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ingek73 · 3 years

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Buckingham Palace banned ethnic minorities from office roles, papers reveal

Exclusive: Documents also shed light on Queen’s ongoing exemption from race and sex discrimination laws

by David Pegg and Rob Evans

Published: 15:00 Wednesday, 02 June 2021

The Queen’s courtiers banned “coloured immigrants or foreigners” from serving in clerical roles in the royal household until at least the late 1960s, according to newly discovered documents that will reignite the debate over the British royal family and race.

The documents also shed light on how Buckingham Palace negotiated controversial clauses – that remain in place to this day – exempting the Queen and her household from laws that prevent race and sex discrimination.

The papers were discovered at the National Archives as part of the Guardian’s ongoing investigation into the royal family’s use of an arcane parliamentary procedure, known as Queen’s consent, to secretly influence the content of British laws.

They reveal how in 1968, the Queen’s chief financial manager informed civil servants that “it was not, in fact, the practice to appoint coloured immigrants or foreigners” to clerical roles in the royal household, although they were permitted to work as domestic servants.

It is unclear when the practice ended. Buckingham Palace refused to answer questions about the ban and when it was revoked. It said its records showed people from ethnic minority backgrounds being employed in the 1990s. It added that before that decade, it did not keep records on the racial backgrounds of employees.

Exemptions from the law

In the 1960s government ministers sought to introduce laws that would make it illegal to refuse to employ an individual on the grounds of their race or ethnicity.

The Queen has remained personally exempted from those equality laws for more than four decades. The exemption has made it impossible for women or people from ethnic minorities working for her household to complain to the courts if they believe they have been discriminated against.

In a statement, Buckingham Palace did not dispute that the Queen had been exempted from the laws, adding that it had a separate process for hearing complaints related to discrimination. The palace did not respond when asked what this process consists of.

The exemption from the law was brought into force in the 1970s, when politicians implemented a series of racial and sexual equality laws to eradicate discrimination.

More than 50,000 people call for inquiry into use of Queen's consent

The official documents reveal how government officials in the 1970s coordinated with Elizabeth Windsor’s advisers on the wording of the laws.

The documents are likely to refocus attention on the royal family’s historical and current relationship with race.

Much of the family’s history is inextricably linked with the British empire, which subjugated people around the world. Some members of the royal family have also been criticised for their racist comments.

In March the Duchess of Sussex, the family’s first mixed-race member, said she had had suicidal thoughts during her time in the royal family, and alleged that a member of the family had expressed concern about her child’s skin colour.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex in a horse-drawn carriage after attending the Queen’s Birthday Parade in 2018.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex after attending the Queen’s birthday parade in 2018. Photograph: Niklas Halle’n/AFP/Getty Images

The allegation compelled her brother-in-law, Prince William, to declare that the royal family was “very much not” racist.

Queen’s consent

Some of the documents uncovered by the Guardian relate to the use of Queen’s consent, an obscure parliamentary mechanism through which the monarch grants parliament permission to debate laws that affect her and her private interests.

Buckingham Palace says the process is a mere formality, despite compelling evidence that the Queen has repeatedly used the power to secretly lobby ministers to amend legislation she does not like.

The newly discovered documents reveal how the Queen’s consent procedure was used to secretly influence the formation of the draft race relations legislation.

In 1968, the then home secretary, James Callaghan, and civil servants at the Home Office appear to have believed that they should not request Queen’s consent for parliament to debate the race relations bill until her advisers were satisfied it could not be enforced against her in the courts.

At the time, Callaghan wanted to expand the UK’s racial discrimination laws, which only prohibited discrimination in public places, so that they also prevented racism in employment or services such as housing.

James Callaghan pictured with the Queen in 1977, welcoming the then French president, Valery Giscard d’Estaing, to Windsor Castle.

James Callaghan pictured with the Queen in 1977, welcoming the then French president, Valery Giscard d’Estaing, to Windsor Castle. Photograph: PA

A key proposal of the bill was the Race Relations Board, which would act as an ombudsman for discrimination complaints and could bring court proceedings against individuals or companies that maintained racist practices.

‘Not the practice to appoint coloured immigrants’

In February 1968, a Home Office civil servant, TG Weiler, summarised the progress of discussions with Lord Tryon, the keeper of the privy purse, who was responsible for managing the Queen’s private finances, and other courtiers.

Tryon, he wrote, had informed them Buckingham Palace was prepared to comply with the proposed law, but only if it enjoyed similar exemptions to those provided to the diplomatic service, which could reject job applicants who had been resident in the UK for less than five years.

According to Weiler, Tryon considered staff in the Queen’s household to fall into one of three types of roles: “(a) senior posts, which were not filled by advertising or by any overt system of appointment and which would presumably be accepted as outside the scope of the bill; (b) clerical and other office posts, to which it was not, in fact, the practice to appoint coloured immigrants or foreigners; and (c) ordinary domestic posts for which coloured applicants were freely considered, but which would in any event be covered by the proposed general exemption for domestic employment.”

“They were particularly concerned,” Weiler wrote, “that if the proposed legislation applied to the Queen’s household it would for the first time make it legally possible to criticise the household. Many people do so already, but this has to be accepted and is on a different footing from a statutory provision.”

By March, Buckingham Palace was satisfied with the proposed law. A Home Office official noted that the courtiers “agreed that the way was now open for the secretary of state to seek the Queen’s consent to place her interest at the disposal of parliament for the purpose of the bill.”

The phrasing of the documents is highly significant, because it suggests that Callaghan and the Home Office officials believed it might not be possible to obtain the Queen’s consent for parliament to debate the racial equality law unless the monarch was assured of her exemption.

As a result of this exemption, the Race Relations Board that was given the task of investigating racial discrimination would send any complaints from the Queen’s staff to the home secretary rather than the courts.

In the 1970s, the government brought in three laws to counter racial and sexual discrimination in the workplace. Complainants in general were empowered to take their cases directly to the courts.

But staff in the royal household were specifically prevented from doing so, although the wording of the ban was sufficiently vague that the public might not have realised the monarch’s staff had been exempted.

A civil servant noted that the exemption in the 1975 Sex Discrimination Act had been “acceptable to the palace, largely because it did not explicitly single out persons employed by Her Majesty in her personal capacity for special exception” while still removing them from its scope.

The exemption was extended to the present day when in 2010 the Equality Act replaced the 1976 Race Relations Act, the 1975 Sex Discrimination Act and the 1970 Equal Pay Act. For many years, critics have regularly pointed out that the royal household employed few black, Asian or minority-ethnic people.

In 1990 the journalist Andrew Morton reported in the Sunday Times that “a black face has never graced the executive echelons of royal service – the household and officials” and “even among clerical and domestic staff, there is only a handful of recruits from ethnic minorities”.

The following year, the royal researcher Philip Hall published a book, Royal Fortune, in which he cited a source close to the Queen confirming that there were no non-white courtiers in the palace’s most senior ranks.

In 1997 the Palace admitted to the Independent that it was not carrying out an officially recommended policy of monitoring staff numbers to ensure equal opportunities.

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “The royal household and the sovereign comply with the provisions of the Equality Act, in principle and in practice. This is reflected in the diversity, inclusion and dignity at work policies, procedures and practices within the royal household.

“Any complaints that might be raised under the act follow a formal process that provides a means of hearing and remedying any complaint.” The palace did not respond when asked if the monarch was subject to this act in law.

#royals #brf #queen elizabeth ii #racism #minorities #british royal family #monarchy

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msclaritea · 3 years

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"The Queen’s courtiers banned “coloured immigrants or foreigners” from serving in clerical roles in the royal household until at least the late 1960s, according to newly discovered documents that will reignite the debate over the British royal family and race.

Exemptions from the law

In the 1960s government ministers sought to introduce laws that would make it illegal to refuse to employ an individual on the grounds of their race or ethnicity.

The exemption from the law was brought into force in the 1970s, when politicians implemented a series of racial and sexual equality laws to eradicate discrimination.

The official documents reveal how government officials in the 1970s coordinated with Elizabeth Windsor’s advisers on the wording of the laws.

The documents are likely to refocus attention on the royal family’s historical and current relationship with race.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex after attending the Queen’s birthday parade in 2018. Photograph: Niklas Halle’n/AFP/Getty Images

The allegation compelled her brother-in-law, Prince William, to declare that the royal family was “very much not” racist.

Queen’s consent

Buckingham Palace says the process is a mere formality, despite compelling evidence that the Queen has repeatedly used the power to secretly lobby ministers to amend legislation she does not like.

The newly discovered documents reveal how the Queen’s consent procedure was used to secretly influence the formation of the draft race relations legislation.

‘Not the practice to appoint coloured immigrants’

In the 1970s, the government brought in three laws to counter racial and sexual discrimination in the workplace. Complainants in general were empowered to take their cases directly to the courts.

In 1997 the Palace admitted to the Independent that it was not carrying out an officially recommended policy of monitoring staff numbers to ensure equal opportunities.

#BRF are rancid

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tapaspaul16-blog · 5 years

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WORLD HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2019

Human Rights Day is celebrated annually across the world on 10th December. The date was chosen to honour the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption and proclamation, on 10th December 1948, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the first global enunciation of human rights. The commemoration was established in 1950, when the General Assembly invited all states and interested organizations to celebrate the day as they saw fit. Many governmental and nongovernmental organizations active in the human rights schedule special events to commemorate the day.

Human rights may be said to be those fundamental rights to which every man or woman inhabiting in any part of the world should be deemed entitled merely by virtue of having been born a human being.

WORLD HUMAN RIGHTS DAY,2019:-

71 st Human Rights Day will be celebrated this year on 10th December Tuesday. The country will commemorate human rights month under the theme:- “The Year Of Indigenous Languages: promoting And Deepening A Human Rights Culture”

UNIVERSAL DECLARATION:-

Since human rights cover people all over the world irrespective of their social, cultural, racial, ethnic, religious and communal differences, it is natural that they have become a matter of international and multinational concern in the present century.

The charter of the United Nations framed in 1945 underscored the principle of individual human rights. The merit of the charter is that it affirms faith in fundamental human rights, in the worth and dignity of the human person, in equality of persons of all nations and its resolve to promote social progress and better standard of life.

On 16 February, 1946, the Security Council of the United Nations set up a Commission on Human Rights under the chairmanship of Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt to prepare the text of the Declaration. The Commission did its job and the General Assembly adopted it on 10 December, 1948. Known as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it contains a long list of civil or social, political, economic and cultural rights as equality before law, protection against arbitrary arrest and detention, right to a fair trial, freedom of thought and expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and association, freedom of conscience and religion, right to own property, prohibition of slavery and inhuman treatment, right to public hearing, right to own nationality, right to marry and keep family, right to vote, right to social security, right to free education and free participation in cultural life, right to rest and leisure, and above all, prohibition of any activity, against this Declaration.

Three More Declarations:-

On 16 December, 1966 the General Assembly of the UN adopted three more declarations in the form of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, International Covenant On Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and International Covenant on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination. It was a. positive step in the direction of giving protection to the case of human rights. The covenant on economic, social and cultural rights imposed on the member-states the duty to submit reports on their progress in the protection of human rights. Human Rights in India Fundamental human rights in the sense of civil liberties with their modern attributes and overtones are, however, a development more or less parallel to the growth of constitutional government and parliamentary ‘institutions from the time of British rule in India. Right from its inception in 1885, the Indian National Congress struggled for the rights of the Indian people. The early moderate leaders appreciated British sense of justice and fair play, they also criticized the alien rule for depriving the Indian people the rule of law that prevailed in England.

