Monthly Archives: February 2017

Talking ‘Islamophobia’ with Liberal MP Jol Lightbound – Macleans.ca

Posted: February 20, 2017 at 7:44 pm

Thousands of Canadians took part in a massive protest against President Trumps travel ban on Muslims during the National Day of Action against Islamophobia and White Supremacy in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on February 04, 2017. (Creative Touch Imaging Ltd./NurPhoto/Getty Images)

Jol Lightbound didnt much want to talk with me last Friday afternoon. But the rookie Liberal MP happened to be on duty in the House, after most MPs have headed home for the weekend, and he agreed to step out of the mostly empty chamber into the almost entirely empty foyer of the Commons. When I told him I wanted to ask him questions about what he had experienced since six Muslim men were shot dead in his riding on Jan. 29, while they were praying in the mosque called the Centre Culturel Islamique de Quebec, Lightbound replied in a flat, fatigued voice that he was sick of talking about it.

We sat down anyway on a stone bench in an alcove off a nearby hallway. Lightbound is a good talker. Everybody had seen that in his TV interviews outside the mosque after the shooting. And he again stood out in the often bitter debate in the House this past week over whats called Motion 103, introduced by Liberal MP Iqra Khalid to condemn Islamophobia and all forms of systemic racism and religious discrimination. Many Conservatives opposed the motion on the grounds that the word Islamophobia isnt well defined, and thus the motion might somehow stifle legitimate criticism of Islamic extremism.

RELATED: Liberal MPs, Muslim community face verbal attacks over M-103

Lightbound was first elected MP for the Louis-Hbert riding in 2015. He was born in Toronto, but grew up in Sainte-Foy, where he returned to try his hand at politics following a stint working at the Montral firm Fasken Martineau DuMoulin, after he graduated from McGill Universitys law school. This is our conversation, edited for length and clarity:

I think its been for me the most challenging weeks of my life. Thats for sure. Not only was our community as a whole in Quebec City, and my riding, affected, I was affected personally. I have friends who go to the mosque; my very good friends mother left 30 minutes before the shooting. So just the shock of it, not just as a politician, but as a human being. It was it was a big shock. And having to deal with all that comes with it. As a politician it was also a challenge for sure.

I think Quebec City, if you look at the statistics, is not as diverse as metropolitan areas like Montreal or Toronto, for instance. But there are neighborhoods, and if you look, youll find that there is great diversity. In my neighborhood where I grew up it was particularly evident. I was raised in an apartment buildingand this is something I said in the Housewith Bosnians, with Muslim friends, Arabs, Asians. So it was very diverse. It was like the UN, my apartment building where I grew up.

Well, I think, on the one hand, I was very pleased by the reaction in my immediate region and in my community. I think weve seen an outpouring of support and solidarity, and people starting to talk to one another and reaching out to one another and focusing on the humanity that unites us, instead of that differences sometimes we get distracted by. Weve seen the vigilsthousands and thousands of people. In my office, weve received countless messages and phone calls of solidarity for the community. So this has been this has been very pleasing to see. Regardless of perhaps the tone of the debate that weve had in the House this week, I still think that some light might shine out of all of this.

RELATED: The Tories approach a point of no return

I was surprised and saddened to some extent that weve had this debate this week in the house about a motion which should have garnered the support of all members, just like it did back in October when the House unanimously condemned Islamophobia. And what sickens me most is there has been such misinformation spread about this motion, which is not a bill and does not restrict free speech. Its more of a symbolic gesture than anything else. I thought for once that we might unite than not have anyone try to use this for political purposes. I think this should rise way above partisan politics.

For sure. In a country where free speech is enshrined in the Charter, we can always have these debates, so long as theyve done in a responsible manner or not so as to spread fear, intolerance, and hatred. The motion isnt in any way, shape or form restricting free speech. So I fail to see why weve had this big argument.

RELATED: In Quebec City, a moment of painful truth

Well, I think for the Muslims in my community and my Muslim friends, theyve told me about this way before Jan. 29, 2017. So this event in Quebec City was a tragedy that occurred, but the problems that theyre facing, they faced for years. What theyve observed is that theyve kind of been taken hostage by a minority who claim to be acting on behalf of Islam but are not. A lot of generalizations have been pushed, sometimes by mainstream media, sometimes on social media, sometimes by politicians. Theyve seen the world change around them for the worse over the years. I think it probably started on 9/11. Weve had all sorts of incidents happen around the world and weve been fed easy answers to complex questions.

