Election results unveil worrisome divide between urban and rural Canadians: experts
OTTAWA — The results of the federal election have shown a deepened divide between Canadians living in urban areas who mostly chose Liberal candidates and those living in rural areas who voted for the Conservative party, experts say.
Allan Thompson, the head of Carleton University's journalism program, said the results of Monday's election have revealed increasing polarization between rural and urban Canadians.
The division was very clear in Ontario where the Liberals picked up almost all the seats in the urban ridings and the Conservatives flipped some rural ridings and increased their lead in ridings they'd held before.
"What worries me is just the polarization, that it seems to be more and more split, more of a division where it's virtually automatic what the outcome is going to be," Thompson said.
"I think parties do start to make that part of their strategy. I'm concerned that they're not really even making a serious effort to appeal to voters in the ridings that they have decided are unwinnable, and that's just a self-fulfilling prophecy."
Before returning to his non-partisan position as a university professor, Thompson led a task force for the Liberals to propose ways to better connect with rural voters. He also ran as a Liberal candidate in Ontario's rural riding of Huron-Bruce twice, losing to Conservative MP Ben Lobb by about 3,000 votes in 2015 and by about 9,000 votes in 2019.
On Monday, Lobb was re-elected over the Liberal candidate by a margin of more than 15,000 votes.
Conservative Michelle Ferreri defeated incumbent Liberal gender equality minister Maryam Monsef in the largely rural riding of Peterborough-Kawartha and Conservatives Anna Roberts also defeated Liberal seniors minister Deb Schulte in King–Vaughan on the outskirts of Toronto.
The Conservatives also flipped the riding of Bay of Quinte in Ontario, Miramichi–Grand Lake in New Brunswick, Cumberland–Colchester and South Shore–St. Margarets in Nova Scotia and Coast of Bays-Central-Notre Dame in Newfoundland and Labrador, while maintaining or extending their leads in most of Canada's rural ridings.
Meanwhile, the Liberals held onto their strongholds in Canada's largest cities, wining 22 out of 24 ridings in the Montreal area and all of Toronto's 25 ridings, including Spadina–Fort York where Kevin Vuong emerged victorious even after being disavowed by the Liberal party.
The party dropped Vuong as a candidate two days before election day over the revelation that he'd been charged in 2019 with sexual assault, a charge that was later withdrawn. His name remained on the ballot, however, and the party now says he'll have to sit as an Independent MP.
The Liberals also won nine out of 10 seats in the Ottawa-Gatineau area and flipped three ridings in the Vancouver area. They also won all the ridings in the Halifax area and picked up a riding in each of Calgary and Edmonton.
Thompson said the Liberals and Conservatives have become so entrenched in their respective strongholds that "you start to wonder are they satisfied with devoting their resources and campaign strategy to those communities where they feel they have the best chance of winning?"
Carleton University political science professor Jonathan Malloy said the pattern of Liberals winning in urban areas and Conservatives winning in rural areas is not new. It emerged about three decades ago when the Conservative party splintered with the creation of the Reform Party, which later morphed into the Canadian Alliance before reuniting under the Conservative banner.
That drew the Conservatives more towards rural areas while the Liberals became more entrenched in the cities, Malloy said.
"Toronto used to be quite a Tory center of voting, that's like 50, 60 years ago," he said.
"The trends we have today have been growing, accelerating, particularly in Ontario, I would say, for the last 20 or 30 years."
Malloy said it's hard to determine when this trend started exactly, partly because some communities have grown so much in last few decades.
"Brampton, (Ont.) used to be a fairly small town, maybe 50 years ago you would maybe call it mainly rural and a small town. Now of course Brampton is the city of about 600,000 people," he said.
Malloy said the polices each of the two parties propose during their campaigns play a role in increasing the divide.
For instance, the Liberals' promise of $10-a-day childcare was more appealing to people living in the cities where the cost of child care is more of a concern than the availability of the service.
"It really plays out differently in different areas and for a lot of rural and suburban areas, ... and remote areas, it's just about the capacity of supply of government services not the cost," Malloy said.
There was also a very clear distinction between the Liberals and the Conservatives on the issue of guns that played out differently between urban and rural populations, he added.
"No one has a need for a gun in a Canadian city. And so, the Liberals tend to be fairly restrictive on firearms, because most urban people don't own firearms, they have no need for firearms and so they're happy to support strong restrictions on them.
"In rural areas, firearms are more practical, whether for hunting or for protecting your farm animals. There's practical reasons to have guns in rural areas."
Malloy said both the Liberals and Conservatives are aware of these differences and they tend to build their policies to appeal to their bases.
Whether voters view the party leader as a city or a rural person also plays a role in their choice, he believes.
"Urban voters view Mr. (Andrew) Scheer and Mr. (Erin) O'Toole as relatively rural even though they are properly kind of urban or suburban," he said. "Mr. (Justin) Trudeau, fair to say, is identified with urban. I don't think anyone would disagree with that."
While both parties try to attract voters from one another's bases, Malloy said they do so only after making a strategic calculation on whether attracting new voters might potentially cost them some of their existing support.
Thompson said the pattern of division between rural and urban Canadians is jeopardizing the effectiveness of democracy in Canada and parties should put more effort into bridging the gap.
"It's as if you live in a particular riding you don't get a chance to consider the other point of view, and that's not healthy," he said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 25, 2021.
—
This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship
Maan Alhmidi, The Canadian Press
Saturday, September 25, 2021
Lava from La Palma eruption has burned almost 400 structures so far
Sept. 24 (UPI) -- Slow-moving lava from a volcano on La Palma in the Canary Islands has so far destroyed close to 400 structures this week and 500 acres, authorities said in an update Friday.
The eruption, which began Sunday, is still spewing lava from fissures in the ground -- but the spread has slowed and seismic activity has reduced, according to Maria Jose Blanco, director of Spain's National Geographic Institute.
Blanco told The Canary News that the front of the lava flow is about 1,600 feet wide at some parts and rises as high as 40 feet.
Columns of gas and smoke have climbed as high as 14,000 feet, officials said, and several miles of roads have been destroyed.
The eruption is the first major explosion on La Palma in 50 years. Some researchers believe the lava might continue flowing for several weeks.
"The main uncertainty is how long this will last," said Arnau Folch, a volcanologist at the Spanish National Research Council, according to The New York Times. "It seems that what is happening now will resemble pretty closely what happened 50 years ago."
Folch said the 1971 eruption on La Palma lasted for about three weeks.
Sept. 24 (UPI) -- Slow-moving lava from a volcano on La Palma in the Canary Islands has so far destroyed close to 400 structures this week and 500 acres, authorities said in an update Friday.
The eruption, which began Sunday, is still spewing lava from fissures in the ground -- but the spread has slowed and seismic activity has reduced, according to Maria Jose Blanco, director of Spain's National Geographic Institute.
Blanco told The Canary News that the front of the lava flow is about 1,600 feet wide at some parts and rises as high as 40 feet.
Columns of gas and smoke have climbed as high as 14,000 feet, officials said, and several miles of roads have been destroyed.
The eruption is the first major explosion on La Palma in 50 years. Some researchers believe the lava might continue flowing for several weeks.
"The main uncertainty is how long this will last," said Arnau Folch, a volcanologist at the Spanish National Research Council, according to The New York Times. "It seems that what is happening now will resemble pretty closely what happened 50 years ago."
Folch said the 1971 eruption on La Palma lasted for about three weeks.
MADRID (AP) — The airport on the Spanish island of La Palma shut down Saturday because of an ash cloud spewing out of a volcano that has been erupting for a week, and scientists said another volcanic vent opened up, exposing islanders to possible new dangers
© Provided by The Canadian Press
The intensity of the eruption that began Sept. 19 has increased in recent days, prompting the evacuation of three additional villages on the island, part of Spain's Canary Islands archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean off northwest Africa. Almost 7,000 people have been forced to abandon their homes.
The recent volcanic eruption is the first since 1971 on La Palma, which has a population of 85,000.
La Palma Airport operator Aena said the airport was “inoperative” due to the accumulation of ash. Other airports in the Canary Islands were still operating Saturday but some airlines were suspending flights, Aena said.