In 1897, Surendranath Banerjee denounced the British rule on the ground that while it prided itself on the Magna Carta and the Habeas Corpus, it denied to the Indian people the inestimable right to personal liberty. At the call of Mahatma Gandhi, the people of the country went on strike against the Rowlett Act of 1919 that became the cause of the tragedy of the Jallianwala Bagh of Amritsar on 13 April 1919. All great leaders like Motilal Nehru, Lala Lajpat Rai, Madan Mohan Malaviya, Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhash Chandra Bose, C.R. Das etc. strongly argued for the rights of the Indian people and condemned the British rule for depriving the people of the rule of law in our country:’

The list of fundamental rights to be incorporated into the Constitution of India found its conspicuous place in the Nehru Report of 1928. It included (a) personal liberty, (b) freedom of conscience and profession and practice of religion subject to public order or morality, (c) equality before law, (d) right of every citizen to Habeas Corpus, (e) no discrimination in matters of public employment, (f) equality of rights in matters of sex etc. The declaration of complete independence adopted by the Congress at its Lahore session in 1929 said: “It is the inalienable right of the Indian people, as of any other people, to have freedom and to enjoy the fruits of their toil and have the necessities of life so that they may have full opportunities of growth.

The adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the U.N. General Assembly in December 1948 had its definite impact on the making of the Indian Constitution. The makers incorporated a host of such rights in part III of the Constitution relating to equality, freedom, non-exploitation, religion, education and culture, and constitutional remedies.

Moreover, the Constitution has empowered the Supreme Court and High Courts to issue prerogative writs for the Protection and enforcement of these rights termed as Fundamental Rights’. Some rights, which could not be accommodated in Part III, have been put into Part IV of the

Constitution termed as Directive Principles of State Policy. The point of distinction between the two parts is that while the former is mandatory and justifiable, the latter is not. It is well commented: “The two parts of the Constitution-the Fundamental Rights and the Directive Principles between them covered almost the entire field of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights” (Parliament and Human Rights by S.C. Kashyap)

NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION:-

National Human Rights Commission However, the most important development in this regard is the creation of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on 12 October 1993. In pursuant of the implementation of one of the promises given in the election manifesto of 1991 and also keeping in view the urgency of the matter in the light of wild allegations and propaganda of Pakistan and America, including some non-governmental agencies as the Amnesty International and the Asia Watch about gross violation of human rights in Punjab, Kashmir, and some other parts of the country, the Government of India thought it expedient to set up such a body in the national interest through an ordinance promulgated by the President on 28 September 1993 which became an Act in the following year. This body has a statutory status, given by the protection of Human Rights Act,1993(TPHRA)

FUNCTION:-

1. The functions of the NHRC are as under:

2. To inquire on a petition presented to it by a victim or any person in this behalf into complaints of violation of human rights or abetment thereof, or negligence in the prevention of such violation by a public servant;

3. To intervene in any proceedings involving any allegation of violation of human rights pending before a court with the approval of such courts;

4. To visit, under intimation to the state government, any jailor any other institution under the control of the state government, where persons are detained or lodged for purposes of treatment, reformation or protection to study the living conditions of the inmates and make recommendations thereon;

5. To review the safeguards provided under the Constitution or any law for the time being in force for the protection of human rights and recommend appropriate remedial measures;

6. To review the factors, including use of terrorism, that inhabits the enjoyment of human rights and recommend appropriate remedial measures; The Commission has the power to visit or enter a place for the seizure or recovery of some important documents or information as it deems necessary for the purposes of prosecuting an inquiry and it may request the services of the staff of Central or state governments.

No doubt, the establishment of the NHRC is a bold and momentous step taken by Government of India. Nevertheless, a critic may fear that it would not be able to discharge its functions effectively due to some limitations.

First, it cannot look into the complaints of torture and harassment done by the armed forces. Second, it has not been Provided with its own machinery of investigation. For such a task, it Would depend upon the staff of the Central and state governments who may not be prompt and impartial in helping, in a situation where their brethren are involved. Last, in the main, its functions are of a recommendatory nature. It may approach the Central or state government or the Supreme Court and the High Courts without having the power to do something of its own, in according relief to the victims of atrocities.

Indisputable is the fact that India’s stand in respect of the protection of human rights has been quite straightforward. Several non-governmental organizations like Amnesty International and Asia Watch operating at the international level sought to tarnish it for the sake of their vested interests. Ours is an open society with a democratic system. For this reason such atrocities cannot be done in our country by the police, paramilitary and military forces as we find in China and Pakistan. Stray cases of ‘State terrorism’ may not be ruled out. It is a fact that some authorities misused the provisions of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (prevention) Act. However, the draconian law lapsed on 23 May 1995. At the same time, it should not be lost sight of that the excesses were only stray cases.

Thus, we may safely endorse the view of the Nobel Peace Laureate, H.B. the Dalai Lama: “In India there may be stray outbursts of human rights violations. These tend to occur in comparatively isolated pockets where extremists and terrorists themselves engage in acts that violate human rights. There is genuine freedom in this country and a healthy flourishing democracy, India can truly take pride in this.”

-:HUMAN RIGHTS DAY QUOTES:-

“The real struggle for us is for the citizen to cease to be the property of the state.”

“Many of us persons of the tinted persuasion care about human rights and artistic freedom too.”

“To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.”

“The rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened.”

“Laws are silent in times of war.”

“Knowledge makes a man unfit to be a slave.”

“Wherever men and women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must — at that moment — become the centre of the universe.”

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

“We are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I’d thought.”

“No matter how pathetic or pitiful, every human is fated to have one moment in their lives in which they can change their own destiny.”

“Please use your freedom to promote ours.”

“The only way to make sure people you agree with can speak is to support the rights of people you don’t agree with.”

“Today’s human rights violations are the causes of tomorrow’s conflicts.”

“We believe that human rights transcend boundaries and must prevail over state sovereignty.”

“An injustice committed against anyone is a threat to everyone.”

“Together we can prevent genocide from happening again. Together we can make a better future for our children.”

-:THEME OF HUMAN RIGHTS DAY OF LAST FEW YEARS:-

Human Rights Day is celebrated with a special theme every year and the main purpose of these themes are to raise awareness amongst the people and to convey the message about the importance of Human Rights.

*Theme of 2012 was “Inclusion and the right to participate in public life” and “Universal Declaration of Human Rights”

*Theme of 2013 was “20 Years: Working for Your Rights”

*Theme of 2014 was “Celebrating 20 years of changing lives through Human Rights”

*Theme of 2015 was “Our Rights. Our Freedoms. Always”

*Theme of 2016 was “Stand up for someone’s rights today”

*Theme of 2017 was “Let’s stand up for equality, justice and human dignity”

*Theme of 2018 was “Stand Up For Human Rights”

*Theme of 2019 is ,“The Year Of Indigenous Languages: promoting And Deepening A Human Rights Culture”

#human rights day2019 #world human rights day 2019 #human rights day quote #human rights day theme

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ontarionewsnorth · 7 years

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Statement by MP Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour

Statement by MP @PattyHajdu @MinWorkDev #Canada @psacnat @PSPC_SPAC @CdnPolitico @cdnpolinews @liberal_party @cdnpolitics

Today, the Honorable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, issued the following statement regarding the Government’s tabling of a motion to reject the Senate’s amendments to Bill C-4:@PattyHajdu @MinWorkDev @psacnat @PSPC_SPAC @CdnPolitico @cdnpolinews @liberal_party @cdnpolitics Thunder Bay – Superior North MP Patty Hadju “Our government was elected on a…

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#Bill C-377 #Bill C-4 #Bill C-525 #Canada Labour Code #Canada’s labour laws #Canadian labour policy landscape #Government of Canada #House of Commons #Income Tax Act #Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act #Public Service Labour Relations Act

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kayla1993-world · 3 years

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Conservatives say they're against decision to make COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for MPs

iOTTAWA -- The federal Conservatives—the only caucus yet to confirm how many of its MPs remain unvaccinated—have come out in opposition to the new mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy announced via the House of Commons.

The decision to enforce a vaccine mandate was made on Tuesday through the Board of Internal Economy, a cross-party committee of nine MPs in House leadership roles, including Conservatives. It will require everybody entering the House of Commons precinct to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Nov. 22, when the 44th Parliament kicks off.

The Conservatives say that they don’t think it should be up to a committee of MPs to determine who can and cannot enter spaces on Parliament Hill, though the committee has historically overseen the workings of the House of Commons.

“While we urge everyone who can be vaccinated to get vaccinated, we cannot agree to seven MPs, meeting in secret, deciding which of the 338 MPs, just elected through Canadians, can enter the House of Commons to import their constituents,” stated Conservative whip Blake Richards in a statement.

Richards is one of the two Conservative members on the board, which held a closed-door meeting on Tuesday. While what happens in-camera at parliamentary committee conferences is not thought to be discussed publicly, Richard’s statement suggests that the choice was most apparently approved through the Liberals, New Democrats, and Bloc Quebecois, whose caucuses are all completely vaccinated.

The once historically secretive board of MPs held its first open-door meeting in October 2017 after the Liberals promised to make the power that governs MPs’ spending, approves House budgets, manages employment and many House administration matters, open through default.

According to the Parliament of Canada Act, the Board meets in-camera for a range of reasons, including if the points being discussed relate to security, employment, staff relations, or if all of the people of the Board who are present agree that it be held behind closed doors.

There will be limited exemptions given to those with medical contraindications to the COVID-19 vaccines, with the requirement to show proof of a recent poor antigen test to enter the buildings that make up the House of Commons precinct.

Much like the party’s role during the federal election campaign, the Conservatives say that rapid tests should be presented to those who have chosen not to get vaccinated. “I can’t discuss what occurs at an in-camera meeting but I will say that we’ve always said that vaccines are the most important tool to get us out of this pandemic. As we said during the election, workplace fitness and security can be assured through vaccination or the demonstration of a recent negative rapid test result,” Richards said in his statement.

In an interview on CTV News Channel’s Power Play, Richards was unable to say how many of the 119 Conservative MPs are vaccinated. “I think it's really up to each individual Canadian, including members of Parliament, to decide for themselves whether they want to disclose their personal health information,” he said.

Given the timing of this order coming into effect, it’s possible unvaccinated Conservatives would not be able to enter the House of Commons next month unless they have a valid exemption. The details of how this new policy will be enforced have yet to be articulated.

In addition to MPs, the policy applies to MPs’ Ottawa staff, political research office employees, administration employees, members of the parliamentary press gallery, parliamentary business visitors, contractors and consultants who favour coming into any of the several buildings that keep the House chamber, MPs’ offices, press conference spaces, and committee meeting rooms.

In announcing the mandate, House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota said that the choice to impose the policy was taken “to meet ongoing recommendations from public health authorities to help limit the spread of COVID-19 within the work environment.”

It’s unclear what the Conservative Party’s next steps will be in terms of challenging the decision or trying to make a case that this move, while supported by the majority of their colleagues, is considered an infringement on their individual parliamentary privileges. However, the House does also have collective rights.

"There's a difference between parliamentary privilege, which is meant to ensure vigorous and free and open debate… versus some sort of parliamentary entitlement of double standard,” said Liberal MP Arif Virani on CTV News Channel’s Power Play.

Talks continue about whether or not a hybrid House of Commons set up— allowing MPs to actually vote and participate from their homes or offices— will be revived for the upcoming session. The vaccine mandate could now be a deciding factor, though already there is division among the parties over whether the hybrid component is still needed.

The Liberals and NDP have signalled an intent to push for continued use of the hybrid format, while the Conservatives and Bloc no longer want the virtual option made available. “We are supportive of continuing to have hybrid sittings of the House,” said Government House Leader Pablo Rodriguez’s spokesperson Simon Ross in a statement. “Hybrid sittings allow for flexibility for MPs to adapt to changing circumstances of COVID-19 across the country.”

Richards said that he’s hopeful the Conservatives will “appeal to reason,” and find a way to allow all MPs to participate in-person. NDP House Leader Peter Julian said the Conservative’s position—of opposing the vaccine mandate but also wanting to do away with the hybrid format that would allow them to keep participating remotely—is “strange.”

