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Please join us on November 18th for the Regina leg of Abousfian Abdelrazik's Western Canada speaking tour.
Abousfian Abdelrazik was arrested while on a visit to Sudan in 2003. The Federal Court of Canada later concluded that this arrest likely took place at the request of Canada’s spy agency, CSIS. Though never charged, Abdelrazik was beaten, threatened and tortured during two periods of detention totaling a year and a half, in which he was repeatedly questioned by CSIS agents. Blocked from returning to his home in Montreal, Abdelrazik went public with his story and took refuge in the Canadian Embassy in Khartoum, where he remained a virtual prisoner for 14 months. Finally, a groundswell of public support from across Canada and a Federal Court ruling forced the government to bring him home.
While it is now over sixteen months since Abdelrazik returned to Canada, his life remains in limbo. Not only have Canadian officials failed to take responsibility for the central role they played in his wrongful imprisonment, torture and exile in Sudan, they have failed to challenge his placement on the UN Security Council’s notoriously unjust "1267 list." Not only a no-fly list, the 1267 list also imposes a complete asset freeze on listed individuals and organizations. Listed individuals have no right to a hearing prior to being listed, and they are given no evidence to support the vague allegations behind their inclusion on the 1267 list. Canadian legislation implementing the 1267 regime forbids anyone from giving Abdelrazik any financial aid, including gifts, loans, or even a salary. Thus, although Mr. Abdelrazik has never been charged with any crime, he lives in a virtual prison.
Abousfian Abdelrazik, like a growing number of others, has been subjected to violations of his rights in the name of our “national security.” The 1267 list and similar tools rely on guilt by association and racial profiling, casting a shadow over entire communities. Domestically, such policies trample on the fundamental rights and dignities of migrants, marginalize targeted communities, create fear and silence debate; internationally, they justify extreme violence and delegitimize resistance.
Project Fly Home is embarking on a new speaking tour with Mr. Abdelrazik, which will bring him to five western cities, including Stephen Harper's home town of Calgary. On this speaking tour, Project Fly Home will be seeking the support of others to put pressure on the government to immediately lift the sanctions on Mr. Abdelrazik, to ask all Security Council members to support the delisting of Mr. Abdelrazik, and to withdraw from the unjust and unconstitutional 1267 sanctions regime.
For more information, see: www.peoplescommission.org/en/abdelrazik
National Sponsors:
Canadian Labour Congress (CLC)
Candian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Saskatchewan
Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW)
Canadian Auto Workers (CAW)
Local Sponsors:
Regina Making Peace Vigil
Amnesty International Saskatchewan
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives - Saskatchewan
Briarpatch Magazine
The Saskatchewan office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives is a proud partner of Poverty Free Saskatchewan (PFS), a coalition of groups attempting to develop a comprehensive anti-poverty program for the province. Today we released Let's Do Something About Poverty!, in order to encourage a renewed dialogue on the issue of poverty in our province.
You can view the full document here.
View the press release here.
Poverty Free Saskatchewan (PFS) created this document in the hope that it can serve as a catalyst for a much-needed discussion on poverty in our province.
We would like this document to encourage a renewed dialogue on poverty and foster new and innovative proposals and solutions from concerned citizens.
This is your invitation to get involved in creating an action plan to eliminate poverty in Saskatchewan. our network extends an invitation to connect with us. We want to hear from everyone concerned with the issues of poverty in our province.
The CCPA-Saskatchewan is a founding member of Poverty Free Saskatchewan.
A Public Forum with Dr. Michael Rachlis Health policy analyst, University of Toronto Associate professor and author of Prescription for Excellence: How Innovation is Saving Canada's Health System. Public Solutions are the Cure for Health Care Wait Lists Wednesday, September 15th 7pm Royal Saskatchewan Museum Presented by Saskatchewan Health Coalition Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives - Saskatchewan Canadian Union of Public Employees Saskatchewan Union of Nurses Service Employees International Union West
Join us on October 15th and 16th for a special evening with Trevor Herriot. A renowned prairie naturalist, essayist and commentator, Trevor will discuss the intersection of culture and nature on the northern Great Plains in his talk entitled "All Flesh is Grass: Toward a Re-Engagement with the Prairie." Please come out to one of the nights in both Saskatoon and Regina for what is sure to be an intellectually engaging and exhilarating discussion.
CCPA Saskatchewan presents Trevor Herriot
Friday, October 15th, 7pm Cosmopolitan Seniors' Centre, Saskatoon
Saturday, October 16th, 7pm Royal Saskatchewan Museum, Regina
Suggested Donation: $10
Regina — The Saskatchewan office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has released a new study on the economic costs of pursuing nuclear power in Saskatchewan. "In the Red: The Green Behind Nuclear Power," authored by policy researcher Heath Packman, critically examines the economic costs that the construction of a nuclear reactor in our province would entail.
While the Wall government has suspended its plans for nuclear energy in the province for now, they remain open to the future possibility of a nuclear reactor here in Saskatchewan. And despite the government’s concerns with costs, the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce continues to support the idea, arguing that the economic case has yet to be made. This study should bring some clarity to the economic debate over the true costs of pursuing nuclear power in our province.
Taking into account a myriad of economic factors that have rarely been considered in public debates over the costs of nuclear power, Heath Packman concludes that the province can ill-afford the economic costs associated with the construction of a nuclear reactor in Saskatchewan.
Some of the key findings from the report include:
Nuclear power has the potential to triple current electricity rates for Saskatchewan consumers to as much as $0.34 per KWh.
Throughout the life-cycle of nuclear power generation, significant amounts of GHG emissions are created.
Even with carbon taxes factored in, nuclear power continues to demonstrate the highest capital costs ($4000/kw) in comparison to other forms of energy.
The export market for surplus power has been greatly exaggerated, as any excess capacity Saskatchewan had to offer would have to compete with lower-cost hydro-electricity from British Columbia, Manitoba, Washington, and Oregon.
"In the Red: The Green Behind Nuclear Power" should serve to further bolster arguments that Saskatchewan needs to rely on safer, cheaper and more sustainable forms of electricity generation to secure its future energy needs.
Read the full report here
About the Author:
Heath Packman holds degrees from the University of Regina in Economics and History. A writer and researcher of public policy, Heath spent six years working alongside the key Ministers of the Calvert administration in the Ministries or Industry, Finance, and Advanced Education and Training.
The CCPA Monitor is the only place I know that one can go to for accurate and honest reporting on the state of the world. I would hate like hell to ever be without The CCPA Monitor; it would be like losing my sight and my hearing. I heartily recommend it to anybody who gives a damn about the condition of the world.
— Farley Mowat
