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Ottawa Star The Voice of New Canadians www.OttawaStar.com • August 1, 2014 • Volume 2, Issue 2
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First two entrepreneur visas granted under Start-up Visa program By The Canadian Press
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ANCOUVER—Canada’s immigration minister heralded on July 16 the federal government’s 16-month-old visa program for entrepreneurs, which has accepted its first two applicants. Chris Alexander told a Vancouver news conference that the Start-up Visa program has generated enormous interest, though he couldn’t specify how many applications have been received. “We think we’ve done more than all other countries to make sure our programs are cutting edge,’’ he said, adding several applications are nearing completion. When the program was launched, then-immigration minister Jason Kenney said he expected to see a few hundred
Thamilavi Jeyanthan and Adshaya Pageerathan at the Ottawa Sivan Temple Festival. Story Page 3
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Roundtable highlights refugee health care struggles due to government cutbacks Canadian spy By Clare Clancy, The Canadian Press
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ORONTO—Every second Saturday, a small clinic in Toronto offers free medical care to anyone who needs it—no health card, insurance or paperwork is required. The clinic launched in response to the federal government’s cuts to refugee
health care two years ago, said Francisco Rico-Martinez, a co-director for the FCJ Refugee Centre. “Without doing any advertising, the clinic is packed every single second Saturday,’’ he said, adding that it operates thanks to volunteers. Rico-Martinez, who was attending a roundtable discussion hosted by the
Liberal party on July 11, added that universal health care in Canada is a myth. “It’s so painful to see the system making categories of people,’’ he said. The roundtable discussion followed a July 4 Federal Court ruling against the Harper government’s changes to healthcare coverage for refugee claimants. Continued on page 12
watchdog calls for safeguards on Five Eyes info sharing By Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press
The outreach offers stand in sharp contrast to other places around the U.S., where some protested having immigrants from Central America come to their towns while the nation’s leaders attempt to find solutions to the issue. In Dallas County, Judge Clay Jenkins has offered three county buildings that could hold as many as 2,000 migrants at one time.
OTTAWA—The watchdog that keeps an eye on Canada’s electronic spy agency says it cannot be sure the intelligence service’s Five Eyes partners abide by promises to properly protect information about Canadians. A newly declassified report shows the federally appointed watchdog has recommended that Defence Minister Rob Nicholson issue a directive to Communications Security Establishment Canada that sets out expectations for safeguarding Canadians’ privacy when CSEC shares information with its key allies. The watchdog, known as the CSEC commissioner, has also urged the spy agency to regularly report detailed statistical
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US communities diverge on response to unaccompanied child migrants By Emily Schmall, The Associated Press
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DALLAS—As thousands of unaccompanied immigrant children have poured into South Texas, community leaders from Dallas to Los Angeles to Syracuse, New York, have offered to set up temporary shelters to relieve the Army bases, holding cells and converted warehouses at the border.
Community
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Ottawa Star • August 1, 2014
A cultural showcase at the Ottawa Lebanese Festival By Jesse M. Kelly
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he raising of the Lebanese festival flag over Ottawa City Hall on Wednesday, July 16 marked the start of the 24th annual Ottawa Lebanese Festival, a long-time favourite of the city’s festival scene. The five-day event was held on the grounds of the St. Elias Cathedral and featured 27 different performers, both English and Lebanese. Alongside small vendors and large food tents, was a midway with rides and games, as well as the Beirut Lounge featuring a limited menu and Shisha. On the main stage the Al-Arz Dance Group capped off the opening ceremonies, and the main event tent remained tightly scheduled for the length of the festival. “We’ve been planning this for close to six months,” said George Hanna, this year’s chair of the event. “To plan a festival of this magnitude you need everybody on the same page, everybody working at the same goal, and I’m blessed to have that.” With an executive team of only four people, Hanna had to rely on the nearly 300 volunteers on site for the opening ceremonies. “The main goal of the festival is to bring the Lebanese culture to Ottawa, and to be able to express to all Canadians what Lebanon is about and what Lebanese culture is about,” said Hanna. “Of course, it’s always great to see everyone working together and volunteering toward a cause.” Hanna said that between 60 and 80 volunteers were required for the main food tent alone. All food was prepared fresh on site and included favourites like tabouli, chicken shawarma, saj bread, beef kabobs and vegetarian dishes. “It’s basically like you’re getting a home cooked meal, it’s like your mom is cooking for you,” he said. Raffle revenue went to the initiatives of the St. Elias Cathedral, while the festival continued its commitment of $5,000 to the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation for another year. “The event is amazing so far. It’s always great every year, I love it,” said Michel Ibrahim, a 12-year volunteer and member of St. Elias Cathedral. “Since 2005 we’ve had a lot of changes. Every year we get new ideas.” He added that with each year of the festival, they see more people come out
Danny Nesrallah (left) and Zeyad Ayoub team up to run just a few of the many grills which made the Tannis Food Tent a major attraction. Photo by Jesse M. Kelly
the event as well as more volunteers sign up to make it all possible. “To the Lebanese community, this event means pride and joy.” said Hanna. “It’s a way for them to be able to showcase what their culture is about and who they are, and what better place than at the Lebanese festival?”
Along with the entertainment and cuisine, a Lebanese cultural tent with artifacts, educational pamphlets and a virtual tour showcased the beauty of Lebanon, and the St. Elias Cathedral provided private tours Members of the Al Arz Dance Group lead a profor those who wanted to learn more about cession to the main stage on the opening day of the history of the religion and the church. Ottawa Lebanese Festival. Photo by Jesse M. Kelly
Ramadan: A month of compassion By Lubna Javed
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uslims in Ottawa and other parts of Canada began fasting on Sunday, June 29 for the month of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, which is a lunar based calendar with its start determined by the sighting of a crescent moon. Fasting requires Muslims to refrain from consuming food and liquids, smoking, bad habits and engaging in sexual relations. Their day begins by getting up for an early morning meal to be eaten before sunrise, between 3:15 and 3:45 a.m., and offering the early morning prayers. They break their fast at sunset, between 8:30 and 9 p.m., which means the fasting period can be as long as 17 hours every day for the duration of the month. “I always feel rewarded when I fast— it’s like my house in heaven is slowly getting built each time I do good stuff,” said 13-year-old Alizeh Shah. “We pay more attention to the Quran this month and before and after, it is left dusty and untouched because we don’t find enough time to read it.” Fasting during the month of Ramadan is obligatory of all Muslims except children, the sick and elderly, pregnant, breastfeeding and menstruating women, and travellers. The purpose of observing Ramadan is to teach self-control and patience, to attain closeness to God and to make one realize the plight of those that are less fortunate.
Children enjoying the community Iftar at the grounds of a future mosque in Barrhaven Photo: Wahed Mohammed
Muslims participate in special night prayers in Barrhaven. Photo: Wahed Mohammed
It promotes compassion to the poor and makes one be thankful for the simple pleasures in life that are often taken for granted. Zaviar Shah, a seven year old from Barrhaven, did not have to fast this Ramadan, but seeing the adults and older sisters fasting at home, he decided to try out one fast. “I learnt how a poor kid feels when he has no food to eat. It was hard,” said Shah about his experience. Eight-year-old Mikhailla Rafiqah attempted to fast for the entire duration of Ramadan by doing “half-fasts”— breaking her fasts at midday—proudly proclaiming, “I am training.” Ramadan promotes a sense of community and unity. Many mosques and non-profit organizations host community Iftars or get togethers for everyone to break their fast together. University of Ottawa and Carleton University Muslim Student’s Association are among the many organi-
zations that offer complimentary Iftars to students. Many people go to the mosque to attend special night prayers (taraweh) during Ramadan, praying in unison. “I enjoy the taraweh prayers. It is so peaceful listening to the Quran recitation,” said Rabiya Khan. “It is like leaving the world at the door and giving your all in prayer and worship. It’s my favourite part of the day!” Giving charity to the needy is encouraged during Ramadan. People are more compassionate during Ramadan and as a result are more willing to help and care for fellow human beings. Ramadan can be either 29 or 30 days long depending on the sighting of a crescent moon. It culminates with a three day festival, Eid al-Fitr, which literally means “the celebration of breaking fast.” Muslims in Ottawa celebrated Eid al-Fitr on July 28.
