Recently, I had the opportunity to travel through the UK and the US for almost a month. Needless to say Great Britain and America cannot be compared in economic or political prowess because the latter literally dominates the world.

Yet a factor common to both is the loss of direction. There is no vision. Both President Obama and Prime Minister Cameron exude confidence when they talk to the press or the people. Nevertheless, one can see that their words are predicated by many ifs and buts and most conclusions are generally wishful thinking.

Both countries are supposed to be coming out of recession. Yet America primarily depends on China and Great Britain has targeted India. President Obama is coming to India in November to assess if New Delhi could fit in somewhere in Washington’s efforts to avoid another recession. Prime Minister Cameron was recently in India and reports say that he has been able to persuade Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to use British technology and services more than India has done so far. More businessmen and industrialists accompanied Prime Minister Cameron to India than to America.

Whether President Obama and Prime Minister Cameron are doing their best to stall another round of recession is difficult to say because their critics feel that their countries have been so reckless in the past — having no supervision on any financial institution — that D-Day can be postponed but not avoided.

However, I saw America doing a bit better than it was a few months ago. More customers are visiting shops, which are relatively full of goods (made in China). But unemployment is more than nine per cent and the dole itself is a heavy burden on the exchequer. Prices of houses have generally come down by 50 to 60 per cent.

The UK has been able to save the pound from going down further. This may have happened because of a successful tourist season. Customers in shops have not yet come back in the numbers they did a couple of years ago. Many industrial units have stopped because of lack of demand. Yet the impression is that the efforts that Prime Minister Cameron is making through visits abroad, particularly to India, will pay dividends sooner or later. People have expectations of India’s growth which is eight per cent.

London is looking to the European Union, hoping that countries like Spain and Portugal will be saved like Greece, which narrowly avoided bankruptcy earlier this year. But if this calculation does not come through, Britain thinks that it may be next to face the danger. Germany is not liked because it has put a different foot forward and does not want to involve itself outside, despite the distress calls from other European partners.

India is being respected and wooed like never before. Prime Minister Cameron even went to the extent of condemning Pakistan on Indian soil. President Asif Zardari visited London soon after Cameron’s remarks but the latter did not offer any apology. What London hopes for now is that in return New Delhi opens up its markets to British exports. England has already responded with more lenient visa procedures for Indians. However, America has not relaxed its visa policy to benefit India or South Asia. In fact, Washington’s security at airports is humiliating.

Obama’s recognition of India is apparent from the number of people of Indian origin he has appointed in the White House. They total more than any other ethnic community. Sadly, America is not willing to give up on the use of carbon. The world expected Washington to agree to cap green house gases but it is clear that this may not happen. Legislators are abandoning the effort to approve an energy/climate bill that would have paved the way for renewable energy.

It’s a pity that the West, which has already consumed a substantial part of the world’s natural resources, has still not woken up to the devastation it has caused. The developing world will have to exert collective pressure on America; the UK and European countries must stop plundering whatever is left. India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have been badly hit by climate change. The devastating floods in Pakistan are a recent example.

What I missed both in America and the UK was the liberal thought that once attracted intellectuals and others to look towards Washington and London. It is true that 9/11 and subsequent terrorist attacks in the UK have scared people. Still, I hoped that there would be some individuals or organisations raising their voice against shrinking political space and personal freedoms.

Muslims are the main suspects in both countries and what they undergo is a slur on democratic liberty. I thought the permission by the New York City Council to build an Islamic cultural centre near the 9/11 site was worth commending. But the manner in which even President Obama has gone back on his words of religious equality indicates the lengthening shadows of parochialism in America.

Liberal voices, both in the public and the media, can retrieve the situation to some extent. But the fact is that even those people who feel that democracy is being deformed and mutilated do not speak out. Protests have become fewer, feeble and all too respectful of the establishment. Famous universities, which once raised the banner of defiance, are busy with meaningless curricula and looking out for ways to collect more and more money.

I am not expecting Prof Laski or John Kenneth Galbraith to rise from their graves. But I expect those who remember their sane, liberal and moderate voices to take a stand against the narrowness and parochialism which is consuming whatever is left of free thinking. Who else will fight the encroaching darkness?

Author: Kuldip Nayar

In Pakistan the political leaders do not rise above their partisan interests and stay in the news by raising controversies.  Invariably each party equates its party interest and agenda with the national interest.  They often pursue confrontational discourse in an election-campaign mode.  What they do not realize is that their self-centered approach and mutual confrontation does not help their reputation. They are seen as less sensitive to the challenges to the state and the problems of the common people.

The latest and ill-timed controversy was initiated by the MQM chief, Altaf Hussain, on August 22.  He said in a telephonic talk from London: “The MQM will openly support the patriotic generals if they take any martial law type action against corrupt politicians and feudal lords.”  He also said, “If these generals can topple political and democratic governments they can also take steps to weed out corrupt politicians and feudal lords.” Defending these statements, Farooq Sattar, a senior MQM leader, said that “the country [was] in the ICU (intensive care unit) and needs surgery.”

In another interview Altaf Hussain demanded that the Supreme Court should invoke article 190 of the Constitution to summon the military to take action against the corrupt leaders and exploiters, including the feudal elements.

