Meftih The Life Line of Eritrean Community Award Winning Independent Monthly Newspaper www.meftih.ca email: infomeftih@gmail.

com Volum 9 Issue 3 November 2013 - Printed the first Friday of every month Tel: 416-824-8124 Fax: 416-783-7850

Mayors friend search warrant documents to be released

About 300 pages of information used by police to obtain a search warrant for Alexander Sandro Lisi, Toronto Mayor Rob Fords friend and occasional driver, will be released this morning. The move will come a day after an Ontario Superior Court judge ordered the release of select portions of the information used to obtain the search warrant leading up to Lisis arrest. Another 170 pages deemed too sensitive will remain sealed when the 300 pages are released Thursday, though media lawyers will be challenging that in submissions to be made on

Nov. 8. During days of arguments, media lawyers opposed attempts to redact from the documents the names of so-called third parties individuals who are associates of Lisi but who were not charged. Earlier this month, Lisi described by Ford as a friend was arrested at a Toronto strip mall and charged with possession and trafficking of marijuana, conspiracy to commit an

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Mayors friend search warrant . . .

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indictable offence and possession of the proceeds of crime. More than a simple drug bust There is speculation about whether Ford, and not Lisi, is the main focus of the police investigation that led to Lisis arrest. In making his ruling Wednesday, Justice Ian Nordheimer suggested Lisi is not the focus. Reports in the Toronto Star have suggested that Ford is the real target of the police investigation. Lawyer Iain MacKinnon, who represented the CBC in submissions to have the material made public, was interviewed Friday on CBC Radios Metro Morning, and said its highly unusual that police would produce a 480-page submission to obtain a search warrant in what is essentially a simple drug possession and trafficking case. A charge of drug possession and trafficking with small amounts generally doesnt justify a document of 480 pages, MacKinnon told host Matt Galloway. The speculation is theres a lot more going on here than just a simple drug bust. Ford was asked Wednesday if he expects that the documents will name him. I cant comment on anything before the courts, he said. Fords relationship with his associates has been at issue since the spring, when the Toronto Star and the U.S. website Gawker reported that someone tried to sell them a video that allegedly shows Ford smoking crack cocaine. Ford has denied the video exists and has said he does not use crack cocaine. It was learned last week that Ford wrote a character reference for Lisi, who previously was convicted for threatening to kill his girlfriend. Source: CBC News

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Meftih November 2013 Volume 9 Issue 3: page 6

26 27 28 (Travel document) 29 30 31 33 34 - . . (voa) (video) (microphone) - - ! ! ! ! UNHCR ! ! ! UNHCR ! UNHCR ! UNHCR ! - ! ! ( ) ! ! ! ! ! 7 (voa) - - - - -

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(Refugee Law) (Refugee) 4 22 14 . 17 18

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Editor-in-chief

Editors:

Grace Cherian

Aaron Berhane
260 Adelaide St. E. Toronto, ON. M5A 1N1 # 192 Tel: 416-824-8124 Fax: 416-783-7850 info@meftih.ca www.meftih.ca

Photographer: Mulugeta Zergaber

Contributors: Mohamed Edris Naza Hasebenebi

Subscription Costs in Canada $39 for a year and $59 for two years. In USA, it costs $45 for a year and $69 for two years. Articles appearing in assorted columns of Meftih newspaper are intended to generate civil & informed public discussions. You dont have to agree with opinions expressed by the writers. However, that should push you to express your own views. Through that way we generate lively & civil discussions in the community. Rejoinders are not forums for personal insults & we want readers to adhere to these principles.

Medhin Ghebreslasie, Amleset Tesfay, Bode Odetoyinbo, Mimi Chandy, Ken Ntiamoa

Meftih November 2013 Volume 9 Issue 3:

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2008 .

Debt Advice
Wow! What a boring topic. Spending money on clothes, electronics, holidays, new cars, etc is much more exciting than just putting it in the bank. Even I would rather have a new iPad than an extra few bucks in the bank. That kind of thinking is emotional and wrong, and I know it. Too many people today live paycheque to paycheque. Many unforeseen expenses such as car repairs, illness or even an ill-timed vacation are charged to credit cards, which can take many months to pay, especially when interest is added. Our grandparents were very careful with money, usually because they did not have much of it. But most also put money in a savings account for emergencies. I recall that my grandparents wanted to have at least three months living expenses in the bank. I do not know if they ever succeeded in this but I do know they had a target.

