Rachel Décoste2013-05-18T23:35:09-04:00Rachel Décostehttp://www.huffingtonpost.ca/author/index.php?author=rachel-decosteCopyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc.HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Rachel DécosteGood old fashioned elbow grease.This Party Scores Dead Last in Diversitytag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.32100252013-05-10T08:44:26-04:002013-05-10T08:45:07-04:00Rachel Décostehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/rachel-decoste/2011 pseudo-long form census data. While the Harper government hacked the process to dilute its reliability and effectiveness, it is still the best self-portrait of Canada we have (for now).
It is interesting to see how the House of Commons' composition reflects the population it is elected to serve in relation to Canada's demographic self-portrait. The electoral map was redrawn as all three major federal political parties* shifted status in the 2011 election. The National Household Survey (NHS) information allows Canadians to see the progress parliament has made towards including these three chronically underrepresented groups: women, aboriginals and visible minorities.
WOMEN: THE WEAKER-REPRESENTED SEX
From about 1993 until 2010, the numbers of women elected to the House of Commons hovered around the 20 per cent mark. Equal Voice, a national organization dedicated to electing more women to all levels of political office, saluted the progress made in the 2011 election. While the fairer sex makes up about half of Canada's population, women take up a quarter of the seats in the House of Commons.
"Equal Voice is pleased to see that women now constitute a quarter of all federal Members of Parliament. This is a historic high. In fact, it is the single largest increase Canada has seen in over a decade," said Donna Dasko, National Chair.
The NDP lead the way with 40 female MPs, or 39 per cent of its successful candidates. The Liberals and the Conservatives lag far behind in the number of women in their roster: at 18 and 17 per cent.
ABORIGINALS: GRADUAL ASCENSION
The percentage of Aboriginals on Canadian soil went from 100 per cent to almost nil over the past 500 years. Since 2006, Aboriginal Canadians have increased their numbers by 20 per cent, now making up 4 per cent of the total Canadian population.
It is the Conservative Party of Canada which leads in Aboriginal MPs, with five in total. The NDP roster boasts two Aboriginal MPs. The Liberal Party has none. As Aboriginals make gains, it is possible the Idle No More movement might result in additional advances in 2015 and beyond.
VISIBLE MINORITIES: MINIMAL GAINS
A 2006 article from Elections Canada's magazine noted that "visible minorities continue to have a relatively limited presence in elite-level politics." The NHS revealed that one out of every five Canadians is a visible minority, an increase of 1.2 million individuals over the 2006 census. In Parliament, only 9 per cent of MPs belong to this group, compared with 19 per cent of Canada's general population.
If we dig a bit deeper, Canadians of South Asian heritage count for 5 per cent of the Canadian population, Canadians of Chinese descent account for 4 per cent, and Black Canadians are 3 per cent. Only South Asian-Canadians have managed to reach a balanced representation in the House of Commons, which speaks to the strength and dexterity of this rich community.
While women and Aboriginals boast national, bilingual, uniting associations to leverage their respective voices from coast to coast, Canada's visible minorities do not. It is unclear if this is a factor in the slow progress they've made in integrating the decision-making tables of Canadian society. Overall, however, it is clear that the Conservatives and NDP caucuses "look" more like Canada than ever. Perhaps it is an ingredient in their respective success.
The Liberal Party of Canada will have a chance to signal a tide turn in the upcoming by-elections in Labrador, where an Aboriginal woman is running, as well as in Bourassa, one of Montreal's most multicultural ridings.
Some say Bourassa, soon-to-be-vacated by the venerable Denis Coderre, will be the Liberal Party's golden opportunity to prove its bad habit of offering up Ol' Boys Club members as candidates in Canada's most diverse ridings is a thing of the past.
As the demographics of Canada evolve, it will be interesting to see how all three parties leverage diversity and inclusion within their ranks to woo voters in 2015. The evolving mosaic that is the Canadian lansdcape was rightly embraced by the Conservatives years ago. The NDP has recently awoken to it as well. Once an after-thought, the NDP indicated it will work on their "embrace." As the third-place Liberals renew and rebuild, they might be wise to emulate the nation's demographic self-portait.
*The Bloc and the Green Party of Canada's diversity stats can be found here.
]]>Two Years Later, Has the NDP's Orange Wave Receded?tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.32204162013-05-06T12:08:18-04:002013-05-06T12:32:09-04:00Rachel Décostehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/rachel-decoste/
While kudos are in order, the celebration that comes with winning a battle should not be confused with the one that accompanies winning a war. I reckon the oft-last place federal political party known as the NDP relished the feat of leaping into Official Opposition. The previous watermark exploit of the NDP was forming government in Canada's most populous province in September 1990. The NDP's extended drought met with replenishing rain on May 2nd 2011. What a celebration that must have ensued for them!
Sometimes it feels like the NDP MPs are still nursing their hangover from the election-night party two years ago.
While they were ridiculed for their roster of pubescent politicians, freak electoral accidents, and a stunned Vegas vacationer-turned-member of Parliament, the NDP showed promise. The NDP caucus is unparalleled in diversity of experience, backgrounds, and community engagement. They are more of a reflection of Canada's electorate than the other 2 parties, and certainly more diverse than the "Party of Multiculturalism." Sure, it takes time to learn the ropes. And Canadians were willing to wait it out. After 24 months, it's time for the training wheels to come off!
The candidate known as "Vegas girl" is one of few MPs who has experience sleeping on the cold floor of a bare, low-cost accommodation after baring a child when she was as a teenager. She probably interacted with government programs designed to help teenage mothers, and can speak to their effectiveness of lack thereof. Ruth Ellen Brosseau's journey as a single mother could have made her a rare parliamentary voice for so many struggling young single mothers across Canada. Yet the media reports that her triumphs include improving her speaking skills in the preferred official language of her constituency and moving out of her parents' home. Not falling flat on her face has been deemed a great achievement.
