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The Herald Scotland
18 hours ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
The Supreme Court trans ruling must be challenged
Second, the judgment completely ignored the Hansard records of Parliamentary debates in both the Commons and Lords, which confirm that Parliament intended that the gender recognition process would change a person's legal sex for the purposes of equality legislation. The court decided they knew better what the wording of the Gender Recognition and Equality Acts means, and that those Acts do not implement what Parliament clearly intended and understood them to do. Third, the court apparently ignored the legal requirement, in section 3 of the Human Rights Act, to interpret legislation, if it is possible to do so, compatibly with the European Convention on Human Rights. That Convention has required, for more than two decades, an effective method for trans people to change their legal sex. Fourth, the court made the staggeringly naïve claim in their judgment that it "would not be disadvantageous to trans people". In reality, of course, it already has been. It is fundamentally changing the situation for trans people across Britain, potentially affecting their access to services from healthcare to toilets. And, as we have seen, it is a green light for those who want to further restrict trans people, their voices, and the voices those who stand up for them. Had it not been for the first issue above, perhaps the court may have understood this better. Well done to any union supporting its trans members by pointing out any of these issues. Equality law is reserved to Westminster, so only the UK Government and Parliament can put this situation right. They should urgently amend the Equality Act to restore the original intention of Parliament, to allow trans people to continue to live their lives in peace and (where they wish) privacy. Tim Hopkins, Edinburgh. Read more letters Superyacht no match for Glen Rosa You report today that the Russian oligarch-owned £82 million superyacht La Datcha is moored in James Watt Dock, Greenock ("Superyacht owned by Russian billionaire docks in Greenock", heraldscotland, July 28). How ironic that she is berthed next to the eight years' late, drydocked MV Glen Rosa, which is currently priced at £172.5m and whose crew's terms and benefits of employment outweigh that of the superyacht by a large margin. It was suggested here that the La Datcha should be taken over and given to CalMac but that is unlikely to be attractive as it would require a massive upgrade to the crew accommodation. Peter Wright, West Kilbride. Make our pavements safe We are now controlling pavement parking, so it should be easier for wheelchair users, pram pushers and the like to use them. Indeed our local traffic wardens – called parking attendants for some reason – have been told to prioritise penalties for pavement parking and the misuse of disabled parking bays. However, what about other pavement obstructions such as hedges which overhang by up to 300mm or low garden trees which cause pedestrians to duck? There are also bicycle and scooter users wheeching past pedestrians without any warning. Worst still, there is one furniture removal or delivery company which erects a long ramp from front doors to the tailgate of its lorry, completely blocking the pavement so pedestrians, wheelchair users and pram pushers have to pass the lorry on the road or cross the road twice to avoid the ramp. The so-called parking attendants have the powers to issue fines for illegal parking and some traffic offences, as did the former wardens. Can they not attend to the other transgressions mentioned above? We do not have sufficient police presence on our streets, so the wardens seem the best bet for safeguarding our pavements. I know that the present parking attendants can photograph vehicles and troublesome or abusive vehicle owners so they can surely photograph these other transgressors to provide evidence for police action and prosecution. JB Drummond, Kilmarnock. Hysteria over the Lionesses Perhaps unusually for a Scot living north of the Border, I enjoyed the performances of the Lionesses during the recent football tournament and was happy to see them ultimately prevail against Spain ('England fans celebrate Lionesses' Euro win', The Herald, July 28). That said, however, my enjoyment of their sporting success was tempered by the subsequent media hysteria. An open-topped bus celebration is an expected thank you to the supporters, but do we really need to see the drunken members of the squad screaming at the camera in the post-match hotel party? It brought to mind the 1966 World Cup success of their male counterparts following which the FA generously arranged a free celebratory dinner to which neither the media nor the WAGS were invited. Things have obviously come a long way since then, but surely there's still a place for privacy and an element of decorum? David Edgar, Biggar. The legendary former Hibs manager Eddie Turnbull (Image: SNS) The trials of Turnbull Recent letters on grammar and pronunciation brought to mind a story told in football circles in Edinburgh in the 1970s. Eddie Turnbull was a renowned manager of Hibs who had a very good but intractable centre half, whose name will remain secret because I have forgotten it. Eddie was giving this player a hard time, prompting him to make a written transfer request which contained the following: "Ah umny gonnae play for you nae mair". The player was ever after known as "Big Umny". Incidentally, that Hibs team contained Alan Gordon, a graduate, to whom Turnbull said: "The trouble wi' you, Gordon, is a' your brains are in your heid." John Jamieson, Ayr.