Emergency crews pulled back from the volcano Friday as explosions sent molten rock and ash over a wide area. The Canary Islands Volcanology Institute said another vent opened early Saturday.
Rivers of lava have been sliding down the mountainside toward the southwestern coast of the island, destroying everything in their path, including hundreds of homes. The speed of the flow has slowed down considerably, however, and the lava is now barely moving forward, with about 2 kilometers left to reach the sea, said Miguel Ángel Morcuende, head of the Canary Island Volcanic Emergency Plan.
“I don't dare to tell you when it's going to get there, nor do I dare to make a forecast,” Morcuende told reporters in a news conference.
A more immediate concern for the residents of La Palma is the huge ash cloud that is rising from the volcano and being carried by the wind to other parts of the island. In addition to being a significant danger to aviation, he said volcanic ash can cause damage to people's airways, lungs and eyes. The local government has urged residents in affected areas to avoid going outside and only do so wearing masks and goggles.
The Associated Press
The intensity of the eruption that began Sept. 19 has increased in recent days, prompting the evacuation of three additional villages on the island, part of Spain's Canary Islands archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean off northwest Africa. Almost 7,000 people have been forced to abandon their homes.
The recent volcanic eruption is the first since 1971 on La Palma, which has a population of 85,000.
La Palma Airport operator Aena said the airport was “inoperative” due to the accumulation of ash. Other airports in the Canary Islands were still operating Saturday but some airlines were suspending flights, Aena said.
Emergency crews pulled back from the volcano Friday as explosions sent molten rock and ash over a wide area. The Canary Islands Volcanology Institute said another vent opened early Saturday.
Rivers of lava have been sliding down the mountainside toward the southwestern coast of the island, destroying everything in their path, including hundreds of homes. The speed of the flow has slowed down considerably, however, and the lava is now barely moving forward, with about 2 kilometers left to reach the sea, said Miguel Ángel Morcuende, head of the Canary Island Volcanic Emergency Plan.
“I don't dare to tell you when it's going to get there, nor do I dare to make a forecast,” Morcuende told reporters in a news conference.
A more immediate concern for the residents of La Palma is the huge ash cloud that is rising from the volcano and being carried by the wind to other parts of the island. In addition to being a significant danger to aviation, he said volcanic ash can cause damage to people's airways, lungs and eyes. The local government has urged residents in affected areas to avoid going outside and only do so wearing masks and goggles.
The Associated Press
Mali approaches 'Russian private companies,' slams France at UN
Mali has asked private Russian companies to boost security, Russia's foreign minister confirmed Saturday, as the Malian leader accused France of abandoning the conflict-ridden country by preparing a large troop drawdown.
Mali has asked private Russian companies to boost security, Russia's foreign minister confirmed Saturday, as the Malian leader accused France of abandoning the conflict-ridden country by preparing a large troop drawdown.
© MICHELE CATTANI As some countries draw down their forces in Mali, the government is looking elsewhere to shore up its fight against jihadists
European countries have warned the Malian government on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly this week against hiring paramilitaries from the controversial Wagner group.
But with Paris set to reduce its military presence in Mali, Sergey Lavrov told reporters that the Malian government was turning towards "private Russian companies."
"This is activity which has been carried out on a legitimate basis," he said during a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York.
"We have nothing to do with that," he added, saying the Malian government estimated that "its own capacities would be insufficient in the absence of external support" and initiated the discussions.
According to reports, Mali's army-dominated government in Bamako is close to hiring 1,000 Wagner paramilitaries.
France has warned Mali that hiring the fighters from the Russian private-security firm would isolate the country internationally.
But Mali PM Choguel Kokalla Maiga accused France of abandoning his country with the "unilateral" decision to withdraw troops as he addressed the UN General Assembly.
He said his government was justified to "seek other partners" to boost security and slammed a "lack of consultation" by the French.
The Wagner group is considered close to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Western countries accuse it of acting on behalf of Moscow.
Russian paramilitaries, private-security instructors and companies have grown increasingly influential in Africa in recent years, particularly in the conflict-ridden Central African Republic, where the United Nations has accused Wagner contractors of committing abuses.
Moscow admits having deployed "instructors" to CAR but says they aren't active in fighting. Russia insists there are no paramilitaries in Libya, despite Western claims to the contrary.
The UN, which has some 15,000 peacekeepers in Mali, has also expressed concern at the possible involvement of Wagner fighters.
The EU, which trains Malian troops through its EUTM Mali mission, made up of 700 soldiers from 25 European countries, has warned that Wagner's involvement would "seriously" affect its relations with Bamako.
"To say, 'I was there first, get out,' it's insulting, first of all for the government in Bamako which invited foreign partners," insisted Lavrov.
France, which has lost 52 soldiers in the Sahel since it began engagements in January 2013, has decided to reorganize its military presence around a tighter unit centered on targeted strikes against jihadist leaders and on supporting local armies.
- Coups -
Soldiers are due to leave some bases by the end of the year and French troops in the Sahel should fall from around 5,000 currently to 2,500 or 3,000 by 2023.
France's defence minister, Florence Parly, reaffirmed Monday that France was not abandoning Mali and that it remained "determined" to continue the fight against terrorism alongside the Malian forces.
Germany, which also has troops in the country, has warned Bamako it will reconsider its deployment should the government strike a deal with Wagner.
Already battling a jihadist insurgency, Mali slid into political turmoil last year, culminating in a military coup in August 2020 against president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.
Under the threat of sanctions, the military then appointed an interim civilian government tasked with steering the country back to democratic rule.
But military strongman Colonel Assimi Goita overthrew the leaders of that interim government in May -- in a second putsch -- and was later declared interim president himself, drawing international condemnation.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced his troop reductions in July in the aftermath of the second coup.
Following his press conference, Lavrov sharply criticized Paris and Berlin during his address to the annual General Assembly.
He accused them of wanting to impose their vision of the world on the rest of the planet without considering different opinions.
prh/pdh/bfm
European countries have warned the Malian government on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly this week against hiring paramilitaries from the controversial Wagner group.
But with Paris set to reduce its military presence in Mali, Sergey Lavrov told reporters that the Malian government was turning towards "private Russian companies."
"This is activity which has been carried out on a legitimate basis," he said during a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York.
"We have nothing to do with that," he added, saying the Malian government estimated that "its own capacities would be insufficient in the absence of external support" and initiated the discussions.
According to reports, Mali's army-dominated government in Bamako is close to hiring 1,000 Wagner paramilitaries.
France has warned Mali that hiring the fighters from the Russian private-security firm would isolate the country internationally.
But Mali PM Choguel Kokalla Maiga accused France of abandoning his country with the "unilateral" decision to withdraw troops as he addressed the UN General Assembly.
He said his government was justified to "seek other partners" to boost security and slammed a "lack of consultation" by the French.
The Wagner group is considered close to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Western countries accuse it of acting on behalf of Moscow.
Russian paramilitaries, private-security instructors and companies have grown increasingly influential in Africa in recent years, particularly in the conflict-ridden Central African Republic, where the United Nations has accused Wagner contractors of committing abuses.
Moscow admits having deployed "instructors" to CAR but says they aren't active in fighting. Russia insists there are no paramilitaries in Libya, despite Western claims to the contrary.
The UN, which has some 15,000 peacekeepers in Mali, has also expressed concern at the possible involvement of Wagner fighters.
The EU, which trains Malian troops through its EUTM Mali mission, made up of 700 soldiers from 25 European countries, has warned that Wagner's involvement would "seriously" affect its relations with Bamako.
"To say, 'I was there first, get out,' it's insulting, first of all for the government in Bamako which invited foreign partners," insisted Lavrov.
France, which has lost 52 soldiers in the Sahel since it began engagements in January 2013, has decided to reorganize its military presence around a tighter unit centered on targeted strikes against jihadist leaders and on supporting local armies.
- Coups -
Soldiers are due to leave some bases by the end of the year and French troops in the Sahel should fall from around 5,000 currently to 2,500 or 3,000 by 2023.