It is interesting to note that despite wooing the generals, Altaf Hussain thinks that he is neither encouraging the generals to remove the existing political and constitutional framework nor asking them to impose martial law.   This view is not shared by other political parties that have condemned his statements.  They think that Altaf Hussain is giving subtle signal to the military to directly enter the political domain. These leaders also do not favour the Supreme Court assuming executive authority to take action on the lines suggested by Altaf Hussain.

Martial law type action cannot be undertaken without imposing martial law. The military cannot take such an action without removing the present political order and setting aside the constitution.    Similarly, if the Supreme Court acts on the advice of Altaf Hussain, it will amount to overwhelming the executive which will adversely affect the prospect of democracy and political stability in Pakistan.

Altaf Hussain’s statement has three major problems.   First, there is no provision in the constitution that allows the military to take “martial law type” action to purge what he calls corrupt politicians and feudal lords. Similarly, expansion of the role of the Supreme Court on the lines suggested by the MQM will be harmful for the future of democracy.

Second, the MQM is part of the coalition government at the federal level and in the province of Sindh. It should have used its influence with the ruling partners to deal with these issues. The MQM could have moved a resolution in both houses of the parliament and in Sindh Assembly in support of its demand. Alternatively, the MQM could have moved a bill in the National Assembly for making laws to strip the feudal of their land.  Instead, it has bypassed the parliament and its coalition partners and made a direct appeal to the military for a direct intervention in the political domain.

Third, Altaf Hussain wants to use the military and the Supreme Court for fulfilling its party agenda. If these two institutions follow the advice, Pakistan will face more problems.  Pakistan’s experience suggests that the military does not play any political party’s game. If it ever assumes power in the future, it will pursue its own agenda.

Altaf Hussain’s statement is an attempt to deflect the pressures generated by other political parties on its monopolistic position in urban Sindh, especially Karachi. The ANP is more active in Karachi now than was the case three years ago.  The Sunni Tehrik is also making inroads into Karachi.  Further, militant/sectarian groups are beyond the control of the MQM. The same can be said about various gangs that engage in land grabbing and other criminal activities.

Consequently, the MQM finds it hard to sustain its capacity to control reward and punishment in Karachi.  The MQM anger is building not only against the ANP but also against the PPP.  In this fight for domain in Karachi, Altaf Hussain wants to solicit the military’s support.

Another possible explanation is that Altaf Hussain must have come to the belief that the latest speculative reports that the Supreme Court might disqualify President Asif Ali Zardari and the military might apply pressure to replace the federal government with a government of its choice.  Therefore, he may have decided to pre-position the MQM for the post-PPP era.   It is a message to the military and the superior judiciary that if they take action against the present rulers the MQM’s support will be available.

Pakistan’s experience suggests that the military rule and the administrative solutions do not resolve the political and economic problems. The MQM’s latest agenda would undermine constitutionalism and democracy and drag the military into unnecessary controversies, diverting its attention from helping the flood-affected people and countering terrorism.

Author: Dr. Hassan Askari

In the past three weeks, Generation Next has gotten two emails, from internationally trained professionals. These professionals were seeking information on how to find a job in Canadian market. While a number of initiatives are in place to help these engineers, the news does not reach the community.

On August 27^th, the Government of Canada is funding two projects that will help internationally trained nurses put their knowledge and skills to work sooner. The Honourable Steven Fletcher, Minister of State (Democratic Reform), made the announcement on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.

The College of Nurses of Ontario will receive over $776,000 in Foreign Credential Recognition Program funding for its project entitled Moving Ahead: Assessment of Internationally Educated Nurses – Part 2, as well as its Nursing National Benchmark project.

“The Government of Canada is helping internationally educated health professionals enter the labour market to improve the quality of life of all Canadians,” said Minister of State Fletcher. “Through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, we are working with partners to develop a common approach to foreign credential recognition. These projects contribute to a fair, efficient and timely system that will help internationally trained nurses find work in communities across Canada.”

The College of Nurses of Ontario will work with nursing regulators across Canada to harmonize national registration requirements for foreign-trained nurses, including language standards. The College will also collaborate with partners to develop a model for a future national assessment service.

Additionally, a database of international nursing education programs will be established to provide for fairer and faster assessment of international education.

“The Moving Ahead initiative will foster greater labour mobility, retention and recruitment of licensed nurses, while helping to reduce some barriers currently faced by internationally educated applicants,” said Ms. Laurel Brunke, Chair of the National Nursing Assessment Service Steering Committee, and Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia. “The Steering Committee looks forward to continued support of this initiative and is inspired by the impact it will have on creating a stronger Canadian health care system.”

“The College is very pleased with the progress of the language fluency benchmarking initiative to date,” added Ms. Anne Coghlan, Registered Nurse, and Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of the College of Nurses of Ontario. “Once implemented, the fluency benchmarking project will assist in harmonizing the requirements for language fluency of applicants across the country, and will support the work being done under the Moving Ahead initiative.”

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Investing in Tomorrow’s Scientists

U of A grad student Nathan Deisman with engineering professor Rick Chalaturnyk’ and Gary Goodyear, minister of state (science and technology)

Researchers across Canada will benefit from new facilities and equipment, and universities will have more opportunities to develop and attract top scientists, thanks to a major Economic Action Plan investment by the Government of Canada. The announcement was made by the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), and the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, while touring labs at the University of Alberta and the Université du Québec en Outaouais, respectively.