When I was thinking about this whole event, and how I think there has been a climate where Muslims face growing ostracization and stigmatization, I reflected on when I was a kid. We didnt see Muslims. We didnt perceive them as such. We saw our friends, our coach, our neighbours. And I think there is a collective reflection to be had on what kind of prejudices weve allowed to take hold within us. The majority of the population is open and tolerant, but we have were not immune to these feelings which weve observed around the western world. Yes, in the U.S., but around the western world.

No. I think for the most part, we won on these values. Prime Minister Trudeau has always been very adamant in his defense of openness and pluralism and tolerance, and we won a majority government. And I think the NDP shares the same values. I can speak for my generation. Im a millennial, and I can see from the support that I get from millennials across Quebec, I think we share an openness to the world.

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Talking 'Islamophobia' with Liberal MP Jol Lightbound - Macleans.ca

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PH up by 12 notches in Economic Freedom Index 2017 ranking | SunStar – Sun.Star

Posted: at 7:44 pm

PH up by 12 notches in Economic Freedom Index 2017 ranking | SunStar
Sun.Star
Meanwhile, the new indicators (Fiscal Health and Judicial Effectiveness) placed the country in 26th and 110th rank, respectively. The Heritage Foundation and Wall Street Journal lauded the Philippines' notable economic growth amid challenging global ...

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Oklahoma bill could strip city LGBT protections not outlined by the state – KOKI FOX 23

Posted: at 7:44 pm

by: Greg Brown Updated: Feb 20, 2017 - 6:09 PM

OKLAHOMA CITY - Quick facts:

Groups across the Sooner State fear an Oklahoma bill that could stripLGBTprotectionsacross the Sooner State as it moves one step closer to becoming law.

Senate Bill 694 bans cities from offering more protections for LGBT folks than the state offers.

If the bill passes, Tulsa's Fair Housing Act that stops landlords from denying housing to LGBTQ people would become illegal.

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The Tulsa city council added the act in April 2015after the local LGBT community asked for an equal housing ordinance for more than 40 years.

The bill, written by State Senator Josh Brecheen (R-District 6), would also affect non-discrimination ordinances in Oklahoma City and Norman.

Freedom Oklahoma executive director Troy Stevenson released a statement on the bill Monday:

"The currentassault on the LGBTQ community by a handful of bigoted zealots under the dome at 23rd and Lincoln is a stain upon our state and anembarrassment to every fair-minded Oklahoman. Freedom Oklahoma and our allies will spare noexpense to stop this bigotry in its tracks. We will not allow our community to be used as a distraction from Oklahoma's fiscal crisis, and we will fight to our last breath to prove that Oklahoma is a state that doesn't hate. Senators Silk and Brecheen are out of touch with the Oklahoma Standard, and their agenda of biasanddiscrimination will not be allowed to move forward."

Toby Jenkins, executive director of Oklahomans for Equality, also released a response to the bill:

"Oklahoma State Senator Brecheen's Senate Bill 694 is discrimination. He admits it is, but does not want it called discrimination, because that means it comes from a place of hate. He wants the LGBTQ community to believe his desire to strip municipalities' and county-elected officials' power to enact anti-discrimination ordinances is an act of love. Local municipal and county leaders across the state are working to create inclusive and welcoming cities and counties, because the state senators and representatives refuse to make it unlawful to discriminate against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer people. Senator Brecheen is saying loud and clear, 'Tulsa, you are not being mean enough to your gay and transgender people.' Oklahomans for Equality will oppose Senate Bill 694 and hope our elected officials will condemn any bill that strips their authority."

The bill now heads to the full senate for a vote.

Brecheen is also a co-author of another senate bill that some fear could affect LGBT rights in the state.

Senate Bill 197, authored by State Senator Joseph Silk (R-District 5),would allow individuals to refuse "any services, accommodations, advantages, facilities, goods or privileges used in a marriage ceremony or celebration of a specific lifestyle or behavior" they believe contradicts their "sincerely held religious beliefs or conscience."

Freedom Oklahoma described that bill as "worse than HB 2 in North Carolina," referring to the controversial bathroom bill there.

