Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Bill C-31: Past wrongs and present-day injustices
Japanese Canadians being relocated to camps in the interior of British Columbia after the outbreak of World War II.
Canada is a country of contradiction. On the one hand, it has an international reputation as one of the world’s most compassionate and humanitarian countries. On the other, Canada is tainted by historical injustices committed by the Canadian government against specific groups simply because of who they were, not what they did.
That contradiction has from time to time manifested itself in this country’s treatment of immigrants, refugees and Canadians of racial minority descent, both past and present. To its credit, the Canadian government has apologized and redressed many of these past wrongs. But has it learned the lessons of history? Apparently not.
Before the House of Commons is the proposed Bill C-31 — an omnibus bill on Canada’s refugee system. If passed, the bill has the potential to inflict untold pain and injustice on a whole new generation of asylum seekers.
Bill C-31 gives the government the power to detain refugees — including women and children — with no judicial oversight. It discriminates against asylum seekers based on their country of origin by allowing the minister to designate so-called “safe countries” and to deny refugees from those nations the right to appeal. Above all, the bill empowers the minister to deport legitimate refugees — even after they have become permanent residents — simply on the minister’s say-so that they will not face danger if returned to their home country.
Not only does this bill run contrary to the tradition of humanitarianism so many Canadians are proud of, it returns Canada to the days when racism and xenophobia were part of our official immigration policy.
Our history is replete with such examples of discrimination. Among the first to suffer from legally sanctioned racism were Chinese immigrants, who were subject first to a head tax and then to an immigration exclusion act, the sole purpose of both being to restrict and exclude people of Chinese descent.
During World War II, Japanese Canadians became refugees in their own country, declared personae non gratae by their own government. More than 22,000 Canadians of Japanese descent were sent to internment camps, and 4,000 more were deported to Japan, a country most of them had never set foot in.
Canadians also stood by while our government turned away Jews fleeing Nazi persecution because, in the words of an immigration officer, when it comes to Jews, “none is too many.”
A mere three decades later, the generosity of Canadians and our country finally shone. Collectively, Canadians put out our welcome mat for boatloads of Indochinese refugees. The then Progressive Conservative government of Joe Clark initiated a program to accept every Vietnamese refugee who arrived through private sponsorship. Canada has been enriched by these refugees-turned-citizens, who became an important part of the Canadian fabric and made significant contributions to the building of our nation.
Like canaries in the coal mine, conscientious and fair-minded Canadians are beginning to sense the toxins that are poisoning our country. They are beginning to question the fear-mongering and demonizing of the desperate people who are knocking on our door as they escape from global environmental, economic and political devastation.
By instilling fear instead of promoting compassion, Bill C-31 asks Canadians to turn our backs on those who need our assistance, and to forgo our core values as a just and open society. This is a bill that all fair-minded Canadians should reject.
Our government certainly has the right to design a refugee-determination system that would screen out illegitimate claims. But such a system must be tempered with compassion for asylum seekers and respect for the Charter of Rights and international law.
The government achieved that balance when it reached a compromise with the opposition parties to pass Bill C-11, the Balanced Refugee Reform Act, which gives all claimants the right to appeal while granting the government tools to speed up not-so-meritorious claims. Bill C-31, on the other hand, is overkill.
Let’s not forget that, aside from the aboriginal peoples, we are all immigrants and refugees, or their descendants.
Canadians deserve a balanced and compassionate approach to our immigration and refugee system. Let’s not repeat our historical wrongs. Let’s stop Bill C-31.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Swedish reporter Lena Pettersson reimbursed for sitting next to dead man on Kenya Airways flight
It's one thing to have a fellow airline passenger fall asleep and drool on your shoulder, but quite another to have him die and sit next to you throughout your flight.
That's exactly what happened to Swedish reporter Lena Pettersson on a recent Kenya Airways flight from Europe to Tanzania.
When Pettersson boarded her plane at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, she couldn't help noticing her co-passenger was in rough shape.
"He was sweating and was having convulsions," she told Sveriges Radio, the state broadcaster for whom she works. Regardless, the plane took off as scheduled.
It wasn't long after liftoff that the passenger's condition worsened. The crew put out a call for medical help and eventually was forced to give the man cardiac massage, but it didn't help. The passenger had died in his seat. The Kenyan crew, unsure of protocol, covered the man and laid him across three seats next to Pettersson until the plane landed hours later.
The airline did reimburse Pettersson for being subjected the macabre incident, but only after months of e-mail exchanges. Eventually she got $713, about half the cost of her ticket.
"This feels much better," she said. "It's reasonable. Of course it was unpleasant, but I am not a person who makes a fuss."
Death at 35,000 feet isn't terribly uncommon. Last September a man choked to death on an in-flight meal during an 11-hour trip from Singapore to Auckland. Passengers were given only $100 travel vouchers for their troubles.
Elliot Lake mall collapse claims one life, fears for 30 more still missing
Debris is removed as rescue workers continue attempts to secure the building before searching for any survivors at the site of the collapsed roof of the Algo Centre Mall in Elliot Lake, Ont., on Monday.
ELLIOT LAKE, Ont. — Officials have confirmed at least one person has died and 30 others are now unaccounted for after a roof collapsed at a shopping mall in Elliot Lake, Ont.
Rescuers said earlier today that tapping sounds had been heard coming from under the rubble at the Algo Centre Mall around 4 a.m., but residents of the small northern city are expressing grave concern for the fate of those still unaccounted for in the wake of Saturday’s tragic events.
As crews worked around the clock to stabilize the scene and make it safe enough for search and rescue teams to go in today, provincial police said images of the partially collapsed car park roof showed a hand and a foot in the dusty debris.
Bill Needles, a spokesman from the Heavy Urban Search and Rescue team which travelled from Toronto, said the structure and the escalator in the area where the roof collapsed is still shifting.
“It’s still very unstable, very unsafe. We still need to be careful with every move we make.”
