Main Page – Page 48 – David Akin’s On The Hill

Harper on hockey: "an important part of our character"

Whether you're a fan of the prime minister or not, I think most Canadians would agree with his thoughtful analysis of our national game, which he sketches out some detail in an interview with Michael Farber of Sports Illustrated:

Although there are important sports in Canada — our own football, lacrosse — nothing does compete with hockey. It's on a different plane, to the extent where, rightly or wrongly, people see these sports as deeply reflective of the character of the nation [and] certainly deeply reflective of the sports culture of the nation. And sports culture is an important part of any nation. You can say soccer in many countries [is] just as important but … nobody has a national claim to soccer the way Canada has a national claim to hockey or the United States has a national claim to baseball. They define the country in a unique way.

It says, first and foremost, we're a northern country. It's an important part of our character. I was recently chatting about hockey with [Russia] President Medvedev. And, you know, we're the two coldest countries on earth, and not by coincidence, the two best hockey countries. Fairly consistently. It does say that. I think it also says something about the character. Hockey is a fast, aggressive, tough sport and that's an important part of the Canadian psychology and history. It's sometimes forgotten because Canadians are thought of as peace-loving and fair-minded and pleasant — which I think we are — but that's not inconsistent with tough and aggressive and ambitious, which is also part of the national character.

The other thing I should mention about hockey is this: From the fairly early days, [it was] culturally cross-cutting as well. It's English and French. It's pretty well all regions of the country. Ethnic communities. One of the first things you see [is] immigrants start to belong to Canadian society when their kids start to come to the hockey rink. Then the parents start to integrate with the other parents. It crosses social class lines. So it's a great common denominator. It really is.

stephen harper, hockey

Arar's U.S. lawyer: "never a clearer and more egregious case of abuse"

David Cole is law professor at Georgetown University and one of Canadian Maher Arar's lawyers in Arar's attempt to sue the United States for its role in his torture in Syria.

Cole writes about that case in a recent issue of the New York Review of Books:

Arar's claims were simple: to forcibly send him to Syria to be tortured violates the [U.S.] Constitution's due process clause, which the [U.S.] Supreme Court has interpreted as forbidding conduct that "shocks the conscience," as well as the Torture Victim Protection Act, which allows torture victims to sue those who subject them to torture "under color of foreign law." Courts have long held that torture is the paradigmatic example of conduct that "shocks the conscience" and violates due process. And Arar alleged that the US defendants sent him to Syria for the purpose of subjecting him to torture under Syrian law. These allegations were largely confirmed not only by the Canadian investigation, but also by the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general. In twenty-five years as a lawyer, I have never had a clearer and more egregious case of abuse.

Yet thus far the US courts have shut the door entirely on Arar, not even allowing him to offer proof
of his claims…

Cole critiques the decision made on Nov. 2, 2009 by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to bar Arar's claim by highlighting some of the views of the four dissenting judges on the 11-member appeals court:

Judge Barrington Parker, appointed to the Second Circuit by President George W. Bush, wrote that "if the Constitution ever implied a damages remedy, this is such a case—where executive officials allegedly blocked access to the remedies chosen by Congress in order to deliver a man to known torturers." Had Arar been able to get to a court to challenge his removal before federal officials put him on a plane, the court would plainly have had authority to review the case and forbid the removal; courts routinely enjoin removal when a foreign national faces a substantial risk of torture. The fact that the defendants lied to Arar's lawyer to keep her from filing an action when the torture could have been averted, in Parker's
view, only strengthened the case for a damages remedy after the fact; otherwise, the courts are essentially rewarding the obstruction of justice.
Judge Robert Sack reasoned that if Arar had been tortured by federal officials at JFK, he would indisputably have a right to sue, and that the defendants' choice to outsource his torture abroad should not insulate them from liability.

For Arar, the judgement by the Court of Appeals is bitterly ironic, given that particular court's history of crusading against torture wherever it happens …

In 1980, the same court that dismissed Arar's case ruled, in a landmark decision, Filartiga v. Pena-Irala, that federal courts could adjudicate claims by foreign citizens against foreign defendants for human rights violations committed abroad.
Filartiga involved a young man who had been abducted, tortured, and killed by a Paraguyan police chief. When the family learned that the officer had fled to the United States, they sued him in US court.
The Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit declared that the torturer is the "enemy of all mankind," and therefore may be sued for his wrongdoing wherever he is found.
The usual reluctance to have a US court pass judgment on overseas conduct not involving any American citizens was overcome by the fact that the prohibition on torture is universal. Since that decision, US courts have adjudicated human rights claims involving brutality in Burma, South Africa, Yugoslavia, Nigeria, Mexico, the Philippines, Argentina, and many other nations. The Supreme Court upheld the practice in 2004. Yet according to the Second Circuit, the same sorts of claims are too sensitive to permit adjudication when brought against US officials.

