Legault se présente comme un rempart devant la menace Trump et la menace «islamiste»

2024/12/07 Leave a comment

Suspect there is support beyond Quebec given some of the disruptions of Gaza demonstrations that involve prayer:

Au terme d’une saison politique marquée par des entorses à la laïcité dans les écoles québécoises, il a dit songer à légiférer pour interdire la prière dans l’espace public. « Moi, de voir du monde à genoux dans la rue faire des prières, je pense qu’il faut se poser la question. Je ne pense pas que c’est quelque chose qu’on devrait voir », a-t-il déclaré au moment de clore les travaux parlementaires pour la pause des Fêtes.

« On regarde toutes les possibilités, incluant l’utilisation de la clause dérogatoire. On ne souhaite pas voir des prières dans les rues », a-t-il ajouté. À son avis, la prière doit se faire « dans une église, dans une mosquée, mais pas dans les lieux publics ». « De voir des gens qui prient dans les rues, dans des parcs publics, ce n’est pas quelque chose qu’on souhaite au Québec », a-t-il soutenu.

….« Les exemples qu’on a vus, c’était de l’islamisme, ce n’était pas d’autres religions », a-t-il dit à propos des cas médiatisés d’écoles publiques dans lesquelles des enseignants ont transgressé les principes de la Loi sur la laïcité de l’État.

À un journaliste qui lui demandait de faire la nuance entre l’islam (une religion) et l’islamisme (un mouvement politique et religieux), M. Legault a offert une réponse au sujet des valeurs québécoises. « Écoutez, je ne suis pas dans la tête de ces gens-là pour voir c’est quoi, leur volonté, mais ce que je sais, c’est que quand on empêche à une petite fille de faire du sport, ça ne respecte pas les valeurs du Québec. »…

Source: Legault se présente comme un rempart devant la menace Trump et la menace «islamiste»

Filed under Multiculturalism, Religion Tagged with , ,

Hill: About that word, and about those books

2024/12/07 Leave a comment

Sensible commentary. Hill’s Book of Negroes had to be retitled for the US market however to Someone Knows My Name:

…When I reached out to the London District Catholic School board for comment, Susan Nickle, the board’s Executive Officer (Superintendent) People and Culture and General Counsel, wrote back to me to say that the board “does not, and will not, censor or ban your book” and that my work “will continue to be available as options for student engagement and learning within our libraries and classrooms across our district.

“However, we must also be mindful of the diverse sensitivities and experiences of our students,” she continued. “Due to the triggering language and content present in The Book of Negroes, and several students who have expressed concerns, we are not able to make it required/mandatory reading for formal assessment. That being said, your book remains an important resource that students can continue to voluntarily select for classroom novel study. Our objective is to create an inclusive and supportive educational environment for all students.”

I followed up to ask about the board’s policy with regard to the use of any books containing the word, but Ms. Nickle did not reply. I reached out again to Ms. Hamilton, who said she had taught the novel to 900 students over the years without receiving any objections. She said that every student is allowed to opt out of reading an assigned text and that Ms. Nickle’s reply skirted the key issue – that Ms. Hamilton said she was told “that under no circumstances am I to teach a novel using the n-word.”…

If we truly worry about protecting students from “harm” caused by the word “nigger,” then we have that much more need to discuss it in class. And if teachers cannot provide a safe and civilized space for students to learn about the hateful history of the word, if they must ignore the fact that many Black people have re-appropriated it, and if they cannot teach about the history and present lives of Black people in Canada, then how exactly are our students to be challenged?

Students need books by Black authors. Unflinching books that employ authentic language. Educators need to offer those books, and to lean on their research and their training to do so. Banning books with the word “nigger” does not protect students. It only protects educators from doing one of their most difficult but important jobs.

Source: About that word, and about those books

Filed under Multiculturalism Tagged with ,

Jewish doctors consider fleeing Canada amid rising rates of antisemitism in their profession

2024/12/06 Leave a comment

Worrisome, even if consideration does not necessarily mean leaving. Likely similar worries in other professions:

Nearly one third of Jewish medical practitioners in Ontario are considering leaving the country in response to rising antisemitism, according to a new survey that found that doctors across Canada are worried about what’s happening to their profession.

The data released by the Jewish Medical Association of Ontario (JMAO) on Wednesday reveal widespread concerns of antisemitism among health-care practitioners across  Canada.