Needles added that rescuers are now focusing their efforts on the area where the tapping was heard, and a person is believed trapped.
“This morning around 4 o’clock, the OPP utilized the piece of equipment that they have to again determine that there was signs of life from the one same locations that we had indicated yesterday. And again we’re still diligently working as fast we can towards that person.
“Unfortunately, we’ve got a setback, in that the structure after some of the weight had been removed, from some of the other parts had fallen.. It’s still shifting. It’s become more unstable for us.
“We’ve had to remove our crews to reassess our entry point,” Needles said, adding: “It’s not to say that we have stopped working. We have now gone back to the other avenue from the north to now come back from that entrance, to now start shoring and putting up posts and supporting the roof above, to keep moving towards that void where the person was located this morning.
“We’re still scared, it even has the potential of falling down. We put on some tactile equipment to assess how much movement. It’s still very unstable, still very unsafe, and we have to be careful with every move that we make.”
“We are still moving forward with that rescue… To give you a time frame, I just can’t do that. because now we’re reassessing the whole operation. Moving forward in what is now a different direction. So I don’t have a time frame on when we will be able to make contact.”
The collapsed roof of the Algo Centre Mall is seen from a nearby hill in Elliot Lake, Ont. on Sunday June 24, 2012.
Asource who has been briefed on the recovery effort said this morning that rescuers still believe as many as three people could be trapped alive inside the mall’s wreckage. Authorities don’t know how many casualties there could be beyond the one confirmed death.
“The truth is no one has a handle on how bad it could be,” said the official, who requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly.
Late Sunday night, police said there were still nine names on the list of those unaccounted for. That figure rose to 30 early Monday afternoon.
Ontario Provincial Police Insp. Percy Jollymore noted that the number had been fluctuating with some names being taken off the list, and others added.
“It is difficult to determine who was a casual customer or visitor to the mall,” Jollymore said Monday afternoon. “We have been maintaining a list of individuals and we have been encouraging people to call in. We went through the staffing of the mall, who was working, and who we thought would be there, the vehicles parked in the mall, that type of thing.”
Jollymore claimed the missing list had been fluctuating up and down: “Last night the list shortened to about 3 or 4. But overnight it has grown again with people calling in worried about people they hadn’t been in touch with. So, the list was in the high 30s. But I caution, it goes up and down, and as you can imagine, difficult to determine who was a casual customer or visitor to the mall at the time of the collapse. We continue along those lines.”
The roof came down with a thunderous crash just before 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, injuring at least 22 people.
Rescue workers cut timber as attempts continue to secure the building before searching for any survivors at the site of the collapsed roof of the Algo Centre Mall in Elliot Lake, Ontario on Monday June 25, 2012.
Mayor Rick Hamilton told the National Post Monday that people are praying there is a positive outcome.
“We have an expert crew in there. They’re doing a fantastic job. They’re working as quickly and safely as possible. And I would certainly like to commend them on their efforts thus far.”
Hamilton said he couldn’t comment on complaints from residents about mall leaks and suggestions that repairs were needed before the collapse
“The Ministry of Labour is on site, and they will be doing a full investigation. At that point, we will be able to comment and react accordingly. “
Heather Richer owns a restaurant in the mall and was at work when it happened.
“I’m hoping everyone’s found, but I’m giving up hope on whether they’re going to find them alive,” she said Sunday.
Bianka Manning, a teacher from the local French high school V.F.J., said she feared a former high school classmate may be trapped among the wreckage.
Manning said her friend worked at the mall’s lottery kiosk, but she didn’t know if she was inside the mall when the roof caved in.
Manning and two of her students spent all of Sunday night sitting outside the mall wrapped in blankets, waiting for news.
“She might be alone in there, but she wasn’t alone all night,” said Manning, 36. “Somebody was with her — maybe not in there, but we’re out here for her.”
Manning said her friend used to come in to the school to do mock interviews for students in civics class.
A woman checks out the damage after a roof collapsed at the Algo Centre Mall in Elliot Lake, Ont., Saturday, June 23, 2012.
Several candles were lit in front of the mall early this morning.
“We’re the uranium capital, so they say when you’re from Elliot Lake, you glow in the dark,” said Manning. “Hopefully someone’s glowing in there and they’ll find them.”
“Everybody’s blaming everybody, but really, who cares? I’m more concerned about who’s in there and how are they going to get out of there safely,” she said.
The two-storey centre, which was built in the early ’80s, underwent a structural study in May and received a passing grade, said a source with Eastwood Mall Inc., which owns the mall.
Work was being done on the roof before the collapse to prevent leaks, but no “substantial renovations” were underway, the source said.
Some irate city residents, however, insisted the building was much in need of repairs.
“The mall’s always had leaks (and) roof damage,” said Jean-Marc Hayward, who was in the mall at the time of the collapse.
The ceiling of the mall always dripped when it rained, he said.
The northern city, once an Ontario mining hub, is located about 160 kilometres west of Sudbury.
Well wishers leave candles at a vigil as rescue workers continue attempts to secure the building before searching for any survivors at the site of the collapsed roof of the Algo Centre Mall in Elliot Lake, Ontario on Monday June 25, 2012.
4 dead, 30 wounded in weekend Chicago violence intensifying search for answers
CHICAGO - Two teenage boys - ages 13 and 14 - were among four people killed, and at least 30 others were wounded in shootings in Chicago over the weekend, CBS Chicago reports. The weekend incidents highlight a disturbing trend that makes the streets of the Windy City even deadlier than Kabul, Afghanistan.
By some accounts, rising murder rates have made Chicago more dangerous than a war zone: According to The Daily, homicide victims in Chicago outnumber U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan this year.
While 144 Americans have died in Afghanistan in 2012, 228 Chicago residents have been killed. The murder rate is up 35 percent from last year, a rash of homicides that quadruples New York City's rate and doubles Los Angeles' rate.
