Unique resort for people with disabilities deserves to be protected

Tracy Hurlbert (sitting right) and her mother Connie Hurlbert
(standing left) spend time at the Wilderness Discovery
Resort (WDR). (Credit: Tracy Hurlbert.)

For people struggling with disabilities, the Wilderness Discovery Resort (WDR) is a dream come true. A picturesque resort located in Lake Shebandowan, Ontario, Canada, the WDR provides all of the accommodations that people with disabilities need, giving much-needed relief to them and their families. Unfortunately, the WDR is at risk of being closed down, with plans to sell off the land. Now, every effort must be made to save the WDR.

It is a scenario that should not be allowed to happen--a barrier-free camp designed for people with disabilities being forced to shut down, all to please a faceless millionaire. The fact that any type of public land could be sold off just to please a wealthy person without knowing all the details is insulting; to allow this private sale to take place on land that is designated for people with disabilities makes this possibility even more outrageous. However, one person is willing to fight for the WDR.

Kevin Johnson, an American citizen, has been advocating to save the WDR. He, his wife, and his father, Kirk, a disabled former U.S. Navy service member, often travel to the WDR to accommodate to his father's needs. In the past, Johnson and his family had thoroughly researched other facilities that are supposed to help people with disabilities, but they had discovered that many "accessible" areas often do not live up to their claims of being truly barrier-free. Johnson believes so strongly in the WDR that he has launched a Change.org petition to help keep it open.

If only people in positions of power would demonstrate the same type of leadership as Johnson when it comes to saving the WDR. Many people deserve to be blamed for the WDR's uncertain future, and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne is one of them. Wynne has spent so much money on the Toronto 2015 Pan Am & Parapan Am Games to try and make Toronto look like a world-class city, yet will not provide appropriate funding for the WDR. While the Toronto 2015 Parapan Am Games temporarily brought attention to people with disabilities, keeping the WDR open with new funding would provide a barrier-free facility for years to come, helping people with disabilities in the long term. Wynne has also refused to renew the lease for the WDR, showing that her commitment to helping people with disabilities is nothing but empty lip service.

The Legislative Assembly of Ontario (LAO) are also to blame for being oblivious about the WDR. In a June 30, 2015 petition update, Johnson observed that the LAO did nothing to save the WDR, despite an impending summer recess at the time. Johnson also mentioned that the LAO had received several requests from him and his supporters to extend the deadline before the WDR is sold off, but their concerns have been ignored. The LAO deserves to be publicly shamed for brushing aside the needs of the disability community, and for showing such disinterest in saving the WDR.

David Shannon, Executive Director for the Handicapped Action Group Incorporated (HAGI), which runs the WDR, must face the harshest criticism for mismanagement. According to an April 4, 2015 update on Johnson's petition, it was revealed that Shannon wanted the WDR closed. In the same update, Johnson also noted that since the creation of his petition, Shannon did not comment on the future of the WDR at the time. In another April 29, 2015 petition update, Johnson recalled that Shannon, as well as HAGI's Board of Directors, failed to attend a public meeting held on April 25, 2015 to save the WDR.

The scandals involving David Shannon do not end there. An additional May 3, 2015 petition update disclosed that Shannon refused to sign Johnson's petition. Shannon has also made questionable claims about having no money to maintain the WDR, but somehow finding money to fund an arts program. With so much hypocrisy coming from Shannon regarding the WDR, it is obvious that he should be removed from his position as Executive Director.

It is sad to see that the people who have the most power to save the WDR are the least willing to take action on the issue. However, this situation must strengthen our resolve to ensure that the WDR remains a part of the Lake Shebandowan community. We must follow Kevin Johnson's lead and do whatever it takes to save the WDR. When Premier Kathleen Wynne, the LAO, and David Shannon see that people care about the WDR, they will have no choice but to act on the issue. Allowing the WDR to be shut down and failing people with disabilities is not a legacy we want to be responsible for.

Advocating for immigrant rights in Canada: An interview with Leila Heidari

Photo of Leila Heidari's mother, Khadijeh, a day after she had

taken a bad fall on June 4, 2013. (Credits: Leila Heidari/Make
it Right for Khadijeh Facebook page.)

