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People check out the wide array of Mindanao products that are showcased at the opening of the Mindanao Trade Expo 2022 at Abreeza Mall in Davao City on Wednesday (Dec. 14, 2022). The
five-day show will feature the ingenuity of Mindanao’s local craftsmen and products on the island.
House holds hearing on
constitutional reforms
BY FILANE MIKEE CERVANTES
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – The House Committee
on Constitutional Amendments on
Wednesday conducted its initial delib-
erations on various measures seeking to
amend the 1987 Constitution.
During the hearing, Cagayan de Oro
City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, panel chair,
pushed for the convening of a Constitu-
tional Convention to propose amend-
ments to the Constitution.
He said this move would counteract
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19
any suspicion that the constitutional re-
form would promote vested interests and Emo revival: why 2022 was the
personal ambitions of elective officials. perfect time to bring the genre
He pointed out the issues surrounding back from the dead
other proposals to amend the Constitu-
tion, noting that the move for Congress
to be unicameral would affect the Sen- 25
ate, while the proposed term extension
for public officials would bring the issue `
of conflict of interest.
Why not replace the
“When we propose that we extend our monarchy with a monarchy
terms, from three to four or five years, of a different kind? How this year’s Christmas ads
then the people will see that these are in-
are navigating the cost of
PAGE 9
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2 DECEMBER 16, 2022 FRIDAY

Merry Christmas
and
Happy New Year
A lot of stories were written and we are glad that we are able to share it with you
this year; we thank you for lending your ears and eyes to these narratives.

As we create more stories and memories, we hope everyone to be happier and

healthier this holiday season and in 2023!

From Philippine Canadian Inquirer

www.canadianinquirer.net
FRIDAY DECEMBER 16, 2022
Marcos wants more progress in
climate change reparations
BY AZER PARROCHA
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – President Ferdi-
nand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday
(Brussels time) called for “more
progress” in the commitment of
rich nations to set up a “loss and
damage” fund to support poor-
er countries severely impacted
by climate change.
Marcos made this remark
during the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations - Eu-
ropean Union (ASEAN-EU)
working luncheon with EU
leaders and businessmen in
Brussels, Belgium.
In his speech, the President
acknowledged the agreement
of nearly 200 countries at the
27th session of the Conference
of the Parties (COP 27) to the
United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) to create a funding
mechanism to compensate vul-
nerable nations for “loss and
damage” from climate-related
PBBM creates advisory board to address
maritime industry issues
BY AZER PARROCHA
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – President Ferdi-
nand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday
ordered the creation of an advi-
sory board to address deficien-
cies identified by the European
Union (EU) in the Philippine
seafarers’ education, training
and certification system.
In a press release, Mala-
cañang said Marcos issued the
directive during a meeting with
International Maritime Em-
ployers’ Council (IMEC) Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) Fran-
cisco Gargiulo and several busi-
ness executives and leaders of
European shipping companies
and shipowners associations in
Brussels, Belgium.
Marcos said he wanted mem-
bers of the board to consist of rep-
resentatives from government
agencies, international shipown-
disasters.
Marcos said he viewed with
“some optimism” that “the con-
cept of damage and loss has now
been accepted by all parties in-
volved.”
However, he said, several
questions in terms of funding
remain unanswered.
“This still brings us to a very
difficult and fundamental ques-
tion, and when you speak of dam-
age and loss, how do we quantify
that damage and loss? What are
the rules that we apply? When
does it begin?” he said.
“We really would like to see
much more progress in terms
of that, the financing, with the
mitigation and the adjustment
of our countries who are at
great risk to the effects of cli-
mate change.”
Marcos pointed out that
climate action is particularly
important to the Philippines,
which has been “regarded as
probably one of the most, if not
the most, vulnerable countries
in the world to the effects of cli-
ers and other stakeholders.
He likewise assured EU
transport officials that the Phil-
ippines continues to address
maritime industry issues to
make the country compliant
with the Standards of Train-
ing, Certification and
Watchkeeping (STCW)
Convention.
“Our seafarers are of
great importance to the
Philippines in many,
many ways. Although we
recognize that in the last
many years, the Philip-
pines has done very well
in terms of being the
leading seafarers around
the world. However, with
the changing situation
after the pandemic, with the
changing situation especially
when we talk about supply line
problems, all of these areas have
to be revisited,” he said during
the meeting.
mate change.”
“Since that seems to be the
case and that is what we are fac-
ing in the Philippines, we are
very much in need of the assis-
tance of Europe, of all the first
world countries and to be able
to adjust our economy, our com-
munities to the onset of the ef-
fects of climate change,” he said.
The COP serves as the deci-
sion-making body responsible
for monitoring and reviewing
the UNFCCC implementation.
Meanwhile, European Coun-
cil President Charles Michel
agreed with Marcos on the need
to operationalize the green
fund on climate change and the
damage and loss policy.
“We couldn’t agree with you
more,” Michel told Marcos
during their meeting on the
sidelines of the ASEAN-EU
Commemorative Summit.
He said the EU is ready to
work with the Philippines and
the ASEAN on climate change,
particularly on the transfer of
green technology, which in-
“That comes with the train-
ing, changes in the curriculum,
all of these things have to be as-
certained,” he added.
Department of Migrant
Workers (DMW) Secretary Su-
san “Toots” Ople said Republic
Our seafarers are of
great importance
to the Philippines in
many, many ways.
Act No. 11641 (RA) identifies
the establishment of an adviso-
ry body to assess training and
qualifications.
“Under the law creating the
Department of Migrant Work-
www.canadianinquirer.net
Philippine News
volves improving resilience to
climate change and reducing
greenhouse gas emissions.
Marcos earlier said the Phil-
ippines is prioritizing renew-
able energy options, such as hy-
dropower, geothermal power,
solar, and other low-emission
energy sources.
The Green Climate Fund was
designated as an operating enti-
Philippine officials join a working luncheon with European Union leaders and
businessmen in Brussels, Belgium on Tuesday (Dec. 13, 2022). (OFFICE OF THE
PRESIDENT/FACEBOOK)
ers, we checked and there’s a
provision there that the de-
partment can actually form or
create advisory bodies with the
participation of key stakehold-
ers including employers and in
this case the international ship-
owners,” she said.
She said her depart-
ment can meet on a
regular basis with the
Maritime Industry Au-
thority (MARINA),
Commission on Higher
Education (CHED), and
other relevant insti-
tutions to ensure that
the country’s training
initiatives and accred-
itation scheme for sea-
farers would pass the
standards of the EU.
Meanwhile, Marcos also as-
sured that his administration
continues to strengthen the rela-
tionship between the public and
private sectors in efforts to boost
3
ty of the financial mechanism of
the UNFCCC.
It aims to encourage the par-
adigm shift towards low-emis-
sion and climate-resilient
development by providing sup-
port to developing countries
to reduce their greenhouse gas
emissions while at the same
time adapting to the effects of
climate change.■
the Philippine seafaring industry.
“Perhaps we can develop that
idea further especially when it
comes to training. We have always
regarded our seafarers,” he said.
He also thanked IMEC for re-
inforcing Manila and the EU’’s
strong working relationship.
Earlier this year, the Euro-
pean Commission’s Maritime
Safety Agency (EMSA) flagged
the Philippines for deficien-
cies in local seafarer education,
training and certification.
Marcos on Sunday assured
that his administration will do
“everything” to address these
deficiencies to prevent job loss-
es among Filipino seafarers de-
ployed to work for EU vessels.
MARINO Party-list Repre-
sentative Sandro Gonzalez on
Tuesday agreed with President
Marcos that this is the country’s
“last chance” to rectify the EMSA
❱❱ PAGE 4 PBBM creates advisory
 4 Philippine News
Telcos all set for online
sim registration
BY RAYMOND CARL DELA
CRUZ
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – Telecommuni-
cation companies (telcos) are
ready to implement Republic
Act (RA) 11934, or the Subscrib-
er Identity Module (SIM) Regis-
tration Act following the release
of the law’s implementing rules
and regulations (IRR) by the
National Telecommunications
Commission (NTC) on Monday.
In a statement, Globe Tele-
com Inc. (Globe) announced
the launch of its online SIM
platform once the IRR takes ef-
fect on Dec. 27.
“All new SIMs must be reg-
istered immediately to enjoy
Globe services while existing
SIMs should be registered with-
in 180 days or six months from
the effectivity of the law,” it said.
To date, it is estimated that
there are 87.9 million users in
the Globe network.
Globe Group president and
CEO Ernest Cu said some us-
ers who are unable to register
their SIM cards online or sim-
ply need assistance will be able
to take advantage of a “special
assistance process.”
“Our goal is to have a SIM reg-
istration process that is seamless,
secure, inclusive, and convenient
for our customers,” Cu said.
The passage and release of
IRR of the SIM Registration Act,
he said, is a “significant step for-
ward” in fighting fraudsters who
PBBM creates advisory..
❰❰ 3 findings, highlighting
that 50,000 Filipino
seafarers working in
European vessels risk job loss.
“There are more than 50,000
seafarers who are endangered
of losing their jobs in Eu-
rope-based shipping compa-
nies if the PH government do
not act upon it as soon as possi-
ble,” Gonzalez said. “This issue
has been open for years and we
are still navigating our way on
how to resolve it effectively.”
He said Filipino seafarers con-
tinue to be an asset to the coun-
try’s economy, as he expressed
hope that Marcos will remain
consistent in putting forward his
Customers purchasing subscriber identity module cards, like at this mobile
phone and accessories shop in Cubao, Quezon City on Tuesday (Oct. 11,
2022), need to register their personal details. (ROBERT OSWALD P. ALFILER/PNA)
take advantage of SIM anonymi-
ty in their illegal activities.
“This measure complements
Globe’s long-standing fraud pro-
tection efforts, including invest-
ments in filtering systems, pro-
active blocking of scam and spam
SMS, and data sharing partner-
ships with banks and other finan-
cial institutions,” he said.
On the other hand, Smart
Communications Inc. (Smart)
vice president and regulatory
head Roy Ibay hailed the re-
lease of the IRR and its goal of
being “all-inclusive” by requir-
ing public telecommunication
entities (PTEs) to provide ad-
ditional assistance to persons
with disabilities, senior citi-
zens, pregnant women, and oth-
er persons with special needs in
registering their SIM cards.
“We join the NTC, key regula-
tors, government agencies, and
our counterparts in other PTEs
in ensuring the orderly and effec-
support to the sector, especially
in presenting his priority agenda
with other countries.
“Let us remind ourselves that
Pinoy seamen are the most pre-
ferred internationally, and we
must be proactive in protecting
their welfare and job opportu-
nities,” Gonzalez said.
The Philippines remains the
top provider of seafarers for
both officers and ratings, across
all departments, aboard mer-
chant cargo vessels, according
to a United Nations Conference
on Trade and Development
(UNCTAD) 2021 study.
In 2021, Filipino seafarers re-
mitted a total of USD6.54 billion
tive implementation of our SIM
Registration Law,” Ibay said.
Francis Flores, Smart se-
nior vice president and head
of Consumer Business Group,
said the SIM registration pro-
cess is ready for a rollout after
“months of preparations.”
“We will release more infor-
mation about the SIM registra-
tion portal via our official chan-
nels in the next few weeks,”
Flores said.
Earlier, the NTC released the
IRR of RA 11934 that required
users to register their SIM
cards within 180 days from the
effectivity of the law, with an
extended registration period of
not longer than 120 days.
Failure to register a SIM
within this period will result in
its automatic deactivation but
may still be reactivated after
registration and must not be
made later than five days from
deactivation. ■
from USD6.353 billion in 2020,
or an increase of 3 percent, mak-
ing them a significant contribu-
tor to the country’s economy.
IMEC is the only international
employers’ organization dedi-
cated to maritime industrial re-
lations, according to its website.
It operates from its offices in the
Philippines and United Kingdom,
and represents 250 shipping com-
panies located across the globe.
Currently, IMEC has an es-
timated 300,000 seafarers in
employment and more than
12,000 shipping vessels regis-
tered from 60 different coun-
tries. (with reports from Filane
Mikee Cervantes/PNA) ■
www.canadianinquirer.net
Hold Christmas
parties outdoors,
open spaces: DOH
BY MA. TERESA
MONTEMAYOR
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – The Department
of Health (DOH) on Tuesday
advised the public to hold their
Christmas parties outdoors or
in open spaces to prevent pos-
sible transmission of the coro-
navirus disease 2019 (Covid-19)
and other flu-like illnesses.
DOH officer-in-charge Maria
Rosario Vergeire also encour-
aged those who will be holding
parties indoors or in enclosed
spaces to open windows to al-
low air-circulation in the room.
“Sa darating na kapaskuhan,
ayaw limitahan ng ating gobyer-
no naman na mag-party tayo,
kasi allowed naman, alert level 1
naman tayo most of the areas in
the country kaya lang ang kailan-
gan natin isipin, maari parin tayo
makakuha ng sakit (This Christ-
mas season, the government
does not want to limit partying,
because it is allowed, most of the
areas in the country are under
alert level 1, but we have to think
that we can still get sick),” Ver-
geire said in a media forum.
As for the party attendees, she
urged them to ensure that they
do not have Covid-19 symptoms.
“If you know in yourself that
you have been exposed to a pos-
itive individual, or you know for
yourself na mayroon kayong
nararamdaman na sintomas,
huwag na po kayo mag-attend
(that you have symptoms, do
not attend the party} and this
can provide protection to your
A spectacular fireworks display lights up the night sky as seen from a foot-
bridge along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on Tuesday night (Nov.
22, 2022). (ROBERT OSWALD P. ALFILER/PNA)
DECEMBER 16, 2022 FRIDAY
officemates or your families
having the reunion and this can
provide protection to your offi-
cemates or your families having
the reunion),” she said.
Since Christmas is still a week
away, she told those who are yet
to receive their primary series of
Covid-19 vaccines to drop by the
nearest vaccination center to get
inoculated against the disease.
The change in weather this
Christmas season brings coughs,
colds and influenza which can
also be prevented through ob-
servance of minimum public
health standards -- wearing face
masks, proper handwashing and
making oneself healthy.
Filipinos are also reminded
against non-communicable dis-
eases which are rampant during
the holidays due to stress and
overeating.
“Makikita natin ‘yan, De-
cember, January, February mas
mataas po ang incidence ng mga
inaatake sa altaparesyon, in-
aatake sa puso, naso-stroke (We
observe that in December, Janu-
ary, February, there are more in-
cidences of hypertension, heart
attacks, stroke) because of this
kind of activities that we have
during Christmas,” Vergeire said.
“Maging mapanuri pa rin
tayo, let us take things moder-
ately, ‘yung mga stress natin,
‘yung mga bisyo ng paginom at
saka yung pagkain ng mga pag-
kain hindi naman po (Let us
be cautious, let us take things
moderately, our stresses, our
vices like drinking and eating
foods that are not) proper diet,”
she added. ■
FRIDAY DECEMBER 16, 2022 5

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6 Philippine News DECEMBER 16, 2022 FRIDAY

13 PBBM priority bills

get House nod in single session
BY JOSE CIELITO
REGANIT
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – In a productive sin-
gle session, the House of Repre-
sentatives has approved a total of
13 priority measures of President
Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. that
were included in the Common
Legislative Agenda (CLA) of the
Legislative-Executive Advisory
Council (LEDAC) to ensure bet-
ter public services for Filipinos
and expedite economic growth.
Approved on final reading
during Monday’s session were
the National Disease Preven-
tion Management Authority
or Center for Disease Control
and Prevention, Medical Re-
serve Corps (HEART), Agrar-
ian Reform Debts Condona-
tion, Philippine Passport Act
and Internet Transaction Act /
E-Commerce Law.
The House likewise approved
the Waste-to-Energy Bill, Free
Legal Assistance for Police and
Soldiers, Apprenticeship Act,
Public–Private Partnership
(PPP) Act, Magna Carta of Ba-
rangay Health Workers, Valu-
ation Reform Bill (Package 3),
Eastern Visayas Development
Authority (EVDA) and the Leyte
Ecological Industrial Zone.
The passage of the 13 bills
brought to 15 the total number
of priority measures the House
had approved since it resumed
session last Nov. 7.
Last week, the House approved
two other measures included in
the CLA - the Virology Institute
of the Philippines and the Pas-
sive Income and Financial Inter-
mediary Taxation Act (PIFITA),
which is the fourth package un-
der the Comprehensive Tax Re-
form Program (CTRP).
Apart from the passage of
these measures, the House on
Monday night also approved
on second reading another
measure under the CLA, the
Government Financial Insti-
tutions Unified Initiatives to and the Social Security System the CLA, most especially the
Distressed Enterprises for Eco- (SSS) as among the sources of proposed PHP5.26-trillion na-
nomic Recovery (GUIDE) bill. seed money for the MIF. tional budget for 2023.
Two other bills in the CLA Other amendments to the The 2023 national budget
adopted by the LEDAC, the SIM measure were introduced to was ratified last week by both
Registration Act and the Reset- strengthen safeguards meant to Chambers of Congress and is
ting of the Barangay and Sang- prevent misuse and shield MIF expected to be signed by Pres-
guniang Kabataan elections, from politics. ident Marcos when he returns
have been signed into law by Prior to the resumption of this week from his trip to Bel-
President Marcos. sessions last month, Speaker gium to attend the EU-ASEAN
Meanwhile, the House also Martin Romualdez has reiter- Commemorative Summit.
began plenary deliberations ated the unwavering commit- “We will continue working on
Monday on the proposed cre- ment of the House to act swiftly the passage of other LEDAC-pri-
ation of the Maharlika Invest- on the priority measures under ority bills,” Romualdez said. ■
ment Fund (MIF).
Under the amended version
of the bill, the seed fund for the
MIF will be sourced from the
investible funds of the state-run
Land Bank of the Philippines
(PHP 50 billion), Development
Bank of the Philippines (PHP
25 billion) and the dividends of
the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
(BSP) estimated at PHP35 bil-
lion for this year.
The authors have agreed to
exclude the Government Ser- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on Sun-
vice Insurance System (GSIS) day night (Dec. 11, 2022). (ALFRED FRIAS/PNA)