Tags: human rights, torture, david cole, maher arar

Monster U.S. deficits; national daycare; and a light for hard rock miners; Tuesday's A1 headlines and Parliamntary daybook

Obama's monster deficits; Liberals float a national daycare plan while Windsor shuts its plan down; and some light at the end of the labour tunnel for Sudbury's hard rock miners. Listen to my four-minute audio roundup of what's on the front pages of the country's newspapers plus highlights from Tuesday's Parliamentary daybook by clicking on the link below.

You can also get these audio summaries automatically every day via podcast from iTunes or via an RSS feed by subscribing to my AudioBoo stream. Both the iTunes link and the RSS link are at my profile at AudioBoo.fm. Look under my picture on the left hand side of the page.

[Audio hiccups at beginning of file are Audioboo.fm's fault, not mine. Apologies nonetheless.]

Tags: national post, globe and mail, toronto star, obama, daycare, oil sands

PR People: Thoughts on my polite but firm anti-spam letter

So here's my dilemma: I want to encourage communications professionals to tell me what's going on but I also want to encourage them to think about who it is they are sending their stuff, too. I try hard not be rude to PR types because, even though I might be bored and impatient with today's pitch, the pitch or inside info they have for me tomorrow might one that gets me on a front page somewhere.

Recently, though, I've been getting a lot of unsolicited, inappropriate PR bumpf from American PR firms whose message is clearly targeted to a U.S. domestic audience. Here's the text of the e-mail I'm using to reply:

I’m a reporter based in Ottawa, Canada covering Canadian federal politics. If you’ve got something that you think would interest readers/viewers in Canada, please let me know.

This ain’t it, though.

I put a lot of thought into the stories I write that are read by millions of Canadians and I prefer PR professionals who approach their job as seriously as I approach mine. Here in Canada, most PR firms take the time to know what I write about it before adding me to their e-mail lists. Stuffing this in my inbox doesn’t reflect well on your firm. It is evidence of thoughtlessness.

And while it’s easy enough to hit the delete key on your messages or set up a junk mail filter, there’s a good chance that you will one day have a client or message that is important to my readers. And I want to be sure when that day happens, you’ll tell me about it. Until then, though, ease up a bit ..

See blog/twitter/facebook, etc. for more info about my beat and assignments: (Full co-ords in sig file) Look forward to hearing from you when you know a little bit more about me and my readers.

What do you think? Am I too saucy? I'm want to be firm — no more spam — but I want to leave the door open for a future relationship. Suggestions?

Tags: public relations, communications, pitches, journalism

Bill Clinton to Canada on Haiti: "You should be very proud"

At the World Economic Forum here in Davos, Switzerland, former U.S. President Bill Clinton led a session on Haiti. The audience here at the annual WEF is made up of world leaders, philanthropists, chief executives, NGOs and others.

After Clinton's appearance on the mainstage, Clinton met with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper for about 30 minutes. They talked mostly about Haiti.

As they left their meeting, I asked Clinton ho"w he felt about Canada's response to the disaster. Here's what he said:

"It has been unbelievable. First, the Canadian people are so generous. I’ll bet you on a per capita basis, they’re number one in the world now in helping Haiti. Probably because of the Prime Minister’s matching grant program but for whatever reason, the Canadians have all given money and all want to support it. You should be very proud of that. There is a big Haitian diaspora in Canada but this goes way beyond that. I’m very grateful."

Clinton paused for a handshake photo-op with Harper and then actually sought out the Canadian media contingent among the throng of reporters trying to get a word from Clinton. Here's my transcript:

CLINTON: Who — Where is the Canadian press?

REPORTERS: Right here! Right here! Over there!

CLINTON: (Turning to Harper) You want to say anything else about this?

PRIME MINISTER STEPHEN HARPER: As you know, Haiti is a big priority for us and we’re delighted with the work President Clinton is doing. And we talked about how we can partner even more as we go forward in the future. As the President has said, it’s day-to-day, week-to-week now but we’re starting to look at the long-term and that’s the focus we’re going to have going forward.

REPORTER: Are you guys concerned that, after the immediate rush to aid, that people are going to forget about Haiti and then in the years to come — I know it’s a commitment 10 years you’re talking about Prime Minister — but is there concern people will forget about Haiti in two years time?

