KENNEY IS THE GREAT BEAST OF REVELATIONS
Alberta premier rejects criticism he waited too long to impose restrictions
HUMAN SACRIFICE
Thirteen deaths were reported to Alberta Health in the last 24 hours, bringing the province's death toll to 666.
Friday, December 11, 2020
COVID-19 fear leading to health care workers, ethnic groups being stigmatized
Alberta's chief medical officer of health spoke about stigma and compassion in her daily COVID-19 update on Thursday
© Supplied Staff putting on PPE inside the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, Alta. on Tuesday, June 16, 2020.
Dr. Deena Hinshaw said certain ethnic groups are being stigmatized and health care workers are being singled out as being higher risk of COVID-19 transmission.
"This has been a tough year and I know many people have fear, anxiety and frustration," she said.
However, "despite everyone's best efforts, every one of us is at risk of being exposed."
Read more: Stigma of COVID-19 left Alberta ‘long hauler’ and her family feeling ostracized
Hinshaw said outbreaks are identified because people care and want to stop any further spread. She said people who test positive should not be stigmatized. It will discourage others from also being tested and cooperating with public health officials.
Instead, Hinshaw asked Albertans to "treat them with the kindness you'd want to be treated with."
Dr. Deena Hinshaw said certain ethnic groups are being stigmatized and health care workers are being singled out as being higher risk of COVID-19 transmission.
"This has been a tough year and I know many people have fear, anxiety and frustration," she said.
However, "despite everyone's best efforts, every one of us is at risk of being exposed."
Read more: Stigma of COVID-19 left Alberta ‘long hauler’ and her family feeling ostracized
Hinshaw said outbreaks are identified because people care and want to stop any further spread. She said people who test positive should not be stigmatized. It will discourage others from also being tested and cooperating with public health officials.
Instead, Hinshaw asked Albertans to "treat them with the kindness you'd want to be treated with."
NDP releases Edmonton, Calgary hospitalization projections
The NDP said Thursday that Alberta Health Services' projections it obtained show hospitalizations in Alberta's two largest cities will increase by upwards of 50 per cent by Christmas Eve, while at the same time calling on the UCP to be more transparent with the data available.
The projections show as many as 324 Calgarians could be in hospital by Christmas, with 58 being treated in ICUs, according to the NDP, which represents a roughly 60 per cent increase.
In Edmonton, hospitalizations could rise by 50 per cent, the NDP said, with the possibility that 564 people could be spending Christmas in hospital, with as many as 111 in ICU.
Video: Alberta could see more than 1,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations by Dec. 24: AHS
Opposition Leader Rachel Notley called the UCP's response a "cloak and dagger" approach by not being as open as possible with all the information at hand, adding that it allows people to understand the decisions being made.
"When stalling the rate of growth of this virus, and the very nature of the crisis, comes down to the individual actions of all Albertans... public trust is even more important than ever," she said.
"And so, using the notion that you will hide information -- rather than disclose information -- as the rule of thumb, undermines the ability of all Albertans to do what they need to do to keep their neighbours safe."
Notley also called for Premier Jason Kenney to release the province's R value, which is the rate of COVID-19 reproduction -- or spread -- in the community.
In an emailed statement, AHS said the data the NDP was referring to was from the health authority's "early warning system," a tool used to prepare for changes in demand based on predictions of hospitalizations and ICU admissions.
"It provides a point in time forecast, and is updated constantly throughout the day," AHS said. "AHS is already increasing capacity to meet this forecast, and the potential for higher demand due to COVID-19."
AHS provided low, medium and high projections for each zone. By Dec. 24, Calgary could see between 145 (low), 222 (medium) and 345 (high) hospitalizations and between 26 (low), 40 (medium) and 58 (high) ICU admissions. Edmonton could see between 253 (low), 385 (medium) and 564 (high) hospitalizations and between 50 (low), 76 (medium) and 111 (high) ICU admissions, according to the forecasting.
As of Thursday, Edmonton had 371 people in hospital (72 in ICU) and Calgary had 201 people in hospital (40 in ICU).
AHS said in addition to more than 70 ICU beds that have already been freed up between Calgary and Edmonton in recent weeks, more beds are being secured in both zones, and plans are underway to secure more critical care capacity in the North, South and Central zones.
The NDP said Thursday that Alberta Health Services' projections it obtained show hospitalizations in Alberta's two largest cities will increase by upwards of 50 per cent by Christmas Eve, while at the same time calling on the UCP to be more transparent with the data available.
The projections show as many as 324 Calgarians could be in hospital by Christmas, with 58 being treated in ICUs, according to the NDP, which represents a roughly 60 per cent increase.
In Edmonton, hospitalizations could rise by 50 per cent, the NDP said, with the possibility that 564 people could be spending Christmas in hospital, with as many as 111 in ICU.
Video: Alberta could see more than 1,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations by Dec. 24: AHS
Opposition Leader Rachel Notley called the UCP's response a "cloak and dagger" approach by not being as open as possible with all the information at hand, adding that it allows people to understand the decisions being made.
"When stalling the rate of growth of this virus, and the very nature of the crisis, comes down to the individual actions of all Albertans... public trust is even more important than ever," she said.
"And so, using the notion that you will hide information -- rather than disclose information -- as the rule of thumb, undermines the ability of all Albertans to do what they need to do to keep their neighbours safe."
Notley also called for Premier Jason Kenney to release the province's R value, which is the rate of COVID-19 reproduction -- or spread -- in the community.
In an emailed statement, AHS said the data the NDP was referring to was from the health authority's "early warning system," a tool used to prepare for changes in demand based on predictions of hospitalizations and ICU admissions.
"It provides a point in time forecast, and is updated constantly throughout the day," AHS said. "AHS is already increasing capacity to meet this forecast, and the potential for higher demand due to COVID-19."
AHS provided low, medium and high projections for each zone. By Dec. 24, Calgary could see between 145 (low), 222 (medium) and 345 (high) hospitalizations and between 26 (low), 40 (medium) and 58 (high) ICU admissions. Edmonton could see between 253 (low), 385 (medium) and 564 (high) hospitalizations and between 50 (low), 76 (medium) and 111 (high) ICU admissions, according to the forecasting.
As of Thursday, Edmonton had 371 people in hospital (72 in ICU) and Calgary had 201 people in hospital (40 in ICU).
AHS said in addition to more than 70 ICU beds that have already been freed up between Calgary and Edmonton in recent weeks, more beds are being secured in both zones, and plans are underway to secure more critical care capacity in the North, South and Central zones.
OPINION | On COVID-19, what would Lougheed have do
CBC Thu., December 10, 2020,
This column is an opinion from political scientist Duane Bratt, of Mount Royal University.
Preston Manning recently compared how Albertans responded to the Great Depression and World War II with our response to COVID-19. Ken Boessenkool wondered how premier Ralph Klein would have responded to the coronavirus pandemic.
