CitizenSugar -- Breaking News, Together.

Front Page: US Unemployment Rate Jumps to 6.7%

CitizenSugar — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:00:10 -0800

The US jobless rate spiked to 6.7 percent in November, marking the 11th straight month of job loss and the greatest since 1974.— New York Times
Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper successfully suspended Parliament yesterday, avoiding his ousting by the opposition party. In an unprecedented move, Governor General Michaelle Jean, Queen Elizabeth's representative to Canada, agreed to shut down Parliament until Jan. 26. — Reuters

OJ Simpson faces six years to life in prison for his felony kidnapping, armed robbery, and conspiracy convictions. He will be sentenced today in Nevada, and prosecutors have recommended an 18-year sentence. — Reuters
Armed robbers dressed in drag stole $102 million worth of jewels in Paris yesterday from the Harry Winston store. — BBC News

Obese Air Travelers in Canada Have Right to Free Seat

LibertySugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:30:34 -0800

As a tall woman, I am relieved when the seat next to me on a flight ends up empty, since the space I paid for is painfully too small. As of today, obese people flying Canadian airlines officially have a right to that extra seat, at no extra cost.

The Supreme Court of Canada declined to hear airline objections to the Canadian Transportation Agency's regulation that states that people "functionally disabled by obesity" do not have to pay for an extra seat.

Earlier this year the agency implemented the nondiscrimination "one-person-one-fare" policy because those with severe disabilities had limited traveling opportunities due to the doubled price of travel. Do you think the decision is a blow against discrimination, or the beginning of a slippery slope for troubled airlines?

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Phone Jammers Cut Annoying Chatter and Police Life Lines

LibertySugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:30:00 -0800

Can you hear me now? Probably not, if someone around you has a cell phone jammer, devices that block reception within 10 meters. The discreet gadgets are gaining popularity among theater and restaurant owners, subway riders, and others trying to silence annoying people who talk on the their cell phones in public.

Last month, Canadian police were caught in a jam on a dark highway, when they pulled over suspects carrying a jammer that rendered their radios silent. Luckily, they seized the device, and soon an official warning went out to all Canadian police. In the US first-time offenders can be fined up to $11,000. In addition, the jamming party can be charged with theft, as the airways belong to the companies that purchased them.

The idea of anyone, especially police, entering a dead zone frightens me, but I understand the frustration with obnoxious cell phone chatting. Maybe more countries can start passing cell phone bans, similar to those seen (and not heard) on France's railway or Austria's public transit, while keeping the jammers away from the bad guys.

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States, Provinces to Cap and Trade Sans Federal Governments

LibertySugar — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:00:00 -0700

Seven western US states and four Canadian provinces have agreed to cut greenhouse-gas emissions by 15 percent before 2020. Proud of the Western Climate Initiative, Republican California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger asserted:

We’re sending a strong message to our federal governments that states and provinces are moving forward in the absence of federal action, and we’re setting the stage for national programs that are just as aggressive.

So how will Arizona, California, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec curb climate change? To find out,

Total Solar Eclipse Passes Canada, Russia, Welcomes Olympics in China

LibertySugar — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 12:15:11 -0700

Canada, Russia, and China saw a total solar eclipse today. The moon passed directly between Earth and the sun, revealing the breathtaking outer atmosphere of the sun, which is made up of super-heated gases. Other locations saw a partial eclipse. The Chinese consider eclipses bad luck; in ancient times they believed that a dragon or dog was swallowing the sun. But the Chinese media dubbed this one the "Olympic eclipse" and broadcasted the astrological event live on national television. Thousands of people watched the eclipse the old-fashioned way, too, by going outside. In Novosibirsk, Russia, 10,000 tourists came to the city to witness it, securing hotels months before. We cannot usually see the outer-atmosphere of the sun, called the corona, because the sun's light is too bright. Check out these stunning pictures of one of nature's most beautiful phenomenas.

