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VOL. 8 NO. 336
VOIDED AMNESTY Senator Antonio Trillanes IV holds what he says was a court order on their motion to dismiss from the Makati Regional Trial Court during a press conference at the Senate on Sept. 5, 2018. President Rodrigo R. Duterte voided the amnesty given to him by former president Benigno S. Aquino III issued in November 2010. AVITO C. DALAN / PNA
Voiding Trillanes amnesty ‘constitutionally allowed’: Panelo BY JELLY MUSICO Philippine News Agency MANILA — Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo on Wednesday defended President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to declare void ab initio (from
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Duterte voids amnesty of critical senator, orders his arrest
the beginning) the amnesty granted to Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, arguing that it is “constitutionally allowed.” Panelo said Trillanes did not only meet the requirements of the law but also abused the grant of amnesty af-
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❱❱ PAGE 6 Voiding Trillanes
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The irony in Quebec politics: Which party deserves the title of most ‘progressive’?
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PH, Israel to sign deal on energy exploration BY AZER PARROCHA Philippine News Agency MANILA — The Philippine government is scheduled to sign an agreement with Israeli oil firm Ratio Petroleum Limited, which will cover energy exploration in Palawan, Malacañang said Tuesday. “Inaasahan po natin na mapipirmahan ang isang kasunduan para po sa exploration sa panig ng Pilipinas at ang isang kumpanya dito sa Israel, eto po ay with Ratio Petroleum Limited (We are expecting an agreement on exploration to be signed between the Philippines and a company in Israel, the Ratio Petroleum Limited),” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press briefing in Israel. “It’s another foreign investor helping us explore for energy in an effort to provide energy security,” he added. Roque did not give further details but said that the franchise will be an area somewhere in the east of Palawan. According to Roque, Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso Cusi has been in charge of preparations for
the signing of the agreement. Earlier, the Philippine and Israeli governments also inked the three other agreements — the Memorandum of Agreement on the Employment of Filipino Caregivers, Memorandum of Understanding on Scientific Cooperation, and Memorandum of Understanding between the Board of Investments and Invest in Israel. Regrettable
Roque, meanwhile, described as “regrettable” reports that Israeli water purification firm, NUFiltration withdrew its participation in the upcoming business forum, which will be attended by President Rodrigo R. Duterte, due to an earlier remark he made comparing the massacre of Jews during the holocaust to extrajudicial killings in his drug war. “That’s truly regrettable because we think the Philippines is one of the best investment destinations,” Roque said. “We will miss those who will not attend but I’m sure interest among investors to invest in the Philippines remains at an all-time high,” he added. ■
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.
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Sara Duterte hits back at rape joke critics BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer
as implement programs to curb the increasing number of such crime. Moreover, the Mayor also enumerated several ‘interventions’ of the city AFTER PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte government and its partner agencies. was criticized for his latest rape remark, Among these and the “most effective” it is now the Presidential daughter’s of which, she said, is that children in tarturn to hit back at her father’s critics. geted communities are given knowledge “I pose this question to all who seem- about sexuality and sexual abuse, iningly want to see Davao City fail – what cluding when a family member’s touch is have you done to help?” Davao City no longer “appropriate and acceptable.” Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said on Fri“This positive effect of government day, August 31. action should not be The President on lost in the repertoire Thursday jestingly of the President and said Davao City has the attacks by those many rape cases bewho hate his guts and cause it has many humor,” the Presibeautiful women. I pose this dential daughter Duterte was comquestion to all stressed. menting to the rewho seemingly The Palace earlier cent report of the want to see defended the PresiPhilippine National Davao City fail dent’s statement, Police (PNP) that his – what have saying the public hometown recorded you done to should not give “too the highest number help? much weight” on of rape cases, which what Duterte says in is at 42, in the second jest. quarter of 2018. While saying that Acknowledging people across the this report, Dutertecountry have differCarpio said the city ent senses of humor, government has already been taking Roque clarified that people in the South, steps to address these rape cases since particularly in Cebu and the Visayas, are last year. “not okay with rape jokes.” “In 2017, this fact has been taken up in Duterte had been criticized by several the Davao City Peace and Order Council government officials, women’s rights (DCPO), where it was discovered that groups, and the public for his actions many of these cases where incestuous and remarks against women. rape or rape by someone who has a close In June, Duterte kissed a married Filirelationship with the victim such as a pina on the lips in public during his ofneighbor or a friend,” she said. ficial visit to South Korea, and in FebruThe Davao City Social Services and ary, the Chief Executive also threatened Development Office, she added, was to shoot female communists in their vaalso tasked to conduct a research as well gina. ■
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Opposition condemns Trillanes amnesty revocation BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer CRITICS ON Tuesday, September 4, slammed the move of President Rodrigo Duterte to revoke the amnesty granted to one of his staunchest critics, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV. In Proclamation No. 572 signed by Duterte on August 31 but was only made known to the public on Tuesday, the grant of amnesty to Trillanes is declared “void ab initio” as he failed to comply with the “minimum requirements to qualify under the Amnesty Program.” Reacting to this, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan described the issuance of Proclamation No. 572 as a “clear persecution” against one of his administration’s critics. “Instead of addressing the rice crisis now engulfing the nation, this government is more concerned with silencing its
critics using illegal and unlawful methods,” Pangilinan, president of the Liberal Party (LP), said in a statement. “It has no justifiable basis and done to silence Sen. Trillanes, who in the past has exposed to the public possible wrongdoings of the President,” he added. The opposition senator, in 2010, was granted amnesty through Proclamation No. 75 by former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, after he took part in coup attempts — Oakwood mutiny in July 2003, the Marines stand-off in February 2006, and the Manila Peninsula siege in 2007 — under the administration of then President and now House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. This proclamation was concurred in by Congress and therefore it cannot be “easily set aside by the whims of one man,” according to Pangilinan. “The Constitution provides
Sen. Antonio "Sonny" Trillanes IV.
that an amnesty proclamation requires the concurrence of both Houses of Congress and therefore the said revocation requires our concurrence and is therefore not immediately executory,” he stressed. “We stand by Sen. Trillanes, and will use all legal means to fight this illegal and abusive
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exercise of presidential power,” he continued. Senator Risa Hontiveros also condemned the latest attack of the President against his critics, calling it unconstitutional as it lacks concurrence from the legislature. “While the Executive has the power to grant amnesty, it
❱❱ PAGE 12 Opposition condemns
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OFWs give Duterte ‘rockstar’ welcome in Israel BY LILIAN MELLEJOR Philippine News Agency JERUSALEM, ISRAEL — Close to 2,500 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Israel gave President Rodrigo Duterte a “rockstar” welcome at the Ramada Hotel on Sunday night. Duterte, who arrived here on a four-day visit, went directly to meet with the OFWs from the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and members of the Cabinet and the delegation. The President was emotional for the sounding welcome of the OFWs, who were chanting his name upon entering the venue. “This is the first time napaluha ako na nandito ako sa aking mga kababayang Pilipino (This is the first time I am teary eyed that I’m here with my Filipino countrymen),” he added. Philippine Ambassador to
Israel Nathaniel Imperial had told the President the OFWs, who came from Haifa, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, were happy after a year of waiting for Duterte, the first Philippine president to visit the Holy Land. He said 75 percent of the OFWs in Israel voted for him during the 2016 presidential elections. Aside from the arrival of the President, Imperial said the OFWs are happy that they will finally see the government to government agreement on recruitment of Filipinos, as this will put an end to the high and illegal collection of placement fees. The signing of the agreement was witnessed by Duterte and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later on Monday. According to Imperial, there are 24,000 caregivers in Israel. He said these OFWs are a big help to the Israeli government in taking care of the elderlies. He said the OFWs serve as
ambassadors of goodwill and bridge between the two countries. “Malaking tulong sa bansang Israel ang pagharap sa kanilang tumatandang populasyon. Magaan ang loob ng Israeli sa mga Pilipino na nagsisilbing tulay sa pagitan ang dalawang bansa (It is a big help to the State of Israel for their old population. The Filipinos serve as bridge between the two countries),” he said in his welcome message to the President. In his speech, Duterte expressed his gratitude to the Israeli government and Netanyahu for giving Filipino workers good working conditions. He said the working conditions of the Filipinos in Israel are far better compared to other countries, especially in the Middle East. The President vowed to also discuss with Netanyahu how to manage the increasing population of Filipino workers in Israel. ■
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All threats on PRRD’s life are taken ‘seriously’: Palace BY JELLY MUSICO Philippine News Agency MANILA – All kind of threats on the life of President Rodrigo Duterte are taken seriously by the government defense and security sectors, Malacañang on Thursday said. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque was asked to comment on Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana’s statement that there is no direct threat to Duterte’s life. “Although there is no direct threat to his life, as Secretary Lorenzana mentioned, the defense and security sectors, including the Presidential Security Group (PSG), take all threats to the life of the President seriously,” Roque said. In his speech before the League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Visayas Island Cluster Conference in Cebu City on August 21, Duterte mentioned that the US Central
Intelligence Agency (CIA) is allegedly plotting to kill him. Lorenzana, however, reportedly said during recent House of Representatives budget deliberations the US Embassy in the Philippines has assured “there is no such thing.” The DND official said Duterte might have based his fears on the books the President read about the past activities of the CIA. Roque also earlier said there is no threat on the life of the President, saying Duterte “is not worried the threats on his life.” Nevertheless, Roque said the PSG forces should be always on guard to protect the President against any threat. “As we all know, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has made a lot of powerful enemies with his political will and decisive leadership in fighting drugs, criminality and corruption,” Roque said. ■
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Voiding Trillanes... ❰❰ 1
ter failing to comply with its terms and conditions. “Alam mo iyang amnesty is akin or similar to conditional pardon. Kapag binigyan ka ng conditional pardon, kailangan mag-comply ka sa terms and conditions ng pardon. Kapag hindi ka nag-comply diyan, iuurong yan (Your amnesty is akin to conditional pardon. If you were given conditional pardon, you need to comply with the terms and conditions. If you do not comply, it will be cancelled),” Panelo explained in an interview over dwFM. On August 31, Duterte signed Proclamation No. 572, declaring void ab initio the amnesty granted to Trillanes by Duterte’s predecessor, former President Benigno Aquino III, in 2010. Duterte based his declaration on Trillanes’ failure to submit application for amnesty to the Department of National Defense and to expressly admit his guilt for the crimes he committed during the Oakwood Mutiny in 2003 and the Manila Peninsula siege in 2007. Panelo said Trillanes, a staunch critic of Duterte, has effectively committed what he did against the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo when he started bombarding Duterte with accusations he cannot prove. “Ano ba ginagawa niya? Naghahasik siya ng lagim, nagtatanim siya ng galit a poot at parang – hindi lang parang eh - nag-i-incite siya na mag-uprise ng tao laban sa gobyernong ito at kay President Duterte (What did he do? He’s sowing terror, anger, and he’s inciting the public to rise against the government and President Duterte),” Panelo said. He said the government, acting through the President, has the inherent right to protect itself from assault coming from any individual. “As Chief Executive and Head of Government, he has the power to issue orders protective of the State and its people. This is in line with the prime duty of the government to serve and protect the people under Article II, Section 4 of the 1987 Constitution,” he said in a statement on Sept. 4. “The State cannot be shackled by an act of clemency it has given to a political offender when the latter pursues subsequent acts inimical to its interest and violative of its fundamental charter,” he added. “While the Senate and the House of Representatives concurred with Proclamation No. 75, both houses recommended that no application for amnesty shall be given due course without the applicant admitting his guilt or criminal culpability of any or all of the subject incidents in writing as expressed in his application,” he said. Consistent with such recommendation, he said, the DND Ad Hoc Amnesty Committee crafted an implementing
rule which basically states that no application shall be approved without an express admission by the applicant of actual involvement or participation in connection with, in relation or incident to the Oakwood Mutiny, the Marines Stand-Off and/or the Peninsula Manila Hotel Incident as indicated in the application form. Panelo also said the amnesty can be declared null even without the concurrence of Congress. “Senator Trillanes has abused a grant of amnesty, albeit void, and it compels its nullification by the President – official authority who is considered by the 1987 Constitution as the grantor of executive clemencies,” Panelo added. Meanwhile, Panelo said the government will respect the decision of a Makati court to set a hearing on September 13 for an application for an alias warrant of arrest against Senator Antonio Trillanes IV. “Well, kung yan ang sinabi ng hukuman, (eh) di susundin natin (if that’s what the court said, then we will follow),” Panelo said in an interview with CNN Philippines. Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 148 president judge Andres Bartolome on Wednesday gave Trillanes five days to comment despite state prosecutors’ plea for “Very Urgent Ex-Parte Omnibus Motion for the Issuance of Hold Departure Order and Alias Warrant” versus Trillanes. Panelo said there is no need for the government to persuade the Makati RTC to immediately issue an arrest warrant against Trillanes. “Alam po ninyo ang Malacañang ay palagi sumusunod sa pamamaraan ng batas. So kung ano ang sinabi ng hukuman na may hawak ng kaso ay susundin natin (You know Malacañang always abides by legal processes. So whatever the court says, we will follow),” Panelo said. The prosecutors of the Department of Justice (DOJ) have applied for an issuance of an alias warrant in line with Duterte’s directive for the military and the police to arrest Trillanes. Panelo said the burden of proof is now at Trillanes’ hands whether he indeed has an approved application for amnesty and if he really admitted the crimes of rebellion. “If he has (an) application but was not submitted in the office, then there is really no record. Therefore, he did not apply,” Panelo explained. Panelo said he initiated the review of Trillanes’ amnesty based on some complaints that the former Navy officer has no application for amnesty. “But after that, I don’t know who took over. But I understand that it was a collective effort of the lawyers,” he said. ■
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Gov’t doing its best to address inflation: Arroyo BY FILANE MIKEE CERVANTES Philippine News Agency MANILA — As inflation for August reached a nine-year high of 6.4 percent, Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Wednesday gave assurance that the government is doing its best to address the rising prices of basic commodities. “The government is doing what it can do to address it,” Arroyo said in an ambush interview. Arroyo recalled during her presidency that inflation hit 6.6 percent in March 2009, but it was brought down to 1.5 percent in June of the same year. She noted that among the measures taken by her administration to slow down inflation was the massive importation of rice together with massive buying from local farmers. “I’ve had a more alarming situation at
6.6 (percent) and I was able to solve it in a few months’ time so there can be a solution especially if maybe at this time, maybe it is the peak,” she said. Arroyo said she will consult Albay Rep. Joey Salceda to discuss if there are measures suggested before that need to be reiterated, or new steps that need to be done on the part of Congress. Earlier, the House leadership proposed to the country’s economic managers measures to cushion the impact of the rising inflation. Salceda, an economic analyst, said the immediate measure that needs to be implemented is increasing the importation of National Food Authority (NFA) rice and the targeted distribution to rice-deficit areas and food-deficit populations. Salceda also proposed the reduction of ❱❱ PAGE 12 Gov’t doing
House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PHILIPPINES / FACEBOOK
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Duterte breaks into tears as he meets Pinoys in Israel BY JELLY MUSICO Philippine News Agency MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte has turned emotional amid loud chanting from around 1,400 Filipinos who welcomed him as the first Philippine leader to visit Israel since the two countries established ties in 1957. “Alam mo bihirang-bihira ako umiiyak. Lalo na nu’ng (You know, I rarely cry. Especially when) — I could remember maybe the times that I cried, when my father and mother died. But rare, very rare,” Duterte said after wiping his tears in front of overjoyed Filipinos on Sunday night at the Ramada Hotel in Jerusalem. “Ito lang ang bisita ko na (This is my only visit that) maybe I will do it again, I really do not know. But this is the first time napaluha ako na nandito ako sa aking mga kababayan Pilipino (But this is the first time I turned emotional that I’m here in front of my countrymen),” he added. Duterte said his tears could
also be “because nandito rin ako sa Holy Land (because I’m here also in Holy Land).” Duterte’s meeting with the Filipino community has kicked off his four-day visit in Israel upon the invitation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In front of the Filipino community, Duterte highlighted some of his accomplishments particularly his relentless fight against illegal drugs and criminality. “They (drug traders) transform a Filipino who is of sound mind to someone who is inutile for the rest of his life. Gawin mo silang (You made them) slaves to a chemical called shabu. Now if you are the president of a country and you are being treated with a s*** like that, what you will do? Eh ‘di I will kill you,” Duterte said. “Napapaiyak talaga ako kanina (I felt I really want to cry a while ago), it’s not because of one person. Makita ko kayo (When I saw you) and I need to protect everybody. You know maski na papaano (at least) by whatever measure if you are out of your country, it is really a
very lonely job,” he added. Duterte also informed the Filipino community about his efforts to reach out to enemies of the state, particularly the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). “I will talk to the enemies of the state. We have made progress with the MILF and for as long as they want peace, I want peace and it would be on equal terms. It will be a republic, equality with work and the things that all a democracy wants,” he assured. He took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Israel for inviting him and for hosting around 29,000 Filipinos, many of them working as caregivers. “I would like to say thank you for hosting so many of my countrymen in the State of Israel and that I have to hear any problem that may come from any Filipino here,” Duterte said. In his upcoming dialogue with the Israeli government officials, Duterte said he intends to discuss ways on how to better manage the huge number of Filipinos in Israel. “One of the best places that
REY BANIQUET / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
we have to… and I don’t mind, isa sa pinakamagandang lugar na pwede mo talagang mapuntahan (one of the best places where you can go) and you are treated as a human being,” Duterte said. “If it (is) not really a wrong proposal, pardon me, but if Israel would want, ipapadala ko ng lahat ng Pilipino dito kasi mas maganda ang buhay dito (I will send all Filipinos here because of better life here),” he added. In his departure speech in Manila on Sunday, Duterte said he looks forward to building a “robust relationship” with Is-
rael that will push broader cooperation on a broader range of mutually important areas such as defense and security, law enforcement, economic development, labor, trade and investments. From Israel, Duterte will fly to Jordan to another official visit from Sept. 5 to 8 upon the invitation of His Majesty King Abdullah II. Duterte will also become the first Philippine president to visit Jordan, having a promising agenda that seeks to renew relations “with a country and people which have the common aspirations.” ■
PRRD gender projects prove he promotes women’s rights: Panelo BY AZER PARROCHA Philippine News Agency MANILA — Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo on Monday reminded critics of President Rodrigo R. Duterte that protecting the rights of women remains a top priority of the Chief Executive, despite joking about the reason why his hometown, Davao City, had the highest cases of rape in 2018. “The human rights critics and PRRD’s detractors are nitpicking again and making a fuzz [sic] about a statement about many beautiful women being raped in Davao making it a basis for accusing him of misogyny,” Panelo said in a press statement. Panelo explained that Duterte’s critics “always distort” the meaning of his comments when the President was merely advancing a theory that
“beautiful women” perpetuated rape culture. “They always distort the intended meaning of the President’s comment. PRRD was merely priding himself to the fact that Davao, from where he is from and Mayor for 23 years , abounds with beautiful women and at the same time advancing a theory that their being beautiful could be one motivating reason why the rapists sexually abuse them,” Panelo said. The lawyer pointed out how Duterte “reveres” his late mother, Soledad, and has put in place projects and measures that protect the rights of women and advance their cause. During his term as Davao City mayor, Duterte was able to implement a local version of the Health Law even before it was legislated on the national level. Duterte also established the Health and Wellness Center,
which provides family planning alternatives. He also supported the Davao City Council’s effort to pass into ordinance the Women’s Code in 1997, which paved the way for the massive campaign against gender bias in government offices. As President, Duterte banned the deployment of overseas Filipino workers in Kuwait to protect female migrant workers from abuse and exploitation. He also signed Executive Order No. 12, which seeks to attain and sustain “zero unmet need for modern family planning” through the implementation of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act. Moreover, he said Duterte has given recognition to women of distinction by appointing them to his Cabinet and in other high offices in the government, the latest of which, is putting a woman at the helm www.canadianinquirer.net
of a male-dominated Supreme Court. Department of Tourism Secretary Bernadette RomuloPuyat is the most recent female secretary to join the Duterte Cabinet. Newly-appointed Supreme Court Chief Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro is the first female chief justice in the Philippines. Maria Lourdes Sereno was the first woman to be appointed as chief justice in 2012 but her appointment was invalidated by the Supreme Court in May for failure to fully disclose her statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth. More liberal in the South
Earlier, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque defended Duterte’s remark, noting that the “standard” of what is offensive and what is not offensive is “more liberal in the South.” “I don’t think we should give
too much weight on what the President says by way of a joke. Some may not approve but — you know, I can tell you this already, there’s a difference between sense of humor in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao,” Roque said. “And from what I have seen myself although I’m from Luzon, people in the South particularly in Cebu and the Visayas, they don’t really take things as seriously as people in Luzon,” he added. Gabriela Women’s Party condemned Duterte’s remark about rape calling it a “flamboyant display of misogyny, which places more Filipino women at risk of rape.” Senator Risa Hontiveros also slammed the President’s comment and urged him to stop blaming women for how they looked and how they dressed, saying rapists, not beauty, caused rape. ■
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Duterte voids amnesty of critical senator, orders his arrest BY JIM GOMEZ The Associated Press MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has voided an amnesty given to a former rebel military officer and ordered the arrest of the man who as a senator has been one of the controversial leader’s fiercest critics. Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV spoke Tuesday in the Senate to condemn Duterte’s move against him as illegal and draconian but added he won’t resist arrest. After being advised that Senate leaders won’t allow his arrest in the building, Trillanes said he would heed their advice and stay within the Senate in a looming standoff. “We’re living basically in a de facto martial law environment of the ‘70s kind,” Trillanes told a throng of journalists and followers, referring to the martial law declared by dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1972, which is regarded as a dark chapter in Philippine democracy. Some opposition politicians started trooping to the Senate to show support to Trillanes, a 47-year-old former navy officer, who had been detained for several years before his election to the Senate for his involvement in at least three military uprisings from 2003 to 2007 to protest official corruption. Trillanes received an amnesty during the time of Duterte’s predecessor, President Benigno Aquino III. Several young military officers who were detained for joining the failed coup attempts and uprisings against the administration of
Aquino’s predecessor, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, benefited under the amnesty program, but only Trillanes’ amnesty has been voided so far. Trillanes said his lawyers would file petitions to the Supreme Court “to resolve this madness of Duterte” and the government’s solicitor-general and fight what he said amounted to a warrantless arrest. “They’re bending the law to be able to do their political objective, which is to persecute the political opposition,” Trillanes said. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra told a separate news conference that Duterte signed a proclamation last week voiding the 2011 amnesty given to Trillanes because the senator failed to comply with all the amnesty requirements, including a clear admission of his involvement in past coup attempts. Law enforcers can comply with Duterte’s order to arrest Trillanes anytime because the senator cannot invoke his immunity from such arrests because the crimes he supposedly committed, including rebellion, were serious and are punishable by life imprisonment. Opposition Sen. Franklin Drilon said all rebellion and coup-related cases against Trillanes were dismissed by a court after he was amnestied. Duterte’s administration could not renew those cases against the senator because that would amount to a “double jeopardy” that’s forbidden under Philippine law. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque, who is accompanying Duterte in a visit to Israel, denied that the move against Trillanes was political persecution, say-
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ing the government was just enforcing the law. He said the government would exercise maximum tolerance in case protests erupt. Duterte has openly expressed his anger against Trillanes, who has accused him of large-scale corruption and involvement in illegal drugs, allegations the volatile president has repeatedly denied. He has been hyper-sensitive to criticism, especially concerning his deadly crackdown on illegal drugs, and once told President Barack Obama to “go to hell” after Obama raised concerns over the drug killings. Aside from Trillanes, a fellow opposition senator, Leila de Lima, has been detained after being accused by Duterte of involvement in illegal drugs, a crime she has vehemently denied. De Lima, a former human rights commission chief, investigated allegations of Duterte’s links to extrajudicial killings of drug suspects when Duterte was still mayor of southern Davao city. Duterte, now 73, said those past investigations did not turn up any evidence against him. De Lima and other former human rights officials said witnesses were terrified of testifying against Duterte in Davao because of the many killings of drug suspects when Duterte served for years as Davao’s mayor. Another Duterte critic, Maria Lourdes Sereno, was ousted by fellow magistrates in the Supreme Court in May after the government alleged that her appointment by Duterte’s predecessor was legally flawed and petitioned her removal in an unprecedented move that Sereno called political persecution. ■
Philippine News
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 7, 2018
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Duterte: ‘Insane’ leaders should be ‘disposed of’ immediately BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer
Sen. Risa Hontiveros.
SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES / FACEBOOK
Expanded maternity leave law, a major victory for women: Hontiveros PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY
spectively. “After 26 years, we are finally able to upgrade this outdated policy. After 26 MANILA — Senator Risa Hontiveros years, women have won this right in the on Tuesday hailed the passage of the workplace,” Hontiveros said in a news Expanded Maternity Leave Bill at the release. House of Representatives, saying the “This measure will make our labor imminent passage of the proposed mea- practices at par with our ASEAN counsure into law is “a historic victory for terparts. An expanded maternity leave women.” law will signal to the world our commitEarlier in the day, the House of Rep- ment to working women’s rights and resentatives approved on third and final welfare,” she added. reading House Bill No. 4113, which seeks The chairperson of the Senate comto increase the number of days of mater- mittee on women, children, family renity leave to 100 with a vote of 191-0-0. lations and gender equality also noted This is 20 days that an extension of short of the Senate’s the paid maternity version of the bill, leave would improve which proposes 120 the health of women, days of maternity their newborn and leave, and an addiAfter 26 years, their family. tional 30 days for women have “Enough rest will solo working mothwon this give new mothers ers. right in the time for recuperaThe Senate version workplace. tion and recovery of the bill was apfrom childbirth,” she proved in March last said. year. “It will also imHontiveros, who prove on families’ championed the pasoverall well-being, sage of the bill in the Senate, said that with newborn infants being properly once enacted into law, the measure taken care of, with enough skin-to-skin would make the Philippines more com- contact with their mother,” Hontiveros petitive with its Southeast Asian neigh- said. bors. The measure will now move to a biAt the current 60-day maternity leave cameral conference committee that will policy, the country lags behind Malaysia, consolidate both versions of the bill for Cambodia, Thailand, and Indonesia who signing of President Rodrigo Duterte. are at 90 days each, Myanmar (98 days), “I am now looking forward to working as well as Laos and Brunei (105 days). with our House counterparts to bring Singapore and Vietnam top the list forward this progressive measure that with the best maternity leave policies in will benefit Filipino families,” Hontivethe region at 112 days and 180 days, re- ros said. ■
EXPRESSING HIS disdain, President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, September 3, said ‘insane’ leaders should be ‘disposed of’ immediately. Duterte made this remark during his visit at the Yad Vashem, Israel’s memorial to the victims of the Holocaust, adding that this “horrific and benighted period of human history” should never happen again. “We have learned so much along the years during the two wars. There is always a lesson to be learned and that despots and leaders who show insanity should be — well they should be disposed of at the first instance,” Duterte said. “I would like to say that we are one in saying that it will not happen again and my country will be the first to voice such I said a massacre of a race just because of hate,” he added. Some six million Jews were systematically murdered during World War II by German Nazis and its collaborators under the command of the late dictator,
Adolf Hitler. “I realized that war is insanity. And what happened here, in Europe especially under the Nazi,” the President said. “I could not imagine of a country obey an insane leader. And I could not ever fathom the spectacle of a human being going into a killing spree, murdering old men, women, men, children, mother,” he continued. In 2016, Duterte earned the ire of the international community after he drew parallels between his controversial war against illegal drugs and Hitler’s extermination of millions of Jews, stressing that he would be “happy to slaughter” some three million drug addicts in the Philippines. Duterte, later on, apologized for this controversial remark, clarifying that he never intended to ‘derogate’ the memory of the six million Jews killed by the Nazi regime. The President, joined by his daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and several of his Cabinet members, also went to the Memorial Hall Venue and led the ceremonial wreath laying at the Hall of Remembrance, the first Holocaust commemoration site at Yad Vashem. ■
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Philippine News
SEPTEMBER 7, 2018
FRIDAY
House panel starts 1st Filipino cardinal honored impeach hearing at Manila Cathedral vs. SC justices BY FERDINAND PATINIO Philippine News Agency
BY FILANE MIKEE CERVANTES Philippine News Agency MANILA — The House of Representatives’ justice committee on Tuesday started its initial hearing on the impeachment complaints lodged against Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro and six associate justices for betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution. The panel, chaired by Oriental Mindoro Rep. Doy Leachon, began its deliberations on the form and substance of the complaints filed by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat Jr., and Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano. Aside from de Castro, also facing impeachment raps are Associate Justices Noel Tijam, Andres Reyes Jr., Alexander Gesmundo, Lucas Bersamin, Diosdado Peralta, and Francis Jardeleza for voting in favor of the ouster of former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. In his opening speech, Leachon told the committee members to observe “higher standards of discernment” in performing its constitutional duty to determine whether the complaints are “factual, legal and sufficient in form and substance.” “We are respecting the individual appreciation of each member in order to determine whether the complaints would pass the sufficiency in form and substance,” Leachon added. Leachon vowed to treat the impeachment complaints with “utmost transparency and impartiality.”
“This committee would treat your impeachment complaints with utmost transparency and of course with utmost impartiality,” Leachon said. The complainants said that the SC decision dated May 11, 2018 which ousted Sereno by granting the quo warranto petition “is not only errant, it is also malevolent. It is not only bereft of constitutional anchorage, it is also a blatant subterfuge, an orchestrated charade.” The complainants accused the seven justices of allegedly violating the Constitution, saying they are fully aware that impeachment is the only mode or process of removing impeachable officials, like the Chief Justice. They also said a petition for quo warranto is “anathema” to the constitutional mandate that the power to impeach is solely vested with the Congress. De Castro, Peralta, Bersamin, Tijam and Jardeleza are also charged with betrayal of public trust for their refusal to inhibit themselves in the adjudication of the quo warranto petition. The five magistrates testified against Sereno during the House Committee on Justice hearing and approved the quo warranto petition during the oral arguments before the SC. Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin was also a complainant, but the justice committee did not recognize him as one because he was not able to sign the complaints. Speaker Gloria MacapagalArroyo also said she wanted the impeachment proceedings expedited so as not to disturb the legislative agenda of the lower chamber. ■
MANILA — In honor of the first Filipino cardinal, Rufino Santos, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle on Monday led the raising of Santos’ galero (red brimmed hat) on the ceiling of the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, also known as Manila Cathedral in Intramuros, Manila. Tagle received the galero from Santos’ relatives. It was then attached to a line and was pulled up until it reached the Cathedral’s ceiling. Santos’ galero now hanging side by side with the Galero of the late Jaime Cardinal Sin that hangs there for the past 13 years. Tagle, presided the Eucharistic Celebration after blessing Santos’ tomb at the crypt of the Cathredral to commemorate the latter’s 45th death anniversary. In his homily, the head of the Archdiocese of Manila acknowledged Santos’ programs and efforts. “The reconstruction after the war. Wow. This beautiful Cathedral, we owe to Cardinal Santos,” Tagle said. “He knew it was not his talent. It was God’s. But what an enterprising steward Cardinal Santos was,” he added. Santos was the first Filipino Cardinal, and the one responsible for the rebuilding of the Manila Cathedral in 1958. A galero is a red hat decorated with tassels that was formerly given to cardinals as a symbol of the responsibility given to them in the hierarchy of the church. Red symbolizes a person’s readiness to shed his blood for the Gospel in imita-
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Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle during the raising of Rufino Santos' galero. CHANDA PASCUA / MANILA CATHEDRAL
tion of Jesus Christ. Although the use of the galero was abolished in 1969, the tradition of suspending a galero in the church to honor of a cardinal who passed away continued. When Cardinal Jaime Sin died in 2005, a galero was acquired and has since been hanging from the dome of the Manila Cathedral. “Now we will raise a galero in honor of the memory of Cardinal Santos in recognition of his tireless efforts in the reconstruction of the postwar church in Manila,” Manila Cathedral said in a statement. “This is also a call for the Church at present to continue this legacy and mission of rebuilding lives, and of strengthening one another in faith and charity,” it added. Santos served as Archbishop of Manila from 1953, when the country was still recovering from the horrors of war. In the midst of the destruction brought about by the war,
his leadership focused on rebuilding and fortifying structures to address the urgent needs of the Church in the Philippines during those crucial times. He established Catholic charities, the predecessor of Caritas Manila, the social arm of the Catholic Church. Santos also founded the Asian Social Institute. He built the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center, Our Lady of Guadalupe Minor Seminary, the Pontificio Collegio Filippino in Rome, rebuilt St. Paul’s Hospital (now Cardinal Santos Medical Center), and perhaps the crowning glory of his projects, the rebuilding of the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros. The celebration also recognized the families, groups, and institutions that contributed to the rebuilding efforts in 1958. ■
Philippine News
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 7, 2018
11
Robredo hits Duterte: Focus on country’s problems instead BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer PRESIDENT RODRIGO Duterte should focus his attention on addressing the country’s problems that make life difficult for Filipinos instead of throwing rants against her, Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo said. Robredo was responding to Duterte’s latest tirade against her that the country would be better off in the hands of a dictator like the late President Ferdinand Marcos. The President earlier said he would prefer the son of the late dictator, former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero to succeed him if he resigns. “Instead of continuing to glorify a dictator who stole billions from our country, drove the nation into debt, and presided over the murder and imprisonment of thousands of Filipinos, he can work on truly unifying the nation, and assuring our people, especially those at the fringes, that their voice are being heard and that their daily suffering will soon be eased,” Robredo said on Friday, August 31.
The Vice President said Duterte should divert his attention on coming up with coherent solutions to the pressing matters that the country is facing – such as the soaring prices of rice and other basic commodities — and not on stepping up his attack on her capability to run a country. “The allegations made by the President are recycled rants conveniently used to deflect attention from the failures of his administration,” she stressed. “While he may be intending to flatter me by keeping me at the top of his mind these days when he stands behind the seal of his office, I’d still prefer that he focus on the many important matters that he needs to address — as rising prices continue to make life difficult for our fellow Filipinos, especially for those in need,” she continued. Despite these problems, Robredo said the anti-illegal drugs campaign still remains to be on the top of Duterte’s agenda so much that he is now “pinning blame on a blind man,” referring to Butch Robredo, brother of late her late husband Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo.
Palace on de Lima ouster plan claim: ‘That’s prison hallucination’ BY AZER PARROCHA Philippine News Agency MANILA — Malacañang on Sunday branded as “prison hallucination” the remarks made by detained Senator Leila de Lima accusing President Rodrigo R. Duterte of allegedly being behind a plot to unseat Vice President Leni Robredo and tap former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong Marcos to replace him. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque reminded de Lima that it was not within the President’s power to unseat a Vice President but the Supreme Court’s. “Prison hallucination. Fate of VP (Vice President) is with SC (Supreme Court) and not the Pres(ident),” Roque said in a text message. De Lima claimed Duterte was “demolishing the public image of VP Leni” to make it easier for him “to sell Marcos’s hovering fraudulent victory at the PET to the Filipino people.” She also described this plan as a
“Duterte-sponsored Marcos comeback.” Duterte earlier expressed plans to step down if Marcos wins his election case against Robredo. He also said that he found Robredo unqualified to be President. The President also stood by his belief that Naga City, Roberdo’s hometown, is a “hotbed of shabu” claiming that the Vice President’s brother-in-law, Butch Robredo, is involved in the illegal drug trade. The Supreme Court, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), is currently holding a manual vote recount on Marcos’ protest claiming that Robredo’s camp cheated in the automated polls in May 2016. Marcos filed the protest on June 29, 2016 after Robredo won the vice presidential race with 14,418,817 votes or 263,473 more than Marcos’ 14,155,344 votes. De Lima is presently detained in Camp Crame over drug trafficking charges which stemmed from the proliferation of illegal drugs in the New Bilibid Prison during her term as justice secretary. ■
VP LENI ROBREDO / FACEBOOK
“Perhaps instead of constantly repeating this ridiculous allegation, and throwing mud on the name of a city that thrives on good governance — and that staunchly supports the call to fight illegal drugs—he can turn his attention to the P6.8-billion shabu shipment that slipped past his Customs officials, and not just shrug off the insistent report of his own PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) chief regarding the magnetic lifters found in Cavite,” the Vice President said. Duterte, on his speech 49th Charter Day celebration at Mandaue City, Cebu on Thursday, stood by his earlier remark
that Naga City is the “hotbed of shabu.” “I stand by my word that Naga is the hotbed of shabu. ‘Yung brother-in-law niya yung nagdala ng drugs doon sa Bicol. Totoo ‘yan (Robredo’s brotherin-law brought the drugs in Bicol. It is true),” the President said. Robredo earlier denied this allegation, saying it was a “huge insult” to the people of Naga and a “big slap” on the face of not just its local government officials but also to everyone who is working hard to improve the city. The Naga City Council also condemned Duterte’s statement in a resolution. ■
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Philippine News
SEPTEMBER 7, 2018
FRIDAY
Transport execs back airport dev’t, better passenger protection BY JELLY MUSICO Philippine News Agency MANILA — Airport authorities on Wednesday threw their support behind the passage of bills that would rationalize the development of airports and strengthen airline passenger protection, in the light of the recent runway mishap that paralyzed operations at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). During the House of Representatives transportation committee hearing on the NAIA runway mess, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Director General Jim Sydiongco supported the proposals to establish a Philippine Airport Development Corp. (PADC) and to develop a Philippine Transportation Safety Board. “We fully support the draft being made in Congress on the creation of (an) Airport Development Corp., as well as the development of the Philippine
Transportation Safety Board. Both laws would help us rationalize the development of our airports,” Sydiongco said. “We know for a fact that our airports are overtaken by events, overtaken by growth, (and) overcapacity. Naturally, if we did not anticipate this growth and you introduce larger aircraft, the impact or the consequences are much, much bigger,” he added. Under House Bill No. 7306, the PADC shall be the airport authority tasked to ensure and accelerate development of air transport facilities and services. The proposed body is envisioned to take over CAAP regulatory duties. The PADC shall undertake and oversee the planning, maintenance, operation, and improvement of all airports. Under House Bill 5042, the Philippine Transportation Safety Board shall be an independent and non-regulatory agency primarily tasked to conduct investigations on air, overland and maritime transporta-
Gov’t doing... ❰❰ 6
tariffs on meat products, and continuous trade coordination by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) with domestic manufacturing and trade associations for self-restraint via the suggested retail price (SRP) system. As for medium-term measures, Salceda said the proposed rice tariffication is seen to ease the prices of the staple by next year. Salceda also called for an increase in the budget of the Department of Agriculture from 1.6 percent to 2.2 percent. Meaning, an incremental budget of PHP25 billion will be targeted to fund increased mechanization, technology adoption, irrigation, technology extension, and agricultural diversification. “The national imperative and the logic behind our national strategy (are to) stop inflation momentum especially given the traditional pickup in consumer spending the world’s longest Christmas season, provide im-
tion accidents; and determine the facts, conditions, circumstances and causes of accident. Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) general manager Ed Monreal urged Congress to strengthen the Air Passenger Bill of Rights. “Moving forward, kailangan repasuhin yung Air Passenger Bill of Rights. Rebisahin, tingnan kung ano pa dapat palakasin para yung rights ng mga pasahero ay maprotektahan (Moving forward, there is a need to review the Air Passenger Bill of Rights. Study and revise what need to be strengthened so that the right of passengers will be better protected),” Monreal said. Monreal also said it is high time to construct a new airport with at least two parallel runways to prevent a repeat of the runway mess. Meanwhile, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Undersecretary for Airports and Aviation Manuel Antonio Tamayo cited the need to fast-track the construction of additional airports.
