Military issues memo on whistleblowers
Lt.-Gen. Marquis Haines of the Canadian army distributed a memo to service members recently announcing his commitment to disciplining service members caught leaking confidential military information to the press.
“As in the previous year, the Army is still experiencing instances of information and documents being released, or ‘leaked’ to media agencies and other unauthorized recipients,” reads the document.
“I intend to pursue disciplinary action against any member of the Army who is found complicit in the unauthorized leak of information.”
The memo was only made public after CBC expressed their intention to file a request under the Freedom of Information Act.
Senate audit on the way
Auditor General Michael Ferguson is about to begin an investigation into the spending history of the Canadian Senate.
The audit, which will reportedly be the most rigorous examination of senators’ expense claims in Canadian history, will require individuals to procure receipts for purchases listed as “senate business.” Those under review may also be subjected to physical examinations of their Ottawa-area residences, and interviews with their neighbours may be conducted.
Ferguson’s forensic audit is a far cry from the “honour system” scrapped by the senate earlier this year, which only required the term “senate business” to be logged to track expenses.
Canadian journalist imprisoned in Egypt
Mohammed Fahmy, a Canadian-Egyptian working with Al Jazeera remains in custody after he was arrested in Egypt late last month along with two other members of his team. Multiple news agencies around the globe are now calling for their release.
Egypt’s Interior Ministry accuses the journalists of disseminating information on behalf of the Muslim Brotherhood, which is considered a terrorist organization by the government.
Protests in Quebec
People are taking to the streets in Quebec to mark their opposition to the province’s Bill 60, which prohibits public employees from donning religious regalia at work.
The peaceful protests are organized by a group called Support the Others. Demonstrators are making a point of wearing religious symbols at rallies and also in at least one workplace.
The bill, also known as the Quebec Charter of Values, is expected to be a key point in the province’s upcoming elections.
Ariel Sharon dies
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon passed away last weekend at the age of 85.
He was laid to rest in a state funeral attended by United States Vice-president Joe Biden, where he was acknowledged as an aggressive leader and a key figure in Israeli history.
“Like all historic leaders, Prime Minister Sharon was a complex man [ . . . ] who engendered strong opinions from everyone,” said Biden during his eulogy for Sharon.
“But like all historic leaders, all real leaders, he had a North Star that guided him – a North Star from which he never, in my observation, never deviated. His North Star was the survival of the State of Israel and the Jewish people, wherever they resided.”