For over 20 years, Leila Heidari has had to deal with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) denying permanent Canadian status to her 92-year-old mother, Khadijeh, who is also known as "Essie." After years of having her concerns ignored by CIC and local Members of Parliament (MPs), Leila Heidari launched a petition telling CIC to grant permanent Canadian status to Khadijeh. Here, Leila Heidari provides an update regarding Khadijeh's circumstances. At the time of this writing, Khadijeh still hasn't been granted permanent Canadian status.

 

1. What kind of a treatment facility was Khadijeh taken into in November 2013?

Leila Heidari (LH): Khadijeh is in a multi-care facility for the elderly. It has a nursing home, various hospitals and clinics, and a research centre. Khadijeh is being cared for at the research facility. She is being treated for a massive head injury that she developed after taking a bad fall in June 2013. She is also being treated for an ear infection that she developed in November 2013. Both the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) and I cover the housing costs--the ODSP pays $1,000 a month, and I pay $250 a month. The treatment is covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP).

2. What condition (related to Khadijeh's head injury) have they diagnosed her with?

LH: I think Khadijeh has dementia, but they don't know what she has. The treatment is ongoing. When they find out what's wrong with her, she will be sent to a nursing home.

3. How did the treatment facility finally allow your mother to get help?

LH: The ODSP suggested that I contact the facility to get help for Khadijeh. My mother was accepted in early October 2013. For the past 10 years, I have been in touch with ODSP. In spring 2012, ODSP cut health benefits. Before that, Khadijeh received partial health coverage from Interim Health in 1995 when she came to Ontario. The only time Khadijeh received full health coverage was from 1993--1995, when she first resided in Quebec, and she was covered through their provincial health care system.

4. What did you have to go through before finding the facility?

LH: We have been ignored by CIC and local MPs. A week after I had launched my petition, a woman from CIC contacted me, saying that she would like to meet me. A week later, she never shows up for our meeting. We were also turned away by various clinics before finding the facility that is currently providing care for her. I tried calling a clinic in Scarborough, but they were only open from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. My mother had a gash in her head which was bleeding, but I could not take her to emergency because she doesn't have permanent Canadian status.

In addition, Khadijeh only received temporary residency on June 21, 2013, and didn't start receiving OHIP until September 21, 2013. While I'm grateful that she is now receiving help, I'm upset that it's taken so long. It's not just about my family either--I'm worried about the people who are in a similar situation. What if someone doesn't have Canadian citizenship, and that person is alone with no access to social media and he or she develops a chronic disease? What is that person supposed to do?

5. How has this situation taken a toll on your family?

 

LH: We are struggling financially, emotionally, and every other way that you can think of. I'm worried about my mother, and I'm struggling to take care of my 19-year-old daughter who has severe autism. My daughter is in diapers and cannot speak, and she had to be hospitalized last year because of her autism--she was screaming all the time and banging her head against the wall. I could not see my daughter because I was trying to take care of my mother, so my husband had to look after our daughter. I could not work, because I was trying to look after my mother, which was very hard.

I would like to thank Leila Heidari for sharing her story, and for advocating for better treatment of immigrants in Canada.

Woman with liver cirrhosis is being denied access to life-saving treatment!

Brenda Peever, a 59-year-old woman from Ontario, Canada, has liver cirrhosis and the medications that she needs, Simeprevir and Sofosvubir, cost $84,000, and are not yet covered by the government because they are new. These new drugs most likely will not be covered until 2015--Brenda Peever needs these new medications NOW! It's bad enough that she was given blood tainted with Hepatitis C which has now led to her liver cirrhosis--denying her vital treatment only adds insult to injury!

 

Canada is a vast country with many resources--how is it that we have people right here in this country who can't access essential medicines because they are priced as out of reach for most families?! Many countries around the world look to Canada as a country that holds high standards when it comes to health care--the government needs to be doing WAY MORE to ensure that all life-saving medications are made available to patients in need! If taxpayer money can be used to fund the lavish salaries of politicians and government workers, I'm sure that same taxpayer money can be used to cover the costs of life-saving drugs!