The survey of over 1,000 Jewish medical professionals across Canada found that while just one per cent of Canadian Jewish doctors experienced severe antisemitism in a community, hospital or academic setting prior to the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel, now 29 per cent, 39 per cent and 43 per cent say they have experienced some antisemitism in each of those settings, respectively.

Over 400 Jewish physicians commented on the most difficult aspect of rising levels of antisemitism. “I feel I no longer belong in Canada and may need to flee,” one said.

Another said they no longer feel comfortable around their patients and colleagues: “I fear their reaction to my name and identity. Being uncomfortable with colleagues as I am aware many are unsupportive. Feeling that I cannot share, express or even admit my identity.”

The survey included 500 Jewish health-care professionals in Ontario and “more than 80 per cent of respondents in Ontario said they’ve faced antisemitism at work,” says a news release published on Wednesday ahead of a press conference at the provincial legislature at Queen’s Park.

Source: Jewish doctors consider fleeing Canada amid rising rates of antisemitism in their profession

Filed under Antisemitism, Multiculturalism Tagged with , ,

Canada’s limits on immigration targets will cost billions in lost revenue over next five years: RBC report

2024/12/05 Leave a comment

Underlines just how much the government relied on its expansionist immigration policies that increased GDP and related tax revenues but weakened GDP per capita growth:

The federal government’s plan to scale back Canada’s annual immigration targets will lower revenues by billions of dollars over the next five years, according to a new RBC report that urges Ottawa to take a cautious approach to new spending.

Royal Bank of Canada economists Cynthia Leach and Rachel Battaglia’s release Tuesday, which looks ahead to Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s coming fall economic statement, says fewer immigrants will translate into lower consumption and employment growth for the economy as a whole – resulting in a significant negative impact on federal finances.

Ms. Leach, a former economist with the federal Finance Department, said in an interview that Ottawa should stay within its self-imposed targets to control the deficit and debt-to-GDP ratio.

“I do think it’s important for the government to stick to its fiscal anchors‚” she said.

Ms. Leach said the government is facing several sources of economic volatility, including the immigration changes and talk of higher tariffs from U.S. president-elect Donald Trump.

The economists project that revised immigration policies will lower federal revenues by about $50-billion over five years, which is only partly offset by a $30-billion fiscal improvement tied primarily to lower-than-anticipated interest rates. The overall fiscal landscape has worsened by about $20-billion over five years compared with the 2024 budget estimates, according to the RBC report….

Source: Canada’s limits on immigration targets will cost billions in lost revenue over next five years: RBC report

Filed under Immigration, Multiculturalism Tagged with ,

Rising diplomatic tensions and allegations of foreign interference fuel plummeting Canadian views of India

2024/12/04 Leave a comment

Significant and understandable:

Amid fresh, but so far denied, allegations of Indian political interference in Canada’s 2022 Conservative Party leadership race, a new public opinion poll from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute, in partnership with the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, indicates a significant decline in Canadian views towards the sub-continental superpower.

Where a majority (52%) of people in this country told ARI 20 months ago that Ottawa should approach New Delhi either as a valued partner and ally or on friendly terms, that sentiment has dropped by half to just 24 per cent.

Further, favourable views of India have plummeted from a high of 56 per cent in January 2020 to 26 per cent today. The inverse negative view has more than doubled.

These data also reveal India is now only seen more favourably by Canadians than Russia and China, while trust in New Delhi sits at less than one-third (28%).

There is less consensus over how Canada is perceived to be handling the relationship, although a plurality are inclined to say Ottawa isn’t managing it well (39%) compared to one-third (32%) who say the opposite and almost the same number (29%) who say they aren’t sure. A significant political tension colours these perceptions. Those who say they would vote for the Liberal Party of Canada in the next election are most complimentary of the Trudeau government’s performance on this file, while professed Conservative supporters say the current government is mishandling the situation.

The froideur between the two nations shows little sign of warming in the short term. The belief among 39 per cent in Canada is things will not improve until Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is no longer in office, while 34 per cent say the same of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

That said, two-thirds (64%) of Canadians say this country should at minimum, “cautiously” attempt to re-open trade negotiations on a free trade agreement with India, a finding slightly boosted by threats from incoming U.S. President Donald Trump of blanket 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian exports.

Source: Rising diplomatic tensions and allegations of foreign interference fuel plummeting Canadian views of India

Filed under foreign policy, Multiculturalism Tagged with , ,

Manitoba teachers decry union’s decision to cancel antisemitism education

2024/12/04 Leave a comment

Cancel culture? Cowardice?