“On the one hand, you have Conservatives saying ‘well, we shouldn't be difficulty to that’… But on the other hand they're also saying that they don't favour to have the virtual tools that allow members of Parliament to participate fully, regardless of their circumstances including a member of Parliament that has to be in quarantine,” he said on CTV News Channel’s Power Play. “We believe all MPs should be participating. We've got the virtual tools that price millions of dollars to develop.”

When the hybrid sitting format was rolled out—before vaccines were approved, let alone widely available—it was framed as a temporary solution allowing for altered sittings that accommodated the needed public health precautions.

Should MPs decide to continue with allowing a virtual component to House proceedings, a new deal would need to be struck and those talks are expected to ramp up after the new federal cabinet is unveiled.

The federal government’s vaccine mandate for the “core” federal public service that was announced earlier this month applies whether employees work remotely or from the office. Over the last two days, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has had conversations with opposition leaders ahead of Parliament’s return.

He spoke with Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet on Tuesday, and had meetings scheduled with Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, and Green Party Parliamentary Leader Elizabeth May on Wednesday.

According to a statement issued following their meeting, O’Toole’s office said that the Conservative leader asked the prime minister to “stop using vaccines as a political wedge tool and to prioritize addressing the problem of vaccine hesitancy,” something he said his caucus will have more to say on in the coming weeks.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, during the meeting Trudeau “emphasized the need for all members of Parliament in the House of Commons to be completely vaccinated.”

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classyfoxdestiny · 3 years

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Despite highest disruptions since 2014, here's the list of bills passed in Parliament

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

| Published: Thursday, August 12, 2021, 17:05 [IST]

Deplorable actions by opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) have become a norm. Their actions in this session were not an exception but a continuation. From tearing of the rule book last year to the opposition indulging in most unparliamentary conducts ever witnessed by this House, the conduct of opposition is becoming shameful day by day.

This was said in a press conference today in New Delhi. The press conference was attended by Union Ministers Shri Piyush Goyal, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Shri Prahlad Joshi, Shri Bhupendra Yadav, Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal and Shri V Muraleedharan.

The Ministers pointed out that opposition had publicly stated that the session should be washed out.

Their intention was to not let the house conduct business. Infact, the Government had offered discussions on several occasions. However, appeals for discussions fell on deaf ears and they even took papers from the hands of the Hon’ble Minister and tore them. Even the Hon’ble Prime Minister was not allowed to introduce the Newly sworn In Council of Ministers.

Some Opposition members desecrated the sanctity of the House by climbing the Sanctum Sanctorum (Garbhagriha), namely the table located at well of the House and threw the Rule Book at the Chair. The Member of Parliament who stood on the table in the Parliament was not only standing on the table but was trampling upon Parliamentary ethics. He was not only throwing a book at the chair but was also throwing Parliamentary conduct out of the House. Such behaviour is unprecedented in our House and the opposition has done grievous harm to the reputation of the house. Opposition’s behaviour was an assault on the dignity of the institution and could have grievously injured the Secretary General.

Misbehaviour by the Opposition members is a shameful disgrace in the Parliamentary History of India. It is rather unfortunate that the opposition MPs are not even apologetic about their actions. Rather they are considering these shameful actions as acts of valour.

Shri Piyush Goyal said that opposition has misbehaved throughout the session only because they do not want issues of public welfare to be discussed. It is demanded that strict action should be taken on the shameful and obstructive behaviour of the Opposition. They wanted to create Opposition unity to foster national disunity. They owe answers to the nation.

The Opposition questions over bills being passed in din. However, it is their refusal to allow parliamentary debate that has left no choice. From merely shouting, they have shifted to violence and manhandling staff to disrupt parliamentary process. Also, where was this concern about passage without discussion when numerous bills were passed in din during the UPA rule. Between 2006 and 2014, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA 1 & 2) government passed a total of 18 Bills in a hasty manner.

Despite highest disruption since 2014, the no. of bills passed per day during this session in Rajya Sabha was the 2nd highest since 2014 (i.e. 1.1 bills per day passed). The time lost due to interruptions / adjournments (till Aug 11) was 76 Hours 26 Minutes and the highest average time per day lost due to interruptions / adjournments since the 231st session of Rajya Sabha in 201 was 4 Hours 30 Minutes.

Despite all the chaos and disruption, 19 Bills passed in Rajya Sabha (incl. Constitutional Amendment on OBC reservation also passed), which are in national interest and will benefit the poor, OBCs, workers, entrepreneurs, & all sections of our society. This reflects the commitment, productivity and ability of the Govt to drive legislative agenda in the Parliament, which aims to fulfil the aspirations of its citizens. It will shape the future of our country. Govt successfully carried out Govt business during the session.

Details of the Monsoon Session

1. The Monsoon Session, 2021 of Parliament which commenced on Monday, 19th July, 2021 has been adjourned sine die on Wednesday, the 11th of August, 2021. The Session provided 17 sittings spread over a period of 24 days.

2. The Session, which was originally scheduled to have 19 sittings from 19th July till 13 August, 2021, was curtailed due to continuous disruptions in both the Houses and completion of essential government business.

3. During the Session, 22 Bills were passed by both the Houses of Parliament which includes two appropriation Bills relating to the Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2021-22 and the Demands for Excess Grants for 2017-2018 which were passed by Lok Sabha, transmitted to Rajya Sabha and are deemed to have been passed under Article 109(5). The complete list of these 22 Bills is annexed.

4. Four Bills replacing the Ordinances, namely, the Tribunals Reforms (Rationalisation and Conditions of Service) Ordinance, 2021, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021, the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Ordinance, 2021 and the Essential Defence Services Ordinance, 2021 which were promulgated by the President before Monsoon Session, were considered and passed by the Houses.

5. Some important Bills, passed by Houses of Parliament are as under :-

A. ECONOMIC SECTOR/EASE OF DOING BUSINESS MEASURES

The Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 provide that no tax demand shall be raised in future on the basis of the said retrospective amendment for any indirect transfer of Indian assets if the transaction was undertaken before 28th May, 2012.

The General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Amendment Bill, 2021 provides for greater private participation in the public sector insurance companies and to enhance insurance penetration and social protection and better secure the interests of policy holders and contribute to faster growth of the economy.

The Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2021 enables easy and time-bound access by depositors to their own money, even when there are restrictions on banks. It is proposed to provide that even if a bank is temporarily unable to fulfil its obligations due to restrictions such as moratorium imposed on it, depositors can access their deposits to the extent of deposit insurance cover through interim payments by the Corporation.

The Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Bill, 2021 converts certain offences into civil defaults and changes the nature of punishment for these offences. It also defines small LLP, provides for appointment of certain adjudicating officers, and establishment of special courts.

The Factoring Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2021 seeks to help micro, small and medium enterprises significantly, by providing added avenues for getting credit facility, especially through Trade Receivables Discounting System. Increase in the availability of working capital may lead to growth in the business of the micro, small and medium enterprises sector and also boost employment in the country.

B. TRANSPORT SECTOR REFORMS

The Marine Aids to Navigation Bill, 2021 provides for the development, maintenance and management of aids to navigation in India; for training and certification of operator of aids to navigation, development of its historical, educational and cultural value; to ensure compliance with the obligation under the maritime treaties and international instruments to which India is a party.

The Inland Vessels Bill, 2021 promotes economical and safe transportation and trade through inland waters, to bring uniformity in application of law relating to inland waterways and navigation within the country, to provide for safety of navigation, protection of life and cargo, and prevention of pollution that may be caused by the use or navigation of inland vessels, to ensure transparency and accountability of administration of inland water transportation, to strengthen procedures governing the inland vessels, their construction, survey, registration, manning, navigation.

The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2021 proposes to amend the definition of “major airport” so as extend its scope to determine the tariff for a group of airports also, which will encourage development of smaller airports.

C. EDUCATIONAL REFORMS

The National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management Bill, 2021 declares certain institutions of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management to be the institutions of national importance and to provide for instructions and research in food technology, entrepreneurship and management.

The Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2021 seeks to amend the Central Universities Act, 2009 inter alia to provide for the establishment of a University in the name of “Sindhu Central University” in the Union territory of Ladakh.

D. SOCIAL JUSTICE REFORMS

The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2021 seeks to adequately clarify that the State Government and Union territories are empowered to prepare and maintain their own State List/ Union territory List of socially and educationally backward classes.

The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Bill, 2021 provides that instead of the court, the district magistrate (including additional district magistrate) will issue such adoption orders. The Bill adds that serious offences will also include offences for which maximum punishment is imprisonment of more than seven years, and minimum punishment is not prescribed or is less than seven years.

The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2021 to modify the list of Scheduled Tribes in relation to the State of Arunachal Pradesh.

6. In the Rajya Sabha, two Short Duration Discussions under Rule 176 were held on “the management of COVID-19 pandemic, implementation of vaccination policy and challenges of the likely third wave” and on “the agricultural problems and solutions” (remained inconclusive)

7. Further, One Bill namely “The Tribunals Reforms (Rationalisation and Conditions of Service) Bill, 2021” and one old pending Bill namely “The Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Amendment Bill, 2012” were withdrawn in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha respectively.

I – 22 BILLS PASSED BY BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT

1. The National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management Bill, 2021 2. The Marine Aids to Navigation Bill, 2021 3. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Bill, 2021 4. The Factoring Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2021 5. The Inland Vessels Bill, 2021 6. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill,2021 7. The Coconut Development Board (Amendment) Bill, 2021 8. The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2021 9. The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Bill, 2021 10. The Essential Defence Services Bill, 2021 11. The Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Bill, 2021 12. The Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2021. 13. The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2021. 14. The Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2021 15. The Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 16. The Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2021 17. The General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Amendment Bill, 2021 18. The National Commission for Homoeopathy (Amendment) Bill, 2021 19. The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (Amendment) Bill, 2021 20. The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2021 21. *The Appropriation (No.3) Bill, 2021 22. *The Appropriation (No.4) Bill, 2021

II – 2 OLD BILLS THAT WERE WITHDRAWN

1. The Tribunals Reforms (Rationalisation and Conditions of Service) Bill, 2021 2. The Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Amendment Bill, 2012

*The two Bills, as passed by Lok Sabha were transmitted to Rajya Sabha for its recommendation, are not likely to be returned to Lok Sabha within the period of fourteen days from the date of their receipt in Rajya Sabha. The Bills will be deemed to have been passed by both Houses at the expiration of the said period in the form in which they were passed by Lok Sabha under clause (5) of article 109 of the Constitution.

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wcva · 6 years

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Be part of developing alternative social value delivery models for social care

Dr Natasha Hirst from the Wales Co-operative Centre looks at social value and the development of Social Value Forums across the seven Regional Partnership Board footprint. Additional input from Sally Rees, WCVA.

Prevention, wellbeing and social care services are delivered in communities in a variety of ways. Some services are delivered by established private sector organisations, social enterprises or large charities who are familiar with securing contracts, employing staff and managing premises. These organisations may or may not provide social value. In comparison, small charities often rely heavily on grant funding, with fixed term and unsustainable sources of income, leading to great projects and services closing when a grant runs out, despite being successful in supporting people to improve their wellbeing outcomes and demonstrating social value. When we talk about social value we mean that. organisations and individuals can measure things that are important to them; the changes they experience related their overall well-being, which is a key intention of the Act.

Small co-operatives and social enterprises may also struggle with the capacity and experience to secure service delivery contracts with authorities. This is partly due to size and an organisation’s purpose may cross funding and policy portfolios such as education, employment, health and social care, which makes it complex to navigate. All of these promote and contribute to the holistic well-being of the community, but due to current lack of integrated budgets and services this can inadvertently exclude excellent initiatives from obtaining funding or contracts.

Other groups may organically form through people with a shared interest coming together to address a need in their area and are varied in their purpose and delivery. This could be a maintaining a local community garden or running a befriending scheme. These smaller groups do vital work in improving individual and community wellbeing and in providing wider social value through their activities. However, they may not be set up as a formal organisation, they rely on volunteers and have limited, if any, funding.