Everyday Canadians Get High on Marijuana Profits

LibertySugar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:30:43 -0700

A booming business in Canada's British Columbia allows entrepreneurs to rake in $80,000 a year tax-free while keeping their day jobs. So what's the magic product? Marijuana, of course!

Owners of British Columbia's 20,000 illegal cannabis grow-ops, set up in residential homes, collect high profits, but unlike typical organized-crime marijuana growers, BC's middle class wants in too.

Just like Mary-Louise Parker's character in Weeds, the extra cash helps these otherwise normal people maintain a middle-class life style. Cultivators spend the cannabis cash on college tuition, second homes, cars, or a vacation. Not surprisingly these criminals want Canada to legalize marijuana.

Opponents say the drug is dangerous, especially for youth. Either way, it seems the pot is here to stay — the profitable industry is far too expansive for BC authorities to seriously stop it. Perhaps this is the way laws change — the people assert their right, making authorities impotent. If the drug does become legal, BC's neighbor, American law enforcement, will surely stare angrily at the border. But I bet others wouldn't mind a North American Amsterdam!

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Au Revoir, Sanctuary: Canada Deports US Iraq War Deserter

CitizenSugar — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:00:41 -0700

US Army deserter, Robin Long, fled to Canada in 2005 to avoid serving in Iraq. Yesterday, Long was deported back to the US, the first time a resister to the US war effort in Iraq has been sent home by Canadian authorities. Long claims that he fled to avoid participation in an "illegal war of aggression in Iraq."

The judge who heard his case this week, ruled that Long couldn't provide clear evidence he would suffer irreparable harm if he was sent back to the United States. Though Long was sent home, in another deportation case last week the Federal Court blocked the deportation of National Guard Sgt. Corey Glass, 25, who also refused redeployment to Iraq, while it decides whether to hear his case.

Both Long and Glass are part of a group of about 200 American deserters thought to have crossed the northern border to avoid service in Iraq. To this point, Canadian immigration officials and courts have refused to grant them refugee status, with Prime Minister Harper's consent; he's ignored a nonbinding House of Commons motion that would allow the deserters to stay.

To see how this case compares to Vietnam, and the opposition to granting refugee status,

Should We Separate Hate Speech From Freedom of Speech?

CitizenSugar — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:15:24 -0700

If a Canadian magazine publishes an article about the threat Islam places on Western values in a mocking or biting tone — but not any different from what people read on the Internet — is the reaction any different in Canada than it is in the US? Yes. The magazine that published the critical article is now facing trial to decide if it violated a provincial hate-speech law. The battle between what is hate speech and what is free is complicated in Canada. In the US the debate has been settled. The First Amendment allows the media to say anything about minority groups and religions — even false, provocative, or hateful things — without legal consequences.Speech laws in Canada stem from a desire to promote societal harmony. A Canadian human rights commissioner said of the article, "in Canada, the right to freedom of expression is not absolute, nor should it be. By portraying Muslims as all sharing the same negative characteristics, including being a threat to "the West," this explicit expression of Islamophobia further perpetuates and promotes prejudice toward Muslims and others."One of the article's authors says, "what we're learning here is really the bedrock difference between the United States and the countries that are in a broad sense its legal cousins. Western governments are becoming increasingly comfortable with the regulation of opinion. The First Amendment really does distinguish the US, not just from Canada but from the rest of the Western world."Is regulation for the sake of harmony a good idea? Should there be a line drawn between hate speech and free speech? Source

Should We Separate Hate Speech From Freedom of Speech?

Absolutely. Unrestricted free speech that's hateful can lead to unrest and persecution.

No! The beauty of free speech is just that. It's completely unrestricted and should be.

Other. I'd like the freedom to express myself in the comments.

Front Page: Iran Declares Victory, US Strike Angers Pakistan, Canada Apologizes

CitizenSugar — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 07:00:58 -0700

Iran Declares Victory: Meeting with leaders during his European farewell tour, President Bush won support yesterday to consider additional punitive sanctions against Iran if they reject an offer of incentives to suspend its uranium enrichment program. The European-backed punishment includes restrictions on its banks. Britain, France and Germany are at the forefront of European diplomacy on Iran, and Bush is seeking their support of stronger UN sanctions. Meanwhile in Iran, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad voiced defiance against pressure to suspend the program, declaring victory in a televised speech saying, "with God's help today (the Iranian nation) have gained victory and the enemies cannot do a damned thing."