I have seen the strength of single moms firsthand, and I know Ruth Ellen Brosseau could play a larger role in Opposition than she is given.
The Harper government's series of blunders on the immigration and citizenship file have irked many Canadians, including those waiting for family reunification, seeking asylum, or seeking jobs wrongfully assigned to Temporary Foreign Workers. The Official Opposition critics have been little more than witnesses to the implementation of bad policies, leaving the heavy lifting to enterprising journalists and bloggers. Immigration Critic Jinny Sims is nothing but a footnote in Jason Kenney's agenda to reform Canada's "broken" immigration system -- even the parts of the system Kenney himself implemented. Dreams of tag-teaming the Conservatives with the equally inept Liberal Immigration Critic Kevin Lamoureux have long faded.
It is unclear if either of them want to prove they are worthy of graduating from Opposition to government-in-waiting.
Successive billion dollar boondoggles have shaken the public's confidence in the Conservative's fiscal prudence, but the NDP has yet to fully capitalize on those financial errors -- many of which dwarf the Sponsorship Scandal of the 1990s. The moonstruck MPs seem content to deliver their message on their campaign websites -- usually long after the news cycle has passed -- perhaps unaware of their muted impact. I don't know many Canadians who consult an Opposition MP's website when they are trying to get a grasp of the national news, do you?
Two years on, Harper's Conservatives are untethered by the NDP, which is perceived as weak and "just happy to be there." Their collective comatose state barely registers on Harper's radar. With a few rising stars to speak of, including Québec MP Alexandre Boulerice, many Canadians wanting a solid Opposition are waiting for the NDP caucus to remove their straightjackets, give free reign to their constituents' concerns, and galvanize the dejected majority of voters. The NDP's current electoral trajectory is looking like a boomerang unless they wake up and "snap out of it!"
The NDP has 30 more months to show sign of life beyond election 2015, and to convince Canadians that they not going gently into the night. The clock is ticking.]]>The Museum of Canadian History and the Great White-Only Northtag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.26312592013-05-05T01:47:34-04:002013-05-06T13:34:24-04:00Rachel Décostehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/rachel-decoste/Canadian History has started implementing PM Harper's directives to slaughter the most visited museum of the country in order to make way for a venue where post-Confederation Canadian History is highlighted. The Museum has invited Canadians to comment on what they'd like to see in their new museum.
What an exciting opportunity to fantasize on a museum about Canada! Images flood the mind:
We've been taught that Canada is a country founded by Aboriginals and Caucasians from Europe -- France and the United Kingdom -- that this is the culmination of our essence.
In fact, this is the image of Canada to this day in most foreign countries. Just last week, at a good ole hockey game no less, a foreigner from the U.K. sitting next to me ask me where I was from using this thick Scottish brogue. When I replied "I'm from here -- in Ottawa", he retorted "OK, where were you born?"
Alas, even at home game, in my home town and my home country, my citizenship is openly questioned.
"I was born here... Blacks have been in Canada for 400 years," I smile.
I could see the wheels turning in this visiting foreigner's head. "How is that even possible? That's not the image of Canada I had? Things that make you go hmm..."
Why is it that in 2013, Canadians and foreigners alike still believe we are the Great White-(Only) North?
Canada is boxed into a stereotype of snow, lumberjacks and igloos. No wonder foreigners think we're so boring! When I travel abroad, no one ever guesses I am as Canadian as poutine and beavertails. The quintessential Canadian sentence-punctuator, "eh," is a dead give-away over the phone, yet something about my appearance screams "un-Canadian" to them. The Great White North notion is so ingrained, so indelible that their minds won't even entertain any alternative.
While Molson Corp has just awoken to the real face of Canada, vehicles via their viral ad, it is high time the establishment embrace the colourful mosaic. The new Museum of Canadian history is the ideal venue to showcase all of Canada's past, and to cherry-pick from every class of historical tree.
To that end, and in keeping with Black History Month, here are three bouquets of Canadian history begging to bloom in a museum exhibit.
1. 1901: Blacks in the Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush. This Hidden History bends the mind and begs to be told.
2. 1859: Britain starts handing out its highest military award, given for valour in the face of the enemy. The first Canadian recipient? William Neilson Edward Hall, son of American slaves. A tale sure to intrigue history and military buffs alike.
3. 1882: PM John A. Macdonald wades into a city-wide row in Toronto: the sight of a black postman, the ensuing discord, and the Prime Minister who intervened.
The Museum of Civilization, the #1 museum in Canada, welcomes over one million visitors annually. I think I know why: the lure of discovering new narratives is simply irresistible.
When we hear Afghanistan, we think of war and chaos. When we attended the Afghanistan's Hidden Treasures exhibit, we saw that region in a whole new light. The exquisite gold jewellery, finely-carved ivory, delicate glassware and superb sculptures rebalanced our view.
The Beads of Life -- Eastern and Southern African Adornments exhibit presented the history of personal adornment in eastern and southern Africa. Chasing way clichés of deprivation, starvation and morally bankrupt dictatorships, the exhibit allowed us to appreciate the statement of personal and cultural identity that is African beading.
I kept coming back to this mecca of anthropology because it never ceased to pique my curiosity, challenge my preconceptions and nourish my thirst for learning. Those impalpable elements of success needn't perish with PM Harper's reforms. The Museum of Canadian History can emit more than the predictable white noise. Our historic diversity echoes a much sweeter sound.