It is these democratic and community-based organisations and groups that provide the seed for developing new and bespoke models of service delivery. They embody the ethos of the Social Services and Wellbeing Act., but new services cannot just grow in isolation. Such organisations are:

· Well-connected in their community.

· Often citizen or user-led.

· Provide social value and improved wellbeing for individuals.

· Are led by people who are experienced and knowledgeable.

The 7 designated regional areas need to strategically create an environment where groups such as these can become constituted and where organisations can develop business plans and understand how to transform towards the goal of generating a sustainable income for providing their services. This requires investment and development work. Wales Co-operative Centre, Social Business Wales and The Wales Council for Voluntary Action all provide support for setting up or growing user-led organisations, co-operatives, social enterprises and other third sector organisations. Other resources are available such as the Integrated Care Fund.

For diverse social value organisations to successfully gain contracts to deliver services, significant transformation is also required to commissioning and procurement processes. Co-produced commissioning ensures that services and contracts are designed in a way that clearly identifies and addresses wellbeing outcomes, rather than being dictated by rigid procurement protocols. Contract clauses requiring quantification of social value can be highly burdensome. Although some performance measures may be needed, demonstrating social value through qualitative methods would provide greater flexibility and more accurately reflect wellbeing outcomes.

Innovation needs ambitious and creative thinking and for authorities to be willing to take a level of risk in experimenting with new ways of developing services.

Part 9 of the Social Care and Well-being Act calls for co-operation and the promotion of care and support services, with alternative models such as co-operatives and community interest companies the aspiration. The Social Value Forums are the vehicles through which new models of service delivery can be developed and transformational change achieved within authorities, both of which are needed to implement the Act. Inclusive and open Social Value Forums and networks are crucial to engage a diversity of organisations to influence these changes by promoting innovation and identifying good practice.

The emerging policy landscape points towards the need for greater congruence with the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act, the Welsh Government Economic Action Plan, Parliamentary Review of Health and Social Care, Prosperity for All and Prudent Healthcare. This presents significant challenges but also tremendous opportunities which require the strategic development of a long-term vision for the role and function of the Social Value Forums and corresponding growth of social value-based providers.

Watch out for the Social Value Toolkit soon to be available, with a link on our Social Services and Well-being Act webpage.

Read more about the third sector, the Act and Delivering Transformation.

#wcva #wales #Social Services and Well-being Act #delivering transformation

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dpr-lahore-division · 4 years

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With the compliments of, The Directorate General Public Relations,

Government of the Punjab, Lahore Ph: 99201390.

No.1835/QU/Mujahid

HANDOUT (A)

USMAN BUZDAR DISTRIBUTES SCHOLARSHIPS AMONG MINORITY STUDENTS

LAHORE, November 17:

Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar distributed scholarship cheques among minority students at a ceremony at his office on Tuesday. Provincial Minister for Minority Affairs and Human Rights Ijaz Alam, SACM Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Parliamentary Secretary for Human Rights and Minority Affairs Mahindar Pal Singh, MPAs Haroon Imran Gill and Peter Gill, secretaries of Minority Affairs and Information & Culture departments were also present.

The CM said the Punjab government is providing 100 per cent scholarships to students of minority communities from matric to Ph.D. in government institutions. Similarly, 2 per cent quota is also allocated in higher education institutions along with 5 per cent job quota, he added. On the other side, 50 million rupees are allocated for educational scholarship scheme for non-Muslim students and 2.5 crore rupees are given through PEEF while the remaining amount is provided through the concerned department as stipends. The CM further stated 50 per cent scholarship is earmarked for central Punjab, 35 per cent for southern Punjab and share of northern Punjab students is 15 per cent. Non-Muslim students are given scholarships ranging from Rs.15000 to 50 thousand from matric to higher studies.

The CM said 714 students, including 157 from Lahore, have been given scholarships on merit during the current financial year. This includes 32 students enrolled in professional educational institutions. The CM further said 50 crore rupees are being spent on the development of localities where non-Muslims are residing and another amount of 6 crore rupees is provided every year for the festivals of every minority community. The government is committed to providing equal opportunities for development and prosperity to the minority communities, he added.

Provincial Minister Ijaz Alam thanked the Punjab government for providing scholarships to students of minority communities adding that such students have brought laurels home in the education sector. The PTI government will continue to provide different facilities to the minority community students, he added.

** **

No.1836/QU/Umer

HANDOUT (A)

PUNJAB CABINET APPROVES MINIMUM SUPPORT PRICE OF SUGARCANE

LAHORE, November 17:

The provincial cabinet, which met under the chair of Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar at his office on Tuesday, gave ex post facto approval to fix Rs. 200 per maund minimum support price of sugarcane along with the approval of transportation charges and sugarcane development cess. The meeting also decided to constitute a ministerial committee for the procurement of additional imported sugar. This committee will submit recommendations after a review of sugar stock. The meeting stressed the sugarcane growers will be given a full reward of their hard work during the crushing season and legal action will be initiated against those failing in timely payments.

The cabinet allowed the food department to enter into an agreement with PASSCO for the purchase of 63 thousand metric ton imported wheat. The participants expressed the satisfaction over the stabilization of prices of flour and sugar. It decided to secure implementation of 3 per cent job quota for the visually-impaired and approved a further five-year age relaxation for employment purposes. Now, the visually-impaired candidates will enjoy up to 15-year relaxation.

The meeting also approved the draft law of the 17-member Punjab Tourism, Culture and Heritage Authority with the CM and tourism minister as its Chairman and vice-chairman, respectively. The authority will work for the promotion of tourism and culture.

The meeting decided in principle to lift the ban on the lease of coal mines and also gave in-principle approval to lift the ban on renewal of the mines leases. The meeting decided to constitute a ministerial committee to dispose of the aeroplane (AP-BX/400-A, RK-80) grounded since 2004. This committee will submit its report after reviewing different options including auction. The meeting approved setting up rescue 1122 station in Khairpur Tamewali tehsil of Bahawalpur while the release of NOC for transfer of 6-Kanal land of Tehsil Council Jhang for setting up another rescue 1122 station was also approved.

The appointment of the registrar for the University of Jhang was approved along with the decision to hand over assets of Inland Water Transport Company to the Tourism Department. The meeting decided to resolve the matter of acquisition of land for Greater Thal Canal Project Chaubara Branch phase-II and it was further decided to process the case with Asian Development Bank. The 448 miles long Greater Thal Canal will irrigate two lakh and 90 thousand acres of land.

The meeting decided to relax rules for the appointment of senior registrars posted in hepatology, liver hepatology and medical ICU from 2019. Meanwhile, approval was granted to issue notification of the medical teaching institute under Section 3(1) of the Medical Teaching Institute Act. It was also decided to implement the MTI Act at Khawaja Safdar Medical College Sialkot. The participants approved to bring King Edward Medical College under King Edward Medical University.

The cabinet also approved a south Punjab reallocation allowance for the officers posted in south Punjab secretariat. 655 posts have been created for 17 departments in this paperless secretariat. 237 posts will be in grade 17 and above. 154 IT officials will also be posted beside the miscellaneous staff of 264 officials. The meeting approved further extension in the registration date of online registration with the charity commission.

The cabinet standing committee for finance and development will take stock of matters relating to the release of a letter of comfort or bridge financing for land requisition for Ravi Urban Development Authority. The cabinet approved to present annual reports of Punjab Information Commission to Punjab Assembly and appointment of regular president/CEO of Punjab Cooperative Bank Limited. It also approved the appointment of Dr Arfa Iqbal as CEO Punjab Board of Investment and Trade. The cabinet standing committee for legislation will submit its report to the cabinet regarding permanent appointments under Rule 17. The next cabinet meeting will be held in DG Khan.

Provincial ministers, advisors, special assistants, CS and others attended the meeting.

*****

No.1838/QU/Umer

HANDOUT (A)

CM ATTENDS MULTILINGUAL ALL PAKISTAN MEHFIL-E-NA'AT

LAHORE, November 17:

Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, ministers, parliamentarians and senior officials attended the na'atia mushaira held under the aegis of information and culture department at CM Office on Tuesday.

Various poets paid their poetic tributes to Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in different languages. Shujaat Hashmi presented Kalam-e-Iqbal and its English and French translations were also presented. Zaheer Abbas Bilali and his associates presented Qaseeda Burda Shareef while the na'atia mushaira was chaired by Dr Munawar Hashmi. Amjad Islam Amjad, Hameeda Shaheen, Abbas Tabish, Ayub Khawar, Zahid Fakhri, Bismal Sabri, Farhat Abbas Shah, Khuda Baksh, Nasir Ali Syed, Aseer Mengal, Noor Rizvi and Iqbal Sokhri paid their tributes. The CM welcomed the holding of the event.

*****

No.1839/QU/Umer

HANDOUT (A)

CM TAKES NOTICE OF RAPE-CUM-MURDER OF A GIRL CHILD

LAHORE, November 17:

Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar has sought a report from RPO Sargodha about rape-cum-murder of a 9-year girl in Sargodha and directed to early arrest the criminals. He also extended sympathies to the bereaved family and assured them to provide justice.

****

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reallyimpossibledetective · 7 years

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An Obvious Affair That Enjoyed Astounding Preferential Treatment

Part 2 of the “secret” affair between married “New Zealand citizen” Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, 50, and his now former staffer and media adviser, a former Daily Telegraph journalist, Vikki Campion, 33.

Until he renounced his New Zealand Citizenship on 12 August 2017 Barnaby Joyce was a New Zealand citizen and incapable of being chosen or sitting as a Senator or a member of the House of Representatives.

His relationship with Vikki Campion was obvious, yet no one spoke out about it. Extraordinary in the circumstances.

The following are some extracts from media reports that speak to the visibility of their relationship.

The Smoking Sessions

“Outer windows of Labor Anthony Albanese’s office look onto a secluded Parliament House garden, where a couple of regular visitors soon attracted the attention of staff. Mr Joyce and Ms Campion were smokers, members of a cigarette minority in a building where inmates at least pretend to be healthy. The frequency of their visits to the garden and the fact they were rarely joined by others attracted attention but no comment.”

“Labor has long suspected something was happening in the Barnaby Joyce / Vikki Campion relationship because both were persistent smokers. They would regularly get together in a Parliament House garden to chat and puff away. Their favourite spot happened to be outside the office of a senior ALP figure (Anthony Albanese), who began to notice an increasing number of cigarette get-togethers.”

No one spoke out about the affair between Barnaby Joyce and Vikki Campion during their smoking sessions.

Employment of Vikki Campion

Reports differ whether it was late 2016 or April 2017 that “former media adviser to Barnaby Joyce, Ms Vikki Campion was moved to the office of then Resources Minister Matt Canavan”

“In April 2017 Vikki Campion, 33, was appointed as a senior adviser in Queensland Senator Canavan's office to look after his social and digital media amid concerns about the relationship from within the [National] party." “Prior to her hiring, Mr Canavan did not have anyone working full-time in the job, and the position had remained unfilled since Ms Campion left the role to work for Nationals whip Damian Drum.”

“The Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull authorised the specially made role for the 33-year-old Vicki Campion after she lost her senior advisor role in Senator Canavan's office following his resignation from Cabinet over his Italian citizenship in July 2017.” “Room was made for the expectant mother of Mr Joyce's child in the office of Nationals chief whip Damian Drum, where she acted as a media advisor, even though he already had one.” “Callum Whitehead was already working as Mr Drum's 'personal' media advisor, making less than $80,000 when Ms Campion was appointed.” “Ms Campion reportedly retained the six-figure salary she was earning while working for Senator Canavan.”

Apparently no one noticed the preferential employment treatment Vikki Campion enjoyed as a result of her relationship with Barnaby Joyce.