Children burned in Chouteau fire to be treated in Galveston

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Oklahoma bill could strip city LGBT protections not outlined by the state - KOKI FOX 23

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Sri Lanka’s govt. integrity, economic freedom deteriorate – Daily Mirror

Posted: at 7:44 pm

By Chandeepa Wettasinghe Sri Lanka slipped down to the Mostly Unfree country territory this year in the Index of Economic Freedom, with the lack of government integrity being the only contributor towards the slip in both the ranking and the score. The perceived level of corruption is debilitating, the US-based Heritage Foundation, which compiles the index, said. Sri Lanka slipped to the 112th place from the 93rd place last year, while the country score, which had increased to 59.9 out of 100 in 2016, just 0.1 below a Moderately Free country, declined to 57.4 this year, recording a 6 year low, since 57.1 recorded in 2011. A score below 50 indicates a Repressed country, while a score above 70 denotes a Mostly Free country, and above 80 is classified as Free. Under the rule of law category, the score for property rights increased to 48 in 2017 from 40 in the last year even though the Heritage Foundation noted, investors claim that protection could be flimsy. The unity government, which came to power in 2015, had attracted greater rankings on government integrity, reaching up to 39 in 2016, before nose-diving to 30 this year, matching the lowest levels of 1995 and 1996. Global corruption watchdog, Transparency International, too in its Corruption Perception Index recently pointed out the increasing threats to transparency in Sri Lanka under the current government. However, government ministers claim there is a gap between their good work and the communication of their endeavors to the public. The current government had come to power promising to eliminate corruption, on a wide platform of good governance and transparency. However, many stakeholders are now contradicting the publicly announced policies with the policies formulated in secrecy. The countrys government securities market was also shaken through insider deals allegedly connected to a Central Bank Governor appointed by the unity government, for which action has been slow. Judicial effectiveness for this year was recorded at 48.3. Meanwhile, Sri Lankas tax burden was considered as free, with a score of 85.3, up from 85.1 YoY, despite the increases in taxation legislated in late 2016. Government spending too fared well, increasing to 90.2 from 90.0 YoY continuing an upward trend, despite cuts witnessed in expenditure in 2016 to bring the budget deficit. Fiscal health however, recorded at 31.2. Regulatory efficiencies recorded all-around improvements in 2017, with business freedom increasing to 72.8 from 70.3 YoY, labour freedom increasing to 57.5 from 56.5 YoY and monetary freedom increasing to 76 from 71.5 YoY.

The business start-up process has been streamlined, and the number of licensing requirements has been reduced, the Heritage Foundation said, but noted that labour market lacks efficiency. Sri Lankas commitment towards open markets remained relatively unchanged, with only trade freedom increasing to 74.5 from 72.4 YoY, while investment freedom and financial freedom remaining stagnant at 35.0 and 40.0, respectively. Sri Lanka ranked 25th in the entire Asia Pacific region, while China ranked 24th, Bangladesh 28th, Pakistan 32nd, India 33rd and Vietnam 35th. Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand and Australia were ranked in the top 5 both in Asia Pacific as well as in the World. Switzerland managed to edge out Australia by ranking 4th in the world, while Taiwan filled up the 5th position in Asia Pacific.

Sri Lanka's govt. integrity, economic freedom deteriorate - Daily Mirror

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Team Wellington look to crowdfund $25000 Oceania Champions League shortfall – Stuff.co.nz

Posted: at 7:40 pm

LIAM HYSLOP

Last updated00:18, February 21 2017

JOHN HAWKINS/FAIRFAX NZ

Southern United's Andy Mulligan challenges Leo Villa of Team Wellington during the Football match at Rugby Park in Invercargill on Sunday.

Team Wellington need $25,000 to cover an Oceania Champions League budget shortfall, just six days before their first match of the competition.

Club chairman Peter Chote wrote on the club's website on Monday asking for people to buy aTeam Wellington First XI Membership, costing $2200 each.

That would cover the shortfall, which makes up about 20 per cent of the total cost of taking 25 players and staff to Kone, New Caledonia for nine days from this Friday.

MARTY MELVILLE/PHOTOSPORT

Team Wellington's Guillermo Moretti (right) celebrates a goal with team-mates Tom Jackson (left) and Nicolas Zambrano earlier in the season.

Chote said it wasn't a matter of missing the tournament, which has the carrot of a spot at the Club World Cup for the winner,if they couldn't find the money.

READ MORE: *Early Wellington blitz hurts Southern *HBU hammer Wee Nix *City beat Wanderers, again

"We're going, we leave on Friday. There's no chance that I'm aware of that we won't be going,but we do need the support of the local football community and that's effectively what we're asking for.

"There are people that can help us and there are people that can't and even if the people that can't send it to people that might be able to then it all helps.