While these comparisons are insightful, so far nobody has asked what premier Peter Lougheed would do if it were his government that was confronted with the health and economic challenges of COVID-19.
Lougheed remains Alberta's most revered former premier, so it is important to speculate about how he would have responded. These historical comparisons may be a "what if" game, but they also provide important insights into how different political leadership approaches respond to crises.
It is a way to apply counterfactual analysis to policy decisions. For example, comparing former Premier Alison Redford's response to the Calgary/High River flood in 2013 with Premier Rachel Notley's response to the 2016 Fort McMurray fire.
Lougheed would have handled it better
I argue that Lougheed, because of a combination of his individual qualities and the structural conditions of his time in office, would have handled COVID-19 in a much better fashion than Premier Jason Kenney.
For example, I can imagine Lougheed instituting a provincewide mask mandate, utilizing the federal tracing app and, if cases spiked, imposing an economic lockdown (but with financial compensation for business owners and workers to supplement federal programs).
Kenney's approach, as Lisa Young and I previously argued, has been marked by too much emphasis on political and partisan calculations. In contrast, I believe that Lougheed would have responded with a focus on mitigating the disastrous health impact, while at the same time taking steps to protect the economy, business owners and workers.
Lougheed could rely on his strong personal qualities.
Before becoming premier, he had built up a set of accomplishments in a variety of fields: athletics, academics, business and law.
He took over a moribund Progressive Conservative party in 1965 and within two elections was premier of Alberta. He was also highly charismatic and empathetic.
Lougheed, like Kenney, would have emphasized personal responsibility, but his persuasion powers were greater. Albertans, who nicknamed him Saint Peter, would have trusted him more, listened and followed his lead.
And for those not inclined to be influenced, like anti-maskers, Lougheed would have responded more quickly and assertively in condemning their behaviour.
Relationship with health sector better under Lougheed
Lougheed would also have had a better relationship with the Alberta health sector.
Kenney, unlike most other Canadian political leaders, never received a COVID-19 bump, due in large part to the fact his government continued to fight doctors, nurses and support workers in the midst of a health pandemic.
Lougheed greatly increased spending in the health-care sector as premier. Hospitals were built, medical schools expanded and additional doctors and nurses hired with increasing wages.
It is difficult to imagine the sorts of damaging leaks and rumours of a strained relationship with Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the chief medical officer of health, and Alberta Health Services occurring in a Lougheed government.
It's likely that Lougheed would be more receptive to the advice of medical professionals; although, like Kenney, he wouldn't allow them to dictate policy.
I would also anticipate more co-operation with the Trudeau government.
Lougheed was certainly not afraid to confront former prime minister Pierre Trudeau, as he did with the National Energy Program and the initial negotiations around the repatriation of the Constitution. He set a template for Kenney's fight with Justin Trudeau over energy policy and equalization.
However, Lougheed, to a much stronger degree than Kenney, also knew when it was time to co-operate. Lougheed-Trudeau reached an accord on the NEP, and Lougheed eventually signed on to the 1982 Constitution.
To be fair, there have been moments, especially in spring 2020, when Kenney dialled down the anti-Trudeau rhetoric. The Kenney government is also working with the Trudeau government on vaccine rollout and field hospitals.
Unfortunately, the personal animus that Kenney and some members of his government feel toward Justin Trudeau periodically reappears — for instance, when members of his cabinet derisively referred to the federal COVID-19 tracing app as the "Trudeau app."
Structural factors benefit Lougheed
To be sure, Lougheed benefited from structural factors that gave him greater freedom of movement than the Kenney government.
One of the reasons that Kenney's approach has been so partisan is that Alberta is now a competitive two-party system. Kenney needs to worry about the NDP in the 2023 election.
We are also only a few years removed from the PC-Wildrose battles that contributed to the NDP's surprising election victory in 2015. Therefore, Kenney needs to be concerned about splinter movements on his right flank that could allow another NDP victory.
In contrast, Lougheed essentially vanquished Social Credit in the 1971 election (although remnants of the farther right would continue to exist throughout most of Lougheed's tenure).
Following his 1971 election, Lougheed would win over 90 per cent of seats and typically exceed 60 per cent in the popular vote in subsequent elections.
Lougheed, who put just as much emphasis on the "progressive" as the "conservative" in the Progressive Conservative party, was a true centrist. He could afford to respond to COVID-19 with less attention to partisanship than Kenney.
Lougheed also benefited from a strong economy throughout his time in office.
The oil shocks of the early 1970s flooded money into the provincial treasury. Even in the immediate aftermath of the NEP, Alberta was generating budget surpluses and could set some money aside in the Heritage Savings Fund.
Financial situation much worse today
In contrast, when Kenney was elected in 2019, he inherited a budget deficit of over $6 billion and $60 billion in accumulated debt.
Because of COVID, Alberta is now projecting a $21-billion deficit and almost $100 billion in debt.
While Alberta is still in a relatively strong fiscal position compared with other provinces, it is in a substantially worse position than at any time in the Lougheed years.
Thus, while Lougheed would have been able to provide stronger economic support programs for businesses and workers if he brought in more restrictive lockdown measures, Kenney has to be much more sensitive regarding the economic effects of his COVID-19 response because of the continuous downturn in Alberta's economy since 2014.
Historical comparisons are a useful exercise to show what other policy pathways could occur.
If Peter Lougheed had been confronted with COVID-19, he would have likely responded with calls for personal responsibility (but with more success because of his higher level of trust among Albertans), co-operation with the federal government, co-operation with the health-care sector and likely more restrictive provisions (but with financial compensation). This is a very different response than what we are currently seeing.
But despite the obvious differences in approach, that doesn't mean Jason Kenney wouldn't benefit, when struggling with policy responses to the COVID crisis, to ask himself, what would Lougheed do?
This column is an opinion. For more information about our commentary section, please readour FAQ.
Netherlands museum exhibition to tell story of Dutch slave trade
Daniel Boffey in Brussels DEC 10, 2020 THE GUARDIAN
The Netherland’s national art institution, the Rijksmuseum, will open its first major exhibition telling the stories of slaves and the Dutch people who enslaved them, as its director backed a government initiative to return thousands of looted treasures to former colonial lands.
\
Daniel Boffey in Brussels DEC 10, 2020 THE GUARDIAN
The Netherland’s national art institution, the Rijksmuseum, will open its first major exhibition telling the stories of slaves and the Dutch people who enslaved them, as its director backed a government initiative to return thousands of looted treasures to former colonial lands.
\© Photograph: Peter de Jong/AP
The national slavery monument by Erwin de Vries in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Using 140 objects, ranging from two Rembrandt portraits of slave owners borrowed from the Louvre to a display of ankle chains used to keep people captive, the exhibition will examine 10 lives caught up in the Dutch slave trade between the early 17th century and 1863, when it was finally made illegal in Suriname and the Antilles.
During an online press conference, curators at the museum noted the significance of the groundbreaking exhibition, following a year in which the killing of George Floyd in the US by a police officer sparked global protests. But also this year the Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, refused to apologise for his country’s colonial past, claiming it would be “too polarising”.