Vikki Campion Working with Barnaby Joyce

“The existence and depth of the Joyce-Campion relationship soon became known through the agriculture sector, where the media adviser [Campion] often accompanied the Agriculture Minister [Joyce] on official rounds.” ‘It was difficult to dodge the subject as Ms Campion was prominent in the minister’s work, at times speaking alongside him in meetings. One witness recalled a National’s conference lunch where Ms Campion apparently made herself so prominent the baffled professional photographer hired for the event had to ask, “Who is that woman?” Another guest put it more directly: “If you didn’t know they were an item before the lunch you did by the end.”’

Once again apparently no one noticed this obvious affair.

Mrs Natalie Joyce Knew of The Affair

“Some time around April 2017 Mrs Natalie Joyce had wind of the affair between Barnaby Joyce and Vikki Campion.” "Friends [of Natalie Joyce] say the office [of Barnaby Joyce] stopped telling her what was in his diary and a wife’s intuition kicked in." "She stormed up to Vikki [Campion] in Tamworth and tore strips off her, a furious little pocket rocket facing up to a frightened gazelle. She called Vikki a “homewrecker” in front of witnesses."

Apparently no one spoke to Mrs Natalie Joyce and no one spoke to any of the witnesses.

The Photograph with Barnaby Joyce, Vikki Campion and Brad Hunter “Around the time of the Saturday 2 July 2016 Federal election a former photographer for ex-Prime Minister Tony Abbott, and former News Limited photographer, Brad Hunter took a photograph of Barnaby Joyce, Vikki Campion and himself at an Armidale pub.”

“He subsequently posted the photograph to his Facebook page.”

“Mr Hunter alleges he did not supply the photo to the Daily Telegraph for publication. Rather the paper took a copy of the photograph from his Facebook page, without his consent and cropped out of the image of him when it was published by the Daily Telegraph in their story.”

“Mr Hunter and Ms Campion had been former News Limited colleagues."

"Lawyers for Mr Hunter are now seeking compensation for use of a copyrighted image from News Limited.”

Apparently no one thought to ask former News Limited colleague of Vikki Campion, Brad Hunter about her affair with Barnaby Joyce.

Claims Barnaby Joyce Made Under Parliamentary Travel Entitlements

January 2017 to September 2017 • “Barnaby Joyce spent more than $10,000 on family reunion travel while having an affair with his former staffer, raising more questions about taxpayer funds being used to support the double life led by the Deputy Prime Minister.” • Claims made under parliamentary entitlements from January [2017] to September [2017] show that more than $10,000 was spent on family travel, which is allowed so that MPs can “balance their work and family responsibilities”.’

July 2017 to September 2017 • “More than half of the family travel expenditure was reported from July [2017] to September [2017], while Mr Joyce’s mistress Vikki Campion was already pregnant with his fifth child.”

Observations

Since 2016 not one “disgruntled staffer” was “available” to comment on the astounding preferential treatment Vikki Campion received as a result of her relationship with Barnaby Joyce.

Vikki Campion is / was an employee on the public purse. There will be records of her:

being paid;

taking leave;

commencing employment;

ceasing employment;

work related expenses for which she was reimbursed.

Finding Vikki Campion jobs and covering up her affair with Barnaby Joyce was all done to accommodate a New Zealand citizen, who was not entitled to be in Parliament.

#barnaby joyce #vikki campion #brad hunter #natalie joyce

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newstfionline · 7 years

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Macron Takes On France’s Labor Code, 100 Years in the Making

By Adam Nossiter, NY Times, Aug. 4, 2017

PARIS--It is a mind-numbing 3,324 pages long and growing. Of those, 170 pages govern firings, 420 regulate health and security, 50 temporary work and 85 collective negotiations. Hundreds more are devoted to wages, specific industries and overseas departments.

It is France’s infamous, almost indecipherable labor code, the Code du Travail, both revered and reviled. Unions hold its protections sacred. Employers blame it for making it expensive to hire new workers and difficult--and even more costly--to fire them.

France’s energetic young president, Emmanuel Macron, has made lightening the code--a touchstone of French economic life for over a century--the centerpiece of his promise to revitalize the economy. He wants to have his changes in place by September.

A former investment banker sympathetic to business, Mr. Macron is aiming for nothing less than to remake French capitalism. His success or failure may be the single most important test of his mission to renew France.

The code is regarded by many as the wellspring of the country’s malaise and the chief obstacle to generating jobs, leaving the country with an unemployment rate that hovers persistently around 10 percent.

But changing it is no easy task. Every such fundamental economic reform in France for at least the last quarter-century has foundered in the streets of Paris, overwhelmed by sometimes violent union demonstrations. Already, Mr. Macron’s ambition to roll back worker protections has helped dent his approval ratings.

Mr. Macron is trying to establish the revolutionary idea that over two centuries of laws and court decisions minutely regulating work--the contents of the code--can now be bypassed. It is a shock to the system.

Unions, now in contentious negotiation with Mr. Macron’s government over the details, have not misunderstood what is at stake.

“They’ve decided to break the Code du Travail,” Philippe Martinez, head of the hard-left CGT union, told reporters in July, after meeting with the French government. “There will be fewer rights for workers.”

Mr. Martinez promised antigovernment demonstrations for Sept. 12, after the return from summer holidays. “The workers have got to react,” he said.

It is not an idle threat. Last year Mr. Macron’s predecessor, President François Hollande, backed down from an assault on the code when the unions filled the streets in protest for weeks.

But Mr. Macron might be the one to break the mold.

Already the Parliament, controlled by representatives of his own political movement, has voted to let the president pass the reforms by ordinance, a shortcut past parliamentary debate and amendment. Once the details are worked out--and assuming France’s administrative high court signs off--the reforms become law.

It would be a major departure for France. For now, the labor code is so complex, and violating it is so risky, that many French employers keep it in a separate room and speak of it with awe. Only specialists, on their staff or outside it, are allowed to consult the oracle, they say.

Mr. Macron has set in motion a reform that, if it passes, would effectively keep the thick red book locked in its room, gathering dust.

The Macron changes would help employers set the rules on hiring and firing, ignore the crippling restraints in the code that discourage taking on new workers, and limit unions’ ability to get in the way. Instead, individual agreements would be negotiated at the company or industry level between bosses and workers.

Mr. Macron’s labor minister, Muriel Pénicaud, made the government’s intentions clear as she introduced the bill allowing Mr. Macron to act.

“The company itself is the space where the creation of social standards”--the protections, rights and obligations of workers--”most efficiently fulfills the specific needs of workers and companies, in the construction of the best compromise, closest to the ground,” she said.

The goal, she declared, is “to renew the French social model.”

That notion, unremarkable in the Anglo-Saxon world, represents a seismic shift in France. Every aspect of worker-employer relations will now be on the table.

The long epoch of the Jacobin, the centralizing and controlling hand of Paris in the grit of France’s economic life--present since the Napoleonic era--will be unraveled if Mr. Macron gets his way.

That hyper-regulation of much of French life, including labor, was formed in the early 19th century as part of the country’s escape from the chaos of the French Revolution.

“The emerging law,” a prominent Socialist wrote triumphantly in 1903, seven years before the birth of the labor code, “is a Socialist law.”

Indeed, at the heart of the code’s language is the notion that the worker is inevitably an exploitable object needing blanket protection from rapacious capitalist predators.

Over time, that idea has been woven into the fabric of the society and economy. Even today, Stéphane Sirot, a labor historian, said, “It is the state that makes the law.”

But if Mr. Macron prevails, the historic French opposition, even hatred, between worker and employer that is enshrined in the code will no longer be the guiding philosophy in labor relations.

“Company agreements will be the law--it is an incredible revolution,” said one of the country’s top labor lawyers, Jacques Barthélémy, a co-author of an influential report on the labor code in 2015 that helped inspire Mr. Macron’s proposals.

“This will make the French labor market more flexible, and allow companies to adapt,” said Gilbert Cette, an economist at the University of Aix-en-Provence who was Mr. Barthélémy’s co-author.

That is not the case today. For now, a company with 48 workers hesitates to go to 50, even if orders are expanding. Two more workers bring with them a host of new obligations under current law.

Those include structured negotiations with unions and workers and onerous new taxes. These barriers have become known as France’s infamous “social ceilings.”

“There is a discouragement, for sure, on the hiring of new people,” said Catherine Guerniou, who owns a small window-making company in the Paris suburbs.

“The ceilings are a barrier,” she said. “Sure, we’d like to grow,” expanding from the eight she now employs. “But I’m scared. There are so many constraints.”

With the philosophical shift proposed by Mr. Macron, those constraints could disappear. “The actors themselves would work out the agreements,” Mr. Cette said. “They become the authors.”

The unions are wary. Not least, under Mr. Macron’s proposals, labor courts--institutions going back to Napoleon and 1806--could lose much of their power.

They tilt heavily in favor of labor, and at their discretion can award big payouts to workers who are dismissed. Those penalties have become among the chief disincentives to new hires.

On a recent afternoon at the austere glass-fronted labor court headquarters in the north of Paris, a lawyer for one union plainly acknowledged that the workers he represented had quit after being burned out from grueling workdays.

He nonetheless asked the panel of judges to recast the resignations as a firing--and hand them tens of thousands of euros in indemnities.

The request would be unthinkable in the United States, labor experts said, but in France the judges hardly blinked and appeared sympathetic.

Pierre Kuchly, a maker of industrial valves outside Paris, has been condemned by a labor board for wrongful firing. “You think you’ve done it right, but then you have to pay,” he said.

With a growing international business, he would like to add to his staff of 30. “Obviously, I hesitate to hire. If you want to separate from someone, it’s complicated,” he said.

“You’ve got to be able to let people go without creating problems,” he said. The code is not a help. “It’s so complex, I don’t even look at it,” Mr. Kuchly said.

The language of the code itself is extraordinarily mystifying, even in the judgment of experts. One passage in the section on firing states:

“If, in the case of the definitive and total closing of the company, the judge cannot, without being unaware of the autonomy of this reason for the firing, deduce the fault or the blameworthy frivolity from the sole absence of economic difficulties, or, in the contrary case, deduce the absence of fault from the existence of such difficulties, it is not forbidden to him to take into account the economic situation of the company in order to evaluate the conduct of the employer.”

Legal experts have interpreted the tangle to mean that an employer is not necessarily off the hook--indeed is perhaps guilty of “blameworthy frivolity” in a firing--even if his company is having financial problems.

And also that a shuttered company’s profits don’t necessarily point to an employer’s guilt.

The hazards embedded in that complexity scare employers into paralysis, experts and employers themselves say.

“We are in permanent fear of facing a Code du Travail that is more and more complex, of always having one more obligation,” said Ms. Guerniou, the window maker.

Recently, she hired a temporary worker to help with a surge in orders, intending to make the person full time. But then she decided against it.

“We felt that it was someone who really knew the Code du Travail,” she said. “He had caused problems at the SNCF,” the French state railroad, “‘You owe me this, you owe me that,’” Ms. Guerniou said. “We’ve gone too far.”

#France #Emmanuel Macron #French labor code #Code du Travail

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worklabournewsresearch · 6 years

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2018 in Review: 10 Key Developments in Canadian Labour & Employment Law

“2018 was a tumultuous year for employers with significant changes to workplace legislation both provincially and federally, the legalization of recreational marijuana in Canada, and a number of noteworthy decisions.”

“Legislative Changes”

“Bill 47 – Making Ontario Open for Business Act, 2018: It was good news for Ontario employers when the Making Ontario Open for Business Act, 2018 repealed many of the onerous amendments introduced by Bill 148, including the Personal Emergency Leave reforms, minimum wage increases, and the scheduling provisions set to have come into force on January 1, 2019.”

“Bill 36 – Cannabis Statute Law Amendment Act, 2018: Bill 36 is the Ontario legislation that provides direction on who can buy, who can sell and where you can smoke/use cannabis. Employers should also review their obligations under the Smoke Free Ontario Act, 2017 which establishes new posting requirements.”