Community
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Desiny Siva (left), Sivany Siva, Keerthi Siva, Thiluxi Siva Photos: Smiles Events
Ottawa Sivan Temple celebrates 7th annual festival By Siva Ruban
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he Ottawa Sivan Temple in North Gower celebrated its seventh annual festival from Friday, July 4 to Monday, July 14. Over 11 days, local Hindu community members and many Hindu devotees from across Canada gather in the first and second week of July every year to get the blessings from God Siva and the Goddess Ambal. Like for many Hindus in India and Sri Lanka, the annual festivals are very important dates for Hindus in Canada. It is a milestone for younger Hindu generations living in Canada to become aware of Tamil Saivaism cultural practices of their ancestors. Special prayers take place daily and every evening during the festival the main deity God Shiva and the Goddess Shak-
thi come in procession around the temple. With them are priests chanting mantras and devotees singing Saivaism prayer songs to bless the local and the Hindu community living on this planet. The most important day of the whole festival is the Chariot festival (Ther Thiruvila), celebrated on the ninth day, which in this year was Saturday, July 12 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. On this “Ther Thiruvila” day, God Siva & Goddess Ambal climb the chariot and the devotees pull the ropes of the chariot for them to come in procession around the temple. During the procession, the God and Goddess destroy all of humanity’s negative qualities such as hate, jealousy, anger, negative attitude, poverty and our past sins, so we can restart our life with positive thinking and receive prosperity and happiness. Other events included the Water Cutting Ceremony called Theertha Thiruvila,
held on Sunday, July 13. The ceremony is for God Siva and Goddess Ambal and is conducted in holy water filled in a tank in the temple compound. The Poongavanam Festival was also held on Monday, July 14 to conclude the 11-day festival.
During the festival, vegetarian food was served as Prasatham, offered to God Siva and Goddess Ambal. For more information about the Ottawa Sivan Temple visit www.ottawasivantemple.com or call 613-489-1774.
SMILES EVENTS
CAPTURING THE HAPPIEST MOMENTS
WWW.SMILESPHOTOGRAPHY.CA (613) 612-4878 SMILEPHOTO SMILEPHOTO@LIVE.COM
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Community
Ottawa Star • August 1, 2014
Add some spice this summer with Festival of India By Ellen O’Connor
The dog days of summer are in full swing. Kick off the month of August and add some spice to your life with the third annual Festival of India taking over Ottawa City Hall from August 8 to 10. The three-day festival is expected to draw a crowd of over 6,000 people from Ottawa and across Canada to experience the colourful culture of India first hand through music, cuisine, health and education. “The vision and motivation is to be an agency to interpret the culture of India correctly. We want to welcome the people of Indian origin in Canada, but also welcome Canadians at large,” said organizing committee member, Rao Nanduri. “In other words, we want to be a bridge in the greater understanding of all the cultures in Canada.” The tightly-packed schedule runs 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day and features Indian music and dance performances in the styles of classical, folk, fusion and Bollywood, as well as headline performances Upasana the Spirit of Dance, Seven Swaras, and Jannat Performing Arts: A Mystic Journey to India. Workshops are scheduled throughout the days that teach yoga, ayurveda, handi-
crafts, henna, wearing sarees, the art of rangoli, Bollywood dance and preparing traditional and specialty Indian dishes. Of course, you can’t ignore the delicious smells of India spices wafting across the festival grounds. Food tents featuring the different cuisine from the Northern, Eastern, Southern and Western regions of India will be prepared onsite by almost 100 volunteers and served for the crowds to enjoy. “That’s the big draw because I think no other festival of this magnitude prepares all of the food onsite for this many people,” said Bala Brahmanandam Madaparthi, president of Festival of India. “We want to showcase varieties of food from different ethnic regions.” An educational portion of the festival is this year’s panel discussions that will focus on women’s issues. Featuring three women professors from Carleton University and McMaster University, the discussions will cover topics of the immigration and adaption of women of Indian origin in Canada and the workforce, and the changing notions of women in Bollywood. “The panel discussions are designed as an intellectual exercise to interpret the culture of India in its various facets,” said Nanduri, who has participated as a panelist in past years and will be moderating this year’s discussions.
Ottawa dance instructor Deepali Jamwal leads a flashmob at the Festival of India 2014 launch. Photo by Smiles Events
Since its start three years ago, the FOI board members and core group of volunteers, which include a steering committee and organizing committee, have made it their focus to ensure the goal of the festival is not merely greater acceptance, tolerance and understanding of Indian culture, but more importantly to achieve mutual respect among all Canadians of different cultural backgrounds. “The Festival of India’s activities are not confined to aspects of Indian culture
at all,” added Nanduri. Brahmanandam Madaparthi and the organizing committee are constantly connecting with cultural organizations in Ottawa to build close relationships with Indian ethnic communities and all ethnic communities in the nation’s capital. “To pull together communities within India, and within Canada—that is the greatest goal of the Festival of India.” To learn more about the festival visit festivalofindiaottawa.org
Pro-Palestinians protest Israel strike on Gaza By Maryam Mirza
On Saturday, July 12 over a thousand people marched across downtown Ottawa protesting Israel’s military offensive on Gaza, Palestine. People of all ages gathered from the Canadian Tribute to Human Rights to Parliament Hill with hopes to get the Canadian government to speak out and oppose the bombings and targeting of civilians in Gaza. “Every country has the right to defend itself under the international law,” said Zaid Al Tellawi, one of the organizers of the protest. Al Tellawi works as a fundraising manager for Amnesty International, Doctors Without Borders and UNICEF. “However, indiscriminate bombing of one of the most populated open prisons in the world, an area that is 15 per cent the size of Ottawa but with twice the population, is not self-defense.” “The precise missiles of the IDF have so far killed 779 people and injured over 4600 in Gaza with over 70 per cent civilians with many children and toddlers,” added Al Tellawi. “Furthermore, the UNRWA school was bombed, along with Al Wafa hospital which is now operating in the dark with no electricity. This is not a war.” Since July 7, the death toll has risen to nearly 800 Palestinians and 29 Israelis – 27 soldiers and two civilians. According to a
UN report released on July 13, 80 per cent of Palestinian fatalities have been civilians, 21 per cent of those being children. The casualties are only rising in numbers. The protest was one of many held across the country. People of all nationalities, young and old have been gathering in Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton, Quebec City, London, Waterloo and Calgary asking the government to oppose Israel’s offensive in Gaza. A spokesman from Neturei Karta International, Rabbi David Feldman was one of the speakers at the protest in Ottawa. “As human beings, we stand up and we oppose, and we condemn, what is happening in Gaza,” he said, “As Jewish people we stand up and we condemn what is being committed contrary to Jewish religion.” He added, “As descendants of Jews from the Holocaust, people who were tortured or murdered, we stand up here today, and we express our pain when oppression is being done to other people in Palestine.” The protest brought out people of all backgrounds including Gabrielle Castilloux of the First People’s Council at Carleton University, members from the Canadian Peace Alliance, Canadian Labour Congress and other organizations who held speeches requesting for the violence to end. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, expressed her alarm at Israel’s military offensive as well as the
A pro-Palestinian protests in downtown Ottawa to demand the Canadian government speak out about the bombings in Gaza. Photo by Maryam Mirza
firing of rockets from Gaza into Israel in a statement released on July 11. Unless the homes are being used for military purposes, targeting of civilian homes is a violation of international humanitarian law. Furthermore, if a home is identified as being used for military purposes the attack must be proportionate and precautions must be taken as to not cause harm to civilians.
“There seems to be a strong possibility that international law has been violated, in a manner that could amount to war crimes,” said Pillay. Following the protest in Ottawa on July 12, Stephen Harper issued a statement regarding the situation in Gaza. His statement confirmed that the government stands firmly behind Israel and their military offensive in Gaza.
