‘I feel more emboldened’ By Michael Lashley I speak of the opportunity and the freedom to assume the rights and responsibilities of Canadian citizenship. As of Wednesday, April 8, 2015, I can fully share in the spirit of a caring society whose commitment to respect for the fundamental rights of all its citizens and residents […]
We have no idea what Haroon Saddiqui plans to do with his time and his talents, now that he has retired from his well-served vocation as a leading columnist and commentator at the Toronto Star. On the other hand, we are convinced that he has been faithful to that vocation during his 17 years at […]
By Sukhram Ramkissoon A 65-year-old Trinidadian has succeeded in Federal Court in having a negative decision with respect to an application for a Temporary Resident Visa (visitor’s visa) and authorization to return to Canada. While this decision is of public record and I can mention his real name, it is not my practice to do […]
By Michael Lashley “We invite people to live intentionally, in a generative, thoughtful way, and we give them a bunch of tools.” (Dave Evans, Stanford University) Thanks to the intervention of my friend Richard de Lima, I have found yet another example of practical solutions to the challenges we face at all stages of our […]
The case of the Germanwings co-pilot reminds us of the important ethical challenge of deciding when public safety should override the fundamental right of any person to keep their medical information confidential. In this specific instance, it is being alleged the co-pilot purposely took exclusive control of the plane, kept the captain locked out of […]
By Sukhram Ramkissoon A policeman and his fiancé from a small Caribbean island were recently successful in having the Federal Court set aside a negative refugee claim decision by the Immigration and Refugee Board. A new hearing was ordered. The male applicant was a police officer in one of the small islands and the female […]
Following large student demonstrations (100 students arrested) against radical austerity measures by the Quebec Liberal government, Nora Loreto writes: By Nora Loreto What do you call 550 words strung together through unconnected events from three different countries that span a half-decade and that begin with the boring and derivative announcement “Here we go again”? A […]
Right here in Canada, even Conservative analysts are having serious doubts as to whether Prime Minister Stephen Harper has crossed the line in his most recent anti-Muslim tirades. Is he genuinely being an extremist in his intolerance of Islam, Muslims and what he sees as Muslim culture? Or is he being simply an opportunist by […]
By Sukhram Ramkissoon In May 2012 an applicant was advised he was eligible to apply for permanent residence as member of the spouse or common-law partner class in Canada. He was also advised that a final decision would be made after he obtained medical, security and background checks for himself and all family members. He […]
By Michael Lashley Every time I hear about “El Sistema”, I am overcome with joy and pleasant memories of how the power of music so filled and inspired the lives of hundreds of at-risk Venezuelan children that, for them, success became a way of life. This was quite an achievement, since they came from districts […]