Jewish educators say they are alarmed after finding out that the Manitoba teachers’ union cancelled a professional development talk about antisemitism in schools.

“The PD (professional development) is very much needed. That’s the number one concern,” said Tamara Gottlieb, co-founder of the Jewish Educators and Families Association (FEFA).

In October, some Manitoba teachers had signed up for a professional development course on the subject of “bearing witness to October 7th” and fighting antisemitism in the classroom. The talk was to be delivered by Kelly Hiebert, a history teacher at Westwood Collegiate in Winnipeg who has been tasked by the provincial government with developing a mandatory Holocaust curriculum for students.

Yet, the event was cancelled. Concerned teachers reached out to Gottlieb’s group, and it, along with a number of other Jewish advocacy groups, wrote to the Manitoba Teachers’ Society and the provincial government to express concern.

“This approved and well thought PD session is needed now more than ever. Canceling it with so little notice before it was to take place leaves many educators without the resources they need,” says a letter, signed by JEFA and a number of other organizations.

Gottlieb received a response from the Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning ministry, which said that the event had been cancelled because of unspecified threats.

“The decision to cancel the session was made out of an abundance of caution for the safety of the presenters due to online comments related to this event and recent escalations in antisemitic incidents,” the letter says.

National Post reached out to the Manitoba Teachers’ Society, which said there were “unsettling comments on social media related to the event.

“Out of an abundance of caution for the safety of the presenters and those in attendance, MTS elected to cancel,” the union said in an email.

In a separate statement, Nathan Martindale, the president of the teachers’ union, acknowledged that “our decision was discouraging to members of the Jewish community, and to our Jewish members.”

“The point has been made that it would have been helpful for us to consult with the community prior to making the decision to cancel, and we appreciate this valuable feedback,” Martindale said. “As we said to our members in a recent email, this is difficult work, and we won’t always get it right. But we are committed to it, and to ongoing dialogue in our efforts to promote understanding and community within our organization.”…

Source: Manitoba teachers decry union’s decision to cancel antisemitism education

Filed under Antisemitism, Multiculturalism Tagged with ,

Nicaraguans stripped of citizenship live in limbo, scattered across the world

2024/12/03 Leave a comment

Of note:

Sergio Mena’s life dissolved in hours.

After years resisting President Daniel Ortega, the rural activist fled Nicaragua in 2018, joining thousands of protesters fleeing a yearslong crackdown on dissent.

Mena returned from exile in neighboring Costa Rica in 2021 to continue protesting, only to be thrown in a prison where he said jailers hung prisoners by their feet and shocked them with electricity.

“We were tortured all the time, physically and psychologically, from the moment we arrived until the very last day,” said Mena, 40.

Now in exile in Guatemala, Mena may be out of prison but he’s far from free. Upon their release, he and hundreds of religious leaders, students, activists, dissidents and journalists were rendered “stateless” – stripped of their citizenship, homes and government pensions.

The United Nations says that they’re among 4.4 million stateless people worldwide who struggle to find jobs, education and healthcare or even open bank accounts or marry without valid ID documents.

“Statelessness is torture,” said Karina Ambartsoumian-Clough executive director of United Stateless, a U.S.-based organization advocating for the stateless. “You just legally cease to exist, even if you’re here physically as a human.”

Free but unfree

In September, Ortega’s government loaded Mena and 134 other prisoners onto the flight that took them to Guatemala. They joined 317 others whom the government has deemed adversaries who no longer deserve legal Nicaraguan identities.

The Associated Press spoke to more than 24 Nicaraguan exiles who have been stripped of their citizenship and are trying to chart paths forward. They’re scattered across the United States, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Mexico and Spain in limbo as they struggle to recover from physical and psychological trauma, extending the torture many suffered in Nicaragua.

The Ortega government did not respond to a request for comment by the AP.

The agony of statelessness

The majority of stateless people worldwide are born to refugees and migrants in countries that don’t offer birthright citizenship, the right to become a citizen if you’re born within a country’s territory.

Many Nicaraguans struggle to scrape together enough money to feed themselves. Others hide away in fear that the Nicaraguan government will someday come for them. Many more reel from watching their lives go up in smoke. For those stranded in the U.S. or seeking respite there, President-elect Donald Trump’s promises to crack down on immigration and asylum have added more uncertainty.