Departure hall of NAIA Terminal 3. MITHRIL CLOUD / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, CC BY-SA 3.0
“We, on our part, will expedite the airport projects so that we can more or less have a better gateway without limitations as far as runways are concerned, or obstructions are concerned, or connectivity is concerned,” Tamayo said. On Aug. 16, Xiamen Air Flight MF8667 veered off NAIA’s main runway during landing at about 11:55 p.m., losing its land-
ing gear and left engine in the process. It took aviation authorities 36 hours before the stalled Boeing 737-800 was removed from the international runway, which resulted in the cancellation of hundreds of flights, leaving tens of thousands of passengers, including hundreds of overseas Filipino workers, stranded for days. ■
Opposition condemns... mediate relief to consumers through lower prices and higher supply of basic commodities, arrest inflationary expectations and preempt market opportunism, and bring inflation back down to 4 percent level by April 2019,” Salceda said. Meanwhile, House majority leader Rolando Andaya Jr. said the main concern right now is how to make food available and affordable to Filipinos. Andaya urged the Senate to immediately act on the rice tariffication bill, which the lower chamber already passed on third and final reading. “We expect the Senate to follow suit and act on the measure with dispatch,” Andaya said. Andaya said while inflation management is primarily up to the executive branch, the House is ready to provide aid on the legislative end. “Whatever they need from us, in terms of legislation or items in the 2019 budget, we will be happy to discuss with them,” Andaya said. ■
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Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo by former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., Hontiveros expressed fear that all these incidents are part of the President’s plan to “wipe out the opposition and consolidate complete political power unto himself.” “This signals the growing crackdown on the political opposition and the President’s further slide into full authoritarian rule,” she said. Senator Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, meanwhile, said critics will not cower in fear amid threats from Duterte administration. “Imbis na insultuhin, gipitin at takutin ng administrasyon ang mga may sariling isip at salita, harapin na lang sana ang mga problemang hinaharap ng ating mga kababayan araw-araw (Instead of insulting, harassing, and threatening individuals with own minds and words, the administration should just address the probwww.canadianinquirer.net
lems that Filipinos are facing),” Aquino said. By issuing the proclamation that revokes Trillanes’ amnesty, Akbayan partylist spokesperson Gio Tingson said Duterte would rather send to jail lawmakers who demand truth and accountability from his administration than actually facing them. “It is cowardly of Duterte to order for Trillanes’ arrest while he’s in a junket trip to Israel so when he comes back, he has one less critic to face,” Tiongson said. “It is clear that Duterte wants Senator Trillanes locked up because he wants the president probed for allegations of hidden wealth, his family’s alleged involvement in the drug trade and his murderous campaign against drugs that has killed 20,000 Filipinos already,” he added. The group then urged the public to also express outrage and demand a stop to the President’s “policy of silencing dissent.” Aside from stating that
Trillanes did not comply with the Amnesty Program’s minimum requirements, Proclamation No. 572 also said the opposition senator did not file an official amnesty application form according to a certification from the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel. It added that Trillanes “never expressed his guilt” for the crimes that were committed on the three occasions he took part in during the Arroyo regime. The President ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to “employ all lawful means” to apprehend Trillanes “so that he can be recommitted to the detention facility where he had been incarcerated for him to stand trial for the crimes he is charged with.” While contradicting all the claims of the President, Trillanes said he will not resist arrest nor even try to escape. ■
Philippine News
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 7, 2018
13
PRRD warns using emergency Duterte personally powers vs. rice hoarders congratulates
de Castro for CJ appointment
BY AZER PARROCHA Philippine News Agency MANILA – President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Sunday warned rice hoarders not to test his patience saying he would not hesitate to exercise his emergency powers against them amid the country’s rice woes. “Now, I’m just warning the traders, lalo na ang tiyan ng Pilipino (especially if it concerns the stomachs of Filipinos), do not force me to resort to emergency measure,” Duterte said in a press conference at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 shortly before leaving for his official back-to-back visit to Israel and Jordan from Sept. 2 to 8. Duterte said he will even ask law enforcement authorities to go after them by raiding their warehouses since he will not allow Filipinos to “go hungry.” “Kung may nakita ako na (If I see any) hoarding, I will not hesitate to exercise the powers of the President and I will ask the military and the police to raid your warehouses, bodegas,” Duterte said, assuring that it was subject to just compensation. “I can do that, and I said you force me, I will,” he added.
PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY
KING RODRIGUEZ / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
in this country,” he added. According to Duterte, smuggled rice will be confiscated but can either be distributed for free or sold in lower prices. “Well, those smuggled rice have not paid any taxes or tariff, or whatever. So, they are confiscated, at disposal of the government and maybe I shall distribute it for free or go down to the last prices, prevailing market prices,” Duterte said. He was open to the idea of selling smuggled rice at a lower price which Filipinos can afford.
No need to fire Piñol
Despite mounting calls for the resignation of Piñol and officials of the National Food Authority (NFA), Duterte said that there was no need for him to do so. “You know, all officials including me are bound by laws on the matter. Rice, whatever it is, there are laws to be followed. Maybe the laws are weak or unenforceable. All we have to do is to improve on those laws, not necessarily fire people,” Duterte said. Duterte said those calling for Piñol’s resignation only had to wait until he No to legalized runs for senator rice smuggling in the 2019 midThe President, term elections. meanwhile, reAll we have to do is to improve “Hintayin na jected the sugon those laws, not necessarily fire lang ninyo begestion of Depeople. cause October, partment of I think Bello Agriculture (DA) (referring to PiSecretary Emñol) is going to manuel “Manny” run for senator, Piñol to legalize rice smuggling “Maybe we can import and there’s no need to fire him. You as a solution to the country’s lose…i-import natin, ipagbili just wait, September, October,” dwindling rice supply. natin (let’s import and sell it) at Duterte said. “The smuggling itself? No, of a price that malulugi tayo, pero “And I don’t see any serious course not, that will be destruc- (we’ll lose but) we’ll peg it at a offense there. We have not retive to the economy. You’d put price that the Filipino can af- ally lost anything except there’s down in the market in turmoil,” ford,” an aberration in the market,” he Duterte said. “We can lose but not allow added. Piñol earlier said he will ask smuggling in this country. It’s Presidential Spokesperson the National Food Authority the other way around. Mag- Harry Roque earlier said the (NFA) Council to legalize the import tayo tapos magpalugi DA chief still continues to ensmuggling of rice by establish- na lang. At least meron tayong joy the trust and confidence of ing a rice trading center in benchmark kung magkano ang Duterte. Tawi-Tawi where government maubos ang pera natin (Let’s Roque has also assured pubcan address the country’s rice import then lose. At least we lic that the country’s rice situcrisis. have a benchmark how much ation is expected to normalize “Smuggled rice unrestrained? money we’ll be losing),” he add- this month as soon as the main That would promote disorder ed. harvest starts to come in. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net
MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte has personally congratulated newly-appointed Supreme Court (SC) chief justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro after she her took oath before the Chief Executive on Friday (Aug. 31). “The President congratulated Chief Justice De Castro and told her that she deserves the appointment,” a press statement said. De Castro was accompanied by her family during her oathtaking before the President at the Rizal Hall of Malacañang Palace. Officials present during the ceremony were Special Assistant to the President Secretary Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque Jr., Solicitor General Jose Calida, Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez, and Senator Richard Gordon. Supreme Court justices and members of the Judicial and Bar Council were also present. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque earlier confirmed that De Castro was appointed as the country’s top magistrate on August 25. However, De Castro will only serve as chief justice for less than two months since she will reach the mandatory age of retirement in October this year. De Castro was appointed to the Supreme Court in December 2007 and has also served as Presiding Justice of the Sandiganbayan. In a chance interview last Aug. 27, Duterte told reporters that his basis for appointing de Castro as the new chief justice is “seniority.” “Sa lahat yan sa civil service, sa military, pati sa everybody, seniority and parang conveyor (In every agency, in the civil service, military, everybody, seniority and being a conveyor is
the basis),” Duterte said. “First, sino ‘yung nauna, sya ‘yung…and it will be the same for all justices, not only de Castro. Lahat yan sila (Who came first? It will be the same for all justices, not only de Castro. All of them),” he added, noting that it was a different story if the justices refused their appointment. He also denied an opposition lawmaker’s claim that De Castro’s appointment was her reward for voting for the ouster of former chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. Magdalao Rep. Gary Alejano earlier described de Castro’s appointment as “bayad-utang” (payment for debt). Duterte shrugged off Alejano’s remark, saying he “has yet to hear” the lawmaker say “something without malice.” Earlier, de Castro said she has no time to think about the impeachment complaint filed by opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives against her and six other magistrates, who voted to oust her predecessor via quo warranto proceedings. Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat, and Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin filed impeachment complaints against the seven SC justices for alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust. “I have no time to think about it, because you know as you mentioned, I have very few weeks to work here in the court, and I don’t want to be distracted by anything else, my schedule is full, I have so many activities set in the coming weeks, I do not wish to be distracted by that,” de Castro said in a press conference last Aug. 28. Aside from de Castro, the other magistrates facing impeachment raps are Noel Tijam, de Castro, Andres Reyes Jr., Alexander Gesmundo, Lucas Bersamin, Diosdado Peralta, and Francis Jardeleza. ■
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Philippine News
SEPTEMBER 7, 2018
FRIDAY
Duterte apologizes to Obama PNP now pursuing for ‘harsh’ words in 2016 suspects in latest Isulan blast BY AZER PARROCHA Philippine News Agency
MANILA — Almost two years after hurling expletives at former US President Barack Obama for criticizing his war on drugs, President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Monday apologized, saying he has also forgiven him for meddling in the affairs of the Philippines. In September 2016, Duterte called Obama a “son of a b****” in a forum in Laos after the former American leader raised concerns on how the Duterte administration implemented its aggressive crackdown against illegal drugs. “Well then it would be appropriate also to say at this time to Mr. Obama that you are now a civilian and I am sorry for uttering those words,” Duterte said in his speech before the Filipino community in Israel. “No, it was just a plain talkatess also like yours. We have learned our lessons very well. Nag-ano tayo — nagkakaintindihan tayo (We understand each other),” he added. Duterte jested about forgiving Obama for criticizing the drug war just as he had forgiven his ex-girlfriends. “So if it is to your heart to forgive, you forgive. I have forgiven you just like ’yung mga — ‘yung lahat ng mga girlfriends ko noong binata pa ako (all my girlfriends when I was still single),” Duterte said. Duterte explained anew that his reason for cursing Obama was because the former US president “castigated” him about human rights when he should have filed a complaint before the United Nations (UN) instead. Obama said Duterte should carry out his drug war “the right
BY PRIAM NEPOMUCENO Philippine News Agency
KING RODRIGUEZ / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
way.” “So eh sinobrahan niya eh (He went overboard). If you have a — qualms, if you have complaints against me, go to the United Nations. File your complaint there and ask for a hearing,” Duterte said. “Hindi ‘yan diretsuhin mo ako (You don’t come to me straight) you tell me in public that I am wrong blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,” he added. He said Obama “ought to know the basic rules” of avoiding to criticize a different country’s problems. “Being a president of the republic of — of a republic that is — you ought to know the basic rules. You do not criticize especially if it is a problem of the country that you are criticizing,” Duterte said. Duterte is currently in Israel until Sept. 5, the first Filipino leader to travel to the country, upon invitation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
He also met overseas workers in Israel saying he was “tearyeyed” upon seeing them there. “Alam mo bihirang-bihira ako umiiyak (You know, I rarely cry) I could remember maybe the times that I cried, when my father and mother died. But rare, very rare,” Duterte said. “Ito lang ang bisita ko na (This is the only visit where) maybe I will do it again. I really do not know. But this is the first time napaluha ako na nandito ako sa aking mga kababayang Pilipino (I got teary-eyed in front of my fellow Filipino citizens),” he added. The President is there to strengthen cooperation in areas such as defense and security, law enforcement, economic development, labor, trade and investments. From Israel, Duterte will fly to Jordan for another official visit from Sept. 5 to 8 upon the invitation of His Majesty King Abdullah II. ■
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MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) is now conducting pursuit operations against the persons or groups responsible for the latest improvised explosive device (IED) attack in Isulan town, Sultan Kudarat, which killed two persons and wounded 11 others Sunday night. “The Philippine National Police is mobilizing all available security forces in pursuit operations against persons responsible for the latest act of terrorism in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat yesterday (Sunday) even as we extend our sympathies to the family of the lone fatality in the explosion incident,” PNP spokesperson Senior Supt. Benigno Durana said in a statement Monday. Durana said the PNP joins the entire nation in strongly condemning this senseless act of terror for whatever motive its perpetrators may have. An IED was detonated inside a public computer shop in Barangay Kalawag 2 in Isulan that resulted in the death of John Mark Luda, 18, and Marialyn Luda, 15, and injuries to 11 others, two of whom are in serious condition. “While we express our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family of the deceased and sympathy to the wounded, we assure them of our keen resolve and commitment to bring before the bar of justice those responsible for this dastardly and vicious act,” Durana added. Despite being on official mission abroad, PNP chief Direc-
tor General Oscar D. Albayalde has already directed police units in Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City) to further intensify conduct of checkpoints, police visibility patrols, and focused intelligence and law enforcement operations in close coordination with the AFP and other members of the security sector. Albayalde is on official mission in Brunei Darussalam to head the PNP delegation in the annual ASEAN Association of Chiefs of Police Conference. Albayalde also ordered the relief of Senior Supt. Noel Kinazo, provincial director of Sultan Kudarat, and Senior Supt. Celestino Daniel Jr., Isulan town chief of police, to pave the way for a thorough and impartial investigation into Sunday’s incident and a similar attack earlier. Last Aug. 28, an IED exploded in Barangay Calawag 3, Isulan, killing three and wounding 37 others. The Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters was tagged as the perpetrator behind the first and second IED attacks. “The PNP will sincerely appreciate any information from our citizens that may help police to identify the suspects and prevent any similar incident from happening again. We likewise appeal to the public not to allow their normal productive lives to be disrupted by this incident and to immediately resume their normal activities to deliver a strong message that the people of Sultan Kudarat will not be cowed,” Durana said. ■
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Canada News Candidate called to explain allegation of ‘political interference’ in policing BY MORGAN LOWRIE The Canadian Press MONTREAL — A Coalition Avenir Quebec star candidate was forced to clarify his remarks on Sunday after a claim he that he’d witnessed political interference during his career as a police officer made waves on the Quebec campaign trail. Ian Lafreniere, a longtime Montreal police spokesman, told TVA on Saturday that the thing he hated most about being a police officer was the “political interference” — though he did not go into details about the allegation at the time. Faced with calls to explain himself, Lafreniere on Sunday cited the example of a 2014 call from former Montreal mayor Denis Coderre and the thenhead of police, in which Coderre complained that the media had obtained information about a ticket he’d received. “We’re not talking about crimes, we’re talking about small gestures that are important,” he told reporters in Chambly, southeast of Montreal. “Elected officials who call to ask who is talking to the media, what are the sources … it’s not me that invented it, and it led to a big investigation.” Lafreniere was referring to the Chamberland Commission, which was launched in 2016 after it was revealed that more
than one police force had been spying on several Quebec journalists in an attempt to identify journalistic sources. The final report, released late last year, called for better training for police officers, more rules to protect the police from political interference and better protection for all journalistic material, including sources. “In my head, what I was referring to (in my remarks), very clearly, was Chamberland,” Lafreniere said, adding he had not witnessed other examples of political interference. Lafreniere’s original TV interview drew swift reaction from the other parties, leading to some back-and-forth sniping on which party had the best plan to prevent corruption. Several of the Coalition’s rivals, including Liberal Leader Philippe Couillard, questioned why Lafreniere didn’t come forward with his allegations when he was still a member of the force. “I hope he will be able to detail what he said with specific facts, because normally he would have to denounce it if he was witness to that in his career,” Couillard said Sunday morning as he campaigned in his home riding of Roberval. Other candidates, including Liberal Marc Tanguay and Quebec solidaire co-spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, said the Coalitions’s statements were hypocritical given their
promise to review the nomination process for the heads of the province’s police forces, including the anti-corruption squad, if elected. “Basically, (Lafreniere) is telling us he’s going to do political interference to solve the problem of political interference,” Nadeau-Dubois said. The Coalition’s plan, reiterated by leader Francois Legault on Sunday, is to ensure the head of the anti-corruption unit, known as UPAC, would be confirmed through a two-thirds vote of the legislature in order to ensure neutrality. Speaking in Vaudreuil, he noted that both the Parti Quebecois and Quebec solidaire have taken the same position. “The only one who is not in agreement with that is Philippe Couillard and the Liberal Party,” Legault said of the outgoing premier. “So why do the Liberal Party want to choose the UPAC boss alone?” Couillard shot back, saying the current system of having cabinet choose the head of UPAC was based on a recommendation from the Charbonneau Commission investigation into corruption in the construction industry. Parti Quebecois Leader JeanFrancois Lisee, meanwhile, questioned Lafreniere’s credibility and called on the candidate to provide proof of the serious accusations he made.
Ian Lafrenière.
IAN LAFRENIÈRE - COALITION AVENIR QUÉBEC / FACEBOOK
“I’m ready to believe it, but show it,” he said at a campaign stop in Sept-Iles, in the CoteNord region of eastern Quebec. Lafreniere rejected this criticism in his Sunday afternoon media appearance, noting he had spoken out by testifying before the journalistic sources commission. The veteran police officer added he wouldn’t take ethics lessons from “certain old parties” who might feel personally targeted by his remarks. Also on Sunday, Legault brushed off criticisms over his party’s decision to quietly drop the words “oil,” “shale gas,” and “birth rate” from the description of his platform on his party’s website. He said the reference to birth rate was removed to avoid giving ammunition to his rivals, who have described Legault’s
plan to increase funding for families with multiple children as a “baby bonus.” Any other wording changes, he said, were due to a longplanned reorganization of his party’s website and not to criticism from his rivals, who have accused him of being “pro-oil.” “We wanted during the election campaign to change the look and be sure that the priorities are put in the right place, but I didn’t see anywhere that our positions have changed,” he said. The two other main parties piled on Legault for the changes, accusing him of lacking conviction and trying to hide his real position from electors. ■ With files from Caroline StPierre in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Stephanie Marin in Sept-Iles, and Patrice Bergeron in SaintFelicien, Que.
