Tag Archives: Law

Politics

Open Letter To The West On The New World Order

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Paul Jenkins – The West and a Workable New World Order?

From: Paul Jenkins

To: Global governance observers

Date: May 2, 2024

Re: The West and a Workable New World Order?

One can describe the so-called liberal world order as a set of ideas for organizing world democracies. While openness and trade, rules and institutions, and co-operative security have been the principles that have shaped the liberal order, it also required sovereign nation states to provide the foundation for the creation and development of a system of intergovernmental organizations, or system of global governance.

In the aftermath of the Second World War, the system was designed primarily for the advancement, economically and politically, of Europe and the United States. Yet since 1945 the liberal world order has evolved, giving impetus to the steady increase in global economic integration to the benefit of many nations and people. 

Advances in science and technology have been critical to the evolution of the liberal order, but there has also been a need for the structures of global governance to evolve and keep pace.

On the economic front, for example, the collapse of the Bretton Woods system of fixed exchange rates, following Richard Nixon’s 1971 decision to abandon the dollar’s link to gold, gave rise to the creation of the G7. And the Asian Crisis of 1999 led to the creation of the G20.

Throughout the entire postwar period, however, tensions inherent between the sovereign authority of the nation-state and the need for collective global governance increasingly challenged the liberal order.

Indeed, the advent of the Cold War led to the liberal world order becoming hegemonic, organized around the economic and political strength of the United States with its dominance of global governance through the various institutions making up the global governance system. 

But over the years, pushback took hold. As the benefits of global economic integration spread and the United States was no longer the singular engine of growth, both democratic and autocratic countries found voice and began to resist the principles that shaped the liberal order. Even core nations of the liberal order began to voice their concerns in the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis as the market-based financial system failed to self-regulate (as had been advertised), and as the liberal order proved unable to provide social protection for those adversely affected by globalization.

Effectively, a new world order began to unfold, with the resulting slowing and even fragmentation [DS1] [PJ2] of global economic integration.

At the same time though, virtually all nations, regardless of regime or stage of development, are facing the same challenges: Financial instabilities, rising inequality, weak productivity growth, climate change, spread of infectious disease, AI, cyber security and on and on.

These vulnerabilities represent global risks that can only be tackled and minimized through collective action. This in turn requires a new world order that treats the world as it is, not how we wish it to be. 

What does this mean for the West, and in particular the United States and Canada?

The unique advantages of the United States are its open society, fair and law-based market economy, and allure for talent from around the world. To sustain these advantages, maintaining its wealth and its position as the centre of the free world, it cannot close its doors to further global economic integration.

Geopolitically, what might this look like?

John Ikenberry argues that the answer can be found in the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and non-intervention of the Westphalian system, the 1648 treaties that ended the Thirty Years’ War and established the modern nation state. The key insight of the Westphalian system is that all countries are vulnerable to the same global risks. The leap forward in mindset that is required is the acceptance that states are the rightful political units of legitimate rule. 

For the West, and the United States in particular, this implies the need to accept these new realities, and in so doing, the need to work together to build a new world order that preserves their liberal democratic values, and those of its allies, while at the same time recognizing that the economic challenges they face are not unique to them.

The unfolding relationship between the United States and China will define whether we achieve a workable new world order.

The economic incentives are there for this to happen. 

For China, the incentive is further progress in closing both its internal income gap as well as the gap between itself and the developed world. The payoff would be setting in place the foundation for a sustained rise in living standards for all its citizens. 

For the United States, the incentive is in preserving its strength as an open society and its vision of the world that has considered the interests of others. In many respects, it remains uniquely capable of playing the central role in sustaining the global economic system.

The challenge in re-imagining such a new world order is geopolitical. The task is to renew global governance with today’s realities in sharp focus.

Paul Jenkins. Mister Jenkins is a former senior deputy governor of the Bank of Canada and a senior fellow at the C.D. Howe Institute.

Finance

Beware Of Overreach In Canada Competition Law Reforms

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May, 2024 – Many of the federal government’s recent reforms in competition law sensibly strengthen the enforcement powers of the Competition Bureau and private actors seeking redress for allegedly anti-competitive behavior. However, amendments to the Competition Act that simply make it easier to meet legal tests for orders against allegedly anti-competitive conduct are over-reach, says a new report by our friends at the C.D. Howe Institute.

In “Uncertainty and the Burden of Proof in Canadian Competition Law,” author Edward M. Iacobucci, a professor in corporate and competition law at the University of Toronto and Competition Policy Scholar at the C.D. Howe Institute, says that while strengthening the enforcement powers of the Competition Bureau is welcome, other amendments to the Competition Act imply more profound changes to the fundamental posture of competition law.

Specifically, there is a family of amendments and proposals to move away from the bedrock principle that the burden rests with the Bureau to prove, on a balance of responsibilities, that a merger or practice by a dominant firm is likely to be or is anti-competitive. 

For example, the author argues that lowering the burden of proof in mergers cases to “appreciable risk” of anti-competitive effects or something analogous would be a mistake.