“Police Record Checks Reform Act, 2015: In March 2016 CCP brought to your attention the Police Record Checks Reform Act, 2015. This Act was new legislation designed to standardize the process by which police record checks are requested, conducted and obtained in Ontario. The Act received Royal Assent in December 2015 but only came into force on November 1, 2018.”

“Bill C-86 – Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 2: Bill C-86 amends the Canada Labour Code and introduces a number of new entitlements for federal employees similar to those enacted provincially by Bill 148.”

“Bill C-65 – An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code (harassment and violence), the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act and the Budget Implementation Act, 2017, No. 1: Bill C-65 creates specific obligations for federally regulated employers with respect to preventing and/or addressing workplace harassment and violence.”

“Bill C-81 – Accessible Canada Act: Bill C-81 is intended to reduce the barriers in federal organizations for people with disabilities. Federal employers will be required to, at minimum, create, publish and update an accessibility plan, provide feedback tools, and prepare and publish progress reports.”

Crawford Chondon & Partners LLP, January 3, 2019: “2018 In Review: A Look Back At The Top Cases And Key Legislative Changes That Impacted Your Workplace,” by Cristina Tomaino

Lists of Top Labour and Employment Cases of 2018

Littler, January 14, 2019: “10 Key Developments in Canadian Labour & Employment Law in 2018,” by George Vassos and Rhonda B. Levy

Baker McKenzie, December 2018:“Top 10 Canadian Labour & Employment Law Developments of 2018, ” Baker Mckenziev

#year in review #2018 #legal changes #legal developments #cases #labour and employment #law in workplaces #labour and employment cases #canadian labour and employment law in 2018

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compare-wp10 · 4 years

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Managing assignments during the Coronavirus pandemic – what management lessons can we learn? - ECA International

See on Scoop.it - COMPARE RISK COMMUNICATION

This is the fourth article I have written in relation to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on global mobility and much has changed since my first. Even when I wrote my last article dealing with the issue of repatriation a month ago, official recorded infections were at approximately 400 000, whereas they now stand at over 3 million. Our previous blogs on Covid-19 have focused on the operational issues associated with managing employee mobility in the current situation. However, this blog aims to look further at the various responses to the pandemic, and the lessons that managers of HR policies and mobility programmes can use to help implement changes within their own departments. It should be noted that I will mainly discuss responses from Asia, purely as I am more familiar with them. This article does not seek to argue that the actions of people, companies and countries have been more effective in Asia than anywhere else, but in many cases Asian practices have been replicated elsewhere in the world. Lesson #1 – Learn from the past Two locations that have widely been seen as responding well to the outbreak in terms of reducing its potential spread are Hong Kong and Korea Republic. Globally, Hong Kong was one of the earliest-affected locations, reporting its first case on 23 January 2020. As of 20 April, Hong Kong has had 1 026 confirmed cases, representing an average of 11.5 cases a day. Furthermore, as the chart below shows, with the exception of a spike in the number of cases between mid-March and mid-April associated with people who had contracted the illness overseas returning to Hong Kong, the typical daily rate of new infections has been relatively low (just over three per day outside the peak period). © Employment Conditions Abroad 2020 There are several reasons for Hong Kong’s success in managing the outbreak of Covid-19. One of the key ones is the fact that people and companies were able to refer to their experience during SARS in 2003 and apply the lessons learned. During SARS, ECA undertook a survey of the practices of some of our clients in Hong Kong. Looking back at the survey results, the most commonly implemented responses included providing face masks to staff (as adopted by 72% of companies), cancelling business travel to affected areas (adopted by 25% of companies) and enforcing social distancing measures in the workspace (also adopted by 25% of companies). As employers and their staff had earlier experience of such measures, they were adopted more quickly this time and were more willingly accepted by employees. While the wearing of masks in public spaces is not mandatory in Hong Kong, the overwhelming majority of the population has worn masks throughout the Covid-19 outbreak, probably helping to reduce transmission rates in the city. Similarly, although Korea Republic has recorded more cases than Hong Kong (10 661 as of 19 April 2020), it has been able to flatten its curve of infections much more quickly than other countries. This has been credited to the fact that the country was one of the worst affected by the outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in 2015. The Korean government was quick to take various measures to avoid a similar situation again and it seems that the planning put in place in response to MERS enabled decision-makers to act quickly in the current pandemic. We will look at how Korea has responded to the pandemic in more detail shortly. Lesson #2 – Communicate your strategy Although Singapore has experienced a spike in cases in recent weeks requiring the country to implement a stricter lockdown on people’s lifestyles, clear and early messaging from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong about the government’s response to the pandemic was widely lauded. For example, his addresses were credited with helping the country avoid situations such as panic-buying of certain goods that accompanied the escalation of cases elsewhere in the world throughout the following months. Therefore, if you have a strategy to deal with a pandemic or crisis, entrusting the communication to a person with significant gravitas, such as a company CEO, can help to instil trust and ensure compliance throughout the company. Lesson #3 – Be quick to act Pandemics and other crises often present senior personnel with challenges that require quick decision-making, even though there may be many unknown variables to consider. Taiwan’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak has been such that in spite of the scale of its social and economic connections with China, the number of cases reported has been extremely low. As of 20 April, the country has registered just 422 cases while schools, offices, restaurants and entertainment facilities have remained open throughout the pandemic. There are several reasons for the low number of cases in Taiwan. One of them was the decision to sever transport connections with China at a very early stage even though this inevitably led to a significant impact on Taiwan’s economy (China being Taiwan’s largest trading partner, accounting for approximately 30% of its exports and 20% of its imports). Passengers arriving in Taiwan on flights from Wuhan were already subjected to medical inspections from 31 December 2019. However, on 23 January, two days after the first reported case in Taiwan (an imported case involving a Taiwanese person returning from work in Wuhan), all flights between Taiwan and Wuhan were suspended. This was further expanded on 10th February to flights between Taiwan and all locations in China with the exception of Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai and Xiamen. Additionally, all travellers entering from China, Hong Kong and Macau were required to submit to a period of quarantine upon arrival. In taking these far-reaching decisions quickly, Taiwan was able to reduce the likelihood of imported cases and the compulsory quarantine reduced the risk that any imported cases would spread to the local community before they were detected. Lesson #4 – Learn from others… Managers are often asked to justify changes to policies or practices by providing details of market or best practice, with superiors often keen to ensure that what they are doing is in line with that of their peers. Responses to crises are no different with companies often framing their response based on the conduct of others and the evidence shows that many companies have been influenced by the decisions made by governments elsewhere. For example, Scoot, a Singaporean airline, ceased flights to Wuhan on the same day that Taiwan’s government suspended all flights there. Hong Kong and Singapore prohibited entry to residents from Wuhan within two days of each other, on 27 January and 29 January respectively, and both later barred all overseas visitors within a day of each other, with Singapore barring entry from 24th March and Hong Kong doing the same from 25th March. Lesson #5 – …but choose the correct response for your situation Responses to the pandemic have shown that it is important for companies to consider their own unique circumstances when faced with a challenge. The origin of the pandemic in China was accompanied by large-scale lockdowns of cities in order to reduce the risk of transmission, the most apparent of which was the lockdown of Wuhan. When Korea Republic reported a spike in cases in early March, it looked set to follow the same trajectory as China in terms of transmission of the virus. Therefore, large-scale lockdowns of affected cities in order to prevent a significant increase in cases seemed to be the likely response. Like Wuhan in China, Daegu emerged as the epicentre of the initial outbreak in Korea but neither the city nor the country have been the subject of a widespread lockdown. Instead, the country introduced widespread testing which enabled the country to target its quarantine efforts. At the same time people were encouraged to wear masks outdoors and minimise social interaction. This meant that while some establishments were closed and some restrictions remain in place, the country has avoided the scale of lockdowns seen in China and elsewhere. The success of the response is evident in the fact that in spite of daily new cases in Korea, it has still been able to host nationwide parliamentary elections in April. © Employment Conditions Abroad 2020 The chart above shows the cumulative number of confirmed Covid-19 cases over the course of 46 days since China and Korea Republic each witnessed its first spike in reported cases. The number of total cases reported in Korea have been far fewer than in China, which is partly reflective of its smaller population. Nonetheless, the trajectory of the curves shows that in spite of the fact that Korea Republic followed a different path in terms of dealing with the pandemic, it was able to flatten its curve quicker, although it hasn’t had the same level of success in levelling off the number of new cases since doing so. Lesson #6 – Be pragmatic Crises such as this show that it is important to have a plan in place. Singapore set up a multi-ministry committee on 22 January to deal with the pandemic, even before its first case was confirmed. Similarly, many organisations have crisis management teams and plans in place to be implemented as soon as a crisis unfolds. However, no two crises are the same. Therefore, the ability to adapt and even re-introduce measures to deal with a situation is important. Within five days of the first case being reported in Hong Kong, the government announced a work-from-home order for all government departments. This was subsequently also adopted by many private enterprises. As Hong Kong seemed to have control over the spread of the virus, this order was rescinded in late February. However, the government took the step of reimplementing it again in late March after a significant spike in the number of imported cases. Once again, many companies followed suit, and this has helped to reduce the potential of imported cases spreading into the wider community. This shows the importance of ensuring that decision makers are given the leeway to be able to deviate from a pre-planned response if circumstances require. In summary, it is clear that the preparation required for managing a crisis can often be framed by looking at how you have responded to challenges in the past, and that applying any relevant lessons learned previously is a proven way of mitigating its impact. The ability to look at what others have done to overcome a particular challenge is important too, while also ensuring that best practices or the responses of others should be adapted to ensure that they reflect your company’s individual circumstances. The other critical factor in dealing with a crisis is leadership - in terms of both being able to communicate and garner trust in your response, and in having the ability to be pragmatic, which may even include disregarding earlier actions if their effectiveness is limited. FIND OUT MORE ECA remains available to support our clients during the current situation and help companies with establishing or reviewing rules for dealing with crisis which may affect your international assignments. Please do not hesitate to contact us or your ECA point of contact directly if you would like to discuss any of the above or seek our advice regarding how to manage your mobile employees during the current pandemic. Please contact us to speak to a member of our team directly.