Be wary of clickbaits, online scams

amid holiday season: ACG
BY CHRISTOPHER LLOYD
CALIWAN
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – The Philippine
National Police-Anti-Cy-
bercrime Group (PNP-ACG)
warned the public to be more
cautious of “clickbaits” or links
being used by online scammers
to lure victims, especially amid
the holiday season.
In a radio interview Tuesday,
ACG spokesperson Lt. Michelle
Sabino said fraudsters are also
working double time to defraud
people of their bonuses and in-
centives amid the looming imple-
mentation of the SIM Card Regis-
tration Law before year-end.
“Yes, (we have been receiving
a lot of complaints lately), ang
mga kawatan lahat pwedeng
gawin paraan para makapan-
loko and generally lahat ginaga-
wa na ang swindling, estafa,
panloloko. Online buying or
online selling, even investment
scams (Yes [we have been re- within this period will result in victim identified only as “Mika,” named “Thelma Del Rosario”
ceiving a lot of complaints its automatic deactivation but was asked by her stepmother to contacted the victim pretend-
lately], the criminals are doing may still be reactivated after withdraw the cash sent by her vic- ing to be the sister of the vic-
everything and every means to registration and must not be tim to a remittance center. tim’s sweetheart.
try and trick people and gener- made later than five days from The operation stemmed from She told him that “Jane”
ally they are doing everything deactivation. the complaint of the 62-year-old died during the operation and
– swindling, estafa. Online “If registered, their scam- man who narrated that sometime requested additional financial
buying or online sell- in November, he met assistance from him for burial
ing, even investment the suspect on social assistance and cremation in the
scams),” Sabino said. media and they soon de- amount of PHP32,000.
She said people veloped a relationship. The complainant realized
should be more care- ... ang mga kawatan lahat After gaining his that he became a “love scam”
ful in spending their pwedeng gawin paraan trust and confidence, victim and sought the help of
money, especially in the suspect identi- ACG, which launched an en-
online transactions. para makapanloko... fied as Adja Luwan- trapment.
“Dahil (Because de de Guzman a.k.a. During the operation, “Mika”
it’s) Christmas, may “Charm” (Jane Del Ro- admitted that she was merely
bonus and capacity to sario) who pretended asked by the suspect to claim
spend or purchase, it to be a nurse, informed the money for her.
is higher than normal that they ming world will become small- him that she needs to undergo The minor was then turned
attack during these times,” Sa- er, because they can be easily surgery due to Covid-19. over to the Department of So-
bino added. identified unlike now, they are She then asked for immedi- cial Welfare and Development
Effective Dec. 27, users are hiding under the anonymity of ate financial assistance from for proper disposition.
required to register their SIM the web,” Sabino said. her virtual boyfriend. The biological mother of
cards within 180 days from the Meanwhile, ACG operatives The victim, believing it was “Mika” appeared before the
effectivity of the law, with an rescued a 12-year-old girl from true, sent PHP267,600 in to- ACG and said she is willing to
extended registration period of her stepmother who was using tal via digital wallet and online file a case of child abuse against
not longer than 120 days. her for illegal activities. bank transactions. her former husband and his
Failure to register a SIM In a statement, the ACG said the Another Facebook account live-in partner. ■
www.canadianinquirer.net
FRIDAY DECEMBER 16, 2022
House OKs bill declaring
tobacco smuggling as
economic sabotage
BY JOSE CIELITO
REGANIT
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – With 225 votes,
the House of Representatives
on Monday approved on final
reading a measure seeking to
declare as “economic sabotage”
the smuggling of tobacco prod-
ucts into the country.
House Bill (HB) No. 3917,
seeks to amend Sections 3 and 4
of Republic Act (RA) No. 10845,
otherwise known as The An-
ti-agricultural Smuggling Act
of 2016, and was principally au-
thored by Senior Deputy Major-
ity Leader and Ilocos Norte 1st
District Representative Sandro
Marcos and Assistant Majority
Leader and PBA Party-list Rep.
Margarita Nograles.
Under the measure, raw or
finished tobacco products will
be considered as an agricultural
commodity, alongside sugar, corn,
pork, poultry, garlic, onion, carrots,
fish and cruciferous vegetables.
The crime of large-scale
smuggling as economic sabotage
is committed by importing into
the Philippines without the re-
quired import permit from the
regulatory agencies using im-
port permits of persons, natural
or juridical, other than those
specifically named in the permit
or using fake, fictitious or fraud-
House holds hearing..
❰❰ 1 cumbent members of
Congress and people
will think that this is
for the self-interest for members
of Congress,” Rodriguez said.
“That is why I am constrained,
after the experiences in previous
Congresses, I am now calling for
support for the convening of a
ConCon,” he added.
House Joint Resolution 12,
authored by Rodriguez, states
that the Constitutional Con-
vention shall be composed of
elected delegates from all re-
gions of the country.
Rodriguez said this would
be the “most democratic” and
“least divisive” mode of amend-
ulent import permits or ship-
ping documents, among others.
HB 3917 also states that the
crime is also committed by the
broker, agent, facilitator, for-
warder, or warehouse lessor
of the violating importer; and
allowing the use of a private
port, fish port, fish landing site,
resort, and/or airport to per-
petuate the economic sabotage
regardless of quantity.
The penalty of imprisonment
of 30 to 40 years, and a fine of
twice the fair value and the ag-
gregate amount of the taxes, du-
ties and other charges avoided
by the smuggled tobacco shall
be imposed on the registered
owner and its lessee or char-
ing the Constitution, adding
that the committee will not rush
into deciding on the measures.
“We are not going to rush
these (measures). These are
very important resolutions filed
on the fundamental law, the ba-
sic law of the land,” he said.
He said lawmakers will con-
duct hearings and consulta-
tions on the measures not only
in Congress but also in the re-
gions nationwide.
“We assure that we are going to
have everyone who wish to partic-
ipate be invited to speak on any of
these eight measures that we have
already received,” he said.
Other proposals include
terer of a chartered boat, truck
or warehouse; or president or
chief executive officer of the
private port, fish port, fish land-
ing sites, resorts, who know-
ingly allows tobacco smuggling
into the country.
The offense shall also be
deemed non-bailable.
Furthermore, HB 3917 pro-
vides that if the offender is a gov-
ernment official or employee, the
penalty shall be the maximum as
prescribed by this measure.
The offender shall also suffer
an additional penalty of perpet-
ual disqualification from public
service, to vote and to partici-
pate in any pubic election. ■
House Bill 4926, HB 4421, Res-
olution of Both Houses (RBH) 1,
RBH 2, RBH 3, RBH 4 and 5.
Pampanga Rep. Aurelio Gonza-
les Jr., author of Resolution of Both
Houses 1, proposed longer terms
for the president, vice president,
members of the House of Repre-
sentatives and local officials.
Resolution of Both Houses
No. 1 urges the Senate and the
House of Representatives to
convene into a Constituent As-
sembly (Con-Ass) to amend the
term of office of the President
and other elective officials.
Gonzales proposed in the reso-
lution that the terms of office for
presidents and vice presidents
www.canadianinquirer.net
Philippine News
Surprise fire,
earthquake drills
in schools
required: DepEd
BY STEPHANIE
SEVILLANO
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – All public schools
nationwide must conduct un-
announced fire and earthquake
drills, according to the Depart-
ment of Education (DepEd).
Based on DepEd Order (DO)
53, signed by Vice President
and Education Secretary Sara
Duterte on Friday, these drills
aim to ensure learners’ disaster
preparedness.
“Aligned with the Depart-
ment’s commitment of ensur-
ing [the] safety and well-being
of learners and school person-
nel, all public schools are here-
by required to conduct unan-
nounced earthquake and fire
drills every first and third week
of every month,” the DO said.
For proper coordination, the
Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Coordinators
in schools must work closely
with the school heads for its
“planning, implementation and
monitoring.”
“These drills are to ensure
that learners are properly
guided on what should be done
during and after an earth-
be fixed at five years with one re-
election, instead of the present
six years without reelection.
Gonzales argued that the cur-
rent six-year term to implement
long-term programs and poli-
cies appears to be “insufficient”.
“We are now on our road
to recovery having more than
PHP12 trillion national debt
due to the Covid-19 pandem-
ic and most recently the high
prices of fuel due to the Rus-
sia-Ukraine war. A long-term
solution is wanting, hence, lon-
ger-term policy on good and
competent leadership should
be put in place,” he said.
He noted the “clear majori-
7
quake or occurrences of fire in
schools,” it said.
“All schools in the National
Capital Region (NCR), Rizal,
Cavite, Laguna, and Bulacan,
shall create a separate and spe-
cific disaster plan for a magni-
tude 7 or higher earthquake,” it
added.
DepEd ordered schools to
disclose these plans in detail,
in case it involves “mass casu-
alties.”
“The plan shall specifically
lay down the response should
there be a scenario involving
mass casualties of learners and
personnel,” it said.
DepEd said “effective pre-
paredness plans” are crucial
in saving lives, considering
the level of risk the country is
facing in terms of natural ca-
lamities, earthquakes and even
man-made risks.
“Local drills and simulative
exercises are preventive mea-
sures that familiarize escape
routes and reinforce proper
actions in the occurrence of a
calamity. Frequent practice of
these drills and exercises would
eventually turn these actions
into automatic reflexes that
would manifest during an actu-
al calamity,” DepEd said. ■
ty mandate” from the Filipino
people of President Ferdinand
Marcos Jr. and Vice President
Sara Duterte would be a green
light from our citizenry to pro-
ceed to the discussion on Char-
ter change.”
The resolution requires that
the president and vice presi-
dential candidates should be-
long to the same political party
and will be elected in tandem.
The resolution also seeks to
change the current three-year
term of elected local officials,
except the barangay officials, to
a five-year term subject to the
limit of two consecutive five-
year terms. ■
8 Philippine News
Correspondent/Hosts
Joanna Belle Deala
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Member
‘Defend Press Freedom’: Hontiveros
files bill to decriminalize libel
OFFICE OF SENATOR RISA
HONTIVEROS
Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tues-
day filed Senate Bill No. 1593, a bill to
decriminalize libel, highlighting how
current libel laws have been used and
abused to suppress freedom of the press.
“Our libel laws have been weaponized
to stifle very basic fundamental rights.
These laws have been used to constantly
attack many of our freedoms, but partic-
ularly the freedom of the press. We need
to decriminalize libel if we are to truly
defend press freedom,” Hontiveros said.
The senator pointed out that just today,
a Quezon City court convicted journalist
Frank Cimatu, who was charged with cy-
berlibel for a 2017 Facebook post about for-
mer Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol.
Hontiveros then stressed how cyber-
libel was also repeatedly used against
Nobel laureate Maria Ressa for her work
in Rappler.
In 2020, Ressa and former colleague
Reynaldo Santos were convicted for
cyber libel. In July 2022, the Court of
Appeals rejected Ressa and Santos’s
appeals, and last October, the Court of
Appeals again rejected their motion to
reconsider the decision.
“These journalists have wasted years
House approves bill strengthening
mental health services of SUCs
BY JOSE CIELITO REGANIT
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – The House of Representa-
tives on Monday stayed true to its com-
mitment to the needs of state universities
and colleges (SUCs) by approving on final
reading House Bill (HB) No. 6416 which
seeks to strengthen the mental health
services of SUCs and appropriate the
necessary funding requirements for it.
The proposed SUCs Mental Health
Service Act was approved with 227 affir-
mative votes few days before Congress
goes on Christmas break starting Dec. 17.
Under the measure, the Commission
on Higher Education (CHED) shall re-
quire all SUCs to establish a Mental
Health Office (MHO) in all their campus-
es, subject to the rules and regulations of
the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and
the Department of Budget and Manage-
ment (DBM), and the policies, standards
and guidelines of the CHED.
www.canadianinquirer.net
of their lives facing charges for basically
doing their jobs. Gamit na gamit na ang
cyber libel para patahimikin ang ating
mga mamamahayag. Kung hindi natin
maiwasto ito, patuloy na gagamitin ang
libel para kitilin ang ating kalayaan,”
Hontiveros said.
In SB No. 1593, Hontiveros empha-
sized that the rise and prevalence of
social media as a primary medium of
communication has led to the further
weaponization of libel laws against the
press and active citizenship.The senator
also said that the avalanche of cyberlibel
Senator Risa Hontiveros (BIBO NUEVA ESPAÑA/SENATE PRIB VIA SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES/FACEBOOK)
The MHOs shall set up campus ho-
tlines with dedicated and trained guid-
ance counselors to provide assistance
to the whole SUC community, especial-
ly the students, with special attention
given to those identified to have mental
health problems or conditions, especial-
ly those at risk of committing suicide.
Under HB 6416, the MHOs are tasked
to initiate and sustain a heightened cam-
paign to raise the collective conscious-
ness about mental health.
The awareness campaign shall give
special emphasis to the issues of sui-
cide prevention, stress handling, mental
health and nutrition and guidance and
counseling. The campaign shall ensure
that the whole SUC community, espe-
cially the students, is aware of in-cam-
pus mental health services.
HB 6416 further mandates each
MHO to hire, train and deploy mental
health professionals who shall serve as
the mental health service personnel of
the SUCs, and to ensure that all SUCs,
DECEMBER 16, 2022 FRIDAY
cases has only resulted in the clogging of
our court dockets.
“Trabaho ng mga reporter ang magba-
hagi ng mga impormasyon para sa kaala-
man ng publiko. We need the press to vet
information and continue to be the safe-
keepers of facts. Sa pagbaha ng fake news
sa social media, mas lalong kailangan
nating maprotektahan ang propesyon
nila. If we fail to do so, if we allow our
laws to punish rather than protect the
press, we chip away at our Constitution-
al rights. This will cost us our democra-
cy,” Hontiveros concluded. ■
through their respective MHOs, shall
have access to the services of at least
three SUCs-based mental health service
personnel, including one psychologist,
at any given time.
The SUCs-based mental health service
personnel are mandated to create a mech-
anism for timely crisis intervention and
suicide prevention and the appropriate
response strategies for the whole SUCs
community, especially the students.
The proposed measure also directs the
CHED, in coordination with the SUCs and
other concerned government agencies, to
prepare a uniform career and personnel
development plan that shall include provi-
sions on personal wellness, merit promo-
tion, performance evaluation, in-service
training, graduate scholarships, research
grants and incentive award system; match
the salary grades of mental health profes-
sionals with related plantilla items; and
formulate a scheme for the continuous
training of mental health service person-
nel, among others. ■
FRIDAY DECEMBER 16, 2022
Why not replace the monarchy
with a monarchy of a different kind?
BY MARIO POLÈSE
Policy Options
Here’s a compromise for our
monarchal catch-22: Cut ties
with the Crown, keep the royal
accoutrements and have future
heads of state be Indigenous.
The ascension of King Charles
III has predictably revived the
question of Canada’s ties with
the monarchy. Quebec’s Nation-
al Assembly just adopted a bill
making the oath of allegiance
to the Crown non-compulso-
ry for members. Whatever the
outcome of Quebec’s gesture,
Canada is not about to cut its
(constitutional) tie to the Brit-
ish monarchy. However, at some
point in the future, Canada will
undoubtedly wish to give itself a
head of state who is not a foreign
sovereign. But replace the Brit-
ish monarch with what?
Constitutional complica-
tions aside – any change would
require the approval of all prov-
inces – Canada is caught in a
conundrum. Ties to the British
Crown have strong historical
roots, far stronger than in the
other Old Dominions (Australia
and New Zealand). As well, the
simple republican solution –
replacing the Governor General
with a president, as countries
such as Ireland, India and more
recently Barbados have done –
is not (except in Quebec) a po-
litically palatable option for the
same reason. So, we do what?
We don’t want a republic but
would like a Canadian head of
state. A classic catch-22.
I propose a possible solution,
which many readers will un-
doubtedly judge off-the-wall. But
the only way of knowing that is
by putting it forward. I shall be-
gin by explaining the reason for
keeping a monarchal (non-pres-
idential) model. A caveat here:
most francophones (and proba-
bly many others as well) would
gladly accept a Canadian re-
public. But English Canada, and
many others as well, will contin-
ue to eschew a republic.
Canada News
The virtues of constitu-
tional monarchy
It is not entirely an accident
that some of the most stable de-
mocracies in the world, not just
Britain, have chosen to remain
constitutional monarchies. The
three Scandinavian kingdoms
are obvious examples. There are
several reasons, but the most
important is the separation
between the head of state (the
monarch in these cases) and the
head of government (the prime
minister). Nation and govern-
ment are separate. A funda-
mental error of the American
(non-parliamentary) presiden-
tial system was merging the two.
The president, directly elected,
comes to personify the nation,
a primary reason why almost all
nations that have adopted the
U.S. model, as did most coun-
tries in Latin America, have at
one point or another fallen vic-
tim to authoritarian leaders.
The monarch, in the parlia-
mentary model, personifies the
nation, providing continuity
above politics (above the prime
minster), as governments come
and go. The nation can choose,
as noted above, to replace the
monarch with a president (nom-
ination procedures vary). But a
president rarely commands the
affection of a monarch, nor is
his or her status above politics
as clear-cut. However, the rea-
sons why Canada continues to
eschew the Irish or Barbadian
route run deeper.
Very simply, English Canada
was founded in opposition to a
republic. Loyalty to the Crown
was the guiding light of those
who fled the American Revo-
lution to come to what was to
become Canada. Here, in this
remaining British possession
in North America, they would
build a properly governed col-
ony, respectful of tradition, the
Crown and the associated ad-
jective “royal” – proudly pro-
claiming their difference from
the brash American republic to
the south. As such, abandoning
the visible symbols of monarchy,
not least the adjective “royal,”
is tantamount to a betrayal of
the founding principle of Cana-
da as a distinct nation in North
America. How can Canada be a
republic if its very raison d’être
was not to be? In this, Canada is
different from Australia or New
Zealand – the perpetuation of
monarchy not being a driving
motivation of their first settlers.
Australia was founded as a penal
colony, settled by convicts, many
Irish, with obviously little love
for the Crown.
Returning to Canada. The
challenge: imagine a model that
would allow the nation to pre-
serve the advantages of consti-
tutional monarchy – a head of
state above politics – and retain
the adjective “royal” (symbols
matter), allowing the RCMP to
keep its “R,” but a model that
would also find favour with
Canada’s less monarchal-in-
clined population.
Chief and head of State
Mary Simon, Canada’s first
Indigenous Governor General,
has helped by setting the stage,
although as a role model I would
have much preferred that she be
able to speak French in addition
to English and her native Inuk-
titut. I suggest that all future
heads of state of Canada be In-
digenous. That is Step 1.
Step 2: Canada ends its for-
mal tie to the British Crown,
with the current vice-regal rep-
King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla (ANDY GOTT/FLICKR, CC BY 2.0)
www.canadianinquirer.net
resentative being replaced by a
new Canadian office with a cor-
responding title: chief and head
of state (cheffe d’état du Cana-
da). I have used the feminine in
French for a reason.
The important word here is
“chief,” which is where a little
linguistic imagination is called
for – of which Canadians (cer-
tainly lawyers) are surely ca-
pable, given the political will.
The title “chief” would hence-
forth have the same interpre-
tive meaning, by act of Parlia-
ment, as monarch: i.e., king or
queen. This is not as absurd
as it sounds. Most European
monarchs were descendants of
Celtic or Germanic tribal chiefs.
Many readers will know the old
saw: “what’s the difference be-
tween a language and a patois?
Answer: a language is a patois
with an army.” Mutatis mutan-
dis, historically, a king or queen
is simply a tribal chief with
an army (who defeated other
chiefs). Canada’s chief, as heads
of state elsewhere, would be the
ceremonial commander of the
armed forces. The same act of
Parliament would stipulate that
federal and provincial institu-
tions retain the prerogative of
using the prefix “royal.”
I propose an elective (not he-
reditary) monarchy, which again
is not terribly original. Many
of the kings (and sometimes
queens) of the ancient world and
9
Europe were elected by councils
of nobles – Holy Roman emper-
ors among the better-known
examples. Canada’s originality
here is in the title “chief,” in def-
erence to its First Nations. For
the nomination process, I would
stay close to current practice,
although this would need to be
codified: a non-partisan adviso-
ry council, such as former prime
minister Stephen Harper’s ad-
visory committee on vice-re-
gal appointments introduced
in 2012, which has since fallen
into disuse but remains a useful
precedent. I shall not comment
on the council’s composition.
The important point is to avoid
a popularly elected head of state,
which risks politicizing the of-
fice. Canada’s chief must be seen
as non-partisan, above politics.
Eligibility criteria, aside from
the usual (minimum age, edu-
cation etc.), would include two
requirements, plus a preference:
1. Indigenous, First Nation:
The main contentious issue I
see is the inclusion of Métis. I
would tend to be generous.
2. Trilingual: English, French
and a relevant Indigenous lan-
guage, with wiggle room on the
latter, depending on the lan-
guage’s use in the community.
This, hopefully, would act as a
clear signal that the survival of
Indigenous languages is a na-
❱❱ PAGE 20 Why not replace
10
Kovrig, Spavor and Canada’s tragic record
of not protecting Canadians abroad
BY GAR PARDY
Policy Options
Canada has a history of not
using its authority in cases such
as the American-created affair
that embroiled the two Mi-
chaels and made us the patsy.
On Oct. 27, the Wall Street
Journal published a detailed re-
port on the arrangements made
by the United States for the re-
lease of Michael Kovrig and Mi-
chael Spavor. The nearly 10,000
word-article – based on inter-
views with Canadian, American
and Chinese officials – provided
the first detailed account of the
more than 1,000-day imprison-
ment of the two Canadians and
the efforts for their release.
It is appropriate, and with
some irony, that the first pub-
lished account of the affair was
by an American newspaper,
and a significant business and
economic one at that. From its
very beginning, this was the
story of American economic
competition and in the words of
the WSJ “reflected a U.S.-Chi-
na battle for control of the
international flow of data
and, ultimately, primacy
in global commerce.” It
“marked a turning point in
the growing power compe-
tition between the U. S. and
China, helping shift it from
mutual wariness to full-
blown animosity.”
The two Canadians were
accidental proxies in this
American affair. Canada ac-
quiesced and refused to use
the legal mechanisms avail-
able in Canadian law to re-
solve the matter directly
with the government of China.
On a broader scale, Kovrig and
Spavor were just the latest in a
long and sad list of Canadians
who, over the last two decades,
were refused appropriate and
available protection by their
own government. In many of
those situations, especially in-
volving Canadians caught up in
the American “war on terror,”
there was, and continues to be,
discrimination based on previ-
ous citizenship.
The specific American focus
in this battle was Huawei Tech-
nologies. In the last 20 years,
Huawei has come to dominate
Canada News
the global telecommunications
market. Its operational and
consulting services, along with
manufacturing for the corpo-
rate and consumer markets, has
expanded to most countries.
In the last decade, it overtook
Ericsson of Sweden as the larg-
est manufacturer of telecom-
munications equipment, and
surpassed Apple of the United
States and Samsung of South
Korea as the largest producer of
smartphones.
Huawei also became the
dominant global player in
fifth-generation technology
– 5G – for broadband cellular
networks. Its products offered
faster and increased capacity
for mobile phone wireless con-
nectivity. Canada, along with
Australia, New Zealand, the
United Kingdom and most of
Europe, saw no reason not to
use Huawei for their transition
into the world of 5G. Even some
American companies were us-
ing the technology.
But Donald Trump was in
the White House and there
was little doubt that American
From its very
beginning, this
was the story
of American
economic
competition...
technology was lagging, per-
haps several years behind that
offered by Huawei. Something
had to be done and, as was
common during that period,
the United States dressed up
the domination of Huawei as a
threat to its national security.
A few years earlier, the Amer-
icans did the same with Canadi-
an steel and aluminum exports
when it imposed tariffs of 25
per cent and 10 per cent, re-
spectively, using the argument
that they represented a danger
to U.S. national security.
On Huawei, the Trump ad-
ministration initiated an inves-
tigation and concluded the com-
pany had acted in contravention
of unique American sanctions
against Iran. It was not long be-
fore it decided to use Meng Wan-
zhou, the chief financial officer
for Huawei and daughter of its
founder, Ren Zhengfei, as a cen-
tral person to attack.
During this period, Canada,
along with other countries, was
searching for a new approach
to China. It was increasing-
ly apparent that the sweeping
economic reforms initiated by
former leader Deng Xiaoping in
the 1980s and 1990s would not
lead to changes in its autocratic
political system. Now under the
increasing dominance of Deng’s
ultimate successor, President
Xi Jinping, the protection of the
regime, the Communist Party
of China, was of increasing con-
cern in an increasingly affluent
society whose citizens travelled
to and studied freely in the far
corners of the world.
Beijing’s increasing leading
role in the global economic sys-
tem was accompanied by sig-
nificant actions making it the
dominant power in the
neighbouring East and
South China seas. For Hong
Kong, the dream offered by
the mantra “one country,
two systems” did not last
much beyond the departure
of the last British governor
carrying the Union Jack.
When Meng boarded a
flight in Hong Kong on Dec.
1, 2018, for a business trip to
countries in Latin America,
the American authorities
knew it would land first in
Vancouver. They sent a re-
quest for her extradition to
Canadian authorities.
In the words of the WSJ arti-
cle, the charge was “narrow, but
it would serve a broader nation-
al security objective – to help
Washington convince U. S. allies
Huawei couldn’t be trusted.”
The plan worked. As the WSJ
article detailed, Meng was de-
tained by Canadian authorities
without apparent consideration
of the implications or full under-
standing of American intentions.
Again, according to the WSJ
article, Trump and Xi were
sharing Argentine sirloin in
Buenos Aires where both were
attending a G20 meeting at the
www.canadianinquirer.net
time of her arrest. Prime Min-
ister Justin Trudeau was also in
Argentina for the G20 meeting
but his early statements clearly
showed that he had not been in-
formed of Meng’s detention in
Vancouver.
In Vancouver, the extradi-
tion request was more a ques-
tion of how her arrest was to
be made by low-level police
officials once her plane landed.
There was no consideration or
understanding of how China,
especially Xi, would see Meng’s
detention not only as an affront
to one of China’s premier inter-
national companies but an eco-
nomic attack on China as well.
Within days, the detention of
Kovrig and Spavor were part of
the Chinese answer.
Canada was the patsy in the
affair. The Americans assumed
Ottawa would go along with their
actions and were entirely correct.
Trudeau stated Canada
would allow the “rule of law”
to play out, knowing this could
take years. Kovrig and Spav-
or spent the next 1,020 days in
Chinese prisons in conditions
that will affect them for the rest
of their lives. Meng, while de-
tained in more salubrious con-
ditions, will live on as a symbol
of the efforts China is prepared
to make in support of its in-
creasingly global reach.
As has been detailed by many,
including this author, the affair
could have been resolved at any
time by using a provision of the
Canadian Extradition Act, which
provides the minister of justice
with the authority to intervene
DECEMBER 16, 2022 FRIDAY
in the extradition process and
terminate it at any stage.
This did not happen. It was
only with a new president in
Washington that there was an
application of the “flexibility”
of American “rule of law.” In a
matter of days, it provided for
the cancellation of the American
extradition request to Canada
and the return of Meng to China.
Her return to China overlapped,
almost to the minute, with the
release of Kovrig and Spavor,
and their return to Canada. As
part of the same arrangements,
the Americans negotiated the
return of two American citizens
to the United States.
It was an American-created
affair. However, the unwilling-
ness of the Canadian govern-
ment to act well within the au-
thority available to it continues
and is part of Ottawa’s sad, long
and tragic record of inaction in
protecting Canadians in trou-
ble in foreign lands.
Kovrig and Spavor join Rob-
ert Hall and John Ridsdel,
murdered in the Philippines in
2016, and the 40 or so Canadi-
an women and children, alleged
supporters of ISIS, sequestered
in northeast Syria. They are
victims of the Canadian gov-
ernment’s sad failure to meet
its ultimate responsibility of
protecting Canadians irrespec-
tive of where they are located or
how they landed in difficulty.■
This article first appeared
on Policy Options and is repub-
lished here under a Creative
Commons license.
FRIDAY DECEMBER 16, 2022 Canada News 11