Using 140 objects, ranging from two Rembrandt portraits of slave owners borrowed from the Louvre to a display of ankle chains used to keep people captive, the exhibition will examine 10 lives caught up in the Dutch slave trade between the early 17th century and 1863, when it was finally made illegal in Suriname and the Antilles.
During an online press conference, curators at the museum noted the significance of the groundbreaking exhibition, following a year in which the killing of George Floyd in the US by a police officer sparked global protests. But also this year the Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, refused to apologise for his country’s colonial past, claiming it would be “too polarising”.
The Rijksmuseum director, Taco Dibbits, said he supported efforts to educate Dutch people about their past, including through changes to the school curriculum. He also offered his support to a government committee that will look into restitution claims over 100,000 pieces of art said to have been looted from Dutch colonies.
“Slavery was an essential component of the colonial period in the Netherlands and many generations have suffered unimaginable injustices as a result,” he said. “We felt that slavery is of great importance to our society today. Black Lives Matter shows the urgency that this subject is addressed.”
One of the lives featured is a slave called Wali who, along with 255 others, attempted to flee a Surinamese sugar plantation only to be caught and sentenced to be slowly burned alive. He was given a reprieve for fear of a wider uprising, but Wali died a slave.
The exhibition also looks at the story of Marten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit, who were painted by Rembrandt in all their finery in 1634. Soolmans’ wealth came from a refinery in Amsterdam that sourced its raw sugar from plantations using enslaved labour in Brazil.
Valika Smeulders, the head of the department of history at the Rijksmuseum, said: “I’ve been working on slavery history for years, and to be able to do this from the national museum of the Netherlands was a really a beautiful chance to think through how you do this for an entire country where people don’t agree necessarily on how to deal with this history.”
The exhibition will run from 12 February to 30 May 2021 in 10 rooms featuring the trans-Atlantic slavery in Suriname, Brazil and the Caribbean, and the part played by the Dutch West India Company and Dutch colonial slavery in South Africa and Asia, where the Dutch East India Company operated.
Smeulders said: “We will be telling you, not just through objects, but also through oral history. Old songs and old interviews recorded in the early 20th century of people who talk about their ancestors their grandparents, so that already takes you back to the 18th century.”
“Slavery was an essential component of the colonial period in the Netherlands and many generations have suffered unimaginable injustices as a result,” he said. “We felt that slavery is of great importance to our society today. Black Lives Matter shows the urgency that this subject is addressed.”
One of the lives featured is a slave called Wali who, along with 255 others, attempted to flee a Surinamese sugar plantation only to be caught and sentenced to be slowly burned alive. He was given a reprieve for fear of a wider uprising, but Wali died a slave.
The exhibition also looks at the story of Marten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit, who were painted by Rembrandt in all their finery in 1634. Soolmans’ wealth came from a refinery in Amsterdam that sourced its raw sugar from plantations using enslaved labour in Brazil.
Valika Smeulders, the head of the department of history at the Rijksmuseum, said: “I’ve been working on slavery history for years, and to be able to do this from the national museum of the Netherlands was a really a beautiful chance to think through how you do this for an entire country where people don’t agree necessarily on how to deal with this history.”
The exhibition will run from 12 February to 30 May 2021 in 10 rooms featuring the trans-Atlantic slavery in Suriname, Brazil and the Caribbean, and the part played by the Dutch West India Company and Dutch colonial slavery in South Africa and Asia, where the Dutch East India Company operated.
Smeulders said: “We will be telling you, not just through objects, but also through oral history. Old songs and old interviews recorded in the early 20th century of people who talk about their ancestors their grandparents, so that already takes you back to the 18th century.”
Dutch national museum to stage 2021 exhibition on slavery
Thu., December 10, 2020
AMSTERDAM — To tell the troubling story of the Netherlands' deep historical links to the slave trade, the country's national museum is making it personal.
The Rijksmuseum will open a major exhibition on the subject in February, bringing slavery to life by pulling into sharp focus the lives of 10 people, from a man enslaved in Ghana and transported to work in Brazil, to a wealthy Amsterdam socialite whose portrait was painted by Rembrandt van Rijn.
Work on the exhibition started in 2017, long before the Black Lives Matter movement swept the world this year and acted as a catalyst for debate on racial inequality following the death of Black man George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis on May 25.
“Black Lives Matters shows the urgency that this subject is addressed," the museum’s general director, Taco Dibbits, said Thursday in an online presentation unveiling details of the exhibition.
“Slavery was an essential component of the colonial period in the Netherlands, and many generations have suffered unimaginable injustice as a result,” Dibbits added. “The past has long been insufficiently examined in the national history of the Netherlands, including at the Rijksmuseum.”
The stories of 10 lives spread across 10 rooms of the museum span some 250 years of Dutch colonial history and four continents — Europe, Asia, South America and Africa. Exhibits range from the grim: a set of rusty iron shackles and a wooden frame that was used to hold slaves captive by their ankles, to the gaudy: a portrait of a Dutch East India Company trader, his family and — in the shadows behind them — two of their slaves.
The exhibition scheduled to open Feb. 12 comes in a year when the Amsterdam municipality will be considering making a formal apology for its role in the slave trade. Many of the grandest houses that line the Dutch capital's historic canals were funded by profits generated at least in part by the use of slaves in plantations from Brazil to the Dutch East Indies, the country now known as Indonesia.
The municipality already is staging an exhibition focusing on the city and its relationship to the slave trade at City Hall.
With the likelihood of visitor numbers still being restricted early next year, the Rijksmuseum will also make its exhibition available in an online form to help it reach as wide an audience as possible. In the museum itself, about 70 objects that are not part of the exhibition will also be given a second label highlighting their links to slavery.
“We hope that through those individual stories, you see the universal relevance of this history, because this is history that we have not left behind yet," said Valika Smeulders, the museum's head of history. "The discussions that come out of this history are relevant until today.”
___
Corder reported from The Hague, Netherlands.
Mike Corder And Peter Dejong, The Associated Press
Thu., December 10, 2020
AMSTERDAM — To tell the troubling story of the Netherlands' deep historical links to the slave trade, the country's national museum is making it personal.
The Rijksmuseum will open a major exhibition on the subject in February, bringing slavery to life by pulling into sharp focus the lives of 10 people, from a man enslaved in Ghana and transported to work in Brazil, to a wealthy Amsterdam socialite whose portrait was painted by Rembrandt van Rijn.
Work on the exhibition started in 2017, long before the Black Lives Matter movement swept the world this year and acted as a catalyst for debate on racial inequality following the death of Black man George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis on May 25.
“Black Lives Matters shows the urgency that this subject is addressed," the museum’s general director, Taco Dibbits, said Thursday in an online presentation unveiling details of the exhibition.
“Slavery was an essential component of the colonial period in the Netherlands, and many generations have suffered unimaginable injustice as a result,” Dibbits added. “The past has long been insufficiently examined in the national history of the Netherlands, including at the Rijksmuseum.”
