CONTEXTE : M. Hassan Diab est citoyen canadien et professeur d'université. Jusqu'en 2008, il menait une vie productive et paisible à Ottawa, au Canada. En 2008, il a été arrêté par la Gendarmerie royale du Canada (GRC) à la demande de la France pour son implication présumée dans un attentat à la bombe devant une synagogue parisienne le 3 octobre 1980, attentat qui a tué quatre personnes et en a blessé plus de 40. M. Diab a toujours nié toute implication dans ce crime, soulignant qu'il s'agissait d'une erreur d'identité et qu'à cette époque, il était étudiant au Liban en train de passer ses examens. Après avoir été détenu pendant près de cinq mois au Centre de détention d'Ottawa-Carleton, M.Diab a été libéré sous de lourdes conditions de caution, notamment une assignation à résidence presque totale. Au Canada l'audience d'extradition s'est déroulée de fin 2009 à juin 2011. L'audience a montré à quel point le dossier contre M. Diab est peu cohérent et sans fondement. Deux rapports d'analyse graphologique présentés par la France reposaient sur des échantillons qui n'avaient pas été écrits par M. Diab ; ils ont dû être remplacés par une troisième analyse graphologique. Cinq experts en graphologie de renommée mondiale, originaires de la Grande-Bretagne, du Canada, de la Suisse et des États-Unis, ont témoigné que ce troisième rapport d'analyse était partial, totalement défectueux et non fiable, et qu'une analyse objective ne pouvait impliquer M. Diab. Il y a un manque total de preuves scientifiques à l'appui de cette affaire. La personne qui a posé la bombe en 1980 avait laissé des empreintes (de doigts et d’une paume), dont aucune ne correspond à celles de M. Diab. Les descriptions des témoins étaient également truffées de contradictions. De plus, le dossier contre M. Diab repose sur des renseignements secrets, sans source, qui pourraient avoir été obtenus par la torture. Ces renseignements ont été retirés de l'audience d'extradition au Canada en raison de leur nature extrêmement problématique. Cependant, ces renseignements figurent toujours dans le dossier français. Human Rights Watch a démontré l'utilisation de renseignements secrets et de procès inéquitables dans le cadre des lois antiterroristes françaises. En ordonnant l'extradition de M. Diab, le juge d'extradition canadien, Robert Maranger, a noté que seule la preuve graphologique (qui a été fortement critiquée par les experts internationaux en graphologie) fournirait un motif d'extradition. Le juge a noté que les preuves graphologiques étaient « alambiquées », « très confuses » et menaient à des « conclusions douteuses ». Toutefois, il a déclaré que la loi canadienne sur l'extradition ne lui laissait pas d'autre choix que d’ordonner l’extradition de M. Diab. La quête de justice de M. Diab s'est poursuivie pendant trois années supplémentaires, y compris les appels dans le système judiciaire canadien. À la suite du refus de la Cour suprême du Canada d'entendre son dernier appel, il a été rapidement extradé vers la France en novembre 2014. On lui a dérobé la possibilité de dire au revoir à sa femme (qui attendait leur deuxième enfant) et à sa fille de deux ans. M. Diab a été incarcéré dans le pénitencier à sécurité maximale de Fleury-Mérogis, situé dans la banlieue de Paris. Il y a passé 38 mois en quasi-isolement. (Les normes internationales ont constaté que l'isolement cellulaire au-delà de 15 jours constitue un traitement cruel et équivaut très probablement à de la torture). À l’encontre des principes usuels d’extradition, les autorités françaises n’ont pas proféré d’accusations formelles avant l’extradition de M. Diab. Pendant son séjour en prison en France, les juges d’instruction, MM. Jean-Marc Herbaut et Richard Foltzer, poursuivirent l’enquête judiciaire vieille de plusieurs décennies. À huit reprises, les juges d’instruction ordonnèrent la libération sous conditions de M. Diab. Les procureurs réussirent chaque fois à les contrer. Enfin, en janvier 2018, les deux juges d’instruction, leur enquête terminée (y compris un voyage au Liban pour interroger des témoins, afin de vérifier l’alibi de M. Diab), conclurent que le dossier ne justifiait pas un procès et ordonnèrent la libération immédiate de M. Diab. Deux jours plus tard, M. Diab retournait à Ottawa et retrouvait sa famille, dont son fils né pendant son incarcération en France. Entre-temps, les procureurs français, poussés par la pression politique et le lobby des victimes, ont fait appel de l'ordonnance de non-lieu des juges d'instruction. La Cour d'appel française a ordonné une nouvelle analyse graphologique qui a déterminé que l'analyse graphologique précédente, retenue par le juge Maranger, n'était pas concluante, qu'elle utilisait une méthodologie erronée et n'était absolument pas fiable. Les analystes ont indiqué qu'ils étaient en parfait accord avec les experts internationaux en graphologie de M. Diab. Malgré cela et dans une décision qui choque la conscience, la justice française a fixé la date d'avril 2023 pour le procès de M. Diab, plus de cinq ans après qu'il a été blanchi de toutes les accusations et libéré sans conditions par les juges d'instruction français. Si M. Diab est jugé en France, il le sera sur la base de preuves non fiables et erronées qu'il n'est pas autorisé à contester efficacement. Les rapports d'analyse graphologique discrédités et les « informations » sans source avérée provenant de services de renseignement anonymes restent dans le dossier. Les preuves présentées par ses avocats ne seraient pas prises en compte de manière équitable, car les témoins experts de la défense sont considérés avec méfiance par le tribunal. Hassan Diab risque un procès inéquitable, une condamnation injustifiée et une nouvelle extradition. Nous demandons instamment au gouvernement canadien de prendre toutes les mesures nécessaires pour lui épargner une nouvelle erreur judiciaire.