Labour Day parade not ending at CNE to show solidarity with locked out workers BY MORGAN LOWRIE The Canadian Press TORONTO — Marchers in Toronto’s annual Labour Day Parade broke tradition on Monday, opting not to end the
procession at Exhibition Place to show solidarity with stagehands who have been locked out of the venue since July. “We’re not going to cross that picket line. We’re going to support the workers by not taking our members through that
picket line and (not) having them go to the Ex like we normally do,” said Naureen Rizvi, Unifor’s regional director for Ontario. Exhibition Place’s board of directors and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage www.canadianinquirer.net
Employees Local 58, which represents about 400 workers, said talks over the weekend broke down. Both sides of the negotiations said they were unsuccessful after a 12-hour meeting on Saturday that focused on the locked-
out employees’ contract. Negotiations will resume Tuesday — a day after the fair ends. The employees were locked out on July 20, and the union said the workers have ❱❱ PAGE 31 Labour Day
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Canada News
SEPTEMBER 7, 2018
FRIDAY
The irony in Quebec politics: Which party deserves the title of most ‘progressive’? BY GIUSEPPE VALIANTE The Canadian Press
its law in force. Paradoxically, this position comes from a political party whose 2017 convention was interrupted by a mini scanMONTREAL — May Chiu, a family and dal after it was revealed the food table human rights lawyer, ran in a previous contained … Israeli hummus. provincial election for Quebec solidaire, The offending spread, which came which bills itself as the most environ- from a country that “persecutes Palmentalist, left-leaning and socially con- estinians,” was promptly removed and scious of the four major political parties. given to charity, according to a RadioBut in Quebec politics, labels can be Canada report. confusing — and ironic — as Chiu disRegardless of ideology, political parcovered. ties in Quebec are under enormous presChiu finished third in the Montreal sure to take a stance on the so-called riding of Outremont in 2008 and even- secular nature of the state. tually quit the party — but not because Chiu says Quebec solidaire’s position she hadn’t won. is untenable for her. She left, in part, because of Quebec “Economically, socially, environmensolidaire’s pledge to pass a law, if it takes tally, QS has the best platform according power, that would prohibit hijab-clad to my principles and values,” she said in Muslim women or turban-wearing Sikh an interview. “But I can’t vote for a party men from holding certain jobs such as a that says it will use (Sec. 33) on that isjudge or police officer. sue. Moreover, under certain circumstanc“The problem is when you start to dises, Quebec solidaire would go so far as criminate against one group, the floodto useJoel_CanadianInquirer_print.pdf Sec. 33 of the federal Charter1 of 2017-10-05 gates are3:45 open to discriminate against PM Rights and Freedoms — which allows any other group.” governments to override certain rights Oddly enough, it’s the Quebec Liberals granted under the legislation — to keep — the party of the status quo with strong
COLIN DEWAR / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
ties to the business sector and that made severe cuts to education and health in order to balance the books and pay down debt — who are considered progressive on many issues. Andre Gagne, a digital fellow at the Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies, calls the Liberals the most “progressive” when it comes to immigration, diversity, welcoming refugees and religious freedom — particularly in comparison to their biggest rivals, the Parti Quebecois and Coalition Avenir Quebec. “There is an irony there,” said Gagne, who is also a Concordia University associate professor. It was the Liberals who wanted to increase immigration levels to 60,000 newcomers a year from 50,000 and who planned to hold a conference on systemic racism in the province. But as the election call approached, the party backed down on both proposals after intense criticism from the PQ and Coalition, who both say there is no systemic racism in Quebec. The Liberals, who have been in power since 2003 except for a PQ minority government between 2012 and 2014, also appear to be the favourite party of people between 18 and 34. A recent Leger poll conducted for the Montreal Gazette and Le Devoir indicated 35 per cent of young voters would have voted Liberal, compared with 26 per cent for the Coalition, 16 per cent for the PQ and 8 per cent for Quebec solidaire. The support from the young can be explained by a variety of factors, Gagne said, such as the Liberals’ staunch support for federalism, as opposed to the PQ and Quebec solidaire, which are both
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sovereigntist. But the Liberals’ positive stance on immigration, refugees and religious freedom is likely also a strong factor, he said. Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, a Quebec solidaire spokesman, said in an interview his party would only invoke Sec. 33 if Quebec’s appeals court upholds its future secularism law but the Supreme Court of Canada rejects it. “Our position is not perfect,” NadeauDubois said in an interview. “But it has a great merit of being a compromise.” He noted his party is the only one that has a hijab-wearing Muslim candidate in this election. And while Chiu can’t support Quebec solidaire, she is actively fighting the Liberals in court over the party’s 2017 socalled “religious neutrality” law. Chiu represents a women’s organization opposing Bill 62, which prohibits anyone from receiving or giving a public service with their face covered. The courts have twice suspended the law’s application until it goes through judicial review because of the “irreparable harm” it would cause Muslim women. While Chiu finds the Liberal law coercive, she believes the secularism laws proposed by the PQ, the Coalition or Quebec solidaire would be far worse. The confusing and ironic state of Quebec politics makes her somewhat of a political orphan. “(The Liberals’) economic policies hurt so many people — and most of all they hurt racialized minorities,” Chiu said. “And speaking as a racialized minority, I don’t know where my vote (on Oct. 1) should go.” ■
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FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 7, 2018
On Labour Day, two Quebec parties promise $15 minimum wage if elected BY MORGAN LOWRIE The Canadian Press MONTREAL — Quebec’s campaigning politicians appealed to workers on Labour Day Monday, with two parties promising to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour. On Day 12 of the provincial election campaign, Parti Quebecois Leader Jean-Francois Lisee said the starting wage would be raised gradually from the current rate of $12 per hour in a first mandate. Lisee said his party had always been close to workers, despite the fact that his predecessor, media magnate Pierre Karl Peladeau, presided over lenthy labour disputes with two of the newspapers in his chain. Peladeau led the party from 2015 to 2016 before quitting politics for family reasons. Lisee acknowledged that the party’s pro-worker stance might be more apparent in the
absence of its former leader, $100 million per year over five of the regions whose mandate while denying anything had years to help smaller businesses, would include the development fundamentally changed with farmers and community orga- of high-performing digital inthe party that has traditionally nizations adjust to the change, frastructure. been a favourite choice of the Masse announced in Gatineau. Coalition Leader Francois province’s unions. Liberal Leader Philippe Legault was in the Montreal “It might have been harder to Couillard, meanwhile, set his area, where he announced that see, with the last leader, but the sights on regional development former legislature member party itself, the members them- with a promise to invest an ad- Christian Dube would leave his selves, our closejob with Queness towards bec’s pension those who work fund manager hard has always to run for a seat been there, and Because if it was polls, I’d have in the La Prairie perhaps it’s more jumped in a month and a half ago. riding. apparent now,” LiDube previsee said at a news ously representconference where ed a different he also unrolled a riding in the legplan to create a group insurance ditional $200 million to extend islature between 2012 and 2014 plan for the self-employed. high speed internet and cell before resigning to become exThe left-wing party Quebec phone coverage in remote areas. ecutive vice-president of the solidaire also expressed its That would bring his party’s Caisse de depot et placement commitment to a $15 mini- total investment to $500 mil- du Quebec. mum wage, which the party lion and would ensure all the He replaces former party has long called for and would province would be covered by president Stephane Le Bouyimplement in 2019 if elected, 2020, he said at a campaign stop onnec, who unexpectedly quit co-spokesperson Manon Masse in Iles-de-la-Madeleine. both the race and his position said Monday, detailing the plan. If re-elected, Couillard also with the party last week. The party would also invest promised to name a minister At the announcement of his
candidacy, Dube placed his hand on his heart and solemnly promised he would complete his four-year mandate if elected, regardless of whether his party wins. He insisted his return to politics was based on Le Bouyonnec’s departure rather than polls that suggest the party may form the next government. “It had nothing to do with polls, because if it was polls, I’d have jumped in a month and a half ago,” he told reporters. Dube’s choice to resign his seat shortly into his second mandate in 2014 triggered a byelection that cost Quebec taxpayers an estimated $600,000. The 61-year-old businessman said Monday he had not asked for a cabinet post in a future Coalition government as a condition of his return. ■ With files from Caroline Plante in La Prairie, Stephanie Marin in Matane and Patrice Bergeron in Iles-de-la-Madeleine
New guidelines recommend hepatitis C testing for those born between 1945 and 1975 HEPATITIS C is a serious and significant liver disease which can lead to life-threatening consequences. It is estimated that 250,000 people in Canada have hepatitis C, and it is the number one cause of illness and death among infectious diseases in the country. Fifty-nine-year-old Carol was diagnosed with hepatitis C in 2008 after attempting to donate blood. “I can’t think of when I could have contracted the hepatitis C virus, so it never occurred to me that I should ask for this test,” says Carol. “When I found out I had hepatitis C, I was shocked.” Hepatitis C is caused by a virus that attacks the liver and puts individuals at risk of complications including cirrhosis, liver cancer and potentially death from liver failure. As common as hepatitis C is, it’s also known as a silent killer because it’s a liver disease that rarely comes with a warning and symptoms often don’t appear until the liver is severely damaged. It is estimated that up to 70 per cent of people with chronic hepatitis C in Canada don’t even know they have it. The greatest number of Canadians with hepatitis C are those born between 1945 and 1975, which makes it critically important for those in
this age group to understand their increased risk, and for all adults born in this age bracket to be tested. Additionally, people born in regions where hepatitis C is more common, such as in the Philippines where approximately one million people have hepatitis C, should also talk to their doctor about getting tested. The Canadian Association for the Study of the Liver recently published new guidelines on managing hepatitis C urging that Canadians be tested based on their age – not only their possible risk factors. The hepatitis C antibody test is a simple blood test, and if you have hepatitis C, new treatments are available that can cure the liver disease in as little as eight to twelve weeks. People born between 1945 and 1975 should ask their doctor about being tested, so if needed, they can get treated and be cured. For more information about hepatitis C, and to find out if you may be at risk, access the Canadian Liver Foundation’s hepatitis risk questionnaire and visit www.liver.ca/ ThisIsYourWarning.
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18
World News
SEPTEMBER 7, 2018
FRIDAY
China’s leader Xi looms large over North Korean anniversary BY CHRISTOPHER BODEEN The Associated Press BEIJING — As North Korea celebrates a major anniversary this weekend, the presence — or absence — of Chinese President Xi Jinping could highlight just how much vitality has been restored to ties between Pyongyang and its most powerful backer after a prolonged chill. A visit by Xi to North Korea for the 70th anniversary of the North’s founding on Sunday is expected — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has made three trips to China since March this year and has invited Xi to reciprocate — but neither side has said whether Xi will attend. China could be keen to demonstrate the strong ties it has with Pyongyang to ensure it remains a key player in efforts to dismantle the North’s nuclear program. But the celebrations come as President Donald
Trump has blamed Beijing for the slow progress of denuclearization. Below is a look at issues affecting ties between the allies. What’s the Trump factor? Trump suggests that China has been encouraging North Korea to drag its feet with denuclearization to gain leverage against the U.S. in a trade dispute that has seen both sides levelling tariffs on $50 billion of each other’s products. Last week, he tweeted that North Korea “is under tremendous pressure from China because of our major trade disputes with the Chinese government,” adding: “This is not helpful!” China wasn’t having any of it. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Washington should “engage in self-reflection and stop flip-flopping and blaming others.” “Regarding America’s attempts to pass the buck, I’m
sorry, we’d rather not accept,” Hua told reporters. China has already distanced itself somewhat from its significant co-operation with the U.S. on North Korea. After supporting tough U.N. sanctions and scaling back trade with the North after it ramped up nuclear and missile tests last year, Beijing has eased the pressure on its neighbour slightly. What are the chances of a Xi visit?
No Chinese head of state has visited North Korea since President Hu Jintao met with Kim’s father, Kim Jong Il, in Pyongyang in 2005, a time when Beijing was urging Pyongyang to reform its economy and take part in six-nation denuclearization talks. When the younger Kim took power in 2011, exchanges slowed as Kim sought to assert his independence and China grew impatient with Kim’s nuclear
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Chinese Pres. Xi Jinping.
and missile tests. Ties frayed last year when China supported tougher U.N. sanctions on Pyongyang and suspended coal and iron ore imports. That made Kim’s three visits to China this year all the more striking, a sign that the relationship was back on track. A visit on such a symbolic occasion would underscore the unique historical ties between the two countries’ ruling parties. Mao Zedong sent Chinese
GCIS VIA GOVERNMENTZA / FLICKR, CC BY-ND 2.0
troops to aid the North after the Korean War began in 1950, setting up a relationship once described as being “as close as lips and teeth.” Xi would also use the opportunity to reassert China’s claim to a place at the table when key decisions are made concerning Pyongyang’s relationships with both Washington and South Korea, including over a possi❱❱ PAGE 38 China’s leader
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FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 7, 2018
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Firefighters try to save relics as fire engulfs Rio museum BY PETER PRENGAMAN The Canadian Press RIO DE JANEIRO — A huge fire engulfed Brazil’s 200-yearold National Museum in Rio de Janeiro, lighting up the night sky with towering flames as firefighters and museum workers raced to save historical relics from the blaze. The esteemed museum, which houses artifacts from Egypt, Greco-Roman art and some of the first fossils found in Brazil, was closed to the public at the time of the fire, which broke out at 7:30 p.m. Sunday local time, it said in a statement. There were no reports of injuries, the museum said, and it wasn’t immediately clear how the fire began. Roberto Robadey, a spokesman for the fire department, said 80 firefighters were battling the blaze and that by midnight local time it was “just about under control”
and should be out within a few hours. President Michel Temer called it “a sad day for all Brazilians.” “Two hundred years of work, investigation and knowledge have been lost,” Temer said in a statement. According to its website, the museum has a vast collection related to the history of Brazil and other countries, and that many of its collections came from members of Brazil’s royal family. Robadey said firefighters got off to a slow start fighting the blaze because the two fire hydrants closest to the museum were not functioning. Instead, trucks had to be sent to get water from a nearby lake. But he added that some of the museum’s pieces had been spared. “We were able to remove a lot of things from inside with the help of workers of the museum,” Robadey told Globo News. Connected to the Federal
University of Rio de Janeiro, the museum has expositions that include anthropology, archaeology and paleontology, among others. The vice director of the museum, Luiz Fernando Dias Duarte, told Globo news the museum suffered chronic underfunding. “Everybody wants to be supportive now. We never had adequate support,” he said. Latin America’s largest nation has struggled to emerge from its worst recession in decades. The state of Rio de Janeiro has been particularly hard hit in recent years thanks to a combination of falling world prices of oil, one of its major revenue sources, mismanagement and massive corruption. Just over a month before national elections, even before the flames were put out, the fire was leading to recriminations about dilapidated infrastructure and budget deficits in the city that hosted the 2016 Sum-
Fire at the National Museum in Rio de Janeiro. FELIPE MILANEZ / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, CC BY-SA 4.0
mer Olympics. “Unfortunately, given the financial straits of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and all the other public universities the last three years, this was a tragedy that could be seen coming,” Marina Silva, one of the leading presidential candidates, tweeted. On Instagram, Rio Mayor Marcelo Crivella called on the
country to rebuild. “It’s a national obligation to reconstruct it from the ashes, recompose every eternal detail of the paintings and photos. Even if they are not original, they continue to be a reminder of the royal family that gave us independence, the (Portuguese) empire and the first constitution and national unity,” he said. ■
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World News
SEPTEMBER 7, 2018
FRIDAY
UN agency: Trips across Mediterranean fall, but risks rise BY JAMEY KEATEN The Associated Press
stuck in squalid, overcrowded detention centres: Many get returned there after failing to cross by sea to Europe. “The problems after disembarkation GENEVA — The U.N. refugee agency (is that) those people are sent back to says people smugglers are taking greater detention centres, and many disappear,” risks to ferry their human cargo toward Cochetel said. “Many are sold to militias, Europe as Libya’s coast guard intercepts and to traffickers, and people employing more and more boats carrying migrants, them without paying them.” increasing the likelihood that those on He said the drop in departures means board may die during the Mediterra- that traffickers attempt to “monetize nean journeys. their investment, which means they That’s one of the key findings from the have to exploit more people. That relatest UNHCR report about efforts to sults in more cases of slavery, forced reach Europe. The report, released early labour, prostitution of those people — Monday and titled “Desperate Jour- because they (smugglers) want to make neys,” says that even though the num- money on those people.” ber of crossings and deaths has plunged Would-be workers and migrants are compared to recent years, the voyage still pouring into Libya: Some are fleeis more deadly in percentage terms for ing injustice, abuse or autocrats in their those who venture across. home countries further south in Africa. The report says 2,276 people died last Others are looking for work in the oil inyear while trying to cross, or one death dustry or agriculture. for every 42 arrivals. “I think you have more deaths on This year, it’s 1,095 deaths, or one out land,” Cochetel said, referring to treks of every 18 arrivals. In June alone, the across the desert in Sudan, Algeria, proportion hit one death for every seven Chad and Niger. “Many people in Libya arrivals. are reporting having seeing people dead On the Central in the desert on the Mediterranean route way to Libya.” so far this year, there In Libya, instabilhave been 10 separate ity continues even incidents in which 50 seven years after or more people died The problems the fall of Moam— most after departafter mar Gadhafi. French ing from Libya. Seven disembarkation medical aid group of those incidents (is that) those Doctors Without have been since June people are Borders said Friday alone, UNHCR said. sent back to that fighting between “The reason the detention rival militias in Triptraffic has become centres, oli, the capital, has more deadly is that and many endangered the lives the traffickers are disappear. of people trapped taking more risk, bethere and worsened cause there is more humanitarian needs surveillance exer— especially at micised by the Libyan grant detention cencoast guards,” said tres. Vincent Cochetel, UNHCR’s special Cochetel said Europe — where some envoy for the central Mediterranean. countries have shown “appalling” “They are trying to cut the costs: It costs squabbles about who would take in resthem more to keep those people here cue ships carrying migrants — should longer in their warehouses, under cap- look at the root causes of such journeys. tivity.” European populations need to shun Libyan authorities intercepted or res- anti-migrant rhetoric and realize that cued 18,400 people between August last figures are down sharply, and migrant year and July this year — a 38-per cent flows are clearly manageable at current increase from the same period of 2016 levels, he said. and 2017. Arrivals by sea from Libya to “Europe has to show the lead, has to be Europe plummeted 82 per cent in those exemplary in its response, but it’s quite comparable periods, to 30,800 in the clear that it’s already too late when the more recent one. people are in Libya,” he said. “We need UNHCR says a growing worry these to work downstream in country of first days is deaths on land by people trying to asylum, in country of origin, and that get to Libya in the first place, or getting takes time.” ■ www.canadianinquirer.net
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Entertainment Five Canadian titles to watch at the Toronto International Film Festival BY VICTORIA AHEARN The Canadian Press TORONTO — From teen tales to timely stories and documentaries about the environment, the Canadian lineup for this year’s Toronto International Film Festival offers up a mix of big names and rising talent from across the country. The Canadian Press spoke with five homegrown filmmakers headed to the festival, which runs Sept. 6 to 16.
writer-director, made while studying at Ryerson University in 2012. “I also thought the time was right to explore these themes about women seeking freedom in a patriarchal system,” says Mozaffari, who was born in Saskatoon, grew up in Barrie, Ont., and now lives in Toronto. “I had written this film before the allegations of the #MeToo movement and Time’s Up had come out. It was just interesting that that aligned after I had written the script.”
