The results of inquests and inquiries into police violence often end up excusing and entrenching oppressive institutions. Worse still, policymakers simply ignore their recommendations completely. Canadian Dimension spoke with Sherene H. Razack, Distinguished Professor in Women’s Studies at the University of California at Los Angeles, about the function of inquests and inquiries in a settler colonial society.

Canadians own the biggest retail network in Canada: Canada Post. Imagine if those locations could drive a post-carbon, post-COVID transition. Imagine if each of those locations were retrofitted for energy efficiency including solar panels. Every delivery vehicle was electric and there was a network of charging stations from coast to coast to coast, supporting them and the needs of our communities by providing public charging stations.

The end of apartheid in South Africa brought about an unfortunate political amnesia within Canadian society. In those critical years when the imposition of sanctions against South Africa was being vigorously debated, the South African lobby was receiving support from a wide range of Canada’s economic and political elite. Today, it is as if those debates never happened. It is almost as if everyone had been on the same side all along.

Those who do wear masks may have trouble appreciating the degree of alienation experienced by people engaging in dangerous behaviour. Business owners will continue to promote conspiracy theories to try to open the economy. Notwithstanding these challenges, a critical recognition of both science and power will not only help stop COVID-19 but also make us more resilient in the face of the next crisis.

The Ontario government first adopted the IHRA definition by introducing Bill 168, and then through an order in council on October 26. Though the rise of hate crimes against Jewish people have led many to call for such legislation, the main issue critics raise with the IHRA’s 38-word definition of anti-Semitism is that it shuts down criticism of Israel while undermining anti-racism and decolonization initiatives.

Jason Kenney is beset with woes—woes he believes are caused by everyone else but himself. So called zealots and urban militants lost Kenney his precious Teck mine. Trudeau is to blame for the Keystone XL pipeline’s second death. And Albertans are to blame for high rates of COVID-19. The reality is the only person to blame for Alberta’s economic and social woes is the person in charge—Jason Kenney.

Recently, Canadian officials have been publicly critical of Venezuela’s position regarding its territorial dispute with Guyana, all while laying the groundwork for dozens of partnerships between Canadian and Guyanese private sector organizations in the oil and gas sector. Why is Canada pushing Guyana, an impoverished nation of 800,000 people, into conflict with Venezuela while helping multinational corporations grab its oil?

Like so many aspects of this pandemic, the vaccine shortage is a clear example of how the private sector has failed to protect us during a crisis. Rather than setting its own priorities and running its own program, the Canadian government continues to chase companies such as Pfizer—which no democratic government controls. We see the results now, as health authorities cancel vaccine appointments and new cases surge across the country.

Ed’s accomplishments were many and significant: reporter, principled newspaper editor, first provincial NDP leader in Canada, ghost writer of the English-Canadian left, and, especially, a person of unimpeachable integrity and principle. And that is the most important thing: while all of us at the CCPA marveled at his abilities and prodigious productivity, what marked us most was his kindness, patience, honesty, and integrity.

For Canada to ratify OPCAT, or introduce any oversight over federal institutions, would need to go hand-in-hand with the introduction of national standards, against which Canada’s compliance can be measured. Yet, the foot-dragging of Canadian legislators on the issue of torture prevention has received little coverage. As a result there is a lack of public awareness of the effects that this international law might have across different sectors of society.