 

To help Brenda Peever and her family, please sign the following petition: http://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/the-honourable-susan-sullivan-ensure-patients-in-the-end-of-life-stage-of-liver-cirrhosis-have-access-to-the-new-hepatitis-c-cures 

Child with cystic fibrosis deserves access to life-saving medication!

Carys Nurse, a 7-year-old from British Columbia, is struggling with a fatal disease called cystic fibrosis. This condition causes the lungs to fill up with mucous, causing the patient to constantly struggle with breathing. Kalydeco, a drug that has greatly improved the health of cystic fibrosis patients, is currently priced as out of reach for most families. 

 

When is the Canadian government going to step up and give patients and their families equal access to Kalydeco?! If there is a medication that can save someone's life, why are people in need being held back?! If this situation affected a politician's friend or family member, EVRYTHING POSSIBLE would be done to fast-track access to this life-saving drug! Stop the hold-up, and help Carys Nurse and her family! If Carys dies, it will be blood on the government's hands--this scenario should be avoided at all costs!

 

To help Carys and her family, please sign the following petition: http://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/health-ministers-participating-in-the-pan-canadian-pricing-alliance-provide-cystic-fibrosis-patients-with-the-drug-kalydeco#intro 

York University STILL hasn't reversed its decision defending gender inequality!

York University's continued defence of the male student who initially refused to work with women because it was supposedly "against his religion" is absolutely ridiculous! The administration at York University is so caught up with being "culturally sensitive" that it is ignoring the fact that many cultural traditions are manipulated to keep women in their place! This type of thinking is making us move backward as a society instead of forward, and the administration at York University deserves to be punished for promoting this ignorance!

 

York University already has a notorious reputation for taking advantage of its students after going on strike so many times, and the campus in the Jane and Finch area has all kinds of safety issues! York University is choosing its own continued downward spiral by valuing a questionable cultural practice over gender equality! Let's continue to put pressure on York University to change its decision by signing and sharing this petition: http://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/york-university-reverse-your-decision-that-allows-religious-accommodation-to-trump-gender-equality 

Missing and murdered Aboriginal females need justice!

The death of Loretta Saunders, an Aboriginal woman, shows yet again that the Harper government needs to launch an inquiry for missing and murdered Aboriginal females! Over 800 Aboriginal females have gone missing or have been murdered in Canada, and their families are STILL waiting for justice! We cannot claim to be a country based on respecting human rights when we are failing Aboriginals so miserably right here in Canada! How many Aboriginal females need to go missing or be killed before the Harper government acts on this issue?!

 

To help advocate for an inquiry for missing and murdered Aboriginal females in Canada, please sign the following petition: http://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/hon-kellie-leitch-minister-for-the-status-of-women-call-a-public-inquiry-into-hundreds-of-missing-and-murdered-aboriginal-women-like-my-cousin-loretta-saunders 

Bahraini men who were wrongfully imprisoned must be released immediately!

Bahrain: More Statements on Physical Torture and Sexual Assault of Detainees at the Criminal Investigations Department | Bahrain Center for Human Rights

The wrongful imprisonment of Bahraini citizens Mohammed Al-Sheikh and Mohammed Al-Oraibi are the latest cases of the Bahraini government's crackdown on human rights! The fact that these prisoners' families were denied information about their conditions and the reasons for their arrests for several days show that the Bahraini government has something to hide when it is confronted with questions about its human rights crisis! Al-Sheikh and Al-Oraibi were both denied access to lawyers as well, which is further proof that Bahrain's legal system is not based on any real justice! The clear evidence of torture and sexual assault that has been committed against these two men show yet again just how sadistic and power-hungry the Bahraini government is! To make matters even worse, the prisoners' houses have been broken into by unidentified criminals!

 

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) also notes that the Bahraini government has cancelled an arranged visit from the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, originally scheduled for May 2013! All of the evidence shows that the Bahraini government is promoting human rights violations within its country, and cannot be trusted to handle its own human rights crisis! The international community must FORCE the Bahraini government to face justice for its actions, and prosecute anyone found guilty of a crime!

