WEB - Muslim Link - Ottawa, 29/05/2020 - Analysis, English Image Source: Muslim Link website Summary: Wati Rahmat - “The beauty of anti-racism is that you don’t have to pretend to be free of racism to be anti-racist. Anti-racism is the commitment to fight racism wherever you find it, including in yourself. And it’s the only way forward.”- Ijeomo Oluo, African American anti-racism activist I want to be brutally honest. When a heinous crime like the death of George Floyd happens, we see Muslim community members come up readily in outrage and you see posts crying for justice. This is great and it is what should happen. As I too grieve this senseless loss of life and as George's pleas of "I can't breathe" repeat painfully in my head, I grieve a bigger blight in our Muslim community - the prevalent, deeply entrenched anti-Blackness. No, it's not a leap to link a public lynching to the whitening Instafilters. No, it’s not a stretch to compare all the “Karens” who call on Black bodies for simply existing to you comparing which of your siblings was fairer as a baby. Stop! Anti-Blackness starts with ending adulation of fairness. By valuing fairness, Blackness and shades of darkness are denigrated and looked down upon. It is a slippery slope when you regard someone with a darker skin as inferior or less desirable to tragically de-valuing Black lives. I had to confront my own shade-ism just this weekend. Over Eid, our family had enjoyed a beautiful sunny picnic by the lake. I came home with a darker complexion due to the natural sunlight.
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WEB - Van People - Vancouver, 01/06/2020 - ARTICLE, Chinese Image Source: Van People website Translated Summary: Yorkbbs - Recently, there is an increased number of protests happening in different regions. Some of these protests even evolved into robbery. After the death of the 29 year-old black female, a series of protests also launched in the Canadian community. What is more worrisome is, Canada’s anti-racism conflicts involving African-Canadians are escalating. The tension between protesters and police officers are also growing. The rally began at 5:30 pm on May 31, and people began to gather outside the Montreal Police Station to march along the main street. The rally, which lasted for nearly three hours, was peaceful for the most part. When part of the rally group returned to the Montreal Police Department, the police claimed that someone in the rally threw something at them, so the police sprayed pepper spray and tear gas to disperse the group. As the night fell, the police tried to disperse the remaining protesters on St. Catherine Street. A group of people smashed the windows of the Steve Music Store and stole a guitar. The author thinks that Canada has always been a friendly, kind and diverse country. The fuse of Canada’s protest is the accidental death of a 29-year-old African-Canadian woman. Before things are clear, people should be reasonable and fair. At present, the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada is still not under control. If demonstrations or looting occur at this time, it will be worse for the Canadian economy that has just restarted. Link to original story: https://info.vanpeople.com/?action-viewnews-itemid-1080921
RADIO - Red FM 88.9 Good Morning Toronto - Brampton, 01/06/2020 - News, Punjabi Image Source: Red FM 88.9 Facebook page Summary Translation: Red FM radio host Shameel Jasvir initiated a discussion over the recent protests in the US and Canada. The callers were saying that what happened due to police action was unfortunate and people from all communities should come forward to condemn such acts and show peaceful protests rather than violence. One caller said that proper investigations should be done before resorting to protests. He gave an example of an old prisoner who gunned down soldiers and was captured by the US. The same person was extradited to Canada and the Canadian government gave him millions of dollars. The caller said that such actions only encourage violence and terrorism. The caller said that the man who was caught by police was doing something wrong by tendering fake currency but when he was caught, he did not cooperate with police, which was wrong. Another caller was of the opinion that racism is not very easy to part with. He said although the politicians are saying and supporting the antiracism sentiments, the fact is that racism does exist in every community to some or larger extent. He gave an example of racism here in Canada and in the Peel region saying students of the Black community are given more detentions and they are held back from choosing better academic subjects. He said that miscreants from all communities take advantage of such violent incidents, like some community members tried to resort to breaking buildings after the protesters held their protests in Montreal. He said the mentality of police is very bad and is very much prevalent even at higher levels in government. If the victim had been a white person then the action of police would have been different. Another caller said that the police is to enforce the law and not to deliver justice. The host said that the Black community needs a powerful leadership. Racism is widely prevalent in each community.
RADIO - G 98.7 FM Mark & Jem in the Morning - Toronto, 01/06/2020 - FEATURE, English Summary: Mark Strong - “Justice for Regis” chants echoed throughout the streets of downtown Toronto Saturday afternoon as 4,000-odd people or more demanded answers in the death of 29-year-old Regis Korchinski-Paquet, who fell from her apartment balcony in High Park while police were present. The host said he was part of the protest with his kids and that it's important for the kids to be part of this moment. His daughter is part of the organization of the protest and he is proud of her for that. The protesters were originally going to go to Queen's Park. The reason they went to the police department was that a protest was happening at Queen's Park already by White supremacist groups who were protesting about opening the economy. They were doing that every single Saturday. So the protesters didn't want to dilute their cause or have any confrontations, so they went to the police department. Most people in the crowd wore a mask, which is what organizers asked them to do. Their message for police was that they want justice. What that means will be up to the SIU to determine. The host said it was a peaceful protest but very impactful. He said they have a lot more work to do and this was just the beginning of the mobilization. Anti-racism protests in Montreal demanded justice for different reasons, between George Floyd, Regis and problems in policing in Montreal. Unfortunately, the protest turned to violent ends. Montreal police declared the gathering illegal after projectiles were thrown at officers, who responded with pepper spray and tear gas. Store fronts were broken and merchandise stolen. Thousands marched to stand up for Canadians targeted for no other reason than the colour of their skin. Montreal police have been plagued by allegations of racial profiling and excessive force for years. Last fall, an independent study showed a Black person was four times more likely to be stopped by officers. Tensions are still lingering after 18-year-old Fredy Villanueva was shot and killed when police broke up a dice game more than a decade ago. For officers of colour, the protests are a painful reminder of the healing that needs to be done. Image Source: http://g987fm.com/on-air-personalities
International students worry about pandemic as decisions loom on travel to Canada - Chinese6/1/2020 WEB - Dushi.ca - Markham, 30/05/2020 - NEWS, Chinese Image Source: Dushi.ca Summary Translation: Like other international students, Shahbuddin faces uncertainty as universities switch to online classes. She also has financial concerns, worries about a work permit and has fears about her health. “It’s been almost two months now and I’ve been thinking about it every day and still cannot make a decision,” she said in a phone interview. Matthew Ramsey, a spokesman at the University of British Columbia, said it will primarily be offering online classes in the fall so students can participate from around the world. The university will not know enrolment numbers until September because most students who are offered and accept admission sometimes opt out for a variety of reasons, he said. Ijaz Ashraf is from Pakistan and has been accepted at Concordia University to do a master’s degree in industrial engineering. He said he will likely defer enrolment because he’s not satisfied with online classes and wants to experience campus life. David Robinson, executive director of the Canadian Association of University Teachers, said his group has been working with the Canadian Federation of Students. Both groups have suggested tuition waivers or cuts funded through the government. He said there’s an added concern for students in some countries where the course material may be censored.
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