“Our government is investing in science and technology to strengthen the economy and improve the quality of life of Canadians,” said Minister of State Goodyear. “This significant investment will help develop, attract and retain the world’s best researchers at Canadian universities while strengthening Canada’s long-term economic competitiveness.”

The federal government will invest in the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s Leading Edge Fund and New Initiatives Fund. The funding is supporting the renewal and expansion of research infrastructure across Canada that will support exceptional researchers and improve labs and facilities.

“As Canada begins to emerge from the global recession, investments in science, research and innovation are essential to creating and securing well-paid, skilled jobs, both now and in the future,” said Minister Cannon.

“Tomorrow’s prosperity depends on our ability to compete within a diverse, global economy — to get there, we need to start with competitive infrastructure,” said Dr. Indira Samarasekera, President of the University of Alberta. “World-class facilities are a magnet for global talent, and these funds make a tremendous difference in researchers’ capacity to conduct leading-edge interdisciplinary research and discovery learning.”

“The Leading Edge and the New Initiative funds have been instrumental in supporting state-of-the-art research infrastructure in institutions across the country,” said Dr. Gilles G. Patry, President and CEO of the Canada Foundation for Innovation. “This additional investment from the Government of Canada will ensure our researchers continue to have the tools they need to remain competitive in the global economy.”

The government will invest $200.5 million in the Leading Edge Fund and the New Initiatives Fund. Funding for this program will be drawn from a $600-million investment for research excellence as part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan. Through these investments, the Government of Canada is working to ensure that the world’s best science and innovation opportunities — as well as the world’s best researchers — are right here on Canadian soil.

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Green Makeover for Peel schools

Students in Mississauga now have seven cleaner, greener and more energy-efficient places to learn.

Through Ontario’s Green Schools Pilot Initiative, schools are able to install new technology to help make them more energy-efficient. Seven local schools are benefitting from this initiative: Glen Forest SS, John Fraser SS, Clarkson SS, McBride PS, Ruth Thompson MS, Philip Pocock CSS, and Corpus Christie ES.

These schools are among 150 across the province that have received support through this initiative.

This $2.4 million investment for Mississauga supports Ontario’s efforts to reduce environmental footprints in its publicly funded schools.

This investment promotes better, greener learning environments and helps teach our students the importance of energy conservation,” said Leona Dombrowsky, Minister of Education.

It is also an important part of the government’s Open Ontario plan to strengthen education, which has already delivered results:  smaller class sizes, higher test scores and an improved graduation rate. It also creates local economic benefits and supports a stronger, cleaner, greener economy.

“By using green products and technologies in our schools, we are setting new standards for school energy efficiency while supporting jobs in Ontario’s new green economy,” said Minister of Government Services Harinder Takhar.

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BRT Makes Key Improvements to Service Schedule as Back to School Season Approaches

Councillor John Sprovieri, Councillor Bob Callahan, Councillor John Sanderson, Councillor John Hutton, Councillor Grant Gibson, Councillor Elaine Moore, Councillor Sandra Hames, Councillor Gael Miles, Mayor Susan Fennell and Councillor Vicky Dhillon (AP)

Brampton Transit will implement a number of major service improvements this September, designed to address increased demand for the back-to-school season and fully integrate conventional transit routes with the new Züm Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service, launching on September 20.

As part of Brampton Transit’s goal to improve service across the city, changes will be made to existing routes and schedules. For detailed information on all new routes, schedules and services, please visit www.bramptontransit.com or call 905.874.2999.

While federal parties are busy in comparing filling out in information in census questionnaire sent by Stats Canada with water boarding, the mayors of municipalities the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)  and Ontario are urging the federal government to rethink its decision to scrap mandatory 35-page census form to a smaller voluntary form.

The argument that the long census form is “invasive” and “too intrusive” doesn’t ring  bell with the Mayors of the Greater Toronto Area and Ontario. They give counter arguments about people’s giving information to their doctors and bankers “which is pretty intrusive,” as Her Worship Mayor Susan Fennell of Brampton put it. The mayors and officials from municipalities Generation Next spoke with over the last two weeks mentioned that with changing demographics and a number of new Canadians increasing in Ontario, the information gathered by Stats Canada is crucial to their planning processes.

The mandatory long-form with 61-questions is sent to one in five homes with a voluntary household survey that will be sent to 30 per cent of Canadian households.

Up until now, Canadians were compelled to send back the information required on census or face jail time of up to 3 months. Although no one really has been sent to jail for not filling out the long census form, making it non-mandatory will result in imprecise information on communities and neighbourhoods.

Municipalities across Canada use the census data to plan their towns and cities and neighbourhoods, to know what services are needed by the community, how many public, Catholic and French immersion schools should be built, how many more units of public transport are needed, what neighbourhoods need recreational services and parks and community centres and so forth.

Although the indication is that the federal government will not revise its decision as the forms to be sent out next year have already been printed, Mayors of Ontario are hopeful that the government will take into consideration the mandate that municipalities have in providing services to their residents.

Ontario becomes home to 100,000 new Canadians each year. It is place where about 20,000 people from across the world take refuge in. Consequently the officials of Ontario municipalities and Ontario government are voicing their concerns about lack of accurate information once the changes are enforced.