The stories of 10 lives spread across 10 rooms of the museum span some 250 years of Dutch colonial history and four continents — Europe, Asia, South America and Africa. Exhibits range from the grim: a set of rusty iron shackles and a wooden frame that was used to hold slaves captive by their ankles, to the gaudy: a portrait of a Dutch East India Company trader, his family and — in the shadows behind them — two of their slaves.
The exhibition scheduled to open Feb. 12 comes in a year when the Amsterdam municipality will be considering making a formal apology for its role in the slave trade. Many of the grandest houses that line the Dutch capital's historic canals were funded by profits generated at least in part by the use of slaves in plantations from Brazil to the Dutch East Indies, the country now known as Indonesia.
The municipality already is staging an exhibition focusing on the city and its relationship to the slave trade at City Hall.
With the likelihood of visitor numbers still being restricted early next year, the Rijksmuseum will also make its exhibition available in an online form to help it reach as wide an audience as possible. In the museum itself, about 70 objects that are not part of the exhibition will also be given a second label highlighting their links to slavery.
“We hope that through those individual stories, you see the universal relevance of this history, because this is history that we have not left behind yet," said Valika Smeulders, the museum's head of history. "The discussions that come out of this history are relevant until today.”
___
Corder reported from The Hague, Netherlands.
Mike Corder And Peter Dejong, The Associated Press
ERIC WILLIAMS Capitalism and Slavery
www.brucemakotoarnold.com/.../0/2/6/4026638/his-117-essay_1_doc… · PDF file
ERIC WILLIAMS from Capitalism and Slavery [19441 -----ERIC WILLIAMS (1911-1981) was born in Trinidad and Tobago, where he did his undergraduate work. He received his doctorate in history from Oxford and taught at Howard University in the United States before returning to his country. He led Trinidad and Tobago to independence within the British Commonwealth in 1962 and served as both …
Kids need media literacy education to match the rise of social networks: experts
IT SHOULD BE A COURSE IN SCHOOL
IT SHOULD BE A COURSE IN SCHOOL
AT ALL GRADE LEVELS
Kids in Canada need greater access to up-to-date media literacy education to help them navigate what's real and what's fake or misleading online, experts say.
Kids in Canada need greater access to up-to-date media literacy education to help them navigate what's real and what's fake or misleading online, experts say.
© Provided by The Canadian Press
The rise of social media has led to the proliferation of misinformation and disinformation, which is spread intentionally, said Dr. Ghayda Hassan, a clinical psychologist and the director of the Canadian Practitioners Network for the Prevention of Radicalization and Extremist Violence.
"Because of the speed of access to information, cognitively, people do not have time to process and to validate the kind of information they receive, so there are a lot of biases that interfere," said Hassan, who is also a UNESCO co-chair for the prevention of radicalization.
"The fact that information is often on social media propagated by individuals that we may like, that we may trust or that we may directly know, gives them more credibility," she said in an interview.
The COVID-19 pandemic is stoking fear and fuelling social and economic instability, creating conditions that intensify conspiratorial thinking, she said, adding she's concerned that young people are particularly vulnerable.
Hassan is calling for stronger standards for how social media companies manage content on their platforms and a national strategy and mandatory curriculums covering digital media literacy in schools.
"It has to become obligatory material, just as you teach math to kids."
School curriculums in each province and territory have included media literacy for nearly 20 years, but the material largely hasn't been updated to reflect how media has changed since the 1990s, said Matthew Johnson, the director of education for the Ottawa-based non-profit MediaSmarts.
"The model today is not of a distribution chain, but of a network that is functionally infinite," he said. "In theory, anybody on YouTube can have as large an audience as a TV news network or a world leader."
Tools and signals that may have worked on stories from traditional print and broadcast media in the past, such as bylines or photo credits, may not be as useful for authenticating information on social media.
Some of those signals or markers of reliability, such as a professional-looking website, may even be counterproductive, said Johnson.
"That's often extremely misleading," he said. "The people who intentionally spread misinformation or disinformation know that we look at that, and so they will put a lot of effort into making something that looks good."
The extent to which media literacy is actually taught varies by province and territory, said Johnson. For example, B.C. has what he called an excellent digital literacy curriculum, but it's not mandatory. In Ontario, where media literacy is part of the evaluated language arts curriculum, he said it receives the least classroom time among other components.
"We don't have any good recent data about what teachers are actually teaching and what students are actually learning at a national level."
MediaSmarts offers parents, teachers and students tips for authenticating information, from fact-checking tools to finding and verifying original sources and checking others to assess the veracity and intent of a story.
It draws on key concepts in media and digital media literacy, including that digital media has unexpected audiences, that online experiences are shaped by the social networks and search engines themselves, and that what we do online can have real-world impacts.
Joyce Grant is a freelance journalist and the co-founder of TeachingKidsNews.com, a website she describes as a transparent source of news for kids that also helps them understand how credible news is made and how to spot content that's deceptive or misleading.
"Fake news, as it gets better, starts to better mimic journalism. So, really, what it comes down to now is critical thinking," said Grant, who began delivering in-class media literacy workshops around a decade ago.
She aims to help youth recognize echo chambers or silos on social media and break out of them by seeking out diverse sources of information.
The goal is also a healthy skepticism that asks, "What seems off about this? What is missing? Where are the points of view? Why did this person write this article or post?" said Grant.
"All of a sudden the light comes on, and then, yeah, they're all over it ... nobody wants to be fooled, right?"
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 11, 2020.
This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
Brenna Owen, The Canadian Press
The rise of social media has led to the proliferation of misinformation and disinformation, which is spread intentionally, said Dr. Ghayda Hassan, a clinical psychologist and the director of the Canadian Practitioners Network for the Prevention of Radicalization and Extremist Violence.
"Because of the speed of access to information, cognitively, people do not have time to process and to validate the kind of information they receive, so there are a lot of biases that interfere," said Hassan, who is also a UNESCO co-chair for the prevention of radicalization.
"The fact that information is often on social media propagated by individuals that we may like, that we may trust or that we may directly know, gives them more credibility," she said in an interview.
The COVID-19 pandemic is stoking fear and fuelling social and economic instability, creating conditions that intensify conspiratorial thinking, she said, adding she's concerned that young people are particularly vulnerable.
Hassan is calling for stronger standards for how social media companies manage content on their platforms and a national strategy and mandatory curriculums covering digital media literacy in schools.
"It has to become obligatory material, just as you teach math to kids."
School curriculums in each province and territory have included media literacy for nearly 20 years, but the material largely hasn't been updated to reflect how media has changed since the 1990s, said Matthew Johnson, the director of education for the Ottawa-based non-profit MediaSmarts.
"The model today is not of a distribution chain, but of a network that is functionally infinite," he said. "In theory, anybody on YouTube can have as large an audience as a TV news network or a world leader."
