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VOL. 4 NO. 317

PRRD MEETS KUWAITI ENVOY

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Ambassador of Kuwait to the Philippines Musaed Saleh Ahmad Althwaikh exchange pleasantries following their meeting at the Presidential Guest House in Davao City on April 23, 2018. Also in the photo are Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III and Special Assistant to the President Christopher Bong Go. ARMAN BAYLON / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Workers on Boracay closure: ‘It’s painful, but rewarding’

BY AZER PARROCHA Philippine News Agency BORACAY — Two days before the crown jewel of the country’s tourism industry, Boracay Island, closes its doors to tourists, workers hit by its closure flocked to the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s extension office here Tuesday, after the agency opened its Op-

erations Center to assist affected workers and residents.

One of the more than a hundred displaced workers who lined up at the social welfare department’s office was Samia Macalanggan, who came to the island all the way from Marawi City some 10 years ago just to earn a living.

Macalanggan was one of the many

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Absence of written Boracay closure not a major concern — Malacañang

15 A Woman of Many Hats: Lucy Lombos

❱❱ PAGE 9 Workers on

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HRW: Dela Rosa should be held accountable for bloody war on drugs

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer A RIGHTS watchdog on Tuesday, April 17, said the outgoing Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa should answer for the deaths linked to the administration’s war against drugs.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) Asia Division researcher Carlos Conde said dela Rosa, who is set to end his 21-month term, will leave behind a police force “with a sordid human rights record unmatched since the Marcos dictatorship.”

“As police chief, dela Rosa deployed the forces that have waged President Rodrigo Duterte’s murderous ‘war on drugs.’ That campaign has targeted mainly urban slum dwellers and resulted in the deaths of more than 12,000 men, women, and children by police and police-backed vigilantes,” Conde stressed.

Conde called the top cop as an “enthusiastic supporter” of the anti-illegal drug campaign which the President launched in 2016, citing his rejection of concerns about the increasing death rate of the police operations.

“He slammed calls by lawmakers for an investigation into the killings as ‘legal harassment,’ saying it ‘dampens the morale’ of police officers,” Conde said.

Based on the “Real Numbers” update from the PNP, almost 4,000 drug suspects were killed in the anti-drug cam-

Ex-PNP Chief Ronald Dela Rosa.

paign between July 1, 2016 to January 17, 2018. The rights groups, however, questioned the veracity of the government’s statistics, saying that the numbers could be higher.

“Human Rights Watch research found that many of the killings have been summary executions in which police or their agents planted weapons and drugs on bodies and then claimed the victims had ‘fought back,’” he explained.

“No one has been held to account for these killings,” he added.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has begun a preliminary examination on the crimes allegedly committed under Duterte’s drug war.

Conde said that there is also a “growing momentum inside the United Nations (UN) for a separate UN inquiry.”

“These developments suggest that sooner or later, dela Rosa may be held to account for the bloody campaign he so zealously endorsed,” he continued.

Facing the 180,000-strong police force in his last flag raising ceremony, the top cop on Monday, April 16, thanked his men for all their efforts and support during his nearly two-year stint as PNP chief.

While giving thanks to his men, dela Rosa also apologized to them if he was not able to meet their expectations, adding that he did everything he could do as their leader.

Dela Rosa will soon lead the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) after his retirement from his police service. ■

PNP

Gadon faces 4th disbarment complaint from Pinoy Ako blogger

BY BEA KIRSTEIN T. MANALAYSAY Philippine Canadian Inquirer

“peaceful.”

“Gadon’s acts and raising the dirty finger without provocation against peaceful protesters are conduct unbecoming of a lawyer and grossly immoral conTHE LAWYER behind one of the im- duct,” the complaint read. peachment complaints against the However, Laurio also accused Gadon country’s Chief Justice is facing his of gross ignorance of the law for his imfourth disbarment complaint, this time peachment complaint against Sereno. filed by a blogger.

“The legal principle that impeachable Pinoy Ako Blog’s (PAB’s) Jover Laurio public officers – especially including the filed the said complaint against Attor- Chief Justice – cannot be removed from ney Lorenzo “Larry” Gadon on April 24, office except by impeachment and they Tuesday. cannot be criminally or administratively Accusing Gadon charged is very basic of committing gross and elementary,” the ignorance of the law complaint stated. and grossly immoral Meanwhile, ABSconduct, Laurio and CBN quoted Laurio several other comGadon’s acts and telling the reportraising the dirty plainants filed the ers, “‘Yung ginawa finger without said case before the niya, bukod sa hindi provocation against Integrated Bar of the magandang halimbapeaceful protesters Philippines (IBP). wa sa mga abogado, are conduct The complaint hindi rin magandang unbecoming of a stemmed from Gahalimbawa sa mga lawyer and grossly don’s actions and kabataan. Sabi niya, immoral conduct. reactions to the supokay lag ma-disbar ‘di porters of the chief ba? Eh ‘di ibigay namagistrate Maria tin ‘yung hiling niya Lourdes Sereno on (What he did was not April 10. just a bad example Gadon was already to other lawyers, but booed while he was in the middle of an also a bad example to the youth. He did interview with the media, but when one say that he was fine with being disbarred of Sereno’s supporters taunted him, the right? Then let us give him that wish).” said lawyer raised his middle finger and Last week, groups of students and acdelivered oral profanity to the support- tivists already filed disbarment cases ers. Gadon’s actions were recorded by against Gadon for his profanity. His the media who filmed him for the inter- very first disbarment complaint was two view. years ago when he said that Muslims While this was the case, Laurio in must be killed for Mindanao to have her complaint, still called the protest peace. ■

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Philippine News

APRIL 27, 2018

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De Lima makes it to Fortune’s World’s 50 Greatest Leaders

BY BEA KIRSTEIN T. MANALAYSAY Philippine Canadian Inquirer DESCRIBED AS Fortune Magazine’s “annual list of thinkers, speakers, and doers who are stepping up to meet today’s challenges,” the magazine featured detained Senator Leila De Lima in its World’s 50 Greatest Leaders.

“President Rodrigo Duterte’s hard-line policies against drug dealers are polarizing globally, but in the Philippines, they’ve faced little dissent. De Lima who headed a committee investigating hundreds of extrajudicial killings under Duterte’s leadership has been a noble exception,” the magazine wrote.

“Last February, she was ar-

rested and jailed for as-yet-untried crimes, but imprisonment hasn’t stopped the firebrand from continuing to speak out publicly,” it added.

De Lima ranked 39th in the New York-based business magazine’s list which included country presidents, chief executive officers (CEOs), and other leaders. She is the only personality from the Philippines to make it on the list.

The students that fought against gun violence in relation to shootings, Gates Foundation Founders Bill Gates and Melinda Gates, The #MeToo Movement, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, and Merck CEO Kenneth Frazier topped the 50 Greatest Leaders.

Currently, De Lima, one of Duterte’s staunch critics is de-

tained in Camp Crame. She was arrested in February last year for drug charges filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) — a department she used to be the secretary of.

“Karangalan ko po na ako ay makulong sa mga pinaglalaban ko po… Inosente po ako. Wala pong katotohanan, pawing kasinungalingan po ang mga pinaparating nila sa’kin na ako’y ‘di umano nakinabang sa droga… Lalabas po ang katotohanan sa tamang panahon (It is an honor to be in jail for something that I am fighting for… I am innocent. There is no truth in that, those allegations that I benefitted from drugs are lies…

The truth will come out in the right time),” the female senator said on the day of her detention. ■

Robredo calls columnist ‘purveyor of fake news’

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer VICE PRESIDENT Leni Robredo on Monday, April 23, slammed The Manila Times columnist Rigoberto Tiglao after the latter linked her and the Liberal Party (LP) to the recent European (EU) Parliament’s resolution that called on the Philippine government to put an immediate end to its campaign against illegal drugs.

“I don’t read his columns nor do I know him. One thing I can say is he definitely is a purveyor of fake news,” Robredo said in a Tweet.

“Never saw or spoke or communicated with a single EU official or representative while I was in Germany,” she added.

Tiglao, in his April 23 column, noted that the EU resolution was passed and introduced without debate. This, according to his unnamed sources, was made possible “through the efforts of the Liberal Party and its foreign supporters, the German Friedrich Nauman Foundation and the Liberal International’s affiliated parties in the Euro-

Vice President Leni Robredo.

pean Parliament.”

“I was also told that Vice President Leni Robredo and her Liberal Party colleagues during their trip last week to Germany sponsored by the German foundation also met with German members of the European Parliament to urge them to have the April 18 resolution passed,” he added.

In a separate post on Facebook, the Vice President defended that she did not meet a single member or representative of the EU Parliament, adding that she has no idea where Tiglao got his “information.”

Absence of written Boracay closure not a major concern — Malacañang

OFFICE OF THE VP

“The trip was scheduled as early as October 2017 and was intended to be an opportunity to engage German academics, members of Civil Society, and officials on poverty alleviation and women empowerment,” she stressed.

Robredo also insisted that she must continue to call out “fake news.”

The Vice President and her LP members recently drew flak for posing and taking a photo at the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin, Germany. Robredo has since expressed her apologies and said that she took “full responsibility” of the gaffe. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

JUST TWO days before the closure of the famous White Beach, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. downplayed the absence of a declaration of a state of calamity on the island.

Speaking in a press conference on Tuesday, April 24, Roque said, “Well, wala pa. Pero (none yet. But), come on, it’s just a matter of the President signing it. Okay?”

Roque added that people have already been informed that Boracay would be closed as President Rodrigo Duterte had announced it earlier.

“The people have been told, they know that there will be a closure; there will be a declaration of state natural calamity. It’s just a matter of the President signing the documents, and it can be signed any time now,” the spokesperson stressed.

The proclamation of state of calamity is needed for purposes of fast tracking procurement for the rehabilitation expected to take place during the sixmonth island closure.

The proclamation also allows the “programming or reprogramming of funds for the repair and safety upgrading of

public infrastructure and facilities,” the Official Gazette stated.

However, Roque said that this should not be a cause for concern because the funds are available anyway.

“Walang problema po doon (There is no problem there) because the funds are there. So you just need the proclamation para magamit nga (so it can be used). So as soon as it is signed, you can use the funds,” the Palace official explained.

“The President made sure na bago isasara iyan, lalung-lalo na iyong pantawid sa mga nagtatrabaho sa Boracay, ay naririyan (that before its closure, especially the funds which will be used to assist Boracay workers, are there),” he continued.

The world-famous tourist destination will be closed on April 26, Thursday, following the President’s directive.

It was the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources, Interior and Local Government, and Tourism that recommended the closure of Boracay from foreign and local tourists.

Calling Boracay a “cesspool” in February, Duterte threatened to shut down the popular tourist destination if the island’s environmental issues will not be addressed in six months. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY APRIL 27, 2018

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Sison tells Duterte he will return if peace talks advance

BY BEA KIRSTEIN T. MANALAYSAY Philippine Canadian Inquirer AFTER THE President’s invitation, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines’ (NDFP’s) Chief Political Consultant said that he will return to the Philippines if the peace talks of the communist rebels and the administration advance.

“In response, I declare that I will certainly return home when a significant advance in the peace negotiations has been achieved within the framework of The Hague Joint Declaration and when my comrades and lawyers are satisfied with legal and security precautions,” Professor Jose Maria “Joma” Sison said in a statement on April 23, Monday.

Expressing confidence that the NDFP negotiating panels, consultants, and drafting teams can produce the necessary documents to resume the peace negotiations by next week, Sison also thanked President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s invitation.

“I thank President Duterte for his expressed wish for my soonest homecoming and for his assurance of hospitality and guarantees for my safety. I have long wished that we could meet again and cooperate closely in enabling the peace pro-

.CPP founder Jose Maria Sison.

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cess to advance from one item to another in the substantive agenda,” he said.

However, the NDPF chief political consultant also mentioned how his return will not only be for the resumption of peace talks as it could also be dangerous.

“While we encourage the GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines) and NDFP negotiating panels to prepare for the resumption of the peace negotiations, we must consider that if I return to the Philippines prematurely, I expose not only myself but also the entire peace process to extremely high risks of violent sabotage and termina-

Divorce obtained vs. foreign spouse abroad also valid in PH

BY CHRISTOPHER LLOYD CALIWAN Philippine News Agency MANILA — The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday upheld the validity of a divorce case filed by a Filipina in another country against her foreign husband.

SC spokesman Theodore Te announced the decision during magistrates’ summer session in Baguio City on Tuesday.

“The Court, voting 10-3-1, ruled that a foreign divorce secured by a Filipino against a foreign spouse is also considered valid in the Philippines, even if it is the Filipino spouse who files for divorce abroad,” Te said.

Dissenting in the decision are Associate Justices Mariano Del Castillo, Estela Perlas-Bernabe and Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa while Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza inhibited from the case.

On Dec. 6, 2011, a Japanese court granted the divorce case filed by Marelyn Tanedo Manalo against her husband Minoru Yoshino.

Manalo took her case to a court in Dagupan City so that the judgment in the foreign court can be recognized in the Philippines.

The lower court, however, denied her petition prompting her to bring the case to the Court of Appeals (CA).

The CA reversed the lower court’s decision in 2014.

The provision interpreted by the Court is Article 26 (2) of the Family Code, which provides: Art. 26. All marriages solemnized outside the Philippines, in accordance with the laws in force in the country where they are solemnized, and valid there as such, shall also be valid in this country, except those prohibited under Articles 35(1), (4), (5), and (6), 36, 37, and 38.

“Where a marriage between a Filipino citizen and a foreigner is validly celebrated and a divorce is thereafter validly obtained abroad by the alien spouse capacitating him or her to remarry, the Filipino spouse shall likewise have capacity to remarry under Philippine law,” Te said as he read the high court’s decision. ■

tion by spoilers who are out to terminate the peace process once and for all,” Sison explained.

He also listed three points that the GRP and the NDFP should prioritize on to resume the peace negotiations.

1. Making a memorandum of agreement to respect existing agreements prior to Proclamation 360 (which terminated the peace process) and to remove the obstacles and hindrances to the participation of a significant number of NDFP negotiators, consultants and ex-

perts in the peace negotiations.

2. Drafting the mutually satisfactory agreements on ceasefire and amnesty of the political prisoners as well as the parts of the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER) on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development and National Industrialization and Economic Development.

3. Signing and approving the agreements well within the 60-day frame that President Duterte has set by way of resuming the peace negotiations.

On April 21, Saturday evening, Duterte made his proposal to Sison in a speech during the 24th National Federation of Motorcycle Clubs of the Philippines (NFMCP) Annual Convention in Legazpi City.

“I created a small window – 60 days.

My proposal to Sison, I will not go there.

We’re fighting for the Philippines, so you come here,” the President said and even offered to pay for Sison’s fare, billeting, and food.

“Take advantage of that 60 days. If it succeeds, then I would like to thank God first and the Filipino people and the military and the police for their understanding,” Duterte added.

Sison is exiled in the Netherlands since 1987. ■

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Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano.

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Cayetano defends drug war, hits US report on human rights

BY BEA KIRSTEIN T. MANALAYSAY Philippine Canadian Inquirer THE SECRETARY of Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) defended the administration’s campaign against illegal drugs versus the United States (US) report on human rights.

“We assure the international community that in the conduct of our campaign, we will remain guided by the rule of law embodied in our Constitution, which also enshrines the country’s longstanding tradition of upholding human rights,” DFA Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said in a statement over the weekend.

Cayetano was reacting to the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2017 released by the US Department of State on April 20, Friday.

The said report documented the status of human rights and worker rights in nearly 200 countries and territories, and included the Philippines, discussing the issues of the President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s war on drugs and the alleged extra-judicial killings.

“As a sovereign nation, the Philippines deserves the same kind of respect we have been extending to our friends in the international community,” Cayetano demanded.

“While we note that the United States and other entities such as the European Parliament have their own reporting mechanisms, the Philippines has its own internal processes and mechanism to ensure that the human rights of all our people are protected and respected,” he added, noting the European Parlia-

ment’s recent call on the country to end its drug war.

Cayetano emphasized in his statement that the “vigorous” campaign of the administration against criminality and drug trade are for the welfare and protection of human rights of all Filipinos as it saves lives, preserves families, and protect communities. He further said that these campaigns are stopping the Philippines from becoming a “narco-state.”

“The Philippines is a sovereign state with a fully functioning democracy led by a legitimately elected government that is getting things done for the Filipino people,” the Foreign Affairs secretary also explained.

“We do not need others who think they know better than us Filipinos to tell us what to do,” he stressed.

The US report said that extrajudicial killings have been the “chief human rights concern in the country for many years and, after a sharp rise with the onset of the anti-drug campaign in 2016, they continued in 2017.”

“From January to the end of September, media reports chronicled more than 900 fatalities in police operations suspected to be connected with the government’s anti-drug campaign. Police claimed to have begun investigations of all reports of extrajudicial killings. As of August, police claimed to have resolved 1,889 cases, and 4,373 remained under investigation,” the report read.

“The most significant human rights issues included: killings by security forces, vigilantes and others allegedly connected to the government, and by insurgents; torture and abuse of prisoners and detainees by security forces;

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often harsh and life threatening prison conditions; warrantless arrests by security forces and cases of apparent government disregard for legal rights and due process; political prisoners; killings of and threats against journalists; official corruption and abuse of power; threats of violence against human rights activists; violence against women; and forced labor,” it added.

According to the same human rights report, the administration investigated only a “limited” number reported human rights cases which included “abuses by its own forces, paramilitaries, and insurgent terrorist groups.” Concerns about police impunity also significantly raised along with the reports.

“President Duterte publicly rejected criticism of police killings, but he said authorities would investigate any actions taken outside the rule of law.

Significant concerns persisted about impunity of civilian national and local government officials and powerful business and commercial figures,” the report further read.

Apart from Duterte’s war on drugs, the Philippines section in the said report also talked about the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front-New People’s Army (CPP-NDFNPA).

Signed by Acting Secretary of State John J. Sullivan, he said that the report recognized the “corrupt and weak” governance that threatens global stability and US interests.

“Some governments are unable to maintain security and meet the basic needs of their people, while others are simply unwilling,” he further wrote in the preface of the report. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY APRIL 27, 2018

Australian nun Patricia Fox denies joining ‘partisan political activities’

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC nun Sister Patricia Fox on Wednesday, April 18, denied allegations that she is involved in “partisan political activities.”

Speaking to ANC, Atty. Jobert Pahilga, Fox’s lawyer, said officers of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) showed them photos from the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) Region 11 showing that Fox allegedly attended an anti-government rally.

“She was shown a picture together with farmers who were detainees and another picture show that she is standing in the street so I asked what exactly are the charges against her,” Pahilga noted.

Responding to the accusations, Fox said that she went in Tagum City to visit political prisoners and not to take part in the rally. The other photo, she said, was when she visited contractual workers who had been terminated by a soft drinks company.

“I went there to find out about the situation and also to give them support. The social teaching of the Catholic Church says there’s a right to unionize, right for just wages, right for security of tenure. And being there in solidarity with them,” she said.

Fox’s arrest came after an official of the Party of European Socialists (PES) was barred by immigration officials in Cebu to enter the Philippines on April 15, Sunday. The nun stressed that her case is different from Giacomo Filibeck, deputy secretary-general of the PES, who was supposed to attend an event of a local political party.

While denying that she was engaged in partisan political activities, Fox admitted that she had contact with Left-leaning groups as her missionary work involves farmers, indigenous peoples (IPs), and social injustice victims.

“We work with organized groups who are working for social justice. Often, groups working for justice are labeled Left.

Like if you want, land rights, you’re Left. But to me, it’s just basic human social justice issue… It’s very consistent with the teaching of the church,” she explained.

“We’ve always tried to remind the church that the promise to people is the kingdom of justice, peace, and love, which means you work for human rights, social justice, and improve livelihood of people,” she added.

Fox was released on Tuesday, April 18, “for further investigation” after spending the night in detention. She was arrested by six immigration authorities at their mission house in Quezon City at around 2 p.m. on April 16, Monday, over allegations that she is an “undesirable alien.”

According to Pahilga, the NICA is given five days to submit additional proof that Fox was indeed engaged in political parties. Afterwards, Fox’s camp will be given 10 days to file their counter-affidavit to refute the allegations.

Fox’s counsel said that they knew the BI has the power to detain a foreigner; however, they should have at least sent a notice first to Fox so she can explain her position.

The missionary nun, addressing the authorities, said, ”Sana drop the case na, ’yan lang naman ang sabihin ko (I hope the case will be dropped, that is all I have to say).” She also expressed gratitude to the immigration officials for treating her well while she was still in detention and thanked those who supported her. ■

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Workers on.. ❰❰ 1

workers who witnessed how wanton destruction plagued the island through the years in the name of profit.

“Boracay is beautiful, it’s peaceful. Unlike in my hometown where war persists, the people here just bother about work,” she said in Filipino.

“But we, the residents here, support the island’s closure.

The number of hotels and establishments has gone way too high, it has not been controlled,” she continued.

While she feels bad about losing her job, she said there is no argument that the island will emerge better once its problems are addressed.

“It would be difficult at first, but once rehabilitation is finished, we will all benefit from it,” she explained.

For his part, Elias Rigaro, a sunglass vendor for eight years, said while he certainly feels the brunt of the island’s shutdown.

He said the closure of Boracay is a step in the right direction.

“For me, Boracay should really be rehabilitated. There are sewerages flowing through the main road, and the government should act because of the influx of tourists here,” he said in Filipino.