“Firecrackers”
“Clara”
Karena Evans, who directed several of Drake’s latest music videos, is one of the stars of this debut feature from Jasmin Mozaffari. Evans and Michaela Kurimsky play best friends whose plans to escape their small town are stifled when one of them is violated by her onagain, off-again boyfriend. “Firecrackers” was shot in the summer of 2017 throughout Ontario in Hamilton, St. Thomas, and London. The story is an expansion of a short film that Mozaffari, the
The Toronto-shot sci-fi drama stars Toronto actor Patrick J. Adams of “Suits” fame as an obsessive astronomer dealing with a personal tragedy. “Pretty Little Liars” actress Troian Bellisario, who also happens to be Adams’ wife in real life, plays an inquisitive artist who helps him with a scientific discovery. Writer-director Akash Sherman says he got the idea for the film after reading about NASA’s plan to launch the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite and the James Webb Space Telescope.
“Essentially they’re going to revolutionize the way we’re able to find habitable planets,” Sherman says. “So I wanted to tell a story about space on Earth, about an astronomer who’s looking for life out there. The TESS telescope actually just launched, as did our film, so it’s very timely.” “Anthropocene: The Human Epoch”
Twenty countries and six continents are explored in this documentary about environmental issues caused by humans, narrated by Oscar-winning actress Alicia Vikander. It’s the final title in a trilogy from director Jennifer Baichwal, producer Nicholas de Pencier and photographer Edward Burtynsky, after “Manufactured Landscapes” and “Watermark.” “The anthropocene means the human epoch,” says Baichwal. “It means that humans are affecting the Earth on a geological scale; we are changing the systems of the Earth as a species.” The three co-directors say the film is part of a larger project that will include museum
Karena Evans.
exhibitions at the Art Gallery of Ontario and the National Gallery of Canada this fall. On Tuesday it was announced Vikander, who won the best supporting actress Oscar in 2016 for her role in “The Danish Girl,” would voice the doc. “Giant Little Ones”
Josh Wiggins and Darren Mann star as best friends whose lives are changed after an expected incident at a party. Golden Globe-nominated actors Maria Bello and Kyle MacLachlan play the divorced parents of Wiggins’ character.
@TIFF_NET / TWITTER
Writer-director Keith Behrman, who was born in Shaunavon, Sask., says the spark for the drama came to him several years ago. “I was really concerned with all the negative things that were happening to young people who were struggling with their sexual identity and the suicides that were happening,” says Behrman. Finding his leading actors was a long process, he admits. “Because of the nature of the film, which is a question exploring sexuality, we actually were ❱❱ PAGE 33 Five Canadian
London Film Festival unveils lineup; 1 in 3 films by women BY JILL LAWLESS The Associated Press LONDON — More than a third of films at this year’s London Film Festival were directed by women, organizers said Thursday as they revealed the schedule for the October movie extravaganza. The festival said 38 per cent of all films and 30 per cent of the 225 features in the lineup have female directors, an increase on 24 per cent of features in 2017. Female-directed films in the Oct. 10-21 festival include Karyn Kusama’s police thriller “Destroyer” starring Nicole
Kidman and Sara Colangelo’s drama “The Kindergarten Teacher” with Maggie Gyllenhaal. Artistic director Tricia Tuttle said the festival had not set any quotas, but increasing diversity of all kinds is “always at the heart” of programming decisions. “We haven’t set out to say 50 per cent have to be female filmmakers. We’ve genuinely found this incredibly rich talent,” she said. The 62nd annual London festival opens with Steve McQueen’s heist thriller “Widows,” one of 39 British features on the slate. It closes with John S. Baird’s Laurel and Hardy bi-
opic “Stan & Ollie.” London is home to many British and U.S. film academy voters, and in recent years the autumn festival has helped boost the awards-season momentum of movies including “La La Land” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” This year’s lineup includes David Mackenzie’s kilts-andcarnage epic “Outlaw King,” starring Chris Pine as Robert the Bruce; Joel and Ethan Coen’s Western anthology film “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs”; Alfonso Cuaron’s Mexico Cityset “Roma”; and Tinge Krishnan’s London musical “Been So Long.” www.canadianinquirer.net
Other highlights include “If Beale Street Could Talk,” an adaptation of James Baldwin’s Harlem-set novel by “Moonlight” director Barry Jenkins; Matthew Heineman’s “A Private War,” starring Rosamund Pike as the late war correspondent Marie Colvin; and Jason Reitman’s “The Front Runner,” starring Hugh Jackman as Gary Hart, whose 1988 presidential campaign was cut short by scandal. The festival will also premiere the first two episodes of miniseries “The Little Drummer Girl,” a John Le Carre adaptation directed by South Korea’s Park Chan-wook. A jury led by “Room” director
Lenny Abrahamson will hand out a best-picture prize from 10 contenders chosen by the festival — half of them directed by women. Competitors include Kusama’s “Destroyer”; David Lowery’s crime caper “The Old Man and the Gun,” starring Robert Redford in what he says will be his final role; British director Ben Wheatley’s dysfunctional family drama “Happy New Year, Colin Burstead”; Sudabeh Mortezai’s sex-trafficking drama “Joy”; Zhang Yimou’s Chinese historical epic “Shadow”; and eve-of-war drama “Sunset” by Laszlo Nemes, director of the Oscar-winning “Son of Saul.” ■
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Entertainment
SEPTEMBER 7, 2018
FRIDAY
Aretha’s lack of a will could make things rocky for heirs BY ANDREW DALTON The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Aretha Franklin was so hard-nosed in her business dealings that she demanded to be paid in cash before performing. Her heirs won’t have it so simple. Though she lived to 76 and was terminally ill with pancreatic cancer, the Queen of Soul died without a will. As her four sons and other family members move on from Friday’s funeral in Detroit, they’re left with the potentially tall task of finding out how many millions she was worth, and divvying it up, a process that could take years and is likely to play out in public. Estate law experts expressed surprise but not shock that a wealthy person like Franklin would put off making a will until it was too late. At least one of the singer’s attorneys says he urged her repeatedly over the years to draft one. “I tried to convince her that she should do not just a will but a trust while she was still alive,” says Don Wilson, a Los Angeles lawyer who worked on en-
tertainment matters for Franklin for nearly 30 years. “She never told me, ‘No, I don’t want to do one.’ She understood the need. It just didn’t seem to be something she got around to.” Laura Zwicker, an attorney who specializes in estate planning but is not affiliated with the Franklin estate, says she sees it happen all too often in her work. “People don’t like to face their own mortality,” Zwicker says. “I had a client who had a $70 million real estate portfolio who had had end-stage diabetes. He had plenty of conversations with me about estate planning but would not sign the documents.” Papers filed in Michigan’s Oakland County court last week by David J. Bennett, the lawyer who worked most closely with Franklin, lay out the few known basics: She was not married and left four sons, ages 48 to 63: Clarence Franklin, Edward Franklin, Kecalf Franklin and Ted White Jr. Clarence, Aretha’s eldest, is incapacitated and is represented by a guardian. And a niece of hers has accepted the role of executor. Under Michigan law, as in most states,
Aretha Franklin in the 2009 inauguration of Pres. Barack Obama.
CECILIO RICARDO, U.S. AIR FORCE
the sons will equally divide their moth- performer. In the case of “Respect,” the er’s assets in the absence of a will, and royalties go to the estate of Otis Redso far no signs of conflict have emerged ding, even though the song owes nearly among family members. Bennett did not all its popularity to Franklin. respond to phone and email messages “I would imagine she probably felt seeking comment. she was entitled to more, but probably Aretha Franklin’s friend Ron Moten, received more than a lot of artists from a Michigan businessman, gave the four the time, especially African-American sons some guidance in his speech at Fri- artists,” Wilson says. day’s funeral. Among Franklin’s more tangible as“Remember your family, and friends sets are several pieces of property in the that have been with Detroit area that acyou for years,” Mocording to tax assesten told the men. sors’ estimates are “Because you are worth at least $2 milabout to meet a lot lion, with a market of people who will The value that could easnow want to be your government ily be twice that. new best friend. You here is telling Once the value is will also meet some Canadians — established — a propeople that will have and a lot of cess that could take the best investments new Canadians years — the IRS will in the world for you. — that their take any back taxes My advice? Go slow, sense of what Franklin owed, then be careful and be is fair and what will tax her estate at smart.” is not fair is 40 per cent for any The documents wrong. assets beyond $11.2 make no mention of million. the value of FrankKenneth Abdo, an lin’s estate. The figattorney who specialure almost certainly izes in probate law runs into the tens of millions, but there and has worked on the estate of Prince, will probably be widely varying esti- who also died without a will, says the IRS mates as her attorneys seek to downplay will conduct an audit of her holdings. her wealth for tax purposes and the IRS Wilson, her entertainment attorney, tries to maximize the amount for its own says she would not have wanted to see reasons. her finances publicly aired: “She was a Franklin maintained ownership of the private person.” songs she wrote and did well by them, As for why some clients don’t make Wilson says, though of her major hits, out a will, Zwicker said some heirs, like “Think” is the only one that’s her own Franklin’s son Clarence, may need more composition. She also wrote some lesser than others, and that can be a difficult hits, such as “Rock Steady.” and touchy decision for a parent. Though her records were played mil“One arrangement may be fitting lions of times, she earned little in radio for one child, where other people need royalties from smashes like 1967’s “Re- more help,” Zwicker said. “To accept spect” because such payments go over- that and put it on paper can be hard for whelmingly to the song’s author, not the a parent.” ■
www.canadianinquirer.net
Entertainment
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 7, 2018
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NBC’s news chairman defends handling of Weinstein story BY LINDSEY BAHR The Associated Press
Crazy Rich Asians UK red carpet.
CRAZY RICH ASIANS / FACEBOOK
‘Crazy Rich Asians’ banks another crazy rich weekend BY LINDSEY BAHR The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — “Crazy Rich Asians” isn’t slowing down at the box office even in its third weekend in theatres, and is helping to send a strong summer moviegoing season off on a high note. Studios on Sunday say the romantic comedy has topped the domestic charts again. Warner Bros. estimates that the film added an additional $22.2 million through Sunday, down only 10 per cent from last weekend. To date, the film has grossed nearly $111 million from North American theatres, passing the lifetime domestic total of 2015’s “Trainwreck,” one of the last big studio rom-com success stories. Should the pace hold through Monday, “Crazy Rich Asians” could also have one of the biggest Labor Day weekends ever by the time final numbers are reported on Tuesday. The current four-day Labor Day record sits with 2007’s “Halloween” which opened with $30.6 million and some are projecting that “Crazy Rich Asians” could hit $30 million. It easily won out over the holdovers and a few newcomers, like the Nazi war crime film “Operation Finale” and the sci-fi thriller “Kin.” Warner Bros.’ shark pic “The Meg” took second place with an additional $10.5 million, bringing its global total to $462.8 million. “Mission: Impossible — Fallout,” in its fifth weekend, added $7 million for a third place finish. “Operation Finale” landed in fourth place with $6 million. The film starring Oscar Isaac and Ben Kingsley tells the story of how Mossad agent Peter Malkin
captured Adolf Eichmann. And the John Cho-led computer screen mystery “Searching” performed better than expected in its expansion to 1,200 screens, bringing in an estimated $5.7 million through Sunday and rounding out the top five. The sci-fi thriller “Kin,” with Zoe Kravitz and Dennis Quaid, did not fare as well, and opened outside of the top 10 to only $3 million from over 2,100 theatres. In limited release, Lionsgate and Pantelion’s Spanish-language “Ya Veremos” opened to $1.8 million from 369 locations. And Focus Features’ gothic thriller “The Little Stranger” launched on 474 screens to $420,000. “Pretty much every summer ends with a whimper…that’s very typical,” said comScore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian. “But this is going to be a very strong Labor Day weekend.” The weekend closes out the fruitful 2018 summer movie season. Box office tracker comScore is projecting that the 2018 summer box office will net out with around $4.39 billion, up over 14 per cent from last year when the summer didn’t even hit $4 billion. Year to date, the box office is up 9.9 per cent. The success of “Crazy Rich Asians’” also propelled an especially lucrative August, up almost 30 per cent from last year. But, Dergarabedian warns, September is likely to take a bit of a hit. “We’re going to see a downturn in the year-to-date advantage. Last year ‘It’ propelled a record-breaking September,” he said. “I don’t think there’s anything of that magnitude this September.” ■
NEW YORK — NBC’s news chairman sent an exhaustive defence of the network’s handling of Ronan Farrow’s investigation of Harvey Weinstein to his staff members, saying any speculation that the disgraced Hollywood mogul had any role in the network’s rejection of the story was baseless. But after reading the letter that NBC News boss Andy Lack’s letter emailed to staff members on Monday, Farrow’s former producer, Rich McHugh, said that it pointed to the need for an independent investigation into the network’s handling of the story. NBC’s decision not to air Farrow’s story, and to let him take it to the New Yorker magazine, became an embarrassment when he later shared a Pulitzer Prize with The New York Times for stories outlining Weinstein’s alleged sexual misconduct. In an attempt to counter any idea that pressure by Weinstein played any role in NBC’s decision, Lack outlined all the times that the mogul and his lawyers
reached out to the network’s executives. In each case, they were ignored or told that they would have a chance to comment if there was a story ready for broadcast, Lack said. Lack said he wasn’t even aware the story was in the works the first time Weinstein called him. He subsequently called Lack nine times and sent four emails, “none of which were returned,” he said. He also detailed contact NBC News President Noah Oppenheim had with the Weinstein team, including the time lawyer Lanny Davis showed up at NBC’s Rockefeller Center studio without an appointment. Lack also said Weinstein’s team was dishonest in dealing with NBC and mischaracterized their brief conversations. Lack repeated the contention that Farrow and NBC disagreed over whether he had a story ready for broadcast, saying the reporter had no person willing to put a name behind an accusation of Weinstein when the network said to take the story elsewhere. Seven women were identified by name in the New ❱❱ PAGE 30 NBC’s news
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Lifestyle Virtual reality program teaches kids how to cross streets safely BY SHERYL UBELACKER The Canadian Press TORONTO — With most kids heading back to school this week, many parents may be concerned about whether younger children are trafficsavvy enough to cross the street without supervision. Can they judge how far away an approaching vehicle is? Or how fast it’s travelling to make it across safely? “Parents tend to overestimate their child’s crossing ability,” said Barbara Morrongiello, a psychologist at the University of Guelph, whose research focuses on childhood injury prevention. “The parents tend to assume children are much more cautious than they are in fact.” So Morrongiello assembled a team of computer science students to design a program that teaches children how to cross the street using real-life scenarios — all within a computerized virtual reality environment that allows them to learn and practice. “In our system, the children are fully immersed in the pedestrian environment,” she explained from Guelph, Ont. “So they basically wear 3D goggles and are actually in the environment, they’re not observing the environment. “We can see their reaction time and their attention because we code where they’re looking and their speed of reaction. “In our system, we have a very sequential learning strat-
egy. So we start by selecting where you cross and then we talk about how to cross and when to cross.” The virtual reality program teaches the child by having them traverse a two-lane road where there’s a blind curve or a hill, as well as what to do when crossing at a point between parked cars. A pop-up character that acts as a coach reacts to the child’s movements, saying for instance: “Oh, that was great” or “But you didn’t look to the left, so let’s practise that again.” “It was set up that way so the child can work independently,” said Morrongiello, adding that the program can take an hour or two depending on the child’s attention span. “So it’s a very tailored approach to learning. We try to make it so each child has a fun experience and wants to continue to play it.” In a study of 130 children aged seven to 10, those who were trained in street-crossing techniques using the program fared much better than a control group of kids who didn’t get the virtual reality training. Those assigned to take part in the VR program made 75 to 98 per cent fewer road-crossing errors following the test, compared to their untrained counterparts, said the researchers, whose study was recently published in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology. “The children did exceptionally well,” said Morrongiello. One of kids who took part in the study when he was younger
DYLAN PASSMORE / FLICKR, CC BY-NC 2.0
was Kaelan Rekker. “It was really cool because it was my first time doing virtual reality,” said Kaelan, now 11 and about to enter Grade 6. “Yeah, I made a few mistakes at first,” he admitted from his home in Guelph. “I got hit by a few cars. “After that, then I was really focused on looking both ways before crossing the street … (and) like looking for gaps between the cars and how fast they were going so that I could walk across.” His mother Kristen Rekker said she was more concerned about street-crossing skills when Kaelan, his twin sister Eden and their 13-year-old brother Dawson were younger. But because of their different personality traits, Rekker was a bit more concerned about Kaelan, who “sometimes makes different decisions than the other two, who might be more careful at crossing the street.” “It’s only in the past few years that they’ve been walking to school on their own and they’ve
www.canadianinquirer.net
had to cross a rather busy intersection on their way to school.” The researchers designed the program to be inexpensive, requiring only the use of a computer, 3D goggles and a gamecontroller like that of an Xbox to operate the virtual reality environment. “We’re hoping to disseminate it broadly. It could go in a library, it could go in a school,” said Morrongiello, noting that the program is not a moneymaking venture. “We do it because we really are passionate about preventing childhood injuries.” With good reason: child pedestrian injuries are a leading cause of injury-related death among Canadian children aged 14 years or younger, according to Parachute Canada, an organization that promotes evidence-based solutions to avoid preventable injuries. The Guelph researchers have already been contacted by a public health group in Israel and are in the process of translating the program into He-
brew, with a likely roll-out date in January. Morrongiello said she welcomes inquiries from school boards, municipalities and other organizations both in Canada and abroad. She won’t name a specific age when kids are ready to learn to cross the street independently, as perceptual skills and brain development vary from child to child. But generally, she suggests starting when kids are aged seven or eight. “We are very cautious in our training,” Morrongiello said. “Even when these children succeed, we make them understand and their parents understand that it doesn’t mean that they’re now free to go and cross streets on their own. “It means they have a better understanding going out our door than they did coming in. But that doesn’t mean necessarily they’re going to be able to handle any traffic situation or any unpredictable situation, like when they’re late for school and in a hurry.” ■
Lifestyle
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 7, 2018
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The many benefits of breastfeeding PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY MANILA – Ela Navarro, 37, decided to breastfeed her two children as soon as they were born because she wanted them to grow healthy and strong. “Nagsimula noong November 2014 sa aking panganay na anak. Sinabi ko sa aking sarili na gusto ko na kapag ako ay nagka-anak kailangan breastfeeding ang mga anak ko. Bukod sa masustansya ang gatas ng ina, makakatipid pa ng malaki sa gastusin (I started on November 2014 with my first born. I told myself that I will breastfeed them when I have my own kids. Apart from being nutritious, breast milk is inexpensive),” she told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) in an inteview. Navarro noticed that her children are not as plump as other children their age but they weigh heavy, noting that they don’t get infections or fever easily because they are breastfed. Pediatric consultant Kristin Arranz said it is best for mothers to start breastfeeding their children as soon as they’re born. “Ideally, we recommend pure breastfeeding at birth until two years old or as long as they can. This is why as part of Department of Health’s (DOH) program, Unang Yakap, if the baby and mom is stable at delivery, we recommend non-separation of newborn from the mother and early latch on,” she said. Arranz added that breastfeeding provides many health
benefits to babies and mothers, stressing it gives a chance for babies and mothers to bond. “With breastfeeding, the baby gets better immune protection from breast milk, thus, they seldom get sick and are more healthy. Less colic or kabag for the baby, economical for the family, less breast infection or mastitis for mommy if her breasts are emptied of milk right away,” she said. Citing that breastfeeding should be a choice made by both parents, Arranz said, there are preparations mothers can do to make breastfeeding an enjoyable experience like eating malunggay and other green leafy vegetables and living a healthy lifestyle even prior to pregnancy. Navarro said breastfeeding didn’t come easy for her when she had her first child. “Kelangan tiyagain lang talaga ang pagpapasuso sa bata at huwag panghinaan ng loob lalo na kung sa tingin mo na walang gatas na lumalabas. Kasi hindi kulang ang supply ng gatas kasi kung ano lang ang kailangan ng bata iyon lang ang nasisipsip niya (You just got to have patience in breastfeeding and don’t lose heart if you think there’s not enough milk coming out of your breasts because your milk is never scarce your baby will suck only the amount he or she needs),” she said. Arranz said successful breastfeeding can be achieved through the observance of related best practices – not providing newborns any food or fluids other than breastmilk, recognizing and responding to
the baby’s cues for feeding, and maintaining breastfeeding despite common difficulties. Early this month, around 2,000 breastfeeding mothers gathered at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City for Hakab Na! – an event organized by the group Breastfeeding Pinays in partnership with the DOH. They nursed their children all at the same time in celebration of National Breastfeeding Awareness. They also encouraged breastfeeding mothers to gather and hold their own breastfeeding events at home, at schools, in their communities and in their workplaces to create a “breastfeeding nation”. “I attended Hakab Na! kasi masaya meeting a community
with the same principles you live by. Saktong masaya pero the tribe makes it happier,” Jacquiline Magsalin said. Magsalin added that it has been four years since she first attended Hakab Na! yet she learns a lot of new lessons whenever she attends like fighting for her breasfeeding rights “even if higher people in the society are against it”. National Newborn Care and Infant and Young Child Feeding Program manager Anthony Calibo said the success of the breastfeeding campaign is anchored on the implementation of concerned health facilities. “Lalong-lalo na po sa mga paanakan kung ito man po ay rural health unit, lying in clinic o isa pong napakalaking hospi-
tal o mga medical centers po natin, pare-pareho po yan na dapat po sa pag-papaanak. Kailangan simulan po ng tama ang pagpapasuso (Especially in maternity clinics may this be a rural health unit, lying in clinic or a big hospital or medical centers, all of those should implement breastfeeding on mothers who gave birth) part of newborn care portocol, this is life saving, increases the chance of a successful breast feeding,” he said. If a mother is having a difficulty in breastfeeding her child, Calibo said she can try “express breast milk” where the mother feeds her baby with her milk without latching. “Kung ito pong dalawa na to ay may kakulangan, diyan po papasok yung tinatawag nating donor breastmilk. At kung ito po ay sick new born, sick premature baby, nandiyan din po papasok yung tinatawag nating pasturized breastmilk (If there’s a lack of the two, the donor breast milk will come in. If there’s a sick newborn, sick premature baby, the pasturized breast milk will come in),” he said. Republic Act 7600 or The Rooming-In and Breastfeeding Act of 1992 promotes breastfeeding nationwide, mandating the government and private health institutions to lead the campaign. Meanwhile, Republic Act 10028 or Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009 mandates government and private companies to provide lactation stations for breastfeeding moms. ■
Drought vs Draught:
Dry summer takes toll on Czech hop crop BY ADAM PEMBLE The Associated Press ROCOV, CZECH REPUBLIC — A drought in central Europe this summer could inspire beer drinkers to savour their favourite lagers and pilsners even more: production of the prized hops that give Bohemian-style brews their distinctive flavours is down 30 per cent or more in the Czech Republic.