US Strike Angers Pakistan: Following a US-led operation in Pakistan against the Taliban that ended up killing 11 Pakistani troops along with 8 Taliban militants, Pakistan's military has condemned the air strike as a "cowardly attack". Details of the incident on the border with Afghanistan are still unclear but it comes amid rising tensions between the US and Pakistan militaries. The soldiers' deaths occurred overnight at a border post in one of Pakistan's tribal areas. A Pakistani spokesman said the attack "hit at the very basis of cooperation and sacrifice with which Pakistani soldiers are supporting the coalition in war against terror"
Canada Apologizes: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is delivering a public apology in Parliament today to more than 80,000 students of Canadian Natives who were taken from their parents and sent to state schools. Similar to the apology made to Australia's aboriginal population, Aboriginal Canadians will get their apology, one that Harper says, they "have been waiting a very long time to hear." The Canadian act of contrition comes with compensation as well, part of a lawsuit settlement.

Blame Canada? Should Military Deserters Be Deported?

CitizenSugar — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:45:41 -0700

A BBC feature today tells the story of a US National Guardsman who deserted to Canada after being deployed to Iraq. As Canada prepares to deport him to face trial in the US, Corey Glass is arguing he should be allowed to stay.According to Glass, when he joined the Indiana National Guard, he was told that he would perform humanitarian work filling sandbags in the event of a hurricane — not required to serve in combat unless there were troops occupying the US — instead, he was sent to gather intelligence in Iraq. As he began to realize the repercussions of the American lead occupation, Glass wanted out. While on leave, he fled to Toronto where he is now asking for political asylum. However, he still faces deportation to the US, a move that will most likely land him in prison for deserting his obligations to the military.Glass said: I should have been in New Orleans after Katrina, not in Iraq. I believe the Iraq War is illegal and morally wrong. I believe I have a duty to refuse to take part in a war not sanctioned by the United Nations, started on the basis of lies.

Canada has passed a motion stating the Canadian government will accept conscientious objectors from the United States and allow them permanent resident status. They have also asked all deportation proceedings against soldiers currently living in their country cease, though this may not apply to Glass. The editor of the paper that ran Glass' plea said, "does Canada really want to cast itself as the protector of fair-weather American soldiers fleeing their duty?" He sums up his thoughts like this: Six years ago, Corey Glass picked the wrong career. Three years ago, he picked an illegal way to abandon it. It's time for this ex-soldier to go home and pay the price for what he's done.

Do you agree? Should Glass be deported and put on trial, or should Canada be a refuge from militarism?Source

Blame Canada? Should Military Deserters Be Deported?

No contest. Canada should deport him and make him stand trial.

The government is trying to make it easier for objectors, he deserves fair treatment.

He's objecting on fair grounds — he was misled. Canada should not deport him.

Other. I'll tell you in the comments.

Somebody Watching You? Peeping Toms Lurking Everywhere!

LibertySugar — Tue, 13 May 2008 11:00:57 -0700

Citizens all over the world are not safe from Peeping Toms. Venice police just caught a man who had photographed the backsides of over 3,000 women, as they strolled around San Marco square. The man tailed the women wearing short skirts, carrying a bag with a camera, and filming their tails through a small hole in the bag.

Apparently, the Peeping Tom wasn't who you would imagine — authorities say he is a working professional with two young children and a wife. The man faces six months to four years in prison. The Venice case might be the tip of a Peeping-Tom trend. To see who else has been sneaking around,

Energy-Conscious Homeowners Hung Out to Dry

LibertySugar — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:00:20 -0700

People across the world are again drying their clothes on clothes lines, as a way to cut energy costs and contribute to conservation. According to the New York Times, some of these savvy washers are finding themselves on the wrong side of the law.