Delgamuukw 25 years on:

How Canada has undermined the
landmark decision on Indigenous land rights
BY SHIRI PASTERNAK,
Toronto Metropolitan
University
The Conversation
This year marks the 25th an-
niversary of the Supreme Court
of Canada’s Delgamuukw case
on Aboriginal title. In 1997, the
Wet’suwet’en and Gitxsan Na-
tions brought the watershed
case before the Supreme Court,
yet a countrywide battle re-
mains over implementation of
the Delgamuukw decision in-
volving all First nations.
The Nations sought a declara-
tion of ownership and jurisdiction
over their lands. The Supreme
Court agreed that Indigenous
Peoples held a unique property
right to their land that was held as
a collective interest by a nation.
The court’s ruling addressed
a number of issues including
the extinguishment of Aborigi-
nal title and the use of oral his-
tory in establishing land rights.
The case presented First
Nations with new possibilities
to seek legal action against the
government for control over
Indigenous territories.
Aboriginal title and the
Crown
First Nation leaders aimed to
reform the comprehensive land
claims policy. The policy pro-
vides the only negotiating frame-
work for Indigenous Peoples to
resolve their outstanding territo-
rial land claims with the Crown.
As a result of the Del-
gamuukw decision, Indigenous
leaders argued the policy no
longer aligned with Canadian
law because it required Indig-
enous people to cede their title
to the Crown.
If Delgamuukw recognized
the unique proprietary rights
of Indigenous Peoples to their
land, why should they be forced
to surrender those rights
through a federal policy?
Before Delgamuukw, the
concept of Aboriginal title as a
property right was subject to a
kind of plausible deniability.
The 1973 Supreme Court of
Canada decision in Calder v.
British Columbia was the first
to wobble that deniability. The
court found that the creation
of British Columbia did not au-
tomatically extinguish “Indian
title.” The decision led then-
prime minister, Pierre Trudeau
to reportedly observe: “Maybe
you have more rights than we
thought you did.”
The case led to the creation
of the comprehensive claims
policy. What soon became clear,
though, was that the new claims
policy rested on the old colonial
model of sovereignty estab-
lished by the British: it required
Indigenous Peoples to surren-
der and release their title rights
to the Crown. It was, in essence,
a policy that extinguished In-
digenous land rights.
While some nations optimis-
tically entered negotiations,
others turned to the courts, es-
pecially after the patriation of
Aboriginal rights into the con-
stitution in 1982.
Government indifference
By the time Delgamuukw
reached the courts, the struggle
was long underway to reform
the comprehensive claims pol-
icy. When the Liberals came to
power under Jean Chrétien in
1993, the party’s Red Book com-
mitted to an independent claims
commission to address the gov-
ernment’s conflict of interest in
the resolution of claims.
But in 1996, Assembly of
First Nations (AFN) national
chief, Ovide Mercredi, publicly
burned the Red Book outside a
Liberal convention, disgusted
with the government’s failure
to fulfil its promises.
Government indifference
persisted. But Delgamuukw
increased pressure across the
country.
One AFN resolution in 1998,
for example, found in archived
records created by policy re-
searcher Peter Di Gangi, called
for the “complete rejection of
the concept of extinguishment,
and any equivalent concept,
such as ‘surrender and grant
back’ as the premise for settling
new treaties.”
In 1998, Canada set up dis-
cussions with the AFN to un-
dertake a Delgamuukw nation-
al review process.
But within a couple of years,
documents I received as part of a
Freedom of Information request
from B.C.’s Ministry of Indige-
nous Relations and Reconcilia-
tion show that some First Nations
viewed the process as a “smoke-
screen for the continued refusal
to recognize Aboriginal title.”
The AFN created the Del-
gamuukw Implementation
Strategic Committee (DISC) in
1998 to prepare legal briefs and
recommendations for the De-
partment of Indian Affairs to es-
tablish new mandates to review
and revise the land claims policy
in light of the legal decision.
The DISC made several key
recommendations to Ottawa
in May 2000. They included
establishing a panel of experts
to compare the comprehensive
land claims policy to the princi-
ples contained in Delgamuukw.
However, Canadian officials
instead said that “there was no
Cabinet mandate to consider
changes to the policy.” Others
were informed that treaty nego-
tiations are not “rights” based.
Land claims to #LandBack
The struggle over the land
claims policy following Del-
gamuukw is a crucial chapter
Supreme Court of Canada (DOUGLAS SPROTT/FLICKR, CC BY-NC 2.0)
www.canadianinquirer.net
in the #LandBack movement.
And it forecast the possibilities
for land reclamation and decol-
onization moving forward.
Grassroots movements
brought the issue back to na-
tional attention as part of the
Idle No More movement. In its
wake, two senior oversight com-
mittees (SOC) were established
in 2013 with First Nation repre-
sentation. One on treaties and
one on comprehensive claims.
Sidelining these efforts, the
then-Harper government com-
missioned a special report in
2015 to independently review
the land claims policy. The re-
port led to a new “results-based”
approach to negotiations. But
that approach maintained the
same frameworks that extin-
guished Aboriginal title.
While First Nation leaders
were pushing for fundamental
reform, the government instead
created off-ramps into sectoral,
incremental and revenue-sharing
agreements. The new generation
of policies over land and resourc-
es, such as forestry and fishing
specific tables, would avoid dis-
cussion of title altogether.
The Trudeau government
would continue this tradition.
In 2018, Prime Minister Justin
Trudeau promised to develop
a Recognition and Implemen-
tation of Indigenous Rights
Framework. The new framework
promised to “replace policies
like the Comprehensive Land
Claims Policy and the Inherent
Right to Self-Government Poli-
cy.” Trudeau promised, instead,
a co-development approach to
negotiations and mandates.
But the proposed framework
was never tabled. Instead, the fed-
eral government focused its ener-
gy on establishing Recognition of
Indigenous Rights and Self-De-
termination discussion tables.
The mandates of these over
70 tables have never been made
public. Whether and how Ab-
original title is recognized re-
mains a mystery.
While extinguishment claus-
es no longer appear in the com-
prehensive land claim policy’s
wording, it still requires the ex-
change of title lands for private
property. The new policy off-
ramps set aside any acknowl-
edgment of title as the basis for
negotiations.
Indigenous groups have
made the best out of an impos-
sible situation. But the #Land-
Back movement has shown
both the possibilities and the
dangers of working outside fed-
eral land claims frameworks.
Many nations have asserted
Indigenous law on the ground by
issuing declarations and exercis-
ing their jurisdiction to govern
their territories and resourc-
es. They put the onus of “land
claims” back on Canada to prove.
But this strategy for title rec-
ognition has also proved dan-
gerous. For the Wet’suwet’en
hereditary leadership, who
brought the Delgamuukw case
to court, asserting their rights
in a coveted energy corridor has
provoked one of the most vio-
lent colonial conflicts in Cana-
dian history.
That violence reflects many
things, but foremost among them:
Canada’s refusal to align land
claims policies with its own law. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
12
Immigrants could be the solution to Canada’s
labour shortage, but they need to be supported
BY RUPA BANERJEE,
Toronto Metropolitan
University
Policy Options
Immigration is largely ac-
cepted as one of the best stra-
tegic responses to Canada’s
declining birth rates, aging
population and labour market
shortages. In many ways, im-
migrants are now positioned
to be the saviours of Canada’s
post-pandemic recovery.
Even with steadily rising
numbers and the challenges
brought on by the COVID-19
pandemic, Canadians are more
favourable towards immigra-
tion than ever before.
Canada’s new immigration
targets are unprecedented —
more than 1.4 million new per-
manent residents will be ad-
mitted by 2025. Setting targets,
however, is the easy part. More
difficult is ensuring Canada is
up to the task of selecting and
welcoming the influx of new-
comers that will be arriving
over the next few years.
But if immigrants are going
to be a panacea for our demo-
graphic and economic chal-
lenges, they must be able to find
skills-appropriate employment
and settle into communities.
Selecting the right mix of new-
comers is the first crucial ele-
ment to consider.
Barriers for immigrant
workers
Employers across Canada
have reported labour shortages
in a range of skill levels and sec-
tors, including accommodation,
food services, skilled trades and
health care.
The current economic immi-
grant selection system, Express
Entry, prioritizes “high-skilled”
immigrants — those with
post-secondary education — in
Canada News
fields like information tech-
nology and finance. However,
many of these individuals face
significant underemployment,
with foreign credentials dis-
counted and the requirement
to have Canadian experience
preventing many from finding
skills-appropriate work.
The new immigration plan
will expand the eligible skill lev-
els and ease access to permanent
resident status for essential
workers who were previously
excluded from the selection sys-
tem, like transport truck driv-
ers, nurse assistants and heavy
equipment operators.
Although this is a positive de-
velopment, it is an open ques-
tion whether so-called “low-
er-skilled” newcomers — those
without post-secondary educa-
tion — will find work and stay
in their intended occupations.
Canada’s focus on high-skilled
immigration thus far has been
based on research that shows
that higher-skilled newcomers
have better labour market out-
comes in the long term than
those with lower skills.
In general, less educated work-
ers tend to be more susceptible to
unemployment and poverty.
However, given the rampant
devaluation of foreign creden-
tials and the oversupply of high-
skilled workers, it is possible
that lower-skilled immigrants
in essential sectors will actually
face less relative labour mar-
ket disparity than their high-
skilled counterparts.
Changes to Express Entry
Another significant change is
the introduction of targeted in-
vitations within Express Entry.
Currently, Express Entry appli-
cants are evaluated by a com-
prehensive ranking system.
Candidates that meet a certain
cutoff score are invited to apply
in biweekly draws.
Applicants know their
chance of being invited based
on their ranking system score.
However, with targeted invita-
tions, it will be up to Immigra-
tion, Refugees and Citizenship
Canada to determine which
characteristics are valued in
each draw. This adds significant
uncertainty for applicants who
may be overlooked even with a
high ranking system score.
Government officials have
stated that targeted draws will
allow for the prioritization
of high demand occupations.
While occupation-specific ad-
mission has the advantage of
potentially addressing talent
shortages in certain fields, it
may also result in an oversup-
ply of workers in some areas.
If labour demand shifts due
to economic downturn, these
workers may be left out in the
cold, as was the case for tech
workers after the dot-com bub-
ble burst in the early 2000s.
Investing in supports
For the immigration plan to be
successful, the selection system
is just one side of the equation.
The government must also in-
vest in the infrastructure needed
to accommodate the population
www.canadianinquirer.net
growth, including affordable
housing, access to health care
and schooling supports.
Labour market integration
policies and practices are equally
important to ensure that immi-
grants’ skills are recognized and
properly utilized. For example,
immigrants trained in regulated
occupations, like nursing, strug-
gle to enter their professions,
even though many of these fields
have severe labour shortages.
Although several provinc-
es now have fairness commis-
sioners whose mandate is to
enhance transparency in occu-
pational licensing processes,
significant barriers remain.
The experience is not much
better for immigrants seeking
employment in unregulated
fields. Currently, the burden of
integration is placed dispropor-
tionately on individual immi-
grants themselves. However, all
stakeholders — including poli-
cymakers, occupational regula-
tory bodies, educational insti-
tutions and employers — should
play a role in this process.
Everyone has a role to play
Settlement services and oc-
cupationally relevant language
training must be made more
DECEMBER 16, 2022 FRIDAY
accessible for newcomers with
lower levels of education, since
official language fluency is
among the most important de-
terminants of success and low-
er-skilled immigrants tend to
be less fluent.
It is also more crucial than
ever before to implement active
labour market policies (ALMPs)
that prioritize upskilling, re-
skilling and on-the-job training
for essential workers.
Lastly, employer engagement
is vital. Although Canadian em-
ployers demand more immigra-
tion, they tend not to hire per-
manent immigrants into high
quality positions. Instead, they
often prefer to recruit tempo-
rary foreign workers into low
wage, precarious roles.
This is short sighted, particu-
larly in a labour shortage, since
decent working conditions and
fair treatment improve produc-
tivity and competitiveness. Em-
ployers should work with immi-
grant-serving organizations, like
the Toronto Region Immigrant
Employment Council, to better
understand foreign qualifica-
tions and experience so they can
leverage the skills of immigrant
workers more effectively.
Finally, it is important for
managers and other deci-
sion-makers to recognize un-
conscious bias and improve
their own intercultural compe-
tence. Without the active par-
ticipation of employers, even
the most enlightened selection
policies will fall flat. Canadians
currently have a positive view
of immigration, and we are seen
as a global leader, but there is
no guarantee that this will re-
main if immigrant integration
isn’t adequately supported. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
FRIDAY DECEMBER 16, 2022
China’s loosened COVID-19 policies –
following years of aggressive lockdowns and
quarantines – have left the country vulnerable
BY ELANAH URETSKY,
Brandeis University
The Conversation
After nearly three years of
aiming to eliminate COVID-19
through mass lockdowns, ro-
bust contact tracing programs
and international travel bans,
the Chinese government has
announced it is rolling back
the “zero-COVID” policies that
helped suppress the spread of the
coronavirus in the country. The
Chinese Communist Party an-
nounced these changes on Dec.
7, 2022, as rates of COVID-19 are
on the rise in major cities, follow-
ing protests demanding the end
of zero-COVID policies.
The situation in China stands
in stark contrast to the trajec-
tory of the pandemic in the U.S.
SARS-CoV-2 emerged with a
bang, but thanks to a strong vac-
cination effort and the fact that
a large portion of U.S. residents
have been infected with the
coronavirus, COVID-19 cases
seem to be reaching somewhat
of a steady state and normal life
has mostly resumed.
I am a medical anthropolo-
gist who studies public health
trends in China from an epide-
miologic and social perspective.
After largely containing the
coronavirus in 2020, China
began enforcing a strict ze-
ro-COVID policy leading up to
the Beijing Olympics in 2022.
The result is that China has
not followed the standard path
of a pandemic where people
slowly gain immunity through
exposure or vaccination, al-
lowing society to open up over
time. Combined with questions
about the efficacy of China’s
vaccines and comparatively low
vaccination rates, many public
health experts think that China
will be hit hard by the coronavi-
rus as the country rapidly lifts
its zero-COVID policy.
World News
China’s initial reaction to
COVID-19
Public health campaigns
and control of emerging dis-
ease in China are entirely re-
liant on and directed by the
government, which promotes
health both for the good of the
people and the nation. When
COVID-19 emerged, the Chi-
nese government was quick to
institute mask-wearing poli-
cies and testing regimens, and
it locked down the city of Wu-
han and the surrounding region
where the coronavirus originat-
ed. With only the aid of these
nonpharmaceutical interven-
tions, the Chinese government
was very successful in contain-
ing the spread of COVID-19 af-
ter the initial wave hit Wuhan.
From the time China started
recording cases in late Decem-
ber 2019, until the government
ended its initial period of lock-
down in April 2020, the govern-
ment documented 82,000 cases
of COVID-19 and just over 3,300
deaths. Though not officially
called a zero-COVID policy at the
time, the control measures were
Body temperature screening at Jishuitan subway station, Beijing. (PAU COLOMI-
NAS - OWN WORK/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, CC BY-SA 4.0)
born out of a goal of eliminating
COVID-19 from the country.
Ramping up zero-COVID
Life returned to normal in
China after the initial wave of
COVID-19 ravaged Wuhan.
For most of 2020 and the first
half of 2021, Chinese people
were out and about in shopping
malls, restaurants and bars.
During this same period, the
coronavirus was rampaging
across the U.S, Europe and oth-
er regions of the world, leading
many health experts to say that
the lockdowns in China, though
brutal, were successful. Between
May 2020 and August 2021, peo-
ple in China saw COVID-19 as a
distant threat and supported the
government’s actions.
The situation changed in Au-
gust 2021 when the Chinese gov-
ernment officially adopted what it
calls the “Dynamic zero-COVID”
strategy to combat the new del-
ta variant. This strict prevention
policy included provisions for
mass lockdowns aimed at elimi-
nating the disease in a particular
region, even if just a small number
of cases were found.
www.canadianinquirer.net
China ramped up enforce-
ment of the policy as the 2022
Winter Olympics approached. A
single case could trigger a mas-
sive lockdown where the gov-
ernment would severely limit
people’s movement and enforce
quarantines, as occurred sev-
eral times in Shanghai Disney.
In some instances, people were
held in stores or office buildings
for several days after exposure
to an infected person.
Summer and fall 2022 were
relatively quiet, with only
around 1,000 confirmed infec-
tions per day. But since early
November 2022, COVID-19
cases in China have climbed
steadily, with more than 35,000
new cases detected per day in
the first week of December.
What happens next?
As of early December,
COVID-19 rates in China were
still relatively low compared to
many places, including the U.S..
But China faces some unique
challenges thanks to low levels
of immunity in the population
and a disease control strate-
gy that prioritized nonphar-
maceutical interventions like
mask-wearing, social distanc-
ing and frequent testing over
vaccine administration.
To date, 90% of the popula-
tion in China has been vaccinat-
ed. Older people have been more
reluctant, though, and only 66%
of those over 80 have received
two doses of a vaccine. A fur-
ther concern arises from stud-
ies indicating that China’s vac-
cines may not be as effective as
the mRNA vaccines used in the
West. So far, China has not been
willing to import and administer
Western mRNA vaccines.
In addition to concerns over
vaccination, the zero-COVID
policy has, to a large extent,
successfully suppressed the
coronavirus in China. The re-
sult is that since most people
have not been exposed to the vi-
13
rus, they have not had a chance
to develop immunity. This has
likely left the country very sus-
ceptible to a large outbreak.
There is also a social dimen-
sion to the problems facing
China today. Recurring lock-
downs over the past year have
damaged the economy and less-
ened peoples’ patience with re-
strictive policies. Despite gov-
ernment efforts to limit access
to outside information, people
in China are learning that most
other countries are functioning
normally. Maintaining strin-
gent zero-COVID policies has
become increasingly difficult,
as they wear on a populace that
wants life to return to normal.
The Dec. 7 announcement
to ease COVID-19 restrictions
is a continuation of a trend a
few weeks in the making, but
has been seen by many as a re-
sponse to the widespread pro-
tests. Testing centers are clos-
ing and infected people are now
allowed to quarantine at home
for the first time since the pan-
demic began. The digital health
passes, issued to people who
tested negative through daily
PCR tests, are also no longer
required to enter public places.
In much of the world,
COVID-19 has followed that
natural trajectory of a pandemic.
The story is different in China.
The relaxation of zero-COVID
policies may bring China more
in line with the rest of the world
in terms of what the people there
can do, but the virus also gets a
chance to run its natural course
now that government actions
will not suppress the spread.
It is likely that in the coming
months, the Chinese people will
face the pain and suffering that
many other places experienced
in 2020 and 2021. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
14 World News DECEMBER 16, 2022 FRIDAY