“The overwhelming problem with this standard is that it is too easy to meet and fails to distinguish anti-competitive from benign conduct,” he states.  He also disagrees with proposals to rely on market shares rather than competitive assessments in mergers cases.  He objects in addition to abolishing the requirement to analyze anti-competitive effects in abuse of dominant position cases – recent amendments imply that pro-competitive conduct could be treated as an abuse of dominance.

Aside from competition law reform, the author notes that there are other policy reforms that could promote competition. 

 “Assuming competition has worsened in Canada, there are several remedial policies that I suspect would be far more important than competition law reform,” he says. “The OECD ranks Canada near the worst internationally in establishing regulatory barriers to competition.” 

 Regulation, internal trade barriers, restrictions on international competition and ownership, and other policies are all important contributors to reducing competition in Canada and, certainly in their collective impact, are more important than competition law, he argues.

Nevertheless, there are good reasons to take stock of Canadian competition law.

“The vulnerability of digital markets to market power stemming from network externalities and scale economies encourages reflection on whether the Competition Act continues to be suitable for present times.”

“I am skeptical of the narrative that the law requires sweeping reform to address the digital economy or to reverse a strong, secular decline in competition caused by competition law,” Iacobucci added. “But I am not skeptical that there is room for improvement. I encourage the government to focus on strengthening enforcement and to resist and even reverse recent reforms to the burden of proof.”

For The Silo, Edward M. Iacobucci, TSE Chair in Capital Markets, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto and C.D. Howe Competition Policy Scholar.

Read the full report here.

Study in Brief:

• There are good reasons to take stock of Canadian competition law. The vulnerability of digital markets to market power stemming from network externalities and scale economies encourages reflection on whether the Competition Act continues to be suitable for present times.

• Recently, a number of statutory amendments have been proposed to amend the Act, some have been tabled in Parliament and still others already adopted. The federal government recently passed consequential amendments that grant the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) the power to initiate market studies, to include scrutiny of vertical agreements as possibly anti-competitive collaborations, to repeal the efficiencies defence to mergers, and to lower the burden of proof in abuse of dominance cases.

• Many of the government’s actions to date sensibly strengthen the enforcement powers of the Competition Bureau and make it easier for private actors seeking redress for allegedly anti-competitive behaviour.

• There are, however, other actual and proposed amendments that imply profound changes to the fundamental posture of Canadian competition law. In particular there are actual and proposed amendments that move away from the bedrock principle that the burden rests with the Bureau to prove, on a balance of probabilities, that a merger or practice by a dominant firm is likely to be or is anti-competitive.

• While enhancing enforcement is welcome, legislative amendments that lower the burden of proof are a mistake.

Politics

RICO EXPERT COMMENTS ON TRUMP’S RECUSAL BID 

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Los Angeles, CA … Lawyers for Donald Trump on Monday asked the federal judge presiding over his election subversion case in Washington to recuse herself, saying her past public statements about the former president and his connection to the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol call into question whether she can be fair. 

“Regardless of anyone’s personal opinion on the matter, Donald Trump’s motion for recusal has merit under the express provisions of 28 U.S.C. § 455, which requires a judge to recuse himself or herself in any proceeding in which [her] impartiality might reasonably be questioned. It is irrelevant whether the judge is actually biased. The U.S. Supreme Court squarely addressed this issue in Liljeberg v. Health Services Acquisition Corp., 486 U.S. 847, 860, which held that recusal is required even when a judge lacks actual knowledge of the facts indicating his interest or bias.

Judge Chutkan

Here, Judge Tanya Chutkan has made previous comments such as ‘Presidents are not kings, and Plaintiff is not a President’ and, in a December 2021 sentencing hearing, she stated, ‘the issue of who has or has not been charged is not before me. I don’t have any influence on that. I have my opinions, but they are not relevant.’ She has therefore publicly acknowledged her bias, which, at the very least, creates an appearance of partiality. This is nevertheless an uphill battle, as the motion has been submitted to Judge Chutkan, who will rule on this motion.

Having litigated this issue extensively in Angelica Limcaco v. Steve Wynn, Case No. 19-15949 (9th Cir. 2020), Donald Trump has to navigate a difficult path because the optics are problematic for him. The Justice Department will likely argue that Judge Chutkan has no financial interest, or something to that effect. Of course, if the motion is denied, the decision could result in an interlocutory appeal that may delay the case,” explained Jordan Matthews, a litigation partner at Weinberg Gonser LLP.

Comics

New Comic Books From Tidalwave Include SpaceForce

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Space Force #11

Writer: Michael Frizell

Artist: Daniel Pedrosa

FINAL ISSUE! The attempted assassination of President Quinn during peace talks with the Red Queen pushes Earth towards a galactic war with an alien enemy. But when the assassin’s identity is revealed as Stormy Daniels, Agent Aela Grant and the crew of the Helix II must choose sides. Will they join Space Force in their hunt for one of their own, or will they become criminals? The first season of Space Force ends in this explosive and game-changing issue!