Antonio Davis, 14, was gunned down during a drive-by shooting just before 9 p.m. Friday in Englewood, CBS Chicago reported. Tyquan Tyler, 13, also died in a gang-related incident after being shot in the chest at a party in a different Englewood neighborhood around 1:30 a.m. Sunday.
Two more people were fatally shot in other Chicago neighborhoods on Sunday: 29-year-old Hansen Jackson was shot several times in the chest and later died at Mount Sinai Hospital,and 22-year-old Anthony Jones who was also shot and killed, according to a CBS Chicago report.
At least 30 others, including two other teenage boys, were reportedly wounded in shootings throughout the city. A 15-year-old and 14-year-old were taken in stable and fair condition, respectively, to a children's hospital following a shooting attack while they were playing basketball Saturday around 8:45 p.m.
Other victims include a man shot and two other hit by a vehicle in a suspected gang-related incident about 4 a.m. Saturday in front of the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, police said. Another man, 36, was shot in the arm in an unrelated incident and was taken in critical condition to a hospital.
Violence also struck one of the city's most popular areas, where the floats rode down the streets for the Gay Pride Parade on Sunday.
The city said street gangs are responsible for the bulk of the recent gun violence and announced this week that it will allow police to work overtime in order to put more officers on the street, according to The Daily.
"Just look at what's been happening every single weekend," Vice President of Chicago's Fraternal Order of Police Daniel Gorman told The Daily. "Although we appreciate the overtime, we still can't ignore that we've got a manpower crisis, and the recent violence in the city is proof of that crisis."
But highly publicized accounts of the recent murders, shootings and gang activity have some police arguing that the media have blown Chicago's crime problem out of proportion. Police superintendent Garry McCarthy said Chicago is facing a "perception issue."
Though there have been 228 murders in the city so far this year, The Daily reported that Chicago's murder rate has actually fallen over the past several years - but not as fast as the rates in New York or Los Angeles.
"We have a lot of violence, but the fact is, we have to keep doing what we're doing, because the trend is actually turning," McCarthy told CBS Chicago over the weekend. "You would never know it, but the trend is actually turning. It's hard to tell that for somebody who hears gunfire."
Police to partner with CeaseFire on anti-violence pilot program
CeaseFire is expected to receive funding through the city’s Department of Public Health to target crime in two Chicago police districts under a pilot program. CeaseFire has received federal and state funding over the past decade but no money directly from the city.
Originally, CeaseFire was supposed to receive $1.5 million, but the figure could be lower now that it will operate in only two districts instead of three, as originally planned, sources told the Chicago Sun-Times.
The partnership was proposed after Chicago’s bloody Memorial Day weekend, druing which10 people were shot to death and the city’s homicide rate reached 200, a nearly 50 percent increase over the same period of 2011.
Through June 17, murders were up 38 percent compared to the same period last year.
According to sources, at a violence reduction meeting with federal and local officials last week, McCarthy expressed his discomfort at having to work with CeaseFire, which sends ex-felons into high-crime neighborhoods to “interrupt” potential violence.
Monday, June 25, 2012
What should happen to the Gretzky statue if the city builds a new arena?
By virtue of his heroics at Northlands Coliseum, he remains the city’s favourite son.
Which is why the bronze statue of Gretzky hoisting the Stanley Cup that sits outside Edmonton’s ice palace is as recognizable in this city as the monuments to Bobby Orr in Boston and the Babe in the Bronx. It is more than a statue, it is a piece of history and a part of the emotional landscape.
And no wonder its future whereabouts is cause for deliberation.
The city, which owns the statue, is hammering out an agreement for a new arena with the Katz Group, which owns a lot of things, including the Oilers. But forget about the rink. To many, a bigger question is what to do with Wayne.
Should his statue be left at Northlands? Should it be moved to the new downtown arena? Is there some more creative solution that can be brokered?
For his part, Gretzky is opting not to enter the debate.
“I’m truly honoured that the City of Edmonton chose to erect a statue in my honour, and I certainly respect their decision on whether or not to move it. I’m behind whatever decision they make 100 per cent.”
“Maybe there should be two,” says Paul Coffey, a Hall of Fame defenceman who won Stanley Cups as Gretzky’s teammate in 1984, 1985 and 1987 before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Officially, the city says it has not yet considered where to put the statue, which was forged by the late John Weaver and installed in 1989. But fans are debating it, and other interested parties are beginning to wade in.
“The only thing that matters is now,” one fan writes on a website called Connect2Edmonton.ca. “Winning cups 30 years ago does not pay the rent today.”
“The statue is not about living in the past, it’s about commemorating a great player Edmontonians were lucky enough to call one of us,” another argues. “Remembering what was, is just as important as what is now.”
Patrick LaForge, president and chief operating officer of the Oilers, heartily agrees with the latter sentiment.
“When I think back to that time, I think, ‘Good God, we won four Stanley Cups in five years,’ and then think about the skinny kid who led the charge,” LaForge says. “There is only one Wayne, and I think he belongs wherever the hockey team is.
“His statue captures the greatest memories of people at a time when I think everyone in Edmonton stood an inch or two taller.”
The only player to break the 200-point mark in a single NHL season, Gretzky was selected the league’s most valuable player for eight consecutive years. He is so beloved in the City of Champions that some fans have their ashes deposited at the foot of the towering, 15-foot statue that stands outside Rexall Place.
Jodi Tauber, a spokeswoman for the city’s arena project, said she understands how important the statue is.
“We know it is on people’s minds,” she says. “It is a local landmark. When I arrange to meet people, I arrange to meet them at the Gretzky statue.”
Cathy Kiss, vice-president of communications and government relations for Northlands, the non-profit organization that operates Rexall Place, says the group wants to be part of any discussions that take place involving the statue.
“He was certainly a huge part of the city and the Oilers, and a huge part of his career was played in our building.” Kiss says. “Having the statue out front is such a key piece for us.