We asked the officials from various municipalities of Ontario their reaction to the federal government’s decision of making mandatory long census questionnaire to a voluntary smaller form, how they use the census date, privacy related issues and consequences of not having the census data. Here’re opinions of some of the officials we spoke with :

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New changes will make it harder to meet the needs of Canadians  – Brock Carlton, CEO, Federation of Canadian Municipalities

Municipalities use the census like a GPS to navigate on-the-ground changes in our communities – to see where we need better bus service, to build affordable housing, or set up support programs for new Canadians. There’s a real concern that these changes are going to make it harder for us to meet the needs of Canadians – we need to know the federal government isn’t going to let that happen.

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Voluntary responses can be biased – Mayor David Miller, Toronto

The City relies on long-form data as a vital resource for the planning of efficient and targeted social, health and other community services. It is also critical for development of effective strategies to manage the growth of the city’s economy, it’s physical built-form and our transportation networks.

..a survey that relies on voluntary responses will introduce bias in the results..a higher response will not compensate for this. An additional result would likely be the suppression of the data at neighbourhood level.

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People complain about long census form being long – Mayor Susan Fennell, Brampton

The information in the long form is a guide for our city, for planning, for community services, for parks and recreation, for diversity, for facilities. Just knowing how many people are here [in Brampton] is not enough, we need to plan for your people.

Each time you go to the doctor’s office, you give your information and there’s nothing more personal than your body. There is lot of personal information that people provide every time they deal with a government. I’ve never heard anybody complain about census form being intrusive. The only thing I’ve ever heard people complain about is that they got the long form, and it takes time to fill it out.

I think that the federal government will look for what the city of Brampton’s position is and what the Region of Peel’s position is. We are the tenth largest city in the country and we provide good data in helping to form national policies.

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Why are people objecting to long census questionnaire now? – Mayor of Mississauga- Hazel McCallion

I don’t know who has raised the objection to the long census questionnaire. The operation has been in practice for a long time, so why are people objecting to it now?

My council has registered our objection to any change in the form, and our staff has recommended that we support the long form.

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Benefits to broader community outweigh small concerns – Deputy Mayor Jack Heath, Markham

The statistics that come out of long from are used by municipalities in the areas of housing, social assistance, transportation and so forth. Making it voluntary would mean unreliable data with unreliable outcome. Obviously you have to have some punch to the process. Jail time adds that punch. The numbers who don’t cooperate are very very small.

There are privacy related issues to all sorts of things in the society; nonetheless the benefits to the community as a whole outweigh small concerns someone might have.

The federal government is clearly not listening to municipalities of Ontario and Canada

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Census change can result in waste in social agencies – Tom Adams, Regional and Town Councillor in Halton Region (Oakville)

At the region of Halton, we’ve already passed the resolution to eliminate the changes made.

Not only are municipalities asking for the decision to be reverted, there are a whole host of social agencies that are asking for it too. And they’re all asking for it for the same reason. When you’ve got more information you are able to target it more effectively. Not only is there going to be higher costs of the changes they are making, there is also going to be a lot of waste in the social agencies which are trying to use the information to solve social problems.

Saying that the long census questionnaire is “intrusive” is a ridiculous argument. I’ve never heard of a complaint. I think it’s very poor policy decision to remove the long census form. I’ve spoken with our member of parliament, but he has reiterated the federal party’s concerns about privacy.

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It strikes me odd that census was chosen as an issue – Mayor Dave Barrow, Richmond Hill

It’s important that we understand our community and the only way to do is to gather information in the long census questionnaire.

As for its being intrusive, if somebody asked for my background, I am proud of who I am. We’re serving the public and we need to know, even simple things like how many languages are spoken in the town of Richmond Hill. How do we put our services in context with the languages that are spoken? That’s just the simple part of it. When we were doing our official plan, we measured the socio-economic positions of the people of Richmond Hill and used the census.

I read about the census debate in the Star. Sometimes you hear that they [the federal government] are waffling a bit. But it strikes me odd that they [the federal government] chose this as the issue. I haven’t heard anyone say it’s intrusive.

The Canadian Federation of Municipalities have a very close relationship with both levels of government and normally when something like this is happening, they do consult us. I’m surprised that they didn’t and I’m quite disappointed.

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The federal government’s asking us to fly blind into the future – Mayor John Gray, Oshawa

Not having the census will affect us greatly, especially when it comes to land-use planning. We also have an aging baby booming population and many immigrants in our community which we will not have sufficient data on, and thus will have trouble catering to their needs.

We will not really have an idea about the demographics of our populations. When families move into Oshawa, we won’t know how many children they have, how old they are etc. Not only will the school system be affected, it will affect parks, daycare and more.  In terms of further education, universities and colleges use the census in several aspects and they too will now suffer.

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Services needed for new Canadians are different from established communities; long census questionnaire provides that – Mayor Carl Zehr, Kitchener

We rely on the information provided by the census data from year to year and from census to census. Without comparable information, the trend lines could be misconstrued and the data will be lost. It’s not just the matter of one census, but you can lose the data for a period of one or two census, and a lot can change over that time.

We have a large immigrant population and this means that services that are needed for new Canadians are different than the more established communities, so it’s important to know that.

I don’t think that the long census questionnaire is intrusive. The information is confidential and not attributed to individuals; we’re looking for collective information, as I understand it. I was pleased to see that they took away the jail time, however there is the risk that less people will respond to it.