EU fails to agree on 9th package

of sanctions vs. Russia: Borrell
TASS
Philippine News Agency
BRUSSELS – European
Union (EU) members failed
to agree on the ninth package
of sanctions against Russia in
time during a meeting in Brus-
sels among top diplomats.
Disagreements remain
therefore, the ministerial de-
liberations on the sanctions
will be very difficult, EU foreign
policy chief Josep Borrel said
on Monday upon his arrival at
the EU Council Meeting at the
level of foreign ministers.
“This Council is going to be
very long and difficult because
we have on the agenda Iran, we
have on the agenda sanctions
against Russia, the ninth pack-
age, we are still not there, we
haven’t yet finished,” he said.
“When me and the President
of the Commission (Ursula von
der Leyen) announce the sanc-
tions, we are just announcing
proposals. We’ve said many
times (that) it is the Council
who decides, and the 27 minis-
ters have different approaches,”
Borrell added.
As for the timeframe of the
decision, the top EU diplomat
said, that “maybe by the end of
the day, but there are some ques-
tions to be still agreed (upon)”.
“Maybe tomorrow, but I can-
not say it will be easy,” he said.
According to the idea of the
European Commission, the
ninth sanctions package should
include up to 200 individuals,
companies and organizations,
including three banks, mili-
tary-industrial complexes, in
addition to energy and mining
companies.
The EU also intends to prohib-
it the broadcasting of four Rus-
sian TV channels on its territory.
The European Commission
will not disclose the names of the
companies until the sanctions in Josep Borrell Fontelles (MINISTERIO DE ASUNTOS EXTERIORES Y DE COOPERACIÓN/
question are approved. ■ FLICKR, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Over 11K kids killed or Twitter disbands

maimed in Yemen’s
8-year old war: UNICEF
ANADOLU
Philippine News Agency
UNITED NATIONS – The
eight-year-old conflict in Ye-
men has killed or maimed more
than 11,000 children, according
to the UN Children’s Fund.
An average of four children
were killed or wounded since
the beginning of the war in Ye-
men in 2015, UNICEF said in a
statement on Monday.
While the UN-brokered truce
led to a significant reduction in
the intensity of the conflict, a
further 62 children have been
killed or injured after a nation-
wide cease-fire expired on Oct.
2, it said.
Yemen’s warring sides failed
to reach an agreement to ex-
tend the UN-brokered truce.
UNICEF Executive Director
Catherine Russell called for the
renewal of the truce following
a visit to the war-torn country
last week.
“Thousands of children have
lost their lives, hundreds of
thousands more remain at risk
of death from preventable dis-
ease or starvation,” said Russell.
An estimated 2.2 million chil-
Trust and Safety
Council
dren in Yemen are acutely mal- Arabia entered the war in early ANADOLU laboration in recent years and
nourished, including nearly 2015 to restore the government Philippine News Agency wish you every success in the
540,000 children under the age to power. ■ future,” said the email.
of five suffering from severe acute According to one unnamed
malnutrition and struggling to ANKARA – Under new CEO council member, the move
survive, according to UNICEF. Elon Musk, Twitter dissolved amounted to throwing away
Two million children are its Trust and Safety Council late “years of institutional memo-
out of school, and this number on Monday, according to media ry that we on the council have
could rise to 6 million children reports. brought” to the company.
having their education disrupt- Members of the body were in- Twitter formed the advisory
ed as at least one out of four formed in an email group in 2016 to
schools in Yemen are destroyed that the council make the platform
or partially damaged. was no longer “the safer and to ad-
“If the children of Yemen best structure” to dress hate speech,
are to have any chance of a de- bring “external ... the move child exploitation,
cent future, then the parties to insights into our suicide, self-harm,
the conflict, the international product and pol- amounted and other prob-
community and all those with icy development to throwing lems.
influence must ensure they are work,” the Wash- It comprised
protected and supported,” Rus- ington Post re- away some 100 mem-
sell said. ported. “years of bers of indepen-
UNICEF also called for 484.4 The email ar- dent civil, human
million dollars to respond to rived shortly be- institutional rights, and other
the humanitarian crisis in Ye- fore members of memory... organizations.
men in 2023. the council were Musk’s owner-
The eight-year conflict has expecting a vid- ship of Twitter,
created one of the worst human- eo meeting with now rounding out
itarian crises in the world, with Twitter represen- its first month,
millions risking starvation. tatives to discuss has been marked
The civil war began in Sep- recent developments, said the re- by widespread chaos at the
tember 2014, when Irani- port, citing sources familiar with company, as he seeks to make it
an-backed Houthi rebels cap- the matter who spoke on the con- profitable through mass layoffs
tured much of the country, dition of anonymity. and by introducing policies that
including the capital, Sana’a. A Flag of Yemen (ANDREW FACKLER/ “We are grateful for your have been met with widespread
military coalition led by Saudi FLICKR, CC BY-NC 2.0) engagement, advice and col- internal opposition. ■
www.canadianinquirer.net
FRIDAY DECEMBER 16, 2022
Queensland shootings highlight increase in
anti-police sentiment around the world
BY KELLY HINE, University
of the Sunshine Coast, KATIE
DAVENPORT-KLUNDER,
University of the Sunshine
Coast
The Conversation
In an horrific incident on
Monday night, two police officers
and a member of the public were
fatally shot in an ambush attack
in Queensland. Another two of-
ficers were injured in the attack.
Our research shows attacks
on police are increasing both
domestically and internation-
ally, which may be a result of
growing civil unrest.
Data prior to the COVID pan-
demic revealed that civil unrest
had doubled globally in the past
decade, including an increase in
violent riots and demonstrations.
This tension between authorities
and the public is thought to have
intensified further during the
COVID pandemic.
Serious assaults against po-
lice appear to be more common
and more violent, with recent
protests (such as Black Lives
Matter, anti-lockdown, and
#defundthepolice) intensifying
conflicts between sections of
society and police.
For example, anti-lockdown
protests produced the “most vi-
olent” Victorian protests in 20
years, putting at least nine offi-
The High Court and the Ombudsman have
found fault with NZ’s MIQ system – should
the government apologise?
BY ALEXANDER
GILLESPIE, University of
Waikato
The Conversation
Although it has yet to begin
work, the first finding of the
forthcoming royal commission
into New Zealand’s COVID-19
response has probably just
been written by Chief Ombuds-
man Peter Boshier.
The royal commission will
cers in hospital.
The rise of ‘anti-police’
sentiment
This phenomenon is not
unique to Australia. In the US,
officers have been shot and
police stations burnt down by
protesters. In Hong Kong, vio-
lent and organised protesters
have attacked and beaten of-
ficers with umbrellas, batons,
and bricks. And in the UK, the
Metropolitan Police recent-
ly reported a 38% increase
in assaults on officers during
high-profile protests. Under-
standing why these assaults are
occurring is key to preventing
further harm to police officers.
There are several potential
catalysts for this “anti-police”
ideology and consequent be-
haviour. First, citizens may feel
frustrated about political issues,
such as COVID lockdowns and
vaccination laws. Here, anti-po-
lice behaviour, such as violence
and lawbreaking, are a by-prod-
uct of frustration towards the
government. The police are sim-
ply the most present and visible
government representative.
Second, and more concerning,
are that anti-police ideologies are
capturing the attitudes of those
in society who are frustrated
with how they perceive police to
be conducting themselves.
The Australia New Zealand
Policing Advisory Agency pre-
likely agree with his finding:
while it was justifiable for the
government to restrict and con-
trol the flow of people coming
into the country during the glob-
al pandemic, this should have
been done with more finesse and
empathy than actually occurred.
The Ombudsman’s report
comes on the heels of the High
Court’s April decision in a
case brought by lobby group
Grounded Kiwis. That decision
found the border restrictions
dicts distrust in “big govern-
ment” to be a major policing
challenge post-2020. There is
growing concern about groups
or individuals who act violently
towards police to express these
attitudes, leading to the injuries,
assaults, and even homicides of
Australian police officers. This is
also exacerabted by widespread
social media access and conspir-
acy-driven extremism.
What do assaults on police
look like?
The public rely on the police
to protect them from harm. But
there has been an increasing
rate of attacks on police officers.
breached the right of New Zea-
land citizens to enter the coun-
try, as contained in the Bill of
Rights – but that the border
measures were still justified.
The self-initiated investi-
gation by the Ombudsman
focused on hundreds of com-
plaints that claimed the man-
aged isolation and quarantine
(MIQ) allocation system was
unlawful, unfit for purpose, un-
fair and poorly managed.
As such, the investigation
www.canadianinquirer.net
World News
Moreover, these attacks are be-
coming more violent and serious.
Research has found that 31%
of Australian police fatalities
between 2001 and 2019 were
the result of assaults. Like the
recent incident, almost all cases
involved shootings.
More recently, violent an-
ti-lockdown protests in Aus-
tralia have resulted in several
officers being assaulted and hos-
pitalised. In 2021, for example,
the Western Australian Police
Union reported that assaults on
Western Australian police were
higher than the past four years.
Assaults in Perth were the high-
took a broader view than the
High Court’s specific focus on
rights. This bigger picture took
in considerations of reason,
justice, sympathy, honour and
fairness. Taken together, the
two findings give a clear picture
of what happened and why.
Border controls were justified
The High Court decision ac-
cepted that having to possess a
voucher to get into MIQ did not,
in and of itself, amount to an
unjustified infringement of the
15
est in ten years. Research into
officer injuries found that offi-
cers were more likely to sustain
injuries with physically aggres-
sive suspects, and young, offend-
ers who had consumed alcohol/
drugs in the early hours of the
weekend were more likely to re-
sist officers.
When assaults on police offi-
cers occur, they can have devas-
tating consequences for a wide
range of people. Aside from the
physical impact (such as inju-
ries, permanent disabilities, or
even death), assaults on police
officers can have psychological
impacts (such as PTSD, anxiety,
and depression).
Police have ranked the top
three significant stressors as
killing someone, a fellow officer
being killed, and being physically
attacked. The physical and psy-
chological impact of assaults on
police is exemplified by the Capi-
tol riots in the US, which resulted
in 138 police officer injuries, one
officer fatality and the subse-
quent suicide of four officers.
Subsequently, these physical
and psychological consequenc-
es carry an economic burden.
These costs can include medical,
legal, and wage costs among oth-
ers. The cost of police assaults
are likely to be much higher
when considering economic
❱❱ PAGE 16 Queensland shootings
right to enter the country.
Similarly, the isolation re-
quirements placed reasonable
and proportionate limits on the
right to enter, while those re-
quirements were in operation.
Other options would not have
achieved the public health ob-
jectives the government had le-
gitimately set.
The Ombudsman’s opinion
also recognised the important
❱❱ PAGE 16 The High Court
 16 World News DECEMBER 16, 2022 FRIDAY

The High Court.. Queensland shootings..

❰❰ 15 aims of MIQ and the
vital role it played in
preventing outbreaks
of COVID-19 in the communi-
ty. Boshier also commended the
work of the Ministry of Busi-
ness, Innovation and Employ-
ment (MBIE) and the wider
public service in managing New
Zealand’s COVID response.
The system was working in a
novel and complex policy context,
under time pressure, and in a high-
stakes environment with limited
access to reliable information.
The Ombudsman is also clear
that MBIE did not act unreason-
ably in its efforts to increase MIQ
capacity, given the limitations
imposed by public health set-
tings and workforce constraints.
A blunt instrument
But while MIQ was a critical
component of the government’s
elimination strategy, which
achieved positive health out-
comes, the High Court decision
reasoned that the combination
of the “virtual lobby” system
and the narrow emergency cri-
teria was too blunt.
The system should ideally
have been able to detect and
prioritise differences in in-
dividual circumstances, the
High Court found. As it was,
the virtual lobby did not prior-
itise New Zealand citizens over
non-citizens, nor did it prior-
itise based on need or timing.
The offline emergency process
was too tightly constrained to
compensate for this deficiency.
At the time, there appeared to
be have been no proper system
to gather information from over-
seas New Zealanders about their
circumstances. While the MIQ
system achieved the govern-
ment’s health objectives, the re-
sult was that some New Zealand-
ers experienced unreasonable
delays in exercising their right to
enter the country, according to
the High Court decision.
The Ombudsman reached
a similar conclusion. He rea-
soned that MIQ, and the oper-
ation of the managed isolation
allocation system in particu-
lar, caused immense stress and
frustration for tens of thou-
sands of people.
Granted, a more individu-
alised allocation system that
considered and prioritised
personal circumstances would
have been difficult and costly.
But this should have been done,
given the profound impact the
system was having on people.
Should the government
apologise?
The royal commission will
probably learn from the decision
of the High Court and the opin-
ion of the Ombudsman. And it’s
to be hoped future generations
will not suffer from the same
mistakes. But the more immedi-
ate question is whether the min-
isters involved should apologise.
While the Ombudsman has
been clear that for some people in
certain situations a personal apol-
ogy from MBIE may be necessary,
he lacks the legal jurisdiction to
People waiting for the bus at the Wellington Central bus hub.
make the same recommendation
for the ministers involved.
There’s something of an
anomaly here, given key deci-
sions about the allocation sys-
tem were made by ministers. A
firmer recommendation might
come out of next year’s royal
commission.
For now, however, the ethics
of an apology have less to do
with the law and everything to
do with politics. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
❰❰ 15 impacts beyond the
officer themselves (for
example, the econom-
ic impact on colleagues, family,
and friends as well as organisa-
tional costs such as low morale
and high staff turnover).
Furthermore, assaults on po-
lice can have societal impacts,
leading to a lack of confidence
in police to be able to protect
members of the community. In
addition, attacks on police may
also reflect “an attack on the rule
of law and defiance of the justice
system itself”, in turn, leading to
societal breakdowns. This lack
of confidence and trust in po-
lice and authorities is illustrated
in the #defundthepolice social
movement.
The role of police requires
them to encounter some of the
most violent and dangerous situ-
ations. Understanding attacks on
police will help identify ways to
reduce the impact of harms and
prevent such incidences from oc-
curring. We need to better under-
stand these situations so we can
protect those who protect us. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.

