Canada’s justice system doesn’t work for women, but it certainly works for the elite and the powerful. The ongoing saga of retired general and ex-defence chief Jonathan Vance is a prime example of how our courts fail the vulnerable while tipping the scales of justice in favour of the wealthy, the decorated and the male.
On Wednesday, Vance was allowed to walk away from his sole criminal charge with what can’t even be described as a slap on the wrist. Rather, the presiding judge practically held his hand in solidarity, saying Vance was a “man of good character” and it’s important he remain in a “position where you have much to contribute to society.”
So let’s refresh Vance’s so-called contributions to society, which culminated in a military sexual misconduct crisis and a massive breach of public trust in both the armed forces and the federal government. Those are just the macro impacts of his actions; let’s not forget there are actual victims whose personal lives and careers were damaged.
Saturday, April 2, 2022
JUDGE UPHOLDS MAXWELL'S SEX TRAFFICKING CONVICTION
A U.S. judge refused to throw out Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking conviction Friday, despite a juror’s failure to disclose before the trial began that he’d been a victim of childhood sexual abuse.
Maxwell, a British socialite, was convicted in December of helping the millionaire Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse several teenage girls.
U.S. Judge Alison J. Nathan declined to order a new trial weeks after questioning the juror under oath in a New York courtroom about why he failed to disclose his personal history as an abuse survivor on a questionnaire during the jury selection process.
Maxwell, a British socialite, was convicted in December of helping the millionaire Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse several teenage girls.
U.S. Judge Alison J. Nathan declined to order a new trial weeks after questioning the juror under oath in a New York courtroom about why he failed to disclose his personal history as an abuse survivor on a questionnaire during the jury selection process.
MAPLE SYRUP THIEF HAS 10 YEARS TO PAY $9MILLION FINE
One of the people involved in the infamous Canadian maple syrup heist is being ordered to pay a fine that's over $9 million!
Richard Vallières was arrested and found guilty of fraud, trafficking and theft relating to the theft, which is known as the "Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist."
The theft was discovered in July 2012 when the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers did a routine inventory check at a warehouse and found barrels containing water instead of maple syrup.
Richard Vallières was arrested and found guilty of fraud, trafficking and theft relating to the theft, which is known as the "Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist."
The theft was discovered in July 2012 when the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers did a routine inventory check at a warehouse and found barrels containing water instead of maple syrup.
EXTREME SUPPLY CHAIN CHALLENGES HIT LUMBER INDUSTYRY
Canfor Corp., one of North America’s biggest lumber producers, said this week that it will shift to a four-day workweek at most of its 11 mills in British Columbia and Alberta starting April 4; not because of inadequate demand, but because it’s run out of room to pile the boards that customers are ordering at a startling rate.
“We are experiencing extreme supply chain challenges,” Don Kayne, chief executive of Vancouver-based Canfor, said in a press release on March 31. “It has become imperative to reduce operating schedules to address our unsustainable inventory levels.”
The main issue appears to be a shortage of rail cars in Western Canada, where Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. are struggling to keep up with the post-pandemic surge in demand for virtually every commodity that Canada exports in bulk. That means companies have been piling up inventory, as they wait for the railways to clear their backlogs. Things got so bad for Canfor that it ran out of space; the company said the new production schedule will reduce output by at least 100 million board feet at a time when lumber prices are sitting near an all-time high.
“We are experiencing extreme supply chain challenges,” Don Kayne, chief executive of Vancouver-based Canfor, said in a press release on March 31. “It has become imperative to reduce operating schedules to address our unsustainable inventory levels.”
The main issue appears to be a shortage of rail cars in Western Canada, where Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. are struggling to keep up with the post-pandemic surge in demand for virtually every commodity that Canada exports in bulk. That means companies have been piling up inventory, as they wait for the railways to clear their backlogs. Things got so bad for Canfor that it ran out of space; the company said the new production schedule will reduce output by at least 100 million board feet at a time when lumber prices are sitting near an all-time high.
Friday, April 1, 2022
PFIZER POTENTIALLY LINKED TO HEARING LOSS, TINNITUS
The World Health Organization has published a report citing extremely rare instances of hearing loss and other auditory issues following injection of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The health agency was notified that tinnitus, a hearing problem that causes ear ringing, may be associated with the vaccines.
Gregory Poland, MD, director of the Mayo Clinic’s Vaccine Research Group in Rochester, Minnesota, says he developed tinnitus after receiving his second dose of the vaccine.
ONTARIO CHILD CARE DEAL BLASTED
On Monday, Ontario premier Doug Ford and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the $10.2 billion child-care deal. For those eligible, the funding will help bring down daycare fees to an average $10 a day by the end of 2025.
“Child care is the care of a child regardless of who provides the care,” said Mitchell. “Yet, just as we’ve seen in other provinces, the federal child-care plan’s fee reductions apply only to the families using licensed care. In Ontario, about a third of children under age six use that kind of care.”
“So, most families won’t benefit from today’s announcement. The best and fairest solution is to fund families directly—and to target the most funding to the lowest-income families. Making life more affordable for Ontario families is the right instinct, but today’s announcement is the wrong policy.”
“Child care is the care of a child regardless of who provides the care,” said Mitchell. “Yet, just as we’ve seen in other provinces, the federal child-care plan’s fee reductions apply only to the families using licensed care. In Ontario, about a third of children under age six use that kind of care.”
“So, most families won’t benefit from today’s announcement. The best and fairest solution is to fund families directly—and to target the most funding to the lowest-income families. Making life more affordable for Ontario families is the right instinct, but today’s announcement is the wrong policy.”
THE CREEPING IDEOLOGY OF THE WEF
Australian Liberal Senator Alex Antic has blasted the World Economic Forum (WEF) for influencing world governments, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet.
Antic, who is a member of the conservative faction of the Liberal Party, accused the WEF and founder Klaus Schwab of being “steeped in authoritarianism and Marxist ideology.”
“It’s an ideology which is creeping into governments across the world,” said Antic. “When speaking about the Canadian parliament, Schwab himself said: ‘We penetrate the cabinets. I know that half this cabinet—even more than half—are actually young global leaders of the World Economic Forum. It’s true in Argentina, it’s true in France—now with the President, who is a young global leader.’”
Antic, who is a member of the conservative faction of the Liberal Party, accused the WEF and founder Klaus Schwab of being “steeped in authoritarianism and Marxist ideology.”
“It’s an ideology which is creeping into governments across the world,” said Antic. “When speaking about the Canadian parliament, Schwab himself said: ‘We penetrate the cabinets. I know that half this cabinet—even more than half—are actually young global leaders of the World Economic Forum. It’s true in Argentina, it’s true in France—now with the President, who is a young global leader.’”
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