BACKGROUND: Dr. Hassan Diab is a Canadian citizen and university professor, who until 2008 was living a productive and peaceful life in Ottawa, Canada. In 2008, he was arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) at the request of France for alleged involvement in a bombing outside a Paris synagogue on 3 October 1980, which killed four people and wounded more than 40. Hassan has always denied any involvement in the crime, pointing out that this is a case of mistaken identity, and that he was a student in Lebanon at the time writing his exams. After being held for almost five months in the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre, Hassan was released under onerous bail conditions, including virtual house arrest, and an electronic monitoring device for which he was required to pay $2,000 per month. The extradition hearing in Canada ran from late 2009 until June of 2011. The hearing laid bare just how flimsy and baseless the case against Hassan is. Two handwriting analysis reports presented by France relied on samples that were not written by Hassan, and had to be replaced by a third handwriting analysis. Five world-renowned handwriting experts from Britain, Canada, Switzerland, and the United States testified that this third handwriting analysis report is biased, totally flawed, and utterly unreliable, and that an objective analysis points away from Hassan. There is a complete lack of forensic evidence to support the case. The suspect had left finger and palm prints behind, none of which matched Hassan’s. Witness descriptions were also riddled with contradictions. Moreover, the case against Hassan relies on secret, unsourced intelligence that may be the product of torture. The intelligence was withdrawn from the extradition hearing in Canada in recognition of its extremely problematic nature. However, the intelligence remains in the French dossier. Human Rights Watch has documented the use of secret intelligence and unfair trials under France’s anti-terrorism laws. In committing Hassan to extradition, the Canadian extradition judge, Justice Robert Maranger, noted that the handwriting evidence (which was heavily criticized by the international handwriting experts) — and only this evidence — is grounds for committal. The judge described the handwriting evidence as “convoluted”, “very confusing”, and “with conclusions that are suspect”, but stated that Canada’s extradition law left him no choice but to commit Hassan. In his committal decision on 6 July 2011, Justice Maranger, wrote: o “the evidence that tips the scale in favor of committal is the handwriting comparison evidence.” (para. 189) o “the case presented by the Republic of France against Mr. Diab is a weak case; the prospects of conviction in the context of a fair trial, seem unlikely.” (para. 191) o “It is presupposed, based on our treaty with France, that they will conduct a fair trial, and that justice will be done.” (para. 195) Hassan's search for justice continued for three more years, including appeals in the Canadian court system. After the Supreme Court of Canada declined to hear his final appeal, he was swiftly extradited to France in November 2014. He was not given the opportunity to say goodbye to his wife (who was expecting their second child) and his 2-year old daughter. Hassan was incarcerated in the Fleury-Mérogis maximum security prison on the outskirts of Paris. He spent the next 38 months there, in near solitary confinement. (International standards have determined that solitary confinement beyond 15 days constitutes cruel treatment and quite likely amounts to torture.) Contrary to standard principles of extradition, no formal charges were laid by the French authorities prior to Hassan’s extradition. While he was in prison in France, the French investigative judges (“juges d'instruction”), Jean-Marc Herbaut and Richard Foltzer, continued the investigation of the decades-long case. On eight occasions the investigative judges ordered Dr. Diab's release on bail. Eight times the state prosecutor (“procureur”) was successful in blocking his release. Finally, in January 2018, the two investigative judges, having completed their investigation which included travel to Lebanon to interview witnesses, concluded that there were no grounds for pursuing a trial and ordered that Dr. Diab be immediately released. Two days later, Dr. Diab returned to Ottawa and rejoined his family, including his 3-year old son who was born soon after his extradition. Meanwhile, the French prosecutors, urged on by political pressure and the victims’ lobby, appealed against the dismissal order (“ordonnance de non-lieu”) of the investigative judges. The French Court of Appeal ordered a new handwriting analysis which determined that the previous handwriting analysis, which was accepted by Justice Maranger, was inconclusive, used the wrong methodology, and was completely unreliable. The analysts indicated that they were in full agreement with Dr. Diab's international handwriting experts. In spite of this and in a decision that shocks the conscience, the French judiciary set an April 2023 date for the trial of Hassan, more than five years after he was cleared of all accusations and freed without conditions by the French investigative judges. If Hassan goes on trial in France, Hassan would be tried on unreliable and flawed evidence that he is not allowed to effectively challenge. The discredited handwriting analysis reports and unsourced intelligence remain in the dossier. Evidence introduced by his lawyers would not receive fair consideration because expert witnesses for the defence are viewed with suspicion by the court. Hassan Diab is facing an unfair trial, a wrongful conviction, and yet another extradition. We urge the Canadian government to take all necessary steps to save him from any further miscarriage of justice.