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iasshikshalove · 5 years

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C.A Dated On 23-07-2019

C.A Dated On 23-07-2019 GS-2 PM Paridhan Rozgar Protsahan Yojana Why in news? Pradhan MantriParidhanRozgarProtsahanYojana(PMPRPY)was a labour reform initiative under which Government wasbearing the entire 12% of the employers’ contribution to the Employees Provident Fund Scheme for new employees of garment and made-ups sectors for the first three years of their employment. What has changed?  Earlier, 8.33% of employer’s contribution was being provided by Government under Pradhan MantriRozgarProtsahanYojana(PMRPY) and additional 3.67% of employers’ contribution was made available under PMPRPY to garment and made-ups segments to new workers with wage up to Rs. 15,000/- per month.  With effect from 1.4.2018, Government has started paying full employer’s share i.e. 12% (EPS+EPF) for employees in all sectors (including textiles) for three years to new employees and to existing beneficiaries for their remaining period of three years under PMRPY. The Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019 Parliament should come together to support Government’s step to make NHRC more inclusive and efficient, said Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Nityanand Rai, while moving the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019 for consideration and passing in Lok Sabha today. Why amendment inthe bill: C.A Dated On 23-07-2019  The Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 was enacted to provide for the constitution of a National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) and the Human Rights Courts for protection of human rights.  The NHRC has proposed certain amendments to the Act to address the concerns raised at certain global platforms.  Besides this, certain State Governments have also proposed for amendment of the Act, as they have been facing difficulties in finding suitable candidates to the post of Chairperson of the respective State Commissions owing to the existing eligibility criteria to the said post.  In view of the above, it has become necessary to amend certain provisions of the said Act.  The proposed amendments will enable both the Commission as well as the State Commissions to be more compliant with the Paris Principles concerning its autonomy, independence, pluralism and wide-ranging functions in order to effectively protect and promote human rights. The Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019, inter alia, provides  that a person who has been a Judge of the Supreme Court is also made eligible to be appointed as Chairperson of the Commission in addition to the person who has been the Chief Justice of India;  to increase the Members of the Commission from two to three of which, one shall be a woman;  to include Chairperson of the National Commission for Backward Classes, Chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights and the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities as deemed Members of the Commission;  to reduce the term of the Chairperson and Members of the Commission and the State Commissions from five to three years and shall be eligible for re-appointment;  to provide that a person who has been a Judge of a High Court is also made eligible to be appointed as Chairperson of the State Commission in addition to the person who has been the Chief Justice of the High Court; and,  to confer upon State Commissions, the functions relating to human rights being discharged by the Union territories, other than the Union territory of Delhi, which will be dealt with by the Commission. C.A Dated On 23-07-2019 One Stop Crisis Centre One Stop Centre (OSC) at the district level maintains the record of complaints received from women affected by violence. Ministry of Women and Child Development reviews the functioning of OSCs from time to time. About the OSC  As per the guidelines, OSCs are required to have the facility for temporary stay up to 5 days with 5 beds.  To address the complaints of aggrieved women, the Scheme of One Stop Centre is to provide for a range of services for violence affected women including police facilitation, legal counselling, psycho-social counselling, medical aid and temporary shelter in an integrated manner under one roof.  Under the scheme, OSCs are required to have a centre administrator, case workers, medical personnel, police facilitation officer, psycho-social counsellor, legal counsellor, security guard, IT staff and multi-purpose workers.  Capacity building of OSC functionaries are undertaken through National, Regional and State trainings and workshops to improve the responsiveness of OSC staff.  OSCs are also integrated with Women Helpline to improve the functioning and responsiveness of OSC staff.  Media and publicity campaigns are undertaken to increase awareness about OSCs at district level. National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill On Monday, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan introduced the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill in Lok Sabha. Background An earlier version of this Bill was introduced in the 16th Lok Sabha, and had passed the scrutiny of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare. However, that Bill lapsed at the end of the term of the last Lok Sabha. Once the NMC Bill is enacted, the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, will stand repealed. C.A Dated On 23-07-2019 The existing Act provides for the Medical Council of India (MCI), the medical education regulator in India. Why is Medical Council of India being replaced?  The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare examined the functioning of the MCI in its 92nd report (in 2016) and was scathing in its criticism:  “The Medical Council of India, when tested on the above touchstone (of producing competent doctors, ensure adherence to quality standards etc) has repeatedly been found short of fulfilling its mandated responsibilities.  Quality of medical education is at its lowest ebb; the current model of medical education is not producing the right type of health professionals that meet the basic health needs of the country because medical education and curricula are not integrated with the needs of our health system;  many of the products coming out of medical colleges are ill-prepared to serve in poor resource settings like Primary Health Centre and even at the district level;  medical graduates lack competence in performing basic health care tasks like conducting normal deliveries;  instances of unethical practice continue to grow due to which respect for the profession has dwindled.”  Such state of affairs are also symptomatic of the rot within and point to a deep systemic malice”. How will the proposed National Medical Commission (NMC) function?  The NMC Bill provides for the constitution of a 25-member NMC selected by a search committee, headed by the Cabinet Secretary, to replace the MCI.  The Bill provides for just one medical entrance test across the country, single exit exam (the final MBBS exam, which will work as a licentiate examination), a screening test for foreign medical graduates, and an entrance test for admission in postgraduate programmes.  The Bill proposes to regulate the fees and other charges of 50 per cent of the total seats in private medical colleges and deemed universities.  A medical advisory council — which will include one member representing each state and Union Territory (vice-chancellors in both cases), chairman of the University Grants Commission, and the director of the National Accreditation and Assessment Council — will advise and make recommendations to the NMC. C.A Dated On 23-07-2019  Four boards — dealing with undergraduate and postgraduate medical education, medical assessment and rating board, and the ethics and medical registration board — will regulate the sector.  The structure is in accordance with the recommendations of the Group of Experts headed by Ranjit Roy Chaudhury, set up by the Union Health Ministry to study the norms for the establishment of medical colleges. Significance The Bill marks a radical change in regulatory philosophy; under the NMC regime, medical colleges will need permission only once — for establishment and recognition. There will be no need for annual renewal, and colleges would be free to increase the number of seats on their own, subject to the present cap of 250. They would also be able start postgraduate courses on their own. Fines for violations, however, are steep — 1.5 times to 10 times the total annual fee charged. What are the changes in the 2019 Bill?  There are two crucial changes, following the recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare (109th report in 2018).  One, it has dropped a separate exit examination.  Two, it has dropped the provision that allowed practitioners of homoeopathy and Indian systems of medicine to prescribe allopathy medicines after a bridge course. What did the panel say about exit exam? On the National Licentiate Examination, the Committee (in 2018) recommended that the relevant clause be redrafted “so as to make the final year MBBS examination as the licentiate examination”. Ban on colistin C.A Dated On 23-07-2019 Why in news? The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued an order prohibiting the manufacture, sale and distribution of colistin and its formulations for food-producing animals, poultry, aqua farming and animal feed supplements. Significance  Intensivists across the country are rejoicing as the move is a “massive victory” for the movement against anti-microbial resistance.  Colistin is a valuable, last-resort antibiotic that saves lives in critical care units and in recent years, medical professionals have been alarmed by the number of patients who have exhibited resistance to the drug.  Therefore, any move to ensure that arbitrary use of colistin in the food industry, particularly as growth supplements used in animals, poultry, aqua farms, would likely reduce the antimicrobial resistance within the country. GS-3 Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture Context Agriculture sector in India is vulnerable to climate change. Higher temperatures tend to reduce crop yields and favour weed and pest proliferation. Climate change can have negative effects on irrigated crop yields across agro-ecological regions both due to temperature rise and changes in water availability. Rainfed agriculture will be primarily impacted due to rainfall variability and reduction in number of rainy days. Analysis of impact of climate change under National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) project has found that climate change is expected to affect yields, particularly in crops like rice, wheatmaize. Government of India has initiated various actions to mitigate affects of climate change: C.A Dated On 23-07-2019 Varieties and cultivars tolerant to abiotic stresses are developed under strategic research component of NICRA. The technology demonstrations aim at enhancing the adaptive capacity of the farmers and also to cope with climate variability in the vulnerable districts to achieve climate resilient agriculture. Under NICRA, climate resilient technology demonstrations are implemented in 151 climatically vulnerable districts of the country. District Agriculture Contingency Plans have been prepared by ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad for 648 districts in the country to address the adverse weather conditions.

#ias current affairs #upsc current affairs #ias cuurent affairs #daily current affairs 2019

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courtneytincher · 5 years

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Will Brexit Trigger England’s Second Civil War?

(Bloomberg) -- At the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642, Warwick Castle was attacked by soldiers loyal to the king who tried without success to unseat the Parliamentarian forces that held it. While a minor skirmish, the outcome would foreshadow the broader struggle for the country.Today, the town of Warwick is under siege of another kind, one that may similarly decide where the divided nation is headed after an escalation in the political drama over Brexit.The U.K. is witnessing an historic period of upheaval that has invited comparisons with events almost 400 years ago. Parliament has been suspended – illegally, a court in Scotland ruled on Wednesday. The prime minister is threatening to flout the law to get his way while lawmakers on all sides are in open revolt and Ireland’s future, north and south, is at stake. Even the Queen has become embroiled in the standoff. And violence is brewing, with scuffles outside Parliament last week.Lawmakers this week channeled an event from the runup to the civil war in the House of Commons to protest the so-called prorogation of the legislature. Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage, one of the main architects of the vote to leave the European Union, has described the present constitutional crisis as the worst since that tumultuous period.A tour last week through some English counties scarred by the conflict suggests he may be right. With positions hardening and no obvious release for rising tensions, it’s anybody’s guess where the Brexit dilemma ends.Voters in Warwick opposed leaving the EU, seeing a departure as a threat to a key employer — the automotive industry — and to the university town’s international outlook. But as a pro-EU bastion amid a sea of Brexit territory, Warwick is at odds with neighboring districts, the U.K. as a whole and with Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative government. Those same divisions run through swaths of the country.“If we get out of the current impasse without shots being fired, we will be doing better than I expected,” said Diane Purkiss, author of “The English Civil War: A People’s History” and a professor of English literature at Oxford University. “The question from here is whether we can at the last minute and in the eleventh hour muddle together some kind of final British compromise.”With its timber framed houses, country parks and association with William Shakespeare, the county of Warwickshire is picture postcard England. But beneath the patina of Olde Worlde charm lie stark divisions in attitudes to Brexit.Of course the U.K. has always diverged along political lines, from Thatcherism to Blairism. What attracts today’s comparisons with the 17th century is the constitutional chaos on top. Then, the country chose sides as Parliament and Oliver Cromwell’s Puritans asserted authority over King Charles I and his Catholic household in a standoff over religion and power that ultimately led to war and regicide. In an echo of Brexit’s patchwork of “leave” and “remain” voting areas, the civil war cleaved along the lines of individual towns and cities depending on which way they declared, for Parliament or the King. Indeed, the political map of the Brexit vote resembles the distribution of support for both sides in the civil war, Stefan Collignon, a professor at the London School of Economics wrote in March last year.In Warwickshire, Stratford-upon-Avon was sandwiched between Parliamentarian and Royalist forces, and took in casualties from the war’s first major battle at Edgehill. Stratford, Shakespeare’s birthplace, is a 20 minute drive to the southwest of Warwick but a different world in its Brexit outlook. Whereas Warwick and its surroundings are home to workers from the nearby Jaguar Land Rover plants and left-leaning, pro-European students and academics from Warwick University, Stratford relies on tourism, the hospitality industry and foreign workers to staff it.Warwick voted 59% to 41% in favor of remaining in the EU. Stratford voted 52% to 48% to Leave, bang in line with the country as a whole.Walking around Stratford, past the Tudor houses and boats on the river Avon, there is little outward evidence of tension. That’s no comfort to Sophie Clausen, an artist and author originally from Denmark who first came to Britain as an art student in 1984.For Clausen, that sense of indifference cannot be excused by any amount of Brexit fatigue, and is the most worrying aspect of all. “People switch off, they don’t care, and that’s really dangerous,” she said.“People say they just want Brexit over with, but I don’t think it will ever end,” said Clausen. “Because if it doesn’t happen, the divisions will get even deeper and people who voted Leave will be even more angry,” she said. “No-one knows the way out any more.”Johnson has a little over a month to try and strike a new deal with the EU that’s palatable to enough parliamentarians to enable Britain to leave the bloc in an orderly way on Oct. 31. If he fails to do so, he is now required by law to ask for an extension, something that will almost inevitably lead to the general election he wants to break the impasse. QuicktakeHow to Follow the Latest Brexit TwistsComparisons between Johnson and Charles I over their treatment of Parliament are unhelpful, according to Purkiss, the civil war author, since the king waited 11 years to recall the legislature rather than the present five weeks. Yet there is a common “persistent ongoing failure of compromise” that contributed to the descent into conflict, she said.Other parallels lie in the existence of concurrent crises in “the three kingdoms” of England, Ireland and Scotland; and in the emergent print media’s alarmist headlines that mirror today’s social media posts, “weaponizing fear mongering,” said Purkiss. “I don’t think people are taking this threat seriously enough,” she said in an interview at Keble College in Oxford, one block away from St. Giles Church, which carries a plaque describing its damage in the civil war.At root, Brexit is the symptom of a crisis of parliamentary democracy, with both main parties pushed to extremes and the middle ground erased, eroding willingness to reach consensus. That presents a challenge for politicians like Jack Rankin, selected to contest the Warwick and Leamington constituency for the Conservatives at the next election.The district was held by the Conservatives for much of the 20th century, falling to Labour in 1997 as the Blair government came to power, and has changed hands between the two parties since. Matt Western retook it for Labour in 2017 with a majority of just 1,200 votes.His pro-European views were reinforced by a previous life as a marketing manager for French carmaker Peugeot in places like Vienna and Paris. Bridging the division “is very hard because both sides of the debate are becoming quite entrenched in their view,” said Western. “I’m really alarmed about what’s going on in society,” he said.To win the seat from Labour, Rankin, who voted for Brexit, will have to appeal to a strongly anti-Brexit electorate.He said that his experience on voter doorsteps shows “the overwhelming majority are fundamentally democrats and just want to get on with it.” The divisions are not as deep as commonly presented, he said in an email response to questions, and healing the Conservative rift “won't happen until we deliver what we said we would.” He said the future is bright regardless of how Brexit plays out.That may be wishful thinking. Jaguar Land Rover CEO Ralf Speth warned last year that a bad Brexit could put tens of thousands of jobs at risk. Warwick University’s Vice Chancellor Stuart Croft has called Brexit a “disaster” and said that losing access to international research networks could shut the U.K. out of the science vanguard and risk jobs.The warnings were not lost on Barry Archer, a maker of clay models used in car industry design who has worked across Europe, most recently for Skoda in the Czech Republic. He was at a “Stop the Coup” demonstration last week in Coventry, the city whose outskirts include Warwick University’s leafy campus, to protest the proroguing of Parliament. Archer was among the 200 or so who showed up.His latest job was canceled as a result of the uncertainty over Brexit. His two adult sons feel their future is being settled without their say, with freedom of movement set to go in the name of the “will of the people.” For Archer, Brexit is personal – his wife is German – but he still doesn’t see any chance to roll it back.“The problem is it’s divided the country so much there’s going to be no easy way around it,” he said as an autumn wind blew in the city’s Friargate. “Damage to the foundation of who we are, what we are has been done. It’s just damage control now.” Bernard Capp, an emeritus professor of history at Warwick, has seen the university’s development from its earliest days in the 1960s and still teaches a class on radicalism and the English Civil War. He sees parallels with the sort of polarization witnessed between 1640 and 1642, when the war broke out, and says that’s a cause for concern.During the civil war, Coventry was a Parliamentarian center, known for its extensive medieval city walls. Capp related that Charles I arrived in late summer 1642 on his way to raise an army, and demanded entrance. The mayor of Coventry refused, the first real act of defiance before the fighting started.“We should all be very wary because nobody wanted a civil war, nobody expected a civil war and look where that happened,” he said. Even at the war’s end, “no one thought there would be a revolution and the king would get his head chopped off, and yet that’s where it ended up,” he said.“So no one knows what the final destination will be once you get into a constitutional crisis.”To contact the author of this story: Alan Crawford in Berlin at [email protected] contact the editor responsible for this story: Rodney Jefferson at [email protected] more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

