With 20 years having passed since the start of the Iraq War, it is fascinating to look back at who spoke out against the war and who didn’t, including most surprisingly, left-wing journalist Christopher Hitchens. This year marks 20 years since the start of the Iraq War. Reading some … [Read more...]
A Faith Perspective: Canada’s ban on conversion therapy
An essay on what Canada’s ban on conversion therapy means to me as an advocate for inclusion and safety for 2SLGBTQ+ people in faith communities. My name is Pam Rocker. I am the Director of Affirming Connections, an organization based in Southern Alberta. We support the voices of people of faith, … [Read more...]
Supporting Canada’s Ban on Conversion Therapy: A cisgender, straight woman’s perspective
I am a cisgender, straight woman. So, what does the ban on conversion therapy mean to me? A lot! Given how I just identified myself, you may be wondering why I would be so supportive of something that is seemingly outside of my reality. Well … if one wonders that, one may not get the point of … [Read more...]
Sorrowful Soliloquies: I Am Ariel Sharon (Part 1)
I Am Ariel Sharon by Yara El-Ghadban is a timely novel that sheds light on the ongoing tragedy of the Palestinian people. Part 1 of this article describes how Canadian politics, institutions and media have responded to the Israel-Palestine conflict, providing context for my review of I Am Ariel … [Read more...]
Sorrowful Soliloquies: I Am Ariel Sharon (Part 2)
I Am Ariel Sharon by Yara El-Ghadban, is a timely novel that sheds light on the ongoing tragedy of the Palestinian people. Part 1 of this article described how Canadian politics, institutions and media have responded to the Israel-Palestine conflict, providing context for my review below of I Am … [Read more...]
Access to Justice During COVID-19 and the Jordan Case
How are delays in court processes due to COVID-19 considered when assessing the Jordan time limits for the right to be tried within a reasonable time? In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Since then, the pandemic has affected the functioning of many … [Read more...]
The Charter of Rights and Freedoms and Migrant Farm Workers
Each year, between 50K and 60K migrant farm workers come to Canada. But are their working conditions in violation of the Charter? “The fight is never about grapes or lettuce. It is always about people.”- Cesar Chavez, civil rights and farm labour activist Chavez uttered those words in 1970 in the … [Read more...]
Roger Casement: Hedgehog ahead of his time
Roger Casement, the subject of Jordan Goodman's The Devil and Mr. Casement, was a leader in the modern human rights movement. Roger Casement was a giant in the modern human rights movement that emerged in the twentieth century. Indeed, Casement courageously, and with great determination and skill, … [Read more...]
Should Non-Citizen Residents be Allowed to Vote in Canada?
Canadians voted federally in September, and Albertans head back to the polls in October for municipal elections. But who has the right to vote in these elections? The right to vote is the foundation of democracy, and democracy cannot be established without it. Voting allows individuals to affect … [Read more...]
A Troubled Prosecutor on a Quest in Fujimori’s Peru
Santiago Roncagliolo's Red April offers a gripping and insightful look into the terrors in Peru in 2000, especially towards Indigenous peoples. Like Canada, Peru has a long and troubled colonial relationship with its Indigenous peoples. Today, Canada is making strides in the vital process of … [Read more...]