In an interview, Joey Urquiola, head of DSWD’s branch office in Aklan, said the local government has put up the Operations Center to document the status of affected workers

and residents in the area.

“DSWD’s response is to help migrant workers return home.

Once this phase is completed, once we already extended support to them, then enters rehabilitation of the island and address the adverse effect of the economy in Malay,” he said.

“The important process here is the profiling of people leaving this place. Because once they return to their provinces, what we will primarily do is know what happens to them when they go home. We need to consolidate information so we can at least refer them to other regions,” he added.

Urquiola said the fate of Boracay serves as a warning to other local tourist destinations in the country, especially those in which investments prevail over environmental protection.

“Like boxing, there should be a referee. In the case of Boracay, a referee should help in the regulation. There should be one to prevent abuse. And President (Rodrigo) Duterte’s move to rehabilitate Boracay is right,” he said.

At the end of the day, he said the Chief Executive’s “political will” pressed for the muchneeded rehabilitation of Boracay. ■

AFP chief to expedite modernization program

BY PRIAM NEPOMUCENO Philippine News Agency MANILA — Newly-appointed Armed Forces of the Philippines chief-of-staff Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez vowed to expedite the processing of contracts relating to the AFP Modernization Program.

However, he assured the public that such matters will be done deliberately and prudently.

“The President is pushing us to make our modernization move forward. We need to choose people who can deliver results for our modernization,” www.canadianinquirer.net

Galvez said in a statement Tuesday.

The AFP Modernization Program is divided into three horizons, with the first lasting from 2013 to 2017, the second from 2018 to 2022 and third 2023 to 2028.

The Second Horizon calls for the acquisition of equipment more attuned to external defense missions.

The new AFP chief also promised to work hands-on and without delay.

He announced that he will not impose any “cut off time” in sending documents to him that needs to be acted upon-even

past office hours.

“I am results-oriented. We must be outputs-oriented as we value teamwork and meritocracy. Be righteous. Be perfect, because any mistake may mean the lives of the people we have sworn to serve and protect; and the lives of our very own soldiers,” the newly-appointed AFP chief added.

“We need the cooperation of everyone--Officers, Enlisted Personnel, and Civilian Employees--in translating the intent of the AFP into tangible realities,” he pointed out. ■ With reports from Ericka Cirera

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Philippine News

APRIL 27, 2018

FRIDAY

Palace finds US State Department report inconsistent with Trump’s remark on PH drug war

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer MALACAÑANG ON Monday, April 23, said it would prefer to hold on to the previous statements of United States (U.S.) President Donald Trump about the Philippines’s war on drugs, after the US State Department report said “extrajudicial killings have been the chief human rights concern in the country for many years.”

In a Palace briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said that it was not easy for him to reconcile the report of the US State Department and Trump’s praises on President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-illegal drug campaign.

“I personally heard the discussion between President Trump and President Duterte when they were here in the Philippines during the ASEAN Summit and I think I heard words coming from President Trump praising President Duterte including the war on drugs. If I am not mistaken, President Trump said he [Duterte] knows what he’s doing in the Philippines,” Roque explained.

US President Trump and Philippine President Duterte at the ASEAN Summit.

“So I do not know how to reconcile the State Department report with the actual statement of the President. But for now, we’re going with the statement of President Trump that we all heard from the mouth of President Trump,” he added.

In its “Reports on Human Rights

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Practices for 2017,” the US State Department noted that “concerns about police impunity increased significantly following the sharp increase in police killings.”

“The government investigated a limited number of reported human rights abuses, including abuses by its own forces, paramilitaries, and insurgent and terrorist groups,” it added.

The annual report also said that Duterte “publicly rejected” criticisms of police killings but said authorities would “investigate any actions taken outside the rule of law.”

“The most significant human rights issues included: killings by security forces, vigilantes and others allegedly connected to the government, and by insurgents; torture and abuse of prisoners and detainees by security forces;

often harsh and life threatening prison conditions; warrantless arrests by security forces and cases of apparent government disregard for legal rights and due process; political prisoners; killings of and threats against journalists; official corruption and abuse of power; threats of violence against human rights activists; violence against women; and forced labor,” the report read.

Responding to this report, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano stressed that the government’s crackdown on illegal drugs promote the welfare and protect the human rights of all Filipinos, adding that this campaign is “guided by the rule of law embodied in our Constitution, which also enshrines the country’s long-standing tradition of upholding human rights.”

“We do not need others who think they know better than us Filipinos to tell us what to do. As a sovereign nation, the Philippines deserves the same kind of respect we have been extending to our friends in the international community,” Cayetano noted.

The European (EU) Parliament last week adopted a resolution calling on the Philippines to put an end to extrajudicial killings in its drug war. However, the Palace find this resolution “unfortunate” as the EU Parliament once again interfered with the affairs of the Philippine state.

Roque earlier reiterated that the Duterte’s administration does not engage in so-called extrajudicial killings, refuting claims that 12,000 have already been killed since Duterte started his anti-illegal drugs campaign upon his assumption of office in 2016. ■

PNP to deploy 90% of personnel for barangay, SK polls

BY BENJAMIN PULTA Philippine News Agency MANILA — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde confirmed Monday that up to 90 percent of the police force will be deployed to secure the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on May 14.

“That would be around 150,000 to 160,000 men and women,” Albayalde said as he stressed that plans are contingencies ready for the polls.

The PNP chief explained that while they have identified 5,744 barangays which had incidents during past elecwww.canadianinquirer.net

tions, most of these were not considered hotspots but recorded minor scuffles and fistfights in the past.

The Commission on Elections said that more than one million individuals filed certificates of candidacy (COC) to run for more than 600,000 elective posts during the eight-day filing period for the village polls.

The PNP said Bicol Region, Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and Central Luzon have the most number of so-called “hotspots”, with ARMM having the most number of partisan armed groups.

Other armed groups also exist in Ilocos, Central Luzon and the Cordillera. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY APRIL 27, 2018

11

Palace slams ‘unfortunate’ Karapatan dares European Parliament resolution Cayetano to file

diplomatic protest vs US for alleged activist torture

PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY MANILA — Malacañang on Friday described as “unfortunate” the European Parliament’s resolution calling for an end to the alleged extrajudicial killings amid the country’s intensified campaign against illegal drugs.

“We, of course, find it unfortunate that members of the European Parliament once again interfered with the affairs of the Philippine state, rehashing issues and baseless claims that have been explained adequately by the Philippine government in several official statements,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Palace press briefing.

“We reiterate that the Philippine administration — the government under the administration of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte — does not engage in so-called extrajudicial killings,” he said.

Roque also refuted claims that 12,000 have already been killed since Duterte began his anti-illegal drugs campaign upon assumption of office in 2016.

“We challenge them — where are your data, the evidence of 12,000 who died? Impunity doesn’t have a place in our society and we continue to follow process and hold officers accountable for their actions,” he explained.

Government date showed about 4,100 people have been killed in antidrug operations.

BY BEA KIRSTEIN T. MANALAYSAY Philippine Canadian Inquirer

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.

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The lower courts and the Supreme Court are not influenced by the politicians,” Roque said.

The European Parliament’s resolution also asked the Philippine government to remove UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous People Victoria Tauli-Corpuz from the list of terrorists.

the local political opposition who tried to distort realities that we have a working democracy, where people now enjoy peace and order,” he said.

Roque said he finds the European Parliament’s resolution inconsistent with the European Union’s recent move to give financial assistance for the Philippines’ war on drugs.

NPA links “I find it inconsistent that Roque, meanwhile, explained the European parliament will that military intelligence re- condemn the war against drugs ports claim that Corpuz has which is now also being filinks to the Communist Party nanced partly by the European of the Philippines-New Peo- Union,” he said. ple’s Army.

He clarified that the PhilipTauli-Corpuz, he said, has pines has no problem with the not yet been tagged as terrorist EU, noting that “perhaps it is since her case is still in court. the EU that should communicate with the European parliament.”

On the EuI find it inconsistent that the ropean ParliaEuropean parliament will condemn Legal arrest ment’s call for the war against drugs which is now On the EuEU to remove the also being financed partly by the ropean ParliaPhilippines from European Union. ment’s call for the UN Human the release of Rights Council, Senator Leila de Roque said it will Lima, Roque said be decided by the de Lima’s arrest on illegal drug “Ms. Corpuz can submit con- UN system itself. charges has been declared legal troverting evidence linking her “The members of the UN Huwith finality by the Supreme with the terrorist group. We man Rights Council are elected Court. will allow the court to decide,” by the general assembly. That’s He reminded the European he said. a call to be made by the general Parliament that the Philippine Roque called on members of assembly,” he pointed out.

Roque said he is expecting justice system is working and the European Parliament to exthat the executive department ercise prudence in issuing reso- the Department of Foreign Afdoes not interfere with the ju- lutions. fairs to take the necessary steps diciary.

“We understand a number of to what he called unfair action “The judiciary is working. whom we have close ties with by the European Parliament. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

A HUMAN rights group challenged the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano to file a diplomatic protest against the administration led by United States (US) President Donald J. Trump over the alleged torture of a human rights activist.

“We challenge him (Cayetano) to file a diplomatic protest against the Trump administration for the cruel and inhuman acts of the US Department of Homeland Security and US Customs and Border Protection against Filipino Moro human rights activist Jerome Succor Aba,” Karapatan Secretary-General Cristina Palabay said in a statement released on April 22, Sunday.

Aba is the 25-year-old cochairman of Sandugo, a movement made up of Moro and indigenous peoples who wish to defend their land, identity, and the right to self-determination in pursuit of national liberation. He was invited to speak for human rights and church institutions in the US, but the US barred him from entering the country after being accused of being a “terrorist,” “communist,” “terrorist communist,” or “communist terrorist.”

“Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Cayetano harps on national sovereignty whenever international actors criticize the Philippine government on its human rights record. If Cayetano meant an ounce of truth in his pronouncements that the country should fully exercise its rights as a sovereign nation, he should uphold the rights of a Filipino citizen who suffered Guantanamo-style torture, among other violations, under the US government,” Palabay added.

The harsh interrogation practices by the US authorities

in the Guantamono Bay are referred to as the Guantamonostyle of torture. Furthermore, Karapatan said that Aba underwent psychological and physical torture for 28 hours and was not given food and water.

The US State Department released the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2017 which documented the status of human rights and worker rights in nearly 200 countries and territories, and also included the Philippines.

Cayetano earlier slammed the US for this report after its discussion of the alleged extrajudicial killings in President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs.

The Karapatan SecretaryGeneral also hit the US State Department saying that it is “like a pot calling a kettle black.”

“It neglects to mention that like the Philippines, its human rights record is among the worst, if not the worst in the world, with its crimes against its own citizens and immigrants in the US, and in the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia,” Palabay said.

She added that it failed to mention that it funded the said Philippine drug war and counterinsurgency program and supported the martial law in Mindanao which “resulted to an avalanche of human rights violations.”

“The US is the number one hypocrite when it comes to human rights. It carries the banner of democracy, human rights and sovereignty only as justification to their war crimes. At least we know where the likes of Cayetano and Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque got their penchant and expertise on double talk,” she further said.

Palabay Aba’s case indicates the “despicable acts by the US authorities against a Filipino, who should be accorded internationally recognized civil and political rights, even in foreign soil.” ■

12

Philippine News

APRIL 27, 2018

FRIDAY

Pay hike, inflation Probe on raps vs. Aquino, others top concerns of over Dengvaxia mess set May 15 Filipinos – Pulse Asia

BY JAY RAY MASAYDA Philippine News Agency

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer INCREASING THE pay of workers and controlling inflation are the two topmost urgent national concerns of Filipinos, according to a Pulse Asia survey.

The March 2018 Ulat ng Bayan survey released on Tuesday, April 24, showed that 50 percent of Filipinos think workers’ pay hike was the most urgent concern, while 45 percent believe it was inflation.

Aside from these, Filipinos also think that the Duterte administration should focus on poverty reduction (35 percent) and job creation (32 percent).

These were followed by fighting criminality (27 percent), fighting graft and corruption in government (22 percent), and promoting peace (22 percent).

The least concerns of most Filipinos, the Pulse Asia said, were national territorial defense (six percent), terrorism, (four percent), and Charter change (three percent).

This nationwide survey, conducted from March 23 to 28 this year, was based on a sample of 1,200 representative adults 18 years old and above and has an error margin of plus-minus three percent at the 95 percent confidence level.

Subnational estimates for each of the geographic areas covered in the said survey — including Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao — have an error margin of plus-minus six percent also at 95 percent confidence level.

Among the issues that preoccupied the Filipinos during the conduct of the survey were the

filing of a quo warranto petition seeking to remove Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno from her post; the order of former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II to cancel the resolution by Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutors to dismiss the drug charges against Peter Lim, Rolando Espinosa, Jr., and Peter Co; and the announcement of the Philippines’ withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Ratings of administration

Meanwhile, the Pulse Asia said, “The Duterte administration enjoys majority approval ratings on 11 of the 12 selected national issues.”

It showed that Filipinos were most appreciative of the current administration’s efforts to respond to the need of areas affected by calamities (86 percent), protecting the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (84 percent), and fighting criminality (82 percent).

It added that the Duterte administration also got majority approval scores for its work in the areas of promoting peace (71 percent), enforcing the rule of law (71 percent), protecting the environment (71 percent), fighting corruption in government (70 percent), increasing the pay or workers (68 percent), creating more jobs (67 percent), defending national territorial integrity (67 percent), and reducing poverty (53%).

The only non-majority approval rating of the incumbent administration, according to the survey, was on the issue of inflation where it received a 39 percent approval rating, a 33 percent disapproval score, and a 28 percent indecision figure. ■

MANILA — Former President Benigno Aquino III, along with two former Cabinet officials and several former and incumbent health officials are expected to appear next month before the Department of Justice (DOJ) for the preliminary investigation on the complaint filed by two anti-crime advocacy groups over the controversial anti-dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia.

In a clarificatory hearing on Friday, the DOJ panel, led by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Rossane Balauag, said they will issue subpoenas against Aquino and 44 respondents for their attendance on May 15 for the preliminary investigation over the criminal complaint filed by newly-appointed Philippine Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) Commissioner and Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) lawyer Manuelito Luna and Eligio Mallari of the Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution, Inc. (VPCI).

“We will be issuing a subpoena to all the respondents in the complaint for them to appear on May 15,” said Balauag.

Other members of the prosecution panel are Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Hazel Decena Valdez, and Assistant State Prosecutors Consuelo Corazon Pazziuagan and Gino Paolo Santiago.

The VACC and VPCI filed the complaint against them for possible violation of Section 3 of Republic Act (RA) No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act); Section 65 of RA 9184 (Government Procurement, Reform Act); Article 220 (Technical Malversation) of the

www.canadianinquirer.net

Ex-President Benigno Aquino III.

Revised Penal Code; Article 365 (Criminal Negligence) of the Revised Penal Code; and for other violations of the law.

During the hearing, the complainants submitted voluminous documentary evidence they intend to use in the case, which include transcripts of the public hearing conducted by the Senate blue ribbon committee and Dengvaxia procurement/bidding documents.

VACC lawyer Manuelito Luna also informed the panel that he has been appointed as commissioner to the PACC and he would assume the position in 10 days.

He, however, said while he assumes a new post, he would still be a complainant in the case.

Biliran Rep. Glenn Chong will take the place of Luna as VACC lawyer in the case.

Aside from Aquino, named as respondents were former budget secretary Florencio Abad, former health secretary Janette Garin; Undersecretaries Dr. Carol Tanio, Gerardo Bayugo, Lilibeth David and Mario Vil-

SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES

laverde; and Assistant Secretaries Lyndon Lee Suy and Nestor Santiago.

Others named are the health department’s Financial Management Service director Laureano Cruz; directors Dr. Joyce Ducusin, Dr. May Wynn Belo, Dr. Leonila Gorgolon, Dr. Rio Magpantay, Dr. Ariel Valencia and Dr. Julius Lecciones; retired health undersecretaries Dr. Nemesio Gako, Dr. Vicente Belizario Jr., Dr. Kenneth Hartigan-Go; and Dr. Yolanda Oliveros, who served as Garin’s head executive assistant.

Also named as respondents in the complaint are officials and employees of the pharmaceutical company Zuellig, which supplied the controversial Dengvaxia vaccine, and Sanofi Pasteur, Dengvaxia manufacturer. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY APRIL 27, 2018

13

Singapore firms keen on investing more in PH: envoy

BY JOYCE ANN L. ROCAMORA Philippine News Agency MANILA — With the economic growth of Metro Manila, there is growing interest from Singaporean companies to invest more in the Philippines, an envoy said Tuesday.

“The Philippines has been, of course, enjoying quite a lot of growth in the last few years so

we have now been picked up on the radar of Singaporean companies We are really looking for opportunities to invest,” Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Joseph del Mar Yap said in an interview with Radio-Television Malacañang.

Within Southeast Asia, Singapore is the Philippines’ biggest source of investment, mostly through joint ventures.

“The relationship that we have with Singapore in terms of

investment and trade is, I think, quite close and getting even closer,” Yap said.

Through joint ventures, he said, both states get to learn from each other.

“The Singaporean companies learn how to do business in the Philippines within our environment and then the Philippine companies, for their part, learn also the way how the Singaporean does business,” the envoy added.

Yap said more Filipino companies focused on real estate and banking are also investing in Singapore.

In addition, Philippine products are now being sold in supermarkets, as well as local fast-food chains opening in Singapore.

“Other (Singaporean) companies have also opened up here. And I foresee that more and more will happen in the years to come,” Yap noted.

“Aside from the fact that Sin-

gapore has already quite a large amount of investment in the Philippines, they still continue to look for more opportunities in the Philippines. So they have been asking about different business opportunities.”

Yap described the two nations’ bilateral relationship as “very good,” saying they continue to enhance this in various areas, not only in trade and investments but also in defense and culture. ■

SC junks petitions to oust Ombudsman Morales

BY CHRISTOPHER LLOYD CALIWAN Philippine News Agency

ing contrary to Section 11 in relation to Sections 8 and 10, Article XI of the 1987 Constitution.

Morales was appointed to a seven-year term on July 25, 2011 following the resignation of then-Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez over allegations of incompetence and inaction on various cases.

Aside from Morales, Ifurung said her deputies, namely Melchor Arthur Carandang (Overall Deputy Ombudsman), Gerard Mosquera (Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon), Paul Elmer Clemente (Deputy Ombudsman for Visayas), Rodolfo Elman (Deputy Ombudsman

He urged the SC to declare Section 8 (3) of Republic Act 6770 (Ombudsman Act of 1989) as unconstitutional for contravening the legislative intent MANILA — The Supreme that in case of vacancy, the new Court (SC) dismissed the conappointee should only serve solidated petitions filed by a the unexpired term of his or her lawyer and former Metro Rail predecessor.

Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) general Section 8 (3) assures a fresh manager Al Vitangcol seeking seven-year term for the succesto order Ombudsman Conchita sor of the incumbent OmbudsCarpio-Morales to immediately man and his deputies. vacate her post for supposedly “Legislative intent is part and overstaying for five years. parcel of the law. It is the conSC spokesman Theodore Te trolling factor in interpreting a announced the decision during statute. In fact, any interpretathe magistrates’ summer sestion that runs counter with the sion in Baguio City on Tuesday. legislative intent is unacceptTe said the high able and invalid,” court justices read the petition unanimously stated. voted that the Vitangcol is Ombudsman is Legislative intent is part and parcel being prosecuted of the law. appointed to a by the Ombudsfull term of sevman before the en years without Sandiganbayan reappointment over the alleged and not simply the unexpired for Mindanao) and Cyril Ra- anomaly in MRT 3 during the portion of the predecessor. mos (Deputy Ombudsman for administration of former Presi“The Court, voting unani- the Military and Other Law En- dent Benigno Aquino III. mously, dismissed the Petitions forcement Offices) must also Shortly after her retirement in these consolidated cases, rul- step down from their posts. as SC Associate Justice, Aquino ing that, as provided in Article Meanwhile, Vitangcol’s peti- appointed Morales as OmbudsXI, Sec. 11 of the 1986 Constitu- tion asked the SC to declare that man on July 28, 2011. tion, Secs. 7 and 8(3) of Repub- the term of office of Morales as Morales is set to end her stint lic Act No. 6770, the Ombuds- expired on Nov. 30, 2012. at the anti-graft body on July man is appointed to a full term Morales replaced Merceditas 26, 2018. of seven years without reap- Gutierrez, who resigned on May Morales is the sister of lawyer pointment and not simply the 6, 2011 from the post to avoid an Lucas Carpio, Jr., husband of unexpired portion of the prede- impeachment trial in the Sen- retired Court of Appeals (CA) cessor,” Te told reporters. ate, leaving an unexpired term Associate Justice Agnes ReyesIn his petition, lawyer Rey Na- until Nov. 30, 2012.

Carpio. thaniel Ifurung urged the high He said intent of the law was Lucas and Agnes are the parcourt to declare unconstitutional for the successor of Gutierrez ents of lawyer Mans Carpio, the Section 8 (3) of Republic Act to serve the remainder of her husband of President Rodrigo (RA) No. 6770, also known as the term only, not for a fresh term Duterte’s daughter Davao City Ombudsman Act of 1989, for be- of seven years.

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

PNP chief Oscar Albayalde.

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PNP eyes new strategy vs. ridingin-tandem criminals

BY AZER PARROCHA Philippine News Agency MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) is set to implement a plan to crack down on motorcycle-riding criminals after the May 14 village polls.