The Rainy Day Fund

A little at a time, even $20 per week, does add up. Its hardest at the beginning when the fund grows so slowly, but over time those small deposits will become a significant cushion against unexpected expenses. It may be difficult to resist spending money and saving it instead, but when the transmission on that old car needs fixing, or emergency travel is required, knowing you have enough money to pay for it is a big relief. And the big reward comes when your credit card bill has no balance owing, because your emergency expenses were already paid for. Manage your money. Do not let your money manage you. Jordan Rumanek, B. Comm., CIRP is a trustee in bankruptcy with Rumanek & Company Ltd. He may be reached at (416) 665DEBT (3328) ext 305 or at Jordan@rumanek.com

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EYSC Appeals for Eritrean Victims of the Tragic Shipwreck to get Proper Burials in Their Home Country
October 4, 2013 Eritrean Youth Solidarity for Change (EYSC) joins Eritreans everywhere in expressing its deep sorrow over the tragic loss of so many young lives off the coast of Lampedusa, Italy. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. Sadly, this latest incident is a continuation of many such tragedies that have claimed thousands of young Eritrean lives in recent years. What the Italian authorities have done to rescue the helpless migrants, console the living and collect the bodies of those who passed away is commendable. We join the Eritrean communities throughout the world in expressing our appreciation for the badly needed help. However, for every victim that is ending up in body bag, there is a family waiting back in Eritrea to properly say goodbye and bury their loved ones with dignity according to custom and religion. Therefore we are appealing for: The Italian government to arrange for the swift The Eritrean government, through its Embassy transport of the bodies to Eritrea for proper burial. in Rome, to fully cooperate with the world community and give these citizens of Eritrea a final resting place in their homeland. Eritreans everywhere to come together at this hour of need to not only pray and remember the recent victims but to continue to get involved and seek a solution so that we dont continue to witness senseless loses of innocent lives.
CONTACT: CONTACT: Eritrean Youth Solidarity for Change (EYSC) Email: media@eysc.net Website: www.eysc.net

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11
2001 ? ? ? ? ? ! ! 27 / 10/ 2013

Meftih November 2013 Volume 9 Issue 3:

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An Open Letter to the Ethiopian Authorities

We the undersigned are writing to express our grave concern of the unfortunate incident that took place on October 5 and 6, at the Mai Aini and Adi Harush refugee camps respectively. We learned that camp attendants whom we assume are directly connected with the government security apparatus has opened fire on innocent and unarmed refugees causing one fatality and many serious injuries. According to our informants many of the refugees were in the process of demonstrating in the open to register their grievances. It goes without saying that peaceful demonstration is universally recognized practice that signatories of the UN charter have pledged to respect. In line with this argument it was unnecessary to use deadly force to quieting the voices of the helpless. Once

again we are not fully aware of the events surrounding the attack of the security guards on the demonstrating refugees to make an informed judgment. It is precisely because of this that we are requesting an investigative body is appointed to look into what went wrong on October 5 and 6, to cause harm including the imprisonment of up to 270 refugees. We view the formation of the body very important because each would know what is expected of him to avert similar incident from happening again. One of the things that we want to avoid completely is a rift between our two peoples. As Eritreans we are appreciative of your support. It is not lost in well meaning Eritreans that Ethiopia has been a generous host to tens of thousands of Eritrean refugees; we are also grateful for your generous of-

fer in the field of education to young refugees and your positive response to the plight of Eritrean refugees forcibly removed from Egypt and other countries to be repatriated in your country. Due to the unbearable and horrendous human rights situations in Eritrea, and the indefinite national services imposed on the nation, the youth in particular are fleeing to neighboring countries including Ethiopia. Most of those fleeing the persecution have dreams, like any of us, and those dreams are to live free of fears and servitude while being able to study, work and move freely without harassment of any sort. Despite all the good efforts by your government, the living conditions of refugees at the camps remain very difficult, hence for the demonstration

that took place in early October. We are all aware that each refugee in the camps receives a mere 15 kilo of cereal, one kilo of lentils, one liter of oil and a bar soap that will last him/her for month. As refugees are not allowed to work, many have to sell part of the ration to secure money so as to be able grind the raw cereal and purchase basic necessities of life such as clothes, shoes, etc. Many are on the verge of starvation and quiet few are malnourished, and tragically some have been living in such a condition for more than 7 years. Although the responsibility of maintaining the refugees is shared with the UNHCR, we believe that your government could help alleviate their suffering by allowing them integrate, move freely across the country and be able to work instead of keeping them in isolation, in remote areas of Tigray Region.

The governments living-outof-camp policy is exclusive and very difficult to obtain permission to exploit that opportunity. That also has to be reviewed and make it easy for people who can live outside the camp with the support of their families can do so. Last, but not least, certain sources in Ethiopia seem to be under the erroneous impression that the vocal refugees are Eritrean government agents controlled by the government itself. Nothing could be farther from the truth. All refugees from Eritrea are effectively criminalized by the Eritrean government they receive no support whatsoever, moral or monetary; on the contrary, the Eritrean government has long washed its hands of any responsibility on those leaving

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Meftih November 2013 Volume 9 Issue 3:

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MY PARTNER IS NOT ALLWED TO TALK TO ME BECAUSE I CALLED 911 HELP!

