Canada India Foundation has triggered off planning activities for its Annual Award Gala with a Press Conference to announce Allstream Centre as the venue of the Gala and renowned author and speaker, Deepak Chopra, as the recipient of the CIF Chanchlani Global Indian Award. Ajit Someshwar, past National Convener and Chair of this year’s Gala, recollected the origins of the Award and the conversation between him and the Award’s primary donor, Vasu Chanchlani, who committed an endowment of $1 million for the fund, complemented by monetary commitments from several CIF Charter Members. “Apart from the obvious individual accomplishments, the main criteria for the Award recipient would be that he/she makes the global Indian diaspora proud”, he said. Deepak Chopra will be the fourth recipient of the Global Indian Award, after Sam Pitroda, Tulsi Tanti and Ratan Tata. A strong proponent of alternative medicine, he is one of the world’s most respected speakers and writers on human empowerment and has been recognized as one of the 100 Heroes and Icons of the century. As with previous Award recipients, Mr. Chopra will receive a trophy, on display at the Press Conference and custom designed for CIF, along with a cheque for $50,000, payable to a charitable institution of his choice. Honorable Harinder Takhar, Ontario’s Minister for Government Ser-vices and Mrs. Preeti Saran, Consul General of India in Toronto headed the list of distinguished guests who attended the Press Conference. In addition to CIF Charter members, some of the other prominent attendees included Satish Thakkar, President of Indo-Canada Camber of Commerce, Douglas Goold, Director, Asia Pacific Foundation Canada and Vinod Munshi, President of the IIT Alumni Association. The event was covered by CP24 and Omni Television as well as a number of Indo-Canadian print media. Individual and group tickets for the CIF Award Gala can be purchased online at the CIF website www.canadain-dia.org.

The popularity of Brampton’s transit system keeps growing with each passing year. Compared to 2010, there was an 18 per cent increase in ridership in 2011. To ad-dress the growing demand, City of Brampton is taking fresh measures. These include expanding the fleet of buses and opening of new transit terminals. Sue Connor, Executive Di-rector of Brampton Transit told Generation Next how a grassroots campaign helped make the transit service popular with Bramptonians. “…When we launched the Zum service, we had an extensive marketing campaign, which was grassroots and talked about the benefits of using public transport. People seemed really receptive to trying that as a new alternative. I think they saw the convenience we were providing with some of our destinations…all that has helped make people more aware. We were able to give people detailed information, answer their questions, and for the most part, people were really excited to hear, for example with our very first Zum line, going to York University—such a big destination that the community really embraced it in terms of service,” she said. Census figures from Statistics Canada show that Brampton’s population grew by 21 per cent from 2006 to 2011. During the same time, Brampton Transit’s ridership grew by 61 per cent – nearly three times the population growth. Ms. Connor attributed the increase in rider-ship to both population growth and new residents who come to live in the city of Brampton. Züm Steeles Avenue service is scheduled to launch in fall 2012. This will included the opening of a new transit terminal at the northwest corner of Steeles Avenue and Main Street. The new terminal promises to improve connections between routes, and provide enhanced passenger-related amenities. Funded by all three levels of government, Brampton Transit will add twenty 60-foot buses to its fleet in 2012. “In terms of jobs it means we will be hiring 56 new staff,” said Ms. Connor. The buses should in service by the coming summer season.