At first glance, nothing appears unusual about the harvest underway in the Zatec region, where hop-growing dates back a millennium. The bittertasting Saaz hops that come from there are a key ingredient in Czech beers and sold internationally. Labourers pull down the vines winding several meters up wires. The rows of greenery form lush tunnels in the fields, but an experienced eye would
notice that the flowering cones on the vines are smaller and sparser than desired. Fritz Josef, who owns 280 hectares (692 acres) of hops, says his yield is down by half this year. High temperatures and scarce rain that started in April persisted through the summer, while August was especially dry. “The cone won’t grow, and actually the whole plant itself goes into shock from the dry www.canadianinquirer.net
weather and from the unnecessary high temperatures,” he said. Josef’s hop cones, while underdeveloped, do have adequate bitterness so they can be sold at market. Because he sells his crop at a price fixed years before, he expects to record a loss in 2018, though may be eligible for government subsidies to make up some of it. Michal Kovarik, secretary of Czech Hop Growers Union, said
that despite the “catastrophic” year for farmers, brewers should have enough hops already on hand to keep making beer without affecting consumer prices. Annual rainfall in the Czech Republic was down 28 per cent through the end of July compared to the 30-year average, according to the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute. ■
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SEPTEMBER 7, 2018
FRIDAY Aerial view of Quezon City. PATRICKROQUE01 / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quezon City: Home to beautifully-named barangays PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY MANILA — Among the 16 cities and one municipality of Metro Manila, 79-year-old Quezon City can very well lay valid claim to the title of being home to the most beautiful and inspiringly-named barangays and villages. Here’s why: Of its 142 barangays in six congressional districts, more than one-third carry the names of either former presidents, saints, and other blessed persons or appellations, signifying inspiration, success or victory, unity, and holiness. Quezon City has 37 barangays in the first district, five in the second district, 37 in the third district, 38 in the fourth district, 14 in the fifth district, and 11 in the sixth district. At least five barangays have been named after former Philippine presidents –Barangays Ramon Magsaysay in the first district, Quirino and Aguinaldo in the third district, and Roxas and Don Manuel in the fourth district. Barangay Aguinaldo is named in honor of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, first president of the Philippine Republic (18981901); while Barangay Don Manuel perpetuates the memory of the first president of the Philippine commonwealth, Manuel L. Quezon (1935-1944).
Quezon City itself was named after the latter. Located near the junction of Quezon and G. Araneta Avenues just off the famed Sto. Domingo Church, Barangay Roxas honors the late President Manuel A. Roxas (1946-1948). Barangay Quirino is named in memory of the late President Elpidio Quirino (1948-1953). Situated in the city’s first district, Barangay Magsaysay is named after the country’s most loved Philippine president and idol of the masses, Ramon Magsaysay who died in a plane crash on Mt. Manunggal in Cebu on Mar. 17, 1957. Two neighboring barangays in the fourth district bear the names of two former first ladies of the land. These are Barangays Doña Aurora, named after the wife of President Quezon, and Doña Imelda, wife of the late former President Ferdinand Marcos (1965-1986). Also located in the fourth district is Barangay Doña Josefa, which has been named after Doña Josefa Edralin Marcos, mother of President Marcos. In the city’s first district, adjacent to Barangay Magsaysay is Barangay Alicia, wife of the late President Quirino. Quezon City’s longest-reigning mayor, the late Norberto Amoranto (1954-1976), has been honored with the renaming of a portion of La Loma district near the city’s southwestern boundary with Manila as
Barangay N.S. Amoranto. In the third district, the name of the late Senate President Eulogio “Amang” Rodrguez Sr. has been perpetuated with the christening of a barangay adjacent to Cubao, the city’s prime commercial area, as Barangay E. Rodriguez. Coincidentally, both Rodriguez and Amoranto have also been remembered with the renaming of two major streets in Quezon City after them. The former España Extension from the Welcome Rotunda at the Manila-Quezon City boundary to E. delos Santos Avenue (Edsa) in Cubao has been renamed E. Rodriguez Blvd. On the other hand, the former Retiro Street from Blumentritt Extension in Manila to Barangay Talayan is now known as N.S. Amoranto Avenue. The barangays carrying names of saints or holy appellations are San Antonio, San Isidro Labrador, Sta. Monica, San Roque, Sta. Teresita, St. Peter, Sto. Domingo, San Jose, San Bartolome, Sta. Lucia, San Agustin, St. Ignatius, San Martin, San Isidro, Kristong Hari (Christ the King), Santo Nino (Holy Child), Sacred Heart, Immaculate Conception, Holy Spirit, Sto. Cristo, Sta. Cruz (Holy Cross), and Lourdes. There are at least eight barangays that signify or seek to perpetuate love of country and spirit of heroism, nationalism and valor. These are Barangays www.canadianinquirer.net
Katipunan, Veterans Village, Tandang Sora, Unang Sigaw, Pasong Tamo, Apolonio Samson, Matandang Balara, and Pasong Putik. Barangay Katipunan commemorates the name of the revolutionary society founded by Gat Andres Bonifacio and other patriots on July 7, 1892, which eventually launched the uprising against tyrannous Spanish rule in the Philippines four years later. Veterans Village is named to honor the country’s numerous veterans, known and unknown, who sacrificed their lives to defend the country from invading foreigners and other lawless elements. Barangay Tandang Sora, located in the historic former town of Novaliches, perpetuates the memory of the revered Grand Old Lady of the Revolution, Melchora Aquino. More popularly known as Balintawak, Barangay Unang Sigaw, as its name implies, is among the disputable places where Bonifacio and his fellow Katipuneros were said to have raised the first “cry” of the 1896 Revolution. Aside from Balintawak, the other places being debated upon as the site of the initial Cry for Independence from Spain or tearing of “cedulas” (residence certificates) include Pugad Lawin, Kangkong (now Barangay Apolonio Samson), and Banlat, which was the
birthplace of the heroine Tandang Sora. Barangay Pasong Tamo, an immediate neighbor of Barangay Tandang Sora, is the site of the first-ever armed encounter between the Katipuneros and the Spanish civil guards on Aug. 26, 1896 (some history books say August 24 or 25). Also located in Novaliches, Barangay Pasong Putik was where Tandang Sora was arrested by the Spaniards prior to her exile to Guam on Sept. 2, 1896. Meanwhile, at least two dozen other barangays have names that connote inspiration, hope, unity, progress, cooperation, and love, among other virtues. These are Barangays Kalusugan (health); Paraiso (paradise); Salvacion (salvation); Maharlika (noble); Damayan (cooperation); Bagong Pagasa (new hope); Pag-ibig sa Nayon (love of barrio); Kaligayahan (happiness); Nagkaisang Nayon (united barrios); New Era; Socorro (aid or succor); Tagumpay (victory); Bayanihan (community brotherhood); Bagumbayan (new town); Masagana (bountiful); Milagrosa (miraculous); Marilag (pretty or beautiful); Bagong Lipunan (new society); Kaunlaran (progress); Laging Handa (always prepared); Paligsahan (competition); Damayang Lagi (perpetual help); Pinagkaisahan (unanimous decision); and Malaya (free). ■
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Sports Filipina Olympian Lariba passes away BY IVAN STEWART SALDAJENO Philippine News Agency MANILA — Even the international table tennis scene is mourning the untimely death of Filipina paddler Yanyan Lariba. Lariba, the first Filipino table tennis Olympian, lost her battle to leukemia at a young age of 23. The Philippine Sports Commission was the first to break out the news just past midnight of Monday. “You are truly loved and shall be greatly missed,” the PSC said in a statement on Twitter. “From her days as a table ten-
nis prodigy, and at such young age winning all of the tournaments she joined, to her storied UAAP career, where she never lost a single match while winning UAAP Athlete of the year twice, to being a constant fixture in the DLSU dean’s list during her playing days, to qualifying for the Olympics, to battling cancer, she was a fighter and true table tennis ambassador,” the Philippine Table Tennis Federation said in its own statement. On behalf of the UAAP, executive director Rebo Saguisag, quoting 2 Timothy 4:7-8, said Lariba “fought the good fight”. “Let us also take occasion to
@YANNASIYAN / INSTAGRAM
celebrate her life, a life that most of us can only dream of…. Yanyan reminded us that sport is a platform, a tool that can be used to do good as she spoke about her bout with cancer,” he said. The International Table Tennis Federation then stated, “Her amazing smile and talent on the table will forever be in our hearts.” Lariba represented the Philippines in the 2016 Rio Olympics in table tennis. The following year, however, she was diagnosed with leukemia, and a support drive among her fellow La Sallians and other sports personalities began for her. ■
Games Indonesia has hosted Vargas said, is a clear indication The Asian Games were an only for the second time since of the advantage a host country accurate reflection of how the 1962. gets. SEA Games overall medal rank“By all indications, the Asian He also mentioned strong ings went since 2007, two years Games was a success for Team chances for the gold medal in after the Philippines claimed Philippines — total medal arnis, an indigenous martial the championship on home soil count improved, gold count art, as well as basketball, tae- in 2005. quadrupled,” Vargas said. “The kwondo, boxing, bowling, bilUnder Jose Cojuangco Jr. ranking went up from 22nd to liards, among others. as president of the POC, the 19th, although short of the goal “But if you factor in athletics Philippines was sixth or sevof 15th, but still acceptable.” and swimming, we’re in trou- enth place in 2007 Nakhon Vargas, however, threw cau- ble,” he said. Ratchasima, 2009 Laos, 2011 tion into the air. Palembang, 2013 The Philippines Myanmar, 2015 does not look Singapore and prime to emerge 2017 Kuala Lumas overall chamThey [NSAs] must foster inclusivity, pur. pion of the 30th transparency and accountability. There was no Southeast Asian difference at all Games that the in these Jakarta country is hostand Palembang ing in November Asian Games. next year. Athletics in these Asian Indonesia was the topnotch“To be honest? No!” Vargas Games staked 45 gold med- er with 31 gold, 24 silver and 43 said a few hours before the last als while swimming had 44 bronze medals for a total of 98 man standing for a possible with the Philippines failing to medals. Perennial SEA Games gold medal, boxer Rogen La- bag a single bronze. These two champion Thailand was 12th don, fought — and eventually sports’ events are compulsory place with an 11-gold, 16-sillost to a head-butting Jasurbek not only in the Olympics and ver and 46-bronze tally, while Latipov of Uzbekistan, on Sat- Asian Games but in the SEA Malaysia was a close 14th place urday. Games as well. with 7-13-16. Vietnam placed “To aim for No. 1 is very diffi“Look at Indonesia, Thai- 17th in with 4-16-18, a 4-4-14. cult, but to aim for the top three land, Malaysia, Vietnam and The Philippines sent 272 is possible — it depends on how Singapore they’re all above us athletes that competed in 31 we manage the events and the in the medal tally of the Asian sports in the 16-day Games and sports,” he added. Games. And look at their silvers got four gold, two silver and 15 The Indonesians sweep of and bronzes, they’re golds in bronze medals for a total of 21 the 14 pencak silat gold medals, the SEA Games.” medals.
Cambodia was in 24th place with 2-0-1, Laos at 31st with 0-2-3 and Myanmar at 35th with two bronze medals. The Incheon 2014 campaign where a smaller delegation of 159 athletes who participated in 24 sports yielded a poor onegold, three-silver, 11-bronze performance for the Philippines. “It is obvious that grassroots development and talent identification have to be ramped up,” Vargas said. “NSAs (national sports associations) need to clean up their act. We cannot allow bickering and power struggles to weigh down our athletes’ efforts. They [NSAs] must foster inclusivity, transparency and accountability,” he added. “Cooperation with the PSC (Philippine Sports Commission) is vital — this is a no brainer. Coaches’ development should be given impetus. We need to look at improving in sports where we can be competitive in,” he added. “In the end, it’s all about the athlete. Train them well, provide for their needs, keep them motivated, inspired and focused — and shield them from politics. They can and will deliver,” Vargas said. ■
Yanyan Lariba.
PH finishes 19th in Asian Games PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY JAKARTA — The Philippines pulled off an unexpected fourgold medal harvest in the 18th Asian Games that came to a close on Sunday — but the improved performance was still lacking in almost all departments. The gold medals in weightlifting, golf and skateboarding placed Team Philippines at No. 19 among 37 of the 45-nation Games that clinched at least one bronze medal. Filipino athletes also bagged two silver and 15 bronze medals in these games that favored the hosts who got their wish of finishing in the magic five with 31 golds, 15 of them won in the subjective sport of pencak silat, an Indonesian traditional martial art. And with the campaign over, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Ricky Vargas said there is so much work to do. “I realized that despite the improved performance, there are so many things that we still need to do,” Vargas said on Sunday morning, hours before the closing ceremony of the Asian
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Business Malaysia’s new gov’t to PH to grow about further enhance ties with PH 6.8% in 2018, Dominguez tells Fitch
BY KRIS CRISMUNDO Philippine News Agency MANILA — Malaysian Prime Minister Mahatir Mohamad’s prospective successor, Anwar bin Ibrahim, said he will pursue the current administration’s vision of strengthening bilateral relations with the Philippines and other neighbors. In a press conference here, Anwar said he and Mahatir shares a common belief in pushing for regional cooperation. “It’s not just me, even Tun Mahatir has made very clear that neighbors should be enhanced the cooperation, create investments. I shared it very much,” he said when asked for his plans for the bilateral relations between the Philippines and Malaysia once he assumes premiership. “There’s so much in common, culturally. The thing is we can help each other. More important is also the economic relations… Regional cooperation is a necessity,” he added. Anwar is the potential successor of the 92-year old Mahatir once the latter steps down. He needs a seat in parliament to run for Prime Minister. But before becoming allies, Mahatir and Anwar were bitter political rivals. In 1998, Mahatir sacked Anwar, his former deputy prime
BY JOANN VILLANUEVA Philippine News Agency
Anwar bin Ibrahim.
FIRDAUS LATIF / FLICKR, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
minister and finance minister, who was later convicted of sodomy and corruption. In 2015, Anwar was jailed again by former Prime Minister Najib Razak. He was released from prison in May this year after getting royal pardon. Anwar is currently in the country for a speaking engagement at this year’s CEO Conference of the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP). He highlighted that democratic accountability is an integral part of nation building. The former political prisoner said the government should uphold democracy and the rule of law, noting that “due process must be the ground rule.”