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
This woman claims Air Canada discriminated against her in a case of ‘flying while Black.' Now her human rights complaint could set a precedent
Months after a knee surgery, June Francis booked a business-class flight from Vancouver for a conference in Toronto, the first leg of a work trip that would also include the U.S. and Peru. Having waited in the 'exceptionally long line' at check-in for business passengers, the 62-year-old Jamaican Canadian said she approached the economy area and attempted to ask an Air Canada staffer for help, out of concern about standing too long on her replaced knees. But what happened next would lead to a complaint that is believed to be the first case of 'flying while Black' that reaches a full hearing before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. According to the claim by Francis, an international business professor at Simon Fraser University, the following verbal exchange ensued between her and the Air Canada check-in agent on March 1, 2018, at Vancouver International Airport. 'I have a question. I am a business class passenger and the lineup is really long,' Francis said, as she quotes in her complaint. 'What is your advice to me …' 'Don't ask me,' the ticket agent cut her off and yelled. 'Just get in the line,' added the agent before tending to other passengers in what Francis described as 'a kind and caring manner.' Embarrassed and humiliated, Francis said she believed the Air Canada employee treated her differently because she was Black, and asked the agent to give her name or identifying number so she could report her 'outrageous' behaviour to management. When the agent refused, Francis took out her cellphone to photograph her. She said in her claim that was the only way of identifying the agent to a superior. For that, Francis later had her boarding pass taken away and was told by a customer service manager — accompanied by an airport security guard — that she would not be allowed on the flight unless she deleted the agent's photos. Feeling threatened, Francis complied. On Monday, more than seven years after the encounter — which the airline said was due to Francis's unruly behaviour — July 28 the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal will hear her discrimination case against Air Canada. At issue is whether Canada's Human Rights Act trumps the Montreal Convention, an international treaty that governs airline liability for international flights but does not provide for damages of any kind for discrimination. Francis and her counsel, Sujit Choudhry and Mani Kakkar, declined the Star's interview request, but issued a statement. 'This is a test case about Flying While Black in international air travel,' the statement said. 'It is also a crucial test case for the effectiveness of the Canadian Human Rights Act. It will decide if airlines can ever be liable to pay damages for discrimination for international flights.' Air Canada told the Star it is contesting Francis's allegations of discrimination and declined further comment. However, in its submissions to the tribunal, Air Canada said Francis ignored and refused instructions by its staff, and acted in 'an unruly manner,' escalating the situation 'unnecessarily.' 'A primary role and paramount objective of Air Canada's employees working a flight, including its check-in agents, is to ensure safety and security with respect to the ultimate boarding of passengers and the atmosphere in the cabin of the aircraft,' the airline said in a response to the tribunal. In her complaint, Francis said both the Air Canada supervisor and the security guard ignored her complaint of mistreatment and the reason for photographing the check-in agent. 'It became clear that both of these people were not interested in taking Dr. Francis's complaint seriously and had made their decision that Dr. Francis was at fault,' the claim said. 'The supervisor went so far as to say she could see the problem was because clearly Dr. Francis did not take direction.' According to the claim, Francis then asked which law was being broken by taking a picture in a public space, and the supervisor said she had a right to have it deleted because of the possibility of social media getting a hold of the image. Francis subsequently wrote to Air Canada and received a response that she said did not address the issues or indicate an investigation was undertaken. She said the airline did not contact her for her account of the event, nor did it contact a Caucasian passenger, who witnessed the interaction, tried to intervene and left his business card for reference. ('The supervisor changed her demeanour and behaved with a respectful manner toward this white male which she had not demonstrated in her behaviour toward Dr. Francis,' the complainant alleged.) In seeking damages in the amount of $40,000, Francis also requests Air Canada institute sensitivity training and training in unconscious bias, anti-racism and anti-sexism, as well conducting an audit of its services to ensure it treats racialized passengers with respect and sensitivity. In its defence, Air Canada said the check-in line agent requested the assistance of the manager because she was faced with a passenger who was 'demanding and unwilling and refusing to follow instructions' in an unusually busy check-in area. It said both the agent and the manager were of Asian descent. In its submission, the airline flagged the complainant's resumé, which included being the special adviser to Simon Fraser University's president on anti-racism, director of the university's Institute for Diaspora Research & Engagement, co-founder of its Black Caucus, and board chair of the Hogan's Alley Society, a group with the mandate to advance the economic and cultural well-being of people of African descent. 