Tools and signals that may have worked on stories from traditional print and broadcast media in the past, such as bylines or photo credits, may not be as useful for authenticating information on social media.
Some of those signals or markers of reliability, such as a professional-looking website, may even be counterproductive, said Johnson.
"That's often extremely misleading," he said. "The people who intentionally spread misinformation or disinformation know that we look at that, and so they will put a lot of effort into making something that looks good."
The extent to which media literacy is actually taught varies by province and territory, said Johnson. For example, B.C. has what he called an excellent digital literacy curriculum, but it's not mandatory. In Ontario, where media literacy is part of the evaluated language arts curriculum, he said it receives the least classroom time among other components.
"We don't have any good recent data about what teachers are actually teaching and what students are actually learning at a national level."
MediaSmarts offers parents, teachers and students tips for authenticating information, from fact-checking tools to finding and verifying original sources and checking others to assess the veracity and intent of a story.
It draws on key concepts in media and digital media literacy, including that digital media has unexpected audiences, that online experiences are shaped by the social networks and search engines themselves, and that what we do online can have real-world impacts.
Joyce Grant is a freelance journalist and the co-founder of TeachingKidsNews.com, a website she describes as a transparent source of news for kids that also helps them understand how credible news is made and how to spot content that's deceptive or misleading.
"Fake news, as it gets better, starts to better mimic journalism. So, really, what it comes down to now is critical thinking," said Grant, who began delivering in-class media literacy workshops around a decade ago.
She aims to help youth recognize echo chambers or silos on social media and break out of them by seeking out diverse sources of information.
The goal is also a healthy skepticism that asks, "What seems off about this? What is missing? Where are the points of view? Why did this person write this article or post?" said Grant.
"All of a sudden the light comes on, and then, yeah, they're all over it ... nobody wants to be fooled, right?"
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 11, 2020.
This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
Brenna Owen, The Canadian Press
'This is beyond a hate crime': Edmonton's Somali community reacts to attack on two women at Southgate Centre
Dylan Short POSTMEDIA
Members of Edmonton’s Somali community are raising concerns for their safety after an alleged hate-motivated assault occurred in broad daylight at a busy public area.
© Provided by Edmonton Journal Southgate Centre.
City police responded to an assault on two Somali women wearing hijabs who were sitting in their car in the Southgate Centre parking lot on Tuesday. Edmonton police said in a news release Wednesday that a man approached the car yelling racist obscenities before he smashed the passenger-side window. One of the women fled the vehicle, and he chased her down and assaulted her. When the other woman tried to help, the man pushed her to the ground.
Jibril Ibrahim, president of the Somali Canadian Cultural Society, said he has not heard of such an attack taking place in Edmonton before.
“It’s a disturbing event,” said Ibrahim. “It adds a little bit of, you know, additional anxiety that the community is experiencing at this moment.”
Ibrahim said he has spoken to the victims of the attack. He said they are dealing with a number of injuries, including one to the neck and both to their mental health.
“I think the intention was to kill them or something,” said Ibrahim.
Naima Haile, a well-known member of the Somali community, said the attack has left her feeling afraid and unsafe in Edmonton.
“I feel unsafe. I’ve never felt unsafe in Canada before,” said Haile. “Is it my skin colour? Is it my scarf? I don’t know which one I need to shed.”
Haile said the nature of the attack — that it took place in broad daylight in a busy, public area — makes it even more worrisome. She said she can recall one instance where a young girl had her hijab pulled off her head by a group of kids, but never has there been a violent assault by an adult.
“This is a grown man. This is beyond a hate crime. I don’t know what to say,” said Haile.
She said the community is going to hold a Zoom meeting to discuss how they can move forward and what steps can be taken.
Ibrahim said more education is needed to ensure that such an attack doesn’t happen again.
“I just had a conversation with Edmonton Public Schools the other day and was talking about having interfaith calendars. I told them that maybe we should start giving some kind of education about other cultures and other faiths to students,” said Ibrahim.
“We need to create some kind of a social harmony and education is a No. 1 priority. That’s where we need to concentrate on.”
Edmonton police chief Dale McFee addressed the attack during a Thursday police commission meeting, saying it is “not acceptable.”
“The message is quite simple: it has to stop, it’s not acceptable, it never has been acceptable. But more importantly now, this isn’t the way we treat people in the city of Edmonton, and if you do, you’re going to be charged,” said McFee.
Richard Bradley Stevens, 41, is facing two counts of assault and one count of mischief. Court documents show his next scheduled court appearance is Jan. 5.
— With files from Lauren Boothby
City police responded to an assault on two Somali women wearing hijabs who were sitting in their car in the Southgate Centre parking lot on Tuesday. Edmonton police said in a news release Wednesday that a man approached the car yelling racist obscenities before he smashed the passenger-side window. One of the women fled the vehicle, and he chased her down and assaulted her. When the other woman tried to help, the man pushed her to the ground.
Jibril Ibrahim, president of the Somali Canadian Cultural Society, said he has not heard of such an attack taking place in Edmonton before.
“It’s a disturbing event,” said Ibrahim. “It adds a little bit of, you know, additional anxiety that the community is experiencing at this moment.”
Ibrahim said he has spoken to the victims of the attack. He said they are dealing with a number of injuries, including one to the neck and both to their mental health.
“I think the intention was to kill them or something,” said Ibrahim.
Naima Haile, a well-known member of the Somali community, said the attack has left her feeling afraid and unsafe in Edmonton.
“I feel unsafe. I’ve never felt unsafe in Canada before,” said Haile. “Is it my skin colour? Is it my scarf? I don’t know which one I need to shed.”
Haile said the nature of the attack — that it took place in broad daylight in a busy, public area — makes it even more worrisome. She said she can recall one instance where a young girl had her hijab pulled off her head by a group of kids, but never has there been a violent assault by an adult.
“This is a grown man. This is beyond a hate crime. I don’t know what to say,” said Haile.
She said the community is going to hold a Zoom meeting to discuss how they can move forward and what steps can be taken.
Ibrahim said more education is needed to ensure that such an attack doesn’t happen again.
“I just had a conversation with Edmonton Public Schools the other day and was talking about having interfaith calendars. I told them that maybe we should start giving some kind of education about other cultures and other faiths to students,” said Ibrahim.
“We need to create some kind of a social harmony and education is a No. 1 priority. That’s where we need to concentrate on.”
Edmonton police chief Dale McFee addressed the attack during a Thursday police commission meeting, saying it is “not acceptable.”
“The message is quite simple: it has to stop, it’s not acceptable, it never has been acceptable. But more importantly now, this isn’t the way we treat people in the city of Edmonton, and if you do, you’re going to be charged,” said McFee.
Richard Bradley Stevens, 41, is facing two counts of assault and one count of mischief. Court documents show his next scheduled court appearance is Jan. 5.