Regrettably the federal government is firm in its position, however at Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ meeting, we will see if there are some changes that we can influence them [the federal government] to make.

The Canadian government will match dollar-for-dollar for eligible donations made by individual Canadians to Canadian registered charities.

Over the weekend, The Honourable John Baird, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, on behalf of the Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, announced that the Government of Canada has established a Pakistan Floods Relief Fund.

“Canadians have shown that they are always ready to help those in need,” said Minister Baird. “In order to support their generosity, our Government will match their contributions dollar for dollar.”

“The Government of Canada will contribute an equivalent amount to the Pakistan Floods Relief Fund for every eligible donation by individual Canadians to Canadian registered charities between August 2 and September 12,” said Minister Oda. “This fund will provide effective and accountable financial support to experienced Canadian and international humanitarian and development partner organizations working on humanitarian assistance, early recovery, and reconstruction efforts in the affected areas.”

“The Harper government finally announced it will match, dollar-for-dollar, funds raised by Canadians to help Pakistan flood relief.  However, there is a catch.”  said MP. Jim Karygiannis.  “The Harper government has put a condition on the plan – it will ‘match dollar-for-dollar every eligible donation by individual Canadians to Canadian registered charities’.  “What about the hundreds of thousands raised by the Canadian Pakistan community. Does this money not matter?”

So far to the Consulate’s knowledge about $550,000 have been fundraised to help flood victims, says Mr. Imran Ali, the Counsel at the Consulate General of Pakistan, Toronto. Apart from monetary donations, various Facebook groups are fund raising to provide relief. Mr. Ali particularly noted the Facebook group called Tents from Toronto which has been quite successful.

The immediate need of flood victims is air transportation, tents, canned food and mineral water, says he says.

In a teleconference last week, Minister Oda acknowledged that “access to many parts of the affected areas” has become challenging since “roads are destroyed,” and bridges have been washed away by flood waters. The destruction of ground transportation is making it difficult to outreach the needy.

While discussions have been going on between the governments of Canada and Pakistan to dispatch Canada’s Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to help bring clean water to the devastated regions, nothing has been decided so far. The Pakistani government is desperately seeking helicopters, even short-winged helicopters to reach people to provide relief.

Canadians have been critical of sluggish Canadian response to floods in Pakistan when compared to earthquakes in Haiti.

Pakistani origin Canadian Senator Salma Ataullahjan says traditionally “it takes longer time [for people] to respond to floods.”

“In Pakistan we’ve functioning government with strong military presence,” Minister Oda says, which is also one of the reasons why the response to floods in Pakistan has been slow when compared to the earthquake in Haiti.

As flood victims urgently need relief,  government of Pakistan’s credibility has also resulted in lesser donations to charitable organizations.

Speaking of corruption allegations on the Pakistani government, Mr. Ali says “That trust deficit is always there where third world countries are concerned.” Most of the aid and assistance is arriving in Pakistan “through the reputable organizations, not necessarily into the coffers of Pakistan but the organizations along with the government,” he added.

Some of the areas stricken by floods were evacuated from the militants and extremists by the efforts of Pakistani Army last year. The international community is wary of the charitable organizations with links to militant organizations providing relief to flood victims.

Anthony Cordesman, who has advised the Obama administration on Afghanistan and Pakistan, said the floods represent “a major opportunity” for Islamist groups to win further influence among people denied government services.

“If it continues, it makes Pakistan more and more vulnerable to extremism,” Cordesman, a leading security expert from the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, told AFP.

Minster Oda says “we’re aware of reports that charitable organizations” not necessarily associated with terrorist organizations “maybe” providing aid and assistance, “that is why Canada is working with its own partners, the organizations we’re familiar with.”

“When someone is dying, any person who is in the closest proximity will provide relief, that is natural,” says Mr. Ali.  “There may be local social milieu providing relief, that is why it is essential that the government of Pakistan and the international community fill the void..to provide relief and rebuild..I’ve spoken to seven or eight organizations who are working right in the middle of the waters and they’ve all told me that there’re no signs of Taliban or any other terrorist organizations working there.”

In the short term, the Canadian government is aware of immediate needs of flood victims. However given the extent of devastation caused by the floods, the Canadian government “will be working with Pakistan and international community to assess the need” for a long term recovery and rebuilding efforts, Minister Oda says.

Given the mistrust Pakistanis have for the American government’s involvement in Pakistan and whether Canadian government would like to get more involved, Minister Oda says “in some areas we [Canada and the US] work together, in some we share information, so we don’t duplicate our efforts.”

She reiterated Canada’s strong partnership with Pakistan in the areas of education, training for teachers, economic growth and good government. However, Minister Oda says Canada always picks an area “where there is a great need” and “Canada’s support can be effective..and we can get real results.”

More than 1,500 people have been killed and over 320 million are affected in Pakistan in the wake of floods. These floods have affected people in all four provinces of Pakistan. Canada known for its humanitarianism has peaked its aid and assistance from initial $ 2 million to up to $ 33 million from the federal government. Another $8 million have been provided by Ontario government.

Author: Asma Amanat

Premier Dalton McGuinty says that some of the refuges on board MV Sun Sea might be “dangerous,” but Canadians owe them decent life in Canada.