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#Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

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sonilawfirm · 5 years

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Don’t Wait! You Have to Stop Workplace Harassment Now

Workplace harassment has been recognized as a serious concern by the government. In fact, the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act mandates that employers must investigate suspected harassment.

And no wonder, Statistics Canada’s figures of 19% of women and 13% of men experiencing workplace harassment in the past year make for worrying reading. Especially since harassment takes such an emotional and mental toll on a person. Not only is harassment in the workplace unacceptable, it stops you from building a sense of belonging to the organization.

Employers are required by law to investigate workplace harassment complaints.

What is considered workplace harassment?

Workplace harassment and workplace bullying cover everything from unwelcome comments and conduct to sexual harassment in the workplace. Conduct must be offensive, degrading or must constitute mistreatment. It can even be physical acts, such as physical or sexual assault and other workplace bullying. Here are a few examples of what constitutes workplace harassment and workplace bullying:

Hurtful comments about race, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation or other discriminatory remarks

Teasing and innuendos

Unwelcome touching

Sexual harassment

Unwelcome messages, emails and phone calls

Belittling and unprofessional feedback

Intimidation and threatening remarks

Offensive and intimidating humour

Circulating offensive photographs and material

How can I stop harassment in the workplace?

Any workplace harassment lawyer will tell you this: do not tolerate harassment and bullying. Every case of workplace harassment is unique and must be handled correctly. There is a common misconception that staying mum about the mistreatment you are being subjected to will make it blow over in time, or that you will be persecuted for speaking out.

You are entitled to not be subjected to a hostile working environment. There are many ways of addressing workplace bullying. Speaking to the offending person to explain your discomfort is one; however, if you are fearful of unproductive confrontation or reprisal, then alternatives must be considered, including consulting with a workplace harassment lawyer. An experienced lawyer will have seen and addressed what you are going through many times before. They will be able to guide you practically while keeping the best outcomes for you in mind.

Who do I tell about workplace bullying?

Employers in Ontario are responsible for fostering a tolerant and healthy working environment. Your employer is required by law to have a mechanism in place to receive and investigate workplace harassment complaints. You can approach a supervisor, a senior member in the organization or human resources with concerns. If you are unsure about who to approach, speak to a workplace harassment lawyer first.

Your employer cannot fire you for raising a workplace harassment concern. You cannot be demoted, face a pay cut or be ‘constructively dismissed’ for this reason. If this happens, you can file a wrongful dismissal suit for the same. Courts in Ontario take a very dim view of employers failing to investigate and address complaints of workplace harassment.

Can I be fired for complaining about sexual harassment?

Unfortunately, sexual harassment remains a real workplace concern even today. In fact, the Library of Parliament reports that 1 in 10 Canadians say sexual harassment is ‘quite common’ in their workplace.

Courts have very little patience for employers that fail to investigate and address sexual harassment complaints. This is especially so if the complaints come from multiple sources and employees with established working histories.

If you are forced to quit due to sexual harassment and your employer’s failure to stop such behaviour, you can file a wrongful dismissal suit. Speak to a workplace harassment lawyer immediately if this has happened to you. It is imperative that the full facts be obtained while the matter is still fresh.

What is Bill C-65?

Wide, sweeping changes are on the way with Bill C-65, An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code (harassment and violence), the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act and the Budget Implementation Act.

The Act, coming into force in late July 2019, introduces a much more proactive approach to preventing workplace harassment, workplace bullying and sexual harassment. Moreover, it will let former employees bring complaints of sexual harassment and violence up to three months after leaving their jobs.

Employers will have to respond to complaints within a set timeframe and resolve them within a few months.

Workplace harassment lawyers

Harassment comes in any number of forms, including physical contact, belittling or snide comments, abrasive behaviour and unprofessional feedback. If you are facing these issues at work, speak to an experienced and trusted workplace harassment lawyer at Soni Law.

We have established a reputation for mature advice and solving problems pragmatically. Get in touch with us now to discuss any employment concerns.

The post Don’t Wait! You Have to Stop Workplace Harassment Now appeared first on Soni Law.

from https://sonilaw.ca/dont-wait-you-have-to-stop-workplace-harassment-now/

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robertawilliams · 6 years

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Brexit Will Impact On Charities And Consequently On Communities

The Government seemingly has not undertaken the 58 or so sector impact assessments that it once spoke about. This is an incredible failure of government. How can decisions be taken, and options evaluated without such data and evidence?

Even had any of the 58 or so phantom assessments being undertaken they would not have included a very important element of the UK social economy – the charity, and voluntary and community sector. This sector employed over 850,000 people and had a turnover in excess of £45bn last year. The NCVO estimates that estimate that the voluntary sector contributes £11.1 billion to UK gross value added, equivalent to 0.8% of the whole of the UK GVA. The voluntary sector contributes to the UK economy comparable to other sectors: for example, the GVA of agriculture was £8.3 billion in 2010.

Not to have undertaken an assessment of Brexit on the charity and voluntary and community sectors is a serious omission.

The sector will be affected in various ways and most of these are potentially very damaging to those who rely on it services in areas such as social care.

The Directory of Social Change has estimated that the sector is at risk losing at least £258.4m in EU funds because of Brexit and that the full amount is likely to be far higher due to the way many funds are distributed by intermediary agencies. This £258m matters as it is spent on services, community development, environmental protection, public education and supporting some of the most vulnerable people in society. It is not money for charity administration.

The Government has not indicated that it will make good this loss of funding or if it were to do so from where it would find the money. If this is lost and not replaced by the Government the public will be the losers.

The VODG group of charities which works with and for people with disabilities has expressed that there are serious concerns about the future of programmes and services for people with disabilities. It also points out that because most service providing VCS organisations rely on public funding there is widespread concern that further expenditure cuts post-Brexit will leave the key services such as social care, residential and rehabilitation services in much deeper crisis. As we know these services are already in serious financial difficulty.

VODG draws attention to some critical workforce issues which Brexit creates for care and other services. The health and social care system is very dependent on workers from across the EU. There are serious concerns that some of these workers are already leaving their UK homes and others are not seeking to come in the same numbers as before the EU Referendum. This is before any restrictions on the movement of people. Consequently, there are “very serious concerns about the retention of existing EU nationals and securing the future supply.” VODG cautions that uncertainty within the labour market following the result could reduce providers’ abilities to recruit. It also emphasises that, in the longer term, there are broader workforce planning requirements necessary to ensure an adequate pool of skilled and caring staff in the future.

The VODG report like many others commissioned and published by VCS organisations raises a series of concerns about a set of issues relating to community cohesion and rights. The risks highlighted include social divisions in society, reductions in community cohesion and losing progressive approaches to disability rights. In addition, concerns are raised about distraction to the raft of domestic issues that voluntary disability organisations urgently need Government and policy makers to address.

The Charities Finance Group has suggested in a report earlier in the year that there could be benefits for the VCS and charities more generally from Brexit. It cites the opportunity that Brexit could provide for reforming public procurement regulations and placing a greater emphasis on social value and social outcomes and less on price and competition. Much of this is already possible under the EU regulations and if the UK is going to be subject to EU Single Market rules until at least 2021 it will have to retain these EU public procurement rules. If post-2021 the UK wishes to be aligned to EU regulatory systems, this could continue for some time longer. However, it is important that a comprehensive analysis of the impact of Brexit on public sector commissioning and procurement is undertaken.

Many charities and VCS organisations concerned with issues ranging from the environment to animal welfare to employment conditions to international aid to human rights will be concerned about the implications of Brexit on their beneficiaries and their organisations.

The absence of any comprehensive assessment of Brexit on the voluntary and community sector and the services it undertakes on behalf of communities across the country is putting those communities, and often some of the most vulnerable members of society at risk. I have seen no serious comments let alone analysis from DCMS or the Department for Exiting the EU.

The Government should act and undertake such an assessment but if it won’t do the national sector leaders such as NCVO, ACEVO, NAVCA and others should

press the Government to undertake a sectoral assessment of the impact of Brexit on charities and the VCS and consequently on public well-being and the public sector itself

press the relevant Parliamentary select committees to do the same

failing the above jointly commission their own assessments for the sector, and for the services and areas of interest and involvement

demand that the VCS is fully involved in the preparation and briefing for the next stages of Brexit negotiations

be willing to speak out against policies and potential agreements that might be damaging to the sector, its beneficiaries and society

not assume that Brexit is a certainty so not feel obliged to support the Government line if this is not in the interests of the sector’s beneficiaries and society

actively engaged in the Brexit debate using evidence and speaking on behalf of communities and beneficiaries

Brexit, if it happens, will have a profound impact on our social, economic and environmental future. Charities and the VCS are all about challenging injustice, social exclusion and inequality as well as economic and environmental policies and practices that are harmful and unsustainable. They also play a vital role in addressing against hardship, injustice and specialist needs. If they are unable to play this role post-Brexit there will be even greater demand on the beleaguered public sector.

Therefore there is an urgent need for some serious analysis and evidence on what Brexit might mean for charities, VCS, the public sector and more importantly for their beneficiaries and communities.

Source

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/brexit-charities-communities_uk_5a37a063e4b0e7f1200cfcb3

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