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"Courage is contagious." That's what Edward Snowden had to say on the Panama Papers leak that gave us a glimpse into the hidden world of offshore tax shelters -- that cost the world's public coffers an estimated $32 trillion globally -- and about $200 billion in Canada.
How the global 1% stash their cash remains elusive, and so far only one Canadian has been named, though 450 or so are known to at least the CBC. But what can we learn from the largest data deluge to date? Two things.
First, Justin Trudeau hasn't exactly been courageous when it comes to shutting down tax havens. The previous government audited charities but at the same time de-clawed the Canada Revenue Agency's investigative powers, creating the conditions for the tax agency to bully the little guy. And so far Trudeau hasn't done enough to undo that dynamic and in many cases the audits of charities initiated by Harper are still ongoing.
The other, larger lesson is that independent media is becoming the focal point of 21st-century investigative journalism. The network that released the Panama Papers, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, and its non-profit parent Center for Public Integrity, are part of the independent, progressive media scene founded by the very same anti-establishment sentiment and desire for reform that resulted in the creation of sites like rabble.ca all around the globe -- all of which are reader-supported through donations. So if you haven't already visited our donate page, be sure to do that. You'll be helping us keep our hard-hitting editorial content coming, including our own analyses of the Panama Papers next week.
The NDP convention begins tomorrow, and in the lead-up to it, analysts, activists and NDP members have spoken out about the party's future, especially when it comes to leadership. Catch up on all the commentary on rabble, weigh in with your opinion, then follow all of our post-convention analysis here!
Toronto will host the weekend-long 2016 Marxism conference April 22-23 at the University of Toronto Multifaith Centre. This year's annual conference is all about ideas for real change! Though the Liberals have given many hope after almost a decade of brutal Conservative rule, pipelines are still being built, soldiers are still marching to war, and the 1% are getting richer. In so many ways, things are still the same. Find all the details here.
This week's top newsDocumentary film on mining in South Africa opens Vancouver South African Film Festival
"The Shore Break" is the award-winning documentary film that tells the tale of the Pondo people and their opposition to the titanium-mining proposal. A fascinating film that opens Friday in Vancouver!
By David Chudnovsky Homeless deaths in B.C. spike by 70% from previous year, report finds
rabble spoke with Megaphone Executive Director, Sean Condon, about its recent report on homeless deaths in B.C. and what can be done, especially by the provincial government, to end homelessness.
By Alyse Kotyk Refugee family sponsored by Unifor one step closer to coming to Canada
Union-sponsored Syrian refugee families waiting for immigration clearance could be settled in Canada by the end of the year following a recent decision to restart application processing.
By Teuila Fuatai B.C. Supreme Court rules in favour of tent city residents
In a decision announced Tuesday, the B.C. Supreme Court refused to grant the Province of B.C. an injunction against SuperIntent City campers.
By Alyse Kotyk Proportional representation is not 'too complicated' -- the fix is in
The voting reform debate in Canada is full of confusing and nonsensical statements about proportional representation. And that's intentional. But here's the truth!
By Stuart Parker Finding the right moment to intertwine progressive movements
Amira Elghawaby reports back with a snapshot of the Broadbent 2016 Progress Summit including Gloria Steinem's keynote speech, the need for intersectionality, and xenophobia in Canada.
By Amira Elghawaby Criminalizing farmers' activism in Colombia
Farmers in Colombia are being systemically detained, say many human rights lawyers. Why is this practice occuring and what is the impact of these mass arrests?
By Fernanda Sánchez Jaramillo
This week's top blogsBlack Lives Matter. Tweets don't.
A controversial tweet by a Black Lives Matter TO founder has incited a media frenzy to delegitimize the BLMT movement based on the "findings" from one radio talk show host.
By Cheryl Thompson The secret to the revival of the fastest animal on the planet -- and what could put it all at risk
Peregrine falcons have returned to Ontario, rebounding dramatically from their complete extirpation in the 1960s. But why are they doing so well? It's a case of country bird and city bird.
By Jen Halsall Marie Henein: Not a feminist, not a surprise
The fact that Marie Henein is smart, successful and good at her job does not make her a feminist.
By Meghan Murphy Only an inspiring, visionary leader can bring the NDP back from its spectacular failure
Canada still needs the NDP. But it needs an NDP that is both inspiring and competent, visionary and responsible, principled and practical.
By Peggy Nash The Ghomeshi trial isn't another setback for feminism. It's proof we're winning
Viewing the Ghomeshi trial as it should be: a feminist victory -- the last vestige of misapprehensions around sexual assault in the public eye -- or at least, the beginning of the end.
By Nora Loreto, Sarah Beuhler
This week's top columnsMonarch butterflies face substantial risk of extinction
Preventing monarch extinction will require active intervention by humans on a variety of fronts. It's an opportunity for those of us who believe that abundant nature enhances the quality of our lives.
By Ole Hendrickson 'The Struggle for Democracy' offers framework for assessing democratic change
From the Arab Spring to the Zapatista uprising, our era of globalization has been characterized by democratic rebellion. A new book asks how to define genuine democratic transformation.
By Thomas Ponniah The bots are coming
Last week was a great time to be a bot. Everybody was talking about you, especially Microsoft. But what exactly is a bot and what does it mean for digital technology