France's defence minister, Florence Parly, reaffirmed Monday that France was not abandoning Mali and that it remained "determined" to continue the fight against terrorism alongside the Malian forces.
Germany, which also has troops in the country, has warned Bamako it will reconsider its deployment should the government strike a deal with Wagner.
Already battling a jihadist insurgency, Mali slid into political turmoil last year, culminating in a military coup in August 2020 against president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.
Under the threat of sanctions, the military then appointed an interim civilian government tasked with steering the country back to democratic rule.
But military strongman Colonel Assimi Goita overthrew the leaders of that interim government in May -- in a second putsch -- and was later declared interim president himself, drawing international condemnation.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced his troop reductions in July in the aftermath of the second coup.
Following his press conference, Lavrov sharply criticized Paris and Berlin during his address to the annual General Assembly.
He accused them of wanting to impose their vision of the world on the rest of the planet without considering different opinions.
prh/pdh/bfm
UNGA: Migration will continue as long as inequality persists, Haiti PM says as Del Rio bridge crisis ends
The tens of thousands of people sheltering in the shadow of Texas's Del Rio bridge have gone, but their trials continue. And they will not be the last, as Haiti's Prime Minister Ariel Henry warned on Saturday
The tens of thousands of people sheltering in the shadow of Texas's Del Rio bridge have gone, but their trials continue. And they will not be the last, as Haiti's Prime Minister Ariel Henry warned on Saturday
.
United Nations/AP Ariel Henry, Prime Minister of Haiti, remotely addresses the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly in a pre-recorded message, Saturday Sept. 25, 2021 at UN headquarters. (UN Web TV via AP)
By Caitlin Hu, CNN
Some have been expelled to Haiti by force, others convinced to cross the border back to Mexico. A number remain in limbo in the US -- luckier than most, because they will have the chance to make their case before an American immigration judge.
Addressing the border crisis before the UN General Assembly on Saturday, Henry pointedly reminded the world that "many countries which are prosperous today have been built through successive waves of migrants and refugees."
Global inequality is the fundamental driver of such crises, he also said. "The problem of migrants must remind us that human beings, fathers and mothers, will always flee misery and conflict and strive to offer better living conditions to their children," he said.
"Migrations will continue as long as there are pockets of wealth on the planet, while the majority of the world population lives in precarity."
For many Haitian migrants, this past week was only one more hardship in a series that had begun months and even years ago. Some of those who made their way to Del Rio had originally fled Haiti after the catastrophic 2010 earthquake, and worked in South America for years, supporting families back home with their earnings.
But racism, tightening immigration laws and the economic fallout of the pandemic have forced Haitians in countries like Chile and Brazil to look for something new, say migrants and advocacy groups. Those pressures have not gone away, which raises the prospect of future crushes of migrants at the US border.
"Haitian migration has been roaming Latin America for more than a decade," said the interior ministry of Chile in a statement to CNN. "In Chile, their exodus is increasingly notorious, given the current working conditions that do not favor their insertion in the market, even with a visa and work permit."
Djimy Delice, a Haitian migrant activist who lives in Valparaiso, Chile, says the recent passage of a new immigration law has made it difficult for undocumented migrants to regularize their status, and to access education, housing and health services. "What we know is that if (migrants) have a very uncertain journey (to reach the US), nothing here is certain either," he said.
In Brazil, another common origin country for Haitian migrants, Gilbert Lafortune says he is still contemplating heading for the US.
The 49-year-old father, who lives in Sao Paulo, says soaring inflation has made everyday survival impossible for those who are also supporting families back home in Haiti.
"With the rising inflation, the cost of everything has gone up: light, gas, water, food ...The minimum wage in Brazil is 1,100 reais (a little more than $200), so you can't pay rent, food and also help your family," he said. "Therefore, a lot of people need to leave and go to the US."
Concerns over speed
"As of this morning there are no longer any migrants in the camp underneath the Del Rio bridge," US Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas announced Friday -- a logistical feat, but one that raised concerns in NGO and advocacy circles over how humane the processing of nearly 30,000 people in so short a time could have been.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi earlier this week slammed the expulsion of some migrants under Title 42, a Trump-era policy that allows border officials to quickly expel migrants as a pandemic public health precaution. The policy was ruled illegal by a judge but remains in effect until the end of the month.
"The summary, mass expulsions of individuals currently under way under the Title 42 authority, without screening for protection needs, is inconsistent with international norms and may constitute refoulement," Grandi said, referencing a principle in international law that forbids returning migrants to countries where they would face irreparable harm.
Haiti is wracked with an epidemic of violent crime, political turmoil and devastation from a recent earthquake. Large swathes of its capital city, Port-au-Prince, are controlled by gangs, who operate sprawling kidnapping-for-profit operations.
More than 2,580 Haitians -- including 563 children -- had been sent back to Haiti as of Friday, according to the International Organization for Migration. The agency, alongside the Haitian government, is scrambling to receive all the people being dropped off by US planes.
But it is unclear whether local officials and humanitarian workers are equipped to deal with complicated individual cases, given the scale and speed of the expulsions. The IOM and the UN point to UNHCR as the agency responsible for any refugee claims among the deported, but the refugee agency on Friday told CNN its presence in Haiti is "very limited."
Meanwhile, Haitians who eventually crossed back into Mexico -- an estimated 8,000, according to Mayorkas -- also face an uncertain future. In the southern town of Tapachula, where many migrants have been sent, Haitian women describe xenophobia and discrimination, said Gretchen Kuhner, director of Mexico's Institute for Women in Migration. "People don't stop for them to cross the street, even if they're carrying a baby or even if they're pregnant," she said.
'Shocking images'
Haiti Foreign Minister Claude Joseph traveled to New York on Thursday, meeting with US State Department officials ahead of his country's appearance at the UN General Assembly.
At the top of the agenda was recent footage of American Border Patrol officers on horseback raising whips toward migrants earlier this week, Joseph said. "Shocking images. We expressed our concerns about the mistreatment of Haitians, Haitian migrants."
"They deserve better treatment and we are very appreciative to the American people who have spoken up," he also said.
Mayorkas on Friday told press that he recognized the images "painfully conjured up the worst elements of our nation's ongoing battle against systemic racism" and insisted that they "do not reflect who we are." The officers involved are no longer with migrants and an investigation into the incident is ongoing, he also said.
Haitian officials were negotiating with the US about the migration crisis "on a daily basis," according to Joseph. He sees it as a diplomatic victory that some Haitians have been allowed to remain in the US and be heard by an immigration judge. Approximately 12,400 are expected to get a chance to appear in immigration court.
But some of those who are already back in Haiti are furious with their leaders, whom they say failed to stand up to Washington and should not have accepted the deportations.
"All other countries humiliate us as Haitians. We have no respect; we have no value," deportee Eddy Teverme told CNN upon arriving at Port-au-Prince airport this week.
"They told us to accept the reality and board the plane. They said life does not end when you return to your country," he said. "But the only question I need to ask my leaders, the official who signed the deportation agreement, do they have jobs for all these Haitians who have been sent back to the country?"
Addressing the border crisis before the UN General Assembly on Saturday, Henry pointedly reminded the world that "many countries which are prosperous today have been built through successive waves of migrants and refugees."
Global inequality is the fundamental driver of such crises, he also said. "The problem of migrants must remind us that human beings, fathers and mothers, will always flee misery and conflict and strive to offer better living conditions to their children," he said.
"Migrations will continue as long as there are pockets of wealth on the planet, while the majority of the world population lives in precarity."
For many Haitian migrants, this past week was only one more hardship in a series that had begun months and even years ago. Some of those who made their way to Del Rio had originally fled Haiti after the catastrophic 2010 earthquake, and worked in South America for years, supporting families back home with their earnings.
But racism, tightening immigration laws and the economic fallout of the pandemic have forced Haitians in countries like Chile and Brazil to look for something new, say migrants and advocacy groups. Those pressures have not gone away, which raises the prospect of future crushes of migrants at the US border.
"Haitian migration has been roaming Latin America for more than a decade," said the interior ministry of Chile in a statement to CNN. "In Chile, their exodus is increasingly notorious, given the current working conditions that do not favor their insertion in the market, even with a visa and work permit."