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Sri Lanka Canada Association of Ottawa holds its annual sports meet By Keerthi Weerasooriya
The Sri Lanka Canada Association of Ottawa (SLCAO) celebrated its annual sports meet on their 38th anniversary year on Saturday, July 12. The sports meet was held again at the Vincent-Massey Park, a favoured venue as it is a central space for the Sri Lankan population spread across the city, including Orleans, Gloucester, Kanata and in particular Barrhaven. A crowd of over 200 came out to participate and many stayed until the very end of the event, which arrived at 9 p.m. along with mosquitoes and the sunset. The tradition of the SLCAO sports meet began in 2002 as a summer activity for the community and has since been held every year. Prior to 2000, the Sri Lankan population in Ottawa was small and summer community activities were limited to a Cricket tournament and other unofficial outings. An influx of immigrants saw a surge in the Ottawa Sri Lankan population in early 2000s. The majority of the newcomers were families with young children and SLCAO took the opportunity to create the sports meet event with a focus on community gathering and children’s activities. Despite being the middle of summer, Saturday’s event was a comfortable day with low humidity and a bit of cloud cover. To increase the participation, the organizer introduced an online registration system that allocates the entrant and their family to a “house” where they participate in events as a group. Traditionally, the competitions were held based on four “houses” named Raawana, Vijaya, Elaara, and Gajaba, named after ancient kings of Sri Lanka. The house leaders each provide the necessary leadership and motiva-
tion to their members during the event and are instrumental in the success of their “house.” The scheme of participation by “house” was adopted from the practise in middle and high schools in Sri Lanka. This year’s events included spotting the Eye of Elephant and 20 meter sprint for children six years and under, sprint events, soccer and cricket for ages 6 to 12 years and 12 to 17. Similar events were held for adults as well as co-ed soccer and co-ed volleyball for young adults and adults. Separate competitions were held for Cricket for adult men and women. For the health conscious adults, a walk around the park was organized where the victor was selected by meeting a walk time predicted prior to the event. A netball coaching workshop by Marina Gerry Leigertwood was also held to popularize the game with the women in the community, which was followed by a practise game. Everyone was treated to a traditional breakfast of Kiribath, (milk rice) provided by member families. Another Sri Lankan speciality of “Kothu Rotti” was available by a local vendor, located at 408 Dalhousie Street in downtown Ottawa. During periods of the event there was musical entertainment including a two-piece jazz band that serenaded the crowd during lunch, a Sri Lankan karaoke bar, and a Sri Lankan band that provided music into the evening hours. The acting High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in Canada Mr. Lionel Premasiri, his family and staff were also present. Mr. Premasiri was the chief guest at the awards ceremony. To learn more about the Sri Lanka Canada Association of Ottawa and upcoming events visit www.slcaottawa.com.
Is It Time For A Second Opinion?
Winners reaching the finish line in the under six-years-old girl’s sprint event.
Photos by Anura
Ferdinand and Sumith Guise.
The winners of kids soccer celebrate after receiving the championship trophy from Mr. Lionel Premasiri, Acting High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in Canada (back right). Photos by Anura Ferdinand and Sumith Guise.
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Opinion
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Ottawa Star • August 1, 2014
Power of failure
Editorial
Better late than never! T
he delayed Strandherd-Ar mstrong bridge beautiful, much awaited and connects communities. The spectacular 143metre long bridge which forms an arch over the Rideau River between River Road and Prince of Wales officially opened on Saturday July 12 to a very warm welcome. The bridge is a great addition to Ottawa and links the residents of two Ottawa communities of Riverside South and Barrhaven. The excitement was palpable from the hundreds that gathered for the official opening of the bridge. Even though the construction of the bridge got delayed people were happy that they now have a bridge that is not only aesthetically beautiful but also very functional. The bridge looks glorious when lit at night. Infrastructure of this kind does make a big difference in easing the congestion especially at West Hunt club road. They make commuting so much faster and also enjoyable. Mayor of Ottawa Jim Watson rightly summed up the essence of the bridge when he said: “This new bridge will help reduce commute times, facilitate new transit connections and provide a beautiful new piece of architecture for the nation’s capital.” The bridge which includes transit lanes, on-road cycling lanes and sidewalks will not
only significantly improve the connectivity for Riverside South and Barrhaven residents but also contribute to public safety by enhancing emergency response capabilities for both the communities. The bridge is a great example of what can be accomplished when the three levels of government—federal, provincial and municipal works together to improve the city and invests in its infrastructure. The total cost of the Strandherd-Armstrong Bridge Project was $50
million with Federal and provincial governments funding one third and the City of Ottawa contributing the remaining. As a resident of Barrhaven and now a frequent user of the bridge, I love the bridge and think it’s pretty spectacular. Major bridges like the Armstrong Bridge are not just about the brick and mortar. They are public monuments that lend charm, beauty and functionality. They lend uniqueness to the city and give it an identity, like for instance, the Golden Gate Bridge of San Francisco, or the
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Sydney Harbour Bridge and the neighbouring Arts Centre. Strandherd -Armstrong Bridge could be Ottawa’s symbol. It could be Ottawa’s version of the CN Tower and “one of the iconic landmarks in the south end of the city” as our Mayor Jim Watson rightly said. Visitors to our city will have one more place to feast their eyes on while the residents will continue to reap the benefits of using the bridge to shorten their commute. Editorial by Sangeetha Arya
By Sangeetha Arya “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” - Michael Jordan What a powerful quote! Do I have to say anything more about the power of failure to motivate us, propel us and inspire us to learn, to try again and never give up! Failure means coming face to face with our true inner worth, to stop pretending who we are not and to start focusing all our energy into doing something that matters to us. Failure instigates us to renew our efforts and march ahead with new determination. Failure sets us free because we see our worst fears realized and after reaching rock bottom we only have up to go! Failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless, as J. K Rowling put it succinctly in her commencement speech for Harvard graduates, “you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all—in which case, you fail by default”. Failures are powerful because they let us know we are, what we can recuperate from, what we can withstand and still come out unscathed. Ironically we learn more from our failures than from our success. Failures teach us very valuable lessons about us which otherwise could not have come from our victories. We discover that we have a stronger will power, more determination, higher resilience, richer skills and talents than we ever imagined we had. It is like rediscovering ourselves! It also helps us find our true friends, our real supporters. Failures motivate us to move on with our life. It doesn’t happen automatically. After encountering failure we learn to rise up and say to ourselves that no matter how hard it is I am not getting this to stop or scare me. I will change my strategy and try with renewed enthusiasm. History is replete with examples of people who used the power of failure to reinvent themselves. Thomas Alva Edison tried 10,000 times before he invented the bulb. But he felt that he just found “10,000 ways that won’t work.” I strongly believe that failing is not the end of the world, indeed it’s just a beginning, the stepping stone to our success. Our greatest victories are those when we learn to harness the power of failures to propel us to greater heights.
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Opinion
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American (ir)relevance in the New World Order A declining hegemon and policy ineptitude is having a profound impact on world events
By Robert Murray
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DMONTON, AB, Troy Media— In the midst of a series of global crises, American President Barack Obama spoke at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser in Seattle on July 23 and spoke about what the future holds for the U.S. and world society. According to Obama, the world is in a state of flux and the necessary changes to the global order are not being appropriately interpreted or implemented. Obama remarked that “Part of people’s concern is just the sense that around the world, the old order isn’t holding and we’re not quite where we need to be in terms of a new order that’s based on a different set of principles, that’s based on a sense of common humanity, that’s based on economies that work for all people.”