— With files from Lauren Boothby
Biden in leaked audio says 'defund the police' being used to 'beat the living hell out of' Democrats
I GUESS DISARMING THE POLICE WOULD BE GOING TOO FAR
President-elect Joe Biden privately warned a group of civil rights leaders to curb rhetoric about police reform in America ahead of the Georgia Senate runoff elections in January.
© Getty Images Biden in leaked audio says 'defund the police' being used to 'beat the living hell out of' Democrats
The leaders had been urging Biden to be aggressive in rolling back some of the Trump administration's policies via executive order during his early days in office, including on matters of voting and police misconduct.
They also took issue with Biden's selection of Tom Vilsack as Agriculture secretary instead of choosing a person of color. That prompted Biden to warn the group that such forceful statements could backfire in the Georgia Senate election, which will determine party control of the chamber.
"I also don't think we should get too far ahead of ourselves on dealing with police reform in that, because they've already labeled us as being 'defund the police' anything we put forward in terms of the organizational structure to change policing - which I promise you, will occur. Promise you," Biden said during a a two-hour virtual meeting with civil rights leaders on Tuesday, audio of which was obtained by The Intercept.
"Just think to yourself and give me advice whether we should do that before Jan. 5th, because that's how they beat the living hell out of us across the country, saying that we're talking about defunding the police. We're not. We're talking about holding them accountable," Biden continued.
Since the death of George Floyd this summer, some progressives have been calling for a fundamental reshaping of the criminal justice system in America, including the reallocating of resources typically given to local police departments for other social programs.
Biden and the Democratic party's more moderate wing have pushed back or danced around the idea in the run up to the 2020 election.
Earlier this month, former President Obama cautioned party leaders that calls to defund police departments could cost Democrats voters.
"You lost a big audience the minute you say it, which makes it a lot less likely that you're actually going to get the changes you want done," Obama said. "The key is deciding, do you want to actually get something done, or do you want to feel good among the people you already agree with?"
Biden told the civil rights leaders he does not intend to push the limits of his executive authority when asked to reverse some policies implemented during the Trump administration.
"There's some things that I'm going to be able to do by executive order," Biden reportedly said. "I'm not going to hesitate to do it, but what I'm not going to do is I'm not going to do what used to - Vanita [Gupta], you probably used to get angry with me during the debates, when you'd have some of the people you were supporting saying, 'On Day 1, I'm gonna have an executive order to do this!' Not within the constitutional authority. I am not going to violate the Constitution," Biden said.
In a statement to The Hill regarding the audio, a transition official said Biden "is the same person behind closed doors that he is public; honest, direct and realistic about the challenges facing our nation the day he is sworn in."
"As he made clear throughout the campaign, he believes in supporting bold and urgent reform to our criminal justice system while continuing to support law enforcement's mission to keep our communities safe," the official said.
They also took issue with Biden's selection of Tom Vilsack as Agriculture secretary instead of choosing a person of color. That prompted Biden to warn the group that such forceful statements could backfire in the Georgia Senate election, which will determine party control of the chamber.
"I also don't think we should get too far ahead of ourselves on dealing with police reform in that, because they've already labeled us as being 'defund the police' anything we put forward in terms of the organizational structure to change policing - which I promise you, will occur. Promise you," Biden said during a a two-hour virtual meeting with civil rights leaders on Tuesday, audio of which was obtained by The Intercept.
"Just think to yourself and give me advice whether we should do that before Jan. 5th, because that's how they beat the living hell out of us across the country, saying that we're talking about defunding the police. We're not. We're talking about holding them accountable," Biden continued.
Since the death of George Floyd this summer, some progressives have been calling for a fundamental reshaping of the criminal justice system in America, including the reallocating of resources typically given to local police departments for other social programs.
Biden and the Democratic party's more moderate wing have pushed back or danced around the idea in the run up to the 2020 election.
Earlier this month, former President Obama cautioned party leaders that calls to defund police departments could cost Democrats voters.
"You lost a big audience the minute you say it, which makes it a lot less likely that you're actually going to get the changes you want done," Obama said. "The key is deciding, do you want to actually get something done, or do you want to feel good among the people you already agree with?"
Biden told the civil rights leaders he does not intend to push the limits of his executive authority when asked to reverse some policies implemented during the Trump administration.
"There's some things that I'm going to be able to do by executive order," Biden reportedly said. "I'm not going to hesitate to do it, but what I'm not going to do is I'm not going to do what used to - Vanita [Gupta], you probably used to get angry with me during the debates, when you'd have some of the people you were supporting saying, 'On Day 1, I'm gonna have an executive order to do this!' Not within the constitutional authority. I am not going to violate the Constitution," Biden said.
In a statement to The Hill regarding the audio, a transition official said Biden "is the same person behind closed doors that he is public; honest, direct and realistic about the challenges facing our nation the day he is sworn in."
"As he made clear throughout the campaign, he believes in supporting bold and urgent reform to our criminal justice system while continuing to support law enforcement's mission to keep our communities safe," the official said.
YOU WANT SAFE COMMUNITIES DISARM THE POLICE!
DISARM & DEFUND
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ripped into GOP Sen. Mike Lee after he blocked the creation of Latino and women's history museums during a dramatic Senate session
kvlamis@businessinsider.com (Kelsey Vlamis)
US Senator Mike Lee blocked two proposals that would establish new Smithsonian museums for American Latino and women's history.
Both bipartisan bills passed the House of Representatives earlier this year, but the Republican senator said Americans didn't need "separate but equal" museums.
Democrat Sen. Bob Menendez and GOP Sen. Susan Collins both pushed back at Lee during a dramatic Senate session on Thursday.
US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ripped into Lee's remarks on Twitter, saying, "good to know Utah Sen. Mike Lee is spending his time today giving speeches about why Latinos shouldn't have a national history museum."
US Senator Mike Lee blocked two proposals that would establish new Smithsonian museums for American Latino and women's history during a dramatic Senate session on Thursday.
Both bipartisan bills passed the House of Representatives earlier this year, but Lee said Americans didn't need "separate, siloed" museums. Instead, he said the existing American History museum could be expanded to include the stories of all groups that make up US history.
"But the last thing we need is to further divide an already divided nation with an array of separate but equal museums for hyphenated identity groups," the Republican senator from Utah said.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ripped into Lee's remarks on Twitter.
"No movement on COVID in the Senate but good to know Utah Sen. Mike Lee is spending his time today giving speeches about why Latinos shouldn't have a national history museum and oh, while we're at it, why there shouldn't be a women's history museum either," she said in a tweet.
Lee prompted a livid response from Sen. Bob Menendez, a Democrat and longtime advocate of establishing a Latino museum.
"One Republican colleague from Utah stands in the way of the hopes and dreams and aspirations of seeing Americans of Latino descent having their dreams fulfilled in being recognized, just being recognized," he said during the session. "It's pretty outrageous."
Smithsonian museums for African-American history and Native American history already exist, but Lee said those groups were exceptions because they were "systematically excluded" from the nation's history.
"We have been systematically excluded," Menendez said of American Latinos. "And the only righteous way to end that exclusion is to pass this bill."