"We're not trying to make money out of this, we're just trying to deliver a balanced budget."

All 11 of the memberships will get a 2017-18 Wellington Phoenix season pass, two Team Wellington season passes and a Team Wellington playing shirt.

If Team Wellington qualify for the Club World Cup, then one of the members will be drawn to accompany the team to the tournament, including return business class airfares and a hotel stay. If the club do not make it, then the person drawn will have their $2200 refunded.

Team Wellington receivefinancial support fromOceania Football in the form of payingtheir return airfares to New Caledonia. They receive no funding from New Zealand Football.

The three games they play in Koneis just the group stage, with two more away trips possible if they make it to the semifinals and finals as this year's format features home and away legs for the knockout stages.

Funding this competition presented unique challenges, Chote said.

"The problem is that the domestic competition is affordable. The O-League is very difficult because you can't get community trust support for overseas events, you don't know from one minute to the next how much it's going to cost you.

"At the end of the day we'll fundit somehow and repay it somehow. That's what we've done over the last three years."

For the franchise to see any financial benefit they not only need to win the OCL, but they then need to do well at the Club World Cup, Chote said.

"For it to be of any financial benefit for the franchise you've really got to win a game at the Club World Cup and that's a big ask.

"What intrigues me is that if you get to the Club World Cup then NewZealandFootball does benefit, but they don't invest. They would say they invest by making the national league affordable."

Team Wellington start their OCL campaign on Saturday against Cook Islands team Puaikura. They then play New Caledonia's Hienghene Sportbefore taking on Fijian side Ba on March 4.

Team Wellington made it to the final last year before losing to Auckland City.

-Stuff

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Team Wellington look to crowdfund $25000 Oceania Champions League shortfall - Stuff.co.nz

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Another open Oceania Rocket League comp kicks off soon – Gameplanet

Posted: at 7:40 pm

Digital storage company Seagate Technology is running an Oceania Rocket League competition that kicks off next month.

The Seagate FireCuda Cup will consist of three divisions professional, main, and amateur with a prize pool more than AU$5000 plus product prizes from sponsors.

In addition to the championship titles, prizes and awards will be on offer for the best plays including best goals and best saves.

These top highlights will be shared in videos through @SeagateANZ on Twitter.

Qualifiers are tomorrow night (February 22) at 9pm, and will be hosted by CyberGamer.

The top 8 teams of the region will be selected for the Professional division (prize pool AU$3200), and the following 8 will be invited to the Main division (prize pool AU$1300).

Entry to the Amateur division, which has a prize pool of AU$700, is open to all.

You can register here, but everyone in your team needs a CyberGamer Premium Subscription, which start from AU$12.50 a month.

The season commences on March 1 and runs for seven weeks, with finals taking place April 19.

Matches will be held Wednesday nights from 9pm, and will be streamed live on the official Twitch channel.

"The FireCuda Cup represents the exciting elements of the FireCuda SSHD itself - high speed, allowing excellent gameplay and the best saves," said Seagate.

For more information, head to CyberGamer.

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Another open Oceania Rocket League comp kicks off soon - Gameplanet

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Oceania Cruises offers six new itineraries to Cuba – Cruise and Ferry

Posted: at 7:40 pm

Oceania Cruises Insignia is to sail an additional six cruises from PortMiami to Cuba in November and December 2017.

Ranging from six to thirteen days with departures, these voyages will take guests to Havana and will also include the lines first calls to Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba. All voyages and excursions will fully comply with existing U.S. Federal Regulations and the most recent pronouncements from the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Department of the Treasury.

There is tremendous demand from consumers for voyages to Cuba and our inaugural voyages to the island have been a sell-out success, said Bob Binder, president and CEO of Oceania Cruises. An Oceania Cruises voyage is the best way to experience all Cuba has to offer with nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites, warm and welcoming people and a burgeoning culinary scene.

Highlights in Havana will include visits to Old Havana, the Capitolio Nacional, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes and old cigar factories. Meanwhile in Cienfuegos, guests will be able to see neoclassical architecture, visit Palacio de Valle, Punta Gorda, enjoy performances by local artists at Teatro Terry of head to Trinidad, a colonial town recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site. In Santiago de Cuba they can tour Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca and the Cementerio Santa Ifigenia.

Onboard the 684-guest Insignia, travellers will be able to enjoy international cuisine and Cuban-inspired dishes, and attend expert lectures to learn more about Cuban history, art and music.