“Meron na kaming pinaplano dyan to address itong riding-intandem besides sa pinaigting natin na Oplan Sita and checkpoint operations, (We have plans to address these riding in tandem incidents beside expanding Oplan Sita and checkpoint operations),” PNP Director General Oscar Albayalde said in a press briefing during the turn-over ceremony for Police Regional Office 4-A in Laguna Tuesday.

“We will be coming up probably after election we will be launching a new project that

will (double time) or that could help address (the) riding-intandem incidents,” he added but declined to give details.

Albayalde noted that heightened checkpoint activities for motorcyclists and increase police visibility have drastically lessened the incidents of killings by riding-in-tandem gunmen.

“Inaamin natin na meron pa ring incidents although mga incidents natin bumaba na pero meron pa rin nakakasingit.

More than 50 percent bumaba na tayo (We admit there are still incidents but these have been reduced by more than 50 percent) because of our strengthened police visibility, Oplan Sita, and checkpoint operations,” Albayalde added.

Police special reaction units in motorcycles were also deployed to thwart riding-in-tandem criminals. ■

14

Philippine News

APRIL 27, 2018

FRIDAY

ConCom proposed charter strengthens PH claim on WPS

BY AZER PARROCHA Philippine News Agency MANILA — A sub-committee of the Consultative Committee (ConCom) tasked by President Rodrigo R. Duterte to review the 1987 Constitution has approved proposed revisions to the article on the National Territory which will strengthen the Philippines’ rightful claim on the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) and sovereign rights over its exclusive economic zones and extended continental shelf including Benham Rise.

ConCom Senior Technical Assistant and spokesperson Ding Generoso said that this decision was made by the ConCom sub-committee on National Territory, State Policies and Principles, Foreign Affairs, National Security, Public Order and Safety on Wednesday.

At present, there is only one section in the article on the National Territory. However, ConCom member Fr. Ranhilio Aquino, who sponsored the revision, proposed two sections: Sovereignty over territory and Sovereign rights over maritime expanse.

The proposed revisions will be given to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for comment before it is submitted to the ConCom en banc for final approval, Generoso said in a press conference at the PICC on Thursday.

Aquino, vice chairman of the subcommittee, stressed that the proposed revision was necessary to separate the sections in Sovereignty and Sovereign rights as there internationally accepted distinction between the two terms.

“Sovereignty is the fullness of state power over its territory, its territorial sea, its air space.

Whereas sovereign rights are the rights granted by a coastal state to its exclusive economic zone which is reckoned as 200 nautical miles from the archipelagic baseline as well as to the maritime resources whether these are sedentary species or minerals found in its continental shelf again subject to the conditions of the Convention on the Law of the Sea,” Aquino said.

Aquino pointed out that a major consideration in drafting the proposed revision was to recognize the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Arbitral Tribunal decision in favor of the Philippines, the country’s rights to Philippine (Benham) Rise, and other international laws and judgment of international tribunals.

The subcommittee also considered the position of Concom member and former Senate President Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. for an “ample room” for the Philippines to assert its claim over Sabah. This is reflected in the restoration of the phrase “by historic right or legal title”, which was in the 1973

The Consultative Committee.

Constitution.

“In formulating article 1, very significant to us was the resolution of the UN Convention on the limits of the continental shelf that recognized that Benham Rise is a continental shelf of the Philippines and also the arbitral judgement that recognized our sovereign rights which we have pointed out in the proposed revision to article 1,” Aquino said.

According to Aquino, another weaknesses in the current article 1 is that it made mention of internal waters noting that all waters inland from the archipelagic baseline are inland waters which is obviously wrong.

“That’s not what the Convention of the Law of the Sea to which we are parties, provides.

We found it necessary to correct that,” Aquino said.

Other weaknesses included a reference to insular shelves which does not exist anywhere in internal law. What does exist

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is continental shelf, the lack of justification for leaving out historic right and legal title.

“That was in 1973, I really don’t understand why it was left out of ‘87 we have returned that now,” he added.

Obligation

Aquino said that these proposed revisions will not in any way affect the relationship between the Philippines and China despite its claims on the disputed territories.

“We are asserting our sovereign rights, we are asserting our sovereignty but in the exercise of its sovereignty, the Philippines can also enter into agreements with other countries, including China, that may be beneficial to the republic,” Aquino said.

Aquino, meanwhile, emphasized that the proposed revisions also “obligates” the government to assert its sovereign rights– particularly the state responsi-

bility to oppose military buildup in the West Philippine Sea. “If the buildup interferes with our sovereign rights, as the Arbitral Tribunal did rule that in some cases it interfered with our sovereign rights, then the Philippines will be obligated to assert our sovereign rights.

We’re obligating the government also to assert our sovereign rights,” Aquino said.

Asked if the ConCom considered the current posture of the administration on the West Philippine Sea, Aquino said, “That was considered and we assured ourselves that these provisions do not necessarily contradict the conduct of foreign policy at the moment,” Aquino said.

“It is, however, obvious that the moment this provision finally finds its way into the Constitution the President and the government will be guided by the provisions of the Constitution,” he added. ■

Pimentel adds Freddie Aguilar, TV reporter to PDP-Laban initial senatorial slate

BY BEA KIRSTEIN T. MANALAYSAY Philippine Canadian Inquirer SENATE PRESIDENT and Partido Demokratiko PilipinoLakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III revealed the possible candidates that the administration is considering for the 2019 senatorial elections, and it included a famous singer-songwriter and a television reporter.

Pimentel disclosed the initial list of the ruling party’s bets with reporters on April 19, Thursday, which listed the music icon Freddie Aguilar and television reporter Jiggy Manicad.

Aguilar is a known supporter of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, as he performed Duterte’s campaign jingle in the inauguration of the President.

Duterte has also openly admitted that Aguilar is his favorite singer. Meanwhile, Manicad is an award-winning producer and

reporter of GMA Network who has covered several issues in the country for more than ten years.

PDP-Laban’s list also had five members of the majority bloc namely Senators Grace Poe, Sonny Angara, Nancy Binay, JV Ejercito, and Cynthia Villar.

Ejercito earlier commented on the Senatorial slate of House of Representatives Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez that did not include any of the majority bloc.

“Dun po ‘yung sama ng loob ng mga re-electionist senators na nagwww.canadianinquirer.net

ing supportive naman kami bakit parang ayaw kami isama sa administration coalition kung sakali (That is what the re-electionist senators resent, when we were supportive of the administration but it seems that we are not included in the administration coalition if ever),” Ejercito said in a press conference on March 22.

However, Pimentel assured him that “he will fight for them to be included” in the slate.

Ejercito’s inclusion in the list, however, meant that Pimentel

chose him over his estranged half-brother former Senator Jinggoy Estrada who also plans to run for the same post.

“Andyan si JV sa listahan eh.

Sana ma-gets na ninyo (JV is already in the list. I hope you get it),” Pimentel told reporters.

Pimentel’s list also included Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Jr., Special Assistant to the President Secretary Bong Go, and Communications Assistant Secretary Margaux “Mocha” Uson. ■

15

Canada News Tories still Harper’s party, Trudeau tells Liberals at national convention

BY JOAN BRYDEN The Canadian Press HALIFAX — Justin Trudeau unleashed a blistering attack on Andrew Scheer and the Conservatives Saturday, in a partisan stemwinder aimed at firing up Liberal troops as they prepare for a federal election next year.

The prime minister’s speech at the ruling party’s national convention had all the hallmarks of an election rally, complete with a boom camera swooping around the room to capture the rapturous response of some 3,000 boisterous, cheering, placard-waving Liberals — footage that seems destined for a future campaign ad.

And Trudeau made it clear the speech is a harbinger of things to come when the 2019 campaign does kick off, saying he intends to aggressively defend his government’s record and counter what he termed the “politics of fear and division” practised by his opponents.

While Trudeau focused on the Conservatives, grassroots Liberals appeared more intent on ensuring the party isn’t outflanked on the left by the NDP, choosing a host of progressive resolutions as priorities they would like to see in the coming election platform.

Their top priorities were to expand universal health care to cover prescription drugs and mental health services, decriminalize simple possession and consumption of all illegal drugs and decriminalize prostitution.

However, none of the reso-

lutions are binding. And while Trudeau welcomed the pharmacare priority, which his government has already signalled is in the works, he was noncommital about the prostitution resolution and nixed decriminalization of hard drugs as “not part of our plans.”

Nevertheless, citing his government’s agenda thus far — including cutting taxes for middle-income earners while hiking them for the wealthiest — Trudeau said: “It won’t come as any surprise to people that I deeply believe that we are and should be a progressive party.”

In his speech, Trudeau charged that the Conservatives have learned nothing from their 2015 defeat and are continuing with the same negative tactics and divisive policies that characterized their government under Stephen Harper. He noted that Tory leader Andrew Scheer has dubbed himself “Stephen Harper with a smile” — appearing to blame Harper’s temperament for the Tory defeat.

“No, my friends, Stephen Harper’s personal disposition didn’t fail Canada. His policies did,” Trudeau said.

“And if there’s one thing — and there may be only one thing — we’ve learned about the Conservative party under Mr. Scheer’s leadership, it’s this: It may be Andrew Scheer’s smile.

But it’s still Stephen Harper’s party.

“The same policies. The same politics of fear and division.”

Trudeau cited what he called the Conservatives’ refusal to tackle climate change, their op-

position to the Liberal government’s tax changes and Scheer’s leadership platform proposal to soften Canada’s gun laws.

Despite his harsh assessment of Scheer and the Tories, Trudeau maintained that’s consistent with his commitment to practise a more positive form of politics. He recounted how he refused to join the Conservatives “in the gutter” when they spent millions during the 2015 campaign to run personal attack ads depicting him as nothing more than a lightweight with nice hair.

“Sunny ways, my friends.

Sunny ways,” Trudeau said, repeating his mantra from the 2015 campaign.

“Positive politics means you fight for your ideas — you don’t demonize your opponents.”

Trudeau even went out of his way to repeat a line he first used in 2014: “Canadians who voted Conservative are not our enemies; they’re our neighbours.

We will fight for Canadians — all Canadians.”

Speaking to reporters later, Trudeau spelled out where he draws the line between positive and negative political campaigning.

“I will always be very, very clear and unapologetic about where I disagree on policy, and on the choice to divide Canadians or play up the politics of fear or anger. But I won’t engage in personal attacks,” he said.

For instance, Trudeau said he “will not shy away” from highlighting that the Conservatives oppose his government’s “common sense gun laws,” while

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Liberal Party's National Convention.

LIBERAL PARTY OF CANADA

Scheer proposed during the Tory leadership race to allow larger ammunition magazines.

“These are the kinds of things that it is important to bring up so that Canadians can make informed choices when they get to the ballot box next year,” he said.

“The politics of polarization, of fear, of aggressive nationalism, of a broad range of populism, are the kinds of things that don’t end up serving a country and I think it’s important to highlight those without going into personal attacks,” he added, noting that it’s the same approach he took in 2015.

Trudeau has evidently taken the advice of David Axelrod, senior adviser to former U.S. president Barack Obama, who advised Liberals on Friday that they will have to “push back hard” against their opponents in the next election.

Axelrod drew a similar line between positive and negative

politics, saying it’s important to make it clear to voters what their choices are. However, he added, “That is not to say that the politics of destruction is the way to go, that personal attacks, caustic attacks, politics that we’ve seen too much of in the United States of late is the way to go either.”

In his speech, Trudeau tackled critics who complain his government is more about image than action.

“Tell that,” he said, to the 300,000 kids lifted out of poverty through the enhanced child benefit or to the 618,000 Canadians who’ve found new jobs since 2015.

Among the 15 priorities chosen by Liberals for inclusion in the platform were resolutions calling for a guarantee minimum income, an employee pension protection strategy and a tunnel connecting the island of Newfoundland to the mainland. ■

16

Canada News

APRIL 27, 2018

FRIDAY

Grassroots Liberals pressuring Trudeau government to be more progressive

BY JOAN BRYDEN AND KEITH DOUCETTE The Canadian Press HALIFAX — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government is being pushed by backbenchers and grassroots Liberals to take a more progressive stance on issues such as pharmacare, prostitution and illegal drugs.

The pressure came Friday during the first full day of the Liberals’ national convention and it was motivated, at least in part, by a determination not to be outflanked by the NDP in the battle for progressive voters in next year’s federal election.

At the same time, however, Trudeau’s ministers were applying some pressure of their own —urging party faithful to get out and sell the government’s support for the controversial Trans Mountain pipeline expansion in the face of opposition from environmentalists, some Indigenous groups and British Colum-

bia’s NDP government.

One resolution, proposed by the national caucus, calls for the country’s universal health-care system to be expanded to include coverage of prescription drugs, echoing a call by the Commons health committee last week.

Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s most recent federal budget announced the creation of an advisory committee, headed by former Ontario health minister Eric Hoskins, to study the implementation of national pharmacare.

But Oakville MP John Oliver, a member of the health committee, warned that the fight for pharmacare is not a done deal and he urged delegates to support the resolution to send a message to the Prime Minister’s Office.

“I think it’s so important that Liberals own this issue, we don’t let the NDP own it. We need to own it as Liberals, it’s got to come out of this convention as the No. 1 priority.” ❱❱ PAGE 31 Grassroots Liberals

Constable Marc Madramootoo, one of many officers holding the perimeter around the twokilometre scene of the crime.

TPSNEWS

Federal politicians react to deadly pedestrian attack in Toronto

BY TERESA WRIGHT The Canadian Press OTTAWA — Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale says he has no information to warrant a change in Canada’s risk level following the deadly Toronto van attack Monday that killed nine pedestrians and injured 16 others.

Goodale and Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland were at a G7 foreign and security ministers meeting in Ottawa when news broke of the incident, which took place on a crowded sidewalk in a busy north Toronto neighbourhood.

The precise details of what happened and the motive behind the incident were still unknown, Goodale said as he confirmed Canada’s risk level was as yet unchanged.

“There is no information available to me at the present time that would lead us to conclude that there should be a change in risk level,” Goodale said.

Canada’s current level is medium, which has not changed since October 2014, when a gunman killed a sentry at the National War Memorial before storming Parliament Hill, where he died in a hail of gunfire.

Both Goodale and Freeland expressed admiration for police and first responders on the scene and offered sympathies to the victims and their families.

“I think all of our hearts go out to the people hurt in this incident and to their families and loved ones,” Freeland said.

“It’s a very sad moment.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also offered his condolences to those involved in the moments after the incident occurred in Toronto.

“Our hearts go out to everyone affect-

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ed. We are going to have more to learn and more to say in the coming hours,” Trudeau said in Ottawa.

News of the midday incident sent shockwaves through the House of Commons, with many politicians and staffers closely monitoring social media for updates.

Police offered few details through the afternoon, adding to the ongoing sense of confusion and concern as the hours passed.

Ali Ehsassi, MP for the Willowdale riding where the incident occurred, says there would likely have been many pedestrians in the area at the time.

“It’s a very busy area,” he said, adding he did not know why this area would have been targeted. “(I’m) very much shaken up, as you can imagine, and just been glued to my phone just trying to obtain as much information as I possibly can.”

Ehsassi said his own home is just two minutes away from the Yonge Street scene. He shared condolences for his neighbours and constituents.

“My heart goes out to them. They’re in my heart, they’re in my thoughts and I’m very much looking forward to heading back home as soon as possible.”

Police did confirm the driver of the van has been arrested and that the force has mobilized “all available resources” as they investigate the incident.

Goodale said he understands there are many questions that remain unanswered, but said law enforcement is working hard to get as much information out as quickly as possible.

“We cannot come to any firm conclusions at this stage. The police are conducting their thorough investigation to determine exactly what happened and why it happened.” ■

Canada News

FRIDAY APRIL 27, 2018

17

Vancouver to rake in $30 million in empty homes tax in first year

BY LINDA GIVETASH The Canadian Press VANCOUVER — The city of Vancouver’s new empty homes tax is expected to bring in $30 million in revenue in its first year.

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson said $17 million has already been collected from owners of almost 8,500 properties that were determined to be vacant or under utilized for at least six months of the year.

“For those who didn’t rent their empty property and chose to pay the empty homes tax, I just want to say thank you for contributing to Vancouver’s affordable housing funding and making sure we can invest more in affordable housing,” Robertson said at a news conference Monday. “For those who did rent their empty homes, thank you very much for adding to

the rental housing supply here in Vancouver. It’s desperately needed.”

The tax is the first of its kind in Canada, requiring homeowners who do not live in or rent out their properties to pay a one per cent levy based on the assessed value of the home.

Robertson said the tax was intended to address the city’s near-zero vacancy rate.

The most recent figure from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation puts the city’s rental vacancy rate at 0.8 per cent, up slightly from the previous year, the mayor said.

It’s unclear yet if the tax has increased the availability of rental accommodation, Robertson said, adding that the city is developing better data collection methods to monitor the impact of initiates like the tax more closely.

The city previously said about 60 per cent of properties

affected by the tax are condominiums.

The tax on the properties where owners said their home was empty ranged from $1,500 to $250,000, Robertson said, noting the highest tax bill came from a $25-million home.

The funds will support the city’s affordable housing initiatives and residents can provide feedback on exactly where the money should be spent.

Robertson said increasing capacity at homeless shelters or adding to the city’s rent bank, which provides one-time interest-free loans to low-income residents in a financial crisis, are among the possible initiatives that could benefit.

The median tax due is just under $10,000 and Robertson said anyone who doesn’t pay up will face fines and have the bill added to their property taxes next year.

“Those who are not playing

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ball here and who are skirting the system, we will get you,” the mayor said.

Nearly 99 per cent of homeowners completed an empty homes tax declaration.

The tax cost the city $7.5 million to implement and annual operating costs for the first and subsequent years are pegged at $2.5 million.

Audits are underway and the

city said just under 1,000 complaints or disputes have been filed that need to be addressed in the coming months.

Robertson said it will be up to city council to decide whether the tax is having the desired effect, and that will likely take a few years of data to determine.

“I would say at this point it looks like some signs of success,” he said. ■

18

Canada News

APRIL 27, 2018

FRIDAY

B.C. communities await marine spill compensation years after incidents

BY LINDA GIVETASH The Canadian Press

when the source is unknown.

In the days following the 2,700-litre fuel leak in Vancouver’s English Bay, Transport Canada claimed the bulk carVANCOUVER — Despite “polluter pay” rier ship the MV Marathassa was the laws in Canada, local governments and source.

The Department of Fisheries and agencies are still waiting to recover costs Oceans said in a statement that the Caincurred during two significant fuel nadian Coast Guard spent more than spills off British Columbia’s coast. $2.4 million in its response to the leak.

The City of Vancouver and VancouThat money was repaid by the federal ver Aquarium are collectively waiting pollution fund after the government and on nearly $700,000 in losses related to a vessel owner” were unable to come to 2015 leak of bunker fuel, while the Heiltan agreement in a timely manner,” the suk Nation in Bella Bellla continues nestatement said. gotiating over $200,000 in repayments The City of Vancouver said it spent for its response to a tugboat that ran $500,000 on staff salaries, equipment aground in 2016. costs and third-party groups to help in Transport Canada, which oversees the cleanup. spill response, said in a statement that Spokesman Jag Sandhu said the city under the current regime, ship owners asked for compensation from the ship’s are strictly liable for spills — up to a limit owner but has since filed a claim with based on the size of the vessel — and all the federal pollution fund. vessels must have insurance for oil polPeter Ross, a scientist with the Vanlution damages. couver Aquarium, said roughly $180,000 The government also maintains a Ship was spent on environmental testing Source Oil Pollution Fund to compenJoel_CanadianInquirer_print.pdf 1 2017-10-05 3:45 PM sate Canadians, including businesses when little information was being reand local governments, when costs are leased immediately after the fuel spill.

The aquarium draws water from English beyond what a ship owner covers or

Bay, Ross said, and staff were concerned that the fuel posed a risk to its wildlife.

“We basically acknowledged it was going to be expensive but it was really an exceptional circumstance where we couldn’t really worry about the money at that point, we had to know whether our collection was at risk,” he said.

Ross said the tests found fuel reached beaches in Porty Moody, roughly 12 kilometres away, and mussels collected in English Bay had taken up oil.

Ross said the aquarium was negotiating compensation with the owners of the Marathassa and had been offered about 20 cents for every dollar spent, which he called unacceptable.

“These are not damages we’re inventing out of emotional trauma or anything, these are damages associated with direct costs, direct financial outlay and liability associated with the incident,” he said.

Lawyer Peter Swanson, who is representing the vessel, declined to comment on the ongoing negotiations, which he said are confidential.

Alassia NewShips Management Inc., the operator of the Marathassa, also declined to comment.

The Marathassa is facing 10 environment-related charges in B.C. provincial court, including allegations it violated the Fisheries Act and the Canadian Environment Protection Act. Hearings are scheduled through to May. Alassia faces similar charges, but a B.C. Court of Appeal decision earlier this year determined the Greek company has not been properly served a summons, preventing allegations from going ahead.

In Bella Bella, a community of 1,600 people along B.C.’s central coast, the Heiltsuk Nation said it’s still working to recover $150,000 paid out in its response to the spill of 107,000 litres of diesel and 2,240 litres of lubricants from the Nathan E. Stewart in Oct. 2016.

Chief Councillor Marilyn Slett said $100,000 went to resources such as offices, boats and staff while $50,000 went to monitoring and testing at the site.

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Slett said the nation was communicating with vessel owners Kirby Offshore Marine, based in Houston, but nothing had been settled.

