Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - June 22, 2015, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE A10
OUR VIEW œ YOUR SAY
WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, MONDAY, JUNE 22, 2015
Freedom of Trade
Liberty of Religion
Equality of Civil Rights
A 10
PERSPECTIVES AND POLITICS EDITOR:
Shannon Sampert 204- 697- 7269
shannon. sampert@ freepress. mb. ca
winnipegfreepress. com
EDITORIAL
LETTERS FP COMMENTS
TWITTER
VOL 143 NO 220
Winnipeg Free Press est 1872 / Winnipeg Tribune est 1890
2015 Winnipeg Free Press, a division of
FP Canadian Newspapers Limited Partnership.
Published seven days a week at
1355 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg,
Manitoba R2X 3B6, PH: 204- 697- 7000
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Remembering roots crucial
The Manitoba government is to be commended for officially
apologizing for the malpractice over decades in
placing children in varied non- aboriginal homes ( Sorry
for ‘ historical injustice,’ June 19).
As a father, I was very sensitive to my adopted daughter’s
Inuit identity. She came to our family in Montreal
as a young baby from Inuvik in the Northwest Territories.
I made a vow to the accompanying social worker
that every measure would be taken to ensure her Inuit
identity.
The first action I took was to formally register her in
her birthplace in Inuvik. As she grew up, we always made
a point to proclaim her Inuit identity, with full family and
social pride.
I then arranged for my Inuit daughter to go meet her
biological mother and family in Inuvik. Here in Ottawa, I
arranged for her to go to the official Inuit association to
be recognized and registered.
She now works for Aboriginal Affairs here in Ottawa,
and has ensured my grandchildren learn about and nurture
their Inuit identity.
With my own racial and cultural diversity — my late
father was East Indian and my deceased mother a Slovak
— and my sensitive Jewish wife, we are proud to be tied
to the “ first people” through our adopted Inuit daughter.
ROMAN MUKERJEE
Ottawa
Tories deserve a little hurt
I agree with Deveryn Ross that electoral reform could
hurt the Tories, but they have only themselves to blame
( Electoral reform could hurt Tories , June 19).
Stephen Harper rode into Ottawa on promises to make
politicians accountable and give us a Triple- E Senate,
and we got neither; the Conservatives’ Fair Elections Act
is only fair to a majority government; and they’ve had a
direct hand in the scandal- plagued Senate we see playing
out daily.
Albertans recently showed they were fed up with the
status quo. Canadians shouldn’t be afraid to do the same
— to look forward to true representation.
JANICE ISOPP
Selkirk
Problems aplenty with Ashton
There’s growing evidence that cabinet minister Steve
Ashton led the process for an untendered $ 5- million contract
being awarded to friends and associates ( Ombudsman
asked to reopen probe , June 19).
Ashton’s records show he spent a mere $ 75 to rent office
space for his failed bid in the NDP leadership race.
That’s a sweet deal — he under- spent Theresa Oswald by
$ 6,000 — but he still managed to run a deficit of close to
$ 17,000 in his campaign.
His feigned ignorance of the financial side of his
campaign is disturbing. Ashton’s team is now claiming a
clerical error, and that they are still waiting for the correct
rental bill from Peguis First Nation.
The dearth of leadership from our premier is again
front and centre. It appears Greg Selinger has adopted
the infamous ostrich approach in dealing with Ashton.
GARY HOOK
Winnipeg
Minister’s comments most foul
Congratulations to Shahina Siddiqui for speaking up
regarding the foul comments put forth by Conservative
Immigration Minister Chris Alexander simply because a
Muslim woman sought to wear a niqab at what must have
otherwise been a momentous occasion in her life ( Suspicion
of Muslims real danger, activist says , June 18).
The comments were not surprising from the mouth
of someone in the Harper government, but Alexander
served as Canada’s ambassador and the UN special
representative in Afghanistan, as well. Did he view all
women wearing a niqab there as terrorists, or is he just
cow- towing to Stephen Harper’s ideology to keep his job?
It’s time for our media to get off the “ terrorist bandwagon”
given that of the 500- plus murders and 600- plus
attempted murders in Canada each year, less than one
per cent are committed by Muslims.
DON HALLIGAN
Winnipeg
Media chicken out on protest
Unless I missed something, it appears the Free Press
chose not to cover the June 15 PETA protest of the way
chickens are raised and killed for food.
This is consistent with the lack of coverage of any significant
animal welfare/ rights issues. Is it that the Free
Press feels it’s no big deal, or is it that such sickening
cruelty is so common that it’s just not newsworthy?
By not bringing such information forward, the Free
Press caters to the “ ignorance is bliss” crowd and is complicit
in the suffering.
DEBBIE WALL
Winnipeg
A day for dads
Wishing the fellow fathers our there
a huge Happy Father’s Day! Woke up
and was spoiled by my kids, and not
a tie in sight.
@ dasme
Happy Father’s Day to single moms
all around the world who play the role
of both a mother and a father.
@ anmxl
Perfect way to start my Father’s
Day... at the rink w/ a Timmies ( thanks
to Tracy). Future Great One on the
ice.
@ Mayor_ Bowman
Happy Father’s Day to all dads. A
special thank you to those fathers
working/ fighting for inclusion for
people of all abilities.
@ SCELifeWorks
Father’s Day is always a sad day
for me. I miss my dad lots — even
though you’ve been gone for 24
years, Happy Father’s Day, Dad.
