Inuit organizations stated that they intend to fight “tendencies of linguicide” and to promote linguistic diversity in the face of development pressures at the 12th session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York this week.
According to Nunatsiaq Online, the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) stated that the Inuit language is rapidly disappearing in North America. The ICC represents Inuit across the Arctic Circle and has embarked on an “Arctic Indigenous Language Project”.
The ICC stated also that Arctic cultures must be a “focal point” in development decisions, particularly because culture and environment are inextricably linked. They stressed the importance of democratic decision-making and consent of local peoples in agreements with resource extraction companies, in ways that are both inclusive and preserving of culture.
A motion to ban Gay-Straight Alliance student clubs in Catholic schools, submitted by Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) Scarborough Trustee, Garry Tanuan, is set to be heard at the TCDSB’s monthly public meeting tonight (Catholic Education Centre, 80 Sheppard Ave. E., on Thursday, May 23 at 7 p.m.). The motion directly conflicts with provincial legislation under The Accepting Schools Act, which came into effect last June, and mandates that “[e]very board shall support pupils who want to establish and lead activities and organizations that promote a safe and inclusive learning environment, the acceptance of and respect for others and the creation of a positive school climate, including [. . .] organizations with the name gay-straight alliance.” Briefly put, the Act is intended to counteract the deeply harmful effects of harassment and discrimination experienced by students as bullying within schools. Read the rest of this entry »
Health Canada has approved a five-year deferral period for blood donation by men who have sex with men (MSM). Until yesterday, there had been a complete ban on blood donation by gay men.
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The U.S. government has acknowledged that four U.S. citizens have been killed during its controversial drone attack program. One of the four, Anwar al-Awlaki, was deliberately targeted, while the other three were not targeted but were reportedly killed during drone strikes aimed at others suspected of being terrorists.
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A seniors’ advocate is arguing that the mandatory medical testing for 80-year-old drivers in B.C. is arbitrary. B.C. drivers are required to have a medical assessment specific to driving skills conducted by a family doctor at the age of 80 and after this birthday they need to have a medical test every two years. The test assesses their cognitive and physical ability to drive but a road test is not required. Read the rest of this entry »
Alberta’s proposed information sharing legislation puts citizens’ abilities to control their personal and health information at risk, according to Information and Privacy Commissioner Jill Clayton.
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The B.C. Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) won a constitutional challenge at the B.C. Court of Appeal enabling them to freely express their political views through buttons and posters.
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The BC Civil Liberties Association announced the settlement of a lawsuit against the government of Canada, filed on behalf of an Aboriginal woman from Saskatchewan who was held in solitary confinement in a federal prison for more than 3.5 years.
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Almost 40,000 people have reportedly signed a petition asking Québec politicians to reject Bill 14. The controversial Bill provides for amendments to the Charter of the French Language , also known as Bill 101, as well as to the Québec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms.
Bill 14 affects almost every aspect of Québec life, including schools, municipalities, the language of work, the services sector, and the powers of inspection by Quebec’s “language police”. It purports to give government power to revoke municipalities’ bilingual status if their English-speaking populations fall below 50 percent, as well as to eliminate exemptions for military families who wish to send their children to English-speaking schools.
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According to CBC News, a Nova Scotian Provincial Court dismissed a Charter challenge that Nova Scotian regulations, which require tobacco products to be concealed in stores, violate freedom of expression. Bob Gee of Mader’s Tobacco was reportedly found guilty of openly violating these regulations, claiming that he wages a battle for democratic rights. Read the rest of this entry »