Kirby did not respond to requests for comment.

Slett said the community continues to feel the effects of the spill, its commercial clam fishery remains closed and they are concerned about other affected species.

“We’re doing some testing with the purpose of understanding the health of the resources and the ecosystem and the safety of consuming the resources,” she said, adding the ocean is considered the nation’s “breadbasket.”

Slett said the Heiltsuk is gathering materials for a possible legal claim against the company.

“We didn’t expect it would take this long and we didn’t expect that there would be issues with them paying for their own costs for a spill they were responsible for in Heiltsuk territory,” she said.

Vancouver lawyer Christopher Giaschi, who specializes in maritime and transportation law, said the two cases appear to be exceptional and the legal framework is effective, with most claims involving small spills resolved within a year.

Transport Canada said in a statement the new Oceans Protection Plan will strengthen the current system by allowing unlimited compensation from the federal pollution fund, amending the tax paid by industry to increase the fund when depleted, and speed up access to that money for responders and communities that need it.

But Ross said the aquarium’s experience has been “demoralizing” and he hopes the incident is not reflective of the shipping industry.

“What does it say about any tanker coming in and out of Vancouver?” he said. “What does it say when we have a 3,000-litre spill and the responsible party fights tooth and nail and then ends up offering one quarter of what the damages are? I don’t know. It’s absolutely beyond me.” ■

World News

FRIDAY APRIL 27, 2018

19

Prince charming: Kate gives birth to boy, home by suppertime

BY DARLENE SUPERVILLE AND KEN THOMAS The Associated Press LONDON — Third time’s a charm. The Duchess of Cambridge gave birth Monday morning to a new prince who is fifth in line to the British throne — and she was home by suppertime.

The duchess and husband Prince William drove to St. Mary’s Hospital in London early in the morning, and Kate’s 8 pound, 7 ounce (3.8 kilogram) boy was born at 11:01 a.m., with royalofficials announcing the birth about two hours later.

There followed a smoothly choreographed operation perfected after the births of the couple’s two other children. In late afternoon, elder siblings Prince George and Princess Charlotte were brought to meet their baby brother. Around 6 p.m., Kate emerged alongside her husband, wearing a vibrant red dress and holding the tiny

royal highness wrapped in a white lace shawl.

After posing for dozens of photographers and camera crews outside the hospital’s private Lindo Wing, the trio headed home, with the baby nestled securely in a car seat.

Television news helicopters followed the royal Range Rover as it made the mile-long (1.6 kilometre) journey to the family’s Kensington Palace residence.

William declared the couple “very delighted” with the new addition to the family.

The royal palace said “the queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry and members of both families have been informed and are delighted with the news.” Prime Minister Theresa May offered “warmest congratulations.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau echoed the sentiment on Twitter: “Canada welcomes a baby boy to the Royal Family! Sophie & I send our congratulations to Wil-

liam and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and to George and Charlotte on the new arrival,” he wrote.

News of the royal birth came with a mix of tradition and modernity typical of Britain’s media-savvy royal family. It was announced on Twitter and also proclaimed in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace with a framed notice perched on a golden easel.

Tony Appleton, a town crier from southeast England, showed up in full regalia to declare the newborn prince’s birth outside the hospital. The words “It’s a boy” flashed in lights around the top of London’s BT Tower, which can be seen for miles around.

More ceremonial celebration will come Tuesday, including the pealing of bells at Westminster Abbey and a gun salute in London’s Hyde Park.

The baby is a younger brother to 4-year-old Prince George and Princess Charlotte, who turns 3 next week. Both were

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with their newborn.

born at the same hospital, as were William and his younger brother, Prince Harry.

The infant’s name, which has been subject to a flurry of bets, is likely to be announced in the next few days. Arthur and James are among bookmakers’ favourites for the new prince, whose full title will be His Royal Highness, Prince (Name) of Cambridge.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” William said when asked about the baby’s name.

Monday is St. George’s Day,

The Royal Family

England’s national day, but the baby is unlikely to be given the name since his older brother already has it.

The new arrival is Queen Elizabeth II’s sixth greatgrandchild and bumps Prince Harry to sixth place in the line of succession. The baby is fifth in line, after grandfather Prince Charles, father Prince William and his two siblings.

Charlotte is the first royal daughter to stay ahead of a ❱❱ PAGE 22 Prince charming

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World News

APRIL 27, 2018

FRIDAY

Armenia’s political transition unclear after PM’s ouster

BY YURAS KARMANAU The Associated Press YEREVAN, ARMENIA — The abrupt resignation of Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan after two weeks of protests against his rule has caught the opposition off guard: The protesters had focused on driving out what they consider a corrupt elite, and seem to lack the structure or the political platform to replace it.

Waving the Armenian tricolour and chanting their leader’s name, some 10,000 opposition supporters marched on Tuesday with protest leader Nikol Pashinian to a hilltop memorial complex in Yerevan, the capital of this Caucasus Mountains country, to mark the massacre of 1.5 million Armenians a century ago by Ottoman Turks.

Armenians across the country are commemorating the massacre that began 103 years ago. Armenians and many his-

torians consider it to be genocide, but Turkey, successor of the Ottoman Empire, vehemently denies the claim.

The protests, which lasted ten days, culminated on Monday when Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan, who has ruled Armenia since 2008, announced his resignation, saying that he was “wrong” to reject the opposition’s demands for him to step down.

The opposition insists that Sargsyan’s resignation is just the first step in the political transition they were pushing for. They want acting Prime Minister Karen Karapetian, an ally of Sargsyan, to also step down after he and the opposition agree on the date of a snap election.

With a red rose in his hand, protest leader Pashinian led the procession to the memorial complex on Tuesday afternoon.

His supporters were jubilant and anxious for the political transition.

“We need a change of government,” said 43-year-old businessman Gregor Adamyan.

“We’re tired of pressure and corruption of one clan.”

But the opposition appears far from ready to form a united political force.

The coalition of the three parties leading the protest currently holds just 7 per cent of the parliamentary seats and has not taken any stand on relations with Russia, Armenia’s key ally and economic donor, or any other major political issue.

Pashinian, a 42-year-old former journalist who was elected into parliament in 2012 on an anti-corruption platform, garnered less than a quarter of the vote at last year’s mayoral election in Yerevan. Pashinian has been mildly critical of Russia’s presence in Armenia, but otherwise his political views are obscure.

“The opposition lacks a clear program of reforms, constructive agenda or clear demands,”

www.canadianinquirer.net

Ex-Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan.

said Alexander Iskanderian, director of the Caucasus Institute in Yerevan. “It’s not that people took to the streets to support the opposition which has no clear structure or organization — they (did so to) protest against the corrupt government which became totally shameless.”

Pashinian has so far not offered any plan or vision for Armenia other than calling for the snap parliamentary election and making sure that none

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

of Sargsyan’s allies remains in office, preventing the former prime minister from pulling the strings from behind the scenes.

The opposition will continue to rally until “a full transfer of power” happens and a “people’s candidate” is elected prime minister, Pashinian said.

The protest leader, dressed in a camouflage T-shirt and a baseball cap, also told a news conference Tuesday evening ❱❱ PAGE 22 Armenia’s political

World News

FRIDAY APRIL 27, 2018

21

Trump warns Iran against restarting nuclear program

BY DARLENE SUPERVILLE AND KEN THOMAS The Associated Press WASHINGTON — Weighing withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, President Donald Trump declared on Tuesday that if the Iranians “restart their nuclear program, they will have bigger problems than they’ve ever had before.”

Trump issued his warning alongside French President Emmanuel Macron in the Oval Office, where the two allies were to discuss the multinational nuclear accord, the war in Syria and other issues during a day of meetings at the White House.

Trump also informed Macron and his TV audience that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wanted to meet “as soon as possible.” The president, who once derided Kim as “Little Rocket Man,” said the North Korean dictator had been “very open” and “very honourable” so far.

Macron told Trump that together the U.S. and France would defeat terrorism, curtail weapons of mass destruction in North Korea and Iran and act together on behalf of the planet, a reference to Macron’s work to revive a U.S. role in the Paris climate accord.

As for Iran, Trump was asked if might be willing to stay in the accord. He replied, “People know my views on the Iran deal. ... It’s insane, it’s ridiculous. It should have never been made.”

One of Macron’s main objectives during his three-day visit to Washington is to persuade Trump to stay in the accord.

Trump remains publicly undecided but reminded his French counterpart of what he sees as flaws in the agreement, which he said fails to address ballistic missiles or Iran’s activities in Yemen or Syria.

Macron told reporters that he and Trump would look at the Iran deal “in a wider regional context,” taking into account the situation in Syria. “We have a common objective, we want to make sure there’s no escalation and no nuclear proliferation in the region. We now need to find the right path forward,” Ma-

cron said.

Trump suggested he was open to “doing something” on the Iran agreement as long as it was done “strongly.” He told Macron, “We could have at least an agreement among ourselves very quickly.” But when he was asked by reporters what that agreement would be, Trump said, “You’ll find out.”

Domestic concerns were also near the surface for Trump. He refused to answer a reporter’s question as to whether he is considering a pardon for his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, whose office was raided by the FBI. Trump called it “a stupid question.” Cohen has not been charged in the case.

The meetings followed a pomp-filled welcome ceremony on the South Lawn. Trump said before an audience of US President Trump (right) with French President Macron (left).

U.S. soldiers and members of his Cabinet that the relation- sile strikes in Syria earlier this including the multinational nuship he forged with Macron month to respond to the alleged clear deal, which is aimed at reat the start of his presidency chemical weapons attack. The stricting Iran’s development of was a testament to the “endur- U.S. has 2,000 troops in Syria nuclear weapons. Trump, skeping friendship that binds our assisting local Arab and Kurd- tical of the pact’s effectiveness, two nations.” He thanked the ish fighters against IS, though has been eager to pull out as a French leader for his “steadfast Trump has resisted a deeper May 12 deadline nears. Macron partnership” in the recent mis- U.S. involvement and is eager says he is not satisfied with the sile strike in response to the to withdraw completely from situation in Iran and thinks the chemical attack in Syria.

Syria. agreement is imperfect, but he Macron said, “History is callMacron’s three-day visit to has argued for the U.S. sticking ing us. It is urging our people Washington underscores the with the deal on the grounds to find the fortitude that has importance that both sides at- that there is not yet a “Plan B.” guided us in the most difficult tach to the relationship: MaTrump ended his first year in of times. France and with it, cron, who calls Trump often, office without receiving a forEurope, and the eign leader on United States a state visit, the have an appointfirst president in ment with hisnearly 100 years We have a common objective, tory.” to fail to do so. we want to make sure there’s The social He was Macron’s no escalation and no nuclear highlight of Maguest last July at proliferation in the region. cron’s visit, the the annual Basfirst state visit of tille Day military the Trump presiparade in the dency, comes centre of Paris.

Tuesday night Macron and with a lavish state dinner at the has emerged as something of his wife also took Trump and White House. About 150 guests a “Trumpwhisperer” at a time first lady Melania Trump on a are expected to dine on rack when the American president’s tour of Napoleon’s tomb and of lamb and nectarine tart and relationships with other Euro- whisked them up in the Eiffel enjoy an after-dinner perfor- pean leaders are more strained. Tower for dinner overlooking mance by the Washington Na- Trump, who attaches great im- the City of Light. tional Opera. On Monday night, portance to the optics of pagMacron was welcomed back the leaders took a helicopter eantry and ceremony, chose to to the White House on Tuestour of Washington landmarks honour Macron with the first day with a traditional arrival and had dinner at the Potomac state visit of his administration ceremony featuring nearly 500 River home of George Washing- as he woos the French presi- members of the U.S. military ton in Mount Vernon, Virginia. dent. and a booming 21-gun salute.

Tuesday’s meetings follow For all their camaraderie, He was also attending a State the collaboration by the U.S., Macron and Trump disagree Department lunch hosted by France and Britain in mis- on some fundamental issues, Vice-President Mike Pence. www.canadianinquirer.net

The White House

The state dinner honouring Macron will be served in the State Dining Room, which will feature more than 2,500 stems of white sweet pea flowers and nearly 1,000 stems of white lilac. Separately, more than 1,200 branches of cherry blossoms will adorn the majestic Cross Hall.

The first lady opted for a cream-and-gold colour scheme, and will use a mix of china services from the presidencies of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

State dinner tickets are highly sought after by Washington’s political and business elite. A few of those expected to attend: Christine Lagarde, head of the International Monetary Fund and a former top French government official; House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis.; Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and his wife, Louise Linton; Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Mike Pompeo, Trump’s choice to be the next secretary of state.

In a break with tradition, Trump has invited no congressional Democrats or journalists, said a White House official who was not authorized to discuss the arrangements publicly.

But some Democrats did make the cut, including Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, whose office confirmed his attendance. ■

22

World News

APRIL 27, 2018

Trade missions for women, Indigenous and LGBTQ interests in 2018: minister

Armenia’s political... ❰❰ 20

Tuesday spoke favourably of Russia.

Ruben Ter-Martirosyan, a 37-year-old unemployed man, wants to see a more balanced relationship between the two former Soviet nations.

“Armenia needs to be a bridge between Russia and Europe, not a vassal of the Kremlin,” he said.

Uncharacteristically for Russian authorities who in the past decried anti-government rallies and so-called “colour revolutions” in neighbouring postSoviet states as examples of hostile Western interference, Moscow this week has displayed a wait-and-see attitude.

Russia has refrained from applauding or condemning the government’s ouster, in an apparent effort to better position itself for building ties with the new authorities.

Earlier on Tuesday, a deputy Russian foreign minister met with the Armenian ambassador in Moscow. The ministry said Russia is following developments in Armenia closely and wishes the country a smooth and peaceful political transition. Separately, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the political transition is “our Armenian friends’ business” and said the Kremlin is “pleased that the situation is not moving toward a destabilization.”

Moscow keeps an important military base in Armenia and needs Yerevan as an unwavering ally in the post-Soviet space, so the caution is only to be expected.

“Moscow is being neutral and leaves room for manoeuvr in order to be able to bargain with the eventual winner later on,” political analyst Megrabyan said. ■

self a mother of three, said during a White House briefing.

John Loughrey, a veteran royal-watcher who camped outside the hospital for two weeks, said the baby would be “very good for our country and of course, Her Majesty the queen.”

“I’m so pleased it’s St. George’s Day,” he said before the birth was announced. “St. George himself would be very pleased if the baby’s born today.” ■

ence of party faithful that although there are forces that oppose global trade, Canada is clear in signalling its path.

“Canada will fight for free trade, fight for the rules we need to govern it, and most importantly for the right and capacity of more Canadians from all walks of life to compete and win on the world stage,” he said.

The minister cautioned that cross-border trade is facing its greatest resistance since the depression era of the 1930s.

Champagne said that’s par-

ticularly true in places where traditional manufacturing has been disrupted by automation, mechanization and competition from abroad.

He said that has led to anxiety “in far too many corners of our country,” and a rise in populist and protectionist forces in many parts of the world.

Champagne said Canada intends to buck the trend.

“Now is the time for a new approach to trade, and for more Canadians to have the tools to capitalize on it,” he said. ■

that he expects the snap parliamentary election to be held in one or two months.

“We will ask people on the square about the prime minister and they will vote with their own voices,” Pashinian said, adding that Armenia’s electoral system needs to be cleansed to ensure a free election. He didn’t elaborate on the nature of the reform.

The Armenian opposition will be naive to crack open the champagne unless Sargsyan’s allies, Karapetian in particular, are out, analysts warned.

“We have not seen a change of a political elite yet,” said Ruben Megrabyan of the Armenian Center for Global Studies.

“Karen Karapetian represents the same corrupt ruling class, so the opposition’s victory was symbolic.”

Several hours before the opposition supporters marched to the memorial of the 1915 massacre, Karapetian and other officials also honoured the memory of those killed.

Karapetian said in an address to the nation that Tuesday’s march to the genocide memorial shows that “we are together and we are united in spite of the difficulties and unresolved issues at home.”

Since the Soviet Union’s collapse, Armenia, a landlocked country sandwiched between Georgia, Iran, Turkey and Azerbaijan, has relied on Russia for energy supplies and loans.

Strained ties with Turkey and Azerbaijan have crippled the country’s development, making energy imports, among other things, costly.

Ties with Russia did not appear to be at the forefront for most protesters, and many of those marching in Yerevan on

vious pregnancies before the traditional 12-week mark because she was too unwell to attend public engagements. This time around, it kept her from taking George to his first day of school.

The 36-year-old duchess, formerly Kate Middleton, nevertheless kept up a busy schedule of royal duties during her pregnancy, including a visit with William to Scandinavia. She carried out her last official en-

gagement on March 22 before going on maternity leave.

The birth was overseen by a team of doctors including consultant obstetrician Guy Thorpe-Beeston and consultant gynecologist Alan Farthing — who were also called in for the births of George and Charlotte — as well as the hospital’s midwives.

Television crews, journalists and royal fans had set up camp outside the hospital for the “royal baby watch” since early

April in anticipation of the arrival.

The top White House spokeswoman offered personal encouragement to William and Kate on becoming the parents of three children.

“From one mother to another, I know the reality of being outnumbered can be very scary, but I know she and Prince William will continue to be amazing parents,” Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, her-

THE CANADIAN PRESS HALIFAX — The Canadian government will lead trade missions for women, Indigenous and LGBTQ businesses and entrepreneurs later this year, International Trade Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said Saturday.

The announcement was part of a speech promoting the Liberal government’s progressive trade agenda at the party’s national convention in Halifax.

“In 2018, Canada will lead a women business ministerial trade mission. We will also lead the first ever LGBTQ trade mission, and the first ever trade mission devoted to Indigenous business owners and entrepreneurs,” Champagne said.

He offered no details about the missions, but said the idea is to promote the interests of those who have been ignored in the past.

“We want everyone in Canada to succeed,” he said. “We are going to lead the way in the world, making sure that every community reaps the benefit of trade.”

Champagne said too many groups — particularly workers, women, Indigenous people and youth — have not fully shared in the benefits of trade, and the country has to do better.

The first all-female trade mission was led by former Conservative Status of Women Minister Kellie Leitch in 2015.

Champagne told the audi-

International Trade Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne.

FRIDAY

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Prince charming... ❰❰ 19

younger brother in the line of succession.

Before the rules were changed in 2012, male heirs took precedence.

Kensington Palace announced in September that Kate was pregnant with her third child. As in her previous pregnancies, the duchess suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum, a severe form of morning sickness.

Officials announced her pre-

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23

FRIDAY APRIL 27, 2018

FILIPINO-CANADIAN IN FOCUS

A Woman of Many Hats: Lucy Lombos

BY KATHERINE PADILLA Philippine Canadian Inquirer AWARD-WINNING CHILDREN’S book creator Tommy dePaola once said, “Reading is important because, if you can read, you can learn anything about everything and everything about anything.” These words of dePaola could not ring any truer for Filipino-Canadian Lucy Lombos who utilizes her career as an educator and author in inspiring everyone to “learn-to-read and read-tolearn.”

THE LOMBOSES. Lucy with her husband, Jun Lombos, and their three offspring.

‘The Golden Bronze’

Before she was known as Lucy Lombos to readers and friends, and prior to publishing books in the US, Canada, and the Philippines, Lucy was Luz dela Torre Enriquez, a very fitting name for a woman who serves as a “jubilant light to her family and friends.”

Lucy, who calls herself ‘The Golden Bronze’ and the ‘SpringTime-Come-Alive,’ was born and bred in the Philippine capital of Manila. She studied under the tutelage of religious orders such as the Religious of the Virgin Mary in high school and The Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco in college. If she had not been a writer today, she would probably be a nun, for after graduating high school, she entered the convent of Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians.

She finished her Education degree at Society of the Divine Word in Calapan, Oriental Mindoro and her Master’s Program in Language and Literacy at the University of the Philippines.

Her career in the education sector commenced at Puerto Galera Academy in Mindoro where she worked as a teacher, while her parents managed its canteen. From Manila, the Enriquezes moved to Puerto Galera upon the invitation of a German Missionary. ”Up to now, Puerto Galera has been beautifully etched in my heart and is warmly considered my hometown for more than three decades,” Lucy said.

The Educator

With a mission to “reinforce, enhance, and provide mastery of a child’s learning,” Lucy and

THE LIGHT OF THE TOWER THAT ENRICHES. Author Lucy Lombos with her book ‘Happiness 365 and ¼ Days,’ a biography of Philippines’s “Happiness Guru” Jimmy Belleza.

husband Umberto “Jun” Lombos, an accountant, in 2000 founded Lombosco Academy (LA) in Katarungan Village, Muntinlupa City. She sits as LA’s Directress while Jun serves as its Founding President.

“The school’s vision is to be known as ‘The Threshold of Academic Excellence and Growth In God’s Love,’” said Lucy who manages the Academy online when in Canada.

Lucy admitted that directing and monitoring a school in the Philippines from Canada comes with a challenge due mainly to the difference in time. So whenever she’s in the Philippines, Lucy ensures that she gives her students and teachers the support she can provide.

“I wear different hats — giving training to her teachers and staff; organizing events; book launching and storytelling, reviewing the pupils, counselling, conferencing with the parents, and coordinating the repairs and maintenance of the school,” she said. “Teaching is tough and should never be taken for granted.”

From the Philippines to Canada

Seeking for a greener pas-

ture, Jun in 2005 flew to Canada. However, his stay had to be cut short when he received the news that his mother had fallen seriously ill.