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www.canadianinquirer.net
FRIDAY DECEMBER 16, 2022 17

www.canadianinquirer.net
18
Entertainment
Harry & Meghan – what the first episodes
reveal about Meghan’s reputation within
the royal family
BY LAURA CLANCY,
Lancaster University
The Conversation
As an expert in the contem-
porary British monarchy, I
watched the first three episodes
of The Duke and Duchess of
Sussex’s new Netflix docuse-
ries, Harry & Meghan, closely.
What came across most was
how Meghan’s gender, race and
class intersected in her treat-
ment both by the media and by
“the Firm” (an unofficial nick-
name for the British monarchy
and its staff that describes the
institution as a business) itself.
As with their 2021 Oprah in-
terview, this documentary is a
forum for the couple to account
for their treatment by the Firm.
These kinds of royal confession-
als risk damaging the monarchy,
as they cast a light “behind the
scenes” of an institution which
relies on magic and majesty to
maintain its image.
Patriarchy and women’s bodies
Princess Diana’s traumas in
the royal family have been well
covered over the decades, in-
cluding by the Panorama doc-
umentary she used to tell her
own story in 1995. Like Meghan,
Diana spoke about her mental
health and a lack of support from
the Firm. Harry & Meghan also
makes comparisons between
Diana and Meghan, claiming
that both women were hound-
ed by the paparazzi throughout
their royal lives.
Meghan talks about “men
sitting in cars all the time” out-
side her house, waiting for her
to leave. In any other situation,
she says, this would amount to
stalking. As Meghan mentions,
gender matters here. Celebri-
ties like Britney Spears have
spoken out about the unique
pressures women face from
tabloid intrusion.
The economy surrounding
these women encompasses
multiple industries, from cos-
metic surgery to fashion brands,
who benefit from paparazzi ex-
ploitation. Britney Spears’ body
became an economy in itself as
paparazzi pictures of her were
worth so much money.
For royal women, this takes
on a new imperative. The mon-
archy is reliant on women’s
bodies for its reproduction –
literally, the reproduction of
heirs. Royal women’s bodies
are fetishised as reproductive
of the nation, as they birth the
next “symbol” of Britishness.
This also accounts for the hid-
den meaning behind those
questions from within the roy-
al family about the colour of
Archie’s skin – they are asking
how “British” (or rather, how
white) her baby might look.
It is not just about clothing
and branding, but about how
royal women’s bodies take on
meaning that connects femi-
ninity and the nation. This is a
patriarchal institution that uses
women’s bodies for its own ends.
Respectability politics
As the documentary shows,
for Meghan this is not just about
gender. Race and class come to
play a part in the intersectional
pressures she was placed under.
Headlines like the Daily Mail’s
“(Almost) Straight Outta Comp-
ton” are discussed as evidence of
the racist coverage of the early
days of the couple’s relationship.
Meghan also mentions the
Firm’s discomfort with her act-
ing career. She explains that
there are assumptions made
about Hollywood and the peo-
ple who work in it. Acting is
seen as too déclassé a profes-
sion to marry into the royal
family, despite the fact that the
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex in July 2018. (COMMONWEALTH SECRETARIAT/
FLICKR, CC BY-NC 2.0)
www.canadianinquirer.net
Firm operates like a celebrity
industry in and of itself.
Around the time of their wed-
ding, tabloids were also rep-
resenting Meghan’s father’s
(Thomas Markle) side of the fam-
ily in ways reminiscent of “white
trash” discourses. “White trash”
is an American slur (equivalent
to the UK’s “chav”) for an abject
working class figure.
The Daily Mail reported on
Meghan’s aunt and cousin spend-
ing the royal wedding wearing
cardboard browns in a Burger
King, a fast food chain associated
with working-class stereotypes.
Their meal was positioned in
contrast to the upper class and
aspirational one taking place at
the same time in Windsor.
DECEMBER 16, 2022 FRIDAY
Black studies scholars like
Brittney Cooper have referred
to condemnation of the actions
of people of colour as “respect-
ability politics”. Inclusion into
typically white spaces is under-
taken through observing white,
middle class norms, including
being “mainstream, articulate,
and clean cut, black but not too
black, friendly, upbeat, and ac-
commodating”.
Of course, the monarchy is
perhaps the pinnacle of “re-
spectable”: an institution en-
shrined as the peak of British
society. The racism which has
plagued Meghan, and the fact
she was never allowed to achieve
racial uplift, demonstrates how
whiteness, gender and upper
classness are used to police the
boundaries of respectability.
Femininity and the nation
Women in the royal family
are always subject to more per-
vasive attention than the men.
Princess Diana and Kate Mid-
dleton have received intense
scrutiny, from what they say
and wear to speculation about
what’s going on in their wombs.
As Harry points out in the
documentary, though, Meghan’s
situation was unique. Meghan’s
story tells us something funda-
mental about the British monar-
chy’s relationship to patriarchy
and whiteness, and how the two
are inseparable.
And media scholar Raka
❱❱ PAGE 30 Harry & Meghan – what
FRIDAY DECEMBER 16, 2022
Emo revival: why 2022 was the perfect time
to bring the genre back from the dead
BY JUDITH FATHALLAH,
Lancaster University
The Conversation
My Chemical Romance –
mainstay alternative band of
the Noughties – made a trium-
phant return in 2022 with new
music and a reunion world tour.
There was also the blockbust-
er Hella Mega Tour with Fall
Out Boy, Weezer and Green Day
filling stadiums across the US
and UK. And promises of more
emo reunions to come abound
for 2023, most recently with
the announcement of an exten-
sive Paramore comeback tour
(front woman Hayley Williams
also hosted the podcast Every-
thing Is Emo for BBC Sounds
earlier this year).
Little wonder, then, that sev-
eral music outlets decided to
hail 2022 an “emo revival”.
Cue a chorus of internet com-
menters rushing to explain that
My Chemical Romance are not
emo, that emo is dead, that emo
only ever lived in a handful of
Washington DC basements in
the late 1980s, and that anything
in music that has happened
since is merely corporate degen-
eracy consumed by 13-year-old
girls who have never even heard
of The Promise Ring.
As an expert in media and
cultural studies, I have explored
this tension in my book Emo:
How Fans Defined a Subcul-
ture, which argues that musical
genres are culturally created
constructs, forever in struggle
and flux. This has been obscured
by musicology’s (the study of
Netflix Boards ‘My Hero Academia’ Feature
Film From Legendary Entertainment
NETFLIX
Joby Harold Writing Live Ac-
tion Feature Screenplay
• The live-action film adap-
tation of My Hero Academia
from producers Legendary En-
tertainment and director/EP
Shinsuke Sato (Alice in Border-
music) relatively late engage-
ment with cultural studies per-
spectives, as opposed to say En-
glish literature or the visual arts.
When musicologist Susan Mc-
Clary published Feminine End-
ings in 1991, the idea that music
was constructive, not reflective,
of gender was still groundbreak-
ing work in the field of music,
even though cultural theorists
like Simon Frith and Angela
McRobbie had been writing on
the topic since the 70s. The ar-
tificial boundaries between aca-
demic disciplines enabled this.
So, this article comes with a
disclaimer. In speaking of an emo
“revival” here, I am by no means
claiming a set definition of “real
emo”, because it doesn’t have one.
Nor does “music”, incidentally.
Hayley Williams of Paramore (RAPH_PH/FLICKR, CC BY 2.0)
land) is coming to Netflix.
• Joby Harold (Obi-Wan Keno-
bi, Army of the Dead) is writing the
live action feature screenplay.
• Producers: Legendary En-
tertainment’s Mary Parent and
Alex Garcia
• About My Hero Academia:
My Hero Academia has won
over audiences worldwide with
What do I mean by “emo”?
By “emo”, I am referring to
a specific style of melodic in-
strumentation over a relatively
hard, driving beat, which first
gathered mainstream popular-
ity in the early 2000s.
The movement that came,
somewhat retrospectively, to
also be called emo, was varied
both in style and composition,
but did feature certain sonic and
visual hallmarks. This included
highly wrought confessional lyr-
ics, long polysyllabic song titles,
and the conjunction of hard,
even thrash-derived sounds like
a screamed chorus with much
softer instrumental passages.
Emo tended to be more com-
plex than the reliance on I, IV V
power chords common to punk.
distinctive characters battling
their way through high school
in a world where 80% of Earth’s
population manifests some kind
of exceptional ability called a
“quirk”. For superhero fanboy
Izuku Midoriya (aka Deku), be-
ing born without a quirk makes
him almost give up his dream of
going to U.A. High School, the
Entertainment
Researchers Sam de Boise and
Sarah Williams have also called
attention to a distinct “emo
voice” – a slightly nasal tenor
with a diaphragmatic push.
Visually, the style favoured
straightened black hair, skinny
jeans, band t-shirts and Converse
trainers. It owed something to
goth and something to punk and
skater culture, with luminous
pops of colour adding more than
a hint of self-conscious kitsch.
What has brought about
the “emo revival”?
If there is an emo revival, I
think that two of the same key
factors which were at work to
popularise it in the early 2000s
are once again the cause: tech-
nology and nostalgia.
Partly, that is the nostalgia of
thirty-somethings like myself.
In the face of an increasingly
perilous economic and ecolog-
ical adulthood, we’re repopu-
lating our Spotify playlists with
the music of our early teens.
One of the new emo festivals is
literally called When We Were
Young. A bit on the nose there.
Equally, the revival is ben-
efiting from the nostalgia of
generation Z (people born after
1996) for a youth they didn’t ex-
perience. This is happening in
the same way that early 2000s
emo harked back nostalgically
to a 1980s punk-basement ad-
olescence I and my contempo-
raries never experienced.
Emo is a nostalgic genre, and
hard times bring about nostalgia
both real and artificial. Nostalgia
is an easy sell in a tough economy.
Just as new digital norms for
music creation, consumption
most prestigious hero training
academy. But after a chance en-
counter with the legendary All
Might, Deku starts on the road to
become the greatest hero. With
over 65 million total copies (in-
cluding digital editions) in cir-
culation worldwide as a series,
My Hero Academia, written and
illustrated by Kohei Horikoshi,
19
and distribution were a factor
in the early 2000s mainstream-
ing of emo, the dominance of
digital algorithms in how we
consume and share music today
should be considered.
Gen Z has instant access to
the entire back catalogues of
emo artists who are returning
to prominence. Simultaneous-
ly, the fusion phenomenon of
emo rap and SoundCloud emo
(where emergent artists are tak-
ing elements of the genre in new
directions), are being displayed
to listeners via streaming ser-
vice recommendation features.
As I write this, I anticipate
again the objections that rap is
not emo; that emo is dead; that
whatever happens on Sound-
Cloud is not emo – that emo re-
quires guitars.
At an instinctive level, I share
them. This is not my emo, not
the emo I grew up with. But as I
came to conclude in writing my
book, attempts at gate keeping
always lead us to incoherence.
Genres are constantly rede-
fined by their audiences, in a
process of negotiation with the
music industry. My generation
can adjust, and learn to listen
to new sounds. Or, thanks to
streaming services, we can keep
the same six or seven albums
from 2001-2009 on repeat for
the rest of our crisis bedevilled
lives. Spotify is good for that
kind of nostalgia – so long as
you’re paying for Premium.
Emo is dead; long live emo. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
continues to develop into a global
powerhouse. A part of publisher
Shueisha’s Weekly Shōnen Jump
since 2014, both the manga and
the ongoing anime series from
Bones Inc. & TOHO Animation
are considered among the best of
the 2010s.
• Toho Co., Ltd. will distribute
the film theatrically in Japan ■
 20
Christmas trees can stay fresh for weeks – a
well-timed cut and consistent watering are key
BY CURTIS
VANDERSCHAAF,
Mississippi State University
The Conversation
Every year somewhere be-
tween 25 million and 30 million
Christmas trees are sold in the
United States. If you’re one of
the people who decorate for the
holiday with a freshly cut Christ-
mas tree, you might be wonder-
ing how to keep it looking good
all the way through Santa’s visit
– and maybe even a little beyond.
Curtis VanderSchaaf is a for-
estry specialist at the Mississip-
pi State University Extension
Service who knows a thing or
two about conifers. The Conver-
sation U.S. asked him for guid-
ance on how to keep a fresh green
Christmas tree from becoming
a giant pile of brown needles,
for as long as possible. Whether
you end up with a Douglas fir, a
Scotch pine, a Leyland cypress,
a piñon or any other evergreen,
he says the quality of care you
provide is a major factor in the
prolonged freshness of your tree.
What to consider when
choosing a tree
Select a tree that looks fresh
Why not replace..
❰❰ 9 tional priority.
3. Female (prefer-
ence criteria): I would
be inclined to limit the office
to women, but that is probably
pushing political correctness
too far.
The recent nominations of
Michèle Audette to the Senate
and of Michelle O’Bonsawin to
the Supreme Court (both trilin-
gual) suggest that good candi-
dates would not be lacking.
On tenure, I favour long term
limits, perhaps seven years, re-
newable, to give the office the
stability it requires. This raises
the question of accountability,
which remains unresolved un-
der the current system, proba-
Lifestyle
and whose needles are not brit-
tle. You want one that has a
strong fragrance and a dark nat-
ural green color. Avoid bored
holes in the wood, signs of bugs
– like spider egg sacs – and oth-
er marks of pest damage. This
advice holds whether you’re
chopping down your own tree
or buying it from a retailer.
Different species of trees have
various colors, shapes, branching
habits, needle types, scent and
even bark type. Depending on
what’s available to you, this comes
down to personal preference.
If you can, pick a tree that’s
been harvested as recently as
possible and been watered and
kept cool. Often a tree’s fresh-
ness is directly related to the
moisture content of its needles.
If the stump – where the tree’s
trunk was cut – is sticky with
sap, that’s a good sign.
Give the tree a good shake,
even a hard pound on the
ground. That will dislodge any
animal stowaways. If a ton of
dead needles or dry limbs fall
out, keep looking.
Getting your tree home
Tree farms and retail lots will
net your tree. It’s a lot easier
to transport with the branch-
bly because we have never given
the office much thought. To my
knowledge, no Governor Gen-
eral has ever been formally dis-
missed; only asked (by the PM)
to resign, as recently happened
to Julie Payette. This would, of
course, no longer work for an
office that is in principle above
the prime minister. Here, the
rules governing the removal
(impeachment) of presidents in
parliamentary republics (such
as Ireland and Germany) might
act as useful guides, often re-
quiring a substantial parliamen-
tary majority and subsequent
assent of the Supreme Court.
I cannot end this (modest)
proposal without returning to
es tucked in. If you’re going to
bring it home on top of your
car, consider using a tarp to
keep scratches and sap off your
vehicle. Make sure the tree is
securely tied down, with the
trunk facing forward to reduce
wind damage to the branches.
Take it easy on the road.
If you’re not bringing your tree
indoors right away, store it in a
cool, damp area that is blocked
from wind and out of the sun.
the ties to the British Crown,
which many will be loath to re-
linquish. The formal ties will
necessarily be broken. Howev-
er, I see two possible avenues for
compromise. First, the chief’s
oath of office might include a
phrase on the duty to protect
and uphold (or something to
that effect) the democratic leg-
acy bequeathed Canada by the
British Crown. The operative
word here is “democratic.”
Second, the regal link will
also need to be replaced for
lieutenant-governors. Why not
leave the provinces free, hence-
forth, to choose the title and
form of their provincial head
of state? This should please
www.canadianinquirer.net
Make a fresh, straight-across
cut on the butt of the tree about a
half-inch to 1 inch (1 to 3 centime-
ters) above the original cut. After
any cut, a tree tries immediately
to seal off, or compartmentalize,
the injury, which makes it hard
for the tree to take up water. So
as soon as you make the new cut,
place the tree in a bucket of warm
water. Make sure it stays full as
the tree drinks.
If you have allergies, you may
Quebec, which could adopt a
title, with appropriate ceremo-
ny, consistent with its concep-
tion of itself as a nation. By the
same token, provinces that so
wish could reaffirm their his-
torical attachment to the Brit-
ish Crown via the symbols and
ceremony surrounding the of-
fice while nevertheless staying
short of a formal pledge of feal-
ty. Nothing prevents provinces
from displaying visible sym-
bols of their heritage – British,
French or other.
It’s not useful to muse fur-
ther on what an elective Cana-
dian monarchy might entail.
My goal here is simply to throw
out the idea of a Canadian head
DECEMBER 16, 2022 FRIDAY
want to spray the tree with a
garden hose to remove residual
pollen or dust – as long as the
weather’s not freezing.
Setting up your tree inside
To keep a cut tree fresh you
need to provide adequate water.
Use a tree stand with a built-in
reservoir, and make sure it’s al-
ways filled. A rule of thumb is 1
quart of water per inch of stem
diameter. A freshly cut tree may
use one-half to 2 gallons of wa-
ter the first day, but this amount
will taper as the tree acclimates
to its indoor environment.
You don’t need to worry
about adding anything to the
water. It seems to just be an
old wives’ tale that anything –
including corn syrup, aspirin,
vodka, soda pop, sugar or any
specialized preservatives or
gels – beyond H₂0 helps pro-
long the freshness of the tree.
No special temperature is nec-
essary either, just not freezing
cold or boiling hot.
Do not drill a hole in the bottom
of the tree trunk thinking it will
improve water uptake – it doesn’t.
If you have to whittle down
the sides of the trunk to fit, the
❱❱ PAGE 26 Christmas trees can
of state who, while untethered
from London, would nonethe-
less allow Canada to keep the
accoutrements of monarchy
and finally give Canada’s first
inhabitants the place they de-
serve in its constitutional fir-
mament. Why not also count on
our Indigenous Peoples to give
the office the pomp and cere-
mony it deserves? Who knows,
the idea might catch on. Why
not a Māori monarch for New
Zealand and an Aboriginal one
for Australia? ■
This article first appeared
on Policy Options and is repub-
lished here under a Creative
Commons license.
FRIDAY DECEMBER 16, 2022
How are books made?
BY LARA FARINA, West
Virginia University
The Conversation
How are books made? Julia,
age 10, Petoskey, Michigan
Books are material things –
usually made of paper, ink, thread
and glue – but a lot of work goes
into making them before they get
assembled into something you
might find at a library or book-
store. Most of this work has to do
with a book’s content, the writing
and art on its pages.
Cooking up ideas
Book authors usually begin
the writing process by brain-
storming ideas. They write
down a number of thoughts
and make notes about things
they’ve observed or read.
Authors writing a made-up sto-
ry, called fiction, might imagine the
possible characters’ personalities
and habits. They might also outline
a plot, or the sequence of events
that will happen in the story.
An author who is writing
nonfiction – like history or sci-
ence – will research the topic
and decide how to interpret
what they find. The research
may involve looking at archival
Daydreaming’s dark side: the compulsive,
complex fantasy disorder that dominates
some people’s daily lives
BY GIULIA POERIO,
University of Sussex
The Conversation
Despite what we’re often
taught to believe, daydreaming
can be immensely useful. Not
only can it be a source of pleasure
and a way to relieve boredom,
research shows that our ability
to mentally escape the present
can also boost creativity, prob-
lem-solving and planning, and
provide an antidote to loneliness.
Daydreaming, when defined
as thoughts that aren’t tied to
what you’re currently doing, oc-
cupies a good chunk of our wak-
ing lives – an average of around
30% of the time if you random-
ly probe people. It’s part of our
everyday conscious experience.
documents, interviewing peo-
ple or visiting locations where
important events happened.
Once authors have ideas
about what they want to write,
they need to think about whom
they’d like to read their book. If,
for example, an author is writ-
ing about outer space for a gen-
eral audience, it’s important to
explain the science in way that
everyone can understand. An
author who is writing for other
astronomers who already know
a lot about the subject shouldn’t
spend much time explaining
the most basic things.
Revise, revise, revise
After authors have brain-
stormed, researched, plotted
and outlined their projects, they
draft and revise. Few authors
write something down once and
never change what they’ve writ-
ten. Most write a first or rough
draft and later change many
things, from the order of topics
to the particular words they use.
When authors need to make
these tough decisions about
what to change, they may have
the help of an editor. An editor’s
job is to review drafts of a pro-
posed book and help the writer
make it as good as it can be, and
You might even think of it as
our default mode which we re-
turn to, especially when doing
things that don’t require a lot of
brain power, such as mundane
tasks like hanging out washing.
But it’s estimated 2.5% of
adults experience a type of ex-
cessive daydreaming which is
defined as the disorder “mal-
adaptive daydreaming”. So-
called maladaptive daydream-
ers compulsively engage in
vivid fantasies and daydream-
ing plots so excessively that it
interferes with their ability to
function in daily life.
What is maladaptive day-
dreaming?
Maladaptive daydreaming
differs from typical daydream-
ing in several ways.
Unlike typical daydreams
to coordinate all the steps to
publish the book.
Editors work for publishers,
the companies that help create
the final form of the book and