Polka Spot: The World According to Llama #3

Writer: Michael Frizell

Artist: Yehia Mohran

In this fun, all-ages, action-adventure comedy, Polka Spot, everyone’s favorite drama llama, is on location filming her next movie, “The Princess and the Beast.” What she doesn’t know is that the film’s location is famous for sightings of the Hairy Man, a monster that haunts the woods. Meanwhile, someone plots behind the scenes to steal her necklace and crown! Can Polka Spot and her companion, the plucky cat, Jolene, solve the mystery of the hairy man, prevent the theft, and save the movie?

Black History Leaders: Volume 4: Mariah Carey, Donna Summer, Whitney Houston and Lil Nas X

Writers: Darren G. Davis, Michael Frizell, Raphael Moran

Artists: Victor Moura, Kirk Feretzanis, Pablo Martinena

From the hit “Fame” and “Female Force” imprints by TidalWave comics, this volume explores the musicians who have made an indelible mark on our culture, including: LaDonna Adrian Gaines, better known as Donna Summer, the Queen of Disco. Lil Nas X, the multi-award-winning rapper who breaks glass ceilings as a gay man in hip-hop. Whitney Houston, an idol to millions with the voice of an angel whose meteoric career defined a generation, couldn’t keep her demons at bay. Often called the Queen of Christmas and the Songbird Supreme, Mariah Carey’s rise to stardom was not without pitfalls – something she isn’t shy to explore with her five-octave range.

Bold and the Brave #15

Writer: Darren G. Davis

Artist: Breed

There is a new minotaur in town and what are his ties to the villainess Medusa. Will the 10th Muse has to join forces with her in order to save a family that is in chaos. Also the relationship between Emma and Zak heats up. Homage cover by Marvel Comics artist Yonami

Wrath of the Titans: Argos #1

Writer: Chad Jones

Artist: Marcelo Henrique Santana

Perseus is back to face off once again with the titans of myth. Set immediately after the defeat of the mighty Kraken, Perseus plans to rebuild the city of Argos. But his wife-to-be Andromeda is kidnapped by one of Medusa’s gorgon sisters out for her ultimate revenge.

TidalWave Comics Presents Volume 2

Writers: Andrew Shayde, Scott Davis, Adam David Gragg, Chad Rebman

Artists: Carlos Furuzono, Diego Garavano, Addullah, Esdras Cristobel

A new unique team-up ongoing series! The TidalVerse is here! The members of the series, teams up with the TidalWave Universe’s vast array of colorful, costumed adventurers for a series that hearkens back to the Bronze Age of comics when team-ups were something special! This homage series together for the first time features Camelot, Zeus, Orion the Hunter, Venus, Sigma, The Muse, Monsters Among Us and Dorian Gray.

10th Muse: New Beginnings #1

Writer: Darren G Davis and Michael Frizell

Artist: Igor Cicarini

The world met Emma Sonnet, the 10th Muse, 22 years ago when she debuted in the 6th highest-selling comic book of all time. After a personal tragedy, Emma relocates to NYC, hoping for a new start. But Hades, the king of hell, has other plans. TidalWave’s latest ongoing series starts here! Greek mythology has documented the nine Muses, the inspirational daughters of the almighty god Zeus. But history forgot one-the 10th Muse. Emma Sonnet mysteriously disappeared five years ago during a summer trip to Greece celebrating her graduation from law school. Yesterday, she resurfaced just as mysteriously as the newly appointed District Attorney, with a unique take on the law. Battling evil in the courtroom by day, and in the shadows at night, Emma Sonnet is tipping the scales of justice her way, as The 10th Muse.

TidalWave Comics Presents #9: Camelot and Zeus

Writer: Scott Davis

Artist: Abdullah

Resistance! Not all heroes are blessed with understanding or even control of their powers. And not all heroes, given powers to rival the Greek gods, are given Olympus’ blessing. So it’s no wonder that former legal assistant and current hero-in-training Camelot is having a bad day, only it’s about to get worse! His rent is late, the gods are gunning for him, and to top it all off, the nefarious Captain Steel is creating havoc of epic proportions. What’s a hero to do? The Odyssey returns with a story that shows it takes more than a cape and a cool name to be a hero. Guest starring Zeus, God of Thunder.

Where to Find TidalWave Comics

TidalWave Comics’ vast catalog of titles can also be downloaded digitally from Kindle, iTunes, EPIC!, Madefire, Izneo, ComiXology, Global Comics, DriveThru Comics, Google Play, Overdrive, Library Pass, Biblioboard, Nook, Kobo and wherever eBooks are sold.

Politics

Handling of Trump Mar-a-Lago Raid Breeding Distrust in Law Enforcement: Expert

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Unless trust is restored, the FBI’s Mar-a-Lago raid may begin the “collapse” of U.S. law enforcement, according to police expert Michael Letts.

Over the past few years, the FBI has acted politically often enough that many Americans now struggle to trust it, Letts said. He runs In-Vest USA, a nonprofit that provides bulletproof vests to police departments.