“Edmontonians have such a connection to him. He still resonates with people.”
If the city decides two Waynes are better than one, the sculptor’s son, Henry Weaver, says that can be arranged. The mould still exists.
If the decision is made to move it downtown, that can be done, too.
“I see no problem with that, statues are moved all of the time,” Weaver says. “It just takes a little care and preparation.
“I think Wayne may just be standing there on bolts. If that is the case, we could put straps underneath his arms and lift him out of there with a crane. You wouldn’t need dynamite.”
Help name Edmonton's LRT lines
The City of Edmonton is creating an opportunity for Edmontonians to become involved in the naming of both current and future LRT lines. By the time construction is complete, the city will have five different lines, and they're asking for your help to name them.
Transportation Manager, Bob Boutilier, says with the arrival of new LRT lines, names will help people get around, and what better way then to ask those who use the system. He says the city is asking for names that relate to the destination of each particular line.
"Is it something that you would be able to tell people who come to the city to take this line, or that line, and they'll know what you're talking about."
However, the naming approach is not pleasing everyone.
Dwayne Donald is an assistant professor at the University of Alberta and works with the city's aboriginal relations. He believes the way the city is going about the naming process seems rather trivial.
"I wish the people who were making these decisions would just be more comfortable with taking a more localized approach, rather than trying to glamorize (the process.)"
He says Edmonton has a large indigenous population and consultation with the aboriginal community would be a great option.
"It would be quite easy for (the city) to get a group of elders together and have a series of conversations with them," Donald says adding, "I wouldn't say that every single name has to be aboriginal but they could have a mix to kind of balance things out."
University of Alberta marketing instructor, Jim Swaffield, says there may be value in getting feedback from the public.
"If you get a thousand people saying that the line going to the university, they think of it a certain way and there's a common theme there, they might think that might resonate well with other citizens."
However, Swaffield is somewhat wary, saying the city shouldn't use the public's feedback if it isn't meanigful.
"The key to branding is to have something in the name associated with the destination."
The City is keeping the naming process completely open to the public. Winning submissions will go before the city's naming committee for review, then to city council for the final decision.
There are anumber of ways to get invovled. The survey can be taken online until August 15th, or by phone at 780-447-3439 or 311. The winners will be announced in the fall.
U of A shooting: Family of Michelle Shegelski thanks Albertans for their support in a statement issued through her former employer G4S
Shegelski was fatally shot during an armed robbery inside the University of Alberta’s HUB mall. She was killed alongside two of her G4S colleagues just after midnight Friday June 15th. The man charged in their deaths, Travis Baumgartner, was also a G4S employee.
Shegelski’s family released a written statement to the public on Monday:
G4S Cash Solutions (Canada) Ltd.
Press Statement
Toronto, June 25, 2012
Shegelski Family Statement
Michelle's husband Victor, parents Peter and Cheryl, and our families would like to thank the people of Edmonton, High Level and all of Canada for the tremendous outpouring of support.
This tragic time in our lives has been tempered by the amount of caring we have been shown.
No words can express our heartfelt Thank You to all the people who have sent communications expressing their condolences for our loss of the very beautiful vibrant young life that was our Michelle.
Also a thank you to all the paramedics and police who responded to the call and who have to deal with senseless violence in our communities on a daily basis.
We would also like to thank the press for respecting our grief. Media are welcome to attend but the family will not be giving any interviews.
Our lives will be forever changed and so will the lives of the people that she touched.
She will live on in our memories forever.
Thank you for your cooperation.
The Shegelski Family and Friends
In her obituary, Shegelski’s family recalls her time as a Royal Canadian Army Cadet in High Level, where she was a “good shot with a rifle… and loved all the outdoor activities including night games and Wilderness Challenge hikes.” Loved ones also describe her passion for reading and writing, her passion for women’s issues, and her fortitude. They say Shegelski “made friends everywhere she went, cracking everyone up with her wonderful sense of humour, flair for impressions and comedy routines.”
Shegelski was born in High River in 1985, and lived there until she moved to Edmonton to attend the University of Alberta.
She is survived by her husband Victor; parents Peter and Cheryl Ernst; siblings; and “many other family members and friends too numerous to mention.”
Her funeral service will be held on Tuesday, June 26. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting memorial donations may be made to: Victims of Violence.
Think before you call Locksmith
Edmonton - They rush to the rescue when you're locked out of your house or business. Still, could hiring the wrong locksmith put you in harm’s way?
Those in the locksmith industry say scams are common. Everything from over-charging, to improper installation of a lock (which could leave your home vulnerable), even keeping an extra key to come back later, have been known to take place.
The risks are there, yet consumers often just hire the first locksmith who’s available.
In his 16 years as a locksmith Dennis Roufosse has unlocked many doors for embarrassed Albertans. He has re-keyed them for businesses recovering from break-ins and women escaping domestic violence.
He says hiring the wrong locksmith can make you a victim all over again.
“Before you hand over the key to your home or your business, know who you are giving it to," warns Rufus.
Consumers often hire the first locksmith they call, without doing any research on the company.
The Professional Locksmiths Association of Alberta is worried about the growing number of schemes in the industry which result in consumers paying much more than they should.
"They usually look at the lock and say, for one reason or another, we can't pick this lock, we are going to have to destroy it and replace it, and that's when the bill starts to escalate,” Roufosse explains.
Some locksmiths may not be qualified, which could leave your home vulnerable.
"People end up getting locked out later on because it wasn't put in properly in the first place."
Sadly, even worse things can to happen.
"Things have happened over the years where people have retained a key and gone back later,” says Roufoose.
In Alberta, locksmiths must be licensed by the province and undergo a police information check every two years.
"It’s a crime prevention tool we want to keep the citizens of Edmonton safe,” explains Heather Bettke, with the Edmonton Police Information Check Unit.
"Education is the key,” she adds. “If you need a locksmith you should ask for his license."
They must carry that license at all times, but consumers need to know to ask for it.