Determined to provide a good life and give their children a brighter future, he went back to Canada in 2012, and just a few days after his arrival, he filed sponsorship for Lucy and their three children to immigrate to Canada.

Two years later, in June 2014, the family finally reunited.

“When I arrived in Canada, it was summer. It was a perfect time of the year, coming from a tropical country,” Lucy recalled.

“I was amazed by the cleanliness of the place and the freshness of the air we all breathe. It only showed that there was no pollution. I noticed that fruits and vegetables are of wide variety yet affordable; there are lots of flowers around and nobody picks them,” she said “I noted that the health care system is excellent. Canada Line is superb. Multi-culturalism is exciting,” she added.

But as the season changed, so did Lucy’s state of health.

“I felt the freezing temperawww.canadianinquirer.net

STORYTELLING. Lucy reads her book ‘The Star of the Sea: A Boat Ride’ to the students of Lombosco Academy.

ture when autumn and winter seasons came which I considered as an obstacle to work. The long walks to visit places caused me a painful foot injury,” she said.

Lucy, however, did not let her injury keep her from being productive. In fact, she used this break to expand her scholastic achievements. While recuperating, she enrolled in online courses on First Aid and Food Safety and studied TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages) at ISS Language & Career College of BC.

She also took writing courses at a local school district and at the Writing Academy in the US. The Author

Although Lucy has established a new life in Canada, the Philippines still holds a dear place in her heart and mind.

“I miss the culture of celebration in the Philippines, especially on Christmas and New Year. I love to hear the “kampana” or the church bells at the Immaculate Conception Parish ❱❱ PAGE 28 A Woman

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Entertainment Kris Aquino apologizes for mixing politics with tirade vs Korina, Mar

BY KATHERINE PADILLA Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Media personality Kris Aquino on Monday, April 23, apologized to politicians whose names she mentioned in a tirade launched on social media over the weekend.

The ‘Queen of All Media’ on Saturday let out a virtual tongue-lashing on Instagram against broadcaster Korina Sanchez-Roxas and her husband, 2016 presidential candidate Mar Roxas, over SanchezRoxas’s feature on Aquino’s ex-husband, James Yap, on her magazine show Rated K. In her effort to “forgive regardless of the fact no remorse has ever been shown,” Aquino apologized for “including politics” in her attacks, in which she mentioned the names of President Rodrigo Duterte, her brother and former president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, and Roxas.

“I do sincerely apologize to my brother. And I apologize to President Duterte. And Mar, to you I am sorry,” Aquino wrote in an Instagram post.

“My anger comes from the heart of a mother who has been unnecessarily stepped on by someone who has been blessed w/ a loving & devoted husband

& does not know the hardship of having to go it alone,” she explained.

She also admitted guilt in dragging Roxas into an issue where he did not actively participated in, to begin with.

Aquino’s tirade stemmed from an April 22 episode of Rated K that featured celebrity kids, including Michael James, Yap’s son with his Italian girlfriend, Michela Cazzola.

Michael James was born in 2016, nine years after his elder brother, Yap’s firstborn and namesake James “Bimby” Aquino-Yap, was born.

Aquino and Yap are estranged and the former had criticized the latter multiple times in the past for allegedly being an absentee father.

The feature angered Aquino who said that Sanchez-Roxas, who’s also a producer of the show, “deliberately” aired it to hurt her.

She also recalled the favors she did for Roxas in his 2016 electoral campaign, and called out Sanchez-Roxas’s manner of returning those favors.

“Simple lang- minsan lang akong pinakiusapan ng kapatid ko- never para sa sarili nya pero para sa kandidatong inendorso nya. Dahil mahal ko sya ginawa ko. Lahat ng batikos ng dahil sa pagtulong na yon tinaggap ko

(It’s simple — my brother seldom urges me — never for himself but for the candidates he endorsed. Because I love him, I did it. I accepted all the criticisms that stemmed from that help),” Kris said, referring to former president Aquino “Yes, pinepersonal ko dahil binuwis ko ang kinabukasan namin ng mga anak ko ng walang inasahang kapalit (Yes, I took it personally because I sacrificed the future my children and I without expecting anything in return),” she added. “At ang ganti sa kin at sa mga anak ko ngayon ay binida pa ang deadbeat na tatay (And what she reciprocated to my children and I is she featured the deadbeat father).”

While Kris threw sharp words at Sanchez-Roxas, she, on the other hand, was all praises with Roxas’s rival in the 2016 presidential election, then Davao City mayor Duterte.

“Tatlong beses akong nagpunta sa Davao- sa kampanya nung 2010, kampanya 2013 para kay Sen Chiz & Sen Grace at nung nag Kris Tv. Si PRRD lahat nung pagkakataon na nagkaharap kami, mabuti ang pinakita sa kin. (I went to Davao thrice— during the 2010 campaign, 2013 campaign for Sen. Chiz and Sen. Grace, and when [we] did Kris TV. PPRD, in all the instances that we met, showed me kind-

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ness),” Aquino said.

“Klarong klaro sa kin kung bakit ang nanalong Pangulo ay si DUTERTE (It’s very clear to me why Duterte won for president),” she added, ending her post with a fist bump emoticon, the signature hand gesture of Duterte and his allies.

As of writing, the camp of the Roxases has not responded to Aquino’s statements.

‘Welcome on board’

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. in a Monday press briefing welcomed Aquino’s positive feedback on the president.

“Welcome on board, Kris Aquino,” he said.

Roque also affirmed Aquino’s testimonial of the president’s kindness towards her which is attributed to the Dutertes’s support for the Aquinos.

“At alam mo yun din ang sinabi sa akin ni Presidente, ah. Kasi si Presidente nung ‘86 revolution nag-suporta kay Cory, at lahat ng kampanya ng pamilyang Aquino suportado ni Presidente Duterte sa Davao (And you know, that’s what the president told me as well. Because the president in the 1986 revolution supported Cory, and all the campaigns of the Aquino family are supported by President Duterte in Davao). And the mother of course of the President,” Roque said. ■

Julio Diaz regrets drug use, denies drug pushing

BY BEA KIRSTEIN T. MANALAYSAY Philippine Canadian Inquirer REGRET WAS evident in the face of Mariano de Leon Regaliza, more known as the veteran actor Julio Diaz after authorities arrested him in a buy-bust operation in Meycauayan, Bulacan on April 20, Friday.

True enough, the actor apologized to his fans for disappointing them. “Super pagsisisi tala-

ga (I feel real regret),” Diaz said in an interview with DZMM. While he confessed to using illegal drugs, he, however, denied being a drug pusher.

“Nagkataon lang naman siguro na since meron palang buybust operation na sinasabi, ‘di ko ho alam na ano… Ako ay nahuli sa isang bisyo. Sa aking pagkakaintindi, maaaring gumamit ako, pero hindi ito isang bisyo na nilamon ako… ng droga (I guess it just so happened that there was a buy-bust operation and I did not

really know… I was caught with this vice. In my understanding, I may be using drugs, but this vice does not mean that drugs consumed me),” he explained in an interview with ABS-CBN. In his DZMM interview, he likened his vice to demons that tempt him into submitting himself.

“Hindi ko rin maintindihan.

May nagdadatingan na demonyo, natukso. Tumigil na ako talaga, it so happened na ganito… Natukso, tukso talaga (I also do not underwww.canadianinquirer.net

stand. Demons come then I get tempted. I already stopped, it so happened that this…I was tempted, temptation),” Diaz said.

The 59-year-old actor said that he does not want to engage in any more of this vice as it brought him to something as grave as an arrest.

“Kung maaari tigilan na natin ito talaga. Ayaw ko na talaga.

Ayaw ko na itong pakiramdam na ganito na umaabot sa ganito.

Ako lang naman ay gumamit lang kung minsan at bakit itong

kung minsan na ito ay… bakit naging demonyo talaga tukso (If possible I want to stop it. I really do not want to anymore. I do not want to feel this that it reached this. I only used it sometimes and this sometimes…demons really tempt),” he added.

Diaz is an award-winning actor in several films and television series since the 80s until present. He is part of the set of stars in the ABS-CBN teleserye “Asintado” starring Julia Montes. ■

Entertainment

FRIDAY APRIL 27, 2018

25

Madonna loses battle to Canadian singer prevent auction of Tupac letter Billy Raffoul on

recording with electronic dance producer Avicii

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK — Pop star Madonna has lost her battle to prevent an auction of her personal items, including a love letter from her ex-boyfriend, the late rapper Tupac Shakur, a pair of worn panties and a hairbrush containing her hair.

Last year, a judge ordered Gotta Have It! Collectibles to pull the items from its impending rock ‘n’ roll-themed auction after the Material Girl sought an emergency court order.

In a decision revealed Monday, the judge dismissed the case on grounds the statute of limitations to recover the items had passed.

The auction house told The New York Times it had done due diligence on the items and was confident Madonna had no claim.

BY DAVID FRIEND The Canadian Press

DENIS MAKARENKO / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

The company says the auction will be in July.

Starting bid for the Tupac letter is $100,000. ■

TV’s ‘Homeland’ feels challenge of competing with real world

BY DEB RIECHMANN The Associated Press WASHINGTON — Members of the cast of TV’s “Homeland” call it “spy camp.” It’s when they travel to Washington to pick the brains of top U.S. intelligence officials.

And it’s where Hollywood meets real-world intelligence and both sides realize that not everything is as it seems. The two worlds blur and it’s hard to tell where today’s national security and political events stop and the fictional drama begins.

“I guess the challenge of the show is that it is constantly adapting to what’s happening in real-time,” said actress Claire Danes, who plays Carrie Mathison, a former CIA operative turned senior national security adviser who suffers from a bipolar disorder.

Danes and other members of the cast and crew of “Homeland” appeared Monday night at the National Press Club to talk about espionage in popular

culture. Several hundred people attended the event, which was sponsored by the Michael V. Hayden Center for Intelligence, Policy and International Security at George Mason University. Its namesake, the former CIA director and National Security Agency director, served as moderator.

In the Showtime series, Russians manipulate the news. In real life, Moscow meddled in the presidential election. In the show, the president axes employees. In real life, President Donald Trump shuffles his Cabinet and threatens to fire folks.

Early in its seven-season run, the show portrayed a U.S. serviceman who was held captive by al-Qaida, released and then turned against his country and planned an attack on U.S. soil.

Militant-inspired attacks have been carried out in U.S. cities in recent years.

Actor Mandy Patinkin, who plays Saul Berenson, a career official at the CIA who becomes national security adviser to

the president, remembered one spy camp where they had a video conference with Edward Snowden, the former NSA contractor who leaked documents revealing extensive government surveillance. The experience was a letdown, Patinkin said.

“We were all on pins and needles,” Patinkin said. “It was the least interesting person who ever came through the door. I’m all for the truth. A lie is a cancer to my soul. But that guy was just proselytizing his manifesto.”

Patinkin said that during the video conference, the cast kept passing notes to each other under the table, urging one another to try to get Snowden to talk about something personal.

Patinkin said he looks to spy camp for information about what makes intelligence officers human so he can replicate their private soul-searching on camera.

“I’m looking for their heartbeat,” he said. “How they deal ❱❱ PAGE 28 TV’s ‘Homeland’

www.canadianinquirer.net

TORONTO — Canadian singer Billy Raffoul spent a considerable amount of time thinking about the moment he’d sit down with Avicii in a Nashville studio.

Knowing the Swedish DJ’s reputation for writing infectious songs, like megahit “Wake Me Up,” the 23-year-old musician didn’t want to come up short in his presence.

Avicii, born Tim Bergling, was found dead Friday in Muscat, Oman, sparking tributes from many people in the music community and fans across the globe. His family said Monday they were thankful for “all the initiatives taken to honour Tim, with public gatherings, church bells ringing out his music.”

A week before they met early last year, Raffoul began writing guitar riffs to impress the electronic producer. He gathered his favourite instruments to bring along as a sign that he wasn’t taking this opportunity for granted.

“I showed up with everything: a guitar, an amplifier, a microphone — anything short of a drum set,” he said.

“I remember having to leave some of it in the hallway because there wasn’t enough room.”

The gesture seemed to impress the legendary artist, who Raffoul said smiled at the sight of him dragging his own belongings into the House of Blues studio.

“The first thing he told me is I should be comfortable,” he added. “So I set it up like I do in my bedroom.”

Raffoul, who grew up in the farming town of Leamington, Ont., spent the rest of the day working alongside Avicii and two songwriters to craft what became “You Be Love,” featured on the recent EP “Avicii (01).”

Released last August, it was the final EP from the producer before he died.

Raffoul said the news caused him to reflect on the unique experience he shared with one of electronic dance music’s most successful artists.

Avicii was praised for building unique club tracks that crossed genre boundaries, such as the country-infused “Hey Brother” and “Levels,” which includes a vocal sample from Etta James.

Working in the studio with Bergling was also an experience, said Raffoul, who had recently finished a track with Norwegian dance producer Kygo.

Unlike many electronic artists, his recording sessions seemed to focus strongly on the lyrics and vocals of a song, rather than its infectious groove. All of those elements might have been stored in Bergling’s head as he worked, Raffoul supposed.

“He knew exactly what he wanted, which you’ve really got to respect because so many people don’t,” he said.

“Rather than me trying 50 different things, he knew on the second or third (try)... and you trusted him.”

The pair hung out in the studio eating sushi after “You Be Love” took shape, but Raffoul said they only crossed paths a couple times more.

Ahead of the song’s release, they met in Los Angeles to begin work on two other songs.

Neither of them was completed, Raffoul said, though he wishes they could have spent more time getting to know each other.

“Working with someone in a creative capacity can really amplify how much time you spend together,” he said.

“When you create with someone and tell stories... it really can fast-forward that relationship. I feel like he had so much more he wanted to do.” ■

26

Lifestyle Saudi women spend big on makeup, even if it’s just a glimpse

BY AYA BATRAWY AND MALAK HARB The Associated Press RIYADH, SAUDI Arabia — Green lipstick, blue lipstick and 40 shades of foundation to choose from are just some of the reasons 18-year-old Shahad al-Qahtani is excited about superstar Rihanna’s makeup line debut in Saudi Arabia.

Rihanna, known worldwide for her chart-topping songs and daring, provocative style, is wildly popular among the Saudi women coveting her new makeup line called “Fenty.” Rihanna and other celebrities like Kim Kardashian who experiment boldly with their hair colour, makeup and clothes have become household names in Saudi Arabia, where fans can follow their every move on social media sites like Instagram and Snapchat.

Their styles, however, stand in stark contrast to how most Saudi women dress in public.

Many cover their faces and hair with black veils. Women in Saudi Arabia must also wear long, loose black robes, known as abayas, over their clothes in public.

“I’ve tried her brand in Dubai and I came here to buy the things that were sold out there,” al-Qahtani said as she selected products to put in her shopping basket from Rihanna’s Fenty line that launched Thursday in Sephora makeup stores across the kingdom.

Al-Qahtani said she likes to experiment with her style and

bold makeup choices at parties and weddings where women are segregated from men.

Even though most women will cover their face and hair in public, makeup sales are one of the biggest spends among Saudi women. This is in part because of the increasing number of Saudi women joining the workforce who now have their own salaries to spend from.

The kingdom’s 32-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has also pushed through a number of sweeping social reforms in recent months curbing the influence of ultraconservatives. Religious police, for example, no longer patrol malls looking for signs of nail polish or women’s faces showing.

Unlike in many Western Before working at Sephora, countries where more natu- es on. We’ve started opening up ral makeup looks are en vogue, in the Gulf and you’ll see wom- she said she used to spend nearwomen across Arab Gulf coun- en who cover their faces putting ly all her money on makeup.

“The reason my husband tries often lean toward bright, on colored contact lenses, eyeagreed to me eye-catching working is bemakeup trends cause he sees and accessories how much I that offset the We’ve started opening up in the love makeup utilitarianism of Gulf and you’ll see women who and how much black veils and cover their faces putting on colored I used to spend abayas. contact lenses, eyelashes and on it,” she said, “As Gulf women, drawing their eyeliner the way they laughing. we love beautiful want.

According to things. We don’t marketing reneed an occasion search group for it,” said Najla Euromonitor Sultan bin Awwad, International, a mother of two rising employment rates, esin her 30s who started work- lashes and drawing their eyepecially among women, have ing for the first time last year at liner the way they want,” said increased the affordability of bin Awwad, who spoke from Sephora. beauty and personal care prod“We’re in an era where wom- behind a face veil that showed en are basically not even leaving her eyes rimmed with smoky ucts, and encouraged consumers to spend more. Retail sales the house without fake eyelash- eye shadow.

www.canadianinquirer.net

in Saudi Arabia on makeup rose from $410 million in 2012 to $576 million last year, said the report.

In 2012, the late King Abdullah implemented a decision to allow women to work in cosmetic and lingerie stores. It paved the way for thousands of Saudi women to work. The decision was largely supported by the Saudi public, though ultraconservative clerics criticized the measure and said allowing women to work in stores would open the door to lasciviousness and sin.

Previously, women who wanted to buy makeup or lingerie in Saudi Arabia would have to purchase these often personal and intimate products ❱❱ PAGE 28 Saudi women

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FRIDAY APRIL 27, 2018

27

‘It’s limitless:’ Paralyzed toddler moves from homemade wheelchair to treadmill

BY CHRIS PURDY The Canadian Press EDMONTON — Evelyn Moore sings the alphabet song as her tiny running shoes plunk down on the treadmill.

The paralyzed 2 1/2-year old is strapped to the machine with a special harness, as two health workers lift her legs up and down to complete each step.

“All done,” the smiling toddler chirps as she’s unbuckled and carried off to continue her exercise routine.

The Edmonton girl made headlines and melted hearts in 2016 with images of her expertly rolling along in a homemade wheelchair that her father fashioned from a foam baby Bumbo seat, a cutting board and bike wheels.

At four-months-old, Evelyn was diagnosed with cancer and a tumour on her spine left her paralyzed below her arms. After

several rounds of chemotherapy, doctors announced she was in remission, but the paralysis was permanent. They told her parents she could be fitted for a wheelchair after she turned two.

Her parents didn’t listen and, a few months later, the tot was in her homemade chair.

And now, her blond hair long enough for bitty pigtails, Evelyn is hitting the gym and walking – with the help of machines.

“We aren’t taking the typical route that most parents will, and that’s OK,” says her mother, Kim Moore.

She explains that Alberta funds monthly home visits by occupational and physical therapists, but she wanted more therapy for her daughter.

“I’ve been told many times that my daughter is paralyzed, which I understand,” Moore says. “But that doesn’t mean she can’t walk. That doesn’t mean she can’t live a life that

has quality to it.

“Really, it’s limitless.”

Last July, Evelyn became the youngest client at Edmonton’s non-profit ReYu Paralysis Recovery Centre.

Co-founder Bean Gill, who was paralyzed after she contracted an apparent virus six years ago, says the centre uses activity-based training to help people with spinal cord injuries, spina bifida, stroke, cerebral palsy, brain injuries and neurological conditions.

The repetitive form of rehabilitation has helped clients reach such milestones as learning to speak, signing their names and brushing their hair, she says.

Gill first saw Evelyn on the news in her Bumbo wheelchair and offered to help the feisty girl with so much potential.

By getting Evelyn on a treadmill for nearly an hour three to five times a week, even though she can’t walk on her own, she

has gained bladder control, strengthened her immune system and developed muscles, says Gill.

Evelyn can slightly kick her legs.

And she can sit up without using her hands.

“The best part is she doesn’t know it’s working out,” Gill says. “To her, it’s fun. She’s playing with a purpose.

“She’s turning into this sassy little lady. She’s going to take on the world and it’s awesome.”

Nancy Morrow, a neuro exercise specialist who teamed up with Gill to open the centre, says exercise repetition encourages the spinal cord and its patterns to effectively “wake up.”

In addition to the treadmill, Morrow says Evelyn plays around on the floor with toys, takes juice breaks and throws temper tantrums – everything two-year-olds do.

And sometimes she gets strapped into a special mobility

harness called an Upsee.

Evelyn gets strapped to the front of her father’s long legs, their four feet tied into the same shoe platform. Brad Moore walks stiffly around the ReYu exercise room, jokingly describing himself a giant Transformer robot as Evelyn plods along, pointing in the direction she wants him to take her.

Using the device, Evelyn was able to walk outside the centre last summer and, for the first time, stuck her nose into a bush. She hadn’t been able to do that before from the seat of her wheelchair. The moment brought her mother to tears.

Brad Moore says it’s amazing to see his daughter’s progress.

And even though she now has a real wheelchair, he’s holding onto her Bumbo one as a keepsake.

“One day when she has a better understanding of things, we’ll say, ‘This is where it started.’” ■

Anti-straw movement should consider people with disabilities, advocates say

BY CASSANDRA SZKLARSKI The Canadian Press TORONTO — Some Canadians who rely on plastic straws are calling on the surging antistraw movement to consider the impact it could have on people with disabilities.

The outcry comes as global momentum to ban plastic straws builds with British Prime Minister Theresa May vowing to eliminate plastic straws and develop more sustainable alternatives.

Closer to home, an increasing number of Canadian businesses are limiting straw use, with dozens of bars and restaurants in Toronto taking part in a oneday campaign to limit use this past weekend.

Miriam Osborne blasts the campaign as ableist for failing to take into account anyone who depends on straws because of physical limitations.

The 35-year-old Toronto

resident has a disability called arthrogryposis, which affects the muscles in her limbs and prevents her from being able to hold a cup.