It has become fashionable in commenting on global affairs to slam Obama for his ongoing foreign policy problems, and in many cases the criticisms are deserved. Foreign policy may not determine the outcome of elections very often, if ever, but polling in the U.S. shows that the majority of Americans are very displeased with Obama’s handling of the foreign policy file, as are America’s allies throughout the rest of the world. To explain why, one need only re-read his comments from the July 23 fundraiser. Obama is half right to note that there is a significant change occurring in the international system that will produce a “new world order”. Immediately following the Cold War, the system of states went from being bipolar, meaning the system was dominated by two superpowers, to unipolar, signifying one lone superpower. The so-called “unipolar moment” saw a sizeable gap between American power and the capabilities of other world powers, which allowed for the emergence and growth in the post-Cold War liberal, or American, world order. This was the era of democratic enlargement, multilateralism and human rights, at least in rhetoric anyway. The truly distinctive feature of the
unipolar moment was that America’s longtime rival, Russia, was struggling mightily, and no new major power was on the verge of rivalling U.S. power in the world. A series of events, some self-imposed and others external, served to gradually reduce America’s relative power capabilities, while other new powers were beginning to emerge. The financial, political, military and human costs of events like the missions in Afghanistan and Iraq and the onset of the 2008 recession marked the end of U.S. hegemony in the world and the start of a transition towards a new multipolar system, where multiple powers will dominate world affairs. All of this is not to reduce recent events in Libya, Syria, Gaza, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Iran and Ukraine to a series of theoretical ideas with little practical application; quite the opposite. It is precisely because the system is going through this transition that the world is seeing a marked increase of global conflict where the interests of great powers, like the U.S., Russia, China, etc. are involved. Further, as American power declines, those powers hostile to the U.S. appear far more willing to challenge U.S. moral authority
and test the resolve of the west in its willingness to police the world effectively. Exacerbating the situation are the foreign policy failures of the Obama Administration at a time when strong international leadership from the U.S. is integral. The double-edged sword of a declining hegemon coupled with policy ineptitude is having a profound impact on current world events. Other western states have neither the credibility nor relative power necessary to fill America’s void, and thus we are faced with more uncertainty and emboldened enemies at a crucial time. Obama is right to note the ongoing evolution of the world order, but he is dangerously naïve to think that order will be predicated on a sense of common humanity. States like Russia, Syria and Iran have made it clear what their perceptions of the new world order will look like. The question remains just how relevant the U.S. will be if it continues to ignore reality. Robert W. Murray (@DrRWM) is the Vice-President, Research at the Frontier Centre for Public Policy and an Adjunct Professor of Political Science at the University of Alberta. Article courtesy: www.troymedia.com
Maybe now First Nations have the country’s attention Aboriginal participation in resource development on their traditional lands is now a right
By Ken Coates REGINA, SK, Troy Media—The Tsilhqot’in decision issued last week by the Supreme Court of Canada is an absolute game-changer. With unexpected clarity and decisiveness, the Supreme Court recognized the Tsilhqot’in’s Aboriginal title to their traditional lands and directed governments on how they must proceed with any future development on non-treaty lands. Even the Tsilqot’in, who clearly hoped for the best from the courts, seemed gobsmacked by the strength of the judgment in their favour. This decision is a long time coming. In 1973, the Nisga’a from the Nass River valley in northwest British Columbia had their day in court. They claimed Aboriginal title to their traditional territories and wanted their land rights recognized by the courts. The Nisga’a lost the case, in a rare 3-3-1 split vote, but they had made their point. Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, previously unimpressed with Aboriginal claims, realized that the Government of Canada could
well lose the next such legal challenge. The modern land claims era had started. But it has been a hard road. Some land claims agreements were signed, particularly in the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, and the Nisga’a finally got their settlement. But most of British Columbia remains non-treaty land, and several Yukon and NWT First Nations and Maritime First Nations have not yet signed land surrender treaties. Even without full legal backing, many First Nations—more than most Canadians realize—worked with governments and corporations to secure appropriate resource development agreements. Others, including the Tsilhqot’in, pushed back and used the courts to clarify their rights and responsibilities. The Supreme Court decision on the Williams case is the capstone to that process. There will be a great deal of talk about the Tsilhqot’in decision in the next few weeks and months. The Tsilhqot’in won, and they won big. Their Aboriginal rights to their traditional territories have been confirmed. The basis for negotiations in British Columbia and elsewhere has shifted. First Nations have more legal authority than in the past and, like anyone else in a similar situation, they will use it to their benefit. The Aboriginal power as spelled out in the Williams judgment is not absolute,
however. Resource development can proceed, subject to the restated requirements to consult and accommodate. The decision puts a higher standard on Government to demonstrate a compelling provincial or national interest in a specific project—and no doubt governments and First Nations will be back in court to define the collective interest more precisely. To this point, most Canadians have viewed First Nations’ interests in resource development as a minor irritant and occasionally, as with the Northern Gateway project, a major impediment. Indeed, there has been growing concern expressed by nonAboriginal people about the steady increase in Aboriginal rights, a grumble that is likely to get louder in the days to come. However, there are more important lessons here. That the Tsilhqot’in turned to the courts showed their ultimate faith in Canada and their commitment to a peaceful resolution to their outstanding claims. The Supreme Court has vindicated that confidence. Remember, however, that this decision recognizes Aboriginal rights under British and Canadian law. It applies a British legal standard to the First Nations’ claim. It does not represent an assertion of Indigenous legal or political concepts, much as the Tsilhqot’in would have liked that. In short form, the Supreme Court has declared that, in order to honour Brit-
ish and Canadian law, governments have to work differently and more proactively with First Nations. Importantly, the Williams decision compels governments and companies to work in a way that in fact has already become accepted practice. Resource companies realize that they need to work with Aboriginal people if they want their projects to succeed and they have become increasingly adept at creating viable partnerships and collaborations. Governments, too, understand that the resource development world has been changing rapidly in recent years and that new arrangements are required. The Supreme Court decision puts more authority in the hands of First Nations in non-treaty areas but the directions to government are actually consistent with much current practice. Canadians have to realize, through this decision, that the country has turned a page in its history. Aboriginal people have been assured, under British and Canadian law, a proper and substantial place in the development of natural resources. Their participation is a matter of right, not corporate generosity or government benevolence. Ken Coates is Canada Research Chair in regional innovation at the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy in Saskatchewan, and a senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute. Article courtesy www.troymedia.com
Canada
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Ottawa Star • August 1, 2014
D’Souza one of 47 athletes who are paying for honour to represent Canada By Lori Ewing, The Canadian Press
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efore Andrew D’Souza could represent Canada at the Commonwealth Games, the badminton player had to harness his inner entrepreneur. The 20-year-old from Ottawa is Canada’s No. 2-ranked men’s player, but based on his Commonwealth ranking, is one of 47 “pay to play’’ athletes on the Canadian team bound for Glasgow who had to pay their own way to the Games. So D’Souza organized a badminton exhibition in Ottawa to raise the $3,000 it’s costing him to compete at the Games.
“It’s fairly common,’’ said Andrew Dabeka, D’Souza’s coach. “Our sport took a nosedive in terms of government funding over the years, and so more and more of these types of programs are on a self-paid basis.’’ D’Souza, winner of two Canada Elite Series Circuit events this season, charged admission and sold raffle tickets at last month’s exhibition to raise the money for the trip. The event drew about 150 supporters. Other self-funded athletes on the Glasgow team were fortunate to have their trip covered by their club or national sport organization. Athletics Canada, for example, is picking up the tab for the
eight self-funded athletes who are part of the 50-member track and field team. Canada is sending 265 athletes to Glasgow—its largest team ever for a Commonwealth Games outside of Canada. “We set, based on our budget, a maximum number of athletes we could afford to fund, and that, for better or for worse, was 220,’’ said Brian MacPherson, CEO of Commonwealth Games Canada. The 220 funded athletes, MacPherson explained, are those who are capable of finishing in the top three in Glasgow. “If they’re below Top 3 but better than Top 8, then that’s the ‘pay to play’ group,’’ MacPherson said.
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D’Souza, who’s never competed in an international multi-sport event, is used to footing the bill for his badminton endeavours. The human kinetics student at the University of Ottawa said it’s been a joint effort between him and his parents to pay for trips such as the Pan American and Pan American junior championships and the world junior championships. “It’s a tough situation,’’ he said. “You can’t play everything you need to because you can’t afford it... but you have to (if you want to improve). It makes no sense to me, really.’’ Dabeka, a member of Canada’s 2008 Beijing Olympic team, said badminton has lost a large chunk of its funding over the years because it’s considered a “fringe sport.’’ He said there are five Canadian “carded’’ players, who receive funding through the federal government’s Athlete Assistance Programs. Dabeka said when he retired in 2009, there were six. Around 2003, he said, there were 10, and back in the early ‘90s, there were about 20. Dabeka said D’Souza has a decent shot of being named to the 2016 Rio Olympic team, but it will come with a stiff cost. The badminton team is chosen based on international rankings, and to rise in the rankings, D’Souza must pay his way to compete at international tournaments all over the world. “During an Olympic year, everybody is travelling to the maximum number of tournaments, so players are often doing 30 to 35 tournaments in a year. So that’s the big expense,’’ said the coach. “If he’s going to go for it all the way, then he’s going to have to definitely spend a lot of money.’’ It’s frustrating, said Dabeka, but it’s the reality of the sport, and a price athletes will pay. “The question is, do you want to do it or not?’’ he said. “You just sort of have to accept it and if you want, then you have to come up with the resources, and find ways to make it happen. “I think being someone who’s done that myself, I think it’s worth it. Sure at the end of your career you don’t have the house and the car and all that stuff, but you have all these experiences. You’ve been travelling for six, seven, eight, 10 years in some cases. “All my buddies in offices are always, on some level, a bit jealous that, ‘Oh, where are you this week?’ ‘Oh, I’m in this country.’’’ D’Souza’s goal is to reach the podium in Glasgow. “I want to see if I can bring a medal home for Canada, it’s been a long time,’’ he said. It won’t be easy though. The Commonwealth Games feature some of the world’s strongest badminton countries in England, Malaysia, and India. Canada ranks fourth in total Commonwealth badminton medals won (18), behind those three powerhouses.
