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Help Generations help kids generationsfoundation.com O 514-933-8585 NOVEMBER 2009 www.theseniortimes.com VOL. XXIV N 2 INSIDE Rebel with a cause: David “Life Woodsworth at 91 p. 3 begins Margaret at 80 ” Trudeau says Geraldine campaigns for Doucet mental health p. 7 p. 5 These supermarkets really deliver p. 8 All you need to know about H1N1 p. 9 Too cold in your apt? p. 11 Ste. Anne’s Vets remember p. 19 Editorial A just sentence for crimes against humanity It was a first for Canada: Desiré ate Hutus. He was arrested in Munyaneza, scion of a wealthy fam- Toronto in 2005 under the new ily in the former Belgian colony of Crimes Against Humanity and War Rwanda, was sentenced in Montreal Crimes Act. last month after a lengthy trial for The evidence showed that Mun- crimes against humanity during the yaneza’s family had stockpiled ma- genocide of 1994.He was not the first chetes just before the attacks began. alleged war criminal to enter Canada, The evidence showed he killed dozens but was the first to be convicted himself in a deliberate and premedi- under Canada’s War Crimes Act, tated way, justifying the toughest sen- which allows Canadian residents to tence under Canadian law. be prosecuted for genocide, war In his trenchant ruling, the judge crimes and crimes against humanity. wrote that Munyaneza “chose to kill, All who believe that nobody who rape and pillage in the name of the commits crimes against humanity supremacy of his ethnic group,” re- should be given impunity will re- minding us that “every time a man joice. Yes, Rwanda, tucked away in claims to belong to a superior race, a east Africa, is far away, but in the chosen people, humanity is in dan- global village we are all Rwandans. ger.”As for the accused denying guilt, Until the 1980s, Canada was among Denis wrote,“Denying genocide is to many countries that were guilty of kill the victims a second time.” inaction in failing to prosecute those “There is no greater crime than geno- who lied on their applications for cide, crimes against humanity and war refuge after the Second World War in crimes,” he continued. “History has failing to mention that they had shown that what happened there could served the Nazi killing machine. This happen anywhere in the world, that “let-bygones-be-bygones” attitude nobody is safe from such a tragedy.” flourished in France with regard to Meanwhile, at The Hague, the Vichy régime collaborators, until genocide and war crimes trial of such courageous citizens as Beate ex-Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Klarsfeld tracked down Klaus Barbie, Karadzic continues, even though he the Butcher of Lyons, in Bolivia and claims he needs more time to prepare compelled his return to France to his defence. He was branded the face trial. “undisputed” leader of Serbs in- In his landmark judgment, Justice volved in the ethnic cleansing cam- André Denis of Quebec Superior paign from 1992-95 in Bosnia and Court sentenced Munyaneza to life in Herzegovina. The prosecutor in his prison with no chance of parole for opening statement said that, “In the 25 years. Munyaneza not only incited course of conquering the territory he genocide, he led a team of Hutu mur- claimed for the Serbs, his forces killed derers as part of the systematic killing thousands of Bosnian Muslims and of at least 800,000 Tutsis and moder- Continued on page 4 2 November 2009 www.theseniortimes.com THE SENIOR TIMES Photo: Martin C. Barry David Woodsworth is a founding member of the NDG Senior Citizens Council Rebel for societal change Martin C. Barry office somehow or to emergency, which is an impossible task for al- Mot du premier ministre When David Woodsworth,a Profes- most anybody at six hours [wait Le jour du Souvenir rend hommage à tous ces sor Emeritus, retired from his job time] or more. Access to a physician’s femmes et hommes, héros de guerre, à l’ines- as director of McGill University’s care is a very significant issue.” timable sacrifice qu’ils ont fait pour que l’avenir School of Social Work decades ago, Woodsworth comes from a family du monde soit meilleur. he decided he wanted to work with for whom social consciousness is a Honorons la mémoire de ceux que la guerre senior citizens.A colleague who had tradition. nous a enlevés, saluons nos vétérans qui sont tou- taught courses on gerontology sug- His uncle, J.S. Woodsworth, was the jours avec nous, et pensons à nos militaires québé- gested Woodsworth’s knowledge of first leader of the Co-operative Com- cois et canadiens qui sont présentement en the elderly was limited. monwealth Federation (CCF), which mission à l’étranger pour défendre la paix, la jus- “This was