"You're looking for service, you grab the first one that's there, and hope for the best,” says Roufoose, “sometimes you don't get it; you don't get the best, you’ve got to do a little bit of research."
When people find themselves locked out, experts suggest being cautious of who may be let into the home or business in question.
"If they don't have their license, I wouldn't be letting them in my door and I certainly wouldn't be giving them my key,” says Roufoose.
When hiring a locksmith, check their complaint record with the Better Business Bureau, verify their address and always ask to see their provincial license. To verify they have one, contact Alberta Justice or to report a locksmith who may not be licensed, click here.
For more information on scams and public security, follow the links.
Those in the locksmith industry say scams are common. Everything from over-charging, to improper installation of a lock (which could leave your home vulnerable), even keeping an extra key to come back later, have been known to take place.
The risks are there, yet consumers often just hire the first locksmith who’s available.
In his 16 years as a locksmith Dennis Roufosse has unlocked many doors for embarrassed Albertans. He has re-keyed them for businesses recovering from break-ins and women escaping domestic violence.
He says hiring the wrong locksmith can make you a victim all over again.
“Before you hand over the key to your home or your business, know who you are giving it to," warns Rufus.
Consumers often hire the first locksmith they call, without doing any research on the company.
The Professional Locksmiths Association of Alberta is worried about the growing number of schemes in the industry which result in consumers paying much more than they should.
"They usually look at the lock and say, for one reason or another, we can't pick this lock, we are going to have to destroy it and replace it, and that's when the bill starts to escalate,” Roufosse explains.
Some locksmiths may not be qualified, which could leave your home vulnerable.
"People end up getting locked out later on because it wasn't put in properly in the first place."
Sadly, even worse things can to happen.
"Things have happened over the years where people have retained a key and gone back later,” says Roufoose.
In Alberta, locksmiths must be licensed by the province and undergo a police information check every two years.
"It’s a crime prevention tool we want to keep the citizens of Edmonton safe,” explains Heather Bettke, with the Edmonton Police Information Check Unit.
"Education is the key,” she adds. “If you need a locksmith you should ask for his license."
They must carry that license at all times, but consumers need to know to ask for it.
"You're looking for service, you grab the first one that's there, and hope for the best,” says Roufoose, “sometimes you don't get it; you don't get the best, you’ve got to do a little bit of research."
When people find themselves locked out, experts suggest being cautious of who may be let into the home or business in question.
"If they don't have their license, I wouldn't be letting them in my door and I certainly wouldn't be giving them my key,” says Roufoose.
When hiring a locksmith, check their complaint record with the Better Business Bureau, verify their address and always ask to see their provincial license. To verify they have one, contact Alberta Justice or to report a locksmith who may not be licensed, click here.
For more information on scams and public security, follow the links.
Police warn Riverbend residents after reports of man with handgun
Police responded to the first incident on Friday, June 22, 2012, around 4 p.m. near the Snow Valley ski resort parking lot, 119 Street south of Whitemud Drive. A group of cyclists witnessed a male carrying what appeared to be a handgun, which he then tucked into his waistband upon their approach. The male was last seen running eastbound towards 119 Street.
On Saturday, June 23, 2012 around 7 p.m., the EPS received a similar complaint, this time from a resident walking across the Terwillegar Drive footbridge just north of 23 Avenue. In this incident, a male flashed what also appeared to be a handgun at the adult and their child, before running westbound towards the St. Thomas More Church, located at 210 Haddow Close.
In both cases, the male was described as being around 5 ‘8 to 5 ’10 in height, dressed in black clothing and using a dark-coloured balaclava or ski mask to cover their face.
Police believe the two incidents are related, and are cautioning Riverbend-area residents to avoid approaching this individual and to contact the EPS immediately on its non-emergency complaint line at 780-423-4567 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-422-8477.
U of A shooting update
Edmonton - In a written statement sent Monday afternoon, the wife of the sole survivor of the University of Alberta shooting updates his condition.
Matthew Schuman was seriously wounded, after being shot in the head in the early hours of June 15th. The armed robbery left three of his colleagues dead. Eddie Rejano, 39, Michelle Shegelski, 26, and Brian Ilesic, 35, died of their injuries.
Police have said the fifth guard was Travis Baumgartner. The 21-year-old was arrested at a U.S. border crossing near Abbotsford, B.C., less than 48 hours after the shooting. Police say he was carrying $330,000 in a backpack.
Since the shooting, Shuman has been in hospital in critical condition. Monday, his wife Jennifer provided an update on his condition, and the progress he’s made so far:
“It's been ten days since Travis Baumgartner viciously attacked his co-workers and we are all still trying to come to terms with this tragedy.
Because of the continued public support and genuine interest and concern for Matthew's condition, we would like to provide a brief update on his recovery.
On June 15th, Matthew sustained a direct gun shot wound to the head. That same day, he had surgery to remove the lodged bullet and was put into an induced comma.
On Tuesday morning (June 19th) his breathing tube was removed, and soon after he was awakened. Friday, he was moved out of the Intensive Care Unit and placed into a monitoring ward.
Matthew Schuman was seriously wounded, after being shot in the head in the early hours of June 15th. The armed robbery left three of his colleagues dead. Eddie Rejano, 39, Michelle Shegelski, 26, and Brian Ilesic, 35, died of their injuries.
Police have said the fifth guard was Travis Baumgartner. The 21-year-old was arrested at a U.S. border crossing near Abbotsford, B.C., less than 48 hours after the shooting. Police say he was carrying $330,000 in a backpack.
Since the shooting, Shuman has been in hospital in critical condition. Monday, his wife Jennifer provided an update on his condition, and the progress he’s made so far:
“It's been ten days since Travis Baumgartner viciously attacked his co-workers and we are all still trying to come to terms with this tragedy.
Because of the continued public support and genuine interest and concern for Matthew's condition, we would like to provide a brief update on his recovery.
