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Canada Moves to Protect Sharks

As published in the Victoria Standard: 31 July 2019

Sharks are making the news, mostly for positive reasons. Recent legislation reinforces a 1994 ban on commercial shark “finning” within Canadian waters by banning the importation of fins for shark fin soup, an Asian delicacy. Shark finning involves the cruel practice of slicing the fins off living sharks before tossing them overboard to die. This legislative change is one of many amendments to the Fisheries Act under Bill C-68 that became law on June 21, 2019.

Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, August/September 2019, pp. 6-7

Letters to the Editor

ISRAEL’S ATTEMPTS TO COURT CANADA’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

Canada Acknowledges Indigenous Genocide

As published in the Victoria Standard: July 3, 2019

Canada’s government has accepted the findings of a $92 million Inquiry into the fate of murdered and vanished Indigenous women and girls. The Inquiry’s 1200 page final report, Reclaiming Power and Place: National Inquiry into Murdered and Missing Aboriginal Girls and Women (MMIWG, required three years of research and consultation. Notably, Prime Minister Trudeau agreed with the report’s declaration that Canada’s historic treatment of Indigenous people amounts to genocide.

Attack Ads Toxic to Democracy

As published in the Victoria Standard: June 5, 2019

Political attack ads have returned to Canada’s airwaves and social media as federal political parties seek to undermine their electoral opponents. In spite of its corrosive effect on public discourse, this ugly tactic has proven consistently successful, particularly for dominant parties who can afford to hire expert advisors.

Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act Long Overdue

As published in the Victoria Standard: May 8, 2019

There is no justification for testing cosmetics on mice, rabbits or other animals. I’ve seen video footage of this cruelty and the unsettling images linger in my memory. Thankfully, some Canadian politicians are prepared to legislate against animal testing in cosmetic research. The law would mainly apply to the importation of animal-tested cosmetics since only a tiny percentage of Canadian animal testing is conducted for non-medical research.

Canada’s Venezuelan Meddling a Pre-election Diversion

As published by the Victoria Standard: April 10, 2019

As a member of the Lima Group, Canada has chosen to interfere in the politics of Venezuela, a troubled but sovereign state. Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland has publicly declared Canada’s intentions regarding so-called democracy promotion.

Remembrance Day: The Guns did not Stop Firing

As published in the Inverness Oran: 13 November 13, 2018

Dear Editor,

Recent Gaza Turmoil: Missing Context

As published in the National Post (National Online Edition): April 3, 2018

HISTORICAL CONTEXT ABSENT FROM GAZA COMMENTARY (AS USUAL)

As published in the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, January/February 2019, pp. 5-7

ECONOMIST CONTENT WITH ISRAELI STATE POLICY

As published in the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, March/April 2019, pp. 6-7

A recent issue of The Economist featured a short opinion piece that mentioned anti-Israel bias at the United Nations Human Rights Council but fails to provide even a glimpse at the historical context that might explain this stance. The author seemed particularly unimpressed with the fact that Israel’s illegal occupation of the West Bank and the Golan Heights continues to be a standing issue on the council’s agenda.