'There will be no evidence to support let alone prove 'anti-Black racism,' 'conscious and unconscious bias,' and 'systemic and institutional and structural racial discrimination,' ' Air Canada said in its defence. 'These allegations of the Complaint are disproportionate and untethered to the factual circumstances and serve to fit the agenda of the Complainant, whose career is focused on promoting these issues.' Air Canada also argued that the tribunal cannot award damages because a claim against an air carrier is governed by the Montreal Convention, which is a standard liability regime for death and injury, damage or loss of baggage and flight delay in international travel. Given Francis's itinerary, her journey was deemed international, said the airline. However, Choudhry, lawyer for Francis, argued in her submissions that Canada's Human Rights Act is a quasi-constitutional statute and must trump the Montreal Convention, which should be deemed unconstitutional if it denies the tribunal the power to award damages to victims of discrimination. 'Every person has a right to be free from discrimination in international travel,' said Francis's statement to the Star. 'For Canada's diasporas, international air travel is not a luxury. They must travel for family, economic and cultural reasons. They should be secure in the knowledge that if airlines discriminate against them, they have the right to damages.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
SHRC slams NMC over Ambazari accidents, orders immediate repairs
Nagpur: The Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) took suo motu action after a viral video showed five two-wheeler riders falling at the same spot on Ambazari Road due to a dangerous road gap. The Commission termed it a serious case of negligence and a gross violation of human rights. Chairperson Justice AM Badar, while presiding over Suo Moto (Case No. 4915/13/17/2025), stated that the footage clearly revealed NMC's failure to safeguard the lives of citizens and maintain basic road safety. "This state of affairs reflects negligence on the part of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation in protecting the human rights of the residents of the city," the Commission noted in its proceedings. The particular road stretch falls under the state public works department, and it started repair works on it on Thursday. Even the NMC carried out similar works in Pratap Nagar. But other roads with similar problems remain unattended as roads in the city fall under purview of multiple agencies like Nagpur Improvement Trust, state PWD, NMC, NHAI, etc. Invoking Section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, the Commission directed the NMC to submit a factual report within four weeks and to immediately initiate repairs on Ambazari Road to prevent further mishaps or potential fatalities.0 by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like I Asked ChatGPT What Humanity Will Achieve In The Next 30 Years — Here's What It Said Liseer Undo In a strongly worded interim order, Justice Badar exercised powers under Clause (c) of Section 18 of the Human Rights Act to mandate urgent action by the NMC. The matter will next be heard on September 3, before Court No. 1. The video, which surfaced on Wednesday, captured the moment several riders were thrown off balance after hitting a dangerously uneven patch between the cement road and adjoining interlocking (I) blocks on Ambazari Road. Residents say the hazard was left unattended for months despite repeated complaints to authorities. "This isn't just a civic issue anymore — it's a human rights concern," said locals. "When the system ignores repeated warnings, accountability must come from higher authorities." The Commission's order comes at a time when NMC is under fire from Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court for poor road design, misalignment, and lack of maintenance. Despite spending over Rs 2,000 crore on converting tar roads to cement, the city has witnessed a surge in accidents — especially at junctions where cement roads meet I-blocks with huge differences. The human rights body has now added legal pressure, demanding swift action before more lives are put at risk.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
N.B. government will apologize to former P.C. minister for firing