While the rest of us struggled to get by through these last two years of pandemic and inflation, the rich have only gotten richer. It’s ridiculous that Elon Musk — who paid $0 in income tax in 2007 despite his astronomical wealth — can pay $43 billion on a whim to take over a platform that should belong to all of us. [2] Twitter is one of the largest social media platforms in the world. It’s where many of us learn about social issues that have been overlooked by major news outlets, and where activists connect and organize against injustice. With Musk at the helm, the Donald Trumps and Maxime Berniers of the world will be given the ultimate soapbox to spread disinformation and hate — but you can bet that activists, journalists, and anyone daring to challenge Musk and his ilk won’t receive the same treatment. Musk says he’s buying Twitter in the name of free speech, but the proof is in the pudding: when Black Tesla employees lodged a complaint for the racism and discrimination they experienced at work, he fired them for speaking out. [3] Musk’s takeover is nothing new — it’s just the latest in a decades-long crusade by the ultra-rich to take control of our media, institutions, and social services. The billionaire class becomes more powerful with each passing day — and the rest of us are paying the price. Sign the petition if you think public information services like Twitter should belong to regular people like us — not a billionaire like Elon Musk. Sources [1] https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/musk-twitter-monday-1.6429802 [2] https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/06/bezos-musk-didnt-pay-federal-income-tax-some-years-report.html [3] https://theconversation.com/if-elon-musk-succeeds-in-his-twitter-takeover-it-would-restrict-rather-than-promote-free-speech-181576

Legal professionals need clearly and easily accessible (edited and error free) bylaws, regulations and acts. They need to communicate with their governing body (CICC) easily and clearly, being able to contact anyone during hours for questions. Immigration law in particular is a specialty, and it’s personal and difficult and a process that we train in to help people. To our clients it is their attempt at starting a new life, that is courageous, the should have educated people to help them, and they should be told this in a positive way while the CICC uses its government budget to stop illegal ghost consultants. People should be told they must when they hire a representative to check and must be on the CICC registry by Registration number of the representative and see if it matches the name search can search but the R number protected. This allows legal consultants to avoid being copied or linked unknowingly, helping the CICC and the client and the case refusal rate. People who can benefit Canadian economy, contribute to job shortages and birth rates should be given a fair chance. We as professional need timely action from who governs us, who governs our clients and the Immigration Minister Sean Frazer yo ensure the system supports the plan and the plan supports the professional who are trained to know it. And know how to do it by following the appropriate Regulations, Acts and Bylaws o do so, as well as working and accessible government online platforms we can rely on and how to iron out the kinks like no in application received asking client to choose payment option automatically linking to the platform. As of now the client pays and needs to upload another document. Which causes problems if the system didn’t flag it for review. The list goes on and we hope you will want to listen to more of how we can help and work together.