Ottawa Star • August 1, 2014
Canada
www.OttawaStar.com • PAGE 9
Chronology: A look at the long legal odyssey of Canadian born Omar Khadr By The Canadian Press
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July 7, 2010: Khadr tries to fire his three American lawyers, including a military court-appointed military lawyer, saying he has no chance at a fair trial. A judge later refuses to allow it. July 12, 2010: Ottawa pledges to fight the ruling, ordering it to remedy the breach of Khadr’s constitutional rights. Aug. 9, 2010: Khadr officially pleads not guilty to five war crimes charges, including murder, at a pre-trial hearing. Judge Col. Patrick Parrish rules Khadr’s confessions will be admissible as evidence. Oct. 25, 2010: Amid talk of an agreement, Khadr changes his plea to guilty on all five counts; gets opportunity to apply for a transfer to a Canadian prison after one year in a U.S. facility. Oct. 26, 2010: Jurors scheduled to attend start of Khadr sentencing hearing. Oct. 31, 2010: Jurors sentence Khadr to 40 years in prison for war crimes but Omar Khadr at 14. Photo: Wikipedia a pre-trial deal limits the actual sentence to eight years. May 26, 2011: The Convening sentence cut in half, arguing that improper testimony swayed the jury at his Authority for Military Commissions rejects a clemency appeal filed by Khadr. sentencing hearing. Continued on page 10 The prisoner had appealed to have his
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DMONTON—1975: Egypt-born Ahmed Said Khadr migrates to Canada, meets and marries Maha Elsamnah. 1985: Ahmen Said Khadr moves to Pakistan at the height of the Soviet war in Afghanistan, meets Osama bin Laden. Sept. 19, 1986: Omar Khadr is born in Toronto, but lives with family in Pakistan until 1995. 1995: Khadr’s father is arrested in connection with the bombing of the Egyptian embassy in Islamabad, but is freed after then-prime minister Jean Chretien raises the arrest with Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. 1996: After briefly returning to Canada, the family moves to Jalalabad in Taliban-controlled eastern Afghanistan, where they live in Osama bin Laden’s compound. 1996: The Khadr brothers begin attending weapons training camps affiliated with the Taliban and bin Laden. The family makes annual trips to Canada to raise money and collect supplies. October 2001: The U.S. begins military operations in Afghanistan in response to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. November 2001: The U.S.backed Northern Alliance rebels chase the Taliban out of Kabul. Omar Khadr flees to his father’s orphanage in Logar, Afghanistan. June 2002: After training on AK47s, Soviet PKs and rocket-propelled grenades, Khadr, 15, works as a translator for al-Qaida and conducts a surveillance mission. July 27, 2002: Two Afghan government soldiers are killed and several U.S. troops sustain injuries as coalition forces move in on Khadr’s compound. Khadr throws a grenade that kills U.S. Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Speer. Khadr is injured in the melee. October 2002: Khadr is transferred to Guantanamo Bay. February 2003: Investigators from the RCMP and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) interview Khadr at Guantanamo. March 2004: Khadr’s grandmother, Fatmah Elsamnah, launches lawsuit against the Department of Foreign Affairs, alleging Ottawa failed to protect her grandson’s rights as a Canadian. Elsamnah later launches a similar suit against U.S. authorities. Aug. 10, 2005: A Federal Court judge says Canadian agencies, including CSIS, are violating Khadr’s Charter rights by turning information gleaned in interviews over to U.S. investigators.
Nov. 7, 2005: The U.S. military charges Khadr with conspiracy, attempted murder and aiding the enemy in connection with the deadly 2002 skirmish that killed Speer. Dec. 17, 2005: Khadr’s eldest brother, Abdullah, is arrested in Toronto for allegedly acting as an al-Qaida gobetween and supplying explosives. February 2006: A U.S. civil court orders the Khadr family to pay $102 million to Speer’s widow and a second soldier injured in the 2002 attack. March 17, 2008: Khadr alleges that he was threatened with rape and violence by interrogators seeking to extract a confession. May 23, 2008: The Supreme Court of Canada concludes that Canadian officials illegally shared information about Khadr with the U.S. July 15, 2008: Khadr’s defence counsel releases video of Khadr being interrogated by CSIS officials in 2003. Aug. 14, 2009: Canada’s Federal Court of Appeal upholds ruling that requires the Canadian government to press for Omar Khadr’s return from Guantanamo Bay. Oct. 7, 2009: Lt.-Cmdr. Bill Kuebler is officially dismissed from Khadr’s legal defence team. Jan. 29, 2010: Canada’s Supreme Court overturns court orders requiring the Canadian government try to repatriate Khadr, despite agreeing that Khadr’s human rights are being violated. April 29, 2010: Khadr’s defence team rejects a plea-bargain offer from U.S. military prosecutors that would have forced him to serve his sentence in a U.S. prison.
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Posthumous terrorist video that appears to show Ontario man not uncommon: expert
Chronology: Omar Khadr Continued from page 9
April 2012: U.S. Defence Secretary Leon Panetta signs off on Khadr’s transfer. April 18, 2012: Ottawa receives an application from Khadr officially requesting a transfer to Canada from Guantanamo Bay. July 13, 2012: Lawyers file a notice of application in the Federal Court asking it to review why Canada was delaying Khadr’s repatriation. July 26, 2012: It’s revealed that Khadr tried to plead guilty to terrorism charges in Canada for a speedy transfer home. The documents show that the 2008 proposal was rejected by the U.S. military. Sept. 6, 2012: Ottawa is given videotapes and documents assessing Khadr’s mental health by American military officials. The material includes an interview of Khadr by a psychiatrist. Sept. 29, 2012: A U.S. military airplane brings Khadr back to Canada. He is transferred to the Millhaven Institution near Kingston. April 28, 2013: Khadr’s lawyer says he plans to appeal the terrorism convictions. May 28, 2013: Khadr is transferred to the maximum security Edmonton Institution. Sept. 23, 2013: An Edmonton judge hears arguments on whether Khadr is actually serving a youth sentence and should be transferred to a provincial jail. Oct. 18, 2013: Khadr is denied a transfer to a provincial jail. Feb. 11, 2014: Khadr’s lawyer confirms his client has been transferred out of the federal maximum security prison in Edmonton in to Bowden Institution, a mediumsecurity prison near the town of Innisfail. April 30, 2014: The Alberta Appeal Court hears arguments on where Khadr should serve his time. May 22, 2014: Speer’s widow and an American soldier blinded by the grenade sue Khadr for close to $45 million. July 8, 2014: Alberta’s Appeal Court grants an application that Khadr to be transferred to a provincial jail.
By Ethan Lou, The Canadian Press
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posthumous video that appears to show a Canadian who died fighting in Syria is not uncommon—nearly every Western terrorist recruit has made one, an expert said. The video, released July 11, purportedly shows a man who media reports identified earlier this year as Andre Poulin of Timmins, Ontario. The CBC reported he converted to Islam and changed his name to Abu Muslim. He reportedly died during fighting in Syria last August. On the video the man urges people to contribute to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, the group that has occupied territory in Iraq and Syria. Steven Emerson of the Washington D.C.-based Investigative Project on Terrorism said Western recruits are often made to do such videos as an initiation. “Before they actually participate in hostilities, one of the recruitment requirements is to make a video—sort of your last will and testament—for posterity, which are then posted online should they die in battle,’’ he said. The video was posted online by an American organization that tracks extremist groups, the Maryland-based SITE intelligence group. It is yet unclear when the video was taken. On the video, the man who says he is a Canadian urges Muslims to go to Syria. Failing that, the man said they should contribute money to his organization, also known as ISIL. The man also said he had a good life in Canada, but questions how people can live as Muslims if they pay taxes to countries that he says are at war with Islam. “Every person can contribute something to the Islamic State,’’ the man said on the slickly produced video, which includes music in the background and narrator at the end.
The video, released July 11, purportedly shows a man who media reports identified earlier this year as Andre Poulin of Timmins, Ontario.
“If you cannot fight, then you can give money, and if you cannot give money, then you can assist in technology.’’ SITE said the video was produced by the Islamic State’s propaganda wing, the al-Hayat Media Center, and was first posted on a file-sharing website. There was no immediate verification of SITE’s claim from the Canadian government. Emerson said such videos are successful as pitches by westerners appeal more to potential Western recruits, and that is evident in the “hundreds, if not thousands’’ of foreigners fighting in Syria in the last five years. Michel Juneau-Katsuya, a former Canadian intelligence officer, said terrorist organizations have been using videos to spread their messages since the days of the 9/11 incident in 2001, but there has been a spike in the last five years. “They are trying to attract (those in) the late teens and early 20s,’’ he said, adding that the intended targets may see the videos as “appealing, attractive, action-oriented, sexy in a sense.’’
First two entrepreneur visas granted under Start-up Visa program Continued from page 1
people come to Canada through the program in its first year. Alexander said the government is trading on its reputation for “doing immigration well’’ as it aims to persuade talented business people from India to Latin America and Europe to move to Canada.
Ottawa Star • August 1, 2014
“Our doors are open, our programs have integrity (and) we’re focusing immigration as never before on our economic needs as a country. And our reputation in the world for doing immigration well, for choosing incredible people and for helping them create successful lives in Canada ... has never been stronger,’’ he said.