]]>Sun News Asking for a Government Handout Is Ironic, Dontcha Think?tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.32031792013-05-02T16:26:27-04:002013-05-02T16:27:41-04:00Rachel Décostehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/rachel-decoste/final pitch to the federal telecommunications regulator. The fledgling cable news network has an audience as wide as Ezra Levant's narrow mind. The Quebecor-owned network is seeking help in the form of "mandatory carriage" from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).
Mandatory carriage means all of Canada's cable and satellite TV providers would be required to include Sun News on their TV packages.
Some at the CRTC hearings have suggested a softer designation: there is a "must offer" option which gives TV-cable and satellite customers the freedom to choose whether or not to subscribe to Sun News.
But that option doesn't seem to float SNN's boat. Sun News executive Kory Teneycke frowns on the "subscribers are free to choose" licence.
"Let us be very clear: a 'must-offer' licence would not have a meaningful impact on the current trajectory of Sun News and would inevitably lead to the closure of the station," Teneycke said.
It seems SNN strategists believe that the Canadian consumer would not choose the channel foes have baptized "Fox News North" if given the chance to. The Canadian TV viewers who can pick from a wide roster of channels might very well choose the status quo.
Sun News doesn't just want a limited-period, one-time shot -- they want a "guaranteed spot on the dial". Without this government handout hand up, the conservative-leaning channel would simply cease to exist, they say.
It makes a lot of sense.
It is hard to start at the bottom. Contending with competitors with inherited advantage, years of on-the-ground experience, a well-stocked rolodex of friends and contacts and, in some cases, generations in head-starts.
Governments have recognized the playing field is often uneven for the new kids on the block or for those who have always been there but never got a seat at the table. That situation is what compelled the United States to implement Affirmative Action at a time when women and minorities were missing from the roster of national institutions. In Canada, the Brian Mulroney government of the 1980s installed employment equity to engage in proactive employment practices to increase the representation of women and visible minorities (among other designated groups).
Is there a cost to all this? Yes. Sun News wants every household that subscribes to a basic cable or satellite package to contribute 18 cents/month. It is a socialist concept Canadians know well: making everyone pay a small fee to help the disadvantaged members of the group afloat. In theory, the springboard levels the playing field. Or at least it makes it less uneven.
"Our plan would allow Sun News to establish an audience under similar rules and regulations to those afforded [the established networks]," the company said in filings to the CRTC.
]]>Trudeau on Terrorism: A Sane Voice in Politicstag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.31130622013-04-19T12:25:35-04:002013-04-21T10:25:13-04:00Rachel Décostehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/rachel-decoste/
That is how a feeble-minded reactionary Ice Tea Party member recoils after hearing Liberal Party Leader Justin Trudeau's comment on the Boston Bombing -- a question he was asked just two hours after the blast.
When an act of terror occurs, it takes time to assess what exactly happened. Two hours after the blast, blood was still being spilled, explosives were still being sniffed out, and loved ones were still being contacted to share the terrible news.
It was in this chaos that Mr. Trudeau was asked to react -- even before the President of the United States, the FBI, or the State Governor had reacted.
Talk about putting the cart before the horse.
But when your last name is Trudeau, you get thrown to the wolves -- as early and as often as possible. What's a new leader to do? Not answer until more information is known? No, that would allow his detractors to paint him as an airhead who cannot speak off the cuff. Should he answer in cold, robotic platitudes? We've seen that movie before. Trudeau isn't about relic thinking inside the predictable box. What Mr. Trudeau did was answer the truth. A novel concept for some, but a welcome philosophy to Canadians tired of the dreary, divisive diatribe. We don't know who did this, but surely there are ways we can look at root causes and prevent future bloodshed.
"Root causes"? How dare he?!
You can expect Conservative minions to scoff at the mere idea of examining "root causes."
Toronto shootings highlight gaps in Harper's approach to solving gun violence...no discussion addressing root causes.examiner.com/article/toront...
After the Newton, Connecticut tragedy where a mentally ill man used high calibre guns and high-capacity ammunition magazines to murder 20 innocent children and their teachers in under five minutes, Americans took a look at some root causes. The perpetrator was able to shoot 152 bullets because he had access to high-capacity 30-round magazines. U.S. cable news goddess Rachel Maddow explained the math that made Americans think about the excessive damage that could have been avoided. Hence, there was a movement to ban high-capacity magazines, and to require background checks for weapon sales.
But Mr. Trudeau shouldn't dare talk about root causes.
@justintrudeau re Harper's "root causes" comment: wish yr response had been "to ignore root causes is to allow tragedies to recur."
Eighteen years ago this week, the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil pre-9/11 occurred when Timothy McVeigh intentionally detonated a bomb in Oklahoma. The blast claimed 168 lives, including 19 children under the age of six, and injured more than 680 people. The ease with which the perpetrator accessed large amounts of bomb-making ingredients shocked the American public. In the years since the bombing, Nevada and South Carolina enacted new laws to require identification from customers who purchase ammonium nitrate fertilizer. In 2008, Honeywell announced that it had developed a nitrogen-based fertilizer that would not detonate when mixed with fuel oil. The company got assistance from the U.S. federal government to develop the fertilizer for commercial use.
But Mr. Trudeau shouldn't dare talk about root causes.
You want to know why the economy is struggling? Harper doesn't believe in looking at root causes. #LPC#cdnpoli
When Aboriginal leaders asked for help in Attawapiskat and other depressed regions where Canadians are literally living in shacks, Harper jumped into action: he sent a bureaucrat to review their finances, then sent them the bill for said "service." Examining root causes? Long-term solutions? Innovative ideas? Who needs that? Just send their leaders back to their shack with a promise of future "talks." If anyone expects the plight of Aboriginals in Indian Reserves to improve thanks to Harper's shuffling of feet, I've got ocean-front property in Saskatchewan to sell you.