Lowering the voting age could change everything. It would result in an electoral system change, while also supporting young people having a voice, increasing political engagement and advancing fairness in Canada's democratic system. [2] With a worsening climate crisis, growing economic inequality and the ongoing global pandemic, young people’s futures are at stake. They deserve to be at the table. The Bill already has the Bloc's support — as well as some Liberal MPs — but unless we show a lot of public support so that a critical mass of MPs vote for it, it won't get anywhere. If we can build public momentum in support of The Right to Vote at 16 Act, we can show the Liberals that people want a fairer, stronger democracy. Add your name to show your support. Sign now. [1] https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/voting-age-canada-taylor-bachrach-1.6284418 [2] https://theconversation.com/why-lowering-the-voting-age-in-canada-is-such-a-good-idea-180108

Improving children's and teenagers mental health in Ontario: Mental health has been around for century's and has continued to affect children and teenagers physical and mental well-being. Research conducted by Garcia & Elliott states that the closures of schools are impacting the learning and retention of previously taught material for children and teenagers. The closures of schools are impacting children’s and teenager’s mental health as they are feeling less confident in their work and feeling a lack of motivation which then creates children and teenagers wanting to give up on life. Perhaps enforcing schools to be open and finding different support systems within the schools, will help improve children’s and teenager’s mental health during covid-19. With schools being closed for a long period of time and now reopening has caused many children and teens feeling depressed and an increase of their anxiety as they don't know what to expect next. There needs to be better support systems for children and teenagers in our Ontario community today, if not it will continue to become worse and nothing will change but the lives of our future children and teens. Lets be the change in our community and use our voices to help support children and teenagers who are suffering in silence with mental health damage inside.

This grotesque, untimely and out of scale development might be have been possible 20 years ago, but now it is clearly destructive to the River and landscape which makes the area unique. It is disrespectful of First Nations eons of care for the land and waters. It disregards local settler communities and their heritage village. And it sets a precedent for development and pollution along the banks of the Grand to Lake Erie.

The SPFA compliments existing protections found in s. 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, removing any room for interpretation regarding the extent of student journalists' rights to freedom of expression and of the press. The apparent school administrative doctrine that students shed their Charter rights upon entering the doors of a public school is one that is both at odds with Canada's Constitution and as a democratic society, we must reject in its entirety. Oftentimes, student journalists shed light on the specific experiences of their campuses, as well as the pressing issues facing youth. They can report on the state of our education system, bringing a view from the inside. As members of a younger generation, one highly susceptible to misinformation, they can act as the first responders to fake news and falsities spreading in their community. Student journalists can do all of these things, but they need to freedom to do so, and they need that freedom to be protected. What happened to The Nest happens to student journalists across the country. Students are denied their rights simply because they are students. That's unacceptable in a country like Canada. The SPFA needs to pass to ensure no students in the British Columbia school system are denied their fundamental rights and ensure that their voices are heard in our society.

As a non partisan organization the DSC Campus Organizing Committee sees the decision by Elections Canada as a violation of student rights and freedoms and could even be considered a tactic of voter suppression. We know that students experience increased barriers to voting than the general public including; access to transportation, housing precariousness (making where to vote and how to vote more confusing), and less time to vote due to the constraints of both working and going to school. Furthermore we know that these barriers have been exacerbated by the pandemic and the timing of the election being so close to when students are in transition and settling into new routines. We also know this is a crucial election in Canada’s ability to respond in a timely and effective manner to a number of crises that will have a lasting effect on this generation of students including but not limited to; climate, housing affordability, and wealth inequality. Anything that can be done to encourage students to vote will be a good thing for our democracy. We hope you agree!