confinement, spitting, kicking, pushing, throwing or hitting with objects, verbal threats, stalking, harassment etc. Neither the Police nor Crowns (prosecutors) have any appetite for domestic incidents. In fact the police services manual enjoins You see because of their them to charge and prossensitive nature, every- ecute each and every approone in law enforcement priate incident with vigour. involved as a result of the 911 call is mandated to take What happens next to the such domestic related calls alleged aggressor? very seriously. The Police will typically investigate at Typically he or she or will the scene and arrest one of be led away in handcuffs the parties as well as charge and detained as an unwilling that person with one or guest of her Majesty in one more offences if warranted. of her finest lodgings pendIt matters not that he or she ing a bail hearing. When he changes the story when she is released, It is typically realise that he or she is not with strict conditions - typigoing to be counselled but cal conditions are he must is going to be led away in not communicate with her handcuffs as a result of the directly or indirectly except through a Lawyer until the 911 call. case is concluded. He also has to live at a different adis not up to her to withdraw the charge. The crown has exclusive prosecutorial jurisdiction. dress and typically has limited access to the children if any. He must also keep away from and any place where he knows her to be, work or frequent till the case is concluded at trial or a plea. What is the moral of this example? A 911 call is regarded as a distress call. The Police are not Counsellors. In a domestic setting typically an arrest and charge will follow a 911 call. Whether or not the charge can be proved beyond a reasonable doubt at trial is a different proposition. Bode Odetoyinbo is a Mississauga based Lawyer and Managing partner at Odetoyinbos LLP - Lawyer4me www.Lawyer4me. com - 905-487-6333.

Bode Odetoyinbo
Any telephone call reporting a domestic incident is amongst one of the most sensitive calls a 911 operator receives. It is taken very seriously. Once such a call has been received the police will be notified and dispatched. There are few things that can be done to prevent that knock on the door from the Police.

Domestic violence also known as domestic abuse or spousal abuse is loosely defined as any unlawful touching or application of force by a partner against another without the others consent, in an intimate relationship such as in a marriage, parenting, cohabitation, dating or other family based relaIt matters not that the caller tionship. calls back to say that she Domestic violence includes called 911 mistakenly or that but is not limited to any or the issue has been resolved. all of the following - slaps, Once the call has been made, intimidation, restraint or the police will turn up. Once they do, and he is charged, it

An Open Letter to . . .
From page 14
the country that ceive victims of this vicious government. However, we implore upon the Ethiopian authorities to take the next logical step by making their lives bearable, that is, making the camps more hospitable, and not confinement lot. Thus, the fateful demonstration of October 5 and 7 at Mai aini and Adu Harish camps cannot be viewed outside this context. We must not be oblivious of the Eritrean governments treachery to disseminate false information in order to create havoc on the tattered life of the refugees sheltered in Ethiopia. Disseminating such kind of false information could only justify and lead to the unfair punishment of innocent refugees who simply want enough food to eat, a roof over their heads, and the opportunity to work and live peacefully. We Dr. Yebio Woldemariam and Meron Estifanos International Commission on Eritrean Refugees (ICER) Elsa chyrum Human Rights Concern-Eritrea (HRCE) Fr. Mussie Zerai Habeshia Agency Finally we would like to underscore the fact that the current unrest, and the frustrations at the refugee camps are symptoms, but not the root causes of the problem that need to be looked at and addressed by your government and the UNHCR together in order to avoid similar incidents from happening again. Respectfully, are sure that those needs are understood by the Ethiopian government. illegally it deemed delinquent. The fact remains that the Eritrean people in particular the youth is leaving the country in droves to escape the harsh imposed regime rule by lead

an autocratic by Mr. Isaias Afewerki. In this regard we certainly grateful are that

the Ethiopian government is extending its hand to re-

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OPINION

Wright-Duffy cheque affair: Harpers explanations changing by the day

tance between himself and the actions of his former chief of staff. He is doing so using the bully pulpit of his office and the privilege attached to anything said in the Commons. In the meantime, the facts in the DuffyWright affair are not yet fully known. The RCMP continue to investigate. In reality, Harper and the Conservatives want to deflect attention from him, and to keep it on the Senate where the debate over whether to suspend Duffy, Pamela Wallin and Patrick Brazeau without pay drags on and on. Their punishment was to have been meted out before this weekends convention. It was supposed to allow Harper to tell party faithful that these three senators had been held accountable for misusing taxpayers money. Instead, Harper spent the week fending off questions about his own role, and his changing answers. At the crossroads The Senate isnt on the official agenda in Calgary, but Conservatives acknowledge the expenses controversy and WrightDuffy affair will play out in the hallways among party supporters who were promised Senate reform by Harper, not scandal. Its also the focus of a daylong panel discussion leading into the convention, sponsored by former Reform Party leader Preston Mannings foundation, which says the movement to change the Senate is at a crossroads. Its time to assess where weve been, where we are and where we are headed, the foundation says in promoting the event. How the prime minister deals with the Senate question is another matter. Harper will address the convention Friday night. Certainly some of his advisers are suggesting he steer clear of the subject altogether. Senior cabinet ministers are already signalling the focus of the speech will be on the Conservatives most familiar calling card. I think Canadians expect us to focus on the issues that matter to them and their lives, Treasury Board President Tony Clement said Wednesday after the Conservatives weekly caucus meeting. And we are doing so. The biggest trade agreement in the history of our country. Focusing on jobs. Thats what people care about. Only the media, he suggested, cares about the Wright-Duffy affair, or whether the prime ministers former right-hand man betrayed him. Pressed for an answer, Clement stuck to what is now the approved message. The prime minister has been clear on that.