 

What is your response to this story?

York University is wrong for ignoring gender equality!

York University's administration must reverse its decision valuing "religious accommodation" over gender equality! The student involved in the case had an unreasonable request, claiming that meeting with women in public was against his religion! No religion forbids men from working with women in public--this is just an excuse being used by a male student to avoid working with women! The male student involved should have thought about the requirements of the course before signing up for it and asking for such a ridiculous "accommodation"! Sociology Professor Paul Grayson, the professor involved in this case, was right for denying this student's request! 

 

Professor Grayson should be commended for defending gender equality, not have his career be put at risk by possibly being punished by the York University administration! The people working for York University's administration should be ashamed of themselves--as an institution that supposedly represents "higher thinking", it is sickening that an irrational personal belief would be considered more important than protecting gender equality! This issue should not be up for debate--gender rights are non-negotiable!

 

To put pressure on York University's administration to reverse its decision valuing "religious accommodation" over gender equality, please sign the following petition: http://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/york-university-reverse-your-decision-that-allows-religious-accommodation-to-trump-gender-equality#intro 

Despite promises of change, Iran remains the same

Release Government Critics from Three-Year House Arrest : International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran 

 

The house arrests of Zahra Rahnavard, Mir Hossein Mousavi, and Mehdi Karroubi without a proper trial to even prove that they are guilty of anything shows yet again that Iran has no respect for human rights! Rahnavard, Mousavi, and Karroubi should not be forced to "repent" for supporting regional uprisings--they should have all charges against them dropped immediately! It is clear that they are simply trying to fight for freedom in a highly repressive society--they should not be punished for this! Meanwhile, the Iranian government has cracked down on citizens' rights many times, and it is clear that things will not change unless the Iranian government is forced to change!

 

How do you feel about the political repression in Iran? Please leave a comment below.

Bangladeshi garment workers continue to face harassment over forming trade unions

HRW: RMG workers intimidated over unions | Dhaka Tribune

The latest revelations of Bangladeshi garment workers being harassed by their managers over forming trade unions show yet again that Bangladeshi garment workers continue to have their rights ignored! Reports of workers receiving death threats and getting beaten up show that factory owners will do anything, including engaging in criminal behaviour, to keep workers powerless! Workers who have tried to form trade unions have also had to deal with being forced to resign or losing their jobs! Female workers have also had to deal with sexual harassment!

Laws allowing Bangladeshi garment workers to form trade unions will not mean anything until employers face harsh punishments for threatening their workers! It is clear that Western retailers and  factory owners will not change working conditions unless they are forced to do so! To force Western retailers and factory owners to improve working conditions for Bangladeshi garment workers, please sign Arif Ullah's petition: http://www.change.org/petitions/jc-penney-gap-co-put-an-end-to-the-murders-of-garment-workers-in-bangladesh#intro 

Bell's "Let's Talk" mental health campaign is good, but more action needs to be taken

I commend the people working for Bell's "Let's Talk" mental health campaign who are bringing attention to the issue of mental health in a dignified way. It takes a lot of courage to share a story about mental illness, especially when there continues to be so much stigma attached to mental health issues in Canada. Overcoming the stigma by talking openly about mental illness and raising awareness are important steps in dealing with the issue of mental health--we cannot provide resources for mental health issues and treat them properly if we don't acknowledge the importance of mental health in the first place.

However, Bell's "Let's Talk" mental health campaign does not go far enough. It is not enough just to talk about mental health for one day--mental health awareness and activism should be encouraged every day of the year. If Bell really wants to be a leader in promoting better mental health, they should be supporting mental health initiatives all year round, not just one day. Bell is a large company with many resources--they have the power to change the way mental health issues are dealt with in Canada.

