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“The vast majority of the people of Toronto agree with the decision to close the book on the Fantino era and move forward.”
Police union acting prez Al Olsen in a shocker of a statement late Tuesday (July 20) pulling support from efforts to rehire chief Fantino. We agree, but something tells us this is about the union currying favour with the mayor for upcoming contract talks. Whatever.
York U’s dorks in court
Daniel Freeman-Maloy, the student activist expelled by York U prez Lorna Marsden for disrupting classes with a blowhorn, has won a reprieve. A judge ordered a hearing after finding that Freeman-Maloy received no formal complaint about his conduct from York U and was given no opportunity to make any representation on the matter. After invoking a rarely used power to boot Freeman-Maloy, Marsden tried to argue that the expulsion wasn’t arbitrary because the university later ordered a disciplinary hearing. In other words, she tried to cover her tracks.
Tying up Bill
Paul Martin’s no dummy. He knows that handing former foreign affairs minister Bill Graham the defence minister’s job will quiet critics skeptical about Canada’s plans to join U.S. missile defence. Though Graham favours a pact with the Yanks, he does oppose the weaponization of space. But Mr. Bill better have his offices at DND fitted for windows and blinds that can prevent eavesdropping. The cash-happy generals at the Department of National Defence have a way of dispensing with their ministers when they buck the “we need more arms” line. Perhaps that’s what Martin had in mind for lefty Bill all along.
Censoring Al-Jazeera
You’d think Jewish community leaders would want Canadians to have unfettered access to all-news Arab-language television station Al-Jazeera. After all, if the station truly is in the business of promoting hatred against Jews, as they say, what better way to prove it? Instead, Jewish groups like B’nai Brith, which challenged the station’s application to the CRTC and supports restrictions imposed on Al-Jazeera’s licence, come out looking like censors – not to mention unduly antagonistic. What’s there to be afraid of? They get the channel in Israel, right?
Biased ethics counsellor
From the “tell us why we’re not surprised” file comes news that former federal ethics counsellor Howard Wilson lacked the independence to be an unbiased arbiter between cabinet ministers and lobbyists. The finding, made in an Ottawa court last week in a challenge brought by Democracy Watch, quashes four rulings made by Wilson absolving Liberal lobbyists of misconduct. As if we need more confirmation of government corruption.