then distribute, advertise and
sell it. When writers want to
work with an editor, and hope
to turn their story into a real
book, they send their revised
draft to publishers in hopes
that the company will purchase
it. This way, authors get paid for
their writing, but the publisher
also profits from book sales.
Many other people work at a
publishing company, too. Copy
which can be fleeting (lasting
seconds), maladaptive day-
dreamers can spend several
hours at a time in a single day-
dream. According to one study,
maladaptive daydreamers
spent an average of at least half
their waking hours immersed
in deliberately constructed
fantasy worlds. These invented
worlds are often rich and fan-
tastical, with complex plots and
intricate storylines that evolve
over many years.
Maladaptive daydreamers’
fantasy worlds are vivid and re-
warding, and the need to contin-
ue the fantasy can be compulsive
and addictive. With maladaptive
daydreaming, there’s a strong
urge to daydream and annoy-
ance when this is not possible
or interrupted. Most also find it
www.canadianinquirer.net
Lifestyle
editors and proofreaders check
for mistakes in an author’s writ-
ing. Designers and typesetters
are responsible for the look of the
book, including its cover. Publish-
ers may also find illustrators for
a book, although many authors
want to illustrate their own.
The final steps
When the content of a book is
all ready, it will be sent to a print-
er to be inked onto paper, glued
or sewn together as a collection of
pages, and bound into hardback
or paperback copies. Hardbacks
are books with stiff cardboard
bindings and paper dust jackets
difficult to stop or even reduce
the amount of time they spend
daydreaming.
But prioritising spending time
in alternative, imagined realities
at the expense of physical and
social needs can create prob-
lems at work, at school and in
maintaining close relationships.
Many people with maladaptive
daydreaming report experienc-
ing psychological distress, dif-
ficulty sleeping and feelings of
shame about their daydreaming
activity – something that they
may hide from others.
It’s important to note that
immersive daydreaming and
vivid fantasy activity isn’t by
default maladaptive. What
makes daydreaming “maladap-
tive” is when it becomes diffi-
cult to control, when time to
21
to protect the covers. Paperbacks
have a cover of only thick paper
and are cheaper to make.
The first printing of some
kinds of books, like novels or
histories, is often a hardback.
If lots of people want to buy the
book and the publisher prints
another batch of books – called
a print run – they will typically
be paperbacks.
So far, I have described the
way that most books are made
now. But book creation pre-
dates modern publication,
printing and even paper. For
many centuries, books were
written by hand on vellum,
which is made of animal skin.
Before the invention of the
printing press around 1440, most
writing was done by scribes, ar-
tisans who were trained to write
in special scripts called calligra-
phy. Authors could recite their
work aloud to scribes, and the
scribes would write it down.
Scribes also copied a lot of ma-
terial from other books to make
new books for patrons, read-
ers who told scribes what they
wanted in a book and paid for it.
In my work as an English pro-
❱❱ PAGE 26 How are books
daydream takes precedence
over real life, and when the
compulsion to daydream inter-
feres with important life goals
and relationships.
Why does it happen?
Researchers suspect that
people who struggle with mal-
adaptive daydreaming may
have an innate ability for im-
mersive imaginative fantasies.
Many discover this ability early
on in childhood, realising fanta-
sy and daydreams can be used to
regulate distress. By creating an
inner world of comfort, they’re
able to escape from reality.
Some – but not all – mal-
adaptive daydreamers may use
daydreaming as a coping strat-
egy. For example, daydreaming
❱❱ PAGE 29 Daydreaming’s dark side:
22
How To Rock A Cool Christmas Tree
BY MATTE LAUREL-ZALKO
The weather is cooler, the air
is a lot crisper, and we’ve had
our first snowfall in Vancouver
so it’s safe to announce that
Christmas is definitely around
the corner in this part of the
world! While back home in the
Philippines and true to its Yule-
tide tradition, Christmas comes
early because decorations are
usually up by September the
earliest. Elsewhere around the
globe, Christmas songs are al-
ready played at the malls and on
the radio. And may we remind
everyone that the Christmas
season is incomplete if there
are no Christmas trees! Wheth-
er it’s a Rockefeller Christmas
tree or a Charlie Brown Christ-
mas tree, a Christmas tree is
definitely the dot on the i!
In Western traditions, Christ-
mas trees are usually put up at
the beginning of Advent, which
begins on the fourth Sunday
before Christmas. For this year,
Advent begins on Sunday, 27th
November 2022. For those who
go against the tide, they put up
their trees either on the first
week of December or at the lat-
est, on Christmas Eve. Through-
out the years, putting up your
Christmas tree has become
more of a personal preference.
Did you know that there’s even
a personality research study con-
ducted based on when you put
up your Christmas tree decora-
tions? Carmen Harra, author of
“Committed: Finding Love and
Loyalty Through the Seven Ar-
chetypes,” claims that whether
you put your decorations up as
early as November, during the
first week of December, or if you
leave it for the last minute says a
lot about your personality.
Apparently, when you dec-
orate in November or early
December, this shows that
“you like to get things done be-
fore or on schedule.” Whereas
last-minute decorators signal
tardiness and a habit of pro-
crastination.
Let’s take a peek at Vancou-
ver’s exclusive group of amaz-
ing sisterhood tribe and their
fabulous Christmas trees. Let’s
learn a thing or two about how
these successful and multitask-
ing “Filipina-Canadian Wonder
Women of Vancouver” rock a
cool Christmas tree decor!
Socorro Babes Castro
Newland. One of Vancouver’s
shakers and movers in the Fil-
ipino community, Babes is a
top Manager for a popular sig-
nature luxury brands store for
women, Kate Spade, in a West
Vancouver location. She also
volunteers in the Filipino com-
munity by organising success-
ful events and fundraising.
When do you start putting
up your Christmas tree and
how long do you keep it up?
“As much as I try to put up my
tree in September or October
just like in the Philippines, I usu-
ally get caught up with so many
things and activities, plus my
full-time job. Hence, I find time
to do it either mid-November or
early December.”
What’s your Christmas
tree decor/motif this year?
“I go by colour motif each year.
This year, I went for ‘opulence’
as my colour theme which is in
various shades of gold and silver;
green, white, and beige.”
What was the inspiration
behind your decor this year?
“I’ve started following various
Netflix movies and series on Brit-
ish Royalties like ‘The Crown,’
‘The King’s Speech,’ ‘Versailles,’
‘Gosford Park,’ to name a few.
That’s how I got inspired about
my Christmas tree this year.”
Do you prefer real or fake
Christmas trees? “Ideally, I
would go for ‘live’ or freshly cut
Christmas trees because of the
fresh pine scent that it exudes
around the house and it’s biode-
gradable. However, I also know
that they are super costly and
I don’t like the idea of cutting
down so many trees just to be
used for home ornaments.”
Where do you buy your
decorations? “My beautiful
(they look real at first glance) 8
feet tall tree was purchased at
Rustan’s Makati (Philippines)
way back in 2001, as well as my
massive collection of ornaments
that I’ve used for the next 5 years
prior to moving to Canada. But
since then each year, I supple-
ment my existing ones by going
to Michael’s, Pottery Barn, Dol-
larama, and the now defunct
Pier 1 Imports. The last one was
my favourite spot to go to.”
Do you have any family
traditions during Christ-
mas? “Since I put so much effort
and creative ideas on doing my
tree each year, my children and
family make it a point to have
our annual family photos taken
in front of our Christmas tree. As
well as opening gifts on Christ-
mas mornings in front of our tree
with Bob (my husband) donned
in a Santa hat and ugly Christ-
mas sweater handing out gifts!”
Babes, what do you usually
prepare for Christmas Eve
or Christmas Day? “It’s usu-
ally choices from Filipino delica-
cies from Beef Caldereta, Ox Tail
Kare-Kare, Lechon Kawali, Beef
/ Ox Tongue Lengua in White
Mushroom Sauce, or sometimes
Roasted Turkey.”
Tessa Rama Belland. This
beautiful former top fashion
model from Manila hails from
one of Cebu’s prominent political
families. Tessa is Holt Renfrew’s
top shoe seller and she counts
Vancouver’s high society ladies
amongst her exclusive clients.
When do you start putting
up your Christmas tree and
how long do you keep it up?
“I usually put up my Christmas
tree before Thanksgiving because
I work in retail and I tend to get
really busy during the holidays. I
tend to decorate earlier because of
my free and less hectic schedule. I
tend to put away my Christmas
tree the first week of January.”
What’s your Christmas
tree decor/motif this year?
“This year, my motifs are white
and silver. Last year, I had
gold and red as motifs. I like to
change motifs every year and
I tend to stick with two colour
motifs. I buy new Christmas dec-
orations each year and I choose
decorations that give meaning to
my life each year.
What was the inspiration
behind your decor this year?
“My colour motifs for this year
(white and silver) symbolise peace.
I’m hoping for a more peaceful
world, for love, and that hopefully
there will be no war in the future.”
Do you prefer real or fake
Christmas trees? “My hus-
band passed away 18 years ago,
and since then, I’ve preferred
fake Christmas trees out of con-
venience. I don’t mind it. I have
a fake Christmas tree that’s per-
fect for my condo. I love it.”
Where do you buy your dec-
www.canadianinquirer.net
orations? “I buy my Christmas
decorations from various Christ-
mas markets, from my neighbour-
hood drug store, and when I travel
to different places. Once, I found a
really cute Christmas decoration
from Riquiwehr, France. Another
time, I found a unique decora-
tion from this small village in the
South of France which has a fa-
mous Christmas store. The funny
thing was that it was summer and
yet, there was a huge line up when
I went there. It was so busy!”
Do you have any family tra-
ditions during Christmas?
“My only daughter, Sharde, and
I would visit my Filipino family
friends for Christmas Eve; that’s
where we usually celebrate the
24th of December. For Christmas
Day, Sharde and her husband
Hamid would come to my place,
and we would cook breakfast.”
Tessa, what do you usually
prepare for Christmas Eve or
Christmas Day? “I usually pre-
pare my specialty which is fritta-
ta and we play Christmas music,
then we exchange gifts. In the
evening, we would go to Sharde’s
aunt’s place for Christmas din-
ner. I would bring desserts.”
Michelle Carillo. Glamor-
ous, gorgeous, and fashionable
Michelle is Vancouver’s hostess
with the mostest. Her beautiful
home in Port Coquitlam is ev-
eryone’s favourite place for par-
ties because Michelle serves a
Michelin star five-course menu
all year round!
When do you start putting
up your Christmas tree and
how long do you keep it up?
“I try to put up my tree after my
youngest daughter Alanah’s
birthday, which is on November
26, because I want to focus on
Alanah’s special day.”
What’s your Christmas
tree decor/motif this year?
“To be honest, I would love to
change and follow the colour
trend each year. But our Christ-
mas tree is much more than that.
It is my family story, my chil-
dren’s childhood memories, our
travel experiences, our family’s
sports activities, our friends, ac-
quaintances, decorations that I
associate with heartbreaks, and
even the loss of family members,
and the demise of our beloved
pets. When I put my tree up, I see
stories and experiences written
on each decoration. Also, nothing
DECEMBER 16, 2022 FRIDAY
excites me more than receiving a
new addition to my ornament col-
lections. I’m that simple!”
What was the inspiration
behind your decor this year?
“Every year, I collect at least two
or three new ornaments to add
to my Christmas decorations. In
2020, my husband purchased
a Santa wearing a mask in line
with the Coronavirus pandemic.
In 2021, we bought a Santa hold-
ing a syringe and ornaments that
commemorate the birth of my god-
son, Matteo, and my goddaughter,
Phoebe. This year, I ordered orna-
ments to commemorate the pass-
ing of our beloved pets — our cat,
Layla and our dog, Duke.”
Do you prefer real or fake
Christmas trees? “The idea of
a freshly cut tree looks and smells
divine. But, my fake Christmas
tree holds deep sentimental val-
ue, especially to me, so I’ve kept
the same fake tree for years!”
Where do you buy your
decorations? “I collect and
buy my ornaments pretty much
everywhere, especially when we
travel to new places. I used to
buy my decorations from Pier 1
Import store, unfortunately, this
store is now closed in Canada.
Thank goodness, you can still
order decorations online. I also
have a few other online store
websites where I can get made-
to-order ornaments.”
Do you have any family tra-
ditions during Christmas?
“Every year, we take family pho-
tos by the grand staircase where
our Christmas tree stands and to
also show our other Christmas
decorations as well. We also open
our gifts and greet each other in
front of our Christmas tree.”
Michelle, what do you usu-
ally prepare for Christmas
Eve or Christmas Day? “I am
very traditional and I like famil-
iarity. I tend to always do the ones
that I know my family and friends
like, which is Roast Turkey, Roast
Beef, Stuffed Ricotta and spin-
ach shell pasta, Bacon-Chestnut
Brussel sprout, and my Fennel
ham Emmental cheese salad
amongst other dishes. Depending
on how large my dinner party is,
I would also do lots of side dishes
and different sauce/gravy.”
Liberty Kunimitsu. This
vivacious and vibrant beauty
is Vancouver’s well-known life
and soul of any party! Liberty is
FRIDAY DECEMBER 16, 2022
also known for being a Tequila
connoisseur and everyone’s fa-
vourite bff because of her kind
and generous heart!
When do you start putting
up your Christmas tree and
how long do you keep it up?
“I put up my Christmas tree ev-
ery last week of November. I keep
it till January, after 3 kings.”
What’s your Christmas
tree decor/motif this year?
“Our tree is 8’ tall, I always use
the same decor every year. I
bought all the decor in the Bom-
bay Store in Vancouver.”
What was the inspira-
tion behind your decor this
year? “I always like to feel the
Christmas spirit; the holiday
season won’t be complete with-
out Christmas decorations and
songs. When I get that feeling in-
side me, then, it’s time to turn my
home into Christmas village.”
Do you prefer real or fake
Christmas trees? “We love
fresh Christmas trees, unfortu-
nately, our building strata man-
agement won’t allow us to use
fresh tree.”
Where do you buy your
decorations? “I bought my
Christmas decorations in the
Bombay Store in Vancouver.”
Do you have any family tra-
ditions during Christmas? “It’s
not really what I’d call a tradition.
On Christmas Day (25th), the first
thing I do when I wake up is open
the window if it’s snowing! Then,
(TESSA RAMA BELLAND)
we open gifts under our Christmas
tree wearing our pyjamas. After
opening our gifts, we have our
breakfast while still wearing our
pyjamas! We go to church after and
give our thanks. Then, we always
drive to Mount Seymour for some
fun sleigh and snowshoeing.”
Liberty, what do you usu-
ally prepare for Christmas
Eve or Christmas Day? “On
Christmas Eve, we partake on
delicious, homemade traditional
Filipino dishes at my dear Mama
Puring’s home.”
As per yours truly, I started to
put up our Christmas tree this
year on the morning of Novem-
ber 27, the fourth Sunday before
Christmas. I intend to put away
our tree and the decorations be-
fore January 6th (3 Kings). My
Christmas tree motif for this
year is classic red, green and
gold. I wanted to have the clas-
sic Christmas colours for this
season as I take inspiration from
feel good Christmas movies such
as Home Alone, Love Actually,
and Dickens’ A Christmas Car-
ol. The colour green represents
Mother Earth and our environ-
ment. Red symbolises love and
passion. The colour gold means
abundance and prosperity.
I prefer fake trees because
the environmental impact of
artificial trees is so much bet-
ter than a real tree if we use our
fake trees for at least five years.
Also, artificial trees are low
(MICHELLE CARILLO)
Maria in Vancouver 23
maintenance — you don’t have Jewish festive decorations in Hebrew and singing special
to spend as much time cleaning during the Hanukkah season. hymns. It’s a meaningful way
up after them. Ever since I’ve We have the beautiful tradition for me to learn Hebrew! We’re
been with my husband, we’ve of lighting the Menorah; there’s just so blessed to celebrate two
had the same artificial tree for a bright blue and ornate Hanuk- glorious festivities!
four years now! kah wreath at our door instead Just remember this: Christ-
I used to buy decorations of a green Christmas wreath. mas and Hanukkah aren’t just
from stores like Homesense, On the last day of the Ha- mere days, it’s a frame of mind.
IKEA, or Canadian Tire. Since nukkah, we usually go to my It is Christmas and Hanukkah
the pandemic, I’ve been buy- brother-in-law’s penthouse in the heart that puts Christ-
ing online either through Way- condo and have a huge family mas and Hanukkah in the air,
fair or SHEIN. With regard to get together dinner as we light and yes, it is the most wonder-
Christmas family tradition — the Menorah. My Jewish hub- ful time of the year! ■
since there’s only the three of us by comes from a large family
for Christmas — my husband, and so we usually have lots of Matte Laurel-Zalko is a former
my son and I usually go out for fun catching up with each oth- restaurateur and hotelier, a moth-
Christmas Eve dinner at one of er! We eat special holiday foods er, a wife, a health and wellness
our favourite restaurants. like latkes and sufganiyot. We aficionado, food and wine enthu-
Before going out for our also do religious rituals such siast, a dog-lover, and lifestyle col-
Christmas Eve dinner, my son as reading of Scripture, rec- umnist exclusively for Philippine
and I would usually have our pho- itation of some of the Psalms Canadian Inquirer (PCI).
tos taken in front of our Christ-
mas tree as part of our Mother
and Son yearly tradition. My hus-
band takes our photos! Our small
family doesn’t exchange gifts; we
only exchange gifts during each
other’s birthdays; we prefer to
watch a good movie at home after
dinner before my son heads back
home to his own place. The three
of us also eat out at our favourite
restaurants during Christmas
Day and Boxing Day. As a fami-
ly, we prefer to create memories
together. We make it a point to
celebrate Christmas with less
waste!
As I’m proudly married to a
fine Israeli-Canadian gentle-
man, I also try to incorporate
(LIBERTY KUNIMITSU) (MATTE LAUREL-ZALKO)
www.canadianinquirer.net
24
NU Pep Pacquiao outclasses
back as UAAP Korean martial artist
cheerdance champ in exhibition fight
(NU PEP SQUAD/FACEBOOK)
BY IVAN STEWART
SALDAJENO
Philippine News Agency
MANILA — The National
University Pep Squad returned
to the top of the UAAP Cheer-
dance Competition ladder after
ruling the Season 85 edition in
front of 18,029 fans at the SM
Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City
Saturday night.
The cheer dancers from Joc-
son street in Sampaloc took home
the crown after their “Cheer-ro-
bics” performance, which came
seventh in the order, was good
for a total of 723 points, quickly
dethroning the FEU Cheering
Squad, which won the Season 84
event last May.
It was also a grand send-off to
NU coach Ghicka Bernabe, who
will bid farewell from the squad
as she is to get married soon.
“Yung happiness ko mas mal-
aki sa arena (My happiness is
bigger than that this arena),”
said Bernabe, who led NU to
all its seven cheer dance titles
in a span of nine seasons. “It’s a
milestone for me as a coach.”
The green-and-gold pep
squad, which paid tribute to the
late Francis Magalona, settled for
second place after amassing 719
points as NU Pep, despite getting
the most significant deduction of
14 points, still scored enough to
Sports
take the title, its seventh overall.
Still, coach Randel San Gre-
gorio lauded his team despite
missing out on a rare same-year
grand slam.
“Yung fact na nag-first run-
ner-up ay bonus na sa amin ito
(The fact that we finished first
runners-up is already a bonus
for us),” San Gregorio said.
He gave one final prop to Ber-
nabe, who used to be a member
of the FEU Cheering Squad be-
fore accepting the offer to be-
come NU Pep’s coach, saying,
“She is the heart and soul of NU.”
The UST Salinggawi Dance
Troupe’s Lady Gaga tribute
performance wounded up third
with 640 points to complete the
podium finishers.
“Gratitude and being proud
I am. It’s really overwhelming.
It’s amazing,” UST coach Mark
Chaiwalla said.
The UE Pep Squad finished
fourth with 606.5 points, while
the Adamson Pep Squad came
in fifth with 595 points.
The UP Pep Squad got the
sixth-place finish with 575.5
points, but some fans see the op-
timism that the team will make
its way back to the top very soon
with what they thought was its
best performance in recent years.
The DLSU Animo Squad came
in seventh with 528.5 points, while
the Ateneo Blue Babble Battalion
finished eighth with 502.5 points. ■
BY IVAN STEWART
SALDAJENO
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – Manny Pacquiao
displayed vintage boxing on
Sunday, outpointing Kore-
an opponent DK Yoo in a six-
round exhibition fight at the
Korea International Exhibition
Center in Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang,
South Korea.
The anticipated showdown
between boxing’s only eight-di-
vision world champion and the
YouTube sensation quickly be-
came a one-sided affair when
Pacquiao unleashed his bril-
Senate grants Brownlee
Filipino citizenship
BY WILNARD BACELONIA
Philippine News Agency
MANILA - The Senate on
Monday approved on third
reading House Bill (HB) No.
6224 which grants Filipino cit-
izenship to Barangay Ginebra
import Justin Brownlee.
Senator Francis Tolentino,
who sponsored the measure,
said in his speech that Brown-
lee “has certainly exemplified
and enshrined the Filipino val-
ues of hard work, perseverance,
determination, and dedication
to his craft.”
“I am excited to see what the
future holds for Mr. Brownlee
as a citizen of this country. He
will also be a reserve officer in
the Philippine Army. I am cer-
tain that he will be a great ad-
dition to this great Republic,”
Tolentino said.
Twenty-one senators vot-
www.canadianinquirer.net
DECEMBER 16, 2022 FRIDAY
liance and eventually prevailed were by knockouts.