The prime minister doesnt need to give voice to his exasperation with the Senate expense scandal as he heads to Calgary for a twoday policy convention. Stephen Harper pantomimes his frustration almost every time he rises in the Commons to answer another barbed question. He raises his palms heavenward, shakes his head balefully and repeats how crystal clear hes been since May in telling Senator Mike Duffy that he had to repay $90,000 in improperly claimed living expenses, in saying his former chief of staff resigned for deciding, on his own, to pay that money back out of his own pocket, and in reiterating that had he known he would have directed Nigel Wright not to do it in the first place. Written down like that, it does all seem crystal clear. Except the prime minister has said more than that. Much, much more. And what hes said about Wright, in particular, keeps changing. From month to month, week to week, day to day. Heres what Harper said May 19 in accepting Wrights resignation for his role in the Duffy affair: I accept that Nigel believed he was acting in the public interest, but I understand the decision he has taken to resign. I want to thank Nigel for his tremendous contribution to our government over the past two and a half years. Compare that with what the prime minister said in a radio interview on Mon-

day: As you know, I had a chief of staff who made an inappropriate payment to Mr. Duffy. He was dismissed. Or to what Harper told the Commons on Tuesday. Once again, Mr. Speaker, on our side, there is one person responsible for this deception, and that person is Mr. Wright. Mr Wright by his own admission. For that reason, Mr. Wright no longer works for us. Changing message Fired or resigned. Acted in the public interest, or out of deception. These are just two examples of Harpers changing answers. And that makes the prime minister a key player in keeping the Senate scandal alive heading into a policy convention that was supposed to lift the party away from the Senate morass and into the orbit of priorities they can campaign on in 2015. Still, turning on your for-

mer chief of staff seems out of sync for a leader who demands absolute loyalty from his people, and a strict adherence to message control. When Wright first resigned, a number of his former colleagues praised his integrity, work ethic and honesty. They called his decision to personally repay Duffys expenses a regrettable error. Those same people are silent now as Harper dismantles Wrights reputation. Oxford defines to deceive as to deliberately cause (someone) to believe that something is not true, especially for personal gain. Theres been no suggestion Wright was motivated by personal gain. In fact, just the opposite is true. He dashed off a payment in an attempt make a political problem go away for the prime minister. Harpers new lines suggest hes trying to put more dis-

Chris Hall, CBC News

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Multiyear Refugee Resettlement Commitments

October 7, 2013 - Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is moving forward with new multiyear resettlement commitments in the Middle-East, Africa, and the Americas to run in parallel with existing commitments for Bhutanese, Iraqis and refugees in Turkey. According to the CIC, these commitments are as follows: 4,000 Iraqis out of the Middle East by 2015, toward an overall commitment of 20,000 Iraqis ; 1,000 Bhutanese out of Nepal by 2015, toward an overall commitment of 6,500 Bhutanese; 5,000 refugees out of Turkey between 2013 and 2018 (mostly Iraqis and Iranians in the short term although we expect to see South Africa (Congolese, Somali, Eritreans, Ethiopians); Pakistan (Afghans); Egypt (Eritreans, Sudanese); and Middle East (Iraqis in Syria, Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan) We expect to also see Syrians arrive under the PSR program in the future. CIC will be engaging stakeholders to develop a strategy to ensure that as much information as possible is shared about these populations with SPOs, provinces and others and to develop targeted pre-and post-arrival interventions for these groups. This information has already been shared with provinces, the SAH Council and RAP SPOs.

Syrians later); 200 Syrian GARs out of Lebanon and Jordan, in 2013 and 2014; 900 Colombians out of Ecuador between 2014 and 2017; 4,000 Eritreans out of

Eastern Sudan and Ethiopia between 2014 and 2019; and 2,500 Congolese out of Tanzania and Burundi between 2015 and 2018. Ongoing privately spon-

sored refugee (PSR) populations include refugees from: East Africa (Somalis, Eritreans, Ethiopians and Congolese in Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda);

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Montreal Impact face Dynamo in MLS playoff

For all their recent troubles on the field, the playoffs represent a fresh start for the Montreal Impact. The team that limped into the Major League Soccer post-season by going 1-6-1 down the home stretch faces the Dynamo in Houston on Thursday night in a onegame knockout match. The winner advances to the Eastern Conference semifinals against the first-place New York Red Bulls. Theres no time to think about our mistakes, defender Matteo Ferrari said. The good thing is that were 0-0 now. Were starting over and you have to know that now is the time to make the difference. We have enough experience for that. Maybe we didnt merit to be where we are but now, but we are there and were going to play. After barely making the fifth and final playoff spot, the Impact (14-13-7) need to find solutions in a hurry for the swoon that saw a 9-3-2 start to the regular season spoiled by going 5-10-5 the rest of the way. But there is no better example of what a fifth-place team can do than Houston, which won a knockout game last season and then upset Kansas City and D.C. United to reach the MLS Cup final. The Dynamo lost to the L.A. Galaxy, who had also won a knockout match after finishing fourth in the west. Confident group