“I understand that my use of straws is not enough to keep things status quo, but straws are just a tiny fraction of the plastic,” Osborne says, of the broader push to reduce plastic waste.

“To me, it’s just lame liberal activism that in the end is nothing. We’re really kind of viliyfing people who need straws or forgetting about them completely — let’s be honest — in encouraging shaming people who are asking for them.”

The ways in which eco-conscious business owners have responded vary from location to location. While some say they only dispense straws on request, others have switched to biodegradable or renewable products.

Osborne says she’d like to see more discussion about alternatives, saying she was infuriated

by three establishments she visited in the past six months that had no straws on hand.

She says they included two bars and one restaurant, and that the staff in each case was unapologetic. Each time, she was forced to leave.

“That attitude of course is what really enraged me, almost more than them not having straws,” she says.

More than two years after a video of a sea turtle impaled by a straw turned up on YouTube, establishments run the risk of appearing out-of-step if they don’t take a stand against straws.

Advocates say they hope ditching the straw can be a catalyst for other changes that would also reduce plastic shopping bags, water bottles and food containers.

The federal government is trying to develop a national strategy to cut back on how much plastic Canadians use and toss, but Prime Minister www.canadianinquirer.net

Justin Trudeau has stopped short of joining May’s stance.

Vancouver’s Gabrielle Peters says she wonders how the plastic straw came to be regarded with such disdain.

For many years, she relied on bendy straws because of a rare neuromuscular disease that affected her swallowing muscles, vocal muscles and tongue.

Since starting to use a wheelchair more than 13 years ago,

Peters says she’s realized how little consideration is given to those with disabilities.

“Everything in our society — from the physical environment, to the policies, to the timing of lights, to everything — is organized based on the needs and wants of non-disabled people.

So my curiosity and concern around the straw ban is the ❱❱ PAGE 31 Anti-straw movement

28

Lifestyle

APRIL 27, 2018

FRIDAY

TV’s ‘Homeland...’

Saudi women...

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from an all-male staffof mostly lower-wage workers from the Philippines.

It created for awkward encounters when, for example, a woman wanted to try on a new eye shadow or foundation, but couldn’t lift her face veil in front of the salesman or allow him to touch her skin due to the country’s Islamic mores governing gender segregation.

Sifting through lingerie pieces and having a male employee suggest the right bra size wasn’t any easier.

“We could never feel comfortable. It’s hard to buy makeup when a man is trying it out for me, testing it on my hand or my face,” said Haifa Alwathlan, who started working in clothing and makeup stores in Saudi Arabia soon after women were granted permission.

She said since starting work at Sephora, not only has she learned how to apply her makeup better, but she’s learned how to handle herself professionally.

“I’m the type who has a real temper. So when I started dealing with different types of people and customers, I learned how to manage my nerves,” she said.

Empowering more women to enter the workforce is seen as a necessary step toward strengthening the economy and creating millions of jobs for

young Saudis who will be seeking employment in the coming years.

To satiate the desires of young Saudis and to make the country more resilient in the face of lower oil prices, Prince Mohammed is trying to boost what citizens spend locally on entertainment and fun.

He is also behind a decision to lift a ban on women driving, which will allow women to more easily get to work instead of having to rely on male relatives or costly personal drivers.

Other reforms include the return of musical concerts and performances that were once unthinkable only a few years ago. The kingdom also recently held its first ever fashion week.

Earlier this week, Saudi Arabia opened its first movie theatre, showing the blockbuster film “Black Panther” to a select audience. Tickets for the public are expected to go on sale in the coming days.

Despite the new attractions and entertainment, al-Qahtani, who’s still in college, said most of her monthly allowance is spent on makeup. Fenty would be this month’s splurge.

“I really love the foundation, but of course not for every day.

And I also really love this red lipstick and these other colours. And the highlighters are amazing. The brushes are nice, but not ‘Wow,’” she said. ■

365 and ¼ Days’ earned Lucy an “Official Recognition” from the Municipality of Puerto Galera for promoting the town’s tourism to the international market.

Lucy considered the award a blessing from the Lord and dedicated it to her family, friends, readers, and LA. Lucy is set to publish more books for the kids. Her upcoming books are ‘The Joys of Junior,’ ‘Swanie’s Bag,’ ‘Pinky Oinky,’ ‘Noshi, the House Fly,’ and ‘The Aspirant.’

writers, I advise to hone one’s writing skills and read a lot. Visualize that writing is like preparing a hamburger (top bun, fillings and bottom bun) with a cup of coffee, a writing bonus.”

“Everyone has got the special power to succeed and be heard,” she added.

As for Filipino immigrants in Canada, Lucy tells, “I always share that new immigrants will definitely have a place here in Canada. Everyone will flourish and prosper in the new homeland. Just learn new skills, practice English well; respect other cultures and comply with the country’s rules.”

“Don’t ever give up. I believe that Filipinos are a resilient type of people and naturally know how to thrive,” she concludes. ■

with terror in their own lives. Who do they talk to when they are frightened?”

Spies in popular culture are not new. British author Rudyard Kipling wrote one of the first spy novels, “Kim,” at the turn of the 20th century, Vince Houghton, historian at the International Spy Museum in Washington, said in an interview earlier Monday. A lot of fiction about espionage was written during World War I and even more was published during World War II and the Cold War. British agent James Bond has appeared in published fiction since 1953 and on movie screens in more than two dozen films since 1962.

After the Sept. 11 attacks, the spy genre exploded and today there are multiple television dramas, feeding a seemingly insatiable demand for all things related to spying.

With the number of intelligence stories in the news, there are an abundance of plot lines.

WikiLeaks. Intelligence leaks.

Insider threats. Cyber warfare.

Black sites. Russia accused of poisoning ex-double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter with a nerve agent.

“I don’t think we can compete with the reality,” said Lesli Link Glatter, executive producer and director of “Homeland,” who meets regularly with intel-

Homeland. SHOWTIME

ligence professionals. “I don’t want to say it’s fact-based. It’s a story.”

She admitted the show sometimes doesn’t mirror reality.

CIA operatives, for instance, operate abroad, not in the United States as they have done on the show. The staff, however, regularly confers with intelligence pros.

Laurence Pfeiffer, who had a three-decade career in intelligence and directs the Hayden Center, said he watches the show with his wife, who also worked in intelligence. “We say, ‘Well, that would never happen.’ Or, ‘Oh my god, we’d get shot if we did that.”‘ At the International Spy Museum, Houghton said Hollywood has a responsibility to

portray the spy world as honestly as it can because few people get a look at the real one cloaked in secrecy.

“No one takes Bond seriously, right? People realize that the suave secret agent jumping out of a perfectly good airplane with a cocktail in one hand and a stupidly named blonde in the other is not reality,” he said.

Houghton spent two years writing a weekly column for The Wall Street Journal, highlighting what in “Homeland” was authentic and what probably would never have happened in the real world. “‘Homeland’ comes across as being closer to reality so people get really wrong ideas about the intelligence world by watching shows like that,” he said. ■

tion and ultimately share them to other people, particularly the youth,” Lucy, speaking in a third-person point of view, wrote.

“She would like to inspire the young ones so that more lives will be touched or changed somehow. Hence she gives a contribution and an impact on the world at large,” she added.

Perhaps, one of the biggest — if not the grandest — contributions of Lucy to the world is her children’s books that she “loves writing” while visualizing her school children at LA, who serve as her inspiration.

The first of her children’s book, ‘Ang Tinago Kong Piso (“The Peso Coin I Kept”),’ was published in the Philippines in 2014. The three others are ‘The Class Lady Bug,’ ‘The Star of the Sea: A Boat Ride,’ and ‘Ter

and Ter’ (The Turtle and the Eagle),’ published in the US in 2016, in Canada in the spring of 2017, and in the Philippines in March 2018, respectively.

‘The Class Lady Bug’ touches upon child bullying and how a young girl dealt with her bullies, while ‘The Star of the Sea: A Boat Ride’ tells the story of Aleli who is set to take her first boat trip, with Puerto Galera as the setting.

Lucy also authored the biography of Philippines’s “Happiness Guru,” Jimmy Belleza, entitled ‘Happiness 365 and ¼ Days.’ It is filled with inspirational stories of how he rose from poverty to becoming an entrepreneur and motivational speaker.

‘The Star of the Sea: A Boat Ride,’ ‘‘Ter and Ter’ (The Turtle and the Eagle),’ and ‘Happiness

A Woman... ❰❰ 23

in Poblacion, Puerto Galera. I also miss my school, the children, and the teachers.” she shared.

The Philippines is also home to her “smart and humorous” mother, 82-year-old Elisea de la Torre-Enriquez. If there are people Lucy would thank for igniting her passion in writing, Mrs. Enriquez and Lucy’s grandmother, Regina de la Torre, would probably be on top of her list, for they opened to Lucy the door to literature by painting “colourful pictures and fascinating words in her young, absorbent mind.”

Lucy, on her website, relates that she “plays with words and makes magic, using the figures of speech.”

“Her pen and paper attracted her to put her creative juices into writing for future compila-

www.canadianinquirer.net

Pieces of advice

As a successful educator and author, Lucy sure knows a thing or two about giving tips on how to reach the top.

When asked for an advice to aspiring writers, Lucy said, “For those who would like to become

29

Sports Canadians head home Filipino cyclists gear up for Le Tour de Filipinas after U-17 soccer tournament called off due to violence

BY JEAN MALANUM Philippine News Agency

BY NEIL DAVIDSON The Canadian Press CANADA COACH Bev Priestman was preparing her team for a game Sunday against Costa Rica when CONCACAF pulled the plug on its 2018 Women’s Under-17 Championship following violence in Managua, Nicaragua.

The Canadians had blanked Bermuda 3-0 Friday in their first game of the tournament.

“It happened so quickly,” Priestman said late Monday from Miami as the Canadian team made its way home from Central America. “One minute you’re about to play Costa Rica and then you find out about the tournament being cancelled.

“I do believe they made the right decision,” she added.

“Safety comes first.”

Nicaragua has been rocked by a week of protests in which more than two dozen people have been killed. The protests quickly spread nationwide, with scenes of massive rock throwing, burning barricades, tear gas and some gunfire.

Dozens of shops were looted in Managua, the Nicaragua capital where the tournament was taking place.

Priestman said the Canadian team had been insulated from the violence, with police escorts on their travels.

“I think that’s what surprised us the most,” she said. “We were sort of in a bubble. As you can imagine as a football team you’re just preparing for your game. You turn up for training, you go home.”

The protest movement started when the Sandinista government of President Daniel Ortega issued a decree on April 16 increasing income and payroll taxes and changing pensions to try to shore up Nicaragua’s troubled social security system.

The tournament was to have determined the region’s qualifiers for the Under-17 World Cup in Uruguay, which starts Nov. 13.

Canada had just played the one game. Mexico and Haiti, playing in the pool, had each won both of their outings to qualify for the semifinals.

“We haven’t received any sort of notification other than they’ll be meeting as a committee to decide on the next step,” Priestman said of CONCACAF. Canadian tournament officials also left Nicaragua. ■

MANILA — Six local teams, led by 7-Eleven Road Bike Philippines, will see action in the 9th Le Tour de Filipinas next month.

Also competing in the race scheduled on May 20-23 and sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) are the Philippine National Team, Bike Extreme PH, Go for Gold Cycling Team, Standard Insurance Navy Team, and CCN Superteam.

The Filipinos will be up against riders from Iran’s Pishgaman Cycling Team, Australia’s Brisbane Continental Cycling Team and Oliver’s Real Food Racing, Mongolia’s Nice Devo Cycling Team, Thailand’s Interpro Cycling Academy, South Korea’s Korail Cycling Team, Malaysia’s Team Sapura Cycling and Terengganu Cycling Team, China’s Ningxia Sports Lottery Livall Cycling Team, and Indonesia’s KFC Cycling Team.

Stage 1 will start from Quezon City to Palayan City in Nueva Ecija, covering a distance of 151.32 km. Stage 2 is a 157.90km. race from Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija to Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya.

Riders will travel a total distance of 174.50 km. from Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya to Dagupan City, Pangasinan for Stage 3

PNA

while the final stage is a 154.65km. route from Lingayen, Pangasinan to Baguio City in Benguet.

“We are familiar with the routes and that gives us the advantage in this competition,” said the 32-year-old Mark John Lexer Galedo during the tournament’s launch at the Palacio de Manila in Malate, Manila on Thursday.

Galedo won the 2014 Le Tour de Filipinas. He was a gold medalist in the Individual Time Trial (ITT) during the 2013 Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar.

“Our goal is to perform well,” said Galedo, who along with Marcelo Felipe and Rustom Lim belong to the 7-Eleven Road Bike Philippines team.

The Le Tour de Filipinas is only the second tournament

for Galedo, who ruled the ITT event in the PruLife UK race held in Subic last January.

Daniel Whitehouse of Interpro Cycling Academy will be back to defend his title while the tough climbers from the Pishgaman Cycling Team are setting their sights on the King of the Mountain title.

Donna May Lina, chairperson of Le Tour de Filipinas, said she is happy that more local teams are participating this year.

Also present during the press conference were PhilCycling chairman Alberto Lina, Malaysian Embassy First Secretary Mohd Ridzwan Shahabudin, Indonesian Embassy official Agus Buama, and Le Tour de Filipinas co-chairman Rudy Fulo. ■

NCR enters 100-gold mark as Palaro closes

BY VAN STEWART SALDAJENO Philippine News Agency VIGAN, ILOCOS SUR — Just as the 2018 Palarong Pambansa draws to a close, the National Capital Region (NCR) achieved a rare feat.

The Metro Manila squad will

leave the province of Ilocos Sur with exactly 100 gold medals, based on the latest medals tally issued at 12:52 p.m. on Saturday.

The NCR struck four golds during the day, three from badminton and one from secondary boys’ basketball to cap its stint in the weeklong festivities. It also has 70 silvers and 50

bronzes to its name.

Calabarzon, despite Western Visayas’ domination in elementary badminton, locked on the second spot with 55 golds, 50 silvers, and 73 bronzes. Western Visayas was in third with 46 golds, 45 silvers, and 55 bronzes.

Central Visayas had a late surge to overtake the Cordilwww.canadianinquirer.net

lera region in the fourth spot with 26 golds, 25 silvers, and 36 bronzes. Cordillera slipped to fifth with 25 golds, 22 silvers, and 23 bronzes.

Soccsksargen remained on the sixth spot with 21 golds, 26 silvers, and 32 bronzes, while Central Luzon, backed by two gold medals in elementary badminton, also reached the

20-gold mark with 21 golds, 21 silvers, and 24 bronzes for seventh place.

Zamboanga Peninsula, on the other hand, had its first gold medal officially tallied just in time for the closing. The team also grabbed nine silvers and 23 bronzes. ■

30

Business Aimed at China, Trump’s tariffs are hitting closer to home

BY RICHARD LARDNER The Associated Press WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s escalating dispute with China over trade and technology is threatening jobs and profits in working-class communities where his “America First” agenda hit home.

The Commerce Department has received more than 2,400 applications from companies seeking waivers from the administration’s tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, which may result in duty payments of millions of dollars for larger businesses. The department has begun posting the requests online for public comment; several of the applications released so far suggest deep misgivings with Trump’s protectionist strategy, especially in areas where he won strong support during the 2016 election.

The tariffs are aimed primarily at China for flooding the global market with cheap steel and aluminum. But they’ve also led to confusion and uncertainty, according to Associated Press interviews and a review of records. In Oklahoma, Texas and Wisconsin, for example, businesses operating in the furniture, energy and food sectors have outlined the financial difficulties they’d face if they’re not excused from the steel tariff.

In Okmulgee, Oklahoma, dozens of jobs hang in the balance as office furniture giant Steelcase waits to hear back

from the Commerce Department.

A Steelcase subsidiary, PolyVision, operates a plant in Okmulgee that uses a special type of steel from Japan to manufacture a durable glass-like surface for whiteboards and architectural purposes. PolyVision “cannot and will not be able to procure” from U.S. companies the cold-rolled steel it requires “in a sufficient and reasonably available amount or of a satisfactory quality,” Steelcase said.

Trump won most of the votes cast for president in Okmulgee County. Without a waiver, Steelcase warned, the “economic viability of PolyVision (and) the small town of Okmulgee” would be jeopardized.

The waiver request also indicates that a $15 million plant expansion may be at risk. Steelcase and PolyVision are on the verge of making the investment, which would create new construction and manufacturing jobs, according to the request.

Roger Ballenger, Okmulgee’s city manager, said he and other local officials are “very concerned about the situation with PolyVision.”

The tariffs — 25 per cent on imported steel and 10 per cent on imported aluminum — are designed to protect and rebuild the U.S. companies that manufacture the metals. The U.S. temporarily exempted several major trading partners, including the European Union, Mexico and Canada.

China, which was left on the target list, retaliated by imposing tariffs on $3 billion in U.S. products, including apples, pork and ginseng.

Trump responded by adding more protectionist measures as punishment for Chinese theft of U.S. intellectual property.

And Beijing punched back by proposing tariffs on $50 billion in U.S. products including small aircraft and soybeans — a direct threat to rural areas that were key to Trump’s victory.

John Hritz, CEO of JSW Steel USA in Baytown, Texas, said his company is in lockstep with Trump’s approach. “We’re in favour of growing the steel industry in this country,” Hritz said. JSW Steel, owned by Indian conglomerate JSW Group, is embarking on a $500 million overhaul of the plant that it says will create hundreds of jobs.

The growth would be welcomed in Baytown, where unemployment is 9.8 per cent, more than double the national rate. Baytown is located partly in Harris County, which Democrat Hillary Clinton won, and partly in Chambers County, which Trump handily won.

The future is much murkier for another Baytown steel business, Borusan Mannesmann Pipe. Without a waiver, Borusan may face tariffs of $25 million to $30 million annually if it imports steel tubing and casing from its parent company in Turkey, according to information the company provided to the AP. Borusan said the Baytown

production line would no longer be competitive and “jobs would be threatened” if it cannot import 135,000 metric tons of steel annually over the next two years.

The pipes Borusan produces are used primarily as casing for oil and natural gas wells.

But if Commerce says yes, Borusan will be able to unlock a $25 million investment in the Baytown facility as it seeks to become a “100 per cent domestic supplier,” according to the waiver request. An additional $50 million expansion in pipe fabrication capacity would follow, the company said, leading to as many as 170 new jobs.

Seneca Foods Corporation, the nation’s largest vegetable canner, said in its waiver application that it’s unclear, at best, if U.S. suppliers have the ability or willingness to expand their production in the long term to meet the company’s annual demand for tinplated steel.

But “clearly they cannot meet demand in the short term,”

Seneca told Commerce officials. That means Seneca has to buy a portion of what it needs from overseas.

A person with knowledge of Seneca’s situation said the company would face a $2.25 million duty if the Commerce Department doesn’t approve its waiver request for 11,000 metric tons of tinplate it already agreed to purchase from China. The material is to be delivered this year and next, according to the waiver request. The person was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

Seneca said it employs more than 400 people at can-making facilities in Wisconsin and Idaho and near its headquarters in New York’s Wayne County, where Trump bested Clinton.

The company doesn’t warn layoffs are imminent if the waiver isn’t approved. Instead, the tariffs would likely come out of Seneca’s bottom line, the person said. ■

Peso, local shares retreat on risk-off sentiment

BY JOANN VILLANUEVA Philippine News Agency MANILA — Risk-off sentiment reigned over the Philippines’ financial and capital markets Monday resulting to the weak close of the peso and the de-

cline of the main stocks gauge.

The local currency finished the day at 52.24 from 52.095 Friday last week.

A trader attributed this to rising US Treasury yields following the bullish statement of US Fed Governor Lael Brainard, who is optimistic about the

sustained improvement of the US economy, which he said, can further absorb any Fed rate increases.

For the day, the peso opened sideways at 52.13 from 52.16 in the previous session. It moved between 52.12 and 52.26 during the day, resulting to an average www.canadianinquirer.net

of 52.17.

Volume reached USD757.2 million, more than twice the USD329.5 million at the end of last week. The trader expects the local unit to trade between 52.10 and 52.30 to the Greenback Tuesday.

Likewise, the Philippine

Stock Exchange index (PSEi) shed 0.09 percent, or 7.25 points, to 7,719.47 points, which the trader said was due to the slight weakness on Wall Street.

Decliners surpassed advancers at 103 to 88 while 57 stocks were unchanged. ■

Business

FRIDAY APRIL 27, 2018

Filipinos urged to invest in stock market

BY LESLIE GATPOLINTAN Philippine News Agency MANILA — An online stock and mutual fund platform is encouraging more Filipinos to invest their hard-earned money in stocks, and play a key role in the growth of the country’s capital markets.

Dino Bate, President and Chief Executive Officer of COL Financial Group Inc., attributed the weakening stock market to global trends where liquidity used to lift markets were slowly withdrawn, noting it’s an irrational movement of money.

“For this year’s investors, this is a chance to be able to buy stocks at a much lower level and we know all these will pass and eventually the real values will again emerge. This is a chance to make high returns when markets are at this period,” he said in an interview last week.

“I think 2018 will be challenging. It has nothing to do with the state of the nation. I think the country is doing very well, there is no problem with earnings,” he said.

Bate noted his group is continuously educating Filipino retail investors about pouring in their money into the stock market.

Bate said he thus expects that

TUPUNGATO / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Filipino retail investors will have equal participation with foreign investors in the stock market in three to five years, as they educate more Filipinos to invest in the capital market.