New Brunswick's Liberal government will officially apologize to former Progressive Conservative cabinet minister Margaret-Ann Blaney over her firing by a previous Liberal government in 2014. Premier Susan Holt confirmed to CBC News that her government will not contest a ruling by the New Brunswick Labour and Employment Board that Blaney's rights were violated by the firing. The province will also comply with the board's order to compensate Blaney at a cost of more than $700,000. "There were errors made in the past. It wasn't the right way to do things, to fire people for partisan reasons," Holt told CBC News Wednesday morning. "Part of why I got into politics was to do things differently, and move away from partisan, petty politics to doing the right thing. So we abide by the ruling, we're going to apologize and things like that won't happen again on my watch." Blaney, a PC MLA first elected in 1999, was appointed CEO of the provincial agency Efficiency New Brunswick by PC Premier David Alward in 2012. The move was widely seen as an example of political patronage. Two years later, the new Liberal government of Brian Gallant fired Blaney and passed legislation that prevented her from collecting severance or from suing. WATCH | 'We're going to apologize,' premier says: This week, the labour board upheld Blaney's complaint under the Human Rights Act, saying the Liberal legislation was "an abuse of power" and that the law, and the firing, amounted to discrimination based on Blaney's party affiliation. "Ms. Blaney was not treated with dignity, was not afforded the protection of the rule of law, and she was subjected to public miseries because of her political belief and activity," the board said. It ordered the government to pay her the equivalent of more than $700,000 for lost salary and vacation, pension contributions and damages. It also ordered the government to issue a written apology "acknowledging that it discriminated against her in violation of the act because of political activity." WATCH | 'An abuse of power': Labour board rules for former minister: The ruling noted that while a Liberal government fired Blaney, "blame cannot be attributed solely to that government." It said the PC government of Blaine Higgs, elected in 2018, "did nothing to rectify the violation of Ms. Blaney's rights" and continued to defend the Liberal legislation and tried to prevent Blaney from pursuing her complaint under the Human Rights Act. The legislature "as a whole" treated Blaney in a disingenuous and callous way, it said.
CBC
7 days ago
- Business
- CBC
N.B. government will apologize to former P.C. minister for firing
Social Sharing New Brunswick's Liberal government will officially apologize to former Progressive Conservative cabinet minister Margaret-Ann Blaney over her firing by a previous Liberal government in 2014. Premier Susan Holt confirmed to CBC News that her government will not contest a ruling by the New Brunswick Labour and Employment Board that Blaney's rights were violated by the firing. The province will also comply with the board's order to compensate Blaney at a cost of more than $700,000. "There were errors made in the past. It wasn't the right way to do things, to fire people for partisan reasons," Holt told CBC News Wednesday morning. "Part of why I got into politics was to do things differently, and move away from partisan, petty politics to doing the right thing. So we abide by the ruling, we're going to apologize and things like that won't happen again on my watch." Blaney, a PC MLA first elected in 1999, was appointed CEO of the provincial agency Efficiency New Brunswick by PC Premier David Alward in 2012. The move was widely seen as an example of political patronage. Two years later, the new Liberal government of Brian Gallant fired Blaney and passed legislation that prevented her from collecting severance or from suing. Board upholds complaint This week, the labour board upheld Blaney's complaint under the Human Rights Act, saying the Liberal legislation was "an abuse of power" and that the law, and the firing, amounted to discrimination based on Blaney's party affiliation. "Ms. Blaney was not treated with dignity, was not afforded the protection of the rule of law, and she was subjected to public miseries because of her political belief and activity," the board said. It ordered the government to pay her the equivalent of more than $700,000 for lost salary and vacation, pension contributions and damages. It also ordered the government to issue a written apology "acknowledging that it discriminated against her in violation of the act because of political activity." WATCH | 'An abuse of power': Labour board rules for former minister: Former PC minister fired by Liberals wins legal challenge 19 hours ago The ruling noted that while a Liberal government fired Blaney, "blame cannot be attributed solely to that government." It said the PC government of Blaine Higgs, elected in 2018, "did nothing to rectify the violation of Ms. Blaney's rights" and continued to defend the Liberal legislation and tried to prevent Blaney from pursuing her complaint under the Human Rights Act. The legislature "as a whole" treated Blaney in a disingenuous and callous way, it said.