“You cannot abuse power to victimize the opposition,” Anwar stressed. He also noted that good governance will propel economic growth as it provides effective policies to attract foreign investments while delivering inclusive growth. “We cannot share poverty. We can only share wealth,” he said. “You must allow business to thrive. You must facilitate businesses. And there is a clear policy in the government,” he added. “Marginalization, poverty, inequality — all these must be addressed with economic growth, economic wealth,” Anwar said. ■
left his job as an investigative producer at the network, began speaking about it last week, bringing it back into the news. Lack said the real story is about Weinstein’s behaviour and the bravery of his victims in speaking out, “rather than a back-and-forth between a reporter and his producer and a news network. “However, we’ve watched with disappointment as un-
founded intimations and accusations have travelled through media circles,” he wrote. McHugh contends that at the time NBC told Farrow to take his story elsewhere, he and Farrow were already in possession of an audiotape of Weinstein admitting to sexual assault. He still disagrees vehemently with NBC’s decision to back away from the story. ■
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Yorker story. “If some believe that decision a failure of our competitive instincts, so be it,” Lack said. “But it was a decision undertaken honourably and with good intentions toward Farrow and his work.” Farrow has not spoken in detail about his dealings with NBC News over the story, but he is writing a book about it. McHugh, who just recently
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MANILA — The Philippine economy’s growth is expected to remain strong at “close to 6.8 percent” this 2018 and will be driven by the increased spending on infrastructure, the country’s finance chief said in a recent Fitch Ratings interview in Manila. “In think we will still be close to 6.8 percent this year. I think the momentum on our “Build, Build, Build” is strong and we are really moving quite well in our infrastructure program,” Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III elaborated. This growth outlook is higher than the 6.7 percent output of the domestic economy, as measured by gross domestic product (GPD), in 2017. In the second quarter this year, the economy registered a growth of six percent, slower than quarter-ago’s 6.6 percent on account of minute expansion of the agriculture sector and high inflation rate. Agriculture grew by 0.2 percent from April to June this year while inflation has been posting multiyear highs, with the second quarter average at 4.8 percent, higher than the two to four percent target band until 2020. Last July, inflation hit 5.7 percent from month-ago’s 5.2 percent, bringing the sevenmonth average to 4.5 percent. Amid the slower growth in the second quarter this year, Dominguez remains optimistic the domestic economy can achieve faster output in the coming months. “We believe that we’re not really in danger of overheating at the moment. We still have long way to go,” he said. “So, I think we’re still within safe borders,” he said, citing big expectations from the impact of the government’s massive in-
frastructure program. Under the Duterte administration’s infrastructure program, the government will invest at least PHP1 trillion annually, with the investment by 2022 or by the end of the current government’s target, targeted at least PHP8 trillion. “We are looking forward to continuing our “Build, Build, Build” program. Basically we are just catching up with our neighbors on infrastructure and that is going pretty well,” he said. Another plus for the Philippine economy is the passage of the first tax reform package, which boosted government revenues “quite significantly,” Dominguez said. The Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act was signed into law in December 2017. It cut workers’ income tax rates but increased excise tax on fuel products and introduced excise tax on vehicles and sugar-sweetened beverages. Dominguez said the government’s infrastructure program further got a boost from official development assistance (ODA) loans from China (USD9 billion), Japan (USD9 billion) and South Korea (USD1 billion). With external headwinds such as interest rate hikes still strong, Dominguez said the Philippines needs to adjust to these. “I think we will cope with it as best we can,” he said, noting that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has increased its own key rates by 100 basis points so far this year. The Finance chief, however, pointed out that the Philippines is not a big trading nation and thus impact of the slowdown of global trade would be limited. “And we have, as I’ve said, we are well funded to continuously support the economy via the “Build, Build, Build” program,” he said. ■
Business
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 7, 2018
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Deal, or no NAFTA deal, uncertainty means consumers lose out, say experts BY TERRY PEDWELL The Canadian Press OTTAWA — Under almost any normal circumstance, the negotiation of a trade pact between countries should result in benefits for consumers, say experts who are closely watching the North American free trade talks unfold in Washington. After all, the mutual lifting of trade barriers should result in more competition, which should translate into more consumer choice and, therefore, lower prices. But with Donald Trump driving the agenda for the American side of the bargaining process, some experts warn that the uncertainty generated by the negotiation of a new North American Free Trade Agreement will ultimately hurt consumers. “Nothing that’s going down right now in Washington should be presented as being a win from a consumer point of view, or an economic point of view,” says economic consultant and researcher Dan Ciuriak, senior fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation. “This is protectionism, costraising and uncertainty-raising,” he added. “Compared to the status quo, (consumers) are going to be worse off.” The most striking example involves one of the biggest investments Canadians make — buying a vehicle. The preliminary agreement between Mexico and the United States announced last Monday would, if enacted, require that 75 per cent of the parts in any
Donald Trump.
GAGE SKIDMORE / FLICKR, CC BY-SA 2.0
vehicle sold in North America be produced in the U.S. or Mexico. The current requirement is that about 62 per cent of parts be produced in the U.S., Mexico or Canada. The deal also included stronger labour standards, requiring that 40 to 45 per cent of auto parts in cars sold in the U.S. be made by workers earning at least US$16 per hour. If the goal of the NAFTA talks was to simplify rules of origin and allow for more integration and cost efficiencies in the North American auto sector, consumers might expect to reap a cost-saving benefit, said Patrick Leblond, an international relations professor at the University of Ottawa. “Clearly that’s not what the Mexicans and the Americans agreed to,” said Leblond. While final details of the agreement have yet to be laid out, what has been seen so far indicates that automakers could soon be dealing with
more complex trading rules that will add costs to manufacturing and ultimately hurt consumers, he added. “It doesn’t look like prices will come down, and it seems they are likely to increase as a result.” Meredith Lilly, Carleton University’s Simon Reisman chair in international affairs, has her doubts about theories that a revised NAFTA will mean higher consumer costs. Provisions to increase auto worker wages, for instance, will have no effect on consumers, said Lilly. “Raising wages for auto workers in Mexico is directly a way for the United States to push more manufacturing back into the United States because it reduces the attractiveness of Mexico as a jurisdiction for manufacturing,” she said. “I don’t think we will see big shifts at all on the price of cars. However, you may see less movement of plants from either of the other two NAFTA
countries into Mexico.” Where consumers could see some benefit, though, is through changes to rules governing trade in dairy products, she said. If a new NAFTA were to eliminate Canada’s protectionist supply management system — something Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has vigorously opposed — prices of dairy products would fall under the pressure of increased competition from south of the border, Lilly explained. But even then, it could take years to feel the full effects, she predicted. “If the Canadian market is opened up, I would anticipate a very long transition period, so whatever benefits might accrue would be quite far down the line,” she said, pointing to slow uptake by business of provisions included in the CanadaEU trade agreement known as CETA. “It also would require cost savings to be passed on (by pro-
Peco, chief officer, business development and innovation of the CNE association. “Traditionally the Labour Day parade does terminate at the fairgrounds, so we’re quite optimistic that many of those people will return to the fair following the parade with their friends and family.” But Rizvi said Unifor mem-
bers have rented boats at the city’s habourfront, and other unions in the march will be hosting barbecues instead of going to the fair. “We’re not crossing the picket line at the expense of another union’s workers who are trying to fight for their jobs,” she said. Before the start of the march, Unifor president Jerry Dias
spoke to attendees about the importance of fair wages and work environments. “As we march together I want you to think about solidarity,” he said. “I want you to think about our union moving forward.” Justin Antheunis, president of IATSE Local 58, said he’s thankful for the support from
ducers) to the consumer, which is something that isn’t a given.” But simply granting more American access to Canada’s dairy market “is something where I think that you wouldn’t necessarily see big movements in terms of benefits to consumers.” And then there are pharmaceuticals. A fact sheet on the U.S.-Mexico deal included a provision that would give big drug makers 10 years of protection for biologic drugs, and expand the list of drugs covered by those protections. Industry watchers have warned that providing longer patents to drug makers would ultimately result in higher prescription costs. In Canada, biologics, which include anti-inflammatory medications such as Remicade, are effectively protected from competition from generic products for eight years. And last year, seven of the top 10 patented drugs seeing growth in sales in Canada’s $16.8 billion patented medicines marketplace were biologics, according to the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board. But the hit predicted to the wallets of Canadian consumers is not just a product of the NAFTA negotiations, said Ciuriak, who once worked as deputy chief economist at Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. The uncertainty created in the business world by Trump over global trade generally is already hurting Canadians and will be felt for some time, he said. “We’re already worse off and will be worse off for at least a decade as a result of that.” ■
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been without a contract since December 2017. But in spite of the ongoing dispute and change in parade route, officials with the Canadian National Exhibition struck an optimistic tone. “Monday is a very big day for us. We attract audiences from across the spectrum,” said John
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the Labour Day marchers. “The solidarity that Local 58 has seen from the entire labour movement not just in Toronto but across the country has been fantastic and it means a lot to us that they’re not going to cross the picket line.” ■ With files from Gabriele Roy.
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Technology Facebook adds Alaska’s Inupiaq as language option BY RACHEL D’ORO The Associated Press ANCHORAGE, ALASKA — Britt’Nee Brower grew up in a largely Inupiat Eskimo town in Alaska’s far north, but English was the only language spoken at home. Today, she knows a smattering of Inupiaq from childhood language classes at school in the community of Utqiagvik. Brower even published an Inupiaq coloring book last year featuring the names of common animals of the region. But she hopes to someday speak fluently by practicing her ancestral language in a daily, modern setting. The 29-year-old Anchorage woman has started to do just that with a new Inupiaq language option that recently went live on Facebook for those who employ the social media giant’s community translation tool. Launched a decade ago, the tool has allowed users to translate bookmarks, action buttons and other functions in more than 100 languages around the globe. For now, Facebook is being translated into Inupiaq only on its website, not its app. “I was excited,” Brower says of her first time trying the feature, still a work in progress as Inupiaq words are slowly added. “I was thinking, ‘I’m going to have to bring out my Inupiaq dictionary so I can learn.’ So I did.” Facebook users can submit requests to translate the site’s vast interface workings — the buttons that allow users to like, comment and navigate the site — into any language through
crowdsourcing. With the interface tool, it’s the Facebook users who do the translating of words and short phrases. Words are confirmed through crowd upand-down voting. Besides the Inupiaq option, Cherokee and Canada’s Inuktut are other indigenous languages in the process of being translated, according to Facebook spokeswoman Arielle Argyres. “It’s important to have these indigenous languages on the internet. Oftentimes they’re nowhere to be found,” she said. “So much is carried through language — tradition, culture — and so in the digital world, being able to translate from that environment is really important.” The Inupiaq language is spoken in northern Alaska and the Seward Peninsula. According to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, about 13,500 Inupiat live in the state, with about 3,000 speaking the language. Myles Creed, who grew up in
the Inupiat community of Kotzebue, was the driving force in getting Inupiaq added. After researching ways to possibly link an external translation app with Facebook, he reached out to Grant Magdanz, a hometown friend who works as a software engineer in San Francisco. Neither one of them knew about the translation tool when Magdanz contacted Facebook in late 2016 about setting up an Inupiatun option. Facebook opened a translation portal for the language in March 2017. It was then up to users to provide the translations through crowdsourcing. Creed, 29, a linguistics graduate student at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, is not Inupiat, and neither is Magdanz, 24. But they grew up around the language and its people, and wanted to promote its use for today’s world. “I’ve been given so much by the community I grew up in, and I want to be able to give
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back in some way,” said Creed, who is learning Inupiaq. Both see the Facebook option as a small step against predictions that Alaska’s Native languages are heading toward extinction under their present rate of decline. “It has to be part of everyone’s daily life. It can’t be this separate thing,” Magdanz said. “People need the ability to speak it in any medium that they use, like they would English or Spanish.” Initially, Creed relied on volunteer translators, but that didn’t go fast enough. In January, he won a $2,000 mini grant from the Alaska Humanities Forum to hire two fluent Inupiat translators. While a language is in the process of being translated, only those who use the translation tool are able to see it. Creed changed his translation settings last year. But it was only weeks ago that his home button finally said “Aimaagvik,”
Inupiaq for home. “I was really ecstatic,” he said. So far, only a fraction of the vast interface is in Inupiaq. Part of the holdup is the complexity of finding exact translations, according to the Inupiaq translators who were hired with the grant money. Take the comment button, which is still in English. There’s no one-word-fits-all in Inupiaq for “comment,” according to translator Pausauraq Jana Harcharek, who heads Inupiaq education for Alaska’s North Slope Borough. Is the word being presented in the form of a question, or a statement or an exclamatory sentence? “Sometimes it’s so difficult to go from concepts that don’t exist in the language to arriving at a translation that communicates what that particular English word might mean,” Harcharek said. Translator Muriel Hopson said finding the right translation ultimately could require two or three Inupiaq words. The 58-year-old Anchorage woman grew up in the village of Wainwright, where she was raised by her grandparents. Inupiaq was spoken in the home, but it was strictly prohibited at the village school run by the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs, Hopson said. She wonders if she’s among the last generation of Inupiaq speakers. But she welcomes the new Facebook option as a promising way for young people to see the value Inupiaq brings as a living language. “Who doesn’t have a Facebook account when you’re a millennial?” she said. “It can only help.” ■
Technology
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 7, 2018
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Microsoft to contractors: Hack causes major Give new parents paid leave apps to show anti-Semitic name BY MATT O’BRIEN The Associated Press
MICROSOFT WILL begin requiring its contractors to offer their U.S. employees paid leave to care for a new child. It’s common for tech firms to offer generous family leave benefits for their own software engineers and other full-time staff, but paid leave advocates say it’s still rare to require similar benefits for contracted workers such as janitors, landscapers, cafeteria crews and software consultants. “Given its size and its reach, this is a unique and hopefully trailblazing offering,” said Vicki Shabo, vice-president at the National Partnership for Women and Families. The new policy affects businesses with at least 50 U.S.based employees that do substantial work with Microsoft that involves access to its buildings or its computing network. It doesn’t affect suppliers of goods. Contractors would have to offer at least 12 weeks of leave to those working with the Redmond, Washingtonbased software giant; the policy wouldn’t affect the contractors’ arrangements with other companies. Leave-takers would get 66 per cent of regular pay, up to $1,000 weekly. The policy announced Thursday rolls out over the next year as the company amends its contracts with those vendors. That may mean some of Microsoft’s costs will rise to cover the new benefits, said Dev Stahlkopf, the company’s corporate vicepresident and general counsel. “That’s just fine and we think it’s well worth the price,” she said. Microsoft doesn’t disclose how many contracted workers it uses, but it’s in the thousands. The new policy expands on Microsoft’s 2015 policy requiring contractors to offer paid sick days and vacation. Other companies such as Facebook have also committed to improve contractor benefits amid unionization efforts by shuttle drivers, security guards and other contract workers trying to get by in expensive, techfueled regions such as the San
BY ALEXANDRA VILLARREAL The Associated Press
MIKE MOZART / FLICKR, CC BY 2.0
Francisco Bay Area and around Washington’s Puget Sound. Facebook doesn’t guarantee that contract workers receive paid parental leave, but provides a $4,000 new child benefit for new parents who don’t get leave. A much smaller California tech company, SurveyMonkey, announced a paid family leave plan for its contract workers earlier this year. Microsoft said its new policy is partially inspired by a Washington state law taking effect in 2020 guaranteeing eligible workers 12 weeks paid time off for the birth or adoption of a child. The state policy, signed into law last year, follows California and a handful of other states in allowing new parents to tap into a fund that all workers pay into. Washington will also require employers to help foot the bill, and will start collecting payroll deductions next January. A federal paid parental leave plan proposed by President Donald Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, could rely on a similar model but has gained little traction. “Compared to what employers are doing, the government is way behind the private sector,” said Isabel Sawhill, a fellow at the Brookings Institution who has urged the White House and Congress to adopt a national policy. Sawhill said it is “very unusual and very notable” that Micro-
soft is extending family leave benefits to its contract workers. Microsoft already offers more generous family leave benefits to its own employees, including up to 20 weeks fully paid leave for a birth mother. Microsoft’s push to spread its employee benefits to a broader workforce “sends a message that something has to happen more systematically at the federal level,” said Ariane Hegewisch, a program director for employment and earnings at the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. Until then, she said, it’s helpful that Microsoft seems willing to pay contracting firms more to guarantee their workers’ better benefits. “Paid family leave is expensive and they acknowledge that,” Hegewisch said. Otherwise, she said, contractors with many employees of child-bearing age could find themselves at a competitive disadvantage to those with older workforces. Republican state Sen. Joe Fain, the prime sponsor of the measure that passed last year, said Microsoft’s decision was “a really powerful step forward.” By applying the plan to contractors and vendors around the country, “it really creates a pressure for those state legislatures to make a similar decision that Washington made.” ■ Associated Press reporter Rachel La Corte contributed to this article from Olympia, Washington. www.canadianinquirer.net
NEW YORK — Technology users got a surprise Thursday morning when their social and lifestyle apps seemingly labeled the United States’ most populous city with an anti-Semitic header. A number of people posted screenshots on Twitter showing “New York City” had been relabeled “Jewtropolis” on the Mapbox map used by companies and services such as Snapchat parent Snap, Citi Bike and Foursquare. Mapbox, a provider of digital map technology, said it suffered a “malicious edit” by a person who tried to make more than 80 changes to its maps’ data in a “disgusting anti-Semitic tirade” across New York and other parts of the world. All were quarantined for human review by the company’s artificial-intelligence powered algorithms, and only one edit made it into the actual map for less than an hour before being deleted. “It shows that no matter how smart you build your AI, at the human review stage you can still have a point of failure,” said Mapbox CEO Eric Gundersen. Nathan Roy, 25, was among users alarmed by the name change. Though he lives in Boston, he was alerted to the issue by a friend from New York. He
said his first reaction was shock. “I know that a lot of people out there harbour these feelings,” Roy said. “It’s just always disappointing to see it crop up again and again.” Evan Bernstein, a regional director for the Anti-Defamation League, seemed less surprised. He said people with anti-Semitic beliefs have been empowered since the 2016 election and are hiding behind the internet. “Haters are increasingly looking for ways to take advantage of new technologies and promote anti-Semitism,” Bernstein said. “We see hate going online. This is just another perfect example of that.” The League tracked a 90-per cent increase between 2016 and 2017 in anti-Semitic incidents in New York state. Such incidents included physical assaults, attacks, harassment and vandalism. Mapbox said it “has a zero tolerance policy against hate speech” and its employees would “continue to investigate this act and make appropriate changes to further limit the potential for future human error.” A spokesperson for Snap said it relies on third-party mapping data and worked with Mapbox to fix the hack. Snap said the defacement was “deeply offensive.” ■ Technology Writer Ryan Nakashima in San Francisco contributed to this report.
Five Canadian... ❰❰ 23
surprised to find that we were having a hard time getting some young men to come out (to audition),” Behrman says. “Our casting agents told us that a lot of young men were passing on the auditions, which we were shocked by. We thought (in these) contemporary times, people would be willing to play these roles.” “Les Salopes or the Naturally Wanton Pleasure of Skin” (Les salopes ou le sucre naturel de la peau)
Brigitte Poupart, star of last
year’s acclaimed film “Les Affames,” plays a 45-year-old professor with a promiscuous secret life in this drama from Quebec’s Renee Beaulieu. The film celebrates female sexuality and desires, particularly those of a more mature woman, says Beaulieu. “I want to talk about women, I want to focus on women, because there are not enough women in movies,” adds the writer-director. “And I want to talk about sexuality of women in a positive way, not negative like usual.” ■
SEPTEMBER 7, 2018
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CANADA
HIRING
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.
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.