Canada was once a nation known for championing environmental values on a global scale.  Just like the image of the country’s lush trees, verdurous landscape and tall snow covered mountains has been replaced by tar sands and coal mines, similarly, over the years, Canada’s environmental values seem to have been displaced as well.  Aiming to revive these values is a nationwide youth-led initiative called We Canada. It strives to mobilize Canadians to take action for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, also known as Earth Summit 2012. The conference will be held from June 20-22, 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This Earth Summit 2012 will mark the 20th anniversary of the first UN Conference on Environment and Development, where a plan of action for sustainable development was formulated in a document called Agenda 21. Representatives from countries all over the world will gather in Rio de Janeiro to evaluate new environmental concerns, assess the disparities in implementation and negotiate renewal of commitment. With the purpose of increasing Canadians participation, We Canada has organized a nation-wide tour aptly titled, ‘Dialogues and Public Action for Earth Summit 2012.’  As part of the tour, We Canada volunteers visit high-schools and universities across the country to engage in sustainability discussions with the public and to gather their suggestions, which will eventually be compiled in a report for Canadian officials to take to the summit. Victoria Wee, the Youth Engagement Director at We Canada remarked on the fact that during the previous Earth Summits, government consultation with civil society had been very minimal across Canada, and she found that the desire for people to be included in discussion has been a pervasive sentiment on the tour thus far.  The two main issues on the Earth Summit 2012 agenda are the promotion of green economy and elimination of poverty. Sustainable development recognizes the integration and interdependence of economic, environmental and social needs.  The rigid pursuit of one of these aspects while disregarding the importance of the other two is globally unsustainable. Given the traditional financial model where the sole focus has been only on economic gains, other aspects like ecological and social impact of business operations have been overlooked. By encouraging investment in green efficient technologies, supporting green business and by becoming conscious as consumers, the basis of a green economy can be established.  Victoria Wee mentioned that “system thinking is important and stakeholders from all types of organizations must be engaged.”  We Canada champions three key policy recommendations. “We need to measure what matters and go beyond GDP, which serves as a narrow economic measure. It excludes non-monetary transactions and is not representative of ecological and social welfare.”  Other proposals brought forth include, “getting the price right which means eliminating the subsidies provided to the fossil fuel industry. Also, Canada should strive towards making trade fair as it is beneficial to local communities.” A commitment to fair trade would ensure a public procurement policy that takes into consideration global environmental and societal concerns.  These recommendations are proposed to specifically address the key issues on the Earth Summit agenda. Given the recent trajectory of Canadian government’s environmental leadership, with withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol and intense backing of Keystone XL Pipeline, the expectations of the extent of Canadian involvement at the Earth Summit may be low, however grassroots movements like We Canada that encourage public participation provide hope and optimism. Victoria Wee stated, “I still believe in a Canada that is a leader.” I couldn’t agree more!  Such an initiative looks to revive and reestablish Canada’s environmental values across the nation by exercising the democratic process, collaborating with the public and hearing their ideas and opinions. We Canada will be coming to Toronto on March 1st and 5th 2012.  As a participant in the Dialogues and Public Action event one can expect to become part of the process, learn about Canada’s position and legacy at previous conferences, and discuss with others about their vision of Canada’s representation at the Earth Summit.

Although there are an extremely high number of domestic violence incidents reported within the South Asian community, it is reflective of the large South Asian population.

With the extensive media coverage of the Shafia murder trial, which recently concluded with guilty convictions, it is timely to refocus on the issue of domestic violence closer to home. It is the policy of Peel Regional Police to protect human life by vigorously investigating incidents of domestic/family violence and supporting victims through a co-ordinated community response designed to ensure the safety of victims caught within the cycle of domestic abuse. At his swearing-in ceremony, Chief Metcalf spoke of the emphasis that must be placed on the issue of domestic violence as it directly affects the safety of Peel’s citizens. As such, calls for service dealing with domestic violence are of the highest priority.

What is domestic violence?

Domestic violence is any use of physical or sexual force, actual or threatened, including emotional/psychological/economic abuse, or harassing behavior to a family member by another family member. It can include threats to harm children, other family members, pets and property. An example of psychological abuse would be controlling behavior, where a victim is often isolated from their family, friends and community.

Domestic-related offences include, but are not limited to, the following:

1)    Homicide

2)    Physical assault

3)    Sexual assault

4)    Uttering threats

5)    Criminal harassment (stalking)

6)    Intimidation

7)    Forcible confinement

8)    Mischief (damage to property during a domestic incident)

The majority of domestic abuse/violence incidents are being reported within intimate relationships. By “intimate relationships,” we mean relationships between the opposite-sex and same-sex partners, whether they are current, or former dating, common-law or married couples.

Of the two genders, who are the main victims?

Women.

Violence against women is prevalent and is a well-documented social problem around the world. According to PCAWA (Peel Committee Against Women Abuse), “more than 92% of charges related to spousal assault in Ontario are laid against men. Most charges laid against women are counter-charges laid by violent partners or stem from acts of self-defense.”

Peel Regional Police homicide statistics also point to the same conclusion. From 1990 to the end of 2011, there were 53 homicides related to intimate partner domestic violence in total. Out of these 53 homicides, 49 victims were females.

How common is this problem within the South Asian community in Peel Region?

Although there are an extremely high number of domestic violence incidents reported within the South Asian community, it is reflective of the large South Asian population. This problem is not specific to the South Asian community of Peel Region. Domestic violence is prevalent in any given community. It does not matter what ethnic background, economic status or education level; no section of the population is immune from domestic violence.

What do the Police do in situations of domestic violence?