Without explanations, acts such as the Mar-a-Lago raid create distrust between local and federal law enforcement, he said. They also create civilian distrust for law enforcement in general.

“Mar-a-Lago is just another nail in the coffin,” he said.

U.S. law enforcement runs on trust, according to Letts. Without trust, the system collapses into “Third-World status,” where police serve power instead of enforcing the law.

“Then, you have coup d’états, you have overthrows, riots. And then, whatever power happens to win at that particular day tries to solidify. The forces that it controls run out and eliminate everybody that’s not on their bandwagon,” he said.

Lack of Transparency in Politically Sensitive Case

The FBI made several decisions at Mar-a-Lago that could catastrophically damage trust in law enforcement, Letts said.

First, the raid itself shouldn’t have happened, he said.

Presidents often take many documents with them when they leave the White House. Often, staff accidentally pack at least a few secret documents by mistake. Most of the time, the federal government doesn’t punish this mistake, according to Letts.

Trump’s predecessor, former President Barack Obama, turned over 30 million documents to the National Archives.

“More often than not, they look at and realize [the document] no longer needs to be classified anymore,” he said.

But the FBI raided Trump’s home for the documents.

The FBI also refused to let Trump’s lawyer observe the search. Without someone else present, law enforcement could potentially plant fake evidence or steal a suspect’s property, Letts said. This has led many to now wonder whether the FBI demanded secrecy for alleged misconduct.

“They should have never provided fodder to the American people to have these kinds of questions,” he said.

Finally, FBI and DOJ leaders have failed to provide the public with a clear explanation as to why the raid had to happen.

Epoch Times Photo
In-Vest USA CEO Michael Letts. (Image courtesy of In-Vest USA)

Although the government released the warrant and receipt for property taken, these things didn’t provide enough of an answer, Letts said.

Since then, reports have been spreading about an internal FBI and Department of Homeland Security bulletin, leaked in part by CNN, NBC, and CBS, of an increase in bomb threats made online to law enforcement and officials following the Mar-a-Lago raid.

If the government truly wants to calm the situation, it needs to provide a full explanation, according to Letts.

“We need straight and direct answers,” he said. “We need congressional leadership. It needs to be a bipartisan effort.”

Trust: Cornerstone of the American System

The distrust from the FBI raid doesn’t only affect politics, Letts said. It also affects the inner workings of law enforcement.

Law enforcement agencies have to cooperate to do their work, he said. Federal and state police often join forces for investigations.

In these investigations, trust is crucial, according to Letts. If the FBI and local police don’t trust each other, they can’t cooperate.

Even law enforcement on drug dealing will fall apart if the FBI and police don’t trust each other, he said. If the FBI targets conservative politicians today, it might target anyone tomorrow.

“Is there something else behind the scenes? You’re willing to lie on FISA reports to courts. Are you willing to lie about this?” he asked.

The FBI’s Mar-a-Lago raid will also cause the public to distrust state and local police, as most of the time, the public doesn’t see the difference between local police, state police, and federal law enforcement, according to Letts.

“If anybody’s wearing a badge—sheriff, deputy, city police—they all get mixed into the same boat,” he said. “And now they all get vilified.”

In the past few years, law enforcement’s trust foundations have been weakened from a number of events, Letts said. Some media outlets have villainized them for alleged racism, which the police deny, during deaths in custody, while some city councils have cut their budgets. Officers faced immense pressure from all angles during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many police officers have resigned; few are recruited.

“They’re having to pull extra shifts. They’re at the highest stress rates. I mean, look at their divorce rates. They have some of the lowest morale we’ve ever seen in history,” he said of the police.

At some point, the “thin blue line” will snap, according to Letts.

“Who will they call when somebody is banging on their door to try to break in?” he asked.

We hope you enjoy our coverage! As you are visiting us today, we’d like to ask you one question —  How much do you think news media outlets actually impact your life? …Probably more than you realize. For the Silo/Epoch Times, Jackson Elliott.

Featured image: Protesters gather in front of the Federal Building in Los Angeles on Aug. 13, 2022, to voice anger over FBI’s Mar-a-Lago raid. (Linda Jiang/The Epoch Times)

Finance

Tinder suing for 2 billion dollars over stock devaluation

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With closing arguments expected to begin next week, the Tinder/Match trial has once again proven that when things go wrong in the world of online dating, they go very, very wrong.

With the Ashley Madison dumpster fire still in our collective memory, the founder of Tinder is suing for $2 billion usd, alleging that two companies – Barry Diller’s IAC/InterActiveGroup and Match Group – artificially devalued Tinder before the group could exercise stock options in the online dating platform. They claim the companies created and communicated false information to investment bankers and covered up sexual misconduct accusations against a former Match Group executive as part of the scheme.

Sean Rad (arguably the best name ever for the founder of a dating app) and the other Tinder co-founders, who at the time of sale owned 20% of the company, argue that Diller and his team undertook activities to deeply undervalue Tinder at $3 billion usd. Rad’s claim is that Diller repeatedly lied to the banks and this dramatically reduced the acquisition price. 

