Joyeux Noël / Merry Christmas

This is big! The British government has announced plans to ban ALL hen cages & pig farrowing crates—including “enriched” cages for egg-laying hens, which, like conventional cages, still cause widespread injuries & death. Canada needs to do the same! 🐔🐷 #CdnPoli

Bonne chance au PLQ en choisissant un nouveau chef qui favorisera des politiques plus inclusives dans les écoles du Québéc que les politiques restrictives anti-immigrés de la CAQ. www.tvanouvelles.ca/2025/12/23/c...

Happy Festivus to those who celebrate it today. youtu.be/1njzgXSzA-A?...

These 2 top stories in today’s New York Times (that VP JD Vance (& perhaps the next POTUS) chose deliberately not to upset his antisemitic base & that CBS chose not to show an immigration story in its 60 minutes episode not to upset POTUS Trump) shows how dangerous the US has become in just 1 year.

L’Église catholique au Canada devrait cesser d’utiliser les écoles catholiques publiques de l’Ontario, de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan pour enseigner aux élèves que l’amour gay est mauvais et qu’il est mauvais de s’identifier comme transgenre ou non binaire. www.cecc.ca/communique-d...

The Catholic Church in Canada should stop using public Catholic schools in Ontario, Alberta & Saskatchewan to teach students the anti-queer & hate-promoting beliefs that gay love is evil & that it’s evil to identify as transgender or non-binary. (Note: I’m Catholic.) www.cccb.ca/media-releas...

It’s great that Rob Cannone is a VP of 2 York Catholic school board elementary schools. He seems like a nice & bright educator. But how does he & others like him justify teaching students that same-sex love/marriage is a sin & that it’s a sin to identify as trans? www.instagram.com/p/DSd4FvGjbT...

❄️ Winter Solstice ❄️

The ending of Episode 5 of Canada’s newest TV sensation, Heated Rivalry, shows an important point we should all be able to acknowledge & celebrate: Love is love! May you find the love of Hunter & Kip & may you support and celebrate others when they find such love. 1/2 youtu.be/yHUVCDqhE4Q?...

Démission ou renvoi de son ministre de Travail? Le premier ministre Doug Ford esquive la question. ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/221...

An example that it’s not always better to have trustees is the York Catholic board. A majority of its trustees voted in 2023 (based on anti-queer beliefs) not to fly the Pride flag at its head office or schools. Other boards’ trustees have made similarly harmful decisions against queer students.

An oldie but a goodie! In this webinar, @brucepetherick.bsky.social and I talk about our best holiday strategies for neurodivergent people and families... :) The tips are good for any holiday that comes with draining social expectations and differing routines... youtube.com/watch?v=PgEq...

Le Parti libéral du Québec (PLQ) devra se trouver un nouveau chef en vue des élections générales prévues l'automne prochain. ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/221...

The Government of Canada has been supportive (through funding) of bike lanes in large cities. Regrettably, in Toronto the Government of Ontario and in Montreal its new Mayor have been taking steps to take away safe bike lines already constructed. We should be more like Belgium (as in this article).

Bruce Arthur in the Toronto Star reminds us of the greatness of Rob Reiner & how Trump’s vile reaction to Reiner’s tragic murder is another clarifying moment in our age of moral collapse. Thanks @brucearthur.bsky.social for writing this. www.thestar.com/opinion/star...

Jeewan Chanicka argues that taken together, Ontario’s direct intervention boards across Ontario is “a rapid restructuring of public education governance that shifts authority away from professional educational leadership, & toward centralized provincial control.” open.substack.com/pub/jeewanch...

Le français québécois est une partie unique du Canada. C'est un parti qui explique pourquoi le Québec est une société distincte et pourquoi les gouvernements du Canada et du Québec devraient adopter des politiques pour protéger cette belle langue. www.instagram.com/reel/DSJDaM5...

TDSB education director’s firing raises new concerns about ministry’s involvement in school boards

Clayton La Touche is a talented accomplished leader. But less than year after becoming the Director of the Toronto District School Board, the Provincial Supervisor has let him go. www.thestar.com/news/gta/tds...

Say hello to the Animal Justice Action Team—a nationwide network of animal advocates taking strategic, high-impact actions for animals ✊🐾 Be part of this powerful movement & help drive change for animals in Canada! ➡️ bit.ly/4pXuYYS

Thursday I was a witness at a justice-related Senate of Canada committee meeting. Friday I was seeing clients at my office-site on Albert Street in Ottawa. Today I am seeing clients at my office-site in Brossard, Québec. Tomorrow I’m at my Vaughan, Ontario office attending family court all day.

Experts say a provincial review of the EQAO is a chance to look at changes that could better support teachers, principals & students, Kristin Rushowy & Isabel Teotonio report in the Toronto Star. @krushowy.bsky.social @thestar.com www.thestar.com/news/gta/is-...

Dis Siri, montre-moi un exemple récent de racisme basé sur la suprématie blanche?

Today (December 6) is the National Day of Action & Remembrance, remembering the 14 victims of femicide on December 6, 1989 at École Polytechnique in Montréal, & acting as if violence against women in Canada (such as intimate partner violence) is an epidemic (because it is). youtu.be/9G3neu__Oho?...