“So the retail investors being minority investors in the country will slowly be of the past, and they will now be a dominant force in the growth of the capital markets,” he added.

Meanwhile, Bate said the Group is looking at introducing to the market new investment products and establish more investor centers this year.

“It’s an investment product that our clients can use as part of their investment portfolio.

What we are trying to do here is always to find ways for clients to have access to these products that they can generate income from it,” he said.

As of end-2017, COL had 249,000 accounts, indicating a 21-percent growth from 205,000 the previous year.

COL was able to achieve this growth due to the steady stream of referrals from existing clients, as well as through the establishment of new investor centers outside Metro Manila, namely in Davao, Cebu and Ilocos.

Bate said they aim to establish two more investor centers in Metro Manila, and one in the province in 2018. ■

Anti-straw movement... ❰❰ 27

thinking that got (us) here,” says Peters.

“My guess is that it’s because everyone in the room thinking about it said, ‘Well, that’s something that’s completely unnecessary. That’s something that’s totally frivolous and no one needs plastic straws so that would be a good place to start.’ That’s where the problem occurs ... the approach was based on an assumption that’s ableist.”

James Hicks of the Council of Canadians with Disabilities says he’s used to seeing discussion of proposed policy treat people with disabilities as an afterthought.

He suggests there are many single-use plastics that some able-bodied people would re-

fuse to give up, such as bags in baby bottles, because it’s an inconvenience.

“There are some things they are not going to be able to get rid of because people don’t want to be without those,” says Hicks.

“One need should not trump another. The need for good environmental products should not trump what’s needed for people with disabilities, and vice versa.”

Some might suggest people bring their own straw but Hicks says that’s not always possible if the person is dining alone and needs help taking their straw out. They may even have trouble storing it and accessing it when needed.

And reusable straws made of

metal or wood can be dangerous, or more difficult to manipulate with a chin, he adds.

Cleaning it is another problem.

Hicks said any law about straw use would have to include assurances that straws remain accessible and affordable.

Peters worried about having to supply her own straw if they suddenly became scarce.

“Where do I get that straw?

Are straws then going to be something you buy at a medical supply store? And as soon as you do that they become more expensive and they become less accessible,” says Peters, on a fixed income of disability benefits she estimates at $1,100 per month.

“You’re just adding that cost to me.” ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

31

Grassroots Liberals... ❰❰ 16

New Democrats approved a resolution on national pharmacare at their recent convention.

Oliver warned that “very powerful lobby groups”, including the big pharmaceutical companies and insurance companies, will fight a universal pharmacare plan. And he said there will be “all kinds of other people resisting it” — not mentioning that Morneau himself initially talked about strictly providing drug coverage for Canadians who aren’t already covered by private drug plans.

Another resolution proposed by the caucus calls on the government to decriminalize simple possession and consumption of all illicit drugs, adopting a model similar to that used in Portugal where the emphasis is on getting drug users into treatment.

New Democrats have adopted a similar resolution.

Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor reiterated Friday that Canada and Portugal are very different countries. And she noted that Trudeau has been clear that legalizing recreational marijuana is as far as he’s prepared to go in removing the criminal prohibition on drug use.

But Toronto MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith urged grassroots Liberals not to take no for an answer.

“The government is committed to the grassroots, the government is committed to evidence and if we come out of this supporting (this resolution) I think the government will change its mind,” he told the workshop.

At another workshop, there was little evidence of support for a resolution calling for the decriminalization of prostitution, proposed by the party’s youth commission.

But Young Liberal president Mira Ahmad said it’s very popular among youth delegates, who make up almost one third of the roughly 3,000 Liberals at the convention.

“Youth have a history of challenging the party status quo and pushing for progressive policies,” she said after the workshop, conceding that “Some Liberals may not like it.”

Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould said the government is already considering decriminalization, among other

options, for dealing with the sex trade.

Wilson-Raybould also indicated that she’s open to listening to arguments about decriminalizing all drugs, although she stressed her priority is cannabis, which is to be legalized this summer. However, she later clarified that “we are focused on cannabis and we are not moving forward on any other decriminalization.”

The clarification was in line with Petitpas Taylor, the lead minister on the drug file who was decidedly cool to the idea.

She warned that decriminalization “is not the silver-bullet solution” to the opioid crisis.

During a panel discussion on the environment and the economy, Environment Minister Catherine McKenna appealed to delegates to back the government’s determination to see the Trans Mountain pipeline expanded. Getting bitumen from Alberta’s oil sands to tidewater in B.C. is part of the balance the government is trying to strike, protecting the environment and reducing carbon emissions while still growing the economy, she argued.

“We have to stop the polarization,” McKenna said.

“That’s why I need you to stand up and support what we are doing to take action on climate change and also support projects that make sense in getting resources to market.”

Outside the convention, a handful of protesters denounced the pipeline and the government’s environmental policy in general. And inside, Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr acknowledged that some Liberals are also likely uneasy about the pipeline.

“Within our party there will be those who think pipelines are not a great idea, but when they hear the arguments about the alternatives of moving the product by rail or by pipeline … I think they will see the position that we have taken.”

Carr said he’s not comfortable watching the Alberta and B.C. governments duke it out in public over the pipeline. But while he understands they’re standing up for their provincial interests, he said the federal government has another priority.

“There is only one government of Canada. We will be accountable for protecting the interests of the entire nation.” ■

32

Technology For the first time, Facebook spells out what it forbids

BY BARBARA ORTUTAY The Associated Press NEW YORK — If you’ve ever wondered exactly what sorts of things Facebook would like you not to do on its service, you’re in luck. For the first time, the social network is publishing detailed guidelines to what does and doesn’t belong on its service — 27 pages worth of them, in fact.

So please don’t make credible violent threats or revel in sexual violence; promote terrorism or the poaching of endangered species; attempt to buy marijuana, sell firearms, or list prescription drug prices for sale; post instructions for selfinjury; depict minors in a sexual context; or commit multiple homicides at different times or locations.

Facebook already banned most of these actions on its previous “community standards” page, which sketched out the company’s standards in broad strokes. But on Tuesday it will spell out the sometimes gory details.

The updated community standards will mirror the rules its 7,600 moderators use to review questionable posts, then decide if they should be pulled off Facebook. And sometimes whether to call in the authorities.

The standards themselves aren’t changing, but the details reveal some interesting tidbits.

Photos of breasts are OK in some cases — such as breastfeeding or in a painting — but

not in others. The document details what counts as sexual exploitation of adults or minors, but leaves room to ban more forms of abuse, should it arise.

Since Facebook doesn’t allow serial murders on its service, its new standards even define the term. Anyone who has committed two or more murders over “multiple incidents or locations” qualifies. But you’re not banned if you’ve o n l y c o m mitted a single hom i cide.

I t

could have been self-defence, after all.

Reading through the guidelines gives you an idea of how difficult the jobs of Facebook moderators must be. These are people who have to read and watch objectionable material of every stripe and then make hard calls — deciding, for instance, if a video promotes eating disorders or merely seeks to help people. Or what crosses the line from joke to harassment, from theoretical musing to direct threats, and so on.

Moderators work in 40 languages. Facebook’s goal is to respond to reports of questionable content within 24 hours. But the company says it doesn’t impose quotas or time limits on the reviewers.

The company has made some high-profile mistakes over the years. For instance, human rights

groups say Facebook has mounted an inadequate response to hate speech and the incitement of violence against Muslim minorities in Myanmar. In 2016, Facebook backtracked after removing an iconic 1972 Associated Press photo featuring a screaming, naked girl running from a napalm attack in Vietnam. The company initially insisted it couldn’t create an exception for

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that particular photograph of a nude child, but soon reversed itself, saying the photo had “global importance.”

Monica Bickert, Facebook’s head of product policy and counterterrorism, said the detailed public guidelines have been a long time in the works. “I have been at this job five years and I wanted to do this that whole time,” she said. Bickert said Facebook’s recent privacy travails, which forced CEO Mark Zuckerberg to testify for 10 hours before Congress, didn’t prompt their release now.

The policy is an evolving document, and Bickert said updates go out to the content reviewers every week. Facebook hopes it will give people clarity if posts or videos they re-

port aren’t taken down. Bickert said one challenge is having the same document guide vastly different “community standards” around the world. What passes as acceptable nudity in Norway may not pass in Uganda or the U.S. There are more universal grey areas, too. For instance, what exactly counts as political protest? How can you know that the person in a photo agreed to have it posted on Facebook?

That latter question is the main reason for Facebook’s nudity ban, Bickert said, since it’s “hard to determine consent and age.” Even if the person agreed to be taped or photographed, for example, they may not have agreed to have their naked image posted on social media.

Facebook uses a combination of the human reviewers and artificial intelligence to weed out content that violates its policies. But its AI tools aren’t close to the point where they could pinpoint subtle differences in context and history — not to mention shadings such as humour and satire — that would let them make judgments as accurate as those of humans.

And of course, humans make plenty of mistakes themselves. ■

Technology

FRIDAY APRIL 27, 2018

Dashing to make a flight?

Order food to your gate through a delivery app

BY TARA DESCHAMPSK The Canadian Press TORONTO — P.J. Mastracchio is used to dashing through airports only to arrive at his gate and have a terrible feeling start to sink in: hunger pangs.

The frequent business traveller’s routine rush often leaves him with no time to grab a bite.

Now, he’s betting his experience is so common it will help get his recently-launched airport delivery service AtYourGate off the ground.

The delivery service, powered by Montreal-based mobile platform GOLO, allows travellers to place orders from restaurants or convenience stores in the airport through the AtYourGate app. The items get delivered to the passenger’s gate, cutting out the need to wait in line for food or walk far distances through the airport to fulfil cravings. For those tight on time, orders can be scheduled in advance to arrive just as you board or deplane.

So far AtYourGate is only available at San Diego International Airport, but it has lofty ambitions to roll out across Canada as it tries to tackle what could be the next frontier for delivery apps: airports.

AtYourGate faces competition from app-based food delivery pioneer Uber Eats, as well as smaller startups and even airports themselves.

Uber Eats Canadian general manager Dan Park said it is experiencing an increase in orders made to airports, though the company can’t make deliveries past security yet. Airport Sherpa launched at Baltimore/Washington International Airport in July. And a spokesperson for the Edmonton International Airport said it hopes to launch a similar offering and the Halifax International Airport Authority said it has explored such a service, but doesn’t have anything in the works.

The idea of delivery services at airports is growing in popularity and something travellers could find very useful, said David Soberman, a University of

Toronto marketing professor. “(Airports) are crowded, often the stores aren’t where your gate is, and it can be challenging, especially if you are a family travelling with kids or if you are an older person. There are all kinds of people that would find this convenient,” he said.

When it launched in January, AtYourGate was only available for airline employees — ticket agents, runway and baggage crews — that often can’t find time to stop for food or are too far from airport restaurants.

Southwest Airlines has allowed AtYourGate on board planes to make deliveries to flight attendants that don’t deplane during very short stopovers.

Within two months, Mastracchio said it expanded to include passengers and has since seen sales growing by 20 per cent per week on average.

“We see passengers arrive at their gate, sit down, look around and realize there is not much there, so they open the app and order. We even got an order at 3:11 a.m. the other day for an 8 a.m. Chinese food delivery,” said Mastracchio, AtYourGate’s chief executive officer.

“Saturday night we served 20 teenagers, 13- and 14-yearold boys, flying back to Boston from Spring Break with their chaperone. The guy bought 20 meals and was thrilled and the kids were thrilled. Those are things we are finding every day at the airport.”

AtYourGate charges customers $2.99 at every vendor they order from, which is divided between the company and the airport.

GOLO chief executive office Jean-Francois Noel hopes it will be a formula that can be replicated beyond San Diego.

He said AtYourGate is contacting all major airports in Canada about the app and is hopeful that by the end of the year it will have lured at least one major airport in the country to launch the service.

“We are also in discussions to bring this concept into office towers hospitals and univer❱❱ PAGE 35 Dashing to

33

Robot designed for faster, safer uranium plant pipe cleanup

BY KANTELE FRANKO The Associated Press COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio crews cleaning up a massive former Cold War-era uranium enrichment plant in Ohio plan this summer to deploy a hightech helper: an autonomous, radiation-measuring robot that will roll through miles of large overhead pipes to spot potentially hazardous residual uranium.

Officials say it’s safer, more accurate and tremendously faster than having workers take external measurements to identify which pipes need to be removed and decontaminated at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Piketon. They say it could save taxpayers tens of millions of dollars on cleanups of that site and one near Paducah, Kentucky, which for decades enriched uranium for nuclear reactors and weapons.

The RadPiper robot was developed at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh for the U.S. Department of Energy, which envisions using similar technology at other nuclear complexes such as the Savannah River Site in Aiken, South Carolina, and the Hanford Site in Richland, Washington.

Roboticist William “Red” Whittaker, who began his career developing robots to help clean up the Three Mile Island nuclear power accident and now directs Carnegie Mellon’s Field Robotics Center, said technology like RadPiper could transform key tasks in cleaning up the country’s nuclear legacy.

“A lot of the easy stuff has already been done,” Whittaker said. “As the nation addresses the next 50 years of this important cleanup, robots are going to have an increasingly important role in that.”

The technology development director for the energy department’s Office of Environmental Management, Rodrigo Rimando Jr., said every hour RadPiper operates will save an estimated eight hours of the conventional method.

That method is a slog: Once insulation and other materials are cleared to access the pipes, a worker elevated on scaffoldwww.canadianinquirer.net

The RadPiper robot.

DAVID KOHANBASH / CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY

ing and wearing protective gear holds up a heavy detector, takes a reading, writes it down, and then repeats that for the next foot of pipe.

Workers did that 1.4 million times in one building over three years, said Marty Reibold, director of strategic initiatives for Fluor-BWXT Portsmouth, the contractor decommissioning the site.

Now they’re focused on an even larger building, big enough to house 58 football fields on its two levels, Reibold said.

With the robot mapping uranium deposits and automatically logging data, some pipe analysis that used to take weeks can be finished same-day.

“The analyst can look at it, push the button, sign the report and say, ‘OK, I’m done with that pipe,’ so that’s huge for us,” Reibold said.

Two big lead discs bracket RadPiper’s detector, making it look a bit like a foot-long barbell. It works only in straight pipes, so workers still must manually check bends and valves.

The site will get two RadPipers, fitted for use in about 15 miles of pipes between 2.5 and 3.5 feet (0.8 and 1.1 metres) in diameter. The creators hope to make another version for the many more miles of smallerdiameter pipes.

The union representing many workers at the site remains cautious about robots replacing good-paying, locally coveted jobs. But it also could free up workers for other tasks, reduce their safety risks and teach them new skills, and if it accelerates cleanup to sooner attract new industry and jobs to the site, all the better, local union president Herman Potter said.

George Hornberger, director of the Vanderbilt Institute for Energy and Environment, said the challenge of cleaning up industrial facilities that processed radioactive materials is addressing health and safety risks in a way that protects workers but is also cost-effective. RadPiper sounds beneficial on both fronts, said Hornberger, who wasn’t involved in the project.

The creators say the project’s speed points to its perceived value. They hatched the idea at a conference in March 2017 and were testing a version by last fall — lightning-fast for a $1.4-million, government-funded project and the procedural hurdles and approvals that entails.

Others are taking notice.

Companies and countries have expressed interest in the technology, Rimando said, noting it could be useful anywhere with nuclear capabilities. ■

APRIL 27, 2018

CANADA

NANNY/BABYSITTER

LOCATION: BRAMPTON Employer: Romelo Perez for 2 children (15 & 11 y.o.), Mon-Fri, $14/hr for 40 hrs/wk. 3 year-contract Requirements: LanguageEnglish. Education- Completion of secondary school (min.)

Experience- 1-2 yrs. child care/babysitting exp; criminal record check, in good health. Duties: Supervise and care for children, prepare and serve meals, assist with feeding, grooming, hygiene, homework and school projects. Perform light housekeeping & cleaning duties including wash/iron clothes and household linens.

Take children to and from school and appointments, travel with family if needed.

HIRING

APPLY BY EMAIL: melo.perez@outlook.com

LUCKY SUPERMARKET 10628 King George Blvd, Surrey B.C is hiring all positions such as: store manager, grocery manager, produce manager, office administration, file maintenance clerk, head cashier, cook, BBQ chef, meat cutter, baker, bakery clerk, grocery clerk, frozen clerk, meat clerk, produce clerk, cashier, truck driver and kitchen helper.

Please email resume to: hrsurrey@luckysupermarket.ca

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34

35

Travel Iconic Chateau Frontenac Hotel in Quebec City marks 125th anniversary

BY PETER RAKOBOWCHUK The Canadian Press MONTREAL — Quebec City’s Chateau Frontenac has been described on websites and in travel brochures as the most photographed hotel in the world.

This year, that reputation will probably grow as the majestic hotel overlooking the St. Lawrence River marks its 125th anniversary with a number of special events.

It has played host over the years to an astonishing number of celebrities and world leaders, and visitors will be able reimagine part of that history by staying in a number of exclusive suites.

General manager Robert Mercure says Alfred Hitchcock shot parts of the 1953 film noir “I Confess” inside the hotel and that he, Celine Dion and Paul McCartney and other famous personalities have spent time there.

To mark their visits, eight executive suites have recently been renovated with special “theme rooms,” which can be reserved by guests.

Mercure proudly points out the Chateau Frontenac helped Dion get her big break.

“She was actually signed up

by Sony Records singing in our ballroom,” he said in a recent interview.

“She had already been a well-known star in Quebec, but when Sony discovered her that’s when her career really took off and she became an international star.”

There’s also a Churchill and Roosevelt suite named after the two Quebec Conferences in August 1943 and September 1944, where U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill planned the Normandy invasion and Europe’s post-war reconstruction.

“There were famous meetings that went on in the hotel’s Salon Rose,” Mercure noted, adding that a heritage exposition is planned for July and August.

Then there’s a suite to honour Hitchcock, the master of suspense who stayed in a number of the hotel’s rooms.

“He filmed a large part of the film ‘I Confess’ in the hotel and you’ll see the ballroom and all kinds of different internal and exterior views,” Mercure said.

“We wanted to pay respect to Mr. Hitchcock so we have a themed suite named after him.”

Mercure boasted that the hotel is also inaugurating a new Trudeau-and-Trudeau suite.

“Both of the prime ministers have stayed here repeatedly,” he said. “(Justin) Trudeau was here when he was younger, so it’s going to be a nice story about father and son.”

Mercure said there are suites to honour Queen Elizabeth and William Cornelius Van Horne, the brainchild behind the Canadian Pacific Railway and the history-filled hotel.

The Chateau has also set up a Princess Grace suite and, at the end of the year, will be celebrating an exposition to mark the 50th anniversary of her visit during the city’s winter carnival. Grace Kelly, an American actress, became a princess when she left Hollywood to marry Prince Rainier III of Monaco.

An overnight stay in the exclusive suites won’t come cheap. The rooms normally cost more than $500 per night, but prices go up during the peak season.

“It’s really an issue of supply and demand so when we’re in peak season, they’re typically selling at well over $1,000 a night,” he said.

Other past guests have included Steven Spielberg, Leonardo DiCaprio, Angelina Jolie and U.S. presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan.

Mercure, who has worked at the hotel for 10 years, says a number of expositions will be open to the general public.

“There’s a fascinating history of the hotel and why it’s here, so we’ll be doing an exposition on the creation of the Chateau

Frontenac,” he said.

A call has gone out to local residents to go through their closets and look for any souvenirs they may have of the towering hotel.

“In November, we’re going to be doing a big, big open-door exposition, sort of an antique travelling road show,” Mercure said.

A big blowout is also planned for mid-December. It was on Dec. 18, 1893, that the first wing of the hotel was inaugurated.

“We’re still formulating what that’s going to be — it might be a series of events — but we will be doing a big party at the end of the year to celebrate the anniversary,” he said.

Mercure has always been a Beatles fan and was especially thrilled to meet McCartney

during a 2008 visit to Quebec City.

He welcomed the famous Beatle to the hotel with a sweatshirt that had the hotel logo and “Quebec City” on it in huge letters.

“He loved it and wore it on the Plains of Abraham when he sang ‘Yesterday’ during his encore on stage,” Mercure recalled.

The hotel, which had a $75-million facelift in 2014, was named in honour of Louis de Buade, the Count of Frontenac and a former governor of New France.

One little-known fact about the hotel is that its roof is home to four beehives and about 70,000 bees whose honey is harvested twice a year and used in cocktails and various dishes. ■

parks and cultural landmarks.

Park said thousands of orders have made their way to Canadian hospitals, including St. Michael’s, Mount Sinai and the Women’s College Hospital, all in Toronto.

The app even allows users to drop a pin for delivery at a park bench or a swingset, where there isn’t an address, so parents and hungry kids enrolled in sports or engrossed in the playground can be fed conveniently.

Park said colleges and university communities have also proved to be “fantastic” for Uber Eats.

“When you see those things in those kinds of markets, it starts opening up opportunities,” he said, adding that it is also looking into partnerships with schools and for meal plans.

When it comes to unconventional spaces, he said business travellers are “probably the

biggest use case,” given that hundreds of Uber Eats orders are coming every month from airports.

The orders typically get delivered to passenger dropoff spots, long before travellers reach the airport’s security checks.

Liquids can be hard to get past the checks, but Park said dishes that tend to be popular with Uber Eats users in general — sandwiches, burgers and noodles —

don’t prove as challenging.

