an additional $200 for those eligible for the GIS. That money — totalling some $2.5 billion — has not yet begun to flow. In April, the federal government spent $1.3 billion to provide seniors with a one-time special payment through the goods and services tax credit, worth an average of $375 for each single senior.


nationalobserver--2020-06-04--Nunavut RCMP consider body cameras as tension between police, Inuit grows

Nunavut RCMP are considering whether to use body cameras as tension grows between police officers and the largely Inuit communities they serve .
A number of leaders from the Arctic have spoken in favour of the cameras .
`` Our commanding officer , ( Chief Supt . )
Amanda Jones , is in discussions with the government of Nunavut regarding body-worn cameras , '' Nunavut RCMP spokesman Cpl .
Jamie Savikataaq said Wednesday in an email .
`` The commanding officer supports the use of body-worn cameras . ''
Earlier this week , video surfaced on social media showing an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dorset , using the door of a slowly moving police vehicle to knock over an apparently intoxicated man .
• Here ’ s every environmental protection in Canada that has been suspended , delayed and cancelled during COVID-19 • Canada protests police violence , racism in shadow of U.S. tumult The officer is being investigated and has been removed from the community on the southern tip of Baffin Island .
Some say such behaviour is just one example of policing by an out-of-touch force that does n't understand and looks down on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` That 's the kind of stuff I 'm talking about ...
These are some of the things that go on when we 're not looking , '' said David Qamaniq , a Nunavut member of the legislature , whose son Kunuk was shot and killed by RCMP officers in 2017 .
Qamaniq is suing the force , one of at least two lawsuits the RCMP faces over its treatment of Inuit .
A separate class-action lawsuit was filed in December 2018 alleging RCMP in the three northern territories regularly assault and abuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several Arctic leaders who have called for body cameras .
Others include Nunavut NDP MP Mumilaaq Qaqqaq , Iqaluit Mayor Kenny Bell and Nunavut Sen. Dennis Patterson .
`` ( Such incidents ) are all too common in the North , '' said Patterson , who noted RCMP have been involved in two deaths in Nunavut so far this year .
Nunavut RCMP are considering whether to use body cameras as tension grows between police officers and the largely Inuit communities they serve .
`` I 'm concerned about public trust — building @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On Tuesday , Nunavut Justice Minister Jeannie Ehaloak said the Kinngait video left her outraged .
`` I ... am very concerned by the unnecessary force , the violence and the lack of respect , '' she said in a release .
In January , the national organization of Inuit women released a report saying Indigenous northerners face `` systemic racialized policing . ''
Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada said officers do n't spend enough time in communities or speak enough Inuktut — the majority language — to create trust .
Freelance journalist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since Nunavut 's creation in 1999 that have occurred in RCMP custody or after contact with police .
In 2015 , the Nunavut legislature commissioned a report into police misconduct .
The report was never released .
A letter that year from Nunavut 's legal-aid service suggested it had information on 30 cases of excessive use of force .
The service 's chairwoman at the time said there had been 27 civil cases filed between 2014 and 2017 .
Nunavut is a tough place to be a cop .
It has nation-leading rates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as serious problems with substance abuse .
Patterson praises Jones 's efforts to reach out to Nunavut communities and her efforts to recruit more Inuit RCMP officers .
But at last count in 2019 , Nunavut RCMP had three Inuit officers out of 120 .
No detachments offer service in Inuktut .
It may be time for the body cameras , said Nunavut Justice Department spokeswoman Jessica Young .
`` The Department of Justice is in support of investigating a body camera pilot program in Nunavut , '' she said in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waiting on an updated feasibility study from the RCMP intended to identify the technical , logistical and financial requirements . ''
Police in Quebec 's Arctic region are using the cameras .
`` It is about the safety of everyone involved , '' said a statement from Bell , who promised to bring the matter before Iqaluit 's city council on Tuesday for a motion of support .
In Ottawa , Federal Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said any form of police brutality is unacceptable .
`` This is a moment when all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reflect on both what are doing and specific measures and steps we can take to fight racism , '' she said .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 3 , 2020

Nunavut RCMP are considering whether to use body cameras as tension grows between police officers and the largely Inuit communities they serve. A number of leaders from the Arctic have spoken in favour of the cameras. "Our commanding officer, (Chief Supt.) Amanda Jones, is in discussions with the government of Nunavut regarding body-worn cameras," Nunavut RCMP spokesman Cpl. Jamie Savikataaq said Wednesday in an email. "The commanding officer supports the use of body-worn cameras." Earlier this week, video surfaced on social media showing an RCMP officer in Kinngait, formerly Cape Dorset, using the door of a slowly moving police vehicle to knock over an apparently intoxicated man.
The officer is being investigated and has been removed from the community on the southern tip of Baffin Island. Some say such behaviour is just one example of policing by an out-of-touch force that doesn't understand and looks down on the people it is supposed to serve. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "That's the kind of stuff I'm talking about ... These are some of the things that go on when we're not looking," said David Qamaniq, a Nunavut member of the legislature, whose son Kunuk was shot and killed by RCMP officers in 2017.
Qamaniq is suing the force, one of at least two lawsuits the RCMP faces over its treatment of Inuit. A separate class-action lawsuit was filed in December 2018 alleging RCMP in the three northern territories regularly assault and abuse Indigenous people. Nunavut RCMP are considering whether to use body cameras as tension grows between police officers and the largely Inuit communities they serve. Qamaniq is one of several Arctic leaders who have called for body cameras. Others include Nunavut NDP MP Mumilaaq Qaqqaq, Iqaluit Mayor Kenny Bell and Nunavut Sen. Dennis Patterson. "(Such incidents) are all too common in the North," said Patterson, who noted RCMP have been involved in two deaths in Nunavut so far this year. "I'm concerned about public trust — building that back with the RCMP." On Tuesday, Nunavut Justice Minister Jeannie Ehaloak said the Kinngait video left her outraged.
"I ... am very concerned by the unnecessary force, the violence and the lack of respect," she said in a release. In January, the national organization of Inuit women released a report saying Indigenous northerners face "systemic racialized policing." Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada said officers don't spend enough time in communities or speak enough Inuktut — the majority language — to create trust. Freelance journalist Thomas Rohner has listed 14 Inuit deaths since Nunavut's creation in 1999 that have occurred in RCMP custody or after contact with police.