On June 15th, Matthew sustained a direct gun shot wound to the head. That same day, he had surgery to remove the lodged bullet and was put into an induced comma.
On Tuesday morning (June 19th) his breathing tube was removed, and soon after he was awakened. Friday, he was moved out of the Intensive Care Unit and placed into a monitoring ward.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
US paying price of backing Islamic militants: Pak Prof
The role of the US in “fanning Islamic militancy” has been highlighted by a visiting Pakistani professor who was the star performer at a seminar sponsored by The Democracy Forum in London.
Nuclear physicist Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy, from Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad, was a keynote speaker at the seminar entitled ‘The role of education in combating terrorism’. In his view, the US has played a major role in contributing to the Islamic radicalisation that currently prevails in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.
His views were spelt out at the well attended function, chaired by Dr William Crawley of the Institute of Commonwealth Studies and addressed by The Democracy Forum head and British Conservative MP Stephen Hammond. Other participants included Professor Jack Spence from King’s
College, London, Shiraz Maher from the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation, Mushtak Parker, Editor of Islamic Banker magazine and retired ambassador and visiting professor at the Centre for Policy Research in New Delhi G Parthasarathy. The seminar was brought to a close by retired British Crown Court Judge Sir Mota Singh.
In his speech, Hoodbhoy started by commenting on the changes to the education curriculum in Pakistani schools, quoting from a 1995 primary education document published by Pakistan’s Ministry of Education.
The document states that after the completion of Class V, all children should be able to “understand Hindu Muslim differences and the resultant need for Pakistan”. “Children should be also able to understand India’s evil design against Pakistan,” it further says.
Other requirements for Class V graduates are to “acknowledge and identify forces that may be working against Pakistan” and to “make speeches on Jehad and Shahidat”.
At least as important, according to Hoodbhoy, was the earlier meddling of US government agencies like USAID and the CIA, encouraging Islamic radicalisation which shaped the world view of both young Pakistanis and their Afghan counterparts.
The US role in this process is especially relevant today as the Taliban stage a comeback in parts of Afghanistan in anticipation of the American pullback from the country in 2014. Squads of Taliban-backed morality police are active in provinces like Nuristan where they mete out Draconian punishments to anyone who watches television, listens to music or participates in any other types of activity deemed to be un-Islamic.
Back in the 1980s, the US government spent millions of dollars to produce educational textbooks for Afghan refugee children that were filled with violent images and militant teachings from the Koran.
Published by the University of Nebraska in the US, these textbooks were subsequently exported to the madrassas (schools) operating along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
“They distributed millions of Korans to madrassas with the aim of fanning radicalism,” Hoodbhoy explained. “It was viewed as the most efficient way of fighting the Soviet Union by putting this across as a religious war. The policy was evolved between the US and Pakistan and Saudi Arabia was the funder. But it was very close consultation between General Zia (Pakistan’s late president) and the CIA which conducted the biggest covert war in history (against the Soviet Union.)”
At the time, President Bush explained that some 10 million US-supplied books intended for Afghan school children would teach “respect for human dignity, instead of indoctrinating students with fanaticism and bigotry.”
Yet, the content in one of the mathematics textbooks written in Dari and Pushtu, read out by Hoodbhoy, included the following:
“One group of Mujahed attacks 50 Russian soldiers. In that attack, 20 Russians were killed. How many Russians fled?"
Another mathematics problem states: “A Kalashnikov bullet travels at 800 metres per second. A Mujahed has the forehead of a Russian in his sights 3,200 metres away. How many seconds will it take the bullet to hit the Russian’s forehead?”
Still another textbook publishes a verse from the Koran, followed by a tribute to the Mujahideen who are described as obedient to Allah and willing to sacrifice their wealth and life to impose Islamic law on the government.
From Rio to Rio, the world hasn’t taken a stride
A lot of high-flown rhetoric ushered in last week's UN Conference on Sustainable Development. Rio+20 was the biggest summit the UN had ever organised. Some 40,000 environmentalists and 10,000 government officials gathered with politicians from 190 nations for a meeting which the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said was "too important to fail".
But the reality at Rio was little different. A 50-page document, titled 'the future we want', had been negotiated and graveled upon, all before the arrival of the heads of states. The text was predictable. The document said it all, but nothing consequential.
The gathering, which has attracted more than a hundred world leaders, had promised to tackle poverty and damage to the natural world. But campaigners say few tangible measures have been agreed. And they have denounced the final text.
So does Rio+20 signal the end of global consensus and action on environmental issues?
I remember June of 1992 in Rio de Janeiro vividly. The occasion was the world conference on environment and development. A large number of people had come out on the streets. They were protesting the arrival of George Bush senior, the then president of the US. Just before coming to the conference, Bush had visited a local shopping centre urging people to buy more so that the increased worldwide consumption could rescue his country from the prevailing financial crisis. Protesters were angered by his statement that "the American lifestyle is not negotiable". People wanted change in the way the world did business with the environment. They demanded that George Bush signed the climate convention and agreed to take on tough emission reductions. The mood was expectant, upbeat and pushy.
In June of 2012, the mood in Rio de Janeiro was markedly different. This time, as well, top leaders had come from the grand shopping market of G-20, where they stopped to discuss ways to spend more to get the world economic engines going. In fact many - from Barack Obama to Angela Merkel and David Cameron -- did not even bother to show up. Their countries are in the grips of elections and economic meltdowns and priorities have changed. They clearly have no time for issues like a melting and self-destructing Planet.
So, this time, in Rio the effort was to conclude business and do this as efficiently and painlessly as possible. This time as well civil society groups marched on the streets and gathered to furiously discuss a brave new world. Their venue was the people's summit - located some one hour away from where the officials were gathered. But they found that their voice, however loud, did not reach the negotiators. Instead, this time, civil society was conveniently mainstreamed into the process as representatives of major groups were given space to speak inside the negotiating rooms. This time, there was no need to shout it would seem. So, it would seem.