The police will respond to the call for service and after conducting a thorough investigation, will submit a report. If the officer has reasonable grounds to believe a criminal offence has occurred in an intimate relationship, the accused will be arrested and a charge will be laid. Following an arrest, the accused may be released and conditions imposed. The accused may also be held in custody pending a bail hearing. If the victim needs to go to a place of safety, the police officer, or representative of Victim Services of Peel, will provide assistance. The police officer will ask the victim to provide a statement about the incident. If the victim has suffered an injury, photographs of the injury will be requested and taken with the victim’s consent. When a charge has been laid, the case will be prosecuted by a lawyer from the Crown Attorney’s office at no cost to the victim. Once a charge has been laid, neither the police nor the victim can withdraw the charge. When the case proceeds to trial, the victim will be required to attend court and if necessary, give evidence.

What difficulties do the Police face when they come to deal with Domestic Violence calls?

The biggest issue is dealing with the language barrier. Initial police response will likely not be by an officer speaking South Asian languages. However, the victim should not feel that he/she does not have a choice. If they are not comfortable, they should not attempt to struggle through a conversation with the police officer, but rather request an interpreter. Peel Regional Police have officers who are of South Asian descent and are capable of communicating in most South Asian languages. Peel Police also have access to independent interpreters which will be free of cost to the victim.

Some domestic violence cases remain unreported, especially in the case of newcomers, because firstly, newcomers are unaware of their rights and at times do not know how to get help to deal with domestic violence. As indicated, many times their abusers have isolated them from their families and social services. The newcomers are most of the time dependent on the abuser for their financial security. The abusers are well known to continue their abuse by threatening to have the newcomer deported, instilling a false fear of the police, or threats to publicly shame the victim. These are some examples of why newcomers will not report domestic abuse/violence for years.

What is the provincial mandate for police to follow in domestic violence within intimate relationships?

Where reasonable grounds exist, charges in intimate relationship offences are mandatory.

-         There are absolutely no cautions in intimate relationships.

-         It is not the victim’s choice whether or not he/she wishes for charges to be laid (even if the accused is assuring the officer that the violence will stop); if grounds exist, police shall lay charges.

What services are available to victims of domestic violence?

There are many services available, such as:

-         Victim Services of Peel (905-568-1068). They are an independent social services agency who works in close partnership with Peel Regional Police. They are the primary contact for both victims and police. They have access to a wide array of services, such as emergency shelters and counseling services. Their members speak several languages.

-         PCAWA (Peel Committee Against Women Abuse) (www.pcawa.org)

-         Punjabi Community Health Services (905-790-0808)

-         Muslim Community Services (905) 790-1910

-         Safe Centre of Peel (905) 450-4650

To quote Justice Minister Rob Nicholson in response to the Shafia verdict “So-called honour killings are barbaric and unacceptable and have no place in Canada…Murder is murder regardless of motive.”

Women or men in abusive relationships should take action to break the cycle of violence here in Peel. Particularly if the abuse is assaultive, victims (or concerned supporter) should call the police either at 905-453-3311 or if their life is at risk call 9 1 1.

Detective Rick Hawes is Family Violence Coordinator for the Peel Regional Police.

Detective Sergeant B.J.Sandhu is member of Diversity Relations Unit at Peel Regional Police.

Feb ‘12

The three-month long Shafia trial has ended with guilty verdicts for three Shafia family members. However, it has left the Muslim community’s and the South Asian community’s image tarnished in the eyes of the broader Canadian society.

The Shafia case has also left the community to rethink its values and belief system. While it has initiated the debate within community members, what is sad is that many community-based organizations do not want to comment publically on whether the Shafia case is a story based on honour killings, domestic violence or just one of the cases in which the darker side of human beings is displayed in the most vulgar way.

What has been good on the surface, at least, is that 34 imams from across North America gathered in Mississauga to issue a fatwa condemning honour killings, domestic violence and misogyny as “un-Islamic.”

Imam Syed Soharwardy, in no uncertain terms, declared on Saturday that “…If anybody is thinking that honour killing is allowed in Islam, or domestic violence is okay or misogyny is okay, we are saying no, you are dead wrong.”

Regardless of what religious authorities are saying, the organizations Generation Next contacted for a comment called for deeper introspection within our homes and communities.

We were told that cases of domestic violence are quite common in the neighbourhoods of Thorncliffe, Don Valley West and Region of Peel. Instances of husband beating up wife, father unhappy with his daughter’s dress sense and subsequent calls to the police are not uncommon.

