Quote of the week

“It’s rage.” —K.C. Pupdat, a young Montreal North resident, when asked about the mood on the street following the official
exoneration of the two police officers involved in the Aug. 9 shooting death of unarmed 18-year-old Fredy Villanueva

Charkaoui secrets

After almost six years of legal limbo, the saga of security certificate subject Adil Charkaoui continues this week, as preliminary proceedings towards a secret trial get underway in Federal Court. To show their solidarity and to demand an end to the secretive security certificate process, Charkaoui’s supporters and civil libertarians will gather at noon in front of the court building (30 McGill) on Wednesday, Dec. 10, which also happens to be International Human Rights Day.

“They’re calling it a trial, but it’s not a trial at all,” says Anna Malla of the Coalition Justice for Adil Charkaoui. “No one is being accused of anything. The only allegation is that this person may have, or at some point may, pose a threat to national security.”

Charkaoui has never been charged with a specific crime, and as yet no evidence has been presented to support the government’s allegations that Charkaoui is a security threat.

The end result of Charkaoui’s secret trial could be deportation to his native Morocco, where he faces the “probability of torture,” according to a pre-removal risk assessment carried out by Citizenship and Immigration Canada in 2003.

“They found that he’s likely to be subject to cruel and unusual punishment or possibly death,” says Malla. “And yet they’re still going forward with it.”

For more info, visit www.adilinfo.org.

Domestic abuse
hurts gays too

As part of the national Action Against Violence Against Women campaign, the Fédération des femmes du Québec (FFQ), le Centre de solidarité lesbienne (CSL) and le Conseil québécois des gais et lesbiennes (CQGL) will be holding an information session focusing primarily on domestic abuse within lesbian relationships on Friday, Dec. 5, from 5 –7 p.m. at Cocktail (1669 Papineau, corner Ste-Catherine E.)

“Domestic violence within gay and lesbian relationships is much more common than people realize,” says CSL coordinator Karol O’Brien. “The most recent studies from the United States conclude that somewhere between 22 and 25 per cent of lesbians have been victims of domestic abuse. And we suspect those numbers are even higher for gay men.”

The highlight of the evening will be the debut screening of an as-yet-untitled 16-minute video on the subject, followed by a Q&A session hosted by representatives of the CSL.

“Domestic violence is always a complex problem,” continues O’Brien, “but even more so for lesbians, where there are additional issues related to isolation, fear of being judged, shame and a lack of trained professionals with an understanding of lesbian relationships. We hope this video will help raise awareness of these issues.”

For more information, go to www.solidaritelesbienne.qc.ca.

by CHRIS BARRY

Rights and Zimbabwe

The non-partisan organization Rights & Democracy presents the John Humphrey Freedom Award to activists Andrew Makoni and Irene Petras of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), this Monday, Dec. 8, at the Central Archives (535 Viger E.), at 7 p.m, for free. The two recipients will be on hand to speak at the public event.

“We felt it was really important to highlight the work of ZLHR and the important contribution they’re making to the rule of law,” says Rights & Democracy’s Steve Smith. “They’re providing documentation of human rights abuses which will be important in coming years when efforts begin to prosecute the perpetrators of rights violations in Zimbabwe.”

Documenting those abuses can be risky work these days. Makoni was forced to briefly flee the country earlier this year after receiving information that he had been targeted for assassination.

Created in 1988 by an act of parliament, Rights & Democracy’s mandate is to promote human rights and democracy abroad. The Freedom Award is named for McGill law professor John Humphrey, who helped author the first draft of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. For more info, visit www.dd-rd.ca.

by CHRISTOPHER HAZOU

Wheeled meals gala

It gets kind of expensive preparing on average 100 meals a day, and Santropol Roulant has served up over 20,000 this year alone. In 2008, the Plateau-based intergenerational meals-on-wheels program is hoping to triple the amount of money harvested from independent benefactors—the goal is $30,000—at its main fundraiser on Sunday, Dec. 7, at the Just for Laughs Museum (2111 St-Laurent), at 6 p.m., for $25–$100 (sliding scale).

Artists Peter Krausz and Olivier Longpré, among others, donated paintings for a silent auction. Members of the Dears, a tarot reader, stilt-walkers and others have also volunteered their services to help make La Mascarade Vénitienne—a red-and-black masquerade—a success. It’s good news for Santropol Roulant, which, despite having seen a decrease in government funding, is experiencing more demand for its services, according to organizer Lynne Cooper.

Since 1995, Santropol Roulant has served over 380,000 meals and operated on a sustainable platform, making deliveries by bike and sometimes going to the community to keep it financially afloat. “You can feel the community vibe and the care for the organization at events like these,” Cooper says.

To reserve tickets, e-mail gala@santropolroulant.org or call (514) 284-9335.

by TRACEY LINDEMAN

Rear-view mirror

11 YEARS AGO - DEC. 4–11, 1997

On the cover: A human biotech subject, as the Mirror investigates how medical research firms “are turning Montreal’s poor into lab rats.” Although the practice of paying research subjects is “strongly discouraged” by the National Research Council of Canada, one research subject says, “Why would anybody do anything like that for any reason other than money?”
•Ozzy Osbourne discusses how he was conned into rehab. “My wife told me it’s a place where they would teach me to drink like a gentleman. I just thought I was drinking wrong…. I’m fucking serious. I thought Betty Ford was the president of the motor car company.”
•Addressing a reader’s sexual inexperience, Sasha writes, “You will get better, although let me tell you, I’ve been at it for 13 years now and I still get jive for my toothy, dog-barfing-up-grass blowjob technique.”
•The Media Circus column expresses annoyance at Global TV censoring South Park’s “Cartman Gets an Anal Probe” episode and the general underreporting of Anton LaVey’s death on “Oktober 29, XXXII Anno Satanas.”

Angel >>Conservative comeuppance The federal opposition’s tactics smack of opportunism and self-interest, but this week’s meltdown of Stephen Harper’s Conservatives couldn’t be happening to a nicer bunch. Having dramatically overplayed his hand—especially by proposing to cut opposition parties’ funding off at the knees—Harper is now facing the very real possibility of having the rug swept out from under him next Monday. Having impressively united the right five years ago, he accomplished an even more impressive feat this week by uniting the opposition using only his hubris and contempt. The issue is unresolved as of press time, but the days of a Harper government seem, for now, numbered.

Insect >>Conservative wiretapping Jack Layton is clamouring for an RCMP investigation into allegations of Conservative wiretapping into a confidential conference call between the NDP leader and his caucus. On Sunday, the Conservatives were telling the world Layton was plotting with the Bloc to bring down the government, and they had proof. The problem is, the proof may be illegal. The Conservatives were able to record the conference call because a Tory MP was mistakenly e-mailed information required to take part. The Criminal Code says a conversation can only be taped with the consent of one of the parties, and disseminating such a recording is also illegal.