true, but I learned,” says became the New Democratic Party. tice, la liberté, le respect des droits humains. Woodsworth, 91. In 1986, he became David Woodsworth’s grandfather, Portons fièrement le coquelicot en leur honneur. a founding member of the NDG Rev. James Woodsworth, was a senior Senior Citizens Council. Prior to this, Methodist missionary in western there had been no organization look- Canada. His father was also a Remembrance Day pays tribute to all the men ing after the specific interests of sen- Methodist minister, as was another and women, to all the war heroes, whose ines- iors in the area. uncle. Strong faith would become a timable sacrifices made the future of the world “I don’t think the average person powerful factor in determining better. Let us honour the memory of those who are no understands what it means not Woodsworth’s social convictions. longer with us. Let us salute the veterans who are being able to hear,” he says of the Woodsworth acknowledges that still with us. Let us remember our troops who are types of infirmity that typically beset all this led him into social work. abroad to defend peace, justice, freedom, and re- the elderly.“Hearing and sight are a Despite his politically activist her- spect of human rights. couple of the major physical prob- itage, he insists he isn’t partisan and Let us proudly wear the poppy in their honour. lems. And then there’s the increasing will usually vote for the party whose immobility. policies he favours.While he says he “You cannot go into the Metro, you has voted for three of Canada’s cannot go up and down the Metro leading political parties, he admits stairs, and so therefore what do you he never supported the Conserva- do? You have to take a taxi every- tives. But he says he admired Tory where, but you can’t afford a taxi. prime minister John Diefenbaker “If you’re ill and you need atten- because of his stance on human tion, no doctor will come to the rights. house. You have to go the doctor’s Continued on page 4 www.theseniortimes.com November 2009 3 THE SENIOR TIMES He has social activism in his blood since 1986 Continued from page 3 direction our society has taken in re- As a social worker and commenta- cent decades. tor, Woodsworth says he feels com- “The dominant politics in modern Publisher & Managing Editor Barbara Moser Advertising Jodie Alter, Gloria Beigleman, pelled to warn others in his field of a times is the politics of private enter- Assistant Editor Kristine Berey Shirley Cohen, Sandra Schachter tendency brought on by public pol- prise and ownership. That has been Copy Editor Andrea Shepherd Production & Design Albert Cormier icy, which leads them to accept bu- greatly supported by the demise of Journalists Martin C. Barry, Kristine Berey Web Design Scott Philip Editorial Assistant/Journalist Shannon Rose Front page photo Martin C. Barry reaucratic and legalistic requirements the Soviet Union. So all of these Office Manager Thelma Gearey Printing Hebdo Litho to bring about changes in individuals. things contributed to a great victory.” Sales Manager Jacquie Soloway-Cons Phone 514-484-5033 • Fax 514-484-8254 “It’s the fault of the individual; in Woodworth blames George W.Bush other words, it’s not the fault of the for furthering the interests of private society,” he says, describing the enterprise as a way to deal with socie- mindset. “I would rather emphasize tal organization or problems. DELUXE BUS TOURS the fault of the society.” “The consequence of that has been Acknowledging that this profes- a whole range of errors, omissions Plattsburg NY Sat. Nov 21 sional framework corresponds to a and suffering, which were avoidable $35 rightward shift in politics that started had there been different politics. Christmas Shopping in the 1980s, Woodsworth adds, “I “But you couldn’t have a different American Thanksgiving Black Friday think there is a class difference re- politics because the people who own lated to that. The people who man- the power thought otherwise,” $129 Weekend Special Nov 28-29 dd age things, the movers and shakers, Woodsworth adds. 2 Days 1 Night Breakfast incl. Burlington & Plattsburg are out to protect their own interests. “So it’s basically a power struggle. They come to believe sincerely that The Soviet Union was a prime exam- Rideau Carleton/Racetrack Slots $40 that is the way to do it. I don’t doubt ple of authoritarianism in the name New Year’s Eve Special the sincerity of the prime minister of of doing good for the people. Canada. I think he believes what he “It was probably more repressive Call Claire 514-979-6277 says and does. I just think it’s wrong.” than what we’ve got.

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