The community has diagnosed the problem to be the “mindset” that leads to a particular style of raising males in South Asia and in South Asian community of Canada. The “mindset” to control by a “slap” or a “stick.” The urge to dominate the household needs to change for preventing the deaths of young girls who are caught in the two worlds and are uncertain of how to navigate between these worlds.

Many members of the community believe that instead of religious institutions such as mosques, the need is to have community centres where cultural, social and religious activities go hand in hand. Most importantly, community and religious leaders need to be scholars and academicians, rather than typical maulvies who have been teaching in South Asia at the tip of the stick and promote little more than rote-learning of the Holy Scripture and prayers.

The immigrant generation from South Asia has been taught that marriage is a compromise, whereas in the Western world, it’s mutual understanding between partners. In a typical South Asian marital arrangement, women end up making all the compromises and men tend to dominate.

Perhaps the worst impact of marital disputes is on kids as Child Services and other such organizations get involved. Custody battles ensue, and men’s egos in the process are even more bruised, which lead them to act in stubborn and egoistic ways.

The role of law enforcement is also crucial. Are police trained with the knowledge if what constitutes honour killings, or what shapes abuses take in South Asian households? How do the police respond to an anonymous phone call of domestic abuse? Can women take charges back against their men and what kind of counseling is available before kids are handed over to foster parents?

We asked a few community organizations to give us their feedback.

Here’s what they had to say:

Rabia Khedr, Federation of Muslim Women Spokeswoman and Board Member

“There is no place for any forms of violence in our society. The Shafia murder trial is a very “sick” and tragic example of gendered violence plaguing Canadian families. The motivation, details and complexities of this type of violence are beyond our imagination and cannot be rationalized by any labels. As a society and a community, we must refrain from engaging in a discourse of over-categorization that distracts us from the real issue. As Canadian women, we must speak-out in one united voice to fight against all forms of violence and focus our efforts and resources to build structures and safeguards that would prevent and eradicate this form of violence.  As Canadians we must remember all the victims of gender violence, namely: Aqsa Parvez, the Shafias, the 14 young students in Montreal, our missing Aboriginal sisters and many other women who are victims of the same fate, but never make it into the media spotlight. As women in our communities, we must work proactively with schools, police, community and religious organizations to educate and demand that gender violence be taken seriously so that such situations are recognized early and culturally responsive interventions are put in place before it is too late.”

Mazhar Shafiq, Chairman of CAPO

“First of all honour killing/domestic abuse is highlighted in the media when it happens in the Muslim Community. Even though it has nothing to do with the religion. This is more of a cultural thing rather than a religious thing. There are many cases in Sikh, Hindus and other communities as well where honour killing cases were found but media did not highlight those cases.

“Secondly, as an immigrant who comes from a different culture, with different mindset, there is a lot of work need to be done. Mosques have a bigger role to play, but they are only limited to religious education. They should educate youth how to become a good Canadian while keeping their own values.

“Government also needs to play an important role. Police need to be trained about different cultures and their sensitivities. There needs to be a community council comprised of police, representative from religious institutes (Mosque, Temple etc.) and community leaders who should intervene at very initial stage when there are signs of domestic violence.

“The parents need to understand how important it is to spend time with their kids. The problem is that both father and mother start running after money. They both work and don’t have time to see what kids are doing. If the parents spend time with their kids and also keep an eye on their activities from the early age, these things will never happen.
“Also there is a need for fathers to change their behavior according to the situation of a new country. They cannot control their kids as they were used to in back home. In Canada, they need to be a friend of their kids. That is the only way they can keep their kids on right track.”

Baldev Mutta, CEO of Punjabi Community Health Services

“I think as a community we should look at violence against women very seriously. Religions may not sanction killing of a human being, but cultural practices dictate otherwise. In the South Asian community, the appalling apathy is frightening. Very few religious leaders, political leaders, and self-styled leaders have come forward to denounce these horrendous murders. No cultural practice justifies these killings. It is about time that men along with women, who espouse dignity and sanctity of human stand up to the cultural practices and boycott those families where such practices might be rampant.

“One of the drawbacks in the social services is that many organizations are not skilled in making an assessment about whether a woman is in danger of “honour killing”. The social workers are not trained and neither do any “clinical tools” exist. I think it is about time that the government invests some funds in preventing these sorts of tragedies. The same holds true for “law enforcement” agencies. My personal opinion is that it would be difficult for a police officer to determine if a woman’s life is in danger. For example, we know that woman can be protected if some is stalking them. But would a police officer protect woman if there is a danger of “honour killing”? No such law exists. I think we need to step up our pressure on politicians as to why they are so silent.”