But the fact is that the final document has left the world cold and hungry. It will do little to solve the world's urgent interlinked crisis of economy and ecology. We know that the world has run out of time and certainly of ideas to dead with its current paradigm of growth, which is based on an unsustainable consumption pattern and lifestyle of a few. Rio+20 does nothing to move the world towards a fairer and greener world.
The only gain in Rio 2012 was that the world stopped itself, just in time, to go backwards. The final document is a victory for the developing world, in particular, India, because it reiterates the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respected capabilities. This guiding principle, hammered out with much acrimony in 1992, establishes the differentiation of action of different parts of the world. It is clearly not negotiable. So, 20 years later, the only gain we can celebrate is that the world did not dismantle the framework of justice and equity in global negotiations. This should never have been allowed to happen in the first place. But the reason is clear: the world has done little to follow up on the promises of Rio 1992. It is now looking for every excuse to get out of its commitment to change.
India, EU to begin talks on free trade agreement
New Delhi, June 24
Their is still a big question mark on whether the much-anticipated Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union (EU) will fructify this year. India and the EU will hold talks on Tuesday in Brussels to resolve differences over the pact that is expected to give a major boost to bilateral trade between the two sides.
Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma will hold substantive discussions with EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht to explore the possibility of signing the accord as early as possible, according to Joao Cravinho, EU Ambassador to India. The two sides would also review the progress made in the talks under way since 2007. The India-EU summit in February this year had set a deadline of the year-end for concluding the pact.
Asked if the accord could come through this year, Cravinho was quite evasive, saying ''both sides will need to make a trade off...I think it is within grasp.''
Indications are that Sharma and Gucht would deliberate on issues like opening of services sector, which still remain unresolved.
Cravinho expressed his disappointment over what he called New Delhi increasing protectionism by raising already high tariff on car import, erratic cotton exports policy and insisting on higher domestic content by foreign telecom manufacture in India.
“The EU is committed as a whole to trade liberalisation. However, there are some protectionist measures like the rising car tariffs in India, the country’s back and forth policy on cotton exports and the domestic content requirement in manufacturing of telecom equipment which need to be resolved," he said.
As part of the bilateral investment and trade agreement, the EU has been pitching for opening up automobiles, wines and spirits as part of the free trade agreement that is being negotiated between India and EU. However, the two sides are yet to arrive at a consensus on these critical issues as Indian automobile industry feels that this would hurt the domestic manufacturers.
India has, traditionally, kept automobiles in the negative list under free trade agreements with other countries like Japan, Malaysia, Korea, ASEAN and Singapore. The EU, meanwhile, is reluctant to open up movement of professionals from India to the EU under Mode 4 to ensure job creation for its own people. Besides, the grouping has also been raising non-trade issues like human rights, child labour and environment during the ongoing negotiations for a broad based agreement.
According to Cravinho, the European Commission has also mandated that the objective of the negotiation should be to push for a single investor treaty with India, instead of several bilateral investor treaties that India currently has with some EU nations. The European Commission has already indicated to India that it was now looking at a single investor treaty.
"This was not part of the investment agreement when we started in 2007. However, the mandate for a single investor treaty has widened the investment negotiations," he said, adding that though this will take several years before it comes into practice. This seems to be the fallout of the Indian government's recent move to retrospectively tax overseas transactions involving Indian assets in the Vodafone tax case.
India and the EU have been negotiating the FTA for the past five years. It was initially expected to be concluded in 2011. But differences on the level of opening of the market have hampered the progress on the negotiations. However, the two partners are now working at concluding a deal by the end of 2012. The EU as an economic bloc is India’s largest trade partner.
The objectives
The European Commission has also mandated that the objective of the negotiation should be to push for a single investor treaty with India instead of several bilateral investor treaties that India currently has with some EU nations. The Commission has already indicated to India that it was now looking at a single investor treaty. |
India strongly protests LoC firings at flag meet with Pak
Jammu, June 23
The much-awaited meeting between officials of the Indian and Pakistani Army was held today at Chakan-da-Bagh in Poonch district of J-K, with New Delhi, in strong words, conveying to Islamabad its concerns over recent truce violations in the KG Sector.
The much-awaited meeting between officials of the Indian and Pakistani Army was held today at Chakan-da-Bagh in Poonch district of J-K, with New Delhi, in strong words, conveying to Islamabad its concerns over recent truce violations in the KG Sector.
“We told them that border skirmishes were in nobody’s interest and such misadventures jeopardise peace initiatives between the two countries,” said an Army source.
“The Brigade Commander -level flag meeting commenced around 1100 hours at Chakan-da-Bagh and lasted till 1200 hours,” Jammu based Defence PRO, Col RK Palta said.
It has been reliably learnt that the meeting took place between 10 Brigade Commander, TS Sandhu and his Pakistani counterpart, 6 Sector Commander, Amir Sohail Ashraf. “We had been demanding a flag meeting with them, especially after June 13 when the Pakistani troops targeted out forward posts. It eventually happened today, providing us an opportunity to lodge our protest with them,” said a senior Army officer.
“With this meeting, we can now say that things will start moving in a positive direction,” he added.
The officer also hoped that once the differences were ironed out between the two armies, trans-LoC trade and travel would soon get back on rails.
The Pakistani troops had resorted to unprovoked firing on forward Indian posts in the KG Sector in Poonch on June 13. The heavy shelling continued till June 17. The firing forced the Army to deploy an artillery battalion in the KG Sector for the first time in the past one decade.
Army sources said the recent firing by the Pakistani troops was to facilitate infiltration of militants into J-K.
Cross-LoC trade and travel custodian, Abdul Hamid, said he was hopeful of resumption of trade and travel between the two sides after the flag meeting. “We hope that trade and travel via Chakan-da-Bagh will resume by July 2 and July 3,” he added.