GOP Sen. Susan Collins also expressed support for the American Latino museum. Collins co-sponsored the bill for the women's history museum, which was also blocked by Lee during Thursday's session.
"It seems wrong that one senator can block consideration of a bill that would have overwhelming support by a majority of this body," she said in response to Lee.
"It is extraordinary to me that not 100 years ago not every woman in this country was allowed to vote in every state," she said. "That story is one of the stories that needs to be told."
After Lee blocked the women's history museum, Collins said, "I regret that that will not occur this evening, but we will not give up the fight."
Read the original article on Business Insider
Utah Sen. Mike Lee blocks votes to establish Smithsonian museums for Latinos and women
By Paul LeBlanc, CNN
Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah on Thursday blocked consideration for legislation to establish a National Museum of the American Latino and an American Women's History Museum as part of the Smithsonian Institution, reasoning that the US does not need "separate but equal museums."© Ken Cedeno/Pool/Getty Images
The National Museum of the American Latino legislation had passed the House by voice vote in July following decades of efforts to establish the museum.
"I understand what my colleagues are trying to do and why. I respect what they're trying to do. I even share their interests in ensuring that these stories are told. But the last thing we need is to further divide an already divided nation with an array of segregated, separate-but-equal museums for hyphenated identity groups," Lee said.
"At this moment in the history of our diverse nation, we need our federal government and the Smithsonian Institution itself to pull us closer together and not further apart."
The Smithsonian Institution, Lee maintained, "should not have an exclusive museum of American Latino history or a museum of women's history or museum of American men's history or Mormon history or Asian-American history or Catholic history. American history is an inclusive story that should unite us."
There are museums dedicated to African Americans -- the National Museum of African American History and Culture -- and Native Americans -- the National Museum of the American Indian.
Video: Utah senator blocks legislation to establish Latino and women's museums (CNN)
Lee's opposition to the bill drew immediate scorn from Sen. Bob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat and longtime advocate for a Latino museum, who called his approach "pretty outrageous."
"The House of Representatives passed this on voice. The Rules Committee passed it on voice in a bipartisan manner. And tonight, one colleague stands in the way. One Republican colleague from Utah stands in the way of the hopes and dreams and aspirations of seeing Americans of Latino descent having their dreams fulfilled and being recognized," he said.
kvlamis@businessinsider.com (Kelsey Vlamis)
Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah said Americans didn't need "separate but equal" museums. Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
US Senator Mike Lee blocked two proposals that would establish new Smithsonian museums for American Latino and women's history.
Both bipartisan bills passed the House of Representatives earlier this year, but the Republican senator said Americans didn't need "separate but equal" museums.
Democrat Sen. Bob Menendez and GOP Sen. Susan Collins both pushed back at Lee during a dramatic Senate session on Thursday.
US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ripped into Lee's remarks on Twitter, saying, "good to know Utah Sen. Mike Lee is spending his time today giving speeches about why Latinos shouldn't have a national history museum."
US Senator Mike Lee blocked two proposals that would establish new Smithsonian museums for American Latino and women's history during a dramatic Senate session on Thursday.
Both bipartisan bills passed the House of Representatives earlier this year, but Lee said Americans didn't need "separate, siloed" museums. Instead, he said the existing American History museum could be expanded to include the stories of all groups that make up US history.
"But the last thing we need is to further divide an already divided nation with an array of separate but equal museums for hyphenated identity groups," the Republican senator from Utah said.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ripped into Lee's remarks on Twitter.
"No movement on COVID in the Senate but good to know Utah Sen. Mike Lee is spending his time today giving speeches about why Latinos shouldn't have a national history museum and oh, while we're at it, why there shouldn't be a women's history museum either," she said in a tweet.
Lee prompted a livid response from Sen. Bob Menendez, a Democrat and longtime advocate of establishing a Latino museum.
"One Republican colleague from Utah stands in the way of the hopes and dreams and aspirations of seeing Americans of Latino descent having their dreams fulfilled in being recognized, just being recognized," he said during the session. "It's pretty outrageous."
Smithsonian museums for African-American history and Native American history already exist, but Lee said those groups were exceptions because they were "systematically excluded" from the nation's history.
"We have been systematically excluded," Menendez said of American Latinos. "And the only righteous way to end that exclusion is to pass this bill."
GOP Sen. Susan Collins also expressed support for the American Latino museum. Collins co-sponsored the bill for the women's history museum, which was also blocked by Lee during Thursday's session.
"It seems wrong that one senator can block consideration of a bill that would have overwhelming support by a majority of this body," she said in response to Lee.
"It is extraordinary to me that not 100 years ago not every woman in this country was allowed to vote in every state," she said. "That story is one of the stories that needs to be told."
After Lee blocked the women's history museum, Collins said, "I regret that that will not occur this evening, but we will not give up the fight."
Read the original article on Business Insider
Utah Sen. Mike Lee blocks votes to establish Smithsonian museums for Latinos and women
By Paul LeBlanc, CNN
Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah on Thursday blocked consideration for legislation to establish a National Museum of the American Latino and an American Women's History Museum as part of the Smithsonian Institution, reasoning that the US does not need "separate but equal museums."© Ken Cedeno/Pool/Getty Images
The National Museum of the American Latino legislation had passed the House by voice vote in July following decades of efforts to establish the museum.
"I understand what my colleagues are trying to do and why. I respect what they're trying to do. I even share their interests in ensuring that these stories are told. But the last thing we need is to further divide an already divided nation with an array of segregated, separate-but-equal museums for hyphenated identity groups," Lee said.
"At this moment in the history of our diverse nation, we need our federal government and the Smithsonian Institution itself to pull us closer together and not further apart."
The Smithsonian Institution, Lee maintained, "should not have an exclusive museum of American Latino history or a museum of women's history or museum of American men's history or Mormon history or Asian-American history or Catholic history. American history is an inclusive story that should unite us."
There are museums dedicated to African Americans -- the National Museum of African American History and Culture -- and Native Americans -- the National Museum of the American Indian.
Video: Utah senator blocks legislation to establish Latino and women's museums (CNN)
Lee's opposition to the bill drew immediate scorn from Sen. Bob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat and longtime advocate for a Latino museum, who called his approach "pretty outrageous."
"The House of Representatives passed this on voice. The Rules Committee passed it on voice in a bipartisan manner. And tonight, one colleague stands in the way. One Republican colleague from Utah stands in the way of the hopes and dreams and aspirations of seeing Americans of Latino descent having their dreams fulfilled and being recognized," he said.
"Just being recognized."
That message was echoed by GOP Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who said, "I could not help but wonder as I heard the comments of my colleague from Utah whether he also tried to block the museum celebrating and telling the history of African Americans."
She added: "It seems wrong that one senator can block consideration of a bill that would have overwhelming support by a majority of this body."
After Lee blocked the legislation to establish the American Women's History Museum, Collins said, "Surely in a year where we're celebrating the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage, this is the time, this is the moment to finally pass the legislation unanimously recommended by an independent commission to establish an American Women's History museum in our nation's capital."