Mayada Sharef, Therapist and Cross-Cultural Educator

“As for the Shafia case, I feel very saddened for the victims and the rest of the children. I think that all parents have to grow a lot and be open to change and adapt as their children grow and change.

“Parenting is not a static formula that you can apply across age groups, genders, cultures and individual differences. It’s something that has to be very responsive and in its responsiveness it guides you to the direction you have to take in order to meet the needs of each of your children…For the Shafia family, my guess is that many elements influenced their choices negatively…One of the important elements is the structure of the family and the way the adults of this family lived (too busy with many things other than parenting). Also, the transition in the children’s lives and the shift from the East to the West happened during the critical teen years for the older sisters, so they’ve been changing fast at many levels, (while parents were busy with other issues probably), until they reached the inevitable clashes between generations as well as cultures…What I cannot really sympathize with is the decision to get rid of the victims (and the problems) instead of accepting the challenge and trying to work your way through it as any good parent…”

Verdict has finally been delivered in the Shafia multiple murder case. The much awaited judgment came after 15 hours of deliberations. The jury found each of the three accused—the wealthy Afghan businessman Mohammad Shafia (58), his wife, Tooba Mohammad Yahya (41) and their son, Hamed Shafia (20) guilty of first-degree murder.

More than two years ago, three sisters, all in their teens, and Rona Amir Mohammad (52), were found dead in a car at the bottom of the Rideau Canal at Kingston Mills. Nearly a month after that, the three people mentioned above were arrested and charged with first-degree murder. As the trials began in court, layer after layer of brutality, suppression of free speech and domestic violence came to light.

As the details of the case emerged and evidence pieced together, the disturbing and sometimes violent consequences of male dominance prevailing in South Asian families was revealed. Here was an affluent Afghan businessman, who, having made a fortune in the real estate market in Pakistan and Dubai, came to Canada with his family in 2007. Yet all that wealth couldn’t buy the family domestic peace. Tension brewed beneath the veneer of opulence and the girls, Zainab, Sahar, and Geeti would be routinely reproached for “crimes” such as seeing non-Muslim boys, texting and wearing Western clothes.

Rona, who actually happened to be Mohammad Shafia’s first wife, had her own tale of despair. Childless and shunned, she was introduced as the “aunty” of her husband’s children from his second marriage. Her diary, the contents of which were presented during the trial, speak of her humiliation as being treated with less than dignity in her husband’s household, where she had been moved to the sidelines as Tooba, the new wife, took control.

A debate has started in Canada on how to label this horrendous crime—honour killing or domestic violence? The moment the phrase “honour killing” is uttered, it brings with it stereotypical perceptions about the involvement of a particular religious community. In a country like Canada, where both multiculturalism and the dignity of life are significant, perhaps it is better to do away with labels and term murder as just murder. For whatever be a murderer’s justification for his or her crime, it must be made clear that their act is not acceptable under any circumstance; no exceptions made. At the same time, patriarchal communities, in which subjugation and suppression of women is considered a male prerogative, all in the name of preserving “honour”, need to make a conscious effort to break free of the centuries-old concepts of male-female societal roles and responsibilities.

Yet another sad facet of this whole incident is that the murdered girls feared for their safety and sought help at different levels, but had to return to the confines of the very home they felt trapped in. Geeti, the youngest of the three eliminated had told a police detective that she wanted to be put in foster care. However, without sufficient evidence to charge her family, she had to stay at home. Within a few months, she was killed. Her older sister, Sahar had confided in a social worker that her older brother (Hamed) was too controlling and pressured her to wear a hijab and even handpicked her friends. Zainab, the eldest sister, reportedly ran away from home to a women’s shelter barely two months before she was murdered. It begs examination as to why, despite repeated pleas, these sisters didn’t receive much support from the authorities concerned.

One hopes the incident, and now the verdict, will serve as an eye-opener for the South Asian community, which, notwithstanding its many accomplishments in Canada, still grapples with issues of gender equality and traditional versus modern dilemmas.

Writing is only one of the things Vivek Shraya does well. This Toronto-based multimedia artist’s first collection of short stories, “God Loves Hair” was a finalist at the 2011 Lambda Literary Award and is currently being used as a textbook at several post-secondary institutions.

Why did you feel the need to take to writing?

