Program Title: (Sept 17) Headlines from CKUT's Community News Collective
Description: It's Wednesday September the 17th, and these are some of the week's headlines from CKUT's Community News Collective in Montreal.

"Official documents obtained under the Privacy Act indicate that Mr.
Abdelrazik, a Canadian citizen, was incarcerated in Sudan on the
request of Canadian officials. While in prison in December 2003, he
was interrogated by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS),
despite Canadian doubts about Sudan's human rights record. Mr.
Abdelrazik was held without charge and eventually released by Sudan.
Since his release in July 2006, the Canadian government has obstructed
every effort to bring him home to Canada. September 2th, 2008,
Montrealers staged a demonstration demanding he be returned home.

'For the last six months, they have been saying, "oh, yes, we recognize
that he's a Canadian citizen and we are compelled by law to give him a
travel document so that he can return home, but they haven't done it.'"

****

"In cities across the country Saturday, activists called on the Canadian government to provide refuge to US soldiers who fled from the US to avoid fighting in Iraq.

Demonstators marched in front of federal government offices at the Complexe Guy-Favreau in downtown Montreal.

It was one of about twenty actions that took place across the country opposing the deportation of Iraq war resisters like Jeremy Hinzman, who must leave the country with his family by September 23rd.

Matt Jones, from the anti-war group Echec a la Guerre spoke to CKUT at the rally on Saturday.

'This is a way for us, not being in the United States, to participate and to give a helping hand a bit to the American anti-war movement. Because if ever this law was passed, that resisters were allowed to be here, it would be a huge blow to the American military and their ability to fight a war."

In the US, war deserters face punishment by court marshall, including a possible jail term and a dishonourable discharge.

****

On Saturday, downtown Montreal was also the site of the 2nd annual protest to pressure the Canadian government to adopt the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples.

This comes one year after The UN General Assembly adopted the non-binding declaration.

"The rights recognized in the Declaration are considered by signatories as the [quote] "minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of the indigenous peoples of the world".

Only four member states voted against the declaration – Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

In April of this year, the Canadian Government took the same position against the Draft American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The government stated that it would no longer actively participate in negotiations.

CKUT spoke to Melanie Lumston, one of the organizers of the Montreal demonstration.

"Do you think these countries should be held accountable for what they’ve done?

Yes they should, and they should admit what they’ve done, and they should try to organize and create programs to help the First Nations, and also they should give more autonomy to the First Nations people in Canada."

****

"Undergraduates employed at McGill University began unionizing last week.

Thursday, September 11th marked the official launch of the new union, called the Association of McGill University Student Employees -- or AMUSE.

Organizers are trying to get thirty-five percent of McGill's undergrad workers to sign up.

They need thirty-five percent before Quebec's Labour Board will hold a referendum, which will decide whether or not the students unionize.

If they do, McGill University will be forced to negotiate with AMUSE.

Organizers would not say what their specific demands will be when and if they unionize, saying that they will leave that to the members.

However, they take issue with the lack of written contracts and the casual status of student-employees.

Max Silverman, an organizer for AMUSE, spoke to CKUT last Thursday:

"In terms of things we've been hearing, on the ground, I mean, the two biggest ones are the lack of contracts that people have and the casual status that almost every single undergraduate worker has. What this means is that, as a casual worker, you're very much at the whim of the university, of your supervisor. For no reason, with no explanation or anything like that, you could be fired."

The McGill local would be affiliated with the Public Service Alliance of Canada, one of the largest unions in Canada.

****

In the Gaza strip, Israel continues to deny more than 400 university students exit visas for studies abroad.

Among them is a student accepted at Toronto’s Ryerson University.

Several others intent to enrol in Canadian universities.

Mark Regev, spokesperson for the Israeli prime minister's office, cited alleged security threats as a reason for the government’s decision.

More recently, the Israel Broadcasting Authority has refused to accept paid advertisements against the decision, in which famous Israelis call on the government to allow the students to pursue education elsewhere.

And those are some of the week's headlines from CKUT's Community News Collective in Montreal.

Thanks this week to Phil Stillman, David Koch, and Laurin Liu. I'm Chesley Walsh.

To contact us, email headlines@ckut.ca or call 514-448-4041 extension 6788.

Host(s): Chesley Walsh
Featured Speakers/Guests:

Credits: Chesley Walsh, David Koch, Phil Stillman, and Laurin Liu

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Topic: News Type: News Reports

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