In June 2006, police in Ontario arrested 18 young men and charged them with planning the biggest terrorist attack in Canadian history. In this News in Review we’ll look at the trials of the so-called Toronto 18. We’ll also examine what could have led these young Canadians to want to attack their own country.
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In early August Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was sworn in as President of Iran, after weeks of sometimes bloody unrest. Ahmadinejad was elected in June, but his opponents said the vote had been rigged and took to the streets in protest. At least 30 people were killed and hundreds were arrested. In this News in Review story we’ll look at the controversial election, and at the mass demonstrations that followed.
Download an audio version of the Introduction to this story (mp3).
One of the goals of Canada’s mission in Afghanistan is to try to improve the rights of women. But that campaign was dealt a blow when the Afghan government unveiled some controversial legislation. The legislation would make many women financially and sexually subservient to their husbands. In this News in Review story we’ll examine why the Afghan government did what it did and look at the angry reaction.(Length: 14:28)
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For eight years the United States has operated a military prison at its naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The maximum-security facility is used to house prisoners charged with terrorist offences. Because it has a bad reputation, the new American administration has vowed to shut it down. But the status of one prisoner, a young Canadian named Omar Khadr, remains unclear. In this News in Review story we’ll look at Khadr’s story, and at the history of the infamous prison.
In early December 2008, Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative government found itself fighting for its political life. Three opposition parties formed a coalition and announced they were ready to topple the Conservatives and form a new government. To avoid being defeated, the Prime Minister asked the Governor General to shut down Parliament until late January. In this News in Review story, we’ll look at how the crisis developed and what could happen next.
The Conservatives and the Coalition (PDF Resource Guide)
For many years, Canadians have been on a credit card binge. Now, as the economic crisis deepens, a lot of them find themselves with high levels of personal debt. In this News in Review story, we’ll look at why so many Canadian households are overextended. We’ll also examine why it’s so easy to fall into the credit trap and what can be done to get out of it.
Canadians, Credit Cards and Debt (Downloadable Resource Guide)
In late November 2008, a group of gunmen launched a terrorist assault on the Indian city of Mumbai. The gunman fired indiscriminately into crowds and seized several buildings adn luxury hotels. By the time a four-day battle with police and soldiers ended, at least 170 people had been killed. In this News in Review story, we’ll look at Mumbai’s days of terror and at the political repercussions in the regions.
The Terrorist Attacks on Mumbai (Downloadable Resource Guide)
(Length: 10:48)
The Ontario government has introduced legislation that would ban the use of cell phones while driving. The legislation would also allow police to charge drivers for using other hand-held devices like iPods and video game players. In this News in Review story we’ll look at why some Canadians think the ban goes too far and why others think it doesn’t go far enough.
(Length: 16:13)
As winter arrives in Afghanistan millions of Afghans are facing starvation. To make matters worse Taliban insurgents have started targeting aid workers, making relief efforts more dangerous and difficult. In this News in Review story we’ll look at what one Canadian, former cabinet minister Flora MacDonald, is doing to try to help people in rural Afghanistan.
(Length: 17:36)
Although crime rates in Canada have been going down, gang violence has been increasing. In many Canadian cities young gang members with guns have become a deadly problem. They are not only killing each other, but sometimes innocent people are caught in the crossfire. In this News in Review story we’ll look at how gangs and guns turned an Alberta community into a war zone and how the community fought back.