@ crazyindapeg
Happy Father’s Day. The best thing
about my dad is he doesn’t see the
stupid things I say on Twitter.
@ marcotwentysix
Lt.- Gov. Janice Filmon
Re: Filmon installed as Manitoba’s
25th lieutenant- governor ( June 19).
Janice Filmon is a great choice, and
will be a wonderful representative
for Manitoba. Congratulations.
— 27975338
¥
An elegant and gracious lady. Congratulations,
Lt.- Gov. Filmon.
I hope you thoroughly enjoy your
tenure as L. G.
— emcee51
¥
Greg Selinger missed another
leadership opportunity at the ceremony
by not making sure his caucus
was well- represented. Small- minded
moves like this do not go unnoticed
in our communities. Another votelosing
move and very disrespectful
to a woman who will show them
what class is all about.
— April 30
¥
Congratulations to Lt.- Gov. Filmon.
But it’s appalling a majority of NDP
MLAs did not attend the swearing
in of their boss’ boss — especially
Deanne Crothers; MLA, minister,
and special envoy to military affairs.
Why? Because there were numerous
members of the PPCLI taking the
review from Lt.- Gov. Filmon. Why
wouldn’t she attend the ceremony,
regardless of bias and partisanship?
If Minister Crothers doesn’t feel
this swearing- in ceremony warrants
her presence, she should step aside
or resign.
— emcee51
¥
Good. I can’t wait for the cries of “ but
her husband privatized MTS and fired
200,000 nurses!” — as if it’s relevant
to her accomplishments.
— Ceedger
¥
It’s sad to believe Manitobans feel
they need a representative of the
Queen of England on the taxpayers’
dime.
— 27972508
¥
Re: Family, love, triumph and tragedy
( June 20). Having met Janice at CancerCare
a few years ago when my wife
was taking treatments, she a genuine
quality person.
After reading this interview, I’m convinced
she will do a great job in her
new appointment.
— rnd- D- rnd’r
¥
With all due respect, Mrs. Filmon,
your function is to promote and
maintain the institution of the British
monarchy, a disservice to the survival
of a modern and independent Canada.
— Gordon Halushka
¥
@ Gordon Halushka: In whatever
capacity Mrs. Filmon has become a
member of public service, can you
not recognize her refreshingly honest
nature? You live in Canada and
reap the benefits of that existence,
including those that come with being
a member of the Commonwealth.
This woman is as real as they come.
Live elsewhere, and then dare to
complain about our history.
— user- 6823333
A FTER reading Gen. Tom Lawson’s comments
on sexual abuse in the military, a
generous observer might say something
like: “ What we have here is failure to communicate.”
The problem, however, wasn’t his “ awkward”
remarks about how some men are “ biologically
wired” to sexually harass women. The fact is the
advance of western civilization has struggled
and still struggles to control male behaviour with
regard to women.
The problem wasn’t what Gen. Lawson said.
It’s what he did not say. Even when he had the
opportunity to correct himself, the general
merely said biology is no excuse for maledominated
groups to act like wild dogs around
women.
No kidding.
The Canadian Armed Forces has had policies
against sexual harassment since 1988, the same
year a ruling by a Canadian Human Rights
Tribunal forced the military to “ fully integrate
women into regular and reserve Forces ( with
the exception of submarines, which came later);
remove all employment restrictions and implement
new occupational personnel- selection standards;
and devise a plan to steadily, regularly
and consistently achieve complete integration
within 10 years.”
It’s been a rocky road since, and the military
has updated its policies on harassment several
times without much success in rewiring male
biology, to use the general’s terminology. In
fact, it seems as the number of women in the
Forces has risen ( to roughly 15 per cent), the
incidence of harassment has gone up in lockstep.
A road map to meaningful change was offered
earlier this year in a report by former Supreme
Court justice Marie Deschamps, who described
the military as a cesspool of primitive macho culture,
where women and members of the LGBTQ
community are subjected to abuse, demeaning
comments and sexual assault.
Ms. Deschamps said conditions had not improved
since the last internal examination of
the problem 20 years ago. And that study was
preceded by “ no less than five studies... on harassment.”
In response, Gen. Lawson refused to commit
to implementing her report, including a critical
recommendation for independent investigations
of complaints.
Women said they did not trust the military
process, and many victims were afraid to come
forward with complaints.
A special unit has since been appointed to
implement the recommendations, but the commander
of the investigative team has said it
could take months or years to get it done.
Gen. Lawson missed an opportunity to promise
tough new measures against sexual harassment
and to apologize on behalf of the military for taking
so damn long to get serious.
If he needed inspiration, he could have looked
up the words of Australian army chief Lt.- Gen.
David Morrison.
“ I will be ruthless in ridding the Australian
army of people who cannot live up to its values,
and I need every one of you to support me in
achieving this,” he said.
“ If that does not suit you, then get out... There
is no place for you among this band of brothers
and sisters.”
Now, there’s a man whose biological handicaps
aren’t interfering with his judgment.
The Canadian Armed Forces, unfortunately,
has had trouble getting its wiring straight.
Gen. Lawson retires this summer, replaced
by Lt.- Gen. Jonathan Vance, who distinguished
himself in Afghanistan as a gifted thinker and
strategist, a leader who didn’t accept excuses.
Let’s hope that extends to getting real about
sexual abuse in the military.
Military must get its wiring straight
Gen. Tom Lawson: bad wiring
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