Mitch Wolfe and his ilk would have a leader condone the act, start a national man-hunt and gleefully report his the capture before declaring "Mission Accomplished." All without giving a single thought to long-term prevention, cause-and-effect, or introspection on societal circumstances which might breed such disasters. It is this kind of knee-jerk reaction which lead George W. Bush to Iraq to find weapons of mass destruction. It is that short-sightedness that lead then-43-year-old Harper, leader of the Reform / Canadian Alliance coalition, to clamour for Canada to join in the financial fiasco and decade-long death-trap.
It is in these unplanned, unscripted moments of scrutiny, a person's core is laid bare. Level-minded Canadians are beginning to realize that Justin Trudeau isn't handicapped by dim-witted approaches which lead a nation to near bankruptcy and international humiliation. In fact, Mr. Trudeau, at age 41, has shown more depth than Steven Harper did at that age. Heck, it seems Trudeau has a clearer grasp of the issue than the Prime Minister has today.
Radicalization needs to be understood: Former CSIS Intelligence Officer #cdnpoli#trudeau
Australia's then-Prime Minister John Howard in 2006: "We have to fight [terrorism] on two fronts. We have to protect ourselves, we also have to attack a number of the root causes of it."
MacKay said the bombings and shootings in Norway "demonstrate that the world is still a very volatile place."
"We also express our solidarity and support for those who have lost loved ones in Norway and we commit ourselves as a country to work with them..."
"It's also sobering for a country like Canada that shares values with Norwegians and a demonstration of ... the volatility that's still there, the vigilance that we have to demonstrate and persevere and work together to try to find the root causes...[of] these types of attacks."
WARNING: Some of the photos and videos from the scene may be graphic and disturbing. ]]>Dayleen Van Ryswyk Needs To Come Cleantag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.30404392013-04-18T14:42:00-04:002013-04-18T15:00:50-04:00Rachel Décostehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/rachel-decoste/
Everyone knows that online conversations are fleeting. One person's views during, say, the dawn of the Iraq war, might be drastically different ten years, zero WoMDs and thousands of casualties later.
"A wise man changes his mind, a fool never will." -Spanish Proverb.
There is no reason Dayleen Van Ryswyk can't redeem herself, if she plays her cards right.
It is not uncommon for a perfectly well-meaning person to blow off some steam online. And sometimes, spewing inexact information to support one's frustration can occur on the internet. In fact, there is general misunderstanding on the plight of Aboriginals and the "other" official language of Canada. For whatever reason, misconceptions fester with the goading of inadequate school curricula and general lack of knowledge. Like a cancer, these tall tales spread until they are addressed head on.
It is high time the medicine meets the menace.
Van Ryswyk told Global Okanagan in an interview: "They left out the parts where I said that I wanted all people to be one person, to live together, to work together, to be treated fairly with respect and with dignity."
While this confession is a step in the right direction, Van Ryswyk's pseudo-apology does not refute the untruths the candidate wrote out of frustration. Tiptoeing around the perversion of facts won't emancipate her from the shackles of bigotry. Until Van Ryswyk can specify in detail which portions of her diatribe were grossly inaccurate and how she has evolved in her views, it will be difficult for members of the educated public to forgive her digressions. It also denies the general public an opportunity for edification and enlightenment on the untold history of the Pacific Province -- a province founded by a bilingual Black man, with Fort Victoria built by Aboriginals, and a proud history of pluralism and collaboration between French-Canadians, British-immigrants, escaped American slaves, and, the labour of Asian immigrants. It's no wonder the moniker "beautiful" is etched on license plates of British Columbia. It doesn't just refer to the landscape, it refers to the diversity of its inhabitants.
As British-Colombians have been shown to be forgiving in the past, there is no reason the trend cannot continue. Ethnic communities, aboriginal groups and civil citizens can lend a helping hand in Dayleen's journey to redemption. But first, Dayleen needs to come clean.]]>This Island Nation Doesn't Need Language Police, Do We?tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.30476372013-04-12T12:57:15-04:002013-04-12T12:10:53-04:00Rachel Décostehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/rachel-decoste/
One such nation is Aruba.
The 33 km-long island is a former Dutch colony from where one can literally see the coast of Venezuela.
Aruba is within the clutches of Latin America. Much like Quebec, European explorers once abandoned the arid plot of land to Indigenous people.
Nowadays, this is a nation which maintains colonial ties with the Netherlands, although its economy relies on trade with neighbouring countries. Almost all business is conducted in foreign languages: either Spanish or English. Visitors (tourists) are mostly anglophone, with 80 per cent coming out of the United States. The island of 100,000 residents welcomes more than one-million visitors per year.
Yet the socioeconomic and cultural invasion hasn't trampled on the native language. Far from it.
Immigrants are required to learn the official language, and a test is administered by the government to evaluate the newcomer's integration within three and a half years of arrival. Residency and citizenship rest firmly on the language test results.
A rule similar to Québec's Bill 101 forces immigrant schoolchildren to operate and evolve in the official language.
What struck me during my stay on "one happy island" is that residents saw no disconnect between maintaining their native tongue/ culture and learning foreign languages -- even if these foreign languages could, in theory, menace their unique culture. Billing software, office signs, transportation schedules were in a foreign language. No "language police" here!
Perhaps the Aruban government has chosen not to burden businesses with language bureaucracy. Without doing thorough research on the inner workings of the country, the island seems to be in great shape. In any case, the unemployment rate on the island is almost non-existent.