“There’re 500 people in that boat, not 5 million,” he said who are looking for “a genuine Canadian response.”

“They despair for their future in their native land, and they are hopeful for their future in this land,” he said.

Some of these Tamil migrants are accused of being Tamil Tigers, however Premier McGuinty says “that might be so. If there are, we will find them out and we will deal with them accordingly.” But as Canadians, he goes on “we owe them [Tamil asylum seekers] an open heart and an open mind.”

A boat full of Tamil migrants has landed on the shores of British Columbia. 492 Tamil migrants have hailed MV Sun Sea to flee Sri Lanka. Before coming to Canada, the boat was refused landing on the shores of Australia.

Acknowledging Canada as “the land of refuge,” Prime Minister Harper expressed security concerns “when a boat full of people..simply lands” outside of due process.

“We will security screen everybody with regard to this,” he said, vowing to strengthen the borders if there is a need.

“It’s a fundamental exercise of sovereignty. We are responsible for the security of our borders and the ability to welcome people or not welcome people when they come,” Mr. Harper added on his recent trip to Mississauga.

“This is definitely not a humanitarian exercise, it is a human smuggling operation linked to the Tamil Tigers,” Chitranganee Wagiswara, Sri Lanka’s high commissioner to Canada, said in an interview.

“The Canadian government should not accept their claims for refugee status. It’s up to the Canadian government to decide, but that (potential links to the Tigers) is an issue that Canada is aware of and should be cautious.”

Taking a jab at the federal government Premier McGuinty said – according to long census form –  100,000 newcomers come to Ontario every year. Another 20,000 come to Ontario as refugees. He emphasized that in next five years, newcomers would be an important part of Ontario’s labour force and Ontario’s economy is benefited by new arrivals to Ontario.

“Stats Canada tells us – because they use a long form census, by the way – Stats Canada tells us that second generation Canadians, that’s children of parents born outside the country, do better in school and stay in school longer and get better jobs and earn more than children of parents who were born here. This tells us that new Canadians are a powerful, positive contributors to the strength of our economy and our society” he said recognizing the contributions of immigrants to Ontario and Canada.

Premier McGuinty was attending iftar dinner at International Muslim Organization, at Etobicoke.

Premier Dalton McGunity expressed his deepest gratitude to his audience at Islamic Muslim Organization (IMP) at Etobicoke on Friday. He was having iftar dinner with more than 350 Muslims.

“Thank you for choosing Ontario and Canada as your home.”

“Thank you for enriching us in every way especially with your traditions, values and culture.”

Premier McGuinty greeted by officials of IMO

Premier Dalton McGuinty

Omar Farook - candidate for Toronto City Council Ward 1

Ontario Minister of Citizenship & Immigration Dr. Eric Hoskins

Premier McGuinty dines with Minister Eric Hoskins, MPP Dr. Qaadri, Omar Farook, MP Kristy Duncan and MP Wrzesnewky

Mindful of families’ presence there, Premier McGuinty thanked parents and grandparents for keeping alive the values and culture that our ancestors try so hard to pass on to their future generations. These values, he said, enriches Ontario and makes it a better place for all Ontarians and Canadians.

Generous with his time, Premier McGuinty recounted what we as Canadians want: education, safe and clean environment, a strong economy that gives jobs to people and peace.

With great pride, he shared with his audience that Ontario Liberal Caucus has four Muslim members that contribute so much to Canada.

Mindful of flood victims in Pakistan, Mr. McGuinty applauded IMO’s efforts to fundraise for Pakistanis in their dire need. McGuinty government has donated an additional $800,000 to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, bringing the total donated to $1 million.

Ontario Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Dr. Eric Hoskins, MPP Dr. Shafiq Qaadri, MP Kristy Duncan and MP Boris Wrzesnewskyj were also present at the event.

Just like police officers across the country, I have deep respect for RCMP Chief Supt. Marty Cheliak. His work as Director General of the Canadian Firearms Program, which oversees the gun registry, has been vitally important to public safety in this country. He is credited with significantly improving the program’s efficiency, winning him deserved praise and respect from police chiefs and frontline officers alike.

The Harper Conservatives, who want to kill the gun registry, have shoved Chief Supt. Cheliak out of a job he excelled at. Threatened by Chief Supt. Cheliak’s success at using the gun registry to protect frontline police officers from gun violence, he is now just the latest in a long line of victims of the Harper Conservative’s dangerous ideology. Just like the Victims Ombudsman, our Head Statistician, the Military Public Complaints Commissioner, the RCMP Public Complaints Commissioner, the Nuclear Safety Regulator, Diplomat Richard Colvin and anyone else who disagrees with them, Chief Supt. Cheliak was tossed aside because he chose to uphold facts and truth.

As an MP, you get to know these people, how dedicated they are, how well they do their jobs and how important their work is to Canada. The fact that they are being fired or marginalized because they refuse to regurgitate talking points they disagree with is deeply disturbing.

Dissent is vital to democracy. Shutting down independent voices and experts while shunning facts threatens our democracy. People like Chief Supt. Marty Cheliak tell it like it is and challenge false assertions, whether they’re made by the Harper government or anyone else.  Whether convenient or not, we must listen to these voices to have a healthy country.

