SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018 Opening gates since 2009 VOL. 11, NO. 1 FORD NIXES MODERN SEX ED OPPONENTS REFUSE TO TAKE ’90S THROWBACK LYING DOWN Rick Telfer he newly elected Progres- sive Conservative gov- ernment under Premier DISCONNECTED REALITIES Doug Ford announced COUNTRY CLUB POLITICS PUT VULNERABLE Ton July 11 that it was repealing the 2015 sexual education up- HERONGATE RESIDENTS IN PERIL date to the health and physical education curriculum for ele- mentary school children. The repeal was one of Ford’s key election campaign promises. The former Liberal gov- ernment, under then-premier Kathleen Wynne, had imple- mented the 2015 curriculum update following widespread FINANCES consultation with parents, stu- Fae Johnston dents, health experts, and ed- at Ottawa rally BEHIND to save sex ANTHROPOCENE ucators. Reports from over 70 education, July 15, health-related organizations 2018, at the Human EXHIBITION BRINGS AN UNFLINCHING VIEW OF HERON Rights Monument were considered in the consul- at 220 Elgin St. HUMAN DOMINATION OF THE PLANET tations and more than 4,000 Photo: Rick Telfer GATE parents were involved in the consultation process. dent of the Elementary Teach- “That is a significant base of The update included addi- ers Federation of Ontario, said voters who not only vote for the “RIGHTS FRAMEWORK” tions such as teaching students that we “know from research PCs but go door knocking for – depending on their grade and practice that having the them,” Johnstone said. “I don’t SHOVES SELF-DETERMINATION PAGE 3 level – about: language to name our body think that Ford cares about sex CLIMATE JUSTICE OTTAWA parts, being empowered to un- ed. I think that he cares about INTO A BOX • the correct names of major derstand consent and healthy catering to, and awarding, his CANADA CONTINUES TO PUT FEDERAL body parts including repro- relationships, and being able political allies for the political PAGE 3 ductive organs; to address issues such as sexism favours they gave him.” INTERESTS OVER INDIGENOUS RIGHTS RALLY FOR • physical changes during pu- and homophobia helps kids Soon after, in a media re- exchange for municipal-type MINIMUM WAGES Andy Crosby berty including breast devel- navigate their social worlds and lease on Aug. 23, Michael powers, which take place at opment in females; in some cases, saves their lives.” Bryant, the Executive Director s business resumed in what Mohawk Policy Analyst PAGE 4 • masturbation as a normal Hammond took specific and General Counsel of the the Canadian House of Russell Diabo refers to as “ter- and healthy behaviour; aim at the “small minority of Canadian Civil Liberties As- Commons on Sept. 17, mination tables.” WHAT IS • different sexual orientations vocal religious and socially sociation (CCLA), called the grassroots Indigenous The Indigenous Activists ISLAMOPHOBIA? and gender identities; conservative parents [who] op- Ford government’s scrapping Amovements began mobilizing Networks argue that the new • Indigenous teachings on hu- pose the current curriculum.” of the 2015 curriculum “a in preparation for the roll-out framework will actually accel- PAGE 5 man development, puberty, He said that many of them “ap- discriminatory misuse of gov- of a legislative overhaul of fed- erate the termination of In- NOW WHAT?! and healthy relationships; pear misinformed about what ernment power – a ham-fist- eral Indian policy this fall. digenous rights process. • sexual harassment, sexting, is actually in the curriculum ed dog whistle of bigotry, of On Sept. 14, the grassroots “Prime Minister Justin and online safety; document that guides class- homophobia, dressed up as a Indigenous groups Defenders Trudeau has launched the PAGE 5 • the varied understandings of room discussion.” consultation fix.” of the Land, Idle No More and largest assault on First Na- ONTARIO BASIC abstinence and factors affect- The Campaign Life Coa- In the same release, the Truth Campaign, who togeth- tions collective rights in the ing decision-making leading lition, for example, has been CCLA announced that it was er comprise the Indigenous 151-year history of Canada... INCOME TRIAL to sexual activity; actively lobbying Doug Ford. It launching a legal challenge to Activists Networks, issued a consistent with the intent of • the proper names of sexually states on its website that “Kath- the repeal of the 2015 curricu- press release calling for direct Pierre Trudeau’s 1969 White PAGE 7 transmitted infections; and leen Wynne’s age-inappropriate lum on the basis of violations action to “stop the Trudeau Paper on Indian Policy,” ac- LES SANS-CULOTTES • consent defined as a clear and anti-scientific sex curricu- of the Canadian Charter of government’s Indigenous cording to their statement, re- “yes,” with “no” or unclear lum… puts children’s physical Rights and Freedoms, the On- rights termination plan.” leased on Sept. 7 in response responses meaning “no con- and psychological health at tario Human Rights Code, and They say that “the existing to the Canadian government’s PAGE 11 sent.” risk” and “makes them more Ontario’s Education Act. path the