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Asia Oceania Floorball holds annual meeting in Wellington – Insidethegames.biz

Posted: at 7:40 pm

The Asia Oceania Floorball Confederation (AOFC) held their Annual Meeting in Wellington in New Zealand during the recent Women's World Floorball Championship qualification event.

Nine countries were represented at the meeting as they discussed future regional competitions, membership and development of the sport in the area.

The Asia Oceania region has shown strong growth over recent years, with a steady increase in the number of member countries.

With the membership of China and Hong Kong confirmed by the International Floorball Federation (IFF) central board in 2016, both these countries were also accepted to the AOFC, bringing the current number of members to 15.

Floorball has successfully been a part of the South East Asia Games in the past and there is an opportunity for it to be part of many other multi-sport events in Asia.

The AOFC Competition committee is working to secure participation once again in the South East Asia Games, but also in both the Asian Games and Asian Indoor Games.

They will also introduce a new tournament of their own, the AOFC Cup, which will be held in Thailand for the first time in June.

The hosts for future World Floorball Championships qualification events was also discussed during the meeting.

A provisional plan saw the 2018 men's tournament go to South Korea while the women's competition in 2019 is due to be held in one of Thailand, the Philippines or China with a confirmed host to be announced at a later date.

Referee, coaching and development seminars are also planned over the coming year, as well as the consideration of the future employment of a full-time development officer.

It was also announced that Yoshino Takanobu will be awarded with the IFF Service Award.

Takanobu was head coach of the Japanese women's team that competed at the Open European Championships in 1995.

Twenty-two years later, he is still at the helm, steering his team to win the latest women's World Floorball Championships qualification event and qualify for the tournament later this year.

The award will be presented during the event in the Slovakian capital of Bratislava in December.

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Asia Oceania Floorball holds annual meeting in Wellington - Insidethegames.biz

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Seychelles – The New York Times

Posted: at 7:40 pm

South African Airways announces codeshare agreement with Air Seychelles – BizNis Africa

Posted: at 7:40 pm

South African Airways has announced a new codeshare route with Air Seychelles from Seychelles to Durban.

Air Seychelles will be introducing direct services between SEZ-DUR effective 30th March 2017. The flight will operate twice a week on Thursdays and Saturdays.

The codeshare partnership between South African Airways and Air Seychelles was established back in October 2013 with SA as a marketing carrier between Seychelles Johannesburg and Seychelles Praslin Island operated by HM.

As South African Airways, we value our current relationship with Air Seychelles. We look forward to strengthening this partnership and creating a seamless travel experience for our customers travelling to various destinations on the African continent and the Indian Ocean subcontinent, says Aaron Munetsi, SAA Acting Chief Commercial Officer.

Air Seychelles has been a marketing carrier on the following domestic services operated by South African Airways: Cape Town (CPT), Durban, Port Elizabeth (PLZ) and East London (ELS).

The ties between South Africa and Seychelles are strong and evident for everyone to see, linking leisure, trade and commerce and visiting family and friends opportunities, saysRoy Kinnear, Air SeychellesChief Executive Officer.

Building on these strong ties and the existing five weekly services between Seychelles and Johannesburg, Air Seychelles has taken the commitment to start the twice weekly operation to Durban on 30 March, 2017.

Our codeshare relationship with South African Airways is an incredibly strong partnership and we are extremely pleased to work with South African Airways team in developing our codeshare relationships even further, for the mutual benefit of both airlines. We are confident these air links will bring our countries closer and contribute to the development of our respective economies and tourism industries.

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South African Airways announces codeshare agreement with Air Seychelles - BizNis Africa

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Monthly Archives: February 2017

Talking ‘Islamophobia’ with Liberal MP Jol Lightbound – Macleans.ca

PH up by 12 notches in Economic Freedom Index 2017 ranking | SunStar – Sun.Star

Oklahoma bill could strip city LGBT protections not outlined by the state – KOKI FOX 23

Sri Lanka’s govt. integrity, economic freedom deteriorate – Daily Mirror

Team Wellington look to crowdfund $25000 Oceania Champions League shortfall – Stuff.co.nz

Another open Oceania Rocket League comp kicks off soon – Gameplanet

Oceania Cruises offers six new itineraries to Cuba – Cruise and Ferry

Asia Oceania Floorball holds annual meeting in Wellington – Insidethegames.biz

Seychelles – The New York Times

South African Airways announces codeshare agreement with Air Seychelles – BizNis Africa

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