I am in love with words. Nothing excites me like a new word, a well-structured sentence, a beautifully articulated sentiment.

How has writing impacted your outlook and life?

I employ writing in a number of ways: journaling, songwriting, (non) fiction writing etc. Each format provides a different release and reward but overall being a writer, working through ideas and emotions through word, has resulted in a healthier and richer life than I can imagine without.

A lot of good literature is coming from South Asia these days. What would you attribute this to?

I think increasingly we are feeling inspired to fill a gap that a lot of us have experienced for so long. I also think that significant changes in the publishing industry, such as the increase of E-books, have made it more accessible for our stories to be shared and consumed.

What is your view of Canadian-SA literature?

I think it’s crucial, especially when I think of growing up in Edmonton and not seeing my experience or my family’s experience reflected in art and literature.

What issues do you wish to talk about through your writing? Why are these important to you?

Generally themes relating to sexuality, gender, race, religion and how they intersect are at the forefront of my writing because again, as queer person of colour, I am passionate about giving visibility to the kinds of experiences that aren’t at the forefront.

What do you think about Canada’s multicultural claim?

I can be cynical about it at times, especially when I consider the racism I have experienced or witnessed in Canada. But this softens when I travel, especially to the US, and see the way racial politics play out or how strong the lines of segregation are there.

How has the diaspora experience impacted your writing?

Navigating a sense of not quite belonging to the country I was born and raised in or my homeland is an intrinsic part of my daily lived experience so it definitely shapes and manifests in my work, not just my writing.

What can we expect from you in the days to come?

I recently put out a new EP called 1:1 which is available via iTunes. My first book, God Loves Hair, sold out earlier this year and I am hoping the second edition will be out in January/February of 2012. I am also currently working on my next book project, but have no idea when it will see the light of day.

For more information, please visit www.vivekshraya.com.

Autism is a developmental disorder appearing early in the first three years of a child’s life. Obstructing normal functioning of the brain, autism is a disease that affects one’s social and communication skills, as well as learning capabilities. As a very prevalent genetic disorder caused by chromosomal abnormalities, autism affects about 2 in every 1,000 people worldwide. Recognizing that autism is a serious concern, there are many foundations and schools dedicated to helping children with autism to get the help they need.

Autism Therapy and Training is an institution that provides therapy for children who have been diagnosed with autism. Located in Woodbridge, Ontario, this institution provides one on one training for children as young as six months to about ten years of age. The main goal is of Autism Therapy and Training is to improve children’s communication skills, teach them play and social skills, and to reduce problem behaviour. The methods employed by instructors at this institution are a verbal teaching approach; they teach concepts to children using a strategy known as natural environment teaching.

Natural Environment Teaching is a well known way to help autistic children learn away from the table setting, that is, the structured teaching method. Instead of placing emphasis on the seating and table assignments away from teachers as it is in a typical school’s classroom, Natural Environment Teaching places emphasis on the student- teacher dynamic. The student-teacher dynamic is enforced and stressed at Autism Therapy and Training.

While this institution is providing a service that seems great in theory, the problem arises in the cost of sending your child for training and therapy. The training usually ranges from 40-50 dollars an hour for a child. Although some people are able to afford this program, others may not have the same capability.

The Imagine Autism Foundation was founded in November 2011 by Chaza Attar. Gathering a team of like minded women dedicated to the cause, Attar was able to launch the Imagine Autism Foundation. Attar’s whole purpose in starting the foundation was to aid parents of autistic children in being able to fund their children’s therapy and training.

When speaking with Priyanka Monpara, one of the board of directors of the Imagine Autism Foundation, she explained the nature of foundation’s goals and the means by which they are achieving them.

What is the purpose of the Imagine Autism Foundation?

We know that there are many kids out there with autism. Among these kids, there are families that may not have the means to provide them with the necessary training and teaching to either “cure” them of their disease, or improve their social and communication skills at the very least. The government does provide financial aid to some families, but there is a long process by which they determine if a family is a candidate for the assistance. First the child must receive a diagnosis and get approved. Some children miss out on government funding because their cases are deemed as not being as severe. We want to make the training and teaching more accessible for children in need.

What are the steps that you are taking to raise money?

We are organizing different fundraising events around the city to raise both awareness and money. We’ve just started the organization to raise money and are still in the process of planning the events. However, we are planning a skating night. We are planning on renting out a rink where families can come out, enjoy a day skating and face painting. This event is still in the planning phase and will take place some time in March. Along with the fundraisers, we have different workshops set up where people can come and learn more about the nature of autism, as well as donate to the foundation. We explain to people detection signs of autism, as well as the steps to follow to make sure that children get the attention they deserve.