“This is harder than it sounds to pull off.’’ Alex Zadorozhnyi, chief technology officer for tech startup Zeetl Inc., joined the minister. He said he immigrated from Ukraine with his business partner and their families. Zadorozhnyi said it is very exciting for them to become permanent
“They are the ones who are searching for themselves, searching for a vision or a mission for themselves. Very often, they feel invincible.’’ SITE is headed by executive director Rita Katz, whom its website says has worked closely with the United States government. The group did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Emerson confirmed SITE was founded by a former employee of his group, though he declined to elaborate. Juneau-Katsuya estimates such groups to number under 100, with many based in North America, Europe and Israel. While Juneau-Katsuya said he is not specifically familiar with SITE, he said many of such organizations have a centre-right political alignment, and want governments to be active in fighting terrorists. “Some of them are very credible in terms of their academic and rigorous approach,’’ he said. “Some others... they are there to do as much propaganda or counter-propaganda as the videos they are posting.’’
residents in Canada, which was granted under the program. “I find that Canada is a great place to do business, to live here with my family, to raise kids and to enjoy beautiful nature,’’ he said. “We intend to continue to grow our business here in Canada and support entrepreneurial community as best as we can.’’ The government has said it will issue a maximum of 2,750 visas for each year of the five-year pilot program, which is limited to entrepreneurs who already have the backing of a venture capital firm in Canada.
Ottawa Star • August 1, 2014
Canada
Canadian spy watchdog calls for safeguards on Five Eyes info sharing Continued from page 1
data to the minister about the international information sharing. The Canadian Press obtained a heavily censored copy of the commissioner’s findings and recommendations under the Access to Information Act. Ottawa-based CSEC monitors foreign communications of intelligence interest to Canada, and exchanges a large amount of information with similar agencies in the United States, Britain, Australia and New Zealand. Leaks from Edward Snowden, a former contractor for the U.S. National Security Agency—CSEC’s American counterpart— have raised questions about operations of the so-called Five Eyes intelligence network. The leaked documents revealed that the NSA had quietly obtained access to a broad swath of emails, chat logs and other information from major Internet companies, as well as data about a huge volume of telephone calls. They also told how Britain’s Government Communications Headquarters had tapped fibre-optic cables to extract Internet data. CSEC insists it targets only foreign email, telephone and satellite traffic. However, the spy service acknowledges it cannot monitor global communications in the modern era without gathering at least some Canadian information. In certain cases the defence minister authorizes CSEC activities that would otherwise risk breaching the Criminal Code provision against intercepting the private communications of Canadians. Initial inquiries by the CSEC commissioner found the spy service did take measures to uphold the privacy of Canadians in what it shares with the four chief allies - for instance by suppressing Canadian identities in reports supplied to them. However, the commissioner’s office undertook further study to determine how much information about Canadians is being shared with the partners and whether they were fulfilling commitments to protect sensitive details. “These activities may directly affect the security of a Canadian person,’’ says the 34-page report, originally classified top secret, for Canadian eyes only. “Precision and accuracy of language in exchanges of information can be critical and affect outcomes, including how individuals are treated.’’ The report says that beyond “certain general statements and assurances’’ between CSEC and its foreign sister agencies, the commissioner’s office was “unable to assess the extent’’ to which the four partners “follow the agreements with CSEC and protect private communications and information about Canadians in what CSEC shares with the partners.’’ It recommended a new ministerial directive based on a risk assessment—an in-depth analysis of how legal and policy
regimes in the different countries could affect CSEC’s compliance with the law and protection of Canadian privacy. “The commissioner’s office understands that such a risk assessment would not be a trivial undertaking,’’ the report says. “However, in light of recent events, we believe it is essential.’’ CSEC and the minister have accepted the recommendations and the intelligence service “is already implementing them,’’ CSEC spokesman Andrew McLaughlin said Monday.
Nicholson’s office had no immediate comment. The newly obtained report was completed in July 2013 by then-CSEC watchdog Robert Decary just after Nicholson took over the defence portfolio. Decary has since been succeeded as CSEC commissioner by former Quebec judge Jean-Pierre Plouffe. The CSEC watchdog’s office said Monday the commissioner continues to actively monitor the spy agency’s dealings with its Five Eyes partners.
www.OttawaStar.com • PAGE 11 In underscoring the potential dangers of losing control of information about Canadians, the report points to the case of Ottawa engineer Maher Arar, who was tortured in a Syrian prison over false terrorism allegations. An inquiry concluded information the RCMP passed to the United States likely led to his ordeal. But the report also stresses that CSEC’s ability to fulfil its foreign intelligence collection mandate rests in large part on building and maintaining productive relationships with foreign counterparts. “According to CSEC, the Five Eyes alliance is more valuable now than at any other time in history, given the increasingly complex technological challenges faced by the partners.’’
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World
Ottawa Star • August 1, 2014
Roundtable highlights refugee health care struggles due to government cutbacks Continued from page 1
Justice Anne Mactavish called the government cuts “cruel and unusual’’ treatment. The reduced medical benefits for newcomers left most with basic and essential care, but without supplementals such as vision and dental care. Meanwhile rejected refugee claimants, or those from countries deemed safe by the government, can only receive health care if they pose a threat to public health. In Mactavish’s ruling, she determined that this violates a section of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and also stated that the categories create two different tiers of health care for refugees. The ruling—which the government has said it plans to appeal - was suspended for four months. Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander cited taxpayer interests as one of the reasons why the government will appeal, adding that refugee claimants can access health care through other programs. At the roundtable discussion, Liberal immigration critic John McCallum said the July 4 decision acts in the interest of “basic human decency.’’ He called the Tories’ economic justification for the cuts “irrational.’’ “They are actually costing the taxpayer money because of forcing people to go into emergency health care,’’ he said. Rico-Martinez, 56, who fled El Salvador with his wife and children in 1990 and was granted refugee status in Canada, said the national narrative surrounding refugees is changing, evidenced by the federal government’s focus on costsaving measures. “The cuts affect me directly, personally, because I’ve experienced what Canada was 24 years ago and what it’s becoming,’’ he said, adding that the cutbacks make him frustrated. “I feel even angry sometimes.’’ Rico-Martinez, who was trained as a lawyer in El Salvador, said he previously worked with internally-displaced peoples in El Salvador and noticed the stark contrast in social services when he arrived in Canada. “The system here was amazing,’’ he said, adding that education, housing and health care were all within reach upon entering the country. But it’s a different reality for refugees arriving in Canada now, he said.
Ilamaran Nagarasa, 37, fled Sri Lanka in 2009 by making his way to Thailand and taking a harrowing 45-day ocean voyage to Victoria. “At one time, I was thinking of ending my life and jumping into the sea,’’ he said, adding that it was “a journey without a map.’’ “One day we saw the Canadian airplane with a maple leaf,’’ he said. Nagarasa, who was a journalist in Sri Lanka, said he was finally granted refugee status last year, but his wife and 10-yearold daughter are still in Sri Lanka. He spoke to the difficulties of navigating the health-care system, having paid out-of-pocket for health care until 2011 when he was accepted into the Interim Federal Health Program, which provides limited, temporary coverage for certain people who aren’t eligible for provincial or territorial health insurance. Last year Nagarasa said he was granted a provincial health card. “Myself, I can say this is not Canada, the Canada that respects all human rights law,’’ he said. “If people are coming to Canada as refugees, they don’t have any support.’’ Ayan Yusuf works at the Community Action Resource Centre, where she helps new refugees to Canada settle and navigate the system. She said she has clients who are unable to access services, and a lack of health care will hinder someone’s ability to build a life, seek employment and find housing. Yusuf said one of her current clients is diabetic and without treatment, working is difficult. “He needs to see a doctor, a specialist,’’ she said, adding that he receives no health-care coverage. Yusuf, who arrived in Canada more than two decades ago as a Somali refugee, said the health-care cuts are just one layer of the problem. “What’s the use of bringing someone here, and saying, OK this is Canada, enjoy it?’’ she said. “This person doesn’t know how to speak English, fill out an application, go to legal aid, find housing. “The sad thing is we’re not talking about individuals, we’re talking about families.’’ A Liberal spokeswoman said the party plans to host more roundtable discussions across the country to solicit feedback on refugee health-care issues.