Djimy Delice, a Haitian migrant activist who lives in Valparaiso, Chile, says the recent passage of a new immigration law has made it difficult for undocumented migrants to regularize their status, and to access education, housing and health services. "What we know is that if (migrants) have a very uncertain journey (to reach the US), nothing here is certain either," he said.
In Brazil, another common origin country for Haitian migrants, Gilbert Lafortune says he is still contemplating heading for the US.
The 49-year-old father, who lives in Sao Paulo, says soaring inflation has made everyday survival impossible for those who are also supporting families back home in Haiti.
"With the rising inflation, the cost of everything has gone up: light, gas, water, food ...The minimum wage in Brazil is 1,100 reais (a little more than $200), so you can't pay rent, food and also help your family," he said. "Therefore, a lot of people need to leave and go to the US."
Concerns over speed
"As of this morning there are no longer any migrants in the camp underneath the Del Rio bridge," US Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas announced Friday -- a logistical feat, but one that raised concerns in NGO and advocacy circles over how humane the processing of nearly 30,000 people in so short a time could have been.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi earlier this week slammed the expulsion of some migrants under Title 42, a Trump-era policy that allows border officials to quickly expel migrants as a pandemic public health precaution. The policy was ruled illegal by a judge but remains in effect until the end of the month.
"The summary, mass expulsions of individuals currently under way under the Title 42 authority, without screening for protection needs, is inconsistent with international norms and may constitute refoulement," Grandi said, referencing a principle in international law that forbids returning migrants to countries where they would face irreparable harm.
Haiti is wracked with an epidemic of violent crime, political turmoil and devastation from a recent earthquake. Large swathes of its capital city, Port-au-Prince, are controlled by gangs, who operate sprawling kidnapping-for-profit operations.
More than 2,580 Haitians -- including 563 children -- had been sent back to Haiti as of Friday, according to the International Organization for Migration. The agency, alongside the Haitian government, is scrambling to receive all the people being dropped off by US planes.
But it is unclear whether local officials and humanitarian workers are equipped to deal with complicated individual cases, given the scale and speed of the expulsions. The IOM and the UN point to UNHCR as the agency responsible for any refugee claims among the deported, but the refugee agency on Friday told CNN its presence in Haiti is "very limited."
Meanwhile, Haitians who eventually crossed back into Mexico -- an estimated 8,000, according to Mayorkas -- also face an uncertain future. In the southern town of Tapachula, where many migrants have been sent, Haitian women describe xenophobia and discrimination, said Gretchen Kuhner, director of Mexico's Institute for Women in Migration. "People don't stop for them to cross the street, even if they're carrying a baby or even if they're pregnant," she said.
'Shocking images'
Haiti Foreign Minister Claude Joseph traveled to New York on Thursday, meeting with US State Department officials ahead of his country's appearance at the UN General Assembly.
At the top of the agenda was recent footage of American Border Patrol officers on horseback raising whips toward migrants earlier this week, Joseph said. "Shocking images. We expressed our concerns about the mistreatment of Haitians, Haitian migrants."
"They deserve better treatment and we are very appreciative to the American people who have spoken up," he also said.
Mayorkas on Friday told press that he recognized the images "painfully conjured up the worst elements of our nation's ongoing battle against systemic racism" and insisted that they "do not reflect who we are." The officers involved are no longer with migrants and an investigation into the incident is ongoing, he also said.
Haitian officials were negotiating with the US about the migration crisis "on a daily basis," according to Joseph. He sees it as a diplomatic victory that some Haitians have been allowed to remain in the US and be heard by an immigration judge. Approximately 12,400 are expected to get a chance to appear in immigration court.
But some of those who are already back in Haiti are furious with their leaders, whom they say failed to stand up to Washington and should not have accepted the deportations.
"All other countries humiliate us as Haitians. We have no respect; we have no value," deportee Eddy Teverme told CNN upon arriving at Port-au-Prince airport this week.
"They told us to accept the reality and board the plane. They said life does not end when you return to your country," he said. "But the only question I need to ask my leaders, the official who signed the deportation agreement, do they have jobs for all these Haitians who have been sent back to the country?"
United Airlines hit with record $1.9 million fine for delays that left passengers stuck on planes for lengthy periods
ztayeb@businessinsider.com (Zahra Tayeb)
United Airlines has been hit with a $1.9 million penalty for long tarmac delays, per Reuters.
A consent order cited 25 incidents that occurred between December 2015 and February of this year.
The airline breached federal rules by keeping passengers stuck on planes for too long.
United Airlines has been fined $1.9 million by the Department of Transportation (DoT) for keeping thousands of passengers stuck on planes for hours, in violation of federal rules, Reuters reported.
It is the largest penalty of its kind, according to the outlet.
The department said in a consent order that United failed to adhere to the assurances in its contingency plan for long tarmac delays for 20 domestic flights and five international flights at airports across the US. A total of 3,218 passengers were affected.
A tarmac delay occurs when a plane on the ground is either awaiting takeoff or has just landed and passengers do not have the opportunity to get off the plane.
In one 2019 incident, a United flight en route to Chicago was diverted to an airport in Wisconsin, due to a winter storm. It was held on the tarmac for more than four hours.
In a statement to Reuters on Friday, United said its "committed to fully meeting all DoT rules and will continue identifying and implementing improvements in how we manage difficult operating conditions."
United Airlines did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
In July 2021, airlines reported a total of 40 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights, compared with 11 the month before, per the department.
United is not the only airline to have faced sky-high penalties in recent years. In 2019, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines were fined a total of $1.75 million for long tarmac delays at US airports.
Delta said at the time that it provided customers with substantial compensation for the delays, including cash reimbursements, SkyMiles, and travel vouchers.
Read the original article on Business Insider
ztayeb@businessinsider.com (Zahra Tayeb)
© Provided by Business Insider The fine imposed on United was the largest of its kind, according to officials. Thomas Pallini/Insider
United Airlines has been hit with a $1.9 million penalty for long tarmac delays, per Reuters.
A consent order cited 25 incidents that occurred between December 2015 and February of this year.
The airline breached federal rules by keeping passengers stuck on planes for too long.
United Airlines has been fined $1.9 million by the Department of Transportation (DoT) for keeping thousands of passengers stuck on planes for hours, in violation of federal rules, Reuters reported.
It is the largest penalty of its kind, according to the outlet.
The department said in a consent order that United failed to adhere to the assurances in its contingency plan for long tarmac delays for 20 domestic flights and five international flights at airports across the US. A total of 3,218 passengers were affected.
A tarmac delay occurs when a plane on the ground is either awaiting takeoff or has just landed and passengers do not have the opportunity to get off the plane.
In one 2019 incident, a United flight en route to Chicago was diverted to an airport in Wisconsin, due to a winter storm. It was held on the tarmac for more than four hours.
In a statement to Reuters on Friday, United said its "committed to fully meeting all DoT rules and will continue identifying and implementing improvements in how we manage difficult operating conditions."
United Airlines did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
In July 2021, airlines reported a total of 40 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights, compared with 11 the month before, per the department.
United is not the only airline to have faced sky-high penalties in recent years. In 2019, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines were fined a total of $1.75 million for long tarmac delays at US airports.
Delta said at the time that it provided customers with substantial compensation for the delays, including cash reimbursements, SkyMiles, and travel vouchers.
Read the original article on Business Insider
USA
Two-thirds of low wage workers still don't have sick days amid ongoing pandemicewalsh@insider.com (Emily Walsh)
© Provided by Business Insider Westend61/Getty Images
Two-thirds of low-wage workers do not have sick days, despite the ongoing pandemic, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Overall, paid sick days have a positive benefit to employers as it reduces employee turnover.
There has been a recent push by Democratic politicians and workers in the US to secure paid leave for low-wage workers.
Two-thirds of low-wage workers do not have sick days, even during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Over three-quarters, or about 77%, of private-sector workers in the US have the ability to earn paid sick time at work, but the benefit is mostly available to higher-wage workers, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Only 33% of the lowest-paid workers are able to earn paid sick days in the US, the data found.