Another problem with Bell's "Let's Talk" mental health campaign is the fact that no real changes are happening at the political level to ensure that people who need to access mental health care actually get help. Kelly Bradley, a woman from British Columbia, is still struggling to get better mental health care in her province. Her adopted daughter with bipolar disorder was turned away from the hospital three times, despite being in a crisis. Kelly Bradley has set up a petition to advocate for better mental health care in British Columbia: http://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/b-c-needs-to-provide-emergency-mental-health-services-for-children

Kelly Bradley isn't alone. Despite Bell's "Let's Talk" mental health campaign that has been running for the past few years, people suffering from mental illness are still falling through the cracks. On March 9, 2013, Toronto resident Christopher "Kit" Skelly killed himself, because he could no longer bear to live with schizophrenia. If appropriate mental health resources were already in place, Skelly's needless death could have been prevented. How many more tragedies similar to that of Christopher "Kit" Skelly need to happen before real change in Canada's mental health care system takes place?

As a society, we need to stand together and demand better from our mental health care system. Sign petitions that advocate for better mental health care. When politicians say there is not enough money to fund mental health care, force them to find the funding. Mental health is just as important as physical health, and should be treated as such. We would not tell someone with cancer or any other physical chronic disease to wait for treatment, yet why do we have a completely different attitude when it comes to mental health? If the mental health care system does not change, more people will continue to fall through the cracks.

Doctors and other professionals working in the mental health field also need to take the lead in this matter--when a patient is concerned about their mental health, take their concerns seriously. Listen to what your patient has to say, and treat the cause of the problem, not the symptoms. Psychiatrists who do nothing but over-medicate their patients without treating the cause of the problem also need to be held responsible for their unethical practices.

 

Above all, attitudes towards mental health must change. The next time you see someone who is upset in any way, whether he or she is suicidal or even just having a case of "the blues", listen to that person. Don't dismiss their concerns by saying "it's all in your head" or anything else along that line. Someone could look like he or she has it all on the outside, but on the inside, that person is facing real mental health issues. Reach out and help that person--we cannot afford to have more tragedies like that of Christopher "Kit" Skelly.

Ongoing Syrian crisis leaves Syrian female refugees at risk for forced marriages, abuse

Syrian women at risk in Jordan’s refugee camps | GulfNews.com

The failure of politicians to deal with the Syrian conflict effectively has now left Syrian female refugees vulnerable to forced marriages! By continuing to ignore what's happening in Syria, politicians in the West are also complicit in the Syrian crisis, by allowing Syrian female refugees to be exploited through their inaction! Syrian female youth are also at risk for forced marriages--this issue must be dealt with immediately! Authority figures and imams in Jordan also have a responsibility to protect Syrian females, and intervene immediately if they suspect any kind of exploitation! The government of Bashar al-Assad and other human rights abusers must be punished for their actions--an intervention that respects the rights of Syrians is long overdue! The longer Syrians are ignored, the stronger the distrust between Syrians and the West will become!

 

To help protect Syrian female refugees, please sign the following petition: http://forcechange.com/71262/protect-female-syrian-refugees-from-sexual-assault-and-forced-marriages/

Hosting the 2024 Summer Olympic Games is a major waste of money for Toronto!

Toronto should not host the 2024 Summer Olympic Games--there are far more important things that the city of Toronto should be spending its money on. One of the many issues facing Toronto is the aftermath of the ice storm that hit in December 2013--let's focus on cleanup and recovery efforts instead. Another issue facing Toronto is public transit--Toronto is a large city that needs an efficient public transit system. Homelessness is another major problem in Toronto--more resources should be put into dealing with this crisis.

 

If Toronto gets to host the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, it will be a disaster in the long run. The few short-term benefits provided by getting international media attention for a few days will be vastly offset by the long-term consequences of the large financial costs. The city of Toronto will also pay more over time if it funds the 2024 Olympic Games, but fails to find solutions to the various issues that affect it, such as homelessness. The bid for the 2024 Olympic Games is too risky--let's not take that chance!

 

What is your reaction to this story?

