Matters of justice.Metis Metis (mē`tĭs), in astronomy, one of the 39 known moons, or natural satellites, of Jupiter. Metis goddess of caution and discretion. [Rom. Myth.: Wheeler, 242] See : Prudence rights Ottawa--In a landmark ruling on September 29, the Supreme Court of Canada The Supreme Court of Canada (French: Cour suprême du Canada) is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeal in the Canadian justice system.[1] ruled that, under the 1982 Constitution, Metis people can claim an aboriginal right to hunt for food. Section 35 of the Constitution now recognizes that the term "Metis" refers to a "distinctive rights-bearing people" who deserve the same recognition as Canada's Inuit and Native peoples. The Court admonished governments for exaggerating the difficulty of defining who is a Metis. The Ontario government backed by attorneys-general for Canada and several provinces, had argued unsuccessfully against the Metis claim, and now must begin to negotiate with the Metis on rights ranging from natural resources to health services and taxation. It is clear from the judicial decision that there will be a range of impacts on Canada, from environmental concerns of overfishing Overfishing occurs when fishing activities reduce fish stocks below an acceptable level. This can occur in any body of water from a pond to the oceans. More precise biological and bioeconomic terms define 'acceptable level'. , hunting out-of-season, depleting natural resources, to taxation exclusions, and possible economic redress. From another perspective, the Supreme Court's ruling is another example of judicial activism; i.e., judges--instead of Parliament--making laws. Chinese-Canadian redress Toronto--From 1885 to 1923, the Canadian government imposed a Head Tax on Chinese people attempting to immigrate to Canada. When this legislation failed to stop the flow of Chinese immigration immigration, entrance of a person (an alien) into a new country for the purpose of establishing permanent residence. Motives for immigration, like those for migration generally, are often economic, although religious or political factors may be very important. , the government of Canada The Government of Canada is the federal government of Canada. The powers and structure of the federal government are set out in the Constitution of Canada. In modern Canadian use, the term "government" (or "federal government") refers broadly to the cabinet of the day and enacted a tougher Chinese Exclusion Act 1. Any of several acts forbidding the immigration of Chinese laborers into the United States, originally from 1882 to 1892 by act of May 6, 1882, then from 1892 to 1902 by act May 5, 1892. which remained in force until 1947. Among other things, it made it difficult for wives to follow their husbands to Canada. In addition to this racial discrimination, thousands of (cheap) Chinese labourers were employed to build the Canadian Pacific Railway Canadian Pacific Railway, transcontinental transportation system in Canada and extending into the United States, privately owned and operated. The construction of a railroad crossing the continent in Canadian territory was one of the conditions on which British , a high-risk venture which led to hundreds of deaths. Together, these two actions ensured that many Chinese families suffered the pain of decades of separation, instability, economic hardship and humiliation. A redress movement began in the Chinese-Canadian community in 1984, although it was not until 2000 that a class action lawsuit class action lawsuit A lawsuit in which one party or a limited number of parties sue on behalf of a larger group to which the parties belong. For example, investors may bring a class action lawsuit against a brokerage firm that has actively promoted a tax was launched. Leaders in the Chinese community point out that the two legislations represent 62 years of exclusion of an entire community, plus a $23 million windfall (in 1923 dollars) collected by the government. Comment An acknowledgement of discrimination by the federal government will help raise the status of Chinese-Canadians who, some believe, are still seen as second-class citizens in a country they helped build. Moreover, the Canadian government has a moral responsibility to right the previous wrongs done to Chinese-Canadians. Sexploitation sex·ploi·ta·tion n. Informal Exploitative use of explicit sexual material in movies and the media. [Blend of sex and exploitation.] Noun 1. of Polish women Toronto The Polish community has come to the aid of Polish women who are in Canada illegally, thousands of dollars poorer, and with unfilled promises of marriage and citizenship sponsorship by unscrupulous Canadian men who took their money, used them for sex and then discarded them. Some of these women were reported to federal authorities and were deported; others went underground, finding jobs as nannies and caregivers. The Canadian Polish Alliance is attempting to get work permits to allow these women to stay in Canada legally, but thus far the Immigration Department says that enforcement action will be taken against the women if they are found to be in the country illegally. The action of the Canadian Polish Alliance deserves support. |
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