Posts Tagged ‘rights’

Quebec Crushing Charter of Rights

Friday, May 18th, 2012

Watch out, Quebeckers, North Korea is coming. And its name is emergency Bill 78.

Penned during an all-night session by Premier Jean Charest’s government, this bill sets strict limits on public demonstrations and threatens stiff penalties to anyone trying to exercise their right to gather in protest and exercise free speech.

“This bill, if adopted, is a breach to the fundamental, constitutional rights of the citizens,” says the bar association president Louis Masson, who goes on to note how “The scale of its restraints on fundamental freedoms isn’t justified by the objectives aimed by the government.”

The precedent set here isn’t just bad for Quebec, it’s bad for our entire country. If they can do it there, why not everywhere?

So a handful of individuals seize the protests as opportunity to resort to vandalism and violence and the entire movement gets punished. How typical! No wonder police go undercover to disturb the peace… it so readily negates populist uprisings.

Which is really too bad, because I love what the students have been doing. I love their energy, their spirit, and their tenacity in the face of a domineering establishment. And really, their cause is just. Sure, they already pay the lowest tuition in all of Canada, and the hikes are relatively small. But that’s no reason not to expect better.

Instead of hating on Quebec’s students for being engaged in our democracy, maybe a better question is ‘Why aren’t the rest of Canadian students out demanding lower costs for themselves?’

Police Violated Civil Rights – G20 Report

Thursday, May 17th, 2012

Dark days happened in 2010 as security forces caused the largest mass arrests in Canadian history.

Now, a new report confirms what many already knew – during the G20 summit police violated civil rights, detained people illegally, and used excessive force.

The 300-page report finds that “Numerous police officers used excessive force when arresting individuals and seemed to send a message that violence would be met with violence,” continuing on to state “The reaction created a cycle of escalating responses from both sides.”

The report also lambasted the unprecedented use of ‘kettling’, where protesters are corralled by riot squads into closed off areas to be detained and arrested. It is during kettling, where protesters are backed into a corner, where clashes can reach a boiling point and fatalities can occur.

So police were overbearing and essentially silenced attempts at peaceful protest. But what else is there to expect when the government spends 664 million on security? Had nothing happened, the price tag might have seem unjustified.

Still, what is most damning about this entire report is the utter lack of accountability. The authors of the report seem appeased to know their recommendations might be considered by police departments in the future.

But this does little to protect Canadian free speech. How about some firings or fines or something to teach the police a lesson? If anything, the lack of repercussions will just encourage more of the same in the future.

What would be nice to see is a clear message sent to police departments across the nation: do not stifle dissent, do not crush protests, do not silence free speech, do not impede peaceful assembly. Otherwise you will face stiff consequences.

Until that happens, ham-handed security will be free to trample our rights the next time we unite against the injustices of the system.

Update – May 17, 2012 Senior Toronto police commanders are expected to be charged in coming weeks for a variety of misconduct offences over their leadership at the G20 summit in June 2010, according to reports from the CBC.

Awesome! This is more than just a slap on the wrist, or at least it could be.

Israel Losing Popularity Contest

Wednesday, May 16th, 2012

Israel has, for quite some time, been one of the world’s most negatively viewed countries, ranking on par with North Korea. And now in 2012 the Zionist nation has dropped even further in the eyes of humankind, according to an annual BBC survey. (more…)

Major Supermarket Boycotts Goods from Israeli Settlements

Sunday, April 29th, 2012

Yesterday’s post concerning Israel’s slow onslaught towards the Palestinian people concluded by noting that Israel’s atrocities would soon be ending. The world’s people are waking up to the injustice and are set to rise together and make Israel stop.

These words make for a warm, gushy sentiment, but without something concrete it’s hard to visualize exactly where I’m coming from.

As if answering my calls, one of the UK’s biggest grocers – The Co-Operative Group – announced it will be ending trade with any company that exports produce from illegal Israeli settlements. Wow!

The move was welcomed by Palestinian human rights campaigners saying it was the first time a supermarket anywhere in the West had taken such a position.