Despite new guidelines, Bangladeshi garment workers continue to be exploited

Female worker killed, 20 injured in factory clash | Dhaka Tribune 

 

The latest revelations showing that Bangladeshi garment workers continue to be abused despite new guidelines prove yet again that factory managers have no respect for workers' lives! Bangladeshi garment workers continue to be overworked and underpaid, and it is clear that more pressure needs to be put on the managers to treat their workers fairly! Another clash between garment workers and management has left one female worker dead and several other workers injured--how many more tragedies need to happen before the rights of Bangladeshi garment workers are taken seriously?!

 

I would like to send my condolences to the family and friends of 20 year old Parvin Akhter (no relation), the female worker who died of a severe head injury during the clash. She was a young woman who died much too soon, and her death could have been prevented, had the factory managers given their workers proper wages. I am also concerned about the other workers who were injured in the clash. Nobody should have to struggle THIS MUCH just to get a living wage!

 

To put more pressure on Bangladeshi factory managers to treat their workers fairly, please sign the following petition: http://www.change.org/petitions/jc-penney-gap-co-put-an-end-to-the-murders-of-garment-workers-in-bangladesh 

Police officer who threatened to tie homeless man to pole is cruel and callous!

Outrage greets video showing Montreal officer threatening homeless man | CTV News 

 

The police officer who threatened to tie a homeless man to a pole in the freezing cold should be fired from his job! This is no way to treat one of the most vulnerable members of our society! Other ways of dealing with this homeless man were possible--the police officer could have arranged for a social worker to take the homeless man to a shelter without being in a police car, or offered some other kind of help in a non-threatening way! Instead, the police officer chose to abuse his power, and has aggravated tensions between homeless people and the police through his actions!

 

What is your reaction to this story?

Rob Ford bungles handling of ice storm emergency

Rob Ford, you have shown your incompetence again, by claiming that the ice storm that hit Southern Ontario, other parts of Eastern Canada, and parts of the U.S. last Sunday was NOT an emergency! What part of downed trees and damaged power lines does NOT constitute an emergency with you?! Many traffic lights are STILL out of power as a result of the ice storm--how is a city supposed to go on as usual with no working traffic lights?! People are living without heat and electricity in the dead of winter, and many have had to turn to warming centres just to survive! Yet none of this seems to register with you!

 

You, Rob Ford, say that you didn't want to call a state of emergency because you didn't want people to panic...well, guess what? PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN LIVING WITHOUT HEAT AND ELECTRICITY FOR ALMOST A WEEK ARE PANICKING ANYWAY! They have every reason to panic--they are hungry, cold, and desperate! Telling people to just be patient is NOT going to solve anything! These people need answers and real help! With people starving in the ongoing cold comes the risk of widespread illness--this is a real public health issue that needs to be dealt with IMMEDIATELY! If anyone gets sick or dies from not getting help during the ice storm, it will be MORE BLOOD on YOUR hands! Your bungling of the ice storm emergency shows yet again that you are not fit to be Mayor, and that you should be forced to resign!

 

To force Rob Ford to resign, please sign the following petition: http://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/city-of-toronto-government-of-ontario-mayor-rob-ford-must-resign-from-office#supporters 

Illegal arrest of Bahraini children is outrageous!

Bahrain: Authorities Detain Two Children Under the Age of Fifteen in Violation of Child Rights Convention | Bahrain Center for Human Rights 

 

The false charges against 10 year old Jehad Nabeel AlSameea and 13 year old Abdulla Yusuf AlBahrani must be dropped, and both of these young children should be released immediately! Children should never be forced to suffer because of a country's political problems! The effects of torture and wrongful imprisonment on adults are horrible enough, but when it happens to children, the effects can only be that much worse! The ongoing political repression in Bahrain is horrifying, and the international community must intervene in Bahrain NOW to stop the oppression, or we will have another Syria on our hands!

 

What is your reaction to this story?

Open letter calling for Rob Ford's resignation

To Rob Ford:

 

Your resignation is long overdue! Your false allegations that Toronto Star journalist Daniel Dale is a pedophile are beyond vile! You have humiliated Canada with your unprofessional and criminal behaviour many times, but this is a new low! You should have been forced to resign and sent to jail a long time ago, and your slander of Daniel Dale is further proof that you have NO credibility!