by unanimous decision. Pacquiao, who turns 44 on
The “Korean Bruce Lee” re- Dec. 17, fought for the first time
sorted only to straights and was since August 2021 when he
already running short by the failed to regain his World Box-
fourth round. ing Association welterweight
In the final round, Pacquiao title from Yordenis Ugas of
sent Yoo to the canvas but the Cuba in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Korean, standing about five He announced his retire-
inches taller at 5-feet-10 and ment the following month and
younger by a year, made the pursued the presidency.
eight-count. The former congressman and
The exhibition bout was di- senator previously said he will
vided into six rounds of two use his earnings to build houses
minutes each, instead of the for the poor and the homeless
usual three, and will not reflect in his Pacman Villages in Gen-
on Pacquiao’s legendary win- eral Santos City and Sarangani
loss-draw record of 62-8-2. provinces. ■
Thirty nine of his 62 victories
ed in favor of HB 6224, which Villanueva, respectively.
was filed by congressmen Senator Sonny Angara said
Mikee Romero (1-Pacman par- Brownlee’s naturalization will
ty-list) and Gus Tambunting provide a big boost to the Philip-
(Parañaque 2nd District), tak- pine basketball team during the
ing into consideration Senate sixth window of the FIBA World
Bill Nos. 1366, 1516, and 1519 Cup Asian Qualifiers in Febru-
filed by Senators Ronald Dela
Rosa, Christopher Go, and Joel ❱❱ PAGE 30 Senate grants Brownlee
Basketball player Justin Donta Brownlee (right) holds the Philippine flag while
posing for a souvenir photo with (from left) Senator Sonny Angara, Deputy Ma-
jority Leader Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito and Majority Leader Joel Villanueva on
Dec. 12, 2022. (JOSEPH VIDAL/SENATE PRIB VIA SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES/FACEBOOK)
FRIDAY DECEMBER 16, 2022
How this year’s Christmas ads
are navigating the cost of living crisis
BY KAREN MIDDLETON,
University of Portsmouth
The Conversation
Christmas adverts have be-
come a festive and highly com-
petitive tradition. They are cri-
tiqued and compared, enjoyed
and endured, and (retailers
hope) viewed by millions of po-
tential customers.
The amount retailers spend
on Christmas marketing cam-
paigns is significant, but not
surprising. The season is a piv-
otal time in the retail calendar,
with November and December
accounting for more than 20%
of the year’s revenue.
This means that every year,
advertisers are under huge pres-
sure to deliver something new
and eye-catching that will pull
on consumers’ heart strings –
and make them spend money.
A key element of this is one
of the classic goals of adver-
tising: creating an emotional
response. Research shows that
advertising created around
emotional appeals, especially
during holidays and on special
occasions, is considered more
Brokerage firm sees sustained recovery
for real estate sector
BY JOANN VILLANUEVA
Philippine News Agency
MANILA – Officials of a real
estate brokerage firm in the
country is optimistic of the con-
tinued growth of domestic real
state sector given the reopening
of the economy and the private
sector’s low debt level.
In a virtual briefing on Mon-
day, Leechu Property Consul-
tants (LCP) chief executive
officer (CEO) David Leechiu
said prices are rising amid the
Business
likeable and more memorable.
And crucially, it drives consum-
er decision making.
During the seasonal period
retailers often move away from
the usual, year-round focus on
cost savings in favour of gener-
ating a “Christmassy” feeling to
encourage shoppers. But doing
all of this in a cost of living cri-
sis is perhaps an even greater
challenge, when energy bills and
food prices are putting a serious
squeeze on household spending.
So how are the UK’s big compa-
uptrend of interest rates but
demand for office and residen-
tial spaces remained high.
Results of the firm’s middle of
December 2022 study show that
office demand so far this year
reached 975,000 square meters
(sqm), exceeding the combined
demand in the past two years
at 389,000 sqm in 2020 and
540,0000 sqm in 2021.
Bulk of the demand came from
the information technology-busi-
ness process management (IT-
BPM) sector at 466,000 sqm giv-
en the hybrid work set-up.
nies faring so far in 2022?
One media ranking this sea-
son places the advert from
Boots in first place with its
glitzy modern fairy tale, aimed
at rejuvenating their beau-
ty and personal care range. A
woman finds a magical pair of
glasses which, when worn, have
the power to transform every-
day wintry scenes into dazzling
moments – and reveal what
people are secretly wishing for.
On Christmas Day though,
the glasses no longer work, be-
With the return-to-work pol-
icy expected in 2023, the study
indicated that resumption of
100 percent office work for the
IT-BPM sector alone would re-
quire an office space demand of
around 793,000 sqm.
The firm said a 210,000 sqm of
live requirement from the IT-BPM
sector is already visible to date.
In terms of the impact of the
rising interest rate, LCP Direc-
tor for Research and Consul-
tancy Roy Golez said property
developers are more affected
than the customers because the
www.canadianinquirer.net
cause (spoiler alert) she has
managed to supply everything
her friends and family need by
buying them presents from the
high street chemist.
Ranked second is supermarket
Waitrose, which tells the story of
a year in the lives of British farm-
ers, and feels reminiscent of key
workers keeping the country go-
ing through the pandemic. It uses
the popular advertising device of
featuring real people to create
resonance with the audience. At
the same time it is attempting to
create appeal by boasting of the
quality and provenance of the
food it sells.
The ad getting my vote though,
is placed third: department store
John Lewis’s tale of a man trying,
failing and trying again to learn
to skateboard as he prepares to
become a foster parent.
The familiar moral trope
of persistence unfolds over
90 seconds as consumers’ re-
sponses of sympathy and em-
pathy are deployed to stimulate
a positive response. At the end
of the story, there’s an even big-
ger feel-good moment, when it
is revealed that John Lewis has
developed a partnership with
latter are given longer payment
terms to cushion the impact of
the higher rates.
“It’s more on the developer
side where we will be seeing a
higher impact of these interest
rates as logistics inflation and
interest rates impact on the
construction cost when delivery
these products, especially when
the prices would have been fixed
today and the construction for
a certain building will be over a
period of four years, maybe even
five years.” he said during the
same briefing.
25
charities working with young
people in care.
This kind of emotional en-
gagement – even at the expense
of showcasing products alto-
gether – is at the heart of most
advertising campaigns this
Christmas. Businesses seem
acutely aware that at a time of
global emergencies and eco-
nomic uncertainty, they must
work even harder to remain rel-
evant and trustworthy to adver-
tising-savvy consumers.
After all, research suggests
that consumers are more likely
be drawn to brands that share,
or are aligned with, their own
values and goals. John Lewis’
Christmas campaign gets the
tone right by using the invest-
ment in expensive media space
to raise awareness of the socie-
tal problem of children in care.
When we buy products, or
even enjoy an advertising cam-
paign, we develop a sense of
meaning about our place in the
world. So when we engage and
connect (spend money) with
brands that we trust, it gives us
a sense of wellbeing.
❱❱ PAGE 28 How this year’s
Leechiu further said the real es-
tate sector remains robust despite
several economic crisis in recent
years and its impact on prices.
“That’s a testament to the
high savings rate and the low
debt levels in the private sector.
And that’s why, despite all these
ramping up of interest rates, it
not really caused much havoc in
the property sector as far as capi-
tal values are concerned,” he said.
He said many people who own
properties “are strong handed.”
“And I think that this trend
will continue,” he added.. ■
 26
Fed wants inflation to get down to 2% –
but why not target 3%? Or 0%?
BY VERONIKA DOLAR,
SUNY Old Westbury
The Conversation
What’s so special about the
number 2? Quite a lot, if you’re a
central banker – and that num-
ber is followed by a percent sign.
That’s been the de facto or
official target inflation rate for
the Federal Reserve, the Euro-
pean Central Bank and many
other similar institutions since
at least the 1990s.
But in recent months, infla-
tion in the U.S. and elsewhere
has soared, forcing the Fed and
its counterparts to jack up in-
terest rates to bring it down to
near their target level.
As an economist who has
studied the movements of key
economic indicators like infla-
tion, I know that low and sta-
ble inflation is essential for a
well-functioning economy. But
why does the target have to be
2%? Why not 3%? Or even zero?
Soaring inflation
The U.S. inflation rate hit its
2022 peak in July at an annual
rate of 9.1%. The last time con-
sumer prices were rising this
fast was back in 1981 – over 40
years ago.
Since March 2022, the Fed
has been actively trying to de-
crease inflation. In order to
do this, the Fed has been hik-
ing its benchmark borrowing
rate – from effectively 0% back
in March 2022 to the current
range of 3.75% to 4%. And it’s
How are books..
❰❰ 21 fessor, I study many of
these medieval hand-
written books, called
manuscripts. Often, manu-
scripts can give modern read-
ers an idea of what particular
people in the past wanted to
read. For example, a book writ-
ten for a queen might contain
the stories she liked, calendars
of important dates, a history of
her family or her country and
prayers and poems she might
recite. There’s a good chance
that the queen’s book was
unique, because it was written
specifically for her.
You can look here at pages
from a manuscript made for use
Business
expected to lift interest rates
another 0.5 percentage point on
Dec. 14 and even more in 2023.
Most economists agree that an
inflation rate approaching 8% is
too high, but what should it be? If
rising prices are so terrible, why
not shoot for zero inflation?
Maintaining stable prices
One of the Fed’s core mandates,
alongside low unemployment, is
maintaining stable prices.
Since 1996, Fed policymak-
ers have generally adopted the
stance that their target for do-
ing so was an inflation rate of
around 2%. In January 2012,
then-Chairman Ben Bernanke
made this target official, and
both of his successors, includ-
ing current Chair Jerome Pow-
ell, have made clear that the
Fed sees 2% as the appropriate
desired rate of inflation.
Until very recently, though,
the problem wasn’t that inflation
by one particular woman: Chris-
tina of Markyate, a holy woman
in 12th-century England. She
ran away from home as a teenag-
er to become a recluse and later
became a spiritual adviser to the
monks of St. Albans monastery.
The monks made this very beau-
tiful book of prayers for her.
You can make your own mini-
book just by folding a single
piece of paper. Think of some
content, write a draft and then
be your own scribe by writing
and illustrating your book! ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
was too high – it was that it was
too low. That prompted Pow-
ell in 2020, when inflation was
barely more than 1%, to call this a
cause for concern and say the Fed
would let it rise above 2%.
Many of you may find it coun-
terintuitive that the Fed would
want to push up inflation. But
inflation that is persistently too
low can pose serious risks to the
economy.
These risks – namely spark-
ing a deflationary spiral – are
why central banks like the Fed
would never want to adopt a 0%
inflation target.
Perils of deflation
When the economy shrinks
during a recession with a fall in
gross domestic product, aggre-
gate demand for all the things
it produces falls as well. As a
result, prices no longer rise and
may even start to fall – a condi-
tion called deflation.
Christmas trees can..
❰❰ 20 tree is too large for
your stand. It’s the
outer layers of wood
that take up most of the water,
so if you shave them off your
tree will be in trouble.
Secure the tree in its stand,
ensuring the freshly cut stump
is submerged. If it’s ever out of
the water for more than about
a quarter-hour or so, the cut
starts the healing and sealing
process and you should think
about making a new cut.
Keeping the tree fresh into
the New Year
Once your tree is all set up,
your goal is to keep it from dry-
ing out. Remember, you want
www.canadianinquirer.net
Deflation is the exact op-
posite of inflation – instead of
prices rising over time, they are
falling. At first, it would seem
that falling and lower prices
are a good thing – who wouldn’t
want to buy the same thing at a
lower price and see their pur-
chasing power go up?
But deflation can actually be
pretty devastating for the econo-
my. When people feel prices are
headed down – not just temporar-
ily, like big sales over the holidays,
but for weeks, months or even
years – they actually delay pur-
chases in the hopes that they can
buy things for less at a later date.
For example, if you are think-
ing of buying a new car that cur-
rently costs US$60,000, during
periods of deflation you realize
that if you wait another month,
you can buy this car for $55,000.
As a result, you don’t buy the
car today. But after a month,
when the car is now for sale for
$55,000, the same logic applies.
Why buy a car today, when you
can wait another month and buy
a car for $50,000 next month.
This lower spending leads to
less income for producers, which
can lead to unemployment. In
addition, businesses, too, delay
spending since they expect pric-
es to fall further. This negative
feedback loop – the deflationary
spiral – generates higher unem-
ployment, even lower prices and
even less spending.
In short, deflation leads to
more deflation. Throughout
most of U.S. history, periods
your tree to be fresh, but more
importantly you don’t want to
create a fire hazard.
Keep the tree at least 3 feet
(1 meter) from any heat source
and minimize direct sun expo-
sure. Lowering the tempera-
ture in the room may also help
to maintain freshness.
Make sure any lights and
their cords are in good condi-
tion and turn them off when
you aren’t present. Unplug
completely if you are leaving
the house or going to bed. Oc-
casional breaks from using the
lights may help slow the tree’s
drying-out process. And make
sure your smoke detectors work
DECEMBER 16, 2022 FRIDAY
of deflation usually go hand in
hand with economic downturns.
Everything in moderation
So it’s pretty clear some infla-
tion is probably necessary to avoid
a deflation trap, but how much?
Could it be 1%, 3% or even 4%?
Maybe. There isn’t any strong
theoretical or empirical evidence
for an inflation target of exact-
ly 2%. The figure’s origin is a bit
murky, but some reports suggest
it simply came from a casual re-
mark made by the New Zealand
finance minister back in the late
1980s during a TV interview.
Moreover, there’s concern
that creating economic tar-
gets for economic indicators
like inflation corrupts the use-
fulness of the metric. Charles
Goodhart, an economist who
worked for the Bank of En-
gland, created an eponymous
law that states: “When a mea-
sure becomes a target, it ceases
to be a good measure.”
Since a core mission of the
Fed is price stability, the target
is beside the point. The main
thing is that the Fed guide the
economy toward an inflation
rate high enough to allow it
room to lower interest rates if it
needs to stimulate the economy
but low enough that it doesn’t
seriously erode consumer pur-
chasing power.
Like with so many things,
moderation is key. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
and you have a fire extinguisher
on hand just in case.
If properly cared for, a fresh
tree will last for three to four
weeks, often even five. If it starts
to get dry at any point, the safest
move is to get rid of it. Chipping
it for compost is the most envi-
ronmentally sustainable option
when it’s time for the tree to go.
Then you can start enjoying
the lengthening days and look
forward to the next holiday on
your calendar. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
FRIDAY DECEMBER 16, 2022
NFTs in the art world: A revolution or ripoff?
BY NATHALIE
CASEMAJOR, Institut
national de la recherche
scientifique (INRS)
The Conversation
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs)
are digital objects that repre-
sent something else, such as
a work of art, a video or even
a tweet. They certify the exis-
tence and the ownership of this
item through a data recording
on a blockchain (a distributed
ledger technology).
Since the emergence of NFTs
in 2016, many artists have ex-
perimented with this new digital
device to market their creations.
NFTs are most often bought and
resold via auction sites, where
payments are made in crypto-
currency (such as ether curren-
cy). It is this notion of a certifi-
cate registered on a blockchain
that distinguishes an NFT from
a standard digital work.
The public and media dis-
course about NFTs is polarized:
in the eyes of their strongest
enthusiasts, NFTs represent
the future of art, while their
detractors consider them a vast
ripoff and waste of energy.
How can this NFT phenome-
non be characterized? To what
extent does it challenge the estab-
lished codes of contemporary art?
As a researcher specialized in
media studies and sociology of
culture, I am providing a brief
overview of the situation.
Crypto-evangelists and
crypto-skeptics
On one hand, there is the
camp that can be described as
crypto-evangelists: they ad-
here to a discourse that present
NFTs as a radical revolution
that will change everything.
This is precisely the discourse
surrounding the sensational
2021 sale of a work by the artist
Beeple (a collage of vignettes
created by digital software) at
the prestigious auction house
Christie’s for nearly US$70
million. According to the two
main buyers, the purchase was
“emblematic of a revolution in
progress,” and marked “the be-
ginning of a movement carried
Technology
out by a whole generation.”
On the other side, there are
the crypto-skeptics. This is
the position of Hito Steyerl, a
widely recognized media artist.
She believes that NFTs are the
“equivalent of toxic masculini-
ty,” and owe their development
to “the worst and most mo-
nopolistic actors” who are “ex-
tracting labour from precarious
workers” and “take up way too
much attention and use up all
the oxygen in the room.”
This polarization means that
the real potential of NFTs, as
well as their flaws, which are
also very real, tend to be over-
shadowed by caricatured po-
sitions of principle. However,
within this ecosystem of NFTs,
there exists a set of rich and
plural artistic practices.
Emerging creative scenes
The NFT format definitely
represents a new type of object
being traded. It is based on a
new type of contract (known as
“smart”), which is itself the re-
sult of the innovation of block-
chain technology. In this way,
the NFT format has given rise to
the emergence of a new creative
scene. Or, rather, scenes, in the
plural, which are characterized
by a great effervescence — but
also by certain contradictions.
The “native” scenes of the
NFT format, that is to say, those
born with the invention of this
format, are characterized by a
strong media visibility, a vol-
ume of far-reaching financial
investment, and, for some of
its actors, a will to reshuffle the
cards of the art world by criti-
cizing its established order.
A large portion of NFT cre-
ators come from a practice of
3D modelling, graphic design,
animation or video game de-
sign — in other words, from
the creative industries sector.
In recent decades, this sector
has generated a very large pool
of skills, whose creative sur-
plus finds a mode of expression
in the NFT format, but also a
source of additional income to
cope with the often precarious
conditions of creative work.
Many figures of the native
NFT scenes are, to use the
expression of the sociologist
Howard S. Becker, outsiders
(neophytes) in comparison to
the established art world. That
is, they socialize in circles other
than those of the institutional
art world, and they transgress
its rules in many respects.
A more egalitarian art world?
The discourse of the main
purchasers of Beeple’s sensa-
tional work is very enlightening
in this sense. MetaKovan and
Twobadour (two investors of
the crypto world, both of Indian
origin) reveal in an interview:
We have been conditioned,
from a very young age, to think
that art was not for us. …We have
always been against the idea of
exclusivity. The metaverse is all
inclusive. … A metaverse in which
everyone will have the same
rights, powers, will be legitimate.
… It is particularly egalitarian.
However, there are major
contradictions between the dis-
course of egalitarianism they
are advocating here, and its im-
plementation in the projects of
these two investors. For example,
during the technological art event
Dreamverse that they organized
in New York in 2021, the price of
admission to the evening varied
between US$175 and $2,500 — an
unaffordable cost for many am-
ateurs. This hierarchy of prices
www.canadianinquirer.net
leads, rather, to the reproduction
of a logic of exclusivity that fa-
vours the most fortunate.
Museums are cautious
The gap between the market
value of NFTs and their value
in museums is unprecedent-
ed. The former is reaching un-
precedented heights, while the
latter is still at rock bottom. In-
deed, the collection of NFT by
museums remains, to this day,
a very marginal practice. Only a
handful of NFTs are integrated
into museum collections. Some
of them are acquired follow-
ing an exhibition in a museum,
where they are presented on
digital screens hung on the wall.
Cultural legitimacy is affect-
ed by the disintermediation
(elimination of intermediaries)
and reintermediation (intro-
duction of new intermediaries)
that characterize the world of
NFTs. In its disruptive impulse,
the proclaimed revolution of
NFTs cuts itself off from a chain
of well-established, legitimate
intermediaries — the gallery
owners, curators, art critics,
conventional collectors and
public subsidies.
It has replaced them with
new intermediaries, primarily
“whales” — investors who have
made a fortune in cryptocurren-
cy — or popular culture celebri-
27
ties. These new intermediaries
overinvest in financial capital
in the production of NFTs with
the aim of gaining a position of
prestige as a collector, or to en-
rich themselves by increasing
the value of works. But they of-
ten lack the social and cultural
capital to find a way to access
museums and their exhibition
spaces and their collections.
In search of legitimacy
However, these works are
publicly accessible, as all NFTs
are freely searchable on their