Canada’s 400 Police Chiefs and 150 police associations elected to represent front line officers overwhelmingly support the gun registry. Paediatricians, ER workers, Paramedics, nurses, doctors, bar associations and victims groups say the registry saves lives. Meanwhile, the RCMP tells us that killing the registry will only save 4 million dollars a year.

My grandfather was a hunter. I grew up firing a gun. I don’t hate guns any more than I hate cars, because I believe in registering them both. You must register your car, your boat, even your dog – so why not register your gun. You can do it for free and the process is simple.

Go up to an officer and ask them about the registry, about how they use it.  A vast majority will agree that it is a tool that helps keep our community safe and saves lives. I can’t think of another tool in policing that has such near unanimous support – yet the Conservatives want to kill it so they can drive a wedge between rural and urban Canada.

RCMP Chief Supt. Marty Cheliak knew this. He knows this program inside and out, better than anyone else, and he knows just how important it is to public safety. These are all reasons why he got targeted for removal, and it fits with the Harper Conservative pattern. When confronted with information proving that they are wrong, Conservatives fire, remove or personally attack the source. They never consider that they might be wrong.

The Liberal party is united in support of the registry, and have committed to improving it. Now it is up the NDP, whose votes will decide if the registry is killed or saved. The NDP says they don’t decide as a caucus how to vote for private members bills – but it’s as plain as day that the bill to kill the gun registry is a government bill masquerading as a private members bill. Either the NDP believes in effective gun control and backing up our police, or they don’t.  Which is it going to be Jack?

There aren’t many black and white issues in politics – but this is one. Killing the registry is dead wrong and we need all hands on deck to save it. The Conservatives know they are losing the battle, that’s why they refused to allow a vote in June and that’s why they’re silencing voices like Chief Supt. Marty Cheliak. Let’s make sure they don’t get away with it.

Mark Holland is the MP for Ajax-Pickering and the Liberal Critic for Public Safety and National Security

Since mid-June, over 50 civilians, many of them teenagers, have been killed in clashes between stone-pelting protesters and police in the streets of Srinagar and other towns in Kashmir. This could pose a serious threat to peace in South Asia. India needs to address both the domestic alienation in Kashmir and its 60-year-old dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir’s future, issues it has rarely before tried to deal with at the same time. The United States can play a useful but very limited role in this dangerous drama.

Reports out of Kashmir have focused on the novel features of this latest episode in a problem that goes back to the 1947 partition of India. The angry and alienated young protesters have no apparent leaders. Politicians heading the groups that have called for Kashmir’s secession from India have for the most part been sidelined. The youths in the streets have been radicalized politically. This is a different phenomenon from the two-decades-long religious radicalization of Kashmiris alienated from India, but the two kinds of intensity reinforce each other. Many of these young men have an education but despair of finding jobs. They see in the continued heavy-handed presence of Indian security forces, ineffective government, and dismal economic and political prospects the frustration of their hopes for a normal future.

In contrast to past outbursts, there is as yet little clear evidence of a significant Pakistani hand in the violence, though Islamabad’s intelligence agencies will surely be tempted to fish once again in troubled Kashmiri waters. The protesters’ violence has been largely confined to stone throwing. It has not included the deadly terrorist attacks by armed and trained militants that have been features of earlier Kashmiri confrontations.

The danger in this situation is all too familiar. The street clashes could easily lead again to the destructive cycle of action and reaction that has made Kashmir one of the world’s most threatening “frozen conflicts” and has led repeatedly to armed confrontations between two nuclear-armed neighbors.

What today’s crisis calls for starts with a major Indian push to create a healthy relationship between India and the badly alienated Kashmiris. An eloquent August 10 speech by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh could be the first step in such a campaign. Singh spoke with a sympathy and candor unusual for an Indian leader about the “anger and frustration that is bringing young people out on the streets of Kashmir.” He promised a “new beginning,” including both political dialogue and a major push for jobs and economic development that would address the emotional needs of the people of Kashmir. He asked them “to give peace a chance.”

Singh’s remarks were constructive, but most Kashmiris gave them a frosty reception. Hence the second element in a serious initiative: speedy implementation of his promises for economic development and political openness. Implementation has been the Achilles’ heel of previous initiatives. The Indian government will need to act with unprecedented urgency if it is to have any hope of moving forward. Its task will not be easy. Kashmiris are mindful of the “Catch 22” that has often shaped New Delhi’s policy. When the state is in an uproar, India refuses to make concessions under pressure of violence; when the agitation subsides, it contends that there is no longer a problem that requires solving. And public opinion in Kashmir is not running in India’s favor: a May 2010 Chatham House poll confirmed that a large majority of the population in the areas affected by the protests prefer independence to continuing Indian rule. (Almost none wanted to join Pakistan.)

A third ingredient is also essential: to make it worth Pakistan’s while to refrain from sabotaging India’s domestic initiative. This would be a tall order under any circumstances. With Pakistan beset by floods, as well as underlying political and security problems, a peacemaking breakthrough is probably out of reach. But neither Kashmir’s politicians nor its young protesters will take seriously an Indian initiative that does not include some kind of engagement with Pakistan.

The short-term objective, then, would be a formula for preventing escalation, both within Kashmir and between India and Pakistan. To work out the details, India and Pakistan should resume back-channel talks like those that were interrupted by the Mumbai attacks in 2008. Such a setting, insulated from the glare of publicity, has in the past had the best chance of results. India has been reluctant to restart the talks, but given the importance of the stakes, it should look on them as a means of accomplishing the prime minister’s goals.