Tinder's $2 Billion Claim of Low-Ball Match Buyout Goes to Court - Bloomberg

IAC and Match hired high-profile lawyer Bill Carmody to represent them here. The same Bill Carmody that put $480 million usd in the pocket of WeWork’s comically villainous Adam Newman in a claim against SoftBank. And, yes, the same Bill Carmody that represented Uber against Waymo. 

The case, Rad v. IAC/InterActiveCorp, has taken several dramatic turns. While the trial was still in opening arguments on November 8th, IAC/Match called twice for a mistrial and failed both times. Character assasination has been the rule of the day throughout the trial, with a landscape of destroyed emails, personal vendettas, and  the requisite penis drawing. 

The case was expected to have wrapped up by Thanksgiving, but the Tinder founders are going to have to delay their feast a few days as the bad blood continues to boil in the courtroom. 

On Monday, Rad accused former Match Group CEO Greg Blatt of grabbing him during a break in the trial. Laughably – but showing how intense and polarized this case is – the incident between the two has been described as everything ranging from a failed attempt at a fist pump to an assault by Barry Diller’s henchman. 

So it’s understandable that it’s easy for people to see this case as perfect fodder for a Netflix series on American greed. The legal documents in the suit tell a story of a company looking to acquire another successful company in their particular vertical – here, the massive online dating space. Rather than pay fairly for the company, Diller and his companies created an elaborate fiction in the form of an unrealistic worst-case financial scenario for Tinder that valued the company at $3 billion usd, where a much more rosy yet still realistic valuation would have seen Tinder valued at up to $12 billion usd. 

Victory for Match/IAC here would be paying out significantly less than the $2 billion usd Rad claims that he and others in the suit are out of pocket given the facts of the claim. 

Tinder $2B Legal Battle is Finally Getting Its Day in Court - dot.LA

As Charlie Cartwright, a Florida lawyer points out:

“It’s possible that a case such as this, with so much at stake, could still settle before the judge puts the outcome in the hands of the jury.”

While both sides are resolved to win this heated case, settlement makes a lot of sense as Match simply doesn’t have $2 billion usd cash on hand, though they do surprisingly have access to well over $1 billion usd. A legal and regulatory analyst recently told the New York Post that a realistic settlement would be in the $300-$700 million usd range, yet a spokesperson for Match Group said that was entirely speculative. 

It’s probably not inaccurate speciation. Ultimately, it’s not like the Tinder founders and other executives haven’t done very well from running and selling Tinder anyway. So, for them, while the money is important, a moral victory wrapped in a healthy settlement figure might be the tasty and satisfying holiday feast they’re waiting for. 

This would also keep the case out of the hands of a jury. It’s important not to gloss over the fact that people are very polarized about not only apps that match people, but the characters who make these apps and run these businesses. The Ashley Madison scandal is recent enough for a jury to remember not only an app that ruined lives, but the nature of the people behind the business. 

Whether the case settles or is handed to a jury, the real issue here is that Tinder generated a massive amount of revenue over the years and grew into a very successful company. It’s just a question of how the ultimate pie that was actually created should have be equitably divided if the value of Tinder wasn’t manipulated. 

Travel

A Guide To Taking A Road Trip Across Canada

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One of the best decisions that you can make is to take a road trip across Canada. For one thing, it is a great way to see just what this great country has to offer in terms of nature and landscapes. At the same time, being on the road ensures that an adventure is just a town away. Of course, road tripping across such a large region is no joke. So, if you want to make sure that you get it right and stay safe, you should follow these tips:

Draw Up a Plan

Hitting the open road provides you with a sense of unbridled freedom. However, considering the sheer size of the area that you will be covering, you can’t really head out without a plan. Keep in mind, there can be a long distance between rest stops, motels, and restaurants.

So, to make sure that you always have a place to sleep and can stock up on some supplies, you will need to do your research. Mark out some areas between long, empty stretches of road. These will come in handy, particularly if you are driving though late at night.

Brush Up on Local Laws

Now, for the most part, the road rules don’t really change too much from one place to another. Nevertheless, there are some discrepancies. So, to avoid getting into any legal trouble, brush up on impaired driving consequences in the regions that you are heading to. You may just learn some interesting details.

If you really want to stay on the right side of the law, though, you may want to look up how to get DUI help as well. After all, on a road trip, the easiest place to make new friends is in a bar. So, it is quite likely that you will be putting away a couple of drinks away each night. It is important to make sure that you don’t get into any trouble after this.

Prepare for All Kinds of Weather Conditions

Even if your road trip is taking place during the summer, you can’t simply assume that it will be smooth sailing all the way through. Remember, rain and thunderstorms are always a possibility, so you should be prepared. Not to mention, the climate can change from one area to the next, so make sure to pack all kinds of clothes so that you will be ready for anything. In case you are going exploring during the winter, take all of the gear, clothing, and equipment you may need.