Without depleting state funds for a Ministry of the official language, Aruba has preserved the specificity of its culture against the current. Could it be that survival and flourishing of a culture isn't tied to the spelling of the word "pasta" on a restaurant menu, or via replacing the "hold" button on a telephone? The distinct society that encompasses Aruba manages to sustain its socio-linguistic culture. It is evergreen -- not because it is tied to linguistic red tape, but because it is rooted in the heart and soul of its citizens.
]]>Une autre société distincte en Amérique...tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.30474922013-04-11T07:11:53-04:002013-04-11T07:12:01-04:00Rachel Décostehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/rachel-decoste/
Eh bien, c'est le cas du pays qu'on surnomme Aruba.
Cette petite île mesurant 33 kilomètres est une ancienne colonie néerlandaise d'où on peut entrevoir les côtes du Vénézuéla. Aruba se situe à la portée de l'Amérique latine. Comme le Québec, les explorateurs européens avaient autrefois abandonné aux Amérindiens ce lopin de terre aride.
De nos jours, c'est une société qui entretient des liens privilégiés avec sa mère patrie, quoique l'économie roule sur les échanges économiques avec ses pays voisins. Presque tout le monde des affaires marche dans les langues étrangères, soit l'espagnol ou l'anglais. Les visiteurs (les touristes) sont majoritairement anglophones, 80 % d'entre eux venant des États-Unis. L'île aux 100 000 habitants accueille plus d'un million d'allogènes par année.
Mais, l'invasion socio-économico-cuturelle n'a pas eu raison de la langue maternelle.
Les immigrants sont mandatés d'apprendre la langue officielle, et un test est administré par le gouvernement pour évaluer l'intégration dans les trois ans et demi qui suivent l'arrivée. L'octroi du permis de résidence et de la citoyenneté en dépend.
Une règle qu'on peut qualifier d'ampliation de la Loi 101 et qui force les jeunes écoliers immigrants à évoluer dans la langue du pays.
Ce qui m'a frappé lors de mon séjour au « one happy island », c'est que les habitants ne voyaient aucun divorce entre le maintien de leur langue et de leur culture et l'apprentissage des langues étrangères - même si ce sont ces langues qui, en théorie, menacent d'étouffer la leur. Les logiciels de facturation, les enseignes, les horaires étaient en langue étrangère. Pas de « language police » icitte!
Peut-être le gouvernement d'Aruba a choisi de ne pas encombrer les entreprises avec des ronds-de-cuir et leur bureaucratie linguistique. Sans faire de recherche approfondie sur le fonctionnement interne du pays, ça semble bien marcher. En tous cas, le taux de chômage sur l'île est presque inexistant.
]]>The "O" Stands for Originality, or the Oxymoron to "Ottawa"tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.30529152013-04-10T11:29:12-04:002013-04-10T17:04:01-04:00Rachel Décostehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/rachel-decoste/the most influential woman in the country," who Life Magazine called "the most influential black person of her generation": none other than Oprah Gail Winfrey.
The seismic jolt conjured by her name is enough to draw dignitaries and well-heeled men that go far beyond her expected audience of women.
So when Winfrey arrives today in the nation's capital -- her first-ever visit to Ottawa -- the Mayor Jim Watson will be there to bask in the residual glow of the venerable global phenomenon known by her unique one-word moniker.
Surely there must have been careful planning of this most anticipated visit between Harpo Inc. (yes, that's Oprah's company, which is her famous name spelled backwards) and the Mayor's office.
The Mayor tweeted that he would give Oprah some gifts -- a great idea. But what do you give to the billionaire Black woman who has everything? Who do you consult? How can you make a mark, draw her in, make a lasting impression?
This is the kind of choice that passes as "brilliant" when there is no diversity at the decision-making table. It's not the first time we've seen this visible vacuum surface like an oil spill -- a reminder that performance has not followed the usual platitudes of Canadian diversity.
There are many other "what were they thinking?" gauche incidents (Bank of Canada's "neutral ethnicity" fiasco) that could have been prevented by simply consulting a Binder full of Minorities to enhance the brainstorming (and vetting) process.
If the Mayor's office had consulted any number of Oprah-philes, the hundreds of thousands of televiewers who tuned into her show for 20 years, they would have come up with more appropriate, personalized ideas.
Here's my quick brainstorming list of top three gifts that Ottawa's Mayor should have offered to the Queen of Book Clubs the occasion of her first visit to Canada's capital.
1. A (signed?) copy of the soon-to-be classic Canadian novel "The Book of Negroes" by Lawrence Hill. The tome was awarded the 2008 Commonwealth Writers' Prize and it was the winning selection for CBC Radio's Canada Reads in 2009. The epic story would make a great film, and maybe Oprah would want a part in bringing it to life if she were presented with the book in a grandiose way.
2. A (signed?) copy of "Half-Blood Blues" by Canadian novelist Esi Edugyan. The Giller-prize winning story might not have met Oprah's Book Club digest yet. Wouldn't it be grand to have the mayor of Canada's capital shine a light on Canadian literary talent?
Alas, Oprah Winfrey will have to pretend to venerate a National Hockey League team as much as her audience her gift-bearer does. Another wasted opportunity for the City already struggling to define itself to the world. The city that fun forgot also oh-mitted any oh-riginality for the Big O.]]>Death of a Statesman: Remembering the Titanstag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.30400922013-04-09T12:29:58-04:002013-04-10T16:43:28-04:00Rachel Décostehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/rachel-decoste/
A leader with a strong personality and an enduring reign will inevitably leave a mark on a nation. Tax incentives vs. tax increases, privatization vs. nationalization, war vs. peace, allies vs. foes, international trade vs. domestic diligence, healthcare and education investments vs. fiscal responsibility: decisions abound, and so do their consequences. Yet we salute iconic leaders for clinging to their convictions throughout the journey.