What are the financial goals of the Imagine Autism Foundation?

We don’t have a specific goal in mind yet. Of course, we want to be able to fund as many kids as possible, but that isn’t entirely realistic. If we fund about six children this year, we would have to raise about 240 000 dollars; 40 000 dollars for each child yearly. We are hoping that if we organize enough events and get the publicity that we need for them, enough people will come out and donate. The donating process is simple. We have a fund specifically set out for the money that will go to helping the families fund their children’s therapy.

Are you hopeful in reaching your goal?

Personally, I think it is all up to us. All we can really do is hope that people spread the word about us and let others know how important a cause this is. We are dedicated to helping improve the lives of children. All we can do is try our best, organize and plan the events to the best of our ability. After that, I guess we can just hope that people come out and are willing to donate to our cause.

Monpara was careful to stress the importance of all of us in reaching the Imagine Autism Foundation’s goal. It is up to us to help the children that really need it. Although Monpara is one of the people directly helping to plan and organize fundraisers, it is other people who must come out to the events and donate to their cause.

For updates on events that are being planned and coming up, you can visit the “Imagine Autism” page on facebook or go directly to the website www.imagineautism.org.

BY Gagan Batra

This
article is the first of a three-part series on organ and tissue donation from a
religious perspective.

Organ donation can be hard to talk about.
There could be a feeling that you are “tempting fate”, or maybe death is just
something no one wants to contemplate. This reluctance to have an open
discussion is partly to blame for many of the misunderstandings that persist
around organ and tissue donation and transplantation. Did you know you are five
times more likely to need an organ than to donate one? One organ and tissue
donor can save up to eight lives and enhance as many as 75 others. Islam
encourages charity and assisting those who are in need. Islam says “yes” to
organ donation to save another person. Islam supports giving.

Bring this article to the dinner table
tonight. Open the discussion with your family. You may just save a life.

Myth:
Life support will be removed too soon in a rush to get my organs. People are
always opening their eyes after being given up on.

Fact: The truth is people who have consented to organ donation are
actually submitted to more tests to ensure that they are deceased than those who
have not. These tests are conducted in such a way as to leave no room for
error. A person on a life support machine, once pronounced dead by the doctors,
is considered dead from an Islamic point of view.

Myth:
A Muslim must be buried quickly and cannot wait to have organs removed.

Fact: It is the Sunna to hasten the burial of the dead; however, for
good reasons the deceased may be buried later. There is no specific timing for
burial, once the body is kept properly and respected. Many people send their dead
back home for burial, which can be unavoidably delayed for a reasonable amount of time, this operation only takes a few hours.

Myth:
Muslims do not approve of post mortems and to remove the organs is like an
autopsy.

Fact:
While the Prophet
Muhammad, peace be upon him, emphasized the respect of the dead and
equated breaking of the bones of the dead as that of the living – a painful
act, he forbade this when it is done deliberately to inflict disrespect and
pain to the dead. This injunction doesn’t apply when the cause of death has to
be determined in order to mete out justice. Similarly, for such a greater good
of saving a life, the surgical removal of organs is quite in order – just as he
agreed for a Companion to have a gold nose replacement instead of an iron one.

Myth:
I’m too old/I was a smoker/I have a chronic condition, they won’t want my
organs anyway.

Fact: Let the healthcare professionals decide. Everyone can be a donor
regardless of age or medical condition; in fact the oldest Canadian organ donor
was over 90 years of age. Your decision to register should not be based on
whether you think you would be eligible or not. A donor’s eligibility is
determined by the health care team upon their death.

Myth:
Only Muslims can benefit from Muslim organs and tissue and vice-versa

Fact: There
is no such law in Islam that charity, let alone usage of one’s organs and
tissues, has to be given to a person of the same faith. Humans we are and
humans we will always be. When the Prophet was prepared to save the lives of
many from harm, how can we be selfish and discriminate?

Myth:
I signed an organ donor card a long time ago. My wishes are recorded.

Fact: The
traditional donor cards pre-date our registry here in Ontario, so if you have
only signed a donor card, you are likely not registered. For people who know
they aren’t registered, or who are unsure, they can visit www.BeADonor.ca to
register or check their registration status.

Every three days, someone on the transplant
wait list in Ontario dies. It doesn’t have to be this way, yet less than 20% of
eligible Ontarians have registered their consent to donate.