APPLY BY EMAIL: melo.perez@outlook.com
Please email resume to: hrsurrey@luckysupermarket.ca
Electronic Technicians Needed Experience in Low Voltage Electrical System installation and Servicing Computers with Networking Email resume to suda@alarmboss.com Call 416-432-1902
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Travel Cape Cod beaches: Playgrounds for tourists, and young sharks BY PHILIP MARCELO The Associated Press BOSTON — As another beach season draws to a close on Cape Cod, researchers are trying to figure out what’s driving the increase in shark sightings and encounters — including the state’s first attack on a human since 2012. One prominent researcher suggests the presence of younger and smaller great white sharks this summer could be playing a role. Greg Skomal, a state marine biologist leading a five-year study wrapping up this year, says his team spotted 149 great whites off Cape Cod in July, more than double the 74 observed last July and the 120 in 2016. He said somewhat smaller great whites — measuring about 8 to 10 feet — appeared to make up a greater number of the sharks observed than in year’s past, though he said his team is still analyzing the data. Skomal suggested more younger sharks could be contributing to the encounters that are increasingly being captured in viral photos and videos, particularly those of sharks snatching fish off anglers’ hooks. Smaller sharks, he said, tend to prefer large fish like striped bass prized by recreational fishermen, while larger adult sharks measuring up to 15 feet typically hunt seals. “Cape Cod may represent a productive feeding ground not just for mature white sharks, but also for juveniles,” Skomal said. “It’s something we’ll certainly be watching out for.” The presence of younger white sharks in Massachusetts waters isn’t totally unheard of. The waters between Cape Cod and New Jersey have been long been considered a regional white shark “nursery” where great whites spend the first years of their life before gradually expanding their territorial reach. But more frequent spottings of juvenile sharks could suggest a broader recovery for Atlantic white shark populations, a phenomenon that’s already been documented on the U.S. west coast, said George Burgess, director emeritus of the International Shark Attack File, a database maintained at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville. “If anything, it’s indicative of a healthy
population,” Skomal said. “As the white shark rebounds across the East Coast, we should be seeing a broader range of sizes.” Juvenile sharks could also simply be following their favoured prey as they move into areas they’re not typically found, said Tobey Curtis, a shark researcher at the National Marine Fisheries Service in Gloucester, Massachusetts. The sharks tend to feast on bluefish, menhaden, dogfish and skates. Climate change and the warming of the Cape’s waters sooner than usual could be another factor, said Robert Hueter, a shark expert at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Florida. “There’s no question that water temperature plays a huge role in where white sharks are found,” he said. “If the temperature in the ocean is changing, we could see them moving into places we wouldn’t expect.” Cape Cod authorities, meanwhile, say they’re concerned about the safety of beachgoers — not just during the busy Labor Day weekend, but also the days beyond, when lifeguards stand down. Officials say they’ve had to close beaches more frequently this year because of shark sightings. The National Park Service, which manages many of the picturesque beaches where white sharks tend to congregate, closed beaches for at least an hour about 25 times this year — more than double the annual average, said Leslie Reynolds, chief ranger for the Cape Cod National Seashore. Local officials have also been stepping up public education efforts, but fear many beachgoers still aren’t heeding the warnings. “The challenge is trying to convey the gravity of the situation to beachgoers,” said Nathan Sears, harbourmaster in the town of Orleans. “Regardless of how much signage and information we provide, there still seems to be a concerning level of complacency.” The heightened concern comes after a 61-year-old New York resident escaped a shark attack off Truro, Massachusetts with severe injuries to his leg and arm earlier this month. Researchers are still working to determine what kind of shark was involved in the attack, but survivor William Lytton said, in hindsight, he took an “unnecessary risk” by swimming alone in fairly deep water, even if he was only about 10 feet from shore by his estimate.
Springtime on Cape Cod.
He urged Labor Day beachgoers not to make the same mistake.
HAROLD / FLICKR, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
“Maybe,” Lytton suggested, “just stay in waist-high water.” ■
# 1 7 9 - 8 1 3 8 1 2 8 S t r e e t S u r r e y, B C
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Travel
SEPTEMBER 7, 2018
FRIDAY
Animal themed drinkware shows ancients partied in beast mode BY WILLIAM J. KOLE The Associated Press CAMBRIDGE, MASS. — Centuries before Julius Caesar sipped from a chalice and Alexander the Great raised a goblet to toast his troops, the ancients drank from festive cups made in the image of the beings they revered the most: animals. An unusual new exhibition at the Harvard Art Museums explores that primal connection between man, beast and libation. “Animal-Shaped Vessels from the Ancient World: Feasting with Gods, Heroes, and Kings” opens Friday, offering a glimpse of six dozen elaborate drinking and pouring vessels — and, through them, a window into the weird symbolism early civilizations invoked whenever they partied. Make no mistake: Our Bronze Age ancestors were well-acquainted with the concept of the liquid lunch, and they seem to have had one setting — beast mode. “By illuminating the history and making of these remarkably global objects, we invite our guests to raise a glass to what unites us across culture and time,” said Martha Tedeschi, the museum’s director. Visitors will journey deep into the Near East and Mediterranean past, where they’ll be rewarded with priceless, rarely seen items culled from nearly two dozen museums across the U.S. and around the globe, including the British Museum, the Louvre, Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum, the Smithsonian Institution, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts.
Donkey head kantharos depicting Dionysos and his entourage.
The oldest object: a terra cotta cup featuring a snarling lion from what is now known as Turkey, believed to date to the early 2000s B.C. The youngest: an ornate drinking horn that Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev gifted to President John F. Kennedy in
September 1962 on the eve of the Cuban Missile Crisis. “It’s fascinating how these animal-shaped vessels spread from culture to culture around the world. They were really quite fashionable,” Susanne Ebbinghaus, the show’s curator, said in an interview.
HARVARD ART MUSEUM / WEBSITE
“I hope people will become more aware of the kinds of messages that are encoded in everyday objects, and the importance of social gatherings and getting together,” said Ebbinghaus, who oversees Asian and Mediterranean art at the Harvard gallery. Even the word sympo-
sium, she notes, comes from the Greek for drinking party. Archaeologists long have marveled at how much drinkware used in songs, speeches, prayers and other rituals has survived the ravages of time over three continents. Many were placed in tombs, which may explain why they endured, Ebbinghaus said. The Harvard collection includes goblets and beakers shaped like standing or reclining animals; drinking horns and pitchers made in the images of bulls, rams, lions and wild boars; and cups and chalices featuring a mythological menagerie of griffins and dragons. Fashioned from gold, silver, bronze, glass or animal horn, some of these vessels were status symbols seized as the spoils of war. Others were used as diplomatic gifts or to toast the dead as their spirits journeyed to the afterlife. Most span the Bronze Age of the third and second millennia before Christ to the rise of Islam in the 7th century A.D. The vessels are displayed alongside texts, pottery and paintings that capture how humans feasted back in the day. Somewhat humorously, multiple items incorporate the image of a braying donkey — an ancient symbol of overindulgence. “Recalcitrant, stupid, uninhibited,” said Ebbinghaus, acknowledging her native Germany gave the world Oktoberfest. “That’s what happens when you drink too much.” “Animal-Shaped Vessels from the Ancient World,” funded in part with a $325,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, runs through Jan. 6, 2019, at the Harvard Art Museum’s special exhibitions gallery. ■
DOT releases initial list of Boracay hotels ready for opening BY JOYCE ANN L. ROCAMORA Philippine News Agency MANILA — The Department of Tourism (DOT) on Friday announced that an initial 2,063 hotel rooms are ready for next month’s reopening of Boracay. In its Boracay Bulletin dated
Aug. 31, 2018, the department listed 25 hotels and resorts that have complied with the permits and clearances from the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. In pursuit of the interagency task force’s “No Compliance, No Opening Policy,” the follow-
ing compliant establishments will be duly accredited by the DOT — Luana Hotel/Hue Hotel, Astoria Current, Boracay Mandarin Island Hotel, Boracay Haven Resort, Boracay Haven Suites, Casa Pilar Beach Resort, Boracay Holidays Beach Resort, El Centro Beach Resort, De Paris Beach Resort, Best Western Boracay Tropics, www.canadianinquirer.net
Surfside Boracay Resort & Spa, Fairways and Bluewater Beach Resort, Discovery Shores, The Lazy Dog, Red Coconut Beach Hotel, Starfire Resort, Canyon de Boracay, AV Seven Resort, Azalea Apartment Hotel, Reef Retreat Resort, Nigi-nigi Nu Noos’E ‘Nu Nu Noos Beach, The Club Ten Beach Resort Boracay, Ferra Hotel, Den Pasar
Beach Resort, and Blue Coral Beach Resort. The government closed Boracay to tourists on April 26 to conduct unhampered rehabilitation projects on the island. Known for its powdery white-sand beaches, the island resort will reopen on October 26, with a dry-run for locals on October 15-25.
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Food A blueberry tart that simply works, so you don’t have to BY SARA MOULTON The Associated Press BEFORE OUR annual circuit around the sun forces us to kiss off the blueberry season, I urge one and all to try this blueberry tart. Super-tasty and much simpler to make than the standard recipe, it features the usual buttery bottom crust, loaded with gobs of fresh berries and topped off with a crispy sweet streusel crumble. If you happen to be one of those folks who’s daunted by the mechanics of piemaking — all that rolling out and crimping! — then this may be the tart of your dreams. The tin used here boasts a fluted edge, which means there’s no fancy crimp work required of y-o-u. Even better, the top crust (the crumbly part of the pie) is made by combining some reserved pastry dough with sugar and nuts. In other words, the recipe’s one dough does double duty as the pie’s top and bottom layers. Naturally, you’ll want to be sure to start with flavourful blueberries. Usually, that’s a given during blueberry season, but just to be safe, ask someone at the market if you might taste a berry or two before making your purchase. Bottom line: These berries have to speak up for themselves because there’s no “blueberry helper” in this recipe — no sugar or lemon juice added to goose up the flavour of an otherwise bland berry. Regarding the nuts, I’m prescribing almonds, but if you’re nutty for a different kind of nut, swap it in. Finally, you might wonder if there isn’t too much doggone streusel in the recipe when you first pile it on top of the berries. Not to worry — just pat it down gently and you’ll see that it fits. One last note: You may wonder why this tart takes so long to make. It’s because the dough needs resting time, both after mixing it and again after it has been rolled out so that the gluten has time to relax, ensuring a tender tart crust. So plan to make the dough in the morning or even the day before and then the tart will only take 1 hour 20 minutes to make, bake and cool. Blueberry streusel tart
Servings: 10 Start to finish: 5 hours (35 minutes active)
• 300 grams all-purpose flour (about 2 1/2 cups) • 1/4 teaspoon table salt • 2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes and chilled well • 3/4 cup (3 ounces) slivered almonds • 3/4 cup sugar • 5 cups blueberries • Vanilla ice cream for garnish In a large bowl, stir together the flour and the salt, add the butter and, working quickly with your fingertips or a pastry blender, mix the dough until most of mixture resembles coarse meal, with the rest in small (roughly pea-sized) lumps. Transfer 2 cups of the mixture to a medium bowl (reserving the rest for the streusel topping), drizzle 4 tablespoons ice water evenly over the 2 cups and gently stir with a fork until incorporated. Gently squeeze a small handful: it should hold together without crumbling apart. If it doesn’t, add more ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring 2 or 3 times after each addition until it comes together. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and with the heel of your hand, smear the dough in a forward motion on the work surface to help distribute fat. Gather the smeared dough together and repeat the process. Form the dough into a disk. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour. Meanwhile, add the almonds and the sugar to the reserved flour-butter mixture and mix well to make the streusel topping. Chill. Remove the disk of dough from the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before rolling it out. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough 1/8-inch thick. Transfer the dough to a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, ease the dough into the pan, pressing it into the corners and trim off any excess dough hanging over the top. Prick the dough all over with a fork and chill it for 1 hour. Remove the streusel topping from the refrigerator. Put a large rimmed baking sheet on a rack on the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Fill the rolled-out tart shell with the berries and top the berries with the streusel mixture, pressing the mixture down gently. Bake the tart on the sheet pan for 30 minutes. Cover the tart loosely with foil and continue baking until the filling is bubbling, about 30 minutes.
Cool in the pan on a rack for 20 minutes. Remove the side of the pan and let cool completely about 45 minutes. Serve each portion topped with ice cream. ■
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Nutrition information per serving: 376 calories; 219 calories from fat; 25 g fat (13 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 53 mg cholesterol; 62 mg sodium; 35 g carbohydrates; 4 g fiber; 8 g sugar; 6 g protein.
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Food
SEPTEMBER 7, 2018
FRIDAY
Try a simplified meaty pasta sauce that has no flavour lost AUTHENTIC LASAGNA Bolognese is all about the meaty, luxurious ragu. Typically, the rich sauce is bound between thin sheets of pasta along with a creamy bechamel sauce and Parmesan cheese. To simplify the process and keep our Ragu alla Bolognese in the spotlight, we decided to replace the traditional bechamel with a quick no-cook mixture of cottage cheese, heavy cream, a touch of cornstarch (to prevent the dairy proteins from curdling when cooked), garlic, and Pecorino Romano (which tasters preferred over Parmesan for its saltier, stronger flavour). Fresh pasta tasted great but was very time-consuming to make; instead, we used dried wavy lasagna noodles, which gave the lasagna better structure, and briefly soaked them in boiling water before building the lasagna. Staggering the placement of the noodles in the dish instead of lining them up parallel to one another kept the lasagna level. Do not substitute no-boil noodles for regular noodles, as they are too thin. Lasagna with ragu alla bolognese
Servings: 10-12 Start to finish: 2 hours
• 14 curly-edged lasagna noodles • 8 ounces (1 cup) cottage cheese • 6 1/2 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (3 1/4 cups) • 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 garlic cloves, minced • 1 tablespoon cornstarch • 1/2 teaspoon pepper • 3 cups Ragu alla Bolognese (recipe follows), room temperature • 2 tablespoons shredded fresh basil Lay noodles in 13-by 9-inch baking dish and cover with boiling water. Let noodles soak until pliable, about 15 minutes, separating noodles with tip of paring knife to prevent sticking. Place dish in sink, pour off water, and run cold water over noodles. Pat noodles dry with clean dish towel; dry dish and spray with vegetable oil spray. Cut 2 noodles in half crosswise. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 F. Whisk cottage cheese, 3 cups Pecorino, cream, garlic, cornstarch, and pepper in bowl until combined. Spread 1 cup ragu in bottom of prepared dish. Lay 3 noodles lengthwise in dish with ends touching 1 short side, leaving space on opposite short side. Lay 1 half-noodle crosswise in empty space to create even layer of noodles. Spread half of cheese mixture over noodles. Repeat layering of noodles, reversing arrangement of halfnoodle, then spread 1 cup ragu over top. Create third layer using 3 1/2 noodles (reversing arrangement again) and remaining cheese mixture. Lay remaining 3 1/2 noodles over
cheese mixture. Spread remaining 1 cup ragu over noodles and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Pecorino. Spray sheet of aluminum foil with oil spray and cover lasagna. Bake until bubbling around edges, about 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until top is spotty brown, about 10 minutes. Let lasagna cool for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with basil. Cut into pieces and serve. CHRISTIAN KADLUBA / FLICKR, CC BY-SA 2.0
Ragu alla Bolognese:
Makes about 6 cups; enough for 2 pounds pasta Shopping Note: Eight teaspoons of gelatin is equivalent to one (1-ounce) box of gelatin. If you can't find ground veal, use an additional 12 ounces of ground beef. • 1 cup chicken broth • 1 cup beef broth • 8 teaspoons unflavored gelatin • 1 onion, chopped coarse • 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped coarse • 1 celery rib, chopped coarse • 4 ounces pancetta, chopped • 4 ounces mortadella, chopped • 6 ounces chicken livers, trimmed • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • 12 ounces 85 per cent lean ground beef • 12 ounces ground veal • 12 ounces ground pork • 3 tablespoons minced fresh sage • 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste • 2 cups dry red wine • Salt and pepper
Combine chicken broth and beef broth in bowl; sprinkle gelatin over top and let sit until softened, about 5 minutes. Pulse onion, carrot, and celery in food processor until finely chopped, about 10 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed; transfer to separate bowl. Pulse pancetta and mortadella in now-empty processor until finely chopped, about 25 pulses; transfer to third bowl. Process chicken livers in againempty processor until pureed, about 5 seconds; refrigerate until ready to use. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add ground beef, veal, and pork and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until all liquid has evaporated and meat begins to sizzle, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in pancetta mixture and sage and cook until pancetta is translucent, 5 to 7 minutes, adjusting heat as
needed to keep fond from burning. Stir in chopped vegetables and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook until rust-colored and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits, and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth mixture, return to bare simmer, and cook until sauce has thickened (wooden spoon should leave trail when dragged through sauce), about 1 1/2 hours. Stir in chicken livers and bring to brief simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.) ■ Nutrition information per serving: 391 calories; 174 calories from fat; 19 g fat ( 10 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 107 mg cholesterol; 596 mg sodium; 28 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 24 g protein.
China’s leader... ❰❰ 18
ble formal end to the Korean War. Beijing is determined to ensure its interests are honoured, especially its desire to maintain the viability of Kim’s regime and keep U.S. and South Korean forces far from its border. “By going, Xi would reduce the sense that China is being excluded from any diplomacy going forward,” said John Delury, a North Korea expert at Yonsei University in Seoul. “I think Beijing is worried that North Korea will go its own way and work out new relationships with Washington and Seoul and move out of China’s orbit.”
What if Xi doesn’t go?
If Xi were absent from the celebration, it could be a sign that China was displeased with North Korea’s lack of progress with denuclearization, analysts said. It “would be a strong signal” if Xi did not go, said Michael Kovrig, senior adviser for Northeast Asia at the International Crisis Group, indicating that “North Korea has a lot to do to get back in China’s good graces.” But China could send a member of the ruling Communist Party’s all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee such as
Premier Li Keqiang to show that ties were still on track, Kovrig said. Xi may stay away for more practical reasons as well. With China committed to U.N. economic sanctions on the North, it may be looking for real signs of progress toward denuclearization before giving up any political capital. “For China, all actions should serve the interests of denuclearization and a visit by Xi will depend on whether there is an agreement on this,” said Guo Rui, a North Korea expert at Jilin University in northeast China. www.canadianinquirer.net
What’s the state of relations?
Kim’s visits to Beijing displayed all the customary pomp and circumstance bestowed on his father and grandfather. A separate visit to the northern port of Dalian showed the two leaders strolling along the beach and chatting amid lush gardens — all apparently intended to imply a warm personal relationship between them. Diplomats say Beijing continues to implement U.N. sanctions covering exports of coal, iron ore, seafood and other products. In one area not covered by the sanctions, however, it seems to be cutting Pyong-
yang some slack: tourism. Recent visitors to North Korea say numbers of Chinese visitors have exploded in recent months, with busloads turning up at key spots such as the Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas and Mount Paektu that touches the country’s border with China. China is likely advertising the potential benefits of North Korean compliance further down the line. “China has a strategy of trying to prevent North Korea from straying too far,” Delury said. “This relationship is full of mutual distrust, but they keep it within certain bounds.” ■
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FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 7, 2018
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