There has been some speculation online (from credible sources like The Huffington Post, The Guardian, The Globe and Mail, or, closest to home, Kate Heartfield’s excellent blog for the Ottawa Citizen) that Hossein Derakhshan, a Canadian citizen, has been arrested in Iran (for spying for Israel, purportedly), and might face the death penalty.
Archive for November, 2008
Quebec publisher hit by a SLAPP
At a talk given by Howard Zinn tonight at UQAM, I was reminded of this piece of news that I saw a while back (because the proceeds of the talk were being given to help fight this case). The Québec publisher Écosociété is being sued for libel by two Canadian mining companies for publishing a book about abuses in Africa by mining companies. This website gives more information:
Noir Canada. Pillage, corruption et criminalité en Afrique brings together and analyses national and international documents already available to the public (reports, books, documentaries…), concerning various abuses from several Canadian companies working in Africa, in particular in the mining and oil areas. It also deals with the supports these corporations benefit on behalf of the Canadian government. The debate the book wishes to make public is all the more legitimate given that Canadians’ assets (retirement funds, RRSP, public funds) are often indirectly invested in these corporations through the Toronto Stock Exchange.
Following the publication of Noir Canada, Barrick Gold, the world’s largest gold producer is suing the small non-profit Quebec publisher and the authors of Noir Canada for $5 millions in damages, as well as one million on account of exemplary damages, a sum that represents 25 times Écosociété’s annual revenue.
They also give several ways to help the authors and the publisher, including signing a petition for an anti-SLAPP law (Strategic lawsuit against public participation).
Upcoming CRTC decision on Bell throttling case
On Thursday November 20, the CRTC will finally give its ruling on the Bell throttling case. (Last spring, Bell started throttling internet service to its wholesale customers, after having done it since October 2007 to its Sympatico customers). Although the ruling will only look at whether this throttling of wholesale customers violates the Telecommunications Act, it will no doubt bring about much larger discussions on Net Neutrality in general. The CBC has a good article describing the issue. Bell has also recently put up a page describing its throttling practices.
Obama and EPA libraries
In October, Obama sent out letters to a few US Agencies addressing concerns and issues that the President of the American Federation of Government Employees (John Cage) had inquired about. Concerning the letter to the EPA, Obama states:
I strongly oppose attempts by the Bush Administration to thwart publication of EPA researchers’ scientific findings, as well as the attempt to eliminate the agency’s library system. In an Obama Administration, the principle of scientific integrity will be an absolute, and I will never sanction any attempt to subvert the work of scientists.
Obama and net neutrality
According to this article in CNN Money, “Industry observers believe Obama will push for net neutrality in small steps” and “Under the Obama administration, “net neutrality will begin to be expressed in more definitive terms,” predicted Douglas Jarrett, an FCC attorney with the law firm Keller and Heckman.” Hopefully, this will influence policy north of the border!
Google not protecting your privacy
Perhaps this has been around already, but there’s a great video put out by Consumer Watchdog explaining how Google is keeping track of every search that you make online. They offer a petition to sign and send to Google, asking to protect consumer privacy.