If
you want to be sure your consent is registered, visit BeADonor.ca or register
in person at a ServiceOntario centre. More information can be found at www.giftoflife.on.ca.

After a couple of snowfalls to set this winter season into gear, children are out making snow angels, people are sledding down hills and drivers are cautiously making their icy treks to their destinations. It is the occasion that gives people time off work and school: the holidays. Some choose to go on vacation while some choose to get back into touch with old family and friends. Have you ever wondered what the differences are between how grade school students spend their time as opposed to university and college students, though? After asking nine students of assorted ages, there seemed to be a consensus among how grateful they are for their mid-year breaks. However, there is variation among people and how they make use of their time.

Twenty year old, Rohit Batra is a second year student at the University of Toronto. Batra explained that most of his holiday time thus far has been devoted to “playing video games and just sleeping in. I never get the chance to relax during the school year because of how much work I have to do.”

Unlike Batra, second year student at the University of Guelph Humber, Shreyaa Chawla, has been working this whole holiday season. “I get bored staying at home all day. I’ve been working all year and I’m not going to stop when I have time off of school. I have more free time to work now, I’m not going to waste it.”

There is clearly a contrast between these two university students. Upon asking them if they wanted sc hool to resume, both Batra and Chawla expressed their discontent with their upcoming semesters.

Priyanka Monpara, another second year student from York University, claims that she has spent a lot of her break watching movies. “I need to catch up. I feel like I’m living under a rock when it comes to new movies lately. During school, I try to focus strictly on my classes and don’t get a chance to do many things for myself.”

Brijesh Monpara, tenth grade student, like his sister claims that he spends his time during the holidays doing things of leisure. “I have exams coming up, but I’m not too worried about them. I think it would be better for me to use this time to relax when school starts back up, I can start studying.” Although these two siblings are quite far apart in age, they seem to be rather similar in terms of their interests during their time off of school.

Ninth grade student Rajpreet Sahota expressed her displeasure with having to go back to school. “I’m having so much fun at home. I don’t want to think about going back right now.” Upon asking what Sahota what she has been using her time for, she replied with “relaxing; just sitting around, watching TV and doing my nails I guess.”

Unike Sahota, seventh grade student, Naveena Riar, says that she wants to go back to school. “I get bored at home. At least when I’m at school there’s something to do besides watch TV and play games.”

Interestingly, Riar and Sahota are only two years apart in age; however, they displayed completely different opinions about going back to school in January. Riar is both the youngest student that I had spoken to, and the only one who was in a hurry to get back to school. It really makes you wonder, is one’s appreciation for school more apparent at a younger age?

My question was tested further when I had spoken to third year student at the University of Guelph, Ritesh Briah, who explained that he used his time to “work out and try to get fit.”

When asked if he was looking forward to the new semester in January, Briah replied with “not really, I need more time to myself. When I’m at school I don’t have enough time and energy to focus on working out. It’s just easier when you don’t have classes to worry about.”

Like Briah, another third year student at the University of Guelph, Prabjot Parmar, had a similar opinion. “I really needed this time off of school to focus on my health. When I’m at school it’s harder to focus on eating healthy when there are so many time constrictions caused by having to go to classes. At home, I think I can focus more time and energy on my nutrition goals.”

Taking these two students’ thoughts into consideration, it is evident that they are relieved to be on their winter holidays. It does make sense; less time spent in class equals more time available to spend on oneself. The time spent on oneself is clearly a product of what is important to the individual, though.

The last student I had spoken with was another third year student at York University. Preeti Gill explained that her break would be cut shorter than students from most other institutions. “York starts on January third. It’s not really fair for us to get a shorter break than anyone else. I’d much rather have a longer winter holiday than a reading week in October.”

I asked what Gill had done during the break and she explained that she had been using her time to relax and take her mind off school and focus more on catching up with old friends. “I never get to see them because I’m so busy during school.” Gill stressed the importance of having time to unload after a tough semester and unwind after even tougher exams.

There you have it, the answer to what students use their days off school for. Most of them use it to relax, some use it to earn extra cash, and some use it to catch up with old friends. The age difference is still a little cloudy. Do younger students use their time more or less wisely? Do the older students dread the end of the holiday season more than their young counterparts? Either way, it is apparent from the post secondary students that I had spoken to that they are displeased at the thought of returning to school. When asked if they are ready to go back, the response was unanimously negative.

By Gagan Batra