When asked whether Uber Eats will start delivering straight to gates, Park said, “It’s always a possibility.”

He stressed that for now the company is focused on ease of ordering, speed and reliability, but added, “When you create that magical, unexpected experience for customers, the number of use cases that come up are somewhat infinite.” ■

COLIN DEWAR / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Dashing to... ❰❰ 33

sities,” he said. “Everywhere you have a building, merchants and users you can create an ecommerce based community.”

The potential to turn any gathering space into a food-delivery opportunity is a page out of Uber’s playbook. In Canada, the company has seen deliveries to plenty of unconventional spaces including airports, sports centres, hotels, beaches,

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36

Travel

APRIL 27, 2018

FRIDAY

Visiting the Tunisian desert where ‘Star Wars’ was filmed

BY CAIN BURDEAU The Associated Press MATMATA, TUNISIA — There’s a reason the original “Star Wars” movie was filmed here in the deserts of southern Tunisia. This stark, remote landscape looks like another planet.

One of Tunisia’s vast desert regions is even called Tataouine, like Luke Skywalker’s home planet, Tattoine.

And the underground home where Luke Skywalker first appeared living with his uncle and aunt is a real hotel in the town of Matmata, one of various desert locations used in the movies.

“It looks just like the film,” said Lorenzo Bresciani, one of two young touring Italian professional tennis players who recently visited the Hotel Sidi Driss. “When you see it on the film, you say, ‘OK.’ But when you are here, it has another effect.”

Hotel owner Masoud Berachad says visitors have dropped off since Tunisia’s democratic revolution in 2011 and since terror attacks killed tourists in 2015.

Still, “Star Wars” fans keep the hotel in business. “They come and take so many pictures,” Berachad said. “You can see how happy they are. They

Stacks of jerry cans hold cheap gas smuggled in from neighbouring Algeria and Libya. In lonely-looking and half-finished towns along the way, the only businesses seem to be coffee shops filled with men smoking hookahs and playing cards.

The Berbers A jumble of walls and stone Before becoming a hotel in homes mark a Berber town on 1969, the “Star Wars” dwelling a hill called Tamezret. Here was a traditional home used Mongi Bouras, a 50-year-old by indigenous Berber artisan, Berbers.

The has meticuBerbers played a lously turned an major role in the old cave home history of North You can see how happy they are. into a museum They can stay here for hours and Africa and Euto showcase his hours. rope after formpeople’s history. ing powerful His museum alliances with is filled with his Romans and Argorgeous tradiabs. Remember the Jawas from grains. “Everything was made tional artwork, all handmade: “Star Wars,” the hooded fellows by hand,” she said. dresses, quilts, carpets, manwho trade in scrap metal and She remembered her life nequins adorned in traditional capture C-3PO and R2-D2? there fondly, despite hardships clothing. It’s also full of tools Their dark cloaks and pointed like carrying water by camel and objects that would have hoods resemble the garments from a spring far away and the been found in a Berber home, of traditional Berbers, as does daily search for food. like pestles and the two-hanObi-Wan Kenobi in his cloak. dled jars called amphorae.

The Berbers’ underground A desert journey He said animistic, Jewish, dwellings, like the Matmata It’s a long journey across Christian and Muslim symbols house, were carved from sand- wide-open plateaus to this became part of Berber crafts stone to offer shelter from heat desert terrain. Long, straight and patterns, and his work reand a place to hide from en- highways pass industrial cit- flects that: In his laboriously emies. Few people live that way ies such as oil-rich Gabes and woven garments and carpets today, but some dwellings have phosphate-producing Gafsa. there is a Star of David, a Chrisbeen preserved as museums, Vendors by the roadside sell tian cross, an Islamic crescent including one owned by Mah- tea boiled in fire-warmed pots, moon and naturalistic repreboub Theouibi, whose fam- pastries and beautiful ceramics. sentations.

can stay here for hours and hours.”

Aside from tourism, though, jobs here are scarce. Matmata’s population is dwindling as people leave for a more modern life elsewhere.

ily moved into a modern house about 25 years ago.

Like most of the dwellings, theirs was built with a central courtyard open to the sky.

“Brothers lived in the same room, cousins in another,” she said. “Each room had a purpose.” She pointed to a small room accessible only by ladder, where the family stored food, and a stone for milling

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The low doorways, he said, forced visitors to bow out of courtesy. In one room, he lifted a colorful carpet to reveal a wooden door in the floor. This used to be the entrance to a 1-kilometre-deep tunnel once used by inhabitants to get water, their path lit by oil lamps.

“The sign of the smoke from olive oil is still there,” he said.

An abandoned film set

Farther on, the Sahara gets closer. The horizons stretch longer. Traffic is sparse. Mountain profiles etch the landscape.

Out of nowhere, a town appears: Douz. A restaurant menu lists camel’s milk, lamb’s head and grilled fish trucked in from the Mediterranean. Another city on the edge of the Sahara, Tozeur, is busy with shops, litup mosques, cafes, markets, traffic.

Then, just outside Tozeur, a bizarre sight appears over the top of a sand dune: an abandoned film set from another “Star Wars” location, a place called Mos Espa in the films.

Vendors sell crafts and pushy boys try to get tourists to pose for photographs atop camels or with long-eared desert foxes.

As the sun falls, the dunes and desert take on strange shapes and colours. It’s as if they truly belong on another planet. ■

37

Food Spatzle Primavera is made with vegetables, cream and cheese

BY SARA MOULTON The Associated Press SPRINGTIME IS the right time for Pasta Primavera, which is, after all, the Italian word for spring. There’s some controversy about who invented this wonderful dish, but everyone agrees that it was made famous in the late ‘70s at New York’s Le Cirque restaurant. In any case, the recipe consists of spring vegetables, cream and cheese.

How far wrong can you go?

My take on this classic swaps out the traditional Italian pasta for the fresh egg pasta called spatzle, a kind of soft noodle that’s widespread throughout southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, Moselle and South Tyrol. “Wait a minute,” you say. “Homemade pasta? Sounds like too much work.”

Not to worry. The spatzle will be ready to cook in the time it takes to bring a pot of water to a boil.

Spatzle dough is about the consistency of a thick pancake batter, which means it’s much more liquid than typical pasta dough. You can make it with electric beaters or by hand. The only requirement is using the right tool for the job: a spatzle maker. The device looks like

a metal washboard with holes on it, topped by a small open box made of metal. You set the “washboard” over the pot of boiling water and pour the batter into the little box. The dough drips through the holes as you slowly move the metal box back and forth along the washboard to cut the strands of pasta. Some folks have suggested that you can use a colander with large holes instead of a spatzle maker, but I’ve never had success with that utensil.

“Who needs yet another kitchen gadget?” you say. I strongly believe that you do. With a spatzle maker in house — you can easily find them online for about $12 — you’ll find yourself making fresh pasta once a week, because doing so is that simple.

Here I’ve combined the pasta with typical spring ingredients — asparagus and peas — along with mushrooms, to make it more substantial. But you’re welcome to toss it instead with any of your favourite sauces.

Spatzle Primavera

Start to finish: 1 hour (30 active) Servings: 4 to 6 • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus extra for salting the water

• 1 pound asparagus • 1 pound shelled fresh or defrosted frozen peas • 8 ounces assorted whole mushrooms, halved or quartered, if large • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil • 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth • 1 cup heavy cream • 240 grams (about 2 cups) allpurpose flour • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten • 1 ounce grated ParmigianoReggiano, plus extra for garnish • Chopped fresh dill for garnish Bring a large pot of boiling salted water to a boil. Break or cut off the bottom tough part of the asparagus and, if it is thicker than 1/3-inch, peel it from right underneath the tip all the way to the bottom of the stem. Working in a few batches, add the asparagus to the water and simmer until they are al dente but not cooked through (1 minute for thin asparagus and 2 minutes for thick), transfer them to a bowl of ice and water to chill. When they are chilled, pat them dry and slice them crosswise, at an angle, 1/2-inch thick. Set aside.

If using fresh peas, add them to the water and simmer them until al dente, about 2 minutes. Use

Chicken in a pressure cooker takes the pressure off dinner

BY MELISSA D’ARABIAN The Associated Press NOT A day goes by that I don’t get a recipe request or question about the Instant Pot. So, dear readers, today is the day for my starter recipe for you Instant Pot (Multi-Pot, etc.) fans.

I’ll start by pointing out that we are really talking about here is an automated, easy-to-use electric pressure cooker. I hear

a collective sigh of recognition from a whole generation of home-cooks who have relied on a pressure cooker for years to deliver stews, chilis and braises to their families in quick order.

But for the rest of us who were freaked out by managing the pressure on the stovetop ourselves, fearing exploding hot liquids or bursts of scalding steam, an automated pressure cooker welcomes us into the fold. Cooking under high

pressure speeds up the process quite a bit, meaning you can have tender braised meat in minutes instead of hours, which can be a boon for weeknight meals.

In case you decide to get an electric pressure cooker, here are a few tips. First, read the entire manual before you start cooking anything. Even if you are one to put an entire Ikea liv❱❱ PAGE 38 Chicken in

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a strainer to remove them from the water and set them aside. If using defrosted frozen peas, do not cook them at this point (they were already blanched before they were frozen).

In a large skillet cook the mushrooms in the oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they are golden, about 8 minutes. Add the chicken broth and cream and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

In an electric mixer stir together the flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt, add the eggs and 1 cup water and beat until the mixture is smooth. The consistency should be like that of thick pancake batter. If it is thicker, add additional water, a few tablespoons at a time, until it

reaches the desired consistency.

Place the spatzle maker over the pot of boiling water and slowly pour the batter into the box, letting it drip down into the water.

Boil for a few minutes (taste a piece of pasta to see if it is just al dente). Strain the spatzle and add it to the skillet along with the asparagus, peas and cheese.

Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring, until just heated through.

Add salt and pepper to taste and serve right away topped with additional cheese, if desired, and the dill. ■ Nutrition information per serving: 450 calories; 195 calories from fat; 22 g fat (11 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 131 mg cholesterol; 358 mg sodium; 48 g carbohydrates; 7 g fiber; 7 g sugar; 16 g protein.

Food

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APRIL 27, 2018

FRIDAY

Chicken in... ❰❰ 37

ing room set together with nary a glance at the instructions, read the manual. It will explain how the cooker works, and give you step-by-step operating instructions.

My second tip is to start with something easy that can’t be overcooked: stock or bone broth, for example. Load up the pressure cooker with bones and a few hunks of onion and celery, cover with water (don’t overfill), and set the timed cooker (exactly how long is in - you guessed it - your manual - see it’s paying off already!).

Next tip: Use less liquid than you would use stovetop as evaporation is eliminated, and don’t overcook. High pressure means you can’t easily open the lid to check on food’s progress and texture as you would with a typical stovetop braise. Be extra aware of the possibility of overcooking if you are cooking tougher meat with tender vegetables.

Finally, be aware that “instant” is a bit of a misnomer.

While “cook time” in any recipe is relatively short - today’s recipe for Instant Dijon Chicken only “cooks” for 10 minutes - don’t forget to add the time it takes to come to pressure (about 5-15 minutes) plus time for pressure release, if you aren’t manually releasing the pressure (which I don’t recommend for a newbie).

Just in case any of you thought that dinner would be done in an actual instant.

Instant Dijon chicken

Servings: 6 Start to finish: 40 minutes

• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes • 1/4 cup dry white wine • 2 teaspoons dried tarragon (or 1 teaspoon fresh, chopped) • 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped, about 3/4 cup • 4 garlic cloves, minced • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat • 1/2 pound white button mushrooms, wiped clean and halved

• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces • 1/4 cup Dijon mustard • Additional tarragon or chopped parsley for garnish, optional • salt and pepper • Special equipment: Electric Pressure Cooker (such as Instant Pot or Multi-Pot) Spray the inside of an electric pressure cooker with an olive oil mister for easy cleanup.

Place the canned diced tomatoes, wine, tarragon and garlic at the bottom of the pot and stir

with a wooden spoon to blend.

Sprinkle the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, and cut each thigh twice (into three pieces), and place on top of the tomato mixture. Place the halved mushrooms and cut carrot pieces on top of the chicken.

Place the lid on, secure, and close the pressure valve. Set the timer to 10 minutes at high pressure.

Once the cooking is done, allow the pressure cooker to sit for 10 minutes, allowing the pressure to release slowly

(without moving the valve).

Then, carefully turn the pressure valve to open, releasing any remaining pressure. (Note: it will take 8-10 minutes for the cooker to come to pressure, plus 10 minutes of cooking time, plus the release time, so total cooking time will be near 30 minutes.) Spoon about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid into a small bowl and whisk in the Dijon mustard until creamy.

Whisk the mustard mixture into the pot of cooked chicken.

Top with parsley or additional tarragon, if desired. Serve with cooked cauliflower rice, spaghetti squash, quinoa or brown rice.

Chef’s Note: The dish can be made in a conventional pot on a stove. Simmer, covered, on low heat until meat is tender, about 60-75 minutes. ■ Nutrition information per serving: 246 calories; 57 calories from fat; 6 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 142 mg cholesterol; 941 mg sodium; 11 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 32 g protein.

COOKING ON DEADLINE:

Fattoush

BY KATIE WORKMAN The Associated Press DURING THE month of Ramadan, observant Muslims perform daily fasts from dawn to dusk, only breaking the fast with a meal (usually a light one) after the sun sets.

Fasting is intended to cleanse the soul, allowing Muslims to turn their attention inward, toward charity work and prayer, and away from material things.

One of the dishes on many tables in Levantine countries during Ramadan is fattoush. It may be served during the evening break fasts, and is often part of the celebratory spread that marks the end of the month of abstinence.

Many countries have a version of fattoush. As with many cross-cultural dishes, researching the different varieties is both fun and slightly exhausting. There’s always some type of flatbread, such as pita, and tomatoes and cucumbers. But then … lettuce or no lettuce?

Vegetables sliced or diced?

Radishes? Peppers? Lemon or lime juice? A bit of sweetener?

Sumac? Choices to be made.

Mince your garlic as much as you can so that it really blends into the dressing. A way to get it super-fine is to chop it quite a bit, then sprinkle on a bit of salt and drag the flat side of the knife blade across the garlic several times, pressing down as you go to create a paste. Chop some more, drag the knife over it once again, repeat, and soon you will have a fine garlic paste.

Sumac is a spice made from berries that grow wild on bushes in Lebanon and other countries in the region; it’s a classic fattoush seasoning. The flavour is tart and tangy. You could use that instead of the za’atar, which is a lovely, tangy and earthy combination of sumac, thyme, sesame and marjoram (sometimes cumin), and is often easier to find in supermarkets.

Serves 6 Start to finish: 30 minutes

Pita Crisps: • 2 pieces pita bread • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt • 1/2 teaspoon za’atar Salad: • 1 heart of romaine, thinly sliced crosswise • 4 Persian cucumbers, sliced, or 1 seedless or hothouse cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeds removed, and thinly sliced • 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved • 1/2 cup finely diced red onion • 4 scallions trimmed and thinly sliced (white and green parts) • 6 radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced • 1 cup fresh parsley leaves Vinaigrette: • 1/4 cup olive oil • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice • 1 teaspoon pomegranate syrup or honey • 1 teaspoon very finely minced garlic (almost a paste) • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint www.canadianinquirer.net

• 1/2 teaspoon za’atar • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Make the Pita Crisps.

Brush the tops of the pitas with the tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and za’atar.

Place on a baking sheet and bake for 4 to 5 minutes, until toasted and crisp. Remove and let cool.

Make the Salad: In a large bowl combine the lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, scallions, radishes and parsley.

Make the Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup olive oil, lime juice, pomegran-

ate syrup or honey, garlic, mint, za’atar, and salt and pepper.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well.

Break the cooled pita into pieces about 1-inch large (they will be uneven) and add them to the salad just before serving. Give a final toss, let sit for 5 minutes so the pita starts to soften just slightly in the dressing, and serve. ■ Nutrition information per serving: 187 calories; 106 calories from fat; 12 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 311 mg sodium; 18 g carbohydrate; 5 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 5 g protein.

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FRIDAY APRIL 27, 2018

We brewed an ancient Graeco Roman beer and here’s how it tastes

BY MATT GIBBS The Canadian Press BEER IS the most consumed alcoholic beverage in the world; it is also the most popular drink after water and tea. In the modern world, however, little consideration is typically given to how beer developed with respect to taste. Even less is given to why beer is thought of in the way that it is.

But today, Canada is in the middle of a beer renaissance. A relative explosion of craft breweries has led to a renewed interest in different methods of brewing and in different types of beer recipes.

In turn, this has driven interest into historical methods of brewing. It is a rather romantic idea: That very old brewing processes are somehow superior to those of the modern world. While almost all of the beer on the market today is quantitatively and qualitatively better than that produced in the ancient world, attempts made by both historians and breweries recently have had some good results.

For example, the collaboration between University of Pennsylvania archaeologist Patrick McGovern and Dogfish Head Brewery that resulted in their “Midas Touch”, based on the sediment found in vessels discovered in the Tomb of Midas in central Turkey, and the Sleepy Giant Brewing Company’s ancient beers created as part of Lakehead University’s Research and Innovation Week.

Why re-create ancient beer and mead?

From an academic point of view, researchers have realized eating and drinking are important social, economic and even political activities. In the ancient world, food, drink and their consumption were important indicators of culture, ethnicity and class. Romans were set apart from non-Romans in several ways: Those living in cities versus those who didn’t, those who farmed in one place versus those who moved around, and so on.

One of the other ways in which this distinction was made was in the different foods people ate and in the liquids they drank. This is clear in the ancient Graeco-Roman debate surrounding those who drank wine and those who drank beer.

Although the saying “you are what you eat” is a fact in terms of physiology, the Romans also believed that “you are what you drink.” So Romans drank wine, nonRomans drank beer.

These indicators (real or not) even exist today: The English drink tea, Americans drink coffee; Canadians drink rye, the Scottish drink scotch.

So the re-creation of ancient beer and mead (an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting honey and other liquids) allows us to examine many things. Among them are these cultural and ethnic considerations, but there are other important and interesting questions that can be answered. How has the brewing process transformed? How have our palates changed?

The “Roman” recipes and their recreation

The Romans left us a variety of different recipes for food and drink. Two of them form the basis of an ongoing research project between the co-owners of Barn Hammer Brewing Company — Tyler Birch and Brian Westcott — and myself that attempts to answer some of these questions.

The first is a recipe for beer that dates to the fourth century Common Era (CE).

It appears in the work of Zosimus, an alchemist, who lived in Panopolis, Egypt, when it was part of the Roman empire.

The second is a recipe for a mead probably from Italy and dating to the first century CE, written by a Roman senator called Columella.

Both recipes are quite clear concerning ingredients, with the exception of yeast. Yeast, or more appropriately a yeast culture, was often made from dough saved from a day’s baking. Alternatively, one could simply leave mixtures out in the open. But the processes and measurements in them are more difficult to recreate.

The brewing of the beer, for instance, required the use of barley bread made with a sourdough culture: Basically a lump of sourdough bread left uncovered.

To keep the culture alive while being baked required a long, slow baking process at a low temperature for 18 hours.

Zosimus never specified how much water or bread was needed for a single batch; this was left open to the brewers’ interpretation. A mix of three parts water to one part bread was brewed and left to ferment for nearly three weeks.

The brewing of the mead was a much easier process. Closely following Columella’s recipe, we mixed honey and wine must. The recipe in this case provided some measurements, and from there we were able to extrapolate a workable mix of roughly three parts must to one part honey.

We then added wine yeast and sealed the containers. These were placed in Barn Hammer’s furnace room for 31 days in an attempt to imitate the conditions of a Roman loft.

principles of brewing have not changed significantly; fundamentally, the process of brewing both beer and mead is arguably the same now as it was 2,000 years ago. But as true as that may be, even now the production of Zosimus’ beer — particularly the baking of the bread — was labour-intensive.

This led to another question: Did the link between baking and brewing depicted so clearly in ancient Egyptian material culture and archaeology persist even centuries later?

Second, we recreated beer and mead from the Roman Empire as faithfully as we were able. The data all suggest that the beer is a beer, and the mead is a mead, right down to the pH level: The beer, for instance, stands at pH 4.3 which is what one would expect from a beer after fermentation.

Third, as the photos here make clear, the mead looked like red wine, the beer was quite pale but cloudy. Neither case was particularly surprising, but what was interesting was the difference between the first tasting of the beer and the second 10 days later.

In the former, the beer looked liked

What did we learn?

First of all, it’s worth noting that the www.canadianinquirer.net

a sourdough milkshake; in the latter, the beer looked like a pale craft ale, and one that would not be out of place in the modern craft beer market.

Fourth, with respect to taste, the beer was sour but quite smooth, and had a relatively low ABV – Alcohol By Volume: the measurement that tells you what percentage of beer or mead is alcohol — around three to four per cent. The sour taste resulted in diverse opinions: Some people liked it; others hated it. The mead was incredibly sweet; it smelled like a fortified wine due to presence of Fusel alcohols, and had an ABV upwards of 12 per cent.

While general tastes may have changed, there are modern palates that appreciate ancient beer and mead. Is this a physiological question? Perhaps, but what seems clear is that ancient indicators based on what people drank are likely more indicative not only of the Romans’ beliefs and opinions about non-Romans, but also their prejudices against them.

Ultimately, what the project suggests so far is that while the brewing process may not have changed that much, in some ways neither have we. ■

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APRIL 27, 2018

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FRIDAY