It is easy to play Monday morning quarterback on many of the tough choices made with limited intelligence data or deep misunderstandings of underlying root causes; we cannot help but wonder "what if?"
Some will say that the deceased stood up for the nation's countrymen, never strayed from deeply-held beliefs, never hesitated to publicly denounce foes -- even world superpowers. Always lending a strong, steady hand to trusted allies no matter the international chatter. Swatting cries of dissent like flies, the deceased looked forward, always with a head held high.
Any historian knows that the path to righteousness is paved with stones and potholes in the form of dissention, criticism, and protests. In this case, an assassination attempt was also part of the plot. But the strong survive. And that -- the deceased did.
There were times when strange bedfellows, even dictators, where obliged companions towards building a strong defence against the common enemy. The ebbs and flows of governmental rule are fraught with trials and tribulations. Political capital spilled, but political principles never wavered.
Perhaps it is why the people elected and re-elected the deceased time and again, thereby recording strong support for the unwavering vision the leader articulated with legendary dexterity.
Is death the right time to make insensitive remarks about such a transformative, historical icon? Well, it depends.
If you thought this blogpost was about the late Margaret Thatcher, then you may have changed positions.
It is interesting to see the very different choice of words used by PM Harper when a world leader dies -- this time around.
It seems a number of Thatcherism fans have expressed concern or outright disgust in the uncomfortable truths bubbling up about the Iron Lady immediately following the announcement of her passing.
As Canada's international reputation continues to slide, PM Harper's successive fumbles in the foreign affairs file and his partisan platitudes remind Canadians and the world that Stephen Harper will never ascend to the statesman status earned by his titan friends nor his titan foes.]]>10 citations mémorables de la Dame de fertag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.30374542013-04-08T12:35:12-04:002013-04-08T12:35:18-04:00Rachel Décostehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/rachel-decoste/1. «Je ne pense pas qu'il y aura une femme première ministre de mon vécu.»
2. «Être puissant, c'est comme être une femme. Si vous avez à dire aux gens que vous l'êtes, vous ne l'êtes pas.»
3. «Je juge les gens dans les 10 premières secondes, et je change très rarement d'idée.»
4. «L'ANC est une organisation terroriste typique ... Ceux qui pensent qu'elle va diriger le gouvernement de l'Afrique du Sud sont des pelleteux de nuages».
5. «En politique, si vous voulez que quelque chose soit dit, demandez à un homme. Si vous voulez que quelque chose soit accompli, demandez à une femme.»
6. «Le problème avec le socialisme est que ça vient éventuellement à court d'argent des autres.»
7. «Je suis extraordinairement patiente, à condition que ma façon de voir les choses soit adoptée à la fin.»
8. «Les Russes sont déterminés à dominer le monde, et ils sont en train de se donner les moyens de devenir le pays le plus puissant empire du monde. Ils ont mis les armes avant que le pain, alors que nous avons mis à peu près tout avant les armes.»
9. «Il faut parfois se livrer à une bataille plus d'une fois avant de la gagner.»
10. «Si vous voulez couper votre propre gorge, ne venez pas me voir pour un bandage.»
VOIR AUSSI: D'autres citations de la Dame de fer
]]>Margaret Thatcher at Her Most Quotabletag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.30372392013-04-08T12:24:56-04:002013-04-08T10:47:42-04:00Rachel Décostehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/rachel-decoste/as education secretary on March 5, 1973 (six years before ascending to PM's office).
2. "Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren't."
3. "I make up my mind about people in the first 10 seconds, and I very rarely change it." -- years before she became Prime Minister on May 4, 1979.
4. "The ANC is a typical terrorist organisation... Anyone who thinks it is going to run the government in South Africa is living in cloud-cuckoo land." - 1987
5. "In politics, If you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman."
6. "The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money."
7. "I am extraordinarily patient, provided I get my own way in the end."
8. "The Russians are bent on world dominance, and they are rapidly acquiring the means to become the most powerful imperial nation the world has seen. They put guns before butter, while we put just about everything before guns." - Speech, Jan. 19, 1976
9. "You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it."
10. "If you want to cut your own throat, don't come to me for a bandage."
]]>Our Home and Unequal Land?tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.29196502013-03-21T12:26:06-04:002013-03-21T13:59:43-04:00Rachel Décostehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/rachel-decoste/HOW IT STARTED
On March 21, 1960, a large crowd of anti-discrimination demonstrators gathered outside the Sharpeville police station on the outskirts of Johannesburg, South Africa. The British colony installed a race-based class system called Apartheid by which people of colour were introduced to unequal access to education, housing, public services, medical care and jobs. Blacks were even deprived of their citizenship.
The black demonstrators were assembled to peacefully protest but the police opened fire. Seventy were killed, including women and children. More than 180 people were injured.
In 1966, the United Nations declared March 21 the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in honor of those killed in the Sharpeville Massacre.
A CANADIAN CONNECTION
It took 20 more years until a Canadian Prime Minister, Brian Mulroney, encouraged Canadians to join together in "extending their efforts to ensure the rapid eradication of racism and racial discrimination and the realization of mutual understanding, respect, equality and justice for all Canadians."
Indeed, Canada has come a long way since 1986. Brian Mulroney's government instated the Employment Equity Act, appointed a formidable Afro-Nova Scotian Senator, and, among other actions, effectively set the tone for a progressive nation. It's no coincidence that Canada soon ascended to the top of the United Nation's human development index. In fact, Canada held the first place for most of the 1990s.
No nation rises higher than its women.
--Nellie McClung, Canadian feminist, politician, social activist, journalist, 1873-1951.