Goalkeeper and MLS veteran Troy Perkins said there is no shortage of examples of fifth-place teams that went far in the postseason. Look at Salt Lake in 2008, they made the finals and they barely got into the playoffs. So theres no reason we cant, if we believe and have the heart and passion to do it, he said. Theres no reason we shouldnt make it to the final. Its as good a matchup as Montreal could hope for. The teams met three times this season, with the Impact beating the orangeclad Dynamo 2-0 and 5-0 at home, but losing 1-0 at BBVA Compass Stadium in the midst of the late-season fade on Oct. 4. Montreal will be missing Ferraris central defence partner Alessandro Nesta, who has a sore calf, but left back Jeb Brovsky is

expected back from a broken toe and midfield leader Patrice Bernier is ready to return from a hip problem. Bernier and mid-season signing Hernan Bernardello anchoring the midfield should bolster the defence and help launch the attack, which has looked disorganized of late. It could also open up some options on an attack that sometimes looks too predictable in its focus on getting the ball to 20-goal scorer Marco Di Vaio. The Dynamo are led by gifted midfielder Brad Davis and forwards Will Bruin and Giles Barnes. Houston has a huge edge in MLS playoff experience. The Dynamo have made the playoffs in seven of their eight seasons in MLS. But the Impact wont go in completely cold. Captain Davy Arnaud has

played 15 playoff games, while midfielder Justin Mapp has played 14 and Perkins five. Bench players Sanna Nyassi and Collen Warner also have postseason experience with previous clubs. Its certainly something Im excited about, said Perkins, a former Colorado Rapid. Its three years Ive been waiting to get back in this situation. They have a lot of guys who have been here before. They were here last year and the year before. Thats a lot of maturity and experience, but at the end of the day, it comes down to who wants it more. It would also help to rediscover the sound defensive play and creativity on attack that worked so well early in the season. And theyll need to find to cohesion that was sorely missing in their final regular season game last Saturday, where they had a

chance to secure third place in the conference but lost 1-0 in Toronto in perhaps their worst performance of the season. We worked well the whole season and unfortunately the end of the season was tough, said Bernier. But we made it and that was the objective. The way we look at it, we opened a big door and let a few people in. Then we took the last spot and shut the door behind us. Now, its another season and we have a chance to write another piece of history. If Montreal wins, the first leg of the two-game conference semifinal against New York will be Sunday afternoon at Saputo Stadium, with the Red Bulls playing host to second leg next Wednesday or Thursday. Source: The Canadian Press, 2013

Meftih November 2013 Volume 9 Issue 3:

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Meftih November 2013 Volume 9 Issue 3: page 20

Rob Ford vouched for Sandro Lisi, Douglas Sedgewick

would learn that he had been convicted the previous year of driving nearly twice the posted limit while in his tow truck and also had received a seven-day drivers licence suspension in connection with that same incident. His application was rejected. Sedgewick then asked for a hearing before the Toronto Licensing Tribunal, which occurred on Jan. 26, 2012. At the hearing, Sedgewick produced a letter from Ford, which was written on the mayors letterhead. In the letter, Ford said he knew Sedgewick through his role as an elected official active in the community, saying that he believed the driver always conducted himself in a courteous and polite manner. While city lawyers had recommended denying a licence to Sedgewick, the tribunal decided to issue him one, on a probationary basis and under several conditions. Sedgewick was ordered to provide an updated drivers abstract for the next three renewals of his licence and was required to report any traffic charges or convictions within three days. Sedgewicks criminal history includes a second-degree murder conviction in 1982, for which he was fully paroled in 1992, according to National Parole Board documents. In 1994, he was convicted of one count of possessing a narcotic, and he violated his parole terms at least three times after that, the files show. Source: CBC News

Haze in Malaysia
But it wasnt practical for us to stay indoors for the entire duration of the emergency. We had errands to run: buy groceries, go to church, etc. Many people wore masks as they engaged in their errands. James and I had to go out By Grace Cherian but we didnt have any masks. However a gracious On my travels I spent two lady was walking outdoors weeks in Malaysia. On distributing masks to those June 23, the prime miniswho had none. Thanks ter of Malaysia declared a to her, James and I could state of emergency in some protect ourselves from the areas because air pollution pollution. from the neighbouring Schools in Singapore canceled activities for the June vacation. Stores ran out of protective masks as smoky haze hit dangerous levels. This is not slashand-burn, Singapore Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam said. Slash and burn agriculture involves cutting down the vegetation in a particular plot of land, setting fire to the remaining foliage and using the ashes to provide nutrients Sun is barely visible because to the soil for planting of the haze. food crops. country of Indonesia had This is not an act of nareached hazardous levels. ture by itself. These are And this was affecting Maactions by companies for laysia. commercial profit, ShanThe haze was so thick mugam said. that I couldnt even see the sun from the balcony of my brother Jamess apartment building. And sometimes I could even smell smoke. In his statement Environment Minister Palanivel of Malaysia said, There should be no outdoor activities and people must stay indoors until further Masks help people minimize notice in cerbreathing of horrid pollution. tain areas.