 

You claim that you are staying on as Mayor because you represent the citizens of Toronto--who exactly are you representing? Almost nobody wants to be associated with you! When people are organizing protests and holding signs calling for your resignation, what does that tell you? When there are various petitions going around calling for your resignation, including this one here, it should be clear to you that most people do NOT want you representing the City of Toronto!

 

Stop humiliating Canada, retract your accusations against Daniel Dale, and resign! You are a drunken, loud-mouthed fool who has NO class! You have NO business in municipal politics! Stop complaining about the media "invading your privacy", when you CHOOSE to bring negative attention to yourself through your own thoughtless actions! Anyone who continues to make excuses for you is just as guilty as you are for condoning criminal behaviour!

 

Signed,

Karen Akhtar

R.I.P. Nelson Mandela, and a reflection on how Canadian politicians should follow in his footsteps

Nelson Mandela's death is an enormous tragedy for the world--he was an incredible leader who made remarkable sacrifices not just for his country, but for all of humanity. His courage, strength, and compassion provide much-needed hope and inspiration in a world where cold political manipulation is all too common. He was a true activist who lived by his words, and he will be missed by many around the world.

 

Now if only more Canadian politicians could follow in Nelson Mandela's footsteps...

 

Canadian democracy is in a crisis. The Senate scandal and Rob Ford's outrageous antics reveal how greed and selfishness have taken precedence over real leadership and service to the community. We call ourselves a society based on equality, yet it is painfully clear that this value is not enforced. While many Canadian politicians are squandering money and doing as they please, we are failing our most vulnerable citizens. Immigrants are increasingly falling through the cracks right here in Canada. Khadijeh's story is a case in point--Khadijeh has been in Canada for almost 20 years, and STILL hasn't been granted Canadian status!

 

Other immigrants have had to face unreasonable hurdles while trying to come to Canada as well. Adel Benhmuda had to start a petition to convince Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to drop its request for a $6,800 fee, which was related to the costs of deporting the Benhmudas back to Libya! The deportation resulted in Adel Benhmuda being tortured! These are not "little mistakes" by CIC--these are clear cases of CIC taking advantage of vulnerable citizens!

 

It's time for a change in leadership here in Canada. We must pay tribute to Nelson Mandela and his values by practicing what he advocated. We need politicians who are genuinely interested in working for the greater good of society, not just enriching themselves. A tall order, yes, but in a country that prides itself as a democracy, we must demand better. Anything less will lead to more cynicism, and a society that looks more like an oligarchy.

Open letter calling for the citizenship application of Leila Heidari's mother, Khadijeh, to be processed immediately

To Minister Chris Alexander:

Several months ago, Leila Heidari launched a petition on Change.org, stating that her mother, Khadijeh, had submitted her citizenship application in 1994. At the time, Khadijeh was told by officials from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) that they would make a decision regarding her national status by 2001. It is now 2013, and Khadijeh's citizenship application still has not been processed. Khadijeh now has severe dementia and is being denied the health care she desperately needs, because she is not recognized as a Canadian citizen. More information about her condition is available at the following link: http://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/citizenship-and-immigration-canada-stop-denying-my-92-year-old-mother-health-care

I would like to know why it is taking so long for Khadijeh's citizenship application to be processed. Almost 20 years have passed by, and no progress has been made regarding her application. Khadijeh is now 92 years old, and her health is failing. In addition to her severe dementia, Khadijeh also needs to be treated for injuries on her face, arms, and hands, after she lost her balance on June 4, 2013. Evidence of Khadijeh's injuries can be found through the following link: https://www.facebook.com/MakeItRightForKhadijeh

It is impossible for Leila Heidari to get proper health care for her mother when Khadijeh is not even recognized as a Canadian citizen. Leila Heidari is a hard-working Canadian citizen who is not only trying to help her ailing mother, but is also struggling to raise her daughter, who has severe autism. Additional information about Leila Heidari's daughter with severe autism can be found on her petition and in a May 30, 2013 Facebook post. Please show compassion to Leila Heidari's family, and grant Khadijeh Canadian status immediately.

Sincerely,
Karen Akhtar