Pointing out the few lingering gender inequities is a right and addressing them head-on is a privilege shared by all Canadians. That's probably why Canada ranks No. 1 for women's rights out of G20 countries.
WHAT ABOUT RACIAL EQUALITY?
For many Canadians, racial discrimination is a ghost they've only seen in movies or sporadic outbursts inevitably baptized "isolated incidents." While this has become a part of everyday life for most Aboriginals and Canadians of colour, there is a persistent incredulous strain that refuses to acknowledge a problem exists.
Heads firmly planted in the sand, the ideals of our youth, that everyone has an equal shot at success in our country founded on the principles of fairness, justice, and, ugh...wait. Our country was founded by a small group of European men who appropriated land, subjugated its inhabitants and stripped them of their livelihood, not to mention their dignity.
All these years later, Indian Reserves like Attawapiskat, where indigenous Canadians live in shacks without running water, are blighting Canada's reputation. Whatever the underlying issues which lead to this embarrassing state, it does not bode well in the UN's equality index.
We are consistently reminded that special treatment is all too often reserved for certain Canadians:
• Job applicants with foreign-sounding names have lesser chance for interviews: 'There's certainly an element of unfairness going on that an individual with a distinct foreign name is not being given the chance to go to the next round," writes Philip Oreopoulos, University of British Columbia;
• Uneven displays in federal institutions: Not only are Asian facial features deemed unworthy of appearing on Canadian bank notes, but also South-Asian, Black, Aboriginal and homosexual ones too;
• Unfair labeling: Citizenship and Immigration Canada once publicly labelled 23 Muslim men of Pakistani and Indian nationality as "suspected terrorists". It soon became apparent that these arrests had been based on flimsy evidence. Arab features make for good suspects;
• The MWWS has afflicted the RCMP: they chose to investigate missing women selectively. One can hardly imagine having a dozen blue-eyed women go missing without the authorities lifting a finger;
• Victims of police brutality seem to vary along racial lines;
• Police officers targeting men of colour who drive cars which do not fit their perceived financial means;
• Selective airport screenings: some airport screenings are more "random" than others;
• The nauseating citizenship-suspicion question lobbed at all visible minorities: "Where are you really from?"
The habitual rebranding of these "incidents" as "isolated" provides a convenient excuse not to delve into uncomfortable conversations. It puts a collective hush on the hindrance. It provides a rug under which to sweep the persistent problem. But the tell-tale heart of the matter cannot stay buried indefinitely.
What the UN report highlights, as the Harper government blissfully whistles past the graveyard, is Canada's need to address these inequalities head on. Not with platitudes and ethnic-costume requests. Not with foreign flag days where foreign dignitaries are somehow given a spotlight at Canadian cultural events in a backwards bid to cement immigrants sense of belonging to their adoptive country. Not with quick-win ethnic vote-baiting manifestos. None of those address embedded inequality.
The federal government can play a hand in bridging Canada's equality deficit by allotting consistent, renewable funding to raise consciousness and awareness from coast to coast. Rewarding institutions who embrace the full spectrum of diversity while adjusting federal grants and contributions to for those public and private institutions which have not gotten the memo would put the issue at the forefront in the minds of the Establishment. While suffragist and eugenics advocate Nelly McClung whacked the weeds for women of her own lineage to make their way out from behind the men who ruled the nation, she was not fighting for all of us. Some Canadians still have unequal access to education, housing, public services, and jobs.
No nation rises higher than its citizens --- including visible minorities.
Despite the plunge in the world's best countries list, Canadians believe ascendance to the UN's No. 1 spot is attainable if our governments make it a priority. Will the Harper government take the path towards this noble exploit?]]>Quand Ottawa exploite les immigrants pour faire mousser les cotes d'écoutetag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.29034552013-03-19T11:28:32-04:002013-03-20T09:22:04-04:00Rachel Décostehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/rachel-decoste/Survivor, qui a lancé le genre «téléréalité» en grande pompe il y a presque dix ans, fait toujours jaser. C'est une émission dans laquelle 20 participants se battent en équipe, entre eux et contre mère Nature pendant 39 jours. Le prix: un million de dollars. C'est la StarAc en camping sauvage, sauf que ce sont les participants qui votent, et non pas l'auditoire.
Des milliers d'Américains (et de Canadiens) se portent volontaires pour cette expérience unique d'un jeu sociopolitique et interculturel. Contrairement à d'autres émissions à potins, Survivor a un peu plus de "classe". Elle ne plonge pas dans les ténèbres de la télépoubelle qui règne sur les ondes de MTV,BET, etc.
Certains prétendent qu'il faut du courage pour livrer des luttes personnelles, les angoisses et les expériences de vie douloureuses à nu à la télévision. Peu importe, des millions de téléspectateurs suivent leurs péripéties hebdomadaires sur Survivor.
Des questions ont été soulevées la semaine dernière lorsque le participant nommé Brandon a démontré des indices d'instabilité mentale durant l'émission du réseau CBS. Le malaise était difficile à regarder, pour les homologues de Brandon et pour les téléspectateurs. Comme un chien enragé, les tendances violentes de Brandon ont mené à une confrontation inoubliable... et des cotes d'écoute de rêve. Est-ce qu'une maladie mentale devrait être exploitée pour hisser des cotes d'écoute? Les réalisateurs de télé n'ont-ils pas une responsabilité de protéger les personnes les plus vulnérables contre l'effet "spectacle public"? La décence humaine a-t-elle une place au pays du capitalisme sauvage et de la pseudo liberté illimitée?