Places like Ontario, Canada, still ban clotheslines, which can be an eyesore in affluent communities. When families purchase their homes, the restriction is attached to their deeds, as a result of long-standing neighborhood covenants. (In fact, my lease bans me from hanging clothes outside!) But, the aesthetic security is not doing much for environmental or financial security.

No one has figured out a way to make machine clothes dryers more energy efficient. In the meantime, bans on outdoor drying are common in Europe and North America as a way to preserve the quality of neighborhoods. This is quite the dilemma for residents who want a clear green conscience, but aren't exactly prepared to see property values slide.

Are you re-evaluating your drying habits? Would you participate in this act of civil disobedience, if it meant saving money and the planet? Are you prepared to stare at your neighbors underwear drying in the wind?

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Canada Wants More Immigrants

LibertySugar — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 03:00:00 -0700

Canada's immigration policy attracted a record number of foreigners, in an attempt to address labor shortages. Last year 429,649 immigrants moved to Canada. Unlike their southern neighbors, Canadians appear less afraid of international outsiders taking their jobs.

Needing more workers, Canada's government is trying to speed up the permanent resident process. Currently, 900,000 applicants are backlogged, some waiting up to six years.

Unlike in the US, where immigration rhetoric and policy can make or break a politician, immigration holds a less rousing place in Canadian politics. Still, describing Canada's labor shortage is a tricky task. There is a debate surrounding whether Canada is actually short in low-skilled labor.

Do you think citizens are more likely to welcome educated professionals, rather than low-skilled foreigners? If Canadians don't want to take unpleasant low-skilled jobs, should employers push to hire foreigners, or raise wages to attract natives, remembering that the price of goods may rise with wages?

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Take Me to Your Leader: Canada

LibertySugar — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 13:00:00 -0700

Stephen Harper, 48, leads Canada as its prime minister and head of the Conservative Party he co-founded in 2003. His election marked the end of 12 years Liberal Party rule.

Recently newsworthy for its involvement in "NAFTA-gate," Harper's administration was accused of leaking a memo that summarized private statements by an Obama adviser that the Senator's private position on NAFTA differed from his public position. Harper has denounced such meddling in the US election as unfair and most likely illegal.

Born in Toronto, Harper is the the first Canadian Prime Minister since 1968 not to attend law school. Known for policy over pizazz, Harper quickly accomplished campaign promises after being elected to run the minority government. A supporter of the unpopular Canadian effort in Afghanistan, Harper appointed a nonpartisan committee to evaluate the mission. Canada's slow growth is perhaps the greatest challenge facing the prime minister. Hopefully his bachelor and master degrees in economics will prove useful.

The opposition has been aching to push the Conservatives out of power, and recent Conservative Party scandals may give them their opportunity. Recently opposition leader Jack Layton called Prime Minister Harper a tool of the US Republican Party . . . to his face . . . on the floor of Parliament. Parliamentary democracies are great, eh? To see video

Check This: Canada Puts US on Torture List

LibertySugar — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:00:35 -0800

A new Canadian manual warns diplomats that prisoners in the US are at risk of torture. The internal document also cites Afghanistan, China, Iran, and Israel on the same torture list.

According to the BBC:

The manual lists US interrogation techniques such as forced nudity, isolation, sleep deprivation, and the blindfolding of prisoners under "definition of torture."

The US detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, where a Canadian is being held, is also mentioned.

On Saturday, Canada's foreign affairs minister Maxime Bernier called the document "wrong" and stated:

I regret the embarrassment caused by the public disclosure of the manual used in the department’s torture awareness training. It contains a list that wrongly includes some of our closest allies. I have directed that the manual be reviewed and rewritten.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, the US government has been under international and domestic scrutiny for its interrogation practices, often being accused of torture. I find this latest charge especially worrisome, since it was leveled for practical and not political reasons. America should do everything it can to show that it is well within long-accepted standards of international law.
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