Make a List of Must-Do Items

Each city, town, or province has something interesting to offer. So, make sure that you don’t just pass through during your road trip. Make up a list of all the activities you want to try and sights you want to see. Then, try to cross off as many as you can. In the end, you will find that all of these experiences really add to your road trip.

So there you have it, the ultimate tips to follow when road tripping in Canada. All that is left for you to do is to have some fun.

Politics

Why Toronto Will Have 25 City Councilors Instead Of 47

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The Province of Ontario boasts 444 municipalities, including the City of Toronto, which provide critical services for people in Ontario.

On August 14, as an elected representative, I voted in favor of Bill 5 – Better Local Government Act.  Our goal as government was clear then, and we remain committed to that same goal today: to have Toronto, which is Ontario’s largest municipality and a major economic engine for both the province and the country, move away from a dysfunctional council system, a broken system that has difficulty with decision-making, a broken system that gets very little done.

Toronto residents deserve an efficient council that gets things done on big issues like transit, infrastructure and housing.

Having 47 Toronto councilors in one room is dysfunctional. For example, after days of debate at the committee level, city council took 15 hours to pass its 2017 budget – 15 hours of going back and forth and back and forth on a document that was already nearly set in stone, 15 hours to express opinions expressed numerous times before on the record. And after all that, council passed a budget that created a $2-million budget hole that meant it had to hastily draw from a reserve fund.

Over a month ago, we passed Bill 5 as an answer to the unacceptable public policy stalemates at Toronto city hall. However, due to a ruling by a Superior Court of Justice, we made a decision to replace Bill 5 with new legislation. However, on September 19, we received news the Ontario Court of Appeal concluded, “…there is a strong likelihood that the application judge erred in law and that the attorney general’s appeal to this court will succeed.” The court of appeal’s tentative conclusion was that, “Bill 5 does not suffer from constitutional infirmity.”

Read Court Document- Ontario Appeal Court Sides With Ford Government

Our government concurs with the Stay, which goes on to recognize the change voted in by Bill 5 is undoubtedly frustrating for candidates who are campaigning in 25-ward boundaries. However, the frustration is not enough to persuade that there is substantial interference with their freedom of expression.

The inconvenience candidates will experience because of the change from 47 to 25 wards does not prevent or impede them from speaking their mind about the issues arising in the election. The Stay indicates candidates have no constitutionally guaranteed right to the 47-ward system, and Bill 5 does not deprive them of their constitutional right to speak on civic issues.

Over the summer, there has been much debate and many views expressed, including many former politicians. Christy Clark, the former Premier of British Columbia, has expressed support for our legislation. She said people all across Canada, not just in Toronto, are wondering why governments can’t move things faster.

Former Premier of Saskatchewan Brad Wall understands why we need to act and to be able to use the legal tools that are available to us.

Similarly, Former Premier of Quebec Jean Charest pointed out that the political gridlock and dysfunction at Toronto city hall is known far and wide.

With the date of the municipal election rapidly approaching, we need to take action – October 22 is just a few weeks away – to provide greater certainty for everyone and to ensure the election in Toronto proceeds. For the Silo, Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett.

 

Culture

NARAL Hand Drawn Playing Cards Celebrate Trailblazing American Women

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In honor of Women’s History Month and coinciding with worldwide activities marking International Women’s Day, NARAL is relaunching The Gender Cards—a deck of illustrated playing cards that celebrate trailblazing American women. Each card is hand-drawn and unique, and recalls the incredible women—past and present—who have helped define the American spirit.

NARAL cards animation

These cards feature some of the strong leaders, brilliant thinkers, fierce competitors, brave risk takers, and trailblazing innovators who achieved great things while always moving the nation forward.

“Now more than ever, it’s time to celebrate the trailblazing women who have always made America great,” said Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America. “One of my favorite things about The Gender Cards is seeing my friends and family post photos of their kids playing with the cards. These cards are not only beautiful to play with, they help us learn more about the women whose lives help tell the American Story. These really are the perfect gift.”

The Gender Cards make a great gift for friends and family, and are available only through NARAL. Get yours today at TheGenderCards.com.

Some of the amazing American women featured on the 54 hand-drawn cards include:

  • Rosa Parks
  • The Women of the Supreme Court
  • Black Lives Matter leaders
  • Hillary Clinton
  • Helen Keller
  • Rachel Carson
  • Gloria Steinem
  • Dolores Huerta
  • Sojourner Truth
  • The Suffragists
  • Sheryl Sandberg
  • Beyoncé
  • Michelle Obama
  • Sally Ride
  • Ella Fitzgerald
  • Laverne Cox
  • Georgia O’Keeffe
  • and many more!
For the Silo, Bianca Rosales.
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Politics

Reader Letter To The Silo Regarding Motion 103 And Hamilton Protest Rally

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Dear Silo, there was a protest rally held at City Hall in Hamilton this past weekend. The purpose was to discuss or protest “Motion-103 “the motion put forth by one Ms. Iqra Khalid to stop as she sees it “Islamophobia.” For many the idea of “M-103” seems almost redundant as hate speech and any sort of hate crime based on religion is already under the “Criminal Code, The Charter of Human Rights & The Constitution.” Some have opined that Ms. Khalid is grandstanding & perhaps they may be correct.