Rob Fords relationships are under scrutiny again after it was revealed that Torontos mayor wrote letters of reference for two men convicted of crimes. In the most recent case, Ford wrote a character reference for a man he described as his friend, Alessandro (Sandro) Lisi, who was recently arrested on drugrelated charges and was previously convicted of threatening to kill his girlfriend. CBC News has also learned Ford wrote a separate letter for Douglas Sedgewick, a tow truck operator with a criminal record including murder, as well as a recent conviction for stunt driving. He was travelling nearly twice the speed limit in an unlicensed tow truck. The letter for Lisi was made public in court on Tuesday. Lisis most recent drug charges stemmed from a separate police investigation after the Project Traveller raids. The letter Ford wrote was to assist Lisi at a sentencing hearing after he was convicted of making threats. Lisi is appealing the conviction. Lisi is known as Fords friend and occasional driver. I have known Mr. Alexander Lisi through his volunteer work on my 2010 election campaign,

Ford wrote in the letter dated June 4, 2013. Mr. Lisi was an exemplary member of my campaign team, where he displayed exceptional leadership skills and worked hard both in and out of the campaign office. The letter concludes with: I have known Mr. Lisi for several years and he has always conducted himself in a courteous and polite manner. I would be pleased to provide him with a reference. When Lisi was charged with drug offences in early October, Ford described him as a good guy and I dont throw my friends under the bus. The mayor said that Lisi was on the straight and narrow, and he had never seen him drink or use drugs. So, Im surprised. Im actually shocked, he said. Convicted murderer Separately, in early 2012, Ford wrote a character reference letter for Sedgewick, who had been denied a tow truck licence by the city. On Nov. 11, 2011, a compliance officer had charged Sedgewick with operating a tow truck without a licence. A week later, Sedgewick applied for a licence. City staff

Editor-in-chief

Editors:

Grace Cherian

Aaron Berhane
260 Adelaide St. E. Toronto, ON. M5A 1N1 # 192 Tel: 416-824-8124 Fax: 416-783-7850 infomeftih@gmail.com www.meftih.ca

Photographer: Mulugeta Zergaber

Contributors: Mohamed Edris Naza Hasebenebi

Subscription Costs in Canada $39 for a year and $59 for two years. In USA, it costs $45 for a year and $69 for two years. Articles appearing in assorted columns of Meftih newspaper are intended to generate civil & informed public discussions. You dont have to agree with opinions expressed by the writers. However, that should push you to express your own views. Through that way we generate lively & civil discussions in the community. Rejoinders are not forums for personal insults & we want readers to adhere to these principles.

Medhin Ghebreslasie, Amleset Tesfay, Bode Odetoyinbo, Mimi Chandy, Ken Ntiamoa

Minister Alexander Hosts Historica Canadas The Amazing Citizenship Race Competition for Citizenship Week

Meftih November 2013 Volume 9 Issue 3: page 21

Ottawa, October 22, 2013 Canadas Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander led local students in a quiz show competition against local journalists at the Canadian Museum of Civilization. In celebration of Citizenship Week and its Citizenship Challenge, Historica Canada invited iPolitics journalist Laura Beaulne-Stuebing and CBC journalist Meg Wilcox to match wits with students from St. Patricks Catholic High School and Nepean High School. The questions were taken from Discover Canada, the guide newcomers use to study for their citizenship test. Since this year was a tie, Minister Alexander awarded prizes to both the students and journalist as winners of the 4th annual competition. Citizenship is a pledge of mutual responsibility and a shared commitment to values rooted in our history, said Alexander. As Canadians look confidently to the future, we draw great strength from our past and celebrate the events that have shaped who we are as a people today. The events citizenship theme was further reinforced when attendees heard from Passages Canada speaker, Shirin Edarechi. An immigration consultant from Iran, Mrs. Edarechi, shared her unique story of be-

coming a citizen. Passages Canada is a storytelling initiative of Historica Canada, also supported by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Learning about the history and qualities that define us as Canadians should be fun as well as informative. The Citizenship Challenge is designed with both those qualities in mind. Thats what makes it such a popular event, and why we are so proud to be hosting it, said Anthony Wilson-Smith, President of Historica Canada. The Citizenship Challenge asks youth, from grade 7 to 12, to put their national knowledge to the test, by studying for and writing a citizenship exam. Do you believe all Canadians should be ready to answer the same questions about their country as new Canadians? We do. Visit www.citizenshipchallenge.ca. Historica Canada, formerly known as The Historica-Dominion Institute, is the largest independent organization dedicated to Canadian history, identity and citizenship. Its mandate is to build active and informed citizens through a greater knowledge and appreciation of the history, heritage and stories of Canada. Visit www.HistoricaCanada.ca.

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Technology & Science

Apple iPad Air unveiled

256 gigabytes of storage starts at $1,999, compared with $2,199 for the previous version. The Mac Pro, a high-end desktop computer aimed at what Apple calls power users, will be available in December for $2,999. Apple also says nearly two-thirds of its mobile devices are running iOS7, the revised operating system it released in September. Twenty million people have listened to iTunes Radio about a month after its release. The company sold 14.6 million iPads in the June quarter, down 14 percent from the same time last year. The iPads market share has been eroding compared with cheaper rivals running Google Inc.s Android operating system. Research firm Gartner Inc. estimates that Android tablets will end 2013 with a 50 percent share of the worldwide market versus 49 percent for the iPad. Just two years ago, the iPad commanded a 65 percent market share compared to 30 percent for Android tablets. Apple CEO Tim Cook said Apple has sold 170 million iPads since the tablets launched three years ago.