Low-wage workers, such as people working in education, restaurants, and manufacturing, are typically working in positions where they have more direct contact with the public, putting them at a higher risk for developing a contagious disease like COVID-19, falling ill, and subsequently being forced to miss work, the Economic Policy Institute points out.
Access to paid sick days has positive benefits to employers as it reduces employee turnover with no impact on employment, according to EPI.
Depending on where workers live can also impact their access to paid sick days, the EPI reported. 95% of private-sector workers living in the Pacific Region (California, Oregon, and Washington) have access to paid sick leave while only 67% in East South Central states (Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, and Tennessee) have the same access. Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, and Tennessee all have preemption laws prohibiting cities and counties from requiring local employers to offer paid sick leave or other forms of paid family or medical leave, according to the EPI.
There is no federal law requiring employers to provide paid sick leave.
Recently, Tyson Foods, the world's second-largest processor and marketer of chicken, beef, and pork, granted workers fully vaccinated against the coronavirus 20 hours of paid sick leave a year to incentivize employees to get the vaccine, Insider Reported.
However, Amazon, which currently employs every 1 out of 153 workers in the US, does not offer its warehouse workers paid sick leave. Amazon has come under scrutiny from its employees and labor activists for offering unsafe working conditions for its warehouse workers and delivery drivers.
The company has repeatedly said the safety of drivers and communities is its top priority and it invests millions of dollars in safety protocols for workers.
House Democrats are currently drafting a bill that includes 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave for American workers. The proposed $3.5 trillion infrastructure plan, called the Build Back Better Act, would guarantee workers time off to raise newborn children or deal with a medical emergency, Insider reported.
"This is our historic opportunity to support working families and ensure our economy is stronger, more inclusive, and more resilient for generations to come," Chairman Richard E. Neal, a Massachusetts representative, previously told Insider.
Read the original article on Business Insider
CANADA
The employment insurance system is set for another round of pandemic-related changesTHE CANADIAN PRESS
Sep. 25, 2021
Canada Service centre documents that display Employment Insurance options are pictured in Ottawa on July 7, 2015. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
There are new rules about employment insurance. Here’s what you need to know.
The employment insurance system is set for another round of pandemic-related changes that come into force on Sunday. Here are a few of the key changes that will apply to new claims for benefits made beginning Sept. 26.
Eligibility
EI applicants need to have worked a minimum number of hours to qualify for benefits. In the past, that number has been about 600 hours, although the number varied in different parts of the country based on local labour market conditions.
Many workers have had their hours cut during the pandemic, meaning they may not have worked enough hours to qualify.
Over the last year, all new EI applicants received a one-time hours top-up to help them qualify, but that disappears on Sunday. In its place will be a uniform requirement to have worked 420 hours.
The uniform hours requirement will be in place for one year, until Sept. 24, 2022.
The government is also requiring anew a medical certificate proving an applicant is sick and can’t work to receive EI sickness benefits. The requirement was waived temporarily over the last year because of COVID-19.
Benefits
The weekly floor on benefits will decline to $300 from $500, in line with the value of payments under the Canada Recovery Benefit that is available for those who don’t qualify for EI.
The weekly floor is planned to apply to claims made between Sept. 26 and Nov. 20.
The duration and value of benefits will once again be calculated using regional unemployment rates that were temporarily replaced over the last year by a uniform unemployment rate of 13.1 per cent.
EI officials will also use simplified rules around severance and vacation pay so claimants should be able to start receiving benefits sooner. The payments can delay the start and value of benefits.
However, there will once again be a one-week wait before benefits flow for any new EI claims after the waiting period was waived over the last year.
Staying the same
Anyone with an existing EI claim won’t see any changes to the value or duration of their benefits with these new rules.
As well, seasonal workers in 13 regions will still be eligible for five extra weeks of EI regular benefits until October 2022.
The pilot project provides the extra weeks to seasonal workers who started a claim between Aug. 5, 2018 and this coming Oct. 30, provided they had three claims for regular or fishing benefits in the last five years, and at least two started around the same time of year.
– Jordan Press, The Canadian Press
Wind energy can be the puzzle piece that tackles global warming
It won't be enough on its own, though.
by Fermin Koop
September 24, 2021
A rapid expansion of wind energy could achieve a reduction in global warming of 0.3ºC to 0.8ºC by the end of the century, according to a new study. While this would have to be complemented with other emission reduction strategies, it could put the world on a closer path to delivering the Paris Agreement on climate change, the researchers said
The expansion of wind energy
Wind turbines are currently deployed in over 90 countries. The researchers estimate that a total 742 GW of wind energy capacity was installed by 2020, 35 GW of which was offshore. A group of 12 countries has an installed capacity (IC) above 10GW and twenty above 5GW. This is mainly dominated by Asia (mainly China), Europe (mainly Germany), and the US.
Although hydro currently dominates renewable electricity generation (4325 TWh, around 16% of total electricity supply), the largest growth rates and most future scenarios envisage major expansion in the wind and solar energy. Wind energy production has expanded from 104 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2005 to 1273 TWh in 2018.
The recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a leading group of climate experts, suggests that “major reductions” in all sectors are needed to meet the Paris Agreement targets. This is where wind energy enters, capable of driving greenhouse gas emissions down thanks to its fast expansion and lowering costs.
The most aggressive deployment scenarios of wind energy would reduce emissions by around five gigatons by 2030 and by over 10 gigatons by 2050, the researchers estimated. This would reduce global average temperature up to 0.8ºC by the end of the century. Still, this will require a big effort from countries to expand wind energy.
Implementation of the current climate pledges by countries would lead to only a 3.6% annual increase in deployment of wind energy over 2015–2030 compared to the 8.5% per year realized between 2010 and 2016. That’s why several energy agencies have proposed wind energy and electricity generation targets that are more ambitious.
“While the scale of anthropogenic climate change is daunting, our research illustrates that wind energy can substantially reduce emissions of greenhouse gasses at the national and global scale and measurably reduce the amount of temperature increase,” Barthelmie said. “Both technically and economically, advanced deployment scenarios are feasible.”
The study was published in the journal Climate.
It won't be enough on its own, though.
by Fermin Koop
September 24, 2021
A rapid expansion of wind energy could achieve a reduction in global warming of 0.3ºC to 0.8ºC by the end of the century, according to a new study. While this would have to be complemented with other emission reduction strategies, it could put the world on a closer path to delivering the Paris Agreement on climate change, the researchers said
.
Image credit: Flickr / K.H Reichert.
The energy sector remains as one of the main drivers of global greenhouse gas emissions. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that CO2 emissions from coal combustion was responsible for over 0.3ºC of the 1ºC increase in global average temperatures since pre-industrial levels – making coal the main source of temperature rise. So if we want to tackle climate change, replacing coal with renewable energy is a great way to start.
Renewable energy, particularly solar and wind, has seen a remarkable increase over recent years. But it’s not enough yet. In absolute terms, fossil fuels are still the main dominant component of energy demand in every area and globally. That’s why the decarbonization of the energy sector remains a major goal in order to meet the Paris Agreement.
With this in mind, researchers at Cornell University wanted to explore what it would mean in terms of temperature increase for wind energy to continue growing. Onshore wind is a proven and mature technology that has gradually become one of the cheapest energy sources of electricity generation, soon followed by offshore wind.
“Early action will reap dividends,” Rebecca Barthelmie, the lead author of the study, said in a statement. “In terms of averting the worst of climate change, our work confirms that accelerating wind-energy technology deployment is a logical and a cost-effective part of the required strategy. Waiting longer will mean more drastic action will be needed.”
The energy sector remains as one of the main drivers of global greenhouse gas emissions. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that CO2 emissions from coal combustion was responsible for over 0.3ºC of the 1ºC increase in global average temperatures since pre-industrial levels – making coal the main source of temperature rise. So if we want to tackle climate change, replacing coal with renewable energy is a great way to start.
Renewable energy, particularly solar and wind, has seen a remarkable increase over recent years. But it’s not enough yet. In absolute terms, fossil fuels are still the main dominant component of energy demand in every area and globally. That’s why the decarbonization of the energy sector remains a major goal in order to meet the Paris Agreement.