The protest was as it went peaceful & low key. The police presence was minimal and well placed. Directly on site there were six uniforms, but a bit further back there were two mounted units, and further back out of sight behind city hall were three more mounted units.

The speaker at this event was a Muslim woman who was well spoken and exhorted the crowd with slogans, chants & political sayings, touting the Liberal regime and downplaying the Conservative aspect.It was my understanding that there would be both aspects of this motion represented at the protest, but for the near 3 hours I was present I only heard one side of the story [but] perhaps another side spoke later. I saw on the 6:00 pm news, things turned a bit ugly, and the police stepped in to quell any further incident, so who knows.

For many, it seemed a “ family event,” and I saw a few children there, [but] in my humble opinion [this] is no place for kids. In the “ Vietnam” years when the protest was clearly in many cases, a daily event, there never were any children present, mostly due to the fact protests can at any given time turn from something sedate to an angry, ugly mess, ergo no kids. I for one seriously have to ponder the parental abilities of such an action.

There was a few tables set up, all proffering their political views, the Communist Party, ( the mainstay at any protest), a painting table where you could add your hand to a large almost like paint-by-numbers setup where you could if so inclined could add your hand to it. There was a Muslim table set up and two young men who would engage you in conversation about their faith and handed out books & pamphlets, one of them at the time I stopped by, was engaged in a somewhat intense conversation with a Christian young man. Several people were working the crowd by handing out flyers, pamphlets and flash cards with their message on it. The “ Socialist group”, ever present at any event, was handing out small flyers promoting  “ worker solidarity,” the Marxist group was there too, handing out flyers to combat racism, the “ No Borders Manifesto,” an 18 point small booklet promoting a “ grassroots movement “ to promote the movement to the “ new world.” There were “ Stop the War Coalition,” the “ Know your Rights,” group & “ Hamilton Against Fascism,” and regarding [this]protest it seemed a well-rounded outpouring that way.

As I said, as protests go it was for the 3 hours I was there a peaceful, almost fun event. Later after things went south and everyone had done their barking and bitching sessions, they packed up their wares, printed material and children, and went home to read the tea leaves of the event and to generally pat themselves on the back for a job well done.

Protests are an integral part of the Canadian fabric and should be allowed at all times. The message I received from this one was that the potential for “ free speech,“ could be quashed possibly if this motion is put into a bill and becomes law. Do we have concern?? Perhaps as many feel we do, and it becomes the responsibility of all of us, to be open-minded, observant of what our government says and does. It falls to us to yes question what they tell us so that democracy as we live it will be ongoing and ever present so that we may all move forward with a proper sense of things for all who live and come to this great country we know it.

 

James R. Charlton

Culture

A Second Look At Ontario Bill83 AKA SLAPP

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Dr Evil Canadian free speech, journalistic powers or lack there of are back in the news. Here is a related story  about Ontario’s Bill 83 from last year that deserves a second read.

Bill83. The threat of abusive lawsuits claiming damages like slander and defamation is deterring  a significant number of Ontarians from speaking out against big business on issues of public interest.

Our tweet from Feb22 2015 shows an interest in related freedom of expression concerns.
Our tweet from Feb22 2015 shows an interest in related freedom of expression concerns.

Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPP) are lawsuits brought by companies with the specific aim of distracting or silencing defendants. The defendants, usually ordinary citizens or public interest groups, feel threatened by the prospect of paying legal fees over several years and the possibility of paying large damage awards in the end. Even if the lawsuits have no merit, they often result in a “chill” on free speech in general because SLAPPs are also meant to intimidate the general public who are watching it all play out in the media.

John Gerretsen Attorney General Kingston and the Islands.
John Gerretsen Attorney General Kingston and the Islands.

Attorney General John Gerretsen has introduced Bill 83 ( In its 2nd reading at the time of this original posting, now referred to the Standing Committee on Social Policy CP) to address this dubious use of Ontario’s publicly funded court system. The proposed legislation would force the courts to identify within 60 days whether a suit was in the public interest or an intimidation tactic to limit debate on an important local issue.

In communities facing fast paced economic development, this legislation is sure to play an important role in protecting the ordinary courage of citizens to tell their story, to share local knowledge and research findings and to insist on an authentic community vision for a healthy and sustainable future. For the Silo, Leslie Cochran. Originally published in print March 21, 2014.

Culture

Google Asks Us To Share Concerns Re Government Requests For Users Private Data Up 106%

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Google Transparency Alert Google regularly receives requests from governments and courts around the world to hand over our users’ data. When we receive government requests for users’ personal information, we follow a strict process to help protect against unnecessary intrusion.

Since 2010, we have regularly updated the Google Transparency Report with details about these requests. As the first company to release the numbers, as well as details of how we respond, we’ve been working hard for more transparency.