buyers’ e-wallets. Some collec-
tors buy works only to spec-
ulate. Others gain visibility
by displaying their NFTs in a
metaverse (a virtual world)
such as Decentraland or Space.
And for others, still, the quest
for legitimacy goes further: in
the spring of 2022, a group of
artists, curators, collectors and
NFT platforms organized a De-
central Art Pavilion, in parallel
to the Venice Biennale. Remain-
ing outside the official program,
the exhibition aimed to position
NFTs in the orbit of this key con-
temporary art event.
But the presence of NFTs re-
mained marginal in this edition
of the biennial. Only the Cam-
eroon pavilion exhibited NFTs
under the leadership of a cura-
tor with a shady reputation, and
the result was disappointing.
The recognition of the NFTs
by the consecrated art world
will perhaps come about by
other avenues, like the more ex-
perimental practices presented
at the documenta art exhibition
in Kassel, Germany this year,
or through artistic movements
from developing countries, like
the Balot project, which used an
NFT to criticize the appropria-
tion of a work originating from
the Republic of the Congo by an
American museum.
So recognition could come
through the margins. But in
these cases, the marginal play-
ers could more easily access the
established art world because
they share its codes. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
 28
Will AI decide if you get your next job?
Without legal regulation,
you may never even know
BY NATALIE SHEARD, La
Trobe University
The Conversation
The use of artificial intelli-
gence (AI) and other automat-
ed decision-making tools in re-
cruitment is on the rise among
Australian organisations. How-
ever, research shows these tools
may be unreliable and discrim-
inatory, and in some cases rely
on discredited science.
At present, Australia has no
specific laws to regulate how
these tools operate or how or-
ganisations may use them.
The closest thing we have is
new guidance for employers in
the public sector, issued by the
Merit Protection Commission-
er after overturning several au-
tomated promotion decisions.
A first step
The commissioner reviews
promotion decisions in the Aus-
tralian public sector to make
sure they are lawful, fair and rea-
sonable. In the 2021-22 finan-
cial year, Commissioner Linda
Waugh overturned 11 promotion
decisions made by government
agency Services Australia in a
single recruitment round.
These decisions were made
using a new automated pro-
cess that required applicants
to pass through a sequence
of AI assessments, including
psychometric testing, ques-
tionnaires and self-recorded
video responses. The com-
missioner found this process,
which involved no human de-
cision-making or review, led to
How this year’s..
❰❰ 25 Socially responsible
shopping
Beyond Christmas,
this kind of relationship can
be useful where consumers re-
spond to broader issues, such as
how we treat the environment.
For although the majority of
consumers describe themselves
as being worried about climate
change, they do not always feel
able to act on such concerns
when they buy things.
Technology
meritorious applicants missing
out on promotions.
The commissioner has now
issued guidance material for
Australian government depart-
ments on how to choose and use
AI recruitment tools.
This is the first official guid-
ance given to employers in Aus-
tralia. It warns that not all AI
recruitment tools on the mar-
ket here have been thoroughly
tested, nor are they guaranteed
to be completely unbiased.
AI recruitment tools risky
and unregulated
AI tools are used to automate
or assist recruiters with sourc-
ing, screening and onboarding
job applicants. By one estimate,
more than 250 commercial AI
recruitment tools are avail-
able in Australia, including CV
screening and video assessment.
A recent survey by research-
ers at Monash University and
the Diversity Council of Austra-
lia found one in three Austra-
lian organisations have used AI
in recruitment recently.
The use of AI recruitment
tools is a “high risk” activity. By
affecting decisions related to
employment, these tools may
impact the human rights of job
seekers and risk locking disad-
vantaged groups out of employ-
ment opportunities.
Australia has no specific legis-
lation regulating the use of these
tools. Australia’s Department of
Industry has published AI Eth-
ics Principles, but these are not
legally binding. Existing laws,
such as the Privacy Act and an-
ti-discrimination legislation, are
There are many factors
which may prevent people from
buying sustainable products,
from quality concerns to peer
perceptions, and value for mon-
ey. There are also hidden social
stereotypes that characterise
social-consciousness and en-
vironmentalism as “unmanly”,
stopping men from seeking out
eco-friendly products.
But evidence suggests that
one solution is for brands to nor-
in urgent need of reform.
Unreliable and discrimi-
natory?
AI recruitment tools involve
new and developing technol-
ogies. They may be unreliable
and there are well-publicised
examples of discrimination
against historically disadvan-
taged groups.
AI recruitment tools may dis-
criminate against these groups
when their members are miss-
ing from the datasets on which
AI is trained, or when discrim-
inatory structures, practices
or attitudes are transmitted to
these tools in their develop-
ment or deployment.
There is currently no stan-
dard test that identifies when
an AI recruitment tool is dis-
criminatory. Further, as these
tools are often made outside
Australia, they are not attuned
to Australian law or demo-
graphics. For example, it is very
likely training datasets do not
include Australia’s First Na-
tions peoples.
Lack of safeguards
AI recruitment tools used by
and on behalf of employers in
Australia lack adequate safe-
guards.
Human rights risk and im-
pact assessments are not re-
quired prior to deployment.
Monitoring and evaluation
once they are in use may not
occur. Job seekers lack mean-
ingful opportunities to provide
input on their use.
While the vendors of these
tools may conduct internal test-
ing and auditing, the results are
malise sustainability and social
inclusion by putting relevant,
meaningful issues front and
centre of their advertising cam-
paigns. Having a “brand purpose”
related to social responsibility is
no longer just for the likes of well
established eco brands like Pata-
gonia or Tom’s Shoes.
Budweiser for example, has
recently established a partner-
ship with a personal safety app
designed to help people get home
www.canadianinquirer.net
often not publicly available. Inde-
pendent external auditing is rare.
Power imbalance
Job seekers are at a consid-
erable disadvantage when em-
ployers use these tools. They
may be invisible and inscruta-
ble, and they are changing hir-
ing practices in ways that are
not well understood.
Job seekers have no legal
right to be told when AI is used
to assess them in the hiring pro-
cess. Nor are they required to
be given an explanation of how
an AI recruitment tool will as-
sess them.
My research has found this is
particularly problematic for job
seekers with disabilities. For
example, job seekers with low
vision or limited manual dex-
terity may not know they will be
assessed on the speed of their
responses until it is too late.
Job seekers in Australia also
lack the protection available to
their counterparts in the Euro-
pean Union, who have the right
not to be subjected to a fully au-
tomated recruitment decision.
Facial analysis
The use of video assessment
safely after a night out. Ikea has
made moves towards greater
sustainability with an initiative
which allows customers to sell
their old furniture back to the
company to be resold.
These companies, like John
Lewis with its charity partner-
ship, have understood the mor-
al argument for brands to do
social good. But they have also
understood the solid business
case which goes with it.
DECEMBER 16, 2022 FRIDAY
tools, like those used by Ser-
vices Australia, is particular-
ly concerning. Many of these
AI tools rely on facial analy-
sis, which uses facial features
and movements to infer be-
havioural, emotional and char-
acter traits.
This type of analysis has been
scientifically discredited.
One prominent vendor, Hire-
Vue, ceased the use of facial anal-
ysis in its AI tool after a formal
complaint in the United States.
What’s next?
The Services Australia exam-
ple highlights the urgent need
for a regulatory response. The
Australian government is cur-
rently consulting on the regula-
tion of AI and automated deci-
sion-making.
We can hope that new regu-
lations will address the many
issues with the use of AI tools
in recruitment. Until legal pro-
tections are in place, it might be
best to hold off on the use of these
tools to screen job seekers. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
Consumers want to trust
companies to make a positive
difference, as well as giving
them products they desire and
value. Providing an authentic
brand purpose allows custom-
ers to feel socially responsible
while they tick off the items on
their shopping list. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
FRIDAY DECEMBER 16, 2022
Picky eater? Research shows
it could be in your DNA
BY NICOLA PIRASTU, The
University of Edinburgh
The Conversation
In the last 40 years obesity
has been constantly rising. This
has happened despite the popu-
larity of all kind of diets ranging
from low carb, paleo or even ice
cream based.
Many scientists believe this
is because cheap junk food has
filled supermarket shelves and
fast food takeaways. This food is
high in calories and other not so
healthy ingredients such as sat-
urated fats, simple sugars, and
salt. But it’s designed to taste
delicious. Taste is a dealbreaker
when it comes to deciding what
to eat, diet plans or not. Yet our
understanding of what makes
food taste good is limited.
My team’s research explored
how genes and biological pro-
cesses influence which foods we
find irresistible. We partnered
with UK biobank to ask the
participants in our study how
much they liked 139 foods, rat-
ing them from one to nine on a
questionnaire, with nine being
the most delicious. UK biobank
is a collection of almost 500,000
UK volunteers, who agreed to
provide their personal infor-
mation for scientific purposes.
They were aged from 50 to 70 at
Daydreaming’s dark side:..
❰❰ 21 activity can distract
from an unpleasant
reality which may
help to cope with trauma, dif-
ficult life events or social iso-
lation. But doing so can lead to
a vicious cycle of compulsive
fantasy, where using fantasy to
avoid negative emotions exac-
erbates the urge to daydream.
In many ways, daydream-
ing becomes an addictive be-
haviour that fuels the very
problems it was intended to al-
leviate. Perhaps unsurprising-
ly, maladaptive daydreaming
Food
the time of our study.
We sent the questionnaire
by email and received close to
189,000 responses. The first step
in our study was to analyse links
between food people said they
liked. For example if someone
likes pears, can we expect them
to also like apples and strawber-
ries. We mapped the relation-
ships between different foods.
Good taste
We found food can be catego-
rised in three groups: highly pal-
atable foods which include meat,
junk food and desserts; low calo-
rie foods, mostly fruit and salad
vegetables, but also oatmeal and
honey; and acquired taste foods
which are strong tasting foods
children generally dislike but
learn to enjoy such as coffee, al-
cohol and spices.
The map revealed some sur-
prises. Foods didn’t group by
flavour type (such as sweet v
savoury) but by how likeable
they were. For example, a taste
for fruit juices correlated more
with preference for desserts
rather than fruit. So fruit juice
went in the highly palatable cat-
egory rather than low calorie.
Foods people think of as vegeta-
bles do not cluster together. The
mild tasting ones such as toma-
toes or courgette are in the low
calorie group while the strong
tasting ones, like bell peppers
tends to occur alongside other
disorders, the most common
being ADHD, anxiety, depres-
sion and obsessive compulsive
disorder (OCD).
There seems to be a strong
relationship between OCD and
maladaptive daydreaming. One
study found that over half of par-
ticipants with maladaptive day-
dreaming also exhibited signs of
OCD. This may suggest possible
shared mechanisms between
the two disorders, including in-
trusive thoughts, dissociation
and a lack of cognitive control.
or onions, were in the acquired
taste group. Also sweet drinks
like sodas clustered closer to
meat and deep fried foods de-
spite their sweet flavour.
We then looked at which dif-
ferences in people’s DNA could
be linked to the types of food
they relish. We identified 325
different genes, mostly in the
brain, implicated in determin-
ing what we like to eat. When we
looked at how much the three
categories of foods correlated
genetically between each other
we found that the highly palat-
able foods had no correlation
with the other two categories
of foods. This suggests there are
two biological processes. One
regulates a weakness for highly
pleasurable foods while anoth-
er regulates the rest.
What’s next
Twin studies suggest food
preference is 50% genes and
50% personal experience. The
family environment plays a role
in children’s food preferences
but not in those of adults. The
shift happens around adoles-
cence. It is still not clear how a
liking for different food matures
in children as no one has carried
out largescale longitudinal stud-
ies. My team would like to try
and fill this gap in research next.
For our study we also used
MRI brain scans to look in more
Though maladaptive day-
dreaming has been garnering
an increasing amount of atten-
tion online and through social
media, it’s not yet formally rec-
ognised in psychiatric diagnos-
tic manuals.
This means many health pro-
fessionals may be unaware of
the condition, leading to mis-
diagnosis or dismissal of symp-
toms, creating further distress,
isolation, and shame for mal-
adaptive daydreamers. Many in-
stead turn to online forums for
peer support and recognition.
www.canadianinquirer.net
detail at which areas of the
brain correlated with the three
food groups. We once again
found that enjoyment of highly
palatable foods was associated
with a larger volume of brain
areas involved in perceiving
pleasure in food. The other two
groups were associated with
brain areas involved with sen-
sory perception, identification
and decision making.
These findings shed a new
light on our understanding of
people’s food choices. If you
understand why you don’t like
certain foods it may help you im-
prove the way you cook or pre-
pare them. For example many
people do not like coriander as it
“tastes soapy”. This is genetical-
ly determined, giving some peo-
ple a sensitivity to a compound
in coriander. Cooking coriander
instead of eating it raw reduces
the soapy flavour. This is a sim-
The fact that maladaptive
daydreaming is not recognised
as a psychiatric condition also
means we know little about
treatment options. There is
one documented case study
published in a peer-reviewed
journal showing a 25-year-old
man was able to cut the time
he spent daydreaming in half –
from nearly three hours daily to
under an hour and a half. This
was done over the course of six
months using a combination of
psychological treatments such
as cognitive behavioural thera-
29
ple example but it shows how
a little preparation may make
foods more acceptable.
Health professionals and
schools could use the informa-
tion on taste and people’s DNA
to identify those more at risk of
having unhealthy diet choices
and help them with early tar-
geted programmes. Pharma-
cological solutions could shift
someone’s preference for differ-
ent types by activating different
parts of the brain or hormones.
For example, high levels of a hor-
mone called FGF21 can trigger
a preference for savoury food,
low levels can trigger a prefer-
ence for sweeter food. It may be
possible in the future to develop
medicine that changes the foods
you take pleasure in eating. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
py and mindfulness.
Although treatment didn’t
affect how rewarding his day-
dreaming felt, he reported im-
provements in work and social
functioning as well as in under-
lying obsessions. It’s hoped that
with increasing recognition and
understanding of maladaptive
daydreaming, more treatment
options will become available
for sufferers. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
30
Pagudpud tourist rest area seen
to boost tourism, investment
BY LEILANIE ADRIANO
Philippine News Agency
LAOAG CITY – A modern
two-story facility with clean re-
strooms, a lounge and informa-
tion center for tourists as well as
a trade center for locally-sourced
products will soon rise at the
Saud municipal beach park in
Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte province
to entice more visitors to this
northern gateway of Luzon.
Funded by the Department of
Tourism (DOT), the establish-
ment of the tourist rest area in
the town aims to complement
Ilocos Norte’s tourism master-
plan which involves the water-
front development of the Saud
‘Bigger, better’ Panagbenga
to return after 2-year hiatus
BY LIZA AGOOT
Philippine News Agency
BAGUIO CITY – The Bagu-
io Flower Festival Foundation
(BFFF) and the city government
launched on Monday the Pa-
nagbenga (Blooming) Festival,
promising the return of “bigger
and better” events next year.
“We will astound the world
with one of the finest presen-
tations that showcase our cre-
ativity and the very best cultural
heritage,” Mayor Benjamin Mag-
along said during the launch.
The festival, which started
as a Baguio community event
in 1995, was scrapped in 2020
while celebrations in the suc-
ceeding years were toned down
due to the pandemic.
“Let Panagbenga flourish again
and again as a well-spring of hope
and a sense of community pride.
We will again offer the richness
of our tradition, the beauty of our
environment, wealth and hospi-
Travel
Beach park in the near future.
In her speech during the
groundbreaking ceremony at-
tended by various local tourism
stakeholders as well as provin-
cial and municipal officials, DOT
Secretary Ma. Esperanza Chris-
tina Garcia-Frasco said the pio-
neering tourism rest area to be
constructed in Pagudpud is a ful-
filment of the vision of President
Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to utilize
tourism as a driving force for the
country’s economic recovery.
“I hope that the construction
of a tourism rest area [in Pagud-
pud] will give new hope to our
tourism stakeholders and front
liners,” said Frasco, citing this is
just the first of the many proj-
ect collaborations between the
tality of Baguio people that can
be readily offered,” he added.
Former mayor Mauricio Do-
mogan, lifetime chairman of
the BFFF, advised the execu-
tive committee to invite festival
competition winners in other
provinces in the country to be
part of the 2023 festival, which
is a rebound of the canceled 25th
year of Panagbenga in 2021.
“We hope to have them join
us as contingents in the pa-
Street dance parade at the Panagbenga Festival along Session Road on Febru-
ary 28, 2009. (LOLAY/FLICKR, CC BY 2.0)
DOT and the province of Ilocos
Norte to rebuild Saud Beach
into a world-class destination.
Under the Metro Ilocos Norte
tourism masterplan designed
by Palafox Associates, more cot-
tages, souvenir shops and com-
mercial centers to house pop-up
stalls, food and beverage and a
hilltop restaurant are expected
to rise at the municipal beach
park of Pagudpud.
While sharing his excitement
on the latest tourism develop-
ment of Pagudpud, Mayor Ra-
fael Ralph Benemerito thanked
the DOT and Governor Mat-
thew Joseph Manotoc for lob-
bying funds for the construc-
tion of the first tourism rest
area in his hometown.
rades,” Domogan said.
Anthony de Leon, chairman of
the executive committee (Execom)
also said “the 2023 Panagbenga will
be grander with all activities to be
made bigger and better.”
The festival with the theme
“A renaissance of wonder and
beauty” will have institution-
al events like the grand street
dancing parade and the float pa-
rades simultaneously happen-
ing on Feb. 25 and 26, 2023. ■
www.canadianinquirer.net
Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco (4th from right) leads
the groundbreaking ceremony of the Tourist Rest Area in Saud Beach in Pa-
gudpud, Ilocos Norte. (DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM - PHILIPPINES/FACEBOOK)
“After more than two years of
‘lockdown’ [due to Covid-19], your
presence here is highly appreciat-
ed,” Benemerito told visitors and
top-ranking officials from the
DOT as well as the Tourism In-
frastructure and Enterprise Zone
Authority (TIEZA) led by chief
operating officer Mark Lapid.
On the same day, a tripartite
memorandum of agreement
was signed by authorized rep-
Harry & Meghan – what..
❰❰ 18 Shome writes in her
book, Diana and Be-
yond, white feminin-
ity “is always a doing and not a
being. It is always pushed and
pulled, routed and rerouted to
script national desires.”
The hounding of Meghan is
one site of this push and pull. The
Senate grants Brownlee..
❰❰ 24 ary while providing
even more excitement
to Filipino fans.
“Things are definitely look-
ing up for Philippine basketball
and with the right amount of
support, our resurgence in the
world hoops stage could defi-
nitely become a reality sooner
than later,” said Angara, who
also chairs Samahang Basket-
bol ng Pilipinas.
Angara, an active player of
the Senate basketball team
along with Villanueva and Go,
thanked his colleagues for their
full support of the naturaliza-
tion of Brownlee.
“After several years of play-
ing as an import in the PBA,
Brownlee has now deemed
DECEMBER 16, 2022 FRIDAY
resentatives of the DOT, TIEZA
and the Provincial Government
of Ilocos Norte to further im-
prove the province’s tourism
infrastructure development
programs and entice more tour-
ists and investors to come here.
Aside from Pagudpud, the
DOT is eyeing to establish nine
more pilot tourism rest areas in
the country as part of rebuilding
tourism in the new normal. ■
scripts of white femininity, and
therefore of nation, were fought
and continue to be fought, over
representations of her. ■
This article is republished
from The Conversation under a
Creative Commons license.
the Philippines as his second
home and has demonstrated a
strong desire to contribute to
the country as a future player
of our Gilas Pilipinas squad,” he
added.
With five titles and two Best
Import plums in the Philippine
Basketball Association, the
34-year-old Brownlee is con-
sidered among the greatest re-
inforcements of the league
Standing a little below 6-foot-
6, he was brought in by Ginebra
in 2016.
The Philippines, alongside
Indonesia and Japan, will host
the 2023 FIBA World Cup,
which will kick off Aug. 25, 2023
and culminate in Manila for the
final phase on Sept. 5 to 10. ■
 DECEMBER
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