Canadians rallied in 10 cities for another national day of action demanding Sobeys keep its long-overdue cage-free promise 🐔✊ Nearly a decade after pledging to go cage-free by 2025, Sobeys still sources over 80% of its eggs from caged hens.

Saturday, December 6th is Canada's National Day of Action and Remembrance on Violence against Women. It commemorates the '89 Montreal Massacre where 14 women were targeted & killed for daring to study engineering. Attend your local vigil & come learn community care with me zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Yesterday, after my testimony at a Senate of Canada justice committee regarding the federal budget, I had the privilege of meeting Baltej Dhillon, a former RCMP officer who made such a difference in advancing human rights in Canada, who is now Senator Dhillon. youtu.be/3G-a8zlDMrs?...

Today I’m in Ottawa with the famous Chateau Laurier as my day office meeting with clients while also attending in person (across the street) a Senate of Canada justice committee to answer questions from senators about why increasing funding for unified family courts is good public policy.

Catholic boards in Ontario teach/indoctrinate Religion to their elementary students for 30 minutes a day which is 10% of the school day. Wouldn’t EQAO scores be higher across Ontario if Catholic boards instead used those 30 minutes to teach Language & Math? globalnews.ca/news/1155754...

L’ancien premier ministre Jean Chrétien et l’ancien ministre de l’Immigration Sergio Marchi ont été convoqués en comité parlementaire pour discuter des choix du leur government au face de le 1995 référendum. ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/221...

It was wrong for US Secretary of War Hegseth to depict Franklin committing war crimes. It is wrong in response images to depict Franklin as a defendant for war crimes at The Hague court. Franklin is a beloved Canadian icon standing for & inspiring kindness, empathy & inclusivity.

Yesterday was the 70th anniversary of the day Rosa Parks refused to move to the back of the bus. May we continue to be inspired by persons like Rosa Parks & organizations like the NAACP to work (despite the challenge of current times) to make our society a better place. youtu.be/76kS_7qanH8?...

For Time Magazine, I ask if Canada is entering an era of realpolitik and, if so, whether we're going in with any red lines. time.com/7337391/cana...

Le conseil scolaire Near North est le sixième conseil scolaire actuellement sous la supervision du gouvernement de l’Ontario. Le ministre de l'Éducation a dit que l'incompétence était la raison pour laquelle il a agi auprès du conseil scolaire Near North. ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/221...

The Trump admin supports remigration (see Homeland Security tweet), which means the return of non-ethnically European immigrants to their place of racial origin. While the US continues its descent into official racism, let’s work harder/smarter to prevent this in Canada especially in our schools.

My latest for the Globe and Mail. Love the PWHL, hate that the PWHL is sponsored by Novo Nordisk

Le débat des candidats à la direction du NPD se passait hier soir à Montréal. Les principaux débatteurs étaient clairement Heather McPherson et Avi Lewis, mais seuls Lewis parlait français à un niveau acceptable pour diriger un parti politique national. www.youtube.com/live/BHS6DbS...

TOMORROW: Nationwide Sobeys protests! 🗓️ Saturday, November 29 📍 Calgary, Charlottetown, Edmonton, London, Montreal, Ottawa, St. John’s, Toronto, Vancouver, & Winnipeg ✊ Join us & help make cages history! 🐔

The Coalition Avenir Québec government led by Premier François Legault has introduced Bill 9 which includes phasing out public subsidies for religious private schools that select students or staff based on religious affiliation, or that teach religious content. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Aujourd’hui, nous soulignons le début des 16 Jours d’activisme contre la violence fondée sur le sexe.   Les Canadiens et Canadiennes méritent de vivre sans violence. Ce n’est pas seulement un impératif moral, c’est essentiel pour bâtir un pays plus sûr et équitable pour tous.

Looking for a good recent book to read by a Canadian author (or perhaps a Christmas gift or general gift for someone else)? I suggest Look Ma, No Hands by Gabrielle Drolet. It’s also available as an audiobook. @gabrielledrolet.bsky.social www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books/r...

Le premier ministre britannique, Keir Starmer, a suggéré que l’ancien prince Andrew devrait témoigner au congrès américain. www.lapresse.ca/internationa...

Québec is a distinct society. I understand laws & a provincial constitution that protect its distinctness such as protecting the French language & secularism (separating church & state). But preventing public employees from wearing required religious items goes too far. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

'Wicked: For Good' arrives with a message on fighting fascism

It is cynical of me to say this, but maybe it is a good thing that the US (as obstructionist as it is now under Trump on climate change & trade & as much as it is committing war crimes now) is not participating this year in the COP30 & the G20 meetings. www.thestar.com/news/world/a...

Teachers are heroes. mynorthwest.com/local/grizzl...

“The minister could release the information and then still analyze it. Nothing stops him from analyzing it once it’s made public.” - Chandra Pasma, NDP Education Critic www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/arti...

La saison de hockey de la Ligue professionnelle de hockey féminin (LPHF), en anglais Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), commence aujourd’hui. Je suis une fan de la Victoire de Montréal. ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/220...

Amnesty International Canada condemns Alberta’s use of the Notwithstanding Clause in Canada’s Charter to prop up Alberta’s new anti-trans laws & policies. amnesty.ca/press-releas...