government is tak- Indigenous rights frame- FINANCES BEHIND vulnerable to sexual predators, Then, in a media release on ing [is] a direct threat to our work engagement document. HERON GATE After repealing the update not less so.” Sep. 4, Elementary Teachers’ sovereignty, our international “What we are seeing now is to the curriculum, the Ford The Campaign Life Coali- Federation of Ontario (ETFO) right of self-determination, the implementation of the government instructed the tion calls itself “the national announced a legal challenge our Treaties and our Aborigi- White Paper through federal PAGE 12 public school systems to revert pro-life organization” and op- of its own, calling the repeal of nal Title and Rights.” law, policy and their proposed FORD’S FREE SPEECH to the 1998 health and phys- poses abortion, doctor-assist- the 2015 curriculum “an un- The Trudeau Liberals’ legis- Recognition Framework.” POLICY ical education curriculum, ed suicide, reproductive tech- precedented and unnecessary lative framework on the “Fed- Diabo sees a long contin- which gives little to no men- nologies, and equal rights for attack on kids and profession- eral Recognition and Imple- uation of federal policy ef- tion of the topics covered in LGBTQ people. al educators.” mentation of the Inherent and forts to subvert Indigenous PAGE 13 the 2015 update. The old cur- A rally “to save sex ed” was Reacting to the Ford gov- Treaty Rights of Indigenous sovereignty and treaty rights MISOGYNY AND RIGHT- riculum, for example, does not held at the Human Rights ernment’s establishment of a Peoples in Canada” aims to re- culminating in the expected WING EXTREMISM teach the names of genitalia, Monument in Ottawa on Jul. “snitch line” to report teachers place the Comprehensive Land legislation. does not teach about breast 15. Fae Johnstone, one of the who continue to teach aspects Claims and Inherent Right “The core objective re- development, does not men- rally’s organizers and a sexual of the 2015 curriculum, ETFO Policies, which have defined mains changing the legal PAGE 14 tion masturbation, does not health educator, told The Level- called it a “waste of public the modern treaty framework and political status of First VENUS ENVY ADVISORY mention specific gender iden- ler in an interview on Sep. 12 funds” because “it ignores the between Indigenous peoples Nations to a ‘fourth level’ lo- tities, and makes no mention that Doug Ford won the lead- systems already in place for and the Canadian government cal ethnic government,” said of consent. ership of the Ontario Progres- parents and educators to deal since the 1970s. Diabo in the Sept. 14 press PAGE 15 In an opinion column pub- sive Conservative Party in part constructively with issues at The latter policies have release. “This will have nega- FUTURE CLIPPINGS lished on Jul. 25 by SooToday. by appealing to hardline social the school level.” ETFO also been oft-criticized for extin- tive, long-term generational com, Sam Hammond, Presi- conservatives. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 guishing Indigenous rights in CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 EDITORIAL The Leveller is a publication covering news, current events, and culture at Carleton University, the University of Ottawa, the Ottawa/Gatin- eau region and, to a lesser extent, the wider world. It is intended to provide readers with a lively portrait of their campuses and commu- nities and of the events that give them meaning. It is also intended to be a forum for provocative editorializing and lively debate on issues of concern to students, staff, and faculty as well as Ottawa residents. The Leveller leans left, meaning it challenges power and privilege and Atari Teenage Riot's Nic Endo sides with people over private property. It is also democratic, mean- ing that it favours open discussion over silencing and secrecy. Within these very general boundaries, the Leveller is primarily interested in being interesting, in saying something worth saying and worth read- ing about. The Leveller needs you. It needs you to read it, talk about it, discuss it with your friends, agree with it, disagree with it, write a letter, write a story (or send in a story idea), join in the producing of it, or just denounce it. It needs you—or someone like you—to edit it, to guide it towards maturity, to give it financial security and someplace warm and safe to live. Ultimately it needs you to become a more truly dem- ocratic and representative paper. Working on an issue of The Leveller is a profoundly GOGOL BORDELLO WILLIAM PRINCE satisfying and sobering experience. Usually we pontificate The Leveller is an ambitious little rag. It wants to be simultaneous- in this space, but do you really need more of that? Do we “Immigraniada (We “The Carny” ly irreverent and important, to demand responsibility from others really need to stay up even later, writing one more diatribe? Comin’ Rougher)” while it shakes it off itself, to be a fun-house mirror we can laugh at Instead we want to leave with some of the music that has ourselves in and a map we can use to find ourselves and our city in.