Showing posts with label cbc. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cbc. Show all posts

20 July 2017

CBC news : 'Who is it protecting?': father questions publication ban on Toronto teacher jailed for sex offences

"His daughter had the courage to come forward, so a Toronto father says the courts shouldn't be keeping secrets either. CBC Toronto can't tell you his name or his daughter's name."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/father-teacher-publication-ban-1.4210730




Publication bans... I remember the first time I'd heard that term and felt slight bile rising. "Why on Earth," I thought, "in an age of free press and right-to-know would there be any reason to not say someone's name?" I suppose I'd accepted it easier when I've heard of similar things in the past, like when someone asks the medium presenting the story to not use the subject's name (in more-or-less the way I'd expressed it here). It was also fairly palatable when they'd explained that because of on-going litigation, or to protect the identities of minors (again, explaining it outright) they've elected to not use names, or that judicial authorities have asked/ordered them to not use them.

And yes, this is the crux of a publication ban, summing all that into two "neat" words.

The term sounds evil, though, like something that will never happen. In the time I've accustomed myself to Canadian-style news reporting, I have heard of "lifting" of publication bans in the course of developing events, so I had been able to get a fuller story.

I suppose I like names. I've always liked names.

Still, as I'd said, initially, it sounded like something that would never come off. They'll publication ban something for ages.

The question of "who does it protect," though, is valid, or at least a good question to ask. A publication ban could, as the article brings up, censor information upon that a "right-to-know" society could act civilly. As much as it means to protect the children, I can see (especially as outraged as I've seen some Canadians become when the north politeness gloves come off) someone going after this guy just because.

I mean, the last few major trials I've heard of in Canadian news, there's always been an anecdote of an aggrieved family member staring wordlessly viciously at the person under trial because "I want him/her to look at me and see the anger in my eyes." I say this, aware of the callousness it might exude, but what kind of good is that going to do, really? Are your angry eyes going to change that person? I don't think so. Civilly dealing with the situation, forgiveness, and letting God work His way, to me, is how one deals with it.

I prepare conversations and scenarios constantly in my head so I have a readiness for the things I think about. I imagine myself doing just that.

02 June 2017

The News Cycle

In another thought about news, I sometimes regret being someone who likes to listen to news because it can sometimes trigger one of my giant pet peeves: certain repetition in speech.

Between yesterday and today, I've probably heard some generally-the-same iteration of President Trump's Paris Climate Accord decision. It was annoying. Whether it was the BBC, the CBC, NPR, PRI, American Public Media, or KSL in Salt Lake City, Utah, I got it.

I had to brace to not exhale furiously.

I need to listen to some stories.

08 April 2017

CBC news : Renowned Canadian chef Vikram Vij on appealing to 'picky eaters'

​Vikram Vij, one of the best known chefs in the country, shared some tips on dealing with children that parents consider to be picky eaters Friday afternoon on CBC Toronto's Here and Now.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/vikram-vij-chef-1.4061816

My sister was the only one who'd really gotten the moniker of "picky eater" among the three children, even though I'd probably be more selective than she. I only liked vanilla ice cream, I didn't like the "tree" part of broccoli, my sister would eat Fiber Muesli when I wouldn't...

There was even a time with the Fiber Muesli where my parents wouldn't let us leave the table until we'd finished it all, and four hours later I was still at the table. Then I'd tried to eat it and then I'd ended up vomiting it back into the bowl.

The chef has a good point, though my sister didn't really "become" a picky eater. She was just always pretty slow at eating (or maybe she was just a normal eater, and I was just a rapid one, and my brother, younger than her, was just growing).

Flash-forward: I end up being the vegetarian, my sister has one kid with G6PD deficiency and so she has to watch what she eats while the other one has a few food allergies, and my brother doesn't eat mammalian meat.

We all didn't die, though.