Le sous-titrage codé capitaliste
Ces mêmes questions ont été soulevées dans les années 1990, lorsqu'un entrepreneur américain a filmé des sans-abri qu'il a appelés à se battre entre eux pour la modique somme de 50 $. Les vidéos ont été mises sur le marché à l'aide de publicités permettant à tout acheteur de se procurer un exemplaire de «l'UFC des sans-abri» pour 22 $. Les États-Uniens n'ont pu s'empêcher de gratter le fond du baril. Bien que cette réflexion revient une fois de plus après l'effondrement épique sur Survivor, les Canadiens (moi inclue) se réconfortent: on ne ferait jamais de chose pareille au Canada. On est plus civilisés que ça, nous autres.
Eh bien, j'avais tort.
Notre propre gouvernement fédéral a mis son sceau d'approbation sur une émission de «téléréalité de misère»: selon des documents obtenus par une femme de Vancouver nommée Helesia Luke, le ministre de la Sécurité publique Vic Toews a approuvé le tournage de l'arrestation de présumés clandestins, et le bureau du premier ministre a prévisionné une bobine démo de l'émission. En plus, c'est le temps et l'expertise des bureaucrates qui servira de fil conducteur dans l'astuce, car les fonctionnaires passeront au peigne fin chaque segment de l'émission avant sa diffusion.
Mme Luke s'est exprimée de la façon suivante à la CBC (traduction libre): «Je pense que l'ASFC fait une contribution en nature par l'entremise du temps de travail de son personnel. Évidemment, ils se réservent un énorme fardeau en termes d'évaluation des clips vidéos.»
Les travailleurs sans-papiers (ou « Les marchands de rêves » qu'a chanté Corneille) cherchent désespérément à quitter leur patrie pourrie, à faire leurs adieux à la misère afin de commencer une vie nouvelle dans le 11e pays au monde où il fait bon vivre. Ils forment désormais le fourrage de divertissement aux abonnés de la télé cablée - un Hunger Games pour immigrants. L'État offre des contributions en nature (le temps des fonctionnaires) pour amplifier les cotes d'écoute et accroître les précieuses recettes publicitaires sous la fourberie d'une «promotion de l'engagement du Canada envers la sécurité frontalière».
Le reportage laisse sous-entendre que les formulaires de consentement de télédiffusion ont été distribués à ces présumés travailleurs sans-papiers avant qu'ils aient eu accès à un avocat. Comment cette hiérarchisation est-elle propice à «l'engagement du Canada envers la sécurité frontalière»?
Des images des centres de détention pour immigrants aux États-Unis Le billet de Rachel Décoste se poursuit après la galerie
Avec la complicité documentée du bureau du premier ministre, Vic Toews a mis une croix sur la décence humaine et les valeurs traditionnelles que véhicule l'image nationale du Canada. Le gouvernement Harper poursuit sa diffusion d'une condescendance envers le petit peuple. Les électeurs canadiens ne seront pas en mesure de changer le poste jusqu'en 2015.]]>Border Security: Exploiting Immigrants for Canadian Reality TVtag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.28984282013-03-19T07:52:42-04:002013-03-19T07:49:33-04:00Rachel Décostehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/rachel-decoste/Survivor, still sends tongues wagging. In a télé-vérité genre where 20 contestants vie for a one million dollar prize while surviving in the elements, and above all, each other, the show garners thousands of American (and Canadian) candidates to volunteer for the unique experience. Survivor is known as the "classy" reality show. It does not dive in the smut that reigns on MTV's trashy 16 and Pregnant/Teen Mom where some cast members end up in jail, the tactless Real Housewives series nor the Jersey Shore eye sore portrayals of Italian-American stereotypes.
While some say it takes courage to lay bare one's personal struggles, insecurities and painful life experiences on television, legions of viewers tune in to witness the weekly pseudo-mutiny on Survivor.
Questions were raised last week when Survivor contestant Brandon Hantz, who showed obvious signs of mental instability, had a very public and very uncomfortable-to-watch breakdown. Like a mad dog, his violent tendencies and short fuse lead to an epic confrontation. Should mental illness be leveraged or exploited for TV ratings? Is there no responsibility of TV producers to shield the weak from becoming for-profit public spectacle? Does human decency have a home in the country of vulture capitalism and unlimited pseudo-freedom?
Close-Captioned Capitalism
These questions were also raised in the 1990s when home videos of homeless Americans baited to fight one another for a mere $50 were put on the market. TV commercials allowed any one to buy their own copy of "UFC for homeless people." America had reached a new low. While these questions linger once more, post-Survivor memorable meltdown, I took solace in trusting Canada was so much better than that. We have more class than that; we would never stoop that low.
I was wrong.
Our own federal government put its stamp of approval on a Hunger Games-like "misery for reality-TV" show (according to documents obtained by a Vancouver woman named Helesia Luke, Public Safety Minister Vic Toews approved the filming, and someone from the Prime Minister's office saw a demo reel of the show). And it's our bureaucrats' time and expertise that will serve as pawns in the scheme. (The CBSA vets every segment of the show before it airs.)
Luke put it this way to the CBC: "I think CBSA is putting in in-kind contributions in the way of staff time. Clearly, they have a huge burden in terms of vetting the footage."
Lowly undocumented workers, desperate to leave their horrible homelands to start a new life in the 11th best country in the world, are now fodder for the cable television subscribers' amusement. The state is volunteering in-kind contributions (government workers' time) for a corporate venture to garner ratings and valuable advertising dollars under the cloak of "promotion of Canada's commitment to border security."
Reports point to the TV consent forms being offered up to the alleged undocumented personnel before they were given access to a legal representative. How exactly is that prioritization conducive to "Canada's commitment to border security"?
With the PMO's documented complicity, Minister Vic Toews has tuned out human decency.The Harper government continues to broadcast its condescension of commoners. Canadian voters won't be able to change the channel until 2015.]]>