Intensifying repression

Ortega’s government began stripping people of their citizenship early last year.

It was in that crackdown that Mena, the member of a rural activist movement, said he was imprisoned. The government claimed that he had participated in drug trafficking and organized crime, which he denies.

In February 2023, the government broke international law when it began sending prisoners to the U.S and most recently to Guatemala. Others in exile were stripped of their citizenship without ever having been jailed.

Torment beyond borders

The Nicaraguan government has not explained why it released Mena and other people from prison, although experts have speculated about the desire to duck international criticism and the costs involved while continuing to maintain a grip on enemies.

Mena lives in a hotel in Guatemala City, where he flips through photos of a crumbling jail, scraps of food and his bruised, beaten body – indelible memories of more than two years in prison. His life is painted by constant fear.

“The tentacles of (the Nicaraguan government) still reach here,” he said with tears in his eyes.

The Biden administration has offered the Nicaraguans temporary protections and Mena hopes the U.S. government will grant him asylum, but such protections are likely to vanish or be severely restricted under Trump. The Spanish government has offered to provide nationality to some of the stateless exiles, but few have the resources needed to build a new life in Spain, or are confused about the process.

Source: Nicaraguans stripped of citizenship live in limbo, scattered across the world

Filed under Multiculturalism Tagged with ,

Québec exige la fin de l’exemption religieuse pour la propagande haineuse

2024/11/30 Leave a comment

Thorny issue, given some of the examples where appears needed and others where more questionable:

Ottawa a démontré peu d’ouverture à une demande du ministre de la Justice du Québec, Simon Jolin-Barrette, qui ne veut plus que le Code criminel permette à des individus de se livrer à de la propagande haineuse « sous le couvert de la foi ». Pour toute réponse, le gouvernement Trudeau a suggéré au ministre québécois de collaborer à l’avancement d’un projet de loi fédéral sur « les préjudices en ligne ».

Le ministre Jolin-Barrette a envoyé une lettre jeudi à son homologue canadien, Arif Virani, afin de lui demander d’abroger deux articles du Code criminel qui contreviennent, selon son interprétation, au principe de laïcité de l’État.

Ces articles — 319 (3) (b) et 319 (3.1) (b) — font partie d’une courte de liste d’exceptions pouvant être évoquées face à des accusations d’avoir fomenté volontairement la haine ou l’antisémitisme. Ils permettent à un accusé de se défendre en faisant valoir le fait d’avoir, « de bonne foi, exprimé une opinion sur un sujet religieux ou une opinion fondée sur un texte religieux auquel il croit », ou d’avoir « tenté d’en établir le bien-fondé par argument ».

De l’avis du ministre Jolin-Barrette, « cette justification est actuellement exploitée pour légitimer des propos discriminatoires ou incendiaires sous le couvert de la foi ». « Ce genre de discours contribue à un climat toxique, menaçant la sécurité et le bien-être des personnes visées », a-t-il écrit au ministre Virani.

Le cabinet du ministre Virani a fait suivre une réponse au Devoir. La directrice adjointe aux communications, Chantalle Aubertin, y a écrit qu’en guise d’« action décisive », Ottawa avait présenté la Loi sur les préjudices en ligne, « une mesure globale visant à lutter contre la propagation des discours haineux, tant en ligne que dans nos communautés ».

« Nous apprécions les observations du ministre Jolin-Barrette et restons déterminés à travailler ensemble pour trouver des solutions », a-t-elle ajouté. « Nous l’encourageons à collaborer avec les parlementaires afin de soutenir l’avancement de la Loi sur les préjudices en ligne en comité, garantissant ainsi que nous disposons des outils nécessaires pour combattre efficacement la haine », a ensuite suggéré Mme Aubertin….

Source: Québec exige la fin de l’exemption religieuse pour la propagande haineuse

Ottawa has shown little openness to a request from Quebec’s Minister of Justice, Simon Jolin-Barrette, who no longer wants the Criminal Code to allow individuals to engage in hateful propaganda “under the guise of faith”. For any response, the Trudeau government suggested that the Quebec minister collaborate in the progress of a federal bill on “online damage”.

Minister Jolin-Barrette sent a letter on Thursday to his Canadian counterpart, Arif Virani, asking him to repeal two articles of the Criminal Code that, according to his interpretation, contravene the principle of secularism of the State.