The latest update to the Google Transparency Report is out today, showing that requests from governments around the world for user information have increased 106% since we launched the report.

"Requests from governments around the world for user information have increased 106% since we launched the report. It's a startling fact that everyone who uses the Internet should know about." Derek Slater for Google Inc.
“Requests from governments around the world for user information have increased 106% since we launched the report. It’s a startling fact that everyone who uses the Internet should know about.” Derek Slater for Google Inc.

 

It’s a startling fact that everyone who uses the Internet should know about:  We deserve the same protection online and offline.

It’s important for law enforcement agencies to pursue illegal activity and keep the public safe. We’re a law-abiding company, and we don’t want our services to be used in harmful ways.

But laws that control government access to user information should also protect you against overly broad requests for your personal information.

Share the Google Transparency Report, and help the Internet community stay empowered and informed.

Share on Facebook: https://takeaction.withgoogle.com/fb-global

Share on Google+: https://takeaction.withgoogle.com/google-plus-global

Share on Twitter: https://takeaction.withgoogle.com/tweet-global

Sincerely,

Derek Slater

Google Inc.

 

Culture

Law Firms Should Nurture A Culture For Growth Factor

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Hillel pic Web

There’s a strong correlation between the growth of a law firm and the strength of its culture, according to a new survey published in February’s ABA Journal.

The most successful mid-sized firms are those that put a high value on their culture – how they do business and the written and unwritten rules for behavior, according to the survey conducted by TAGLaw and the Center for the Study of the Legal Profession.

“Firms in which everyone plays by the rules and values dictated by the leadership are more successful in part because, whether they realize it or not, they’re branding themselves,” says Hillel L. Presser, Esq., MBA, author of a new book, “The Lawyers Law of Attraction: Marketing Outside the Box But Inside the Law,” (www.lawyermarketingllc.com).

Branding – developing a unique, distinctive and consistent image — is vital for any lawyer hoping to stand out from the competition, Presser says.

It’s even more important to distinguish oneself in today’s post-Recession economy. Demand for legal services, revenues and rates have all dropped significantly since the Recession began in December 2007, according to a 2013 advisory by Hildebrandt Consulting and Citi Bank.

“The compound annual growth rate for revenues in the legal market was 9.8 percent leading into the Recession. From 2008 to 2012, it was 0.8 percent,” Presser says.  So how does a law firm – or an individual lawyer – develop a brand?

“In a firm, if you have a strong culture, start by giving it a closer look. What values define your culture? What rules govern interactions with clients? Do you have a collaborative team approach or independent individualistic lawyers?” he asks. “All of these answers will help you define your brand.”

 

Presser Book Cover Web

 

If you’re an individual lawyer, you are your brand. Your personality, your look, how you present your practice all contribute to your brand identity. To build a successful, strong brand, you need to be sure these things convey what you want them to – and more important, appeal to your market.

Presser offers these tips for building your brand:

• Identify your personality, your specialty and your target market: These form the basis of your brand and it’s important for all three to work well together. Presser defines his personality as “an innovator and educator who’s very social and very serious about financial protection.” His specialty is asset protection, and his target audience is all individuals with money, property or other assets that are not secured in the best way.

• Decide what will appeal to that target audience: If you already have clients, look for what they have in common – it will say a lot about what they value and, hence, what appeals to them. Everything from the clothes they wear to the cars they drive to the information they share about themselves offer clues to what they value. Maybe it’s reliability. Non-conformity. Social status.  Solid quality. Is that who you are? If so, make sure it’s reflected in your brand.

• Think about what makes you different from your competition. From soda companies to athletic apparel manufacturers, every industry includes rivals selling the same products. Through branding, they distinguish themselves to appeal to their target audience – to set themselves apart. What makes you different from other divorce, criminal defense or corporate attorneys? How does that fit in with your personality, specialty and target market?

• Look for ways to incorporate your personality into your practice.Everything from the furnishings in your office to the clothes you wear to your business card and website should incorporate the personality and values you want to convey. If the tone of the copy on your website is casual and light-hearted and you want your brand to say old-fashioned hard work and reliability, you need to have the copy rewritten.

Your brand will be the foundation for your marketing, so take the time necessary to ensure all of the elements work in harmony, Presser says.

“You don’t have to be everything to everyone – you can’t be,” he says. “So focus on your niche audience and what’s important to them as well as what’s important to you. It will make you more successful both in setting yourself apart and attracting the types of clients you want to attract.”

About Hillel L. Presser, Esq., MBA

Hillel L. Presser is the owner of Lawyer Marketing LLC, a company dedicated to helping lawyers effectively market their practices. He’s also the founder of The Presser Law Firm, P.A., representing individuals and businesses in establishing comprehensive asset protection plans. He is a graduate of Syracuse University’s School of Management and Nova Southeastern University’s law school, and serves on Nova’s President’s Advisory Council. He also serves on the boards of several non-profit organizations for his professional athlete clients. He is a former adjunct faculty member of law at Lynn University. For the Silo, Ginny Grimsley.