Canada’s Best Sandwich contest winner announced
It was a sandwich-showdown in Toronto on Friday morning as the finalists in the first ever ACE Bakery Canada's Best Sandwich contest went head to head in a battle of the bun to determine who made the country's tastiest sandwich.
"It can be easy to get stuck making the same sandwiches from day to day," explains celebrity chef Lynn Crawford. "Through Canada's Best Sandwich contest, [we're] hoping to inspire Canadians to think outside the bread box, and create innovative and original sandwich recipes that also deliver on taste."
Contestants had 30 minutes to put their sandwich creation together, before presenting them to the panel of judges, which included celebrity chef Crawford, co-founder of ACE Bakery Linda Haynes and Marcus Mariathas, ACE Bakery's master baker.
The judges deliberated their decision for quite some time, saying all the recipes were just amazing and it was a very difficult decision between two excellent sandwiches.
Ultimately, it was Ontario's Thuy Nguyen Crawford's Lemongrass Steak Banh Mi that took the cake. Nguyen Crawford came up with the idea for the sandwich after her eldest son's baseball games left the family with little time to enjoy a meal together. "I wanted to create something we could share as a family," she says, "Family dinners are very important to us."
"To find Canada's best sandwich, ultimately everybody's looking for taste," says Crawford. "Thuy's combination of flavours, explosion of taste and beautiful presentation is what stood out to the judges and placed her a notch above."
The other three finalists were: Paul Arsenault from Lower Coverdale, New Bunswick, whose Grilled Fundy Coast Special sandwich featured buttered lobster as a nod to his fisherman ancestors; Christopher Delaney from Edmonton, Alberta, whose Tequila Lime Chicken sandwich featured a special glaze from a 17-year-old family recipe; and Mike DiCiero from Montreal, Quebec, whose Breaded Veal Cutlet sandwich was a nod to the "traditional leftover special Italian sandwich" his family enjoys.
After putting out the call to Canadians to submit their finest sandwich recipe and sifting though nearly 1,000 entrants from across the country, four regional winners were chosen to compete in the contest finale. Each regional winner was awarded a $1,000 cash prize, as well as a $1,000 donation to their favourite charity.
As the winner of the contest, Ngyuen Crawford was awarded an additional $5,000 cash prize with an additional $5,000 donation made to her charity of choice, the Alzheimer's Society of Hamilton Halton. You can find the recipe for her winning sandwich below.
(L-R: Arsenault's Grilled Fundy Coast Special, Delaney's Tequila Lime Chicken Sandwich and DiCiero's Breaded Veal …Lemongrass Steak Banh Mi with Spicy Garlic Aioli and Asian Coleslaw
Makes 4 sandwiches
2 large cloves of garlic, finely minced
3 Tbsp. (45 mL) minced lemongrass
4 Tbsp. (60 mL) fish sauce
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) honey
1 red Thai chili, finely minced
16 oz. sirloin steak cut 2 inches (5 cm) thick. Choose a high quality steak with lots of marbling.
1 ACE White Baguette
1 recipe Spicy Garlic Aioli
1 recipe Asian Coleslaw (Prepare at least 4 hours before sandwich assembly)
3 Tbsp. (45 mL) minced lemongrass
4 Tbsp. (60 mL) fish sauce
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) honey
1 red Thai chili, finely minced
16 oz. sirloin steak cut 2 inches (5 cm) thick. Choose a high quality steak with lots of marbling.
1 ACE White Baguette
1 recipe Spicy Garlic Aioli
1 recipe Asian Coleslaw (Prepare at least 4 hours before sandwich assembly)
In a container large enough to hold the steak, mix the garlic, lemongrass, fish sauce, honey and chili. Roll the steak in the marinade and marinate for at least 3 to 4 hours (or overnight) in the refrigerator.
Preheat barbecue or grill pan so that it is hot. Grill the steak to your desired doneness, approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium rare. Let the steak rest for 10 minutes.
Cut the baguette into 4 equal portions. Slice the baguette pieces lengthwise, but not all the way through, and grill for about 1 minute until toasted.
Slice the steak 1/8 to ¼ inch (0.3 to 0.6 cm) thick, against the grain.
Spread the Spicy Garlic Aioli on both top and bottom sides of the baguette portions. Layer the sliced steak on and then top with the Asian Coleslaw.
Spicy Garlic Aioli
½ cup (120 mL) mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) Sriracha (increase or decrease based on your desire of spiciness)
1 small clove of garlic, finely minced
1 tsp. (15 mL) fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) Sriracha (increase or decrease based on your desire of spiciness)
1 small clove of garlic, finely minced
1 tsp. (15 mL) fresh lemon juice
Mix all the ingredients together well.
Asian Coleslaw
The coleslaw should be made at least 4 hours (or overnight) before you are ready to assemble the sandwich. You can make extra to serve as a side salad or keep it overnight in the refrigerator.
3 Tbsp. (45 mL) fish sauce
3 Tbsp. (45 mL) sugar
1 garlic clove, finely minced
½ cup (120) fresh cilantro, chopped in 1-inch (2.5-cm) lengths
1 Thai chili thinly sliced (increase or decrease based on your desire of spiciness)
3 cups (720 mL) shredded green cabbage
1 cup (240 mL) peeled shredded carrots
1 Vidalia onion, thinly sliced to make ½ cup (120 mL)
3 Tbsp. (45 mL) sugar
1 garlic clove, finely minced
½ cup (120) fresh cilantro, chopped in 1-inch (2.5-cm) lengths
1 Thai chili thinly sliced (increase or decrease based on your desire of spiciness)
3 cups (720 mL) shredded green cabbage
1 cup (240 mL) peeled shredded carrots
1 Vidalia onion, thinly sliced to make ½ cup (120 mL)
Mix the fish sauce, vinegar, sugar and garlic together until the sugar is dissolved. Combine the remaining ingredients together and mix well. Pour the vinaigrette over the coleslaw mixture and toss.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)