World
Ottawa Star • August 1, 2014
Iraqi lawmakers elect moderate Kurdish politician as country’s new president By Qassim Abdul-Zahra and Sinan Salaheddin, The Associated Press
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AGHDAD—Iraqi lawmakers elected a veteran Kurdish politician as the nation’s new president on Thursday, hours after an attack on a prison convoy killed dozens of people, brutally underscoring the challenges faced by the country’s leaders as they struggle to form a new government. The 76-year-old Fouad Massoum, one of the founders of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party led by Iraq’s previous President Jalal Talabani, accepted the mostly ceremonial position after winning two-thirds of the votes in parliament, noting the “huge security, political and economic tasks’’ facing the next government. Massoum’s election comes as Iraq is facing its worst crisis since the 2011 withdrawal of U.S. troops amid the blitz offensive last month by al-Qaida breakaway Islamic State group that captured large swaths of land in the country’s west and north, including Iraq’s second largest city of Mosul. The militants have also seized a huge chunk of territory straddling the Iraq-Syria border, and have declared a self-styled caliphate in the territory they control. Iraq’s large, U.S.-trained and equipped military melted away in the face of the militant onslaught, sapping morale and public confidence in its ability to stem the tide, let alone claw back lost turf. The vote for president—a post previously held by ailing Kurdish leader Talabani—is widely viewed as a step toward achieving consensus among political rivals, seen as necessary for tackling the deteriorating security crisis. Massoum is considered a soft-spoken moderate, known for keeping good relations with Sunni and Shiite Arab politicians. He was born in what is now the Kurdish regional capital of Irbil in 1938. He entered politics when he was 16 years old, taking part in Kurdish-organized demonstrations. He joined the Kurdistan Democratic Party in 1964. From 1973 to 1975, he was the Cairo representative of Kurdish rebels battling the Arab-dominated government in Baghdad, then went on to establish the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan with six other Kurdish politicians, including Talabani. The next step in Iraq’s political transition will be for Massoum, who has already officially assumed the title of president, to select a candidate for prime minister to try to form a new government. Salim al-Jabouri, Iraq’s new speaker of parliament, said at a press confer-
ence following the vote that Massoum should “use his constitutional powers to choose a candidate (for prime minister) from the largest political bloc.’’
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s bloc won the most seats in April elections, but he has faced mounting pressure to step aside, with critics accusing
www.OttawaStar.com • PAGE 13 him of monopolizing power and alienating the country’s Sunni and Kurdish minorities, contributing to the latest unrest. Al-Maliki has however vowed to remain in the post he has held since 2006. Under an unofficial agreement dating back to the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, the presidency is held by a Kurd while the prime minister is Shiite and the parliament speaker is Sunni.
Indian retirement community in the US joins growing world of niche developments for seniors By Mike Schneider, The Associated Press
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AVARES, Florida—When Arun and Usha Pancholi were deciding where to spend their retirement years, they wanted a place that combined the culture and camaraderie of life in India with the comforts and conveniences they had grown accustomed to after nearly five decades in Minnesota and Ohio. They found both at central Florida’s ShantiNiketan, the first retirement community in the United States catering to people born in India. ShantiNiketan— Hindi for “House of Peace’’—is one of a number of growing niche retirement communities aimed at people of specific ethnic backgrounds, hobbies or college allegiances. “It is the best of both worlds,’’ said Arun Pancholi, 72, who retired with his 72-year-old wife from Columbus Ohio. “We would like to go back to India but we are so used to this life, we’re spoiled. We like football, beer and apple pie.’’ Niche retirement communities are growing particularly popular as the 76 million baby boomers—a generation accustomed to moulding traditional institutions in their image—are reaching retirement age. The mass-market retirement communities like Florida’s The Villages, Arizona’s Sun City and California’s Leisure World—popular with previous generations—will be competing with smaller, targeted developments, said Dan Owens, director of the National Active Retirement Association. “They are demanding more choices. They have more money. They’re not content with the status quo,’’ Owens said. ShantiNiketan’s opening was timed for the retirement of a major wave of Indian immigrants who came to the United States in the 1960s and 1970s, said Jeffrey Ignatius, president of the company that built the community about 35 miles from Walt Disney World. The idea for the resort was born
after Ignatius’ father, who immigrated from around Chennai in southern India, couldn’t find an Indian-themed development for his own retirement. So he built one. A clubhouse in the centre of the condos holds a dining room, kitchen, a worship room with an enormous shrine holding icons of Hindu gods Shiva and Ganesh and an exercise room. The dining room serves dishes such as toor dal and chola masala, and on weekends hosts karaoke. In their homes, residents get 20 Indian channels on cable TV, and outside is a community garden filled with marigolds and tomatoes. Hindu holidays are celebrated with parades and prayer services. Most of the residents are Hindus, although there are also Muslims and Christians. Some residents choose ShantiNiketan for the comfort of being with people familiar with their foods, languages and religious tradition. Others seek a Hindu-oriented spiritual life rare in a traditional U.S. retirement community. The first phase of 54 one-story condos, with Spanish tiled roofs and stucco walls, is almost sold out, and a second phase of almost 120 units is under construction. An assisted living facility also will be built, and a similar community is being planned in New Jersey, which has the largest concentration of Indians in the United States. For Manu Nayak, ShantiNiketan offered a welcoming environment where neighbours would feel like family. Two-bedroom condos typically sell for $200,000. “There is nothing to hide,’’ said Nayak, 75, a former Verizon communications manager from New Jersey. “You get intimate friendships here that you wouldn’t get at another community.’’ Ram and Geeta Chandran were quite assimilated to American life, living in Newport News, Virginia, for decades. Ram Chandran, 75, was a manager for a Swiss-owned manufacturer, and Geeta Chandran was a teaching physician.
Most of their friends were either U.S.born or Swiss. When they retired three years ago, they initially put a deposit down in a traditional U.S. retirement community in Newport News. But they heard about ShantiNiketan from a friend and chose to live there because of the opportunity to be with others from a similar background. “We have common things to talk about. We understand each other a lot better,’’ said Geeta Chandran. When she visited the Virginia retirement community, other residents asked her repeatedly about India and Indian culture, she said. “Here I don’t have to answer any questions. Everybody knows everything.’’ The Chandrans, who moved from Mumbai to the United States as young adults, said they’ve learned about the many diverse cultures spread across India by living in ShantiNiketan. “I never knew so many of the festivals they celebrate,’’ Ram Chandran said. He has taken up leading religious chanting in a room in the clubhouse used as a Hindu temple and also teaches yoga at the clubhouse. Geeta Chandran has jumped into planning the holiday festivities and the karaoke nights, but she misses having U.S.-born friends in her primary social circle. The major downsizing involved in moving from a five-bedroom home near Edison, N.J. to a two-bedroom condo at ShantiNiketan wasn’t a problem for Arvind Patel, 73, and his 69-year-old wife, Ranu. Arvind Patel, a former electrical engineer, said they’re now in the “fourth phase’’ of their lives—past childhood, schooling and raising a family—when they want to concentrate on spiritual matters not material goods. In the centre of their home is a large shrine with multicolored pictures and icons of Indian gods. Pictures of the blue-faced god-child Krishna adorn the home’s walls. “The last phase is when you grow spiritually,’’ Patel said.
World
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Ottawa Star • August 1, 2014
From overflowing caseloads to wait times 5 things to know about US immigration Courts By The Associated Press
A
n overlooked element in the immigration debate is the U.S. Immigration Court system, where many of the newly arrived migrants will have their cases resolved. Here are key facts about the court system and its struggles: Overflowing Caseload The number of immigrants with cases before the immigration courts has jumped 7 per cent since October to more than 375,000, the agency’s highest caseload to date. The number of cases before the immigration courts rose by 23,000 during the previous fiscal year.
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Wait Times The average time a pending case has been before the immigration courts is now 587 days, which is about 19 months, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University. Immigration lawyers say getting a hearing can take much longer than that. For example, in Los Angeles, the average time a case has been before the immigration court is more than two years, data show.
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Deportation Versus Relief Immigration judges decided more than 140,000 initial cases during the 2013 fiscal year, which doesn’t include cases reopened or returned on appeal. More than two-thirds of the immigrants were ordered deported, while about 17 per cent qualified for relief. Four years earlier, about 82 per cent of the initial cases decided by the courts ended in deportation, according to agency statistics. Nationalities The top five countries of origin of immigrants with initial cases decided by the court during the 2013 fiscal year were Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and China, according to the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review.
Bus brings showers to San Francisco homeless Offering ‘something so simple and yet so vital By Haven Daley, The Associated Press
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Court Locations The country has 59 immigration courts overseen by the U.S. Department of Justice. Some are inside detention centres, while others deal with immigrants who are not detained. The states with the biggest immigration caseloads are California, New York and Texas.