"I regret that that will not occur this evening, but we will not give up the fight," she said.
The National Museum of the American Latino bill is a culmination of efforts dating back more than 20 years. In 1994, in a 60-page report entitled, "Willful Neglect: The Smithsonian Institution and U.S. Latinos," a task force found that the Smithsonian displayed a pattern of excluding and ignoring the presence and contributions of Latino Americans in both its workforce and exhibition halls.
And in 2011, a 23-member presidential commission established to study the creation of a National Museum of the American Latino delivered a report that detailed the museum's feasibility.
That message was echoed by GOP Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who said, "I could not help but wonder as I heard the comments of my colleague from Utah whether he also tried to block the museum celebrating and telling the history of African Americans."
She added: "It seems wrong that one senator can block consideration of a bill that would have overwhelming support by a majority of this body."
After Lee blocked the legislation to establish the American Women's History Museum, Collins said, "Surely in a year where we're celebrating the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage, this is the time, this is the moment to finally pass the legislation unanimously recommended by an independent commission to establish an American Women's History museum in our nation's capital."
"I regret that that will not occur this evening, but we will not give up the fight," she said.
The National Museum of the American Latino bill is a culmination of efforts dating back more than 20 years. In 1994, in a 60-page report entitled, "Willful Neglect: The Smithsonian Institution and U.S. Latinos," a task force found that the Smithsonian displayed a pattern of excluding and ignoring the presence and contributions of Latino Americans in both its workforce and exhibition halls.
And in 2011, a 23-member presidential commission established to study the creation of a National Museum of the American Latino delivered a report that detailed the museum's feasibility.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slams Mitch McConnell for opposing $1,200 stimulus checks in Instagram live session
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., on Monday, August 24, 2020.
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images/Pool
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slammed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell over his opposition to stimulus checks on an Instagram livestream on Thursday night.
Ocasio-Cortez has repeatedly called for a $1,200 direct payment to be included in the relief bill Congress is aiming to pass during the lame-duck session.
The freshman congresswoman also argued that Republicans haven't been "in a rush" to pass additional stimulus legislation because Wall Street was already given a massive bailout last spring.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez briefed her followers on the state of Congress' COVID-19 relief bill negotiations and slammed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell over his opposition to stimulus checks during an Instagram livestream on Thursday night.
Ocasio-Cortez has repeatedly called for a $1,200 direct payment to be included in the relief bill Congress is aiming to pass during the lame-duck session. She pointed out that some Republicans, including Sen. Josh Hawley, also support stimulus checks, but argued that Sen. McConnell is leading the resistance.
"This is a matter of Mitch McConnell not wanting a check," she told nearly the nearly 40,000 people who tuned in to watch her "Cooking and Q&A" session.
Congress is currently negotiating a bipartisan $908 billion proposal - a far less aggressive package than the $2.2 trillion bill Democrats passed in October. But many Republicans are still demanding a slimmer aid package that focuses on small businesses and vaccine distribution and includes a liability shield to protect corporations from virus-related lawsuits. GOP lawmakers are also largely opposed to sending additional funding to strapped state and local governments.
Ocasio-Cortez called the liability shield proposal a "corporate bailout." She argued that allowing Republicans to include the liability protections in the bill in exchange for stimulus checks or state and local government funding would be a bad deal for workers.
Video: Biden urges Congress to pass $900 billion stimulus package (NBC News)
"You may get a $1,200 check on one hand, but you may also get a multi-million hospital bill with no recourse and no ability to protect yourself from a negligent corporation or employer," she said. "Why do we need to exchange people's well being and ability to survive for yet another corporate bailout?"
Other progressive lawmakers, including Sen. Bernie Sanders' have also demanded stimulus checks in the bill and decried the liability shield.
The freshman congresswoman also argued that Republicans haven't been "in a rush" to pass additional stimulus legislation because Wall Street was already given a massive bailout last spring. About one-fifth of the $4 trillion in stimulus that the federal government has spent since the pandemic hit has gone to workers and families. About $2.3 trillion went to businesses, many of which didn't have to show that they were hurt by the pandemic or they would use the money to prevent layoffs.
Democrats in the House passed the $2.2 trillion HEROES Act in May and then again in October. Ahead of the November election, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin failed to negotiate a slightly smaller stimulus backed by the White House, while in October the Senate proposed a slimmed-down $500 stimulus package that was blocked by Democrats.
"What keeps me up at night was that it was short-term relief that was really important and really necessary ... but what we gave away to Wall Street was so large and so structural that, frankly, that's why Republicans and Mitch McConnell has not been in a rush," she said.
President-elect Joe Biden has promised to pass an additional stimulus when he takes office in late January, but Americans are in desperate need of help before then. If Congress fails to pass a new relief bill in the next nine days, almost 12 million Americans could lose their unemployment benefits in late December, millions could be evicted from their homes, and millions more will again be on the hook for student loan payments after January 31.
Read the original article on Business Insider
CRIMINAL CAPITALI$M FOR BEGINNERS
Chick-fil-A and Target sue chicken processors over alleged price fixing
Chick-fil-A and Target are accusing meat processors of fixing prices for the chicken they buy.
The two chains filed separate lawsuits in court on Friday. Each suit names over a dozen chicken sellers. A number of them, including Tyson (TSN), Perdue and Pilgrim's Pride, appear in both cases.
Chick-fil-A said in its lawsuit that after a 2014 commitment to serve antibiotics-free chicken, meat processors colluded on prices to bid for the new business.
Chick-fil-A paid "artificially inflated prices for chicken" because of the alleged illegal price fixing, the company said in its complaint. The lawsuit says that Chick-fil-A has joined a 2016 class action suit also alleging price fixing among chicken processors. It is asking the court for an unspecified amount in damages as part of that judgment, among other things.
Target's suit didn't go into much detail, but also stated that Target (TGT) has joined the 2016 class action and seeks unspecified damages.
Allegations of price-fixing have been plaguing the chicken industry for some time.
In June, executives, including Pilgrim Pride's then-CEO, were indicted for allegedly conspiring to fix prices and rig bids on "broiler chickens," which are sold to grocery stores and restaurants.
Tyson wasn't named in that indictment, but the company said at the time that it was served with a grand jury subpoena from the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division in April of last year.
With regard to Friday's lawsuits, a Tyson (TSN) spokesperson said that "follow-on complaints like these are common in antitrust litigation," adding that such complaints don't alter Tyson's position that price-fixing claims are "unfounded," and that "we will continue to vigorously defend our company."
Perdue issued a similar statement with regards to both lawsuits, saying "we believe these claims are unfounded and plan to contest the merits."
Pilgrim's Pride did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Chicken is big business in the United States. The chicken sandwich has fueled sales at restaurants in recent years. America's taste for chicken has helped Chick-fil-A's incredible growth over the years.
--CNN's Clare Duffy contributed to this report
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