The Obama administration should avoid any major diplomatic engagement on the Kashmir issue at this point. New Delhi has consistently opposed any outside intervention on Kashmir, and it would particularly resent a U.S. initiative at a time when developments in the state have caused it serious political embarrassment. But Washington should quietly encourage the Indians to implement the sensible approach Prime Minister Singh has announced. More importantly, it should reassert strongly to the Pakistanis the importance of their avoiding meddling in the troubles Kashmir now faces. Pakistani involvement in the street protests would make the situation worse, not least for the people of Kashmir itself. Pakistan’s restraint now is an essential step toward the longer-term resolution of its chronic insecurity vis-à-vis India.

Howard B. Schaffer is senior counselor at the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Teresita C. Schaffer is director of the South Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, also in Washington. Both are retired U.S. ambassadors with long service in South Asia.

By: Howard B. Schaffer & Teresita C. Schaffer

This is a different voice from the usual All Parties Hurriyat Conference call for an immediate solution or from the rhetoric of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of Mehbooba Mufti. This is the cry of post-insurgency youth, born after 1989 when militancy crept into an otherwise quiet scene.

This is violent in the sense that the protesters pelt stones, but different because they have not taken arms from Pakistan as the militants had apparently done. Nor have they any ‘top contacts’.

This angry, amorphous force has no defined leadership. The baton of the movement is in the hands of the new generation. What binds them together is the anger against the establishment in Srinagar and in Delhi.

It is not correct to say that hard-liner Syed Ali Shah Geelani is their leader. He sees to it that he is not out of step with them. Yet when he tried to convert them into non-violent protesters he failed. The pelting of stones is their way of saying that they do not agree to the various formulas which have been presented for the solution of the Kashmir issue.

Both Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah have failed to understand the ethos of the movement. The Indian prime minister’s willingness to talk to all sections or individuals in Kashmir, as he has said, is a shot in the dark. He has no machinery to reach them. His dependence on the same old apparatus and individuals will yield no results. They are not relevant in the present situation. His thinking has to be out-of-the-box.

In the same manner, Omar Abdullah’s offer to create 50,000 jobs to engage the youth is too late. He should have done so when he came to power after free elections. The youth movement has no economic agenda. It is a revolt against the entire system. Moreover, the economic package has become a joke because very little is delivered after making tall promises.

To understand the situation, two things should be kept in mind. One, there is no Pakistani hand. Two, the movement has nothing to do with the militants. The movement is not pre-planned. Had it been so, it would not have taken a dangerous shape during the current tourist season which yields income to Kashmir for one full year.

It is a spontaneous movement. It started with the killing of teenager Tufail Ahmed Mattoo on June 11. He was a student and not part of the procession which was throwing stones at the Central Reserve Police Force. Mattoo was killed by a tear-gas shell. Everything else followed.

One incident ignited the other and in no time the entire valley was engulfed by young protesters. No party took part in organising the agitation. They jumped into the arena after the event, not before. The youth is listening to them but keep their own counsel.

Anger against Omar Abdullah was the focus of their helplessness. The shoe-throwing incident at the flag-hoisting ceremony on India’s independence day was a form of protest. The confession of the policeman who threw the shoe was: “I did it because of my affection for my people who are being killed every day. I was beaten up in custody and won’t accept anything under duress. They [the police] want me to name PDP or Hurriyat leaders for that.”

This speaks volumes for the repressive methods of the police. What is disconcerting is that the shoe was thrown from a seat in the VVIP row, putting a question mark against the sympathy of even high officials and civil society members.

Mehbooba Mufti’s PDP is a supporter of the movement. She is a problem, not the solution. Her ambition is power. She wants to step in if and when the Congress party parts company with Omar Abdullah’s National Conference and picks up PDP to run the disputed territory. Manmohan Singh should know this.

However, such machinations on the part of politicians have been the bane of Kashmir. By and large, the politicians and their furtive ways are responsible for all that is happening there. Today all political formations — including the Hurriyat — are irrelevant because the angry youth do not have faith in them or their methods.

The vague, undefined leadership that has surfaced is radical and Islamist. It is Naxalism of sorts, with a pronounced religious slant. Yasin Malik, who is in jail, is respected but how far he can influence the movement has yet to be seen because he is against fundamentalism.

One woman journalist, a Muslim, told me from Srinagar that what was emerging was going to throttle gasping Kashmiriyat, a secular way of life.

Both India and Pakistan have not calculated the fallout the movement can have in their countries. India is too overwhelmed and is clueless. Pakistan feels happy that ‘the enemy’ is in the midst of real trouble. But the movement is something which should force the two to sit together for a sober assessment.

This only underlines the urgency of the need for a solution in Kashmir. Manmohan Singh has said that he is ready for it. This has also been the view of the Pakistani leadership.

I know that talks are going on between New Delhi and Srinagar through the back channel. But the main party consists of the Kashmiris. The sooner they are involved the better it would be for peace in the valley. But the Kashmiri youth, however justified in venting their anger, do not realise that none in India and probably Pakistan would agree to a fundamentalist, sovereign Kashmir on their border.

Author: Kuldip Nayar