The Co-op was quick to point out how this wasn’t not a boycott against Israel as a whole, just a trade ban on anyone directly involved with Israel’s illegal settlements on Palestinian land.

It may be a small step, but it’s still moving forward. Money talks, and hitting businesses in the pocketbooks can be one of the most effective ways to enact political change.

As more of the international community follow suit and a significant chunk of Israel’s trade partners dry up, the State of Israel will have no choice but to capitulate to the will of the world’s people and finally cease their crimes against humanity.

Israel Orders Palestinian Village to Uproot Olive Trees

Saturday, April 28th, 2012

Human rights violations continue unabated this week as the State of Israel ordered Palestinian farmers in the West Bank to uproot 1400 olive trees by May 1st, or face heavy fines and incarceration.

The olive trees, some of which are 1000s of years old, grow on Palestinian land and serve as the main source of livelihood for the Palestinian farmers. (more…)

CISPA: The Return of SOPA

Thursday, April 5th, 2012

We knew this day would come. SOPA – the Internet-destroying bill we rallied together to destroy – is back! Legislators, hell-bent on crippling digital freedoms and stifling the incredible power of social media, have drafted a bill which is even worse than the one we shot down.

The Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) forces Internet providers and other online businesses to hand user data over to government agencies upon request, no warrant or court oversight needed.

What’s the big deal?, you may ask. They just want to stop rampant piracy, right? That’s what the pretense is, but the subtext is to give more tools for the government to quash dissent.

Just as the PATRIOT act was supposed to fight violent extremist but ended up being used for non-terror related crimes, CISPA is likely to be used for silencing critics and impeding social uprisings rather than tackling what mega-corporations deem to be illegitimate file-sharing.

This means it’s time to, once again, rally the troops. We cannot tire. We cannot relent. Corporations will never cease trying to strip us of our power, so we can never stop fighting for our rights.

Ideally, this time we will rise in such great numbers, with such a tremendous fury, that anti-Internet legislators will think twice before drafting the next cockamamie bill they try to push down our throats.

Israel and Human Rights – Parting Ways

Monday, March 26th, 2012

You know how when you catch a liar in a lie, they overreact and get all angry and hostile? That’s pretty much what the State of Israel has just done.

The United Nations human rights council decided to establish an international investigation into abuses committed in the West Bank settlements. And in response, Israel has severed all ties with that branch of the UN.

Oh, what… afraid that your horrendous, ongoing atrocities will be exposed? Too bad. The world is waking up, no matter how hard you try and hide. (more…)

Extinct, Enslaved or Empowered?

Wednesday, March 14th, 2012

Navigating between extinction and enslavement, brave humankind could very well avoid both to reach compelling new heights.

Neils Bohr once said that prediction is very difficult, especially if it’s about the future. Despite the words of caution from the pioneering quantum physicist, I’d like to offer you my take on the three potential futures that we, as a species, are facing.

The first is extinction. This is where the human race is no more because we’ve wiped ourselves out in some foolish conflict or scientific mishap. Either that, or the universe conspires to eliminate us using it’s vast arsenal. There’s not a lot we can do to avoid this, apart from building peace instead of war.

The good news, despite what the mainstream media may want us to believe, is that humankind is actually the most peaceful we’ve ever been. (more…)

Make Cops Wear Cameras

Wednesday, February 29th, 2012

Imagine if cops had to wear cameras where the video is streamed to a public database. How would they act with an unblinking and unbiased witness forever leaving them open to the people’s scrutiny?

Here’s my prediction: there would be less abuse of power. Police misconduct happens when they know they can get away with it. But under and ever-present eye to watch them, they’ll find it much harder to abuse the authority they’ve been entrusted with. (more…)

Bill C-30: Yay for Now

Saturday, February 25th, 2012

Canadians can breathe a sigh of relief, albeit a temporary one. Bill C-30 – the legislation to give police unwarranted access to every Canadian’s online activity – has been shelved!

Don’t, however, take this as a reason to become complacent. The forces trying to cram C-30 down our throats will not rest, so neither can we. It is up to us to stay vigilant against the encroachment of the police state and further erosion of our freedoms.

On the bright side, at least now we know that our voices will still be heard, as long as we speak up together.