SAN FRANCISCO—A non-profit group is taking a novel approach to helping the homeless in San Francisco with a new bus that allows them to take a shower. The former public transit bus has been outfitted with two full private bathrooms and offers hot showers, clean toilets, shampoo, soap and towels free of charge. The founder of the non-profit Lava Mae mobile shower bus said she wanted to return a sense of dignity to those living on the streets. “If you’re homeless, you’re living on the streets and you’re filthy, you’re trying to improve your circumstances, but you can’t interview for a job, you can’t apply for housing and you get disconnected from your sense of humanity,’’ Doniece Sandoval said. “So a shower just in of itself is amazing for people.’’ Lava Mae says the bus is mobile, allowing it to reach homeless people scattered throughout the city. And having a facility on wheels eliminates the potential for rent hikes and evictions in a city with high real estate prices. A homeless survey in 2013 counted more than 6,400 homeless people in San Francisco. San Francisco officials are testing a similar mobile toilet program in the struggling Tenderloin district, where complaints about human waste are common. The toilets will be available at three loca-
tions from 2 p.m. through 9 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and then removed and taken off site to be cleaned, the city’s public works department said. The $75,000 cost to refurbish the Lava Mae bus was provided by private donations, including from technology giant Google, whose employee buses in San Francisco have attracted protesters who view them as a symbol of economic inequality and gentrification. The city allows Lava Mae to use nearby fire hydrants for water. Ralph Brown, a 55-year-old military veteran who has been homeless for about a year, took a shower aboard Lava Mae’s bus on its first day of service last month. It was his first shower in several days. “When people move away from you on the bus, it’s time to take a shower,’’ he said. Some homeless shelters in the city have showers, but they can have long waits. The Lava Mae bus also provides relaxing music. “Being inside there is kind of a trip because it’s pretty high-tech and kind of ingenious,’’ he said. “Basically I just feel a lot better.’’ Sandoval said that’s the reaction she sees from many of the people who use the bus. “Their faces are just beaming,’’ she said. They’re so incredibly grateful. It’s a great feeling to just be able to offer people something so simple and yet so vital,” she said. For now, the bus will be parked every Saturday in San Francisco’s Mission District, but Lava Mae hopes to have additional buses in the city in the coming years.
Ottawa Star • August 1, 2014
World
www.OttawaStar.com • PAGE 15
5 centuries after expulsion, Sephardic Jews attracted by Spanish citizenship offer that either faced expulsion, conversion to Catholicism or death at the stake during the Inquisition. Barrocas, 63, only visited Spain once—in 1982—but a Spanish passport would make official what he has always felt. “I love Spain because my roots are there,’’ said the Miami resident, who is a U.S. citizen. Worldwide, there are an estimated 3 million Jews of Spanish origin. They are known as Sephardic Jews, for the Hebrew word for Spain, though some Sephardic Jews’ ancestors herald from other nearby countries or North Africa. The Spanish government expects most of the new applications to come from Israel, where crowds have lined up outside the Spanish Embassy and consulate to request more information, or from Turkey and Venezuela, home to large Sephardic communities. Many Sephardic Jews in Miami and New York have directed queries to organizations like the American Jewish Committee, which the Spanish government consulted during the drafting of the bill.
“There is a lot of interest,’’ said Dina Siegel Vann, director of the committee’s Latino and Latin American Institute. For many Sephardic Jews in the United States, the draw of Spanish citizenship is mainly symbolic, though it would give them access to residency and jobs across the European Union, she said. Sara Slomianski, a 49-year old housewife of Mexican origin who lives in Miami, said she is content with her U.S. citizenship, but her sister in Mexico is considering applying so she could move to Europe in search of a better life. Most of the United States’ roughly 5.5 million Jews are of Central and Eastern European heritage, but as many as 300,000 have Sephardic roots. Many descended from Jews who fled from Spain to North Africa, the Middle East or other European countries and centuries later moved to the New World. Over the centuries, Sephardic Jews scattered in communities around the world have preserved their distinct language, prayers, songs and traditions. In congregations such as Temple Moses, in Miami Beach, members pray and sing in Ladino.
Abraham Lavender, a Florida International University professor of sociology and Judaic studies, said the emotional attachment many Sephardic Jews have with Spain has defied the passing of time. “It’s almost like a lingering love that hasn’t been fulfilled,’’ he said. According to Spain’s bill, to be eligible for dual citizenship, applicants will also have to take a Spanish culture test and have their ancient ties to the nation vetted by experts. The Spanish government is expecting a massive response, according to reports in the Spanish news media. Jonatas Da Silva, 33, a Brazilian artist who migrated to the United States 20 years ago and is in the process of obtaining U.S. citizenship, says he has no plans to move to Spain but will apply for Spanish citizenship because it has a sentimental value for him. Da Silva, who lives in Miami, has researched his family history and its journey over the centuries from Spain to Portugal, Germany and Brazil. “It took me 16 years to find out about my past. I do have pride in my link to Spain,’’ he said.
US communities diverge on response to unaccompanied child migrants
have used demonstrations and graffiti to make their point. South of Houston, the town of League City passed a resolution refusing any request—should one ever come from the federal government—to set up detention or processing centres there, citing “health concerns.’’ A group of Southeast Texas mayors said they support a bill proposed by U.S. Rep. Peter Olson that would give local communities 90 days to assess any federal request to house unaccompanied children who have illegally crossed into the U.S. A congressman from Nebraska introduced similar legislation. Federal law will likely pre-empt these efforts, but they remain a forceful expression of hostility toward the idea of temporary shelter for the migrants. Americans for Legal Immigration, a political action committee classified by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group, has helped organize nearly 300 demonstrations for this weekend. Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad has said offering shelter sends a false signal that people who enter the country illegally are welcome. Back in Dallas County, Jenkins’ proposal has elicited hundreds of critical voice messages and emails. Gina Perkins of Grand Prairie, Texas, left a message protesting the use of a vacant school building as a shelter. “I vehemently oppose providing anything but a ticket home to these illegals,’’ she said.
By Fernando Peinado, The Associated Press
M
IAMI—Elias Barrocas grew up thinking of Spain as a beloved ancestral home, but one that painfully rejected his Jewish family five centuries ago. Now, he is waiting expectantly for a long overdue homecoming. The Spanish government presented a bill last month that would grant citizenship to Jews forced into exile from Spain by the Inquisition in 1492. The plan, expected to pass easily in Parliament, aims to right a past wrong and honour the loyalty of communities that “do not hold a grudge’’ against a country that forgot them, according to the bill. For Barrocas and many other American Jews of Spanish descent the emotional link with the Spain of their forefathers was never broken. His parents first taught him Ladino, a language spoken by the expelled Jewish communities that was derived from Old Spanish. He sang Ladino songs, observed traditions passed on for generations and heard stories of a people
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“These are just like your and my children, except that they’re scared and they’re dirty and they’re tired and they’re terrified,’’ Jenkins said. “We can take some pressure off those border troops and let them get out of the childcare business and back into the border security business.’’ More than 57,000 unaccompanied children have been apprehended since October, the Border Patrol says. Threefourths of them are from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, and say they are fleeing pervasive gang violence and crushing poverty. By the time they have reached South Texas, they have survived a treacherous journey through drug-war-torn Mexico. President Barack Obama has asked Congress to authorize $3.7 billion in emergency spending to increase enforcement at the border, build more facilities to temporarily house the unaccompanied minors, and beef up legal aid. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest has said the government will entitle due process but will not guarantee a “welcome to this country with open arms.’’
In the meantime, from California to Massachusetts, communities are offering to build or rehab facilities to take in child migrants until they connect with relatives, plea asylum cases or enter into foster care. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for ensuring one of those three outcomes before it deports any minor. Demonstrators in Murrieta, California, made national headlines for their strong opposition to the child migrants. But while protesters frustrated efforts to process immigrant families there, other California communities have been encouraging agencies to build shelters and start programs to assist unaccompanied children caught crossing the border. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has been working with federal officials and local nonprofits to try to provide shelter and legal representation for the children, noting that many are likely planning to reunite with their parents. In San Francisco, county officials are also looking at ways to help provide medical, mental health, educational and legal services once the children are released from federal custody.
Thousands of miles from where the children are entering the country, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick said Friday that HHS officials will review Camp Edwards military base on Cape Cod and Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee to see if either is suitable for holding as many as 1,000 children. And Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner wrote in a letter to Obama that her city would “welcome the opportunity to provide shelter’’ as part of a loose network of U.S. cities that have traditionally taken in and resettled refugees. “We’re not telling the political leaders how they long-term resolve the crisis,’’ said Rich Eychaner, the founder and director of an eponymous non-profit aiming to find foster homes in Iowa for 1,000 migrant children. “We’re simply saying there are a lot of resources, there are a lot of big hearts, there are a lot of big homes in Iowa, and we have space, and we have the capacity to do this.’’ In other communities, however, leaders are showing their opposition by passing ordinances and sponsoring legislation. In Michigan, Maryland and Murrieta, California, protesters