Elections Canada is not setting up voting booths or offering special balloting on campus for students in this important election. Young people are the largest voting block and tend to vote progressive-- this is extremely concerning. Their reasoning is also unjustified. They claim the problem is the pandemic and minority government having a snap election. This is voter suppression. People and students are rightfully angry about not being able to justly and equitably access their voting rights and Elections Canada has been getting backlash all day. We need to ensure voting is as accessible as possible to increase turn out. Our ask is very simple. Elections Canada: open voting booths on campus across the country. If we can ramp up the pressure on Elections Canada while they’re feeling the heat on their announcement, it could be enough to force them to reverse course and set up voting booths and special balloting on campuses across the country. Otherwise thousands of students will be barred from voting. Add your voice now to show the importance of accessible student voting!

This year alone, we have seen an unprecedented amount of disasters all over the world, such as deadly heat waves, wildfires, tornadoes, over one billion sea creatures possibly boiling to death in the oceans, melting icecaps causing northern parts of the world to become inhospitable, to countless floods and other major disasters. All of these issues and much more serve as a grim reminder that the Earth is a fragile place that requires immediate action. Climate science has shown us time and time again that our way of living is unsustainable, but those in power refuse to acknowledge these facts for monetary gain. The worst is yet to come, and we will be the ones to inherit a desolate planet if we do not do our part. Not our children, or our children's children, but those of us here now. We at Green Tomorrow Niagara refuse this fate, and so we are calling on you to stand with us and demand more from your leaders, and prove to all that sustainable is attainable.

*UPDATE* Five Councillors - Shelley Carroll, Mike Layton, Josh Matlow, Gordon Perks and Kristyn Wong-Tam - have signed a letter denouncing the violence and asking the Mayor to change course: https://www.cp24.com/news/city-councillors-call-on-tory-to-stop-extreme-show-of-force-when-dismantling-encampments-1.5521002 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The scenes that have unfolded across Toronto over the past month of forced evictions are seared into our collective consciousness. The photos and videos speak volumes of our shame. Armed and militarized police forces physically assaulting civilians in the name of "public safety". Weapons deployed to beat the unhoused and their supporters alike. Choke holds responsible for numerous deaths in the United States deployed right here in Toronto, caught on camera for the world to see. [1-4] The actions of Toronto Police in destroying the camps where people have fled both the housing crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic are reprehensible, and unless our elected leaders immediately denounce the violence and halt the evictions, they make us all complicit. There is no universe in which it can be credibly claimed that paying people to assault our neighbours with weapons serves the cause of public safety. And yet that is exactly what Mayor Tory claimed this effort was about when confronted with images of the violence. [5] It is clear that the way public safety is delivered in Toronto must be completely reimagined. The first step on that road is for every elected leader in city government to go on the record unequivocally condemning the extreme police violence deployed in Alexandra Park, Trinity Bellwoods Park, and Lamport Stadium, and to put a halt to all further use of force against our unhoused neighbours. Housed or not, Toronto is our home. We all deserve to feel safe here. But it won't happen on its own. It's clear we can't count on the police to deliver that safety. It's up to us to demand it. A massive petition will show Mayor Tory and the Council that the entire city is fed up with the cycle of abuse and aggression - and with an election next year, that just might be enough to get them to start making some changes. Add your name today and spread the word. *Note* For more ways to help, check out the No Encampment Evictions Toolkit: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xc_P333h8UuoWyx970rxqNgw07BlUVzPZR2ncKq0eOs/edit Sources (note: some of these photos depict violence committed by our public servants and can be disturbing) 1) Photo of a dangerous "knee to neck" chokehold TPD claims they don't use: https://twitter.com/canto_general/status/1417958275774025736?s=20 2) Photo of TPD officer using a weapon to beat a person: https://twitter.com/lorrainelamchop/status/1418273031621906435 3) Several photos, including one of a TPD officer grabbing a person by the throat: https://twitter.com/ChrisYphoto/status/1418210773097230336?s=20 4) Photo of TPD throwing a person to the ground to arrest them while racing to grab another onlooker: https://twitter.com/EVYSTADIUM/status/1418274967867871235 5) Vice: "Toronto Cops Say They Did 'Tremendous Job' After Beating People, Destroying Homeless Camp" - https://www.vice.com/en/article/z3xgza/toronto-cops-say-they-did-tremendous-job-after-beating-people-destroying-homeless-camp