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War on drugs is implicated in the spread of HIV

September 13th, 2012 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on War on drugs is implicated in the spread of HIV)

International experts, activists, and health professionals agree that ‘we cannot end AIDS until we end the war on drugs’

The 18th International AIDS Conference, held in Vienna in 2010, included a high-profile statement called The Vienna Declaration. The declaration, which has since been endorsed by over 20,000 groups, organizations, and individuals, rests firmly on the principle that drug policy should be based on science, not on ideology. It states that “the criminalization of illicit drug users is fuelling the HIV epidemic and has resulted in overwhelmingly negative health and social consequences.” (more…)

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Long, hot summer of senseless gun violence

August 16th, 2012 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Long, hot summer of senseless gun violence)

Doctors, health experts set minds to making meaning of the senseless and speak of gun violence as a social disease

Public health experts now speak of guns in the same way they speak about viruses, cars, tobacco, and alcohol. After the most recent in a long list of mass shootings in the U.S.—and a recent incident in Toronto—there are calls for a fresh look at gun violence as a social disease, necessitating a public health response. The shocking, senseless violence occurs as violent crime and murder rates have been dropping. One doctor, involved in treating the victims of the Wisconsin Sikh temple shootings, asks: “Is this the new social norm?” (more…)

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A world without hate

August 16th, 2012 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on A world without hate)

Rais Bhuiyan forgave the man who tried to kill him in a hate crime, then campaigned to save him from the death penalty

Ten days after the September 11th attacks in the U.S., Texan Mark Stroman entered the gas station where Rais Bhuiyan was working, asked “Where are you from?” and then shot him in the face.  Rais, who is from Bangladesh, was one of three victims shot during Stroman’s revenge attacks on “Arabs,” and the only one to survive. (more…)

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Right-to-die ruling seen as a civil liberties victory

June 28th, 2012 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (0 Comments)

Gloria Taylor is given the right to physician-assisted suicide but observers expect the federal Conservative government will challenge the ruling

A recent British Columbia court ruling has struck down the law that makes physician-assisted death illegal in Canada. The June 15, 2012 ruling [opens to PDF] found that the current law violates the constitutional rights of the three plaintiffs, including Gloria Taylor, who has Lou Gehrig’s disease. The landmark legal challenge was launched by the B.C. Civil Liberties Association. (more…)

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Youth stand up, speak out against hate

April 12th, 2012 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Youth stand up, speak out against hate)

A community dialogue in Nanaimo provides opportunities tor youth to listen, be heard, and make change

Central Vancouver Island Multicultural Society will present an opportunity for youth to speak openly about experiences and concerns related to discrimination and hate crime in an event on Saturday April 21, 2012. Those who attend will be able to gain mutual appreciation for what the experiences of hate are—and what can collectively be done to change what hate looks like in our communities. (more…)

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Reconciliation is a personal journey

March 15th, 2012 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Reconciliation is a personal journey)

Columnist reflects on the generational impact of Canada’s residential schools and coming to terms with the after effects

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) has been making its way across the country, collecting more than 3,000 personal statements from Aboriginal residential school survivors. Chief Wilton Littlechild, one of the commissioners, has stated: “Residential schools operated in Canada for well over a century. In the same way, the reconciliation process will have to span generations. It will take time to re-establish respect. It will take time and commitment to reverse this legacy.” (more…)

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