Google asked U.S. coast guard to keep mum on barges

How badly does Google want to keep under wraps a mysterious project taking shape on a barge in San Francisco Bay? Badly enough to require U.S. government officials to sign confidentiality agreements. At least one U.S. Coast Guard employee has had to sign a non-disclosure agreement with the internet giant, said Barry Bena, a coast guard spokesman who was later instructed not to talk to the media about the project because of commercial confidentiality. Another person who would only identify himself as an inspector for a California government agency had to do the same. USA Today and the San Jose Mercury News reported that the coast guard confirmed that they had visited the barge on Wednesday but could not say why other than to specify that it was not for a fire or medical emergency. Several coast guard representatives told the papers they had been instructed by supervisors not to discuss the project. Once the project is completed, we will be releasing information, Lt. Joshua Dykman told the San Jose Mercury. Four barges registered Moored in the shadow of the Bay Bridge off Treasure Island, a former military base, the nondescript barge is stacked several storeys high with white shipping containers, and sprouts what appear to be antennas on top. The hulking structure, half shrouded in scaffolding, has stirred intense speculation in the Bay Area since reports of its existence surfaced late last week. Technology website CNET theorized that the vessel might be a floating data centre that will house banks of computers. Google was granted a patent in 2009 for just such a floating data centre, the site reported. Local TV station KPIX said the barge is intended to serve as a floating retail store for Googles Glass wearable computer device although its external appearance, at least thus far, doesnt suggest such a purpose. Adding to the mystery, a second similar barge was spotted in Portland, Maine. A total of four barges have been registered to a Delaware corporation called By and Large LLC, an apparent nod to the fictitious company Buy and Large from the hit animation film WALL-E. The barges are registered under the names BAL0001, BAL0010, BAL0011 and BAL0100, the numbered portions of which, observers speculate, likely refer to the binary code equivalents of one, two, three and four. Two are in the San Francisco area one of which houses the shipping-container structure one is in Portland and the fourth is so far unaccounted for. Google itself is keeping mum, refusing even to acknowledge its affiliation with the vessels. Source: Reuters

Apple unveiled a new, thinner, lighter tablet called the iPad Air along with a slew of new Macs ahead of the holiday shopping season. The company also said that its latest computer operating system, Mavericks, is available free of charge. The Cupertino, Calif. company made the announcements Tuesday at an event in San Francisco. The event was streamed live on the Apple website, but only available to users of Apples Safari web browser. The iPad Air weighs 1 pound, compared with 1.4 pounds for the previous version. Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller called the tablet a screaming fast iPad. He said it is eight times faster than the original iPad that came out in 2010. The iPad Air will go on sale Nov. 1 and start at $499 US, while the iPad 2 will

continue selling at $399 US. A new iPad Mini with a retina screen will be available later in November starting at $399. Apples new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display is thinner and lighter, Schiller said, adding that the laptop has up to nine hours of battery life, enough to watch the entire trilogy of `The Black Knight on one charge. The notebooks new price is lower: $1,299, compared with $1,499 for the previous version. A larger MacBook Pro, with a 15-inch monitor and

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UN aboriginal fact-finder urges Ottawa not to rush education reform

bly of First Nations, who had vowed to tell the UN fact-finder that Canada is facing a grave human rights crisis. Last week, Anaya met separately with Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt and NDP Leader Tom Mulcair. In an interview with CBC News, Valcourt said he and Anaya discussed the progress made and the challenges ahead, including education reform. The federal government is poised to introduce a First Nations education bill this fall that it would like to see implemented by September 2014. The RCMP is also one of the agencies the UN special rapporteur was to visit during his fact-finding mission. Last week, the Mounties launched a five-day social media campaign calling on the public to help them solve 10 cases involving missing aboriginal women. The RCMP said the social media campaign was not timed around Anayas visit. Anaya is expected to make his findings public in a report that will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in September 2014. His visit follows a 2004 report by the previous rapporteur. Susana Mas, CBC News On Monday, Anaya met with Shawn Atleo, the national chief for the Assem-

Trudeau & Liberal MPs, senators start posting airfares and hotel costs online

James Anaya, the UN special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous people On the eve of Parliaments return, James Anaya, the UN special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous people, is urging the federal government not to rush forward with the tabling of an aboriginal education reform bill it intends to introduce this fall. Anaya presented his preliminary observations during a news conference in Ottawa just as he wraps up his nine-day visit to Canada. The UN fact-finder said while everyone agrees that First Nations education is a priority, he heard a profound and consistent mistrust towards the First Nations Education Act being developed by the federal government. Anaya said he heard a particular deep concern that the process for developing the act has not appropriately included nor responded to aboriginal views. In light of this, I urge the government not to rush forward with this legislation but to re-initiate discussions with aboriginal leaders to develop a process and ultimately a bill that addresses aboriginal concerns and incorporates aboriginal view point, Anaya said. Anaya was on a visit to examine issues facing Canadas Aboriginal Peoples. They include matters related to reconciliation, governance and self-government, lands and resources, health, education and economic development. The UN fact-finder spent the last nine days meeting with government officials, First Nations leaders, and indigenous people in Ontario, Quebec, B.C., Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Canadians can now go online to read how much Liberal MPs and senators spent on individual airline tickets, what they charged for hotels and meals, and how much each one shelled out for a category called hospitality But anyone scouring through the tallies will see only a few weeks worth of spending. Liberal politicians only started compiling their expenses and collating the information in mid-September so they could be ready to post en masse by mid-October. A spokesperson for the Liberal Party says the public can access expense details, starting Tuesday, via a link on each members personal page on www. liberal.ca/. A line entitled proactive disclosure at the end of the personal page links to the expenses. The Liberals plan to use the same template for posting what cabinet ministers employ. Ministers post quarterly, but there is no detail of, for instance, what hotel was chosen, or, if hospitality money was spent, what exactly was purchased. Cabinet ministers do not scan and post receipts. Currently, MPs expenses are posted quarterly on a parliamentary website, but in lump sums describing the totals of money