These articles – 319 (3) (b) and 319 (3.1) (b) – are part of a short list of exceptions that can be raised in the face of accusations of having voluntarily fomented hatred or anti-Semitism. They allow an accused to defend himself by asserting the fact that he has, “in good faith, expressed an opinion on a religious subject or an opinion based on a religious text in which he believes”, or that he has “tried to establish its merits by argument”.

In the opinion of Minister Jolin-Barrette, “this justification is currently exploited to legitimize discriminatory or incendiary remarks under the guise of faith”. “This kind of speech contributes to a toxic climate, threatening the safety and well-being of the people targeted,” he wrote to Minister Virani.

Minister Virani’s office forwarded a response to the Duty. Assistant Director of Communications, Chantalle Aubertin, wrote that as a “recisive action,” Ottawa had introduced the Online Injuries Act, “a comprehensive measure to combat the spread of hate speech, both online and in our communities.”

“We appreciate Minister Jolin-Barrette’s comments and remain determined to work together to find solutions,” she added. “We encourage her to work with parliamentarians to support the progress of the Online Damages Act in committee, thus ensuring that we have the necessary tools to effectively combat hatred,” Ms. Aubertin then suggested.

Filed under Hate crimes, Multiculturalism, Religion Tagged with , , , , , , , ,

ICYMI – Blum: Remembrance Day is a time to honour, not divide, Sherazi: Many students see Remembrance Day through their own experience of war

2024/11/28 Leave a comment

Interesting exchange of perspectives among two persons who often work together:

…Bringing contentious political symbols into a Remembrance Day ceremony is antithetical to these principles. It risks fueling division rather than fostering understanding and detracts from the lessons of sacrifice and freedom that Remembrance Day seeks to impart.

At its core, Remembrance Day is about Canadian values — freedom, respect, and unity. Those who fought for these ideals made unimaginable sacrifices, and it is our duty to honour their memory by upholding those values in our schools and communities.

To do so, we must ensure that Remembrance Day remains a day of solemn reflection and unity. It is not a platform for political statements or a time to import contemporary conflicts into our shared spaces. It is a time to remember those who gave their lives for the peace and freedoms we enjoy today and to ensure that their sacrifices are not forgotten.

By keeping politics out of the classroom and focusing on shared values, we can foster an environment where all students feel respected, included and united in their commitment to the ideals that Remembrance Day represents.

Rabbi Menachem M. Blum is the spiritual leader of the Ottawa Torah Centre. His community outreach work includes interfaith dialogue and workshops that he

Source: Blum: Remembrance Day is a time to honour, not divide

…In the last 20 years, some students have experienced war directly.  I have had the privilege to work in schools with students who have done gone through war; the horrors are unimaginable.  I think that Hobbs’s intentions were not misplaced.

If we cannot find ways to help students understand a broader message of honouring the dead — everyone’s dead — if we can’t help teach students about the freedoms we enjoy because some have sacrificed their lives to provide those freedoms, what common ground is there?

For educators, it is worth remembering that students are seeing modern warfare unfold in front of their eyes in real time on social media. In the most recent conflict in the Middle East, they have watched more than 16,000 children lose their lives. Many are buried under rubble. Others have suffered lifelong injuries, and won’t have access to medical treatment. Will students ponder the fact that 12,000 Palestinians also volunteered to serve in the British army and participated in battle in North Africa and Europe during the Second World War, and what those lives meant in the grand scheme of things?

U.S. historian Henry Glassie is quoted saying, “History is not the past but a map

Source: Sherazi: Many students see Remembrance Day through their own experience of war

Filed under Antisemitism, Multiculturalism Tagged with , ,

Freiman and Sandler: Samidoun has been banned. Now, it’s time to stamp it out

2024/11/27 Leave a comment

Given the government’s mixed record on implementation, legitimate call for action:

…We fully support the evidence-based designation of Samidoun as a terrorist entity. We now call on the authorities to use all available tools to confront this group and those involved in its illegal activities, whether covertly or otherwise.

The listing of Samidoun under the Canadian Criminal Code marks a crucial, albeit preliminary, step in the broader fight against hate and extremism. However, without decisive follow-up, this designation risks having a limited impact. Government agencies and law enforcement must work together to dismantle Samidoun’s operations and, to the extent possible, keep the public informed of the steps being taken. Only with meaningful action can we ensure the safety and security of all Canadians.

Source: Opinion: Samidoun has been banned. Now, it’s time to stamp it out

Filed under Antisemitism, Multiculturalism Tagged with , ,

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