HARPER: Well, for us, as you know, Haiti has been our number two foreign aid priority in the world, number one in the Americas. And that’s only going to get bigger in the future for us. I hope it’s true for everyone else.

CLINTON: I think it won’t happen — the United States and Canada have the biggest Haitian diaspora, along with France. We won’t forget. And I think if we organize this properly so that both the people in Haiti and the donors, from those that give five dollars to those that give five million, see that progress is being made and see that it’s being done in a transparent, open, accountable way, I think that this earthquake and how people have seen how brave the Haitians have been and what they’ve learned about Haiti — its culture, its history, its past — have captured the imagination of the whole world. I think it’s really the question is those of us in the middle of this have to stand and deliver. We have to do this right and I think if we do it right and progress is made then that commitment will stay there.

Tags: Haiti Bill clinton, stephen harper

Buy American ends?; Obama's big speech, and unhappy doctors: Thursday's top headlines and Parliamentary daybook

The end of 'Buy American'?; Obama's big speech, and unhappy doctors: Listen to my four-minute audio roundup of what's on the front pages of the country's newspapers plus highlights from Thursday's Parliamentary daybook by clicking on the link below.

Rebuilding Haiti; building NHL rinks; and Snowskatchewan: Tuesday's Top newspaper headlines and parliamentary daybook

Rebuiding Haiti; trying to build a new rink for the Oilers; and Snow-Skatchewan : Listen to my four-minute audio roundup of what's on the front pages of the country's newspapers plus highlights from Tuesday's Parliamentary daybook by clicking on the link below.

Tags: national post, globe and mail, toronto star, haiti

globe and mail, haiti, national post, toronto star

"Your vote is an inheritance and a trust"

I am very glad to have happened upon The History of London, a book written in 1894 by Sir Walter Besant (1836-1901 ) which I discovered through a Librivox audiobook read very capably by volunteer Ruth Golding. Deep in the book, Besant tells why he thinks his history is important and as a historian who (hopes) he is only sidetracked into journalism, I found myself rather inspired by this passage:

Consider how your liberties have grown silently and steadily out of the original free institutions of your Saxon ancestors. They have grown as the trunk, the tree, the leaves, the flower, the fruit, grow from the single seed. The Folk Mote, the 'Law worthiness' of every man, the absence of any Over Lord but the King, have kept London always free and ready for every expansion of her liberties. Respect, therefore, the ancient things which have made the City–and the country–what it is. Trust that the further natural growth of the old tree–still vigorous–will be safer for us than to cut it down and plant a sapling, which may prove a poison tree. And with the old institutions respect the old places….You will be better citizens of the present for knowing about the citizens of the past.

2. The next lesson is your duty to your country. .. You have the same rights that your ancestor had. He was jealous over them: he fought to the death to preserve them and to strengthen them. Be as jealous, for they are far more important to you than ever they were to him. You have a hundred times as much to defend: you have dangers which he did not know or fear. Show your jealousy by exercising your right as the most sacred duty you have to fulfil. Your vote is an inheritance and a trust. You have inherited it direct from the Angles and the Jutes: as you exercise that vote so it will be ill or well with you and your children. Be very jealous of the man you put in power: learn to distinguish the man who wants place from the man who wants justice: vote only for the right man: and do your best to find out the right man. It is difficult at all times. You may make it less difficult by sending to the various Parliaments of the country a man you know, who has lived among you, whose life, whose private character, whose previous record you know instead of the stranger who comes to court your vote. Above all things vote always and let the first duty in your mind always be to protect your rights and your liberties.

Tags: walter besant, london, history, democracy, voters

Bashing Wall Street; an oil sands boom; and the torch is back in B.C.: Friday's headlines and Parliamentary daybook

Obama bashes Wall Street; billions for oil sands development; and B.C. gets the Olympic torch back : Listen to my four-minute audio roundup of what's on the front pages of the country's newspapers plus highlights from Friday's Parliamentary daybook by clicking on the link below.

Tags: national post, globe and mail, toronto star, obama, milk, oil sands

Razing Port-au-Prince? Day readies cuts; and many in B.C. don't like the Olympics: Headline summary and Thursday's Parliamentary daybook

Razing Port-au-Prince?; Day gets ready to cut; and some British Columbians are down on the Olympics : Listen to my three-minute audio roundup of what's on the front pages of the country's newspapers plus highlights from Tuesday's Parliamentary daybook by clicking on the link below.

*Note: There appears to be a few audio glitches with this file — something that looks to be at AudioBoo's end and, as a result, is beyond my ability to fix.