spent in broad categories such as travel or office expenses, with no detail about the destinations of trips, or what event resulted in hospitality charges. The Liberals are the only political party in the House of Commons that posts more detailed expenses online. In June, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau proposed a motion in the House of Commons suggesting all MPs detailed expenses be put up online by the board of internal economy, the secretive all-party body of MPs that selfmonitors members expenses. Trudeau didnt win the unanimous consent of other MPs for his motion. But the NDP did manage to have a motion passed mandating a parliamentary committee begin a study about how to replace the board of internal economy with an oversight body that would be more accountable. The NDP labelled Trudeaus motion a stunt. After Tuesday, Canadians wont see any more detail on Liberals spending until the next quarter begins on Dec. 1. The only other MP who posts detailed expenses on her website, including scanned receipts for the cost of an office cleaner, is Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. Leslie MacKinnon, CBC News

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Untold thousands of African refugees have died trying to flee on the Mediterranean. Canada must do more to help.
By: Aaron Berhane & Mary Jo Leddy
It has been called Europes Sea of Shame. The Mediterranean. Thousands of desperate human beings fleeing from persecution and poverty in Africa have tragically slipped away into its waters. For years, these desperate people have flung their hopes on tiny rafts, small boats and decrepit ships in the hope of reaching some safer place. Untold thousands have already drowned. Their deaths have been accepted as unremarkable casualties in Europes efforts to protect its borders. The lucky ones made it to the island of Lampedusa or to Malta or some such place. There they were detained, existing for years in a sort of limbo. Then, in early October, a group of tourists on a yacht heard screams and saw black dots in the water. Theyre people, yelled Linda Barocci, one of the vacationers. They are the heads of people. Some were rescued but 339 people drowned that day. Most of those who died were young Eritreans. Some were known and loved by the small Eritrean community of 25,000 here in Canada. Upon hearing of this tragic news, n e w l y appointed Pope Francis took his first trip outside of Rome to Lampedusa, the tiny island off Italy, near where the drownings happened. Most Canadians had never heard of the island or the tragedies that regularly take place off its shores until Francis went there to address the survivors and those trying to help. He spoke about the ocean of indifference that separates us from our fellow human beings. The culture of well-being that makes us think of ourselves, that makes us insensitive to the cries of others, that makes us live in soap bubbles, that are beautiful but are nothing, are illusions of futility, of the transient, that brings indifference to others, that brings even the globalization of indifference, he

Eritrean boat people need Canadas help

told those gathered. We are people who have forgotten how to cry, he continued. Who has wept for the deaths of these brothers and sisters? Who has wept for the people who were on the boat? ... The globalization of indifference has taken from us the ability to weep. The fact that someone finally noticed their suffering, had heard the cry from the sea, has given those refugees some hope. Of course, tears are not enough. Still, the Pope has importantly summoned us to pay attention to this heartbreaking state of affairs and to the political situations in Africa that have enabled it. Many of those drowning in the Mediterranean are young Eritreans who are fleeing from forced conscription, from military service that can last a lifetime. The violence and

corruption of Eritrea have prompted some to begin speaking of it as the North Korea of Africa. Having fled from their country, these young people wait for years without end in UNHCR camps, ready victims of kidnappers, those in the business of human trafficking and the sale of human organs Very few people from Eritrea, a dry and mountainous country, know how to swim. How tragic that their last hope lay in the waters of the Mediterranean. Such desperation seems far removed from Canada. We are separated from the suffering of Eritrea and other African countries by that ocean of indifference the Pope described. We sponsor very few refugees from Eritrea; we continue to return refused refugee claimants to certain imprisonment and possible death. We must learn to cry again,

to cross this ocean of indifference. There is room enough in this vast country for a few more of these desperate boat people. In 2012, Canada fell well short of its goals for government sponsored refugees, 2,000 people short. We could rescue at least four boatloads of people from a terrible fate in the Mediterranean. As the vigilant vacationer off Lampedusa said, they are people. We must remember that. That means we must put a moratorium on sending any more refugees back to Eritrea. We cannot, must not, throw them overboard into the ocean of indifference. They cannot swim. First published in Toronto Star Aaron Berhane is editor of Meftih, an Eritrean-Canadian online journal. Mary Jo Leddy is a senior fellow of Massey College and the founder of Romero House for Refugees.