With this in mind, researchers at Cornell University wanted to explore what it would mean in terms of temperature increase for wind energy to continue growing. Onshore wind is a proven and mature technology that has gradually become one of the cheapest energy sources of electricity generation, soon followed by offshore wind.
“Early action will reap dividends,” Rebecca Barthelmie, the lead author of the study, said in a statement. “In terms of averting the worst of climate change, our work confirms that accelerating wind-energy technology deployment is a logical and a cost-effective part of the required strategy. Waiting longer will mean more drastic action will be needed.”
The expansion of wind energy
Wind turbines are currently deployed in over 90 countries. The researchers estimate that a total 742 GW of wind energy capacity was installed by 2020, 35 GW of which was offshore. A group of 12 countries has an installed capacity (IC) above 10GW and twenty above 5GW. This is mainly dominated by Asia (mainly China), Europe (mainly Germany), and the US.
Although hydro currently dominates renewable electricity generation (4325 TWh, around 16% of total electricity supply), the largest growth rates and most future scenarios envisage major expansion in the wind and solar energy. Wind energy production has expanded from 104 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2005 to 1273 TWh in 2018.
The recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a leading group of climate experts, suggests that “major reductions” in all sectors are needed to meet the Paris Agreement targets. This is where wind energy enters, capable of driving greenhouse gas emissions down thanks to its fast expansion and lowering costs.
The most aggressive deployment scenarios of wind energy would reduce emissions by around five gigatons by 2030 and by over 10 gigatons by 2050, the researchers estimated. This would reduce global average temperature up to 0.8ºC by the end of the century. Still, this will require a big effort from countries to expand wind energy.
Implementation of the current climate pledges by countries would lead to only a 3.6% annual increase in deployment of wind energy over 2015–2030 compared to the 8.5% per year realized between 2010 and 2016. That’s why several energy agencies have proposed wind energy and electricity generation targets that are more ambitious.
“While the scale of anthropogenic climate change is daunting, our research illustrates that wind energy can substantially reduce emissions of greenhouse gasses at the national and global scale and measurably reduce the amount of temperature increase,” Barthelmie said. “Both technically and economically, advanced deployment scenarios are feasible.”
The study was published in the journal Climate.
'You Tell Me What We Should Cut': Sanders Not Budging on $3.5 Trillion
"Poll after poll tells me, and tells you, that what we are trying to do is enormously popular."
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) speaks at a "We Can't Wait" rally on the National Mall on June 24, 2021 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
JAKE JOHNSON
"Poll after poll tells me, and tells you, that what we are trying to do is enormously popular."
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) speaks at a "We Can't Wait" rally on the National Mall on June 24, 2021 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
JAKE JOHNSON
September 23, 2021
Update:
In a speech on the Senate floor Thursday, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont argued the United States needs "every penny" of the reconciliation package that is currently taking shape in Congress amid ongoing fights over its size and scope.
"The question we face right now is: at this moment, do we have the courage to keep faith with the American people and show them that their democracy in fact can work for them, and not just powerful special interests?" Sanders said. "Let us go forward, let us do the right thing, let us pass this $3.5 trillion reconciliation package."
As conservative Democrats attempt to pare back the legislation, Sanders stressed that the $3.5 trillion plan would make major investments in climate action and child care, establish universal pre-K and paid family leave, and expand Medicare to include dental, vision, and hearing benefits. The Vermont senator went on to declare that the bill—which corporate lobbying groups are working hard to tank—"should and will be fully paid for" by raising taxes on the rich and big businesses, and by lowering prescription drug prices.
"This legislation takes an important step forward," Sanders said. "It doesn't go as far as it should, but it is a major step forward in transforming our energy system away from fossil fuel to energy efficiency and sustainable energy."
Watch the full speech:
Earlier:
Sen. Bernie Sanders on Thursday challenged members of the media—and conservative Democrats—to specifically cite which portions of the emerging budget reconciliation package they would remove to lower the proposal's $3.5 trillion price tag, which some lawmakers have characterized as excessive.
"Tell the American people and the younger people that we should not address the crisis of climate change and try to save the planet."
Asked during an appearance on "CBS Mornings" whether he would accept a package smaller than $3.5 trillion to appease Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W-Va.) and other right-wing Democrats, Sanders responded, "You tell me what we should cut."
"Tell the working families of this country that we don't need to make child care affordable," said Sanders. "Tell the American people and the younger people that we should not address the crisis of climate change and try to save the planet. Tell the homeless people that we should not build affordable housing. Tell the young people that we should not make community colleges tuition-free."
"All we are trying to do is address the crises facing working families and demand that the wealthiest people in this country start paying their fair share in taxes," he continued. "At the end of the day, I believe that we're going to prevail."
Sanders, the chair of the Senate Budget Committee, reiterated that he and a majority of the Democratic caucus originally pushed for a $6 trillion bill, given the urgent need to combat the climate emergency with massive investments in green energy.
"We have already made a significant compromise," said Sanders. "Poll after poll tells me, and tells you, that what we are trying to do is enormously popular. Every single issue has widespread support not only from Democrats, but from Republicans and Independents."
Sanders' remarks came after he and other prominent progressive lawmakers met with President Joe Biden at the White House on Wednesday to discuss the reconciliation package, which Democrats hope to pass in the coming days.
"This is the president's agenda, this is the Democratic agenda, and this is what we promised voters."
But efforts to quickly advance the sprawling bill have run into opposition from conservative Democrats who, for the most part, have raised vague objections to the bill's price tag and the filibuster-proof procedure being used to pass the bill without Republican support.
Earlier this month, Manchin—a key swing vote in the Senate—urged the Democratic leadership to "hit a strategic pause" on the reconciliation process, arguing that we "must allow for a complete reporting and analysis of the implications a multitrillion-dollar bill will have for this generation and the next."
The West Virginia Democrat has reportedly voiced broad concerns about "Biden's plan to spend $400 billion for home caregivers" and expressed a desire to more aggressively means-test other proposals.
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), for her part, has stated flatly that she will not support a $3.5 trillion bill without elaborating on her objections in any detail.
In an attempt to push the reconciliation package through over conservatives' protests, progressive Democrats in the House are threatening to tank a Senate-passed $550 billion bipartisan infrastructure bill that Manchin and Sinema helped write. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) said earlier this week that "more than half" of the Congressional Progressive Caucus' 96 members are willing to vote against the bipartisan bill unless the reconciliation package is approved first.
Jayapal, the chair of the CPC, held to that position after meeting with Biden on Wednesday. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has committed to holding a floor vote on the bipartisan bill by September 27, but it's far from clear that the reconciliation package will be finished by then.
"I reiterated what I have consistently said: progressives will vote for both bills because we proudly support the president's entire Build Back Better package, but that a majority of our 96-member caucus will only vote for the small infrastructure bill after the Build Back Better Act passes," the Washington Democrat said in a statement outlining what was discussed during her meeting with Biden.
"This is the president's agenda, this is the Democratic agenda, and this is what we promised voters when they delivered us the House, the Senate, and the White House," Jayapal added. "We agree with President Biden that, 'We can do this. We have to do this. We will do this.' We remain strongly committed to continuing these discussions so we are able to deliver these two important bills to his desk."
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Update:
In a speech on the Senate floor Thursday, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont argued the United States needs "every penny" of the reconciliation package that is currently taking shape in Congress amid ongoing fights over its size and scope.
"The question we face right now is: at this moment, do we have the courage to keep faith with the American people and show them that their democracy in fact can work for them, and not just powerful special interests?" Sanders said. "Let us go forward, let us do the right thing, let us pass this $3.5 trillion reconciliation package."
As conservative Democrats attempt to pare back the legislation, Sanders stressed that the $3.5 trillion plan would make major investments in climate action and child care, establish universal pre-K and paid family leave, and expand Medicare to include dental, vision, and hearing benefits. The Vermont senator went on to declare that the bill—which corporate lobbying groups are working hard to tank—"should and will be fully paid for" by raising taxes on the rich and big businesses, and by lowering prescription drug prices.
"This legislation takes an important step forward," Sanders said. "It doesn't go as far as it should, but it is a major step forward in transforming our energy system away from fossil fuel to energy efficiency and sustainable energy."
Watch the full speech:
Earlier:
Sen. Bernie Sanders on Thursday challenged members of the media—and conservative Democrats—to specifically cite which portions of the emerging budget reconciliation package they would remove to lower the proposal's $3.5 trillion price tag, which some lawmakers have characterized as excessive.
"Tell the American people and the younger people that we should not address the crisis of climate change and try to save the planet."
Asked during an appearance on "CBS Mornings" whether he would accept a package smaller than $3.5 trillion to appease Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W-Va.) and other right-wing Democrats, Sanders responded, "You tell me what we should cut."
"Tell the working families of this country that we don't need to make child care affordable," said Sanders. "Tell the American people and the younger people that we should not address the crisis of climate change and try to save the planet. Tell the homeless people that we should not build affordable housing. Tell the young people that we should not make community colleges tuition-free."
"All we are trying to do is address the crises facing working families and demand that the wealthiest people in this country start paying their fair share in taxes," he continued. "At the end of the day, I believe that we're going to prevail."
Sanders, the chair of the Senate Budget Committee, reiterated that he and a majority of the Democratic caucus originally pushed for a $6 trillion bill, given the urgent need to combat the climate emergency with massive investments in green energy.
"We have already made a significant compromise," said Sanders. "Poll after poll tells me, and tells you, that what we are trying to do is enormously popular. Every single issue has widespread support not only from Democrats, but from Republicans and Independents."
Sanders' remarks came after he and other prominent progressive lawmakers met with President Joe Biden at the White House on Wednesday to discuss the reconciliation package, which Democrats hope to pass in the coming days.
"This is the president's agenda, this is the Democratic agenda, and this is what we promised voters."
But efforts to quickly advance the sprawling bill have run into opposition from conservative Democrats who, for the most part, have raised vague objections to the bill's price tag and the filibuster-proof procedure being used to pass the bill without Republican support.
Earlier this month, Manchin—a key swing vote in the Senate—urged the Democratic leadership to "hit a strategic pause" on the reconciliation process, arguing that we "must allow for a complete reporting and analysis of the implications a multitrillion-dollar bill will have for this generation and the next."
The West Virginia Democrat has reportedly voiced broad concerns about "Biden's plan to spend $400 billion for home caregivers" and expressed a desire to more aggressively means-test other proposals.
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), for her part, has stated flatly that she will not support a $3.5 trillion bill without elaborating on her objections in any detail.
In an attempt to push the reconciliation package through over conservatives' protests, progressive Democrats in the House are threatening to tank a Senate-passed $550 billion bipartisan infrastructure bill that Manchin and Sinema helped write. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) said earlier this week that "more than half" of the Congressional Progressive Caucus' 96 members are willing to vote against the bipartisan bill unless the reconciliation package is approved first.
Jayapal, the chair of the CPC, held to that position after meeting with Biden on Wednesday. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has committed to holding a floor vote on the bipartisan bill by September 27, but it's far from clear that the reconciliation package will be finished by then.
"I reiterated what I have consistently said: progressives will vote for both bills because we proudly support the president's entire Build Back Better package, but that a majority of our 96-member caucus will only vote for the small infrastructure bill after the Build Back Better Act passes," the Washington Democrat said in a statement outlining what was discussed during her meeting with Biden.
"This is the president's agenda, this is the Democratic agenda, and this is what we promised voters when they delivered us the House, the Senate, and the White House," Jayapal added. "We agree with President Biden that, 'We can do this. We have to do this. We will do this.' We remain strongly committed to continuing these discussions so we are able to deliver these two important bills to his desk."
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Global Peace Activists Warn of Dangers of US-Led Anti-China Pacts
"No to military alliances and preparation for catastrophic wars," anti-war campaigners from over a dozen nations write in a letter decrying the new AUKUS agreement. "Yes to peace, disarmament, justice, and the climate."
U.S. President Joe Biden hosted (from left) Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison—leaders of the Quadrilateral Security Dialog, or "Quad"—at the White House in Washington, D.C. on September 24, 2021.
"No to military alliances and preparation for catastrophic wars," anti-war campaigners from over a dozen nations write in a letter decrying the new AUKUS agreement. "Yes to peace, disarmament, justice, and the climate."
U.S. President Joe Biden hosted (from left) Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison—leaders of the Quadrilateral Security Dialog, or "Quad"—at the White House in Washington, D.C. on September 24, 2021.
(Photo: President Joe Biden/Twitter)
BRETT WILKINS
BRETT WILKINS
September 24, 2021
Warning against collective defense agreements "which dangerously intensify geostrategic military tensions with China," a group of international peace advocates on Friday published a letter decrying the new trilateral pact between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, while calling for "peace, justice, and disarmament."
The letter, whose signatories include peace groups and activists from over a dozen nations, was released as leaders of the United States, Japan, India, and Australia—the Quadrilateral Security Dialog, or "Quad"—met in the White House to share concerns about China.
It also follows the announcement earlier this month of the Australia-United Kingdom-United States (AUKUS) pact, which contains provisions for new weapons sales and was described by one British peace group as an "anti-China" alliance.
Read the full letter:
Meeting on the eve of the Quad alliance summit, peace, justice and common security advocates from the Quad and AUKUS member countries, and Australia, Philippines, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, India, Britain, Germany, and the U.S. met to analyze and build opposition to the dangerous and increased militarism of the Quad and AUKUS alliances.
The incipient coalition decries the Quad and AUKUS alliances which dangerously intensify geostrategic military tensions with China. In addition to increasing the dangers that accidents or miscalculations to trigger escalation to catastrophic wars, this increased military competition seriously undermines the possibility of U.S.-Chinese and broader international cooperation to reverse the existential threats of nuclear weapons, the climate emergency, and pandemics. The strategic competition between the great powers includes the danger of a great power war which will destroy the planet.
Opposing the recently announced U.S.-Australian-British alliance, Australian peace organizations are demanding that Australia not become a staging point for the U.S. military, that Australian sovereignty not be abrogated to the U.S., and their government must not encourage the nuclear proliferation and risk environmental catastrophe inherent in the agreement to purchase submarines powered by highly enriched uranium.
President Biden has spoken of an inflection point. Negotiation and announcement of the AUKUS alliance indeed marks a dangerous turning point in geostrategic situation.
Among them:
Instead of increasing stability and security, the Quad and AUKUS alliances fuel dangerously spiraling cold war-like arms races that must be reversed with common security diplomacy.
The transfer of highly enriched uranium and related technologies to Australia violates the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, and encourages nuclear weapons proliferation. It provides Australia with resources needed to become a nuclear power, and significant political and military figures in India, South Korea, and Japan ask why they have been denied these capabilities.
Announcement of the AUKUS alliance has disastrous global strategic ramifications. Coming on the heels of the precipitous NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Biden Administration has again acted without consulting its NATO allies. This fuels calls from European and E.U. leaders to create an independent European military superpower. The new military alliance strengthens worldwide the arms race.
The AUKUS alliance increases pressure on ASEAN and other nations to choose between sides in a way that compromises their independence.
Forty years ago, the adoption of common security diplomacy played major roles in the negotiation of the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty and the end of the Cold War. The new international peace coalition is committed to building international pressure for Indo-Pacific demilitarization and common security diplomacy to address and reverse the existential threats posed by nuclear weapons, the climate emergency, and pandemics.
No to military alliances and preparation for catastrophic wars. Yes to peace, disarmament, justice, and the climate.
(signatories as of 9:00 am Manila time of Sept.24)
International Peace Bureau
Asia Europe Peoples Forum—Peace and Security cluster
Independent and Peaceful Australia Network
Australian Anti Bases Campaign Coalition
Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security
Committee for a Sane U.S.-China Policy
Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space
Guahan Coalition for Peace and Justice (Guam)
Le Mouvement de la Paix (France)
Veterans For Peace Chapter 113 Hawaii
Peace Women Partners, Philippines
Action for Sovereign Philippines
I Hagan Famalao'an Guahan, Inc. (Guam)
KILUSAN (Movement for National Democracy) Philippines
KAISAKA (Unity of Women for Liberation) Philippines
Maui Peace Action (Hawaii)
Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (Solidarity of Filipino Workers/BMP) Philippines'
Philippine Women’s Network for Peace and Security
Annette Brownlie (Independent & Peaceful Australia Network, Australia)
Hannah Middleton (Australian Anti-Bases Campaign Coalition, Australia)
Denis Doherty (AABCC, Australia)
Ross Wynther (IPAN, Australia)
Anuradha Chenoy (Asia Europe Peoples Forum, India)
Reiner Braun (International Peace Bureau, Germany)
Michael Klare (Committee for a Sane US-China Policy)
Joseph Gerson (Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security, U.S.)
Mililani B. Trask (Hawaii)
Dave Webb (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, U.K.)
Tina Ebro (Asia Europe Peoples Forum, Philippines)
Dong Huy Cuong (Asia Europe Peoples Forum, Vietnam)
Francis Daehoon Lee (Peace MOMO, Korea)
Roland Simbulan (Professor at the University of the Philippines)
Corazon Valdez-Fabros (International Peace Bureau, Philippines)
Alain Rouy (Le Mouvement de la Paix, France)
Merci Angeles (Peace Women Partners, Philippines)
LisaLinda Natividad (Guahan)
Kevin Martin (Peace Action, U.S.)
Jim Anderson (Peace Action, National Office, U.S.)
Emily Rubino (New York Peace Action and the CPDCS, U.S.)
Cole Harrison (Massachusetts Peace Action, U.S.)
Mele Stokesberry (Maui Peace Action, Hawaii)
Kyle Kajihiro (Hawaii)
Ann Wright, Veterans For Peace Chapter 113-Hawaii
Ruchama Marton (Physicians for Human Rights, Israel)
Susan Hawthorne (Spinifex Press, Australia)
Mandira Tamrakar (Nepal)
Fabiana Elias de Mesquita (Brazil)
Maria Miel Laurinaria (Philippine Women's Network for Peace and Security)
Djoana Janier (Scrap VFA Movement, Philippines)
Dr. Kate Dewes (Aotearoa/New Zealand)
Rasti Delizo (Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino, Philippines)
Aida Fulleros Santos (International Women's Network against Militarism, Philippines)
Lot dela Cruz (Stop the War Coalition Philippines)
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Warning against collective defense agreements "which dangerously intensify geostrategic military tensions with China," a group of international peace advocates on Friday published a letter decrying the new trilateral pact between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, while calling for "peace, justice, and disarmament."
The letter, whose signatories include peace groups and activists from over a dozen nations, was released as leaders of the United States, Japan, India, and Australia—the Quadrilateral Security Dialog, or "Quad"—met in the White House to share concerns about China.
It also follows the announcement earlier this month of the Australia-United Kingdom-United States (AUKUS) pact, which contains provisions for new weapons sales and was described by one British peace group as an "anti-China" alliance.
Read the full letter:
Meeting on the eve of the Quad alliance summit, peace, justice and common security advocates from the Quad and AUKUS member countries, and Australia, Philippines, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, India, Britain, Germany, and the U.S. met to analyze and build opposition to the dangerous and increased militarism of the Quad and AUKUS alliances.
The incipient coalition decries the Quad and AUKUS alliances which dangerously intensify geostrategic military tensions with China. In addition to increasing the dangers that accidents or miscalculations to trigger escalation to catastrophic wars, this increased military competition seriously undermines the possibility of U.S.-Chinese and broader international cooperation to reverse the existential threats of nuclear weapons, the climate emergency, and pandemics. The strategic competition between the great powers includes the danger of a great power war which will destroy the planet.
Opposing the recently announced U.S.-Australian-British alliance, Australian peace organizations are demanding that Australia not become a staging point for the U.S. military, that Australian sovereignty not be abrogated to the U.S., and their government must not encourage the nuclear proliferation and risk environmental catastrophe inherent in the agreement to purchase submarines powered by highly enriched uranium.
President Biden has spoken of an inflection point. Negotiation and announcement of the AUKUS alliance indeed marks a dangerous turning point in geostrategic situation.
Among them:
Instead of increasing stability and security, the Quad and AUKUS alliances fuel dangerously spiraling cold war-like arms races that must be reversed with common security diplomacy.
The transfer of highly enriched uranium and related technologies to Australia violates the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, and encourages nuclear weapons proliferation. It provides Australia with resources needed to become a nuclear power, and significant political and military figures in India, South Korea, and Japan ask why they have been denied these capabilities.
Announcement of the AUKUS alliance has disastrous global strategic ramifications. Coming on the heels of the precipitous NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Biden Administration has again acted without consulting its NATO allies. This fuels calls from European and E.U. leaders to create an independent European military superpower. The new military alliance strengthens worldwide the arms race.
The AUKUS alliance increases pressure on ASEAN and other nations to choose between sides in a way that compromises their independence.
Forty years ago, the adoption of common security diplomacy played major roles in the negotiation of the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty and the end of the Cold War. The new international peace coalition is committed to building international pressure for Indo-Pacific demilitarization and common security diplomacy to address and reverse the existential threats posed by nuclear weapons, the climate emergency, and pandemics.
No to military alliances and preparation for catastrophic wars. Yes to peace, disarmament, justice, and the climate.
(signatories as of 9:00 am Manila time of Sept.24)
International Peace Bureau
Asia Europe Peoples Forum—Peace and Security cluster
Independent and Peaceful Australia Network
Australian Anti Bases Campaign Coalition
Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security
Committee for a Sane U.S.-China Policy
Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space
Guahan Coalition for Peace and Justice (Guam)
Le Mouvement de la Paix (France)
Veterans For Peace Chapter 113 Hawaii
Peace Women Partners, Philippines
Action for Sovereign Philippines
I Hagan Famalao'an Guahan, Inc. (Guam)
KILUSAN (Movement for National Democracy) Philippines
KAISAKA (Unity of Women for Liberation) Philippines
Maui Peace Action (Hawaii)
Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (Solidarity of Filipino Workers/BMP) Philippines'
Philippine Women’s Network for Peace and Security
Annette Brownlie (Independent & Peaceful Australia Network, Australia)
Hannah Middleton (Australian Anti-Bases Campaign Coalition, Australia)
Denis Doherty (AABCC, Australia)
Ross Wynther (IPAN, Australia)
Anuradha Chenoy (Asia Europe Peoples Forum, India)
Reiner Braun (International Peace Bureau, Germany)
Michael Klare (Committee for a Sane US-China Policy)
Joseph Gerson (Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security, U.S.)
Mililani B. Trask (Hawaii)
Dave Webb (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, U.K.)
Tina Ebro (Asia Europe Peoples Forum, Philippines)
Dong Huy Cuong (Asia Europe Peoples Forum, Vietnam)
Francis Daehoon Lee (Peace MOMO, Korea)
Roland Simbulan (Professor at the University of the Philippines)
Corazon Valdez-Fabros (International Peace Bureau, Philippines)
Alain Rouy (Le Mouvement de la Paix, France)
Merci Angeles (Peace Women Partners, Philippines)
LisaLinda Natividad (Guahan)
Kevin Martin (Peace Action, U.S.)
Jim Anderson (Peace Action, National Office, U.S.)
Emily Rubino (New York Peace Action and the CPDCS, U.S.)
Cole Harrison (Massachusetts Peace Action, U.S.)
Mele Stokesberry (Maui Peace Action, Hawaii)
Kyle Kajihiro (Hawaii)
Ann Wright, Veterans For Peace Chapter 113-Hawaii
Ruchama Marton (Physicians for Human Rights, Israel)
Susan Hawthorne (Spinifex Press, Australia)
Mandira Tamrakar (Nepal)
Fabiana Elias de Mesquita (Brazil)
Maria Miel Laurinaria (Philippine Women's Network for Peace and Security)
Djoana Janier (Scrap VFA Movement, Philippines)
Dr. Kate Dewes (Aotearoa/New Zealand)
Rasti Delizo (Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino, Philippines)
Aida Fulleros Santos (International Women's Network against Militarism, Philippines)
Lot dela Cruz (Stop the War Coalition Philippines)
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
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