March 19th – 25th, 2009 Vol. XXXI, No: 23
University of Toronto’s community newspaper Independent since 1978
1 Spadina Crescent, Suite 245, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A1 Phone: 416 593 1552 thenewspaper@thenewspaper.ca www.thenewspaper.ca
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write between the lines
the news
the arts
4 Hungry for a Greenhouse burger? 5 Viral law: HIV & You 4 Evolution of a theory
6 Engineering a good time 7 Climbing the walls! 6 Wavelength at home at Dee’s
Judging Justice
Toronto the blue
WILL CAMPBELL
AMY STUPAVSKY
Social Justice Bureau
Community Events Bureau
Roger Shallow, a Toronto Crown attorney involved with the province’s campaign against gun and gang violence, filed a complaint with the Ontario Human Rights Commission earlier this year. Shallow alleges that he was treated unfairly by Toronto police in a 2007 entertainment district incident which resulted in an embarrassing curb-side strip search. The key factor determining his treatment, he claims, was the colour of his skin. Shallow’s complaint doesn’t mince words: “The unspoken message to me was: lawyer, Crown, or whatever, you’re still just a black guy – so know your place, boy.” The incident became convoluted, and the charges of assault and public disturbance laid against Shallow were withdrawn this January just as the assault charges laid against the two officers involved in Shallow’s arrest were dropped by a Crown prosecutor last week. With the thorny legal forest now cleared, it is left to the OHRC to decide whether Shallow’s allegations are worth investigating. Although the Commission has yet to reply to Shallow’s complaint, the underlying issue – differential treatment of racial minorities by the legal powers-that-be in Ontario – remains worth pondering. And while Shallow’s accusations are
On Sunday, March 22, still waters will run deep at this year’s World Water Day celebration in Toronto, which aims to wash away the layers of misinformation and myths about global water issues. Hot topics include problems of pollution, sustainability, and regulation. A collaboration between Roots & Shoots and the Rotary Club of Toronto, the event will focus on a screening of the award-winning documentary Blue Gold: World
The legal process is not black and white
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based on what he alleges to be individual acts of racism by two police officers, the question of whether systemic racism exists in the criminal justice system is something less likely to garner
Stabbing at Con Hall? MATTHEW POPE
On Wednesday afternoon, the newspaper received an anonymous tip that there had been a violent altercation at Convocation Hall. This reportedly involved a knife or gun. Immediately the newspaper dispatched reporters to the scene but could find no
World Water day 2009
evidence of, well, ANYONE. If you have any information about the “alleged incident”, please contact the newspaper. To see what we DID find in our investigation, turn to page 7.
newspaper headlines. Headlines or not, the issue has been one of intense focus in certain arenas, both public and private. A key study in Ontario is the report produced in the wake of the 1992 Yonge Street riots, which brought to the floor black-police relations in Toronto. The Commission on Systemic Racism in the Ontario Criminal Justice System released its findings in 1995 which concluded that, as the critics had feared, there was systemic racism in the province’s police stations, courts and penitentiaries – racism that particularly targeted blacks. But does the Commission’s “Justice” - Continued on page 4...
access to clean water, not least of which is ignorance at a local level. “People generally aren’t aware of how water is being governed,” explains Kimberly Curry, a representative from Rotary Club of Toronto. “They really need to know what’s happening. These issues affect us both locally and worldwide. In Canada, we have no national policy on water rights. There is no law governing who can use our water or how it
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Water Wars, based on Maude Barlow and Tony Clarke’s book, Blue Gold. The organizers’ goals are twofold: to increase awareness and to spur the audience to engage with the issues. “We want to give members more guidance and expose them to issues to rally around,” says Naomi Resnick, Roots & Shoots Coordinator. “We hope that people will leave the day well-informed and ready to take action in their everyday lives. It’s really about inspiring action.” For Torontonians who take their taps for granted, the event will be especially eye-opening because many of Canada’s water issues go unnoticed. There are many problems with global
should be used.” The event will take place at Innis Town Hall at the University of Toronto, 2 Sussex Avenue. The 90-minute film viewing will begin at 3:00 p.m. A panel discussion featuring Tony Clarke and members of local water groups will follow until 6:00 p.m. Audience members are encouraged to reflect on the film and propose solutions to mend the world’s water woes. General admission is $5.00, which includes free popcorn. Proceeds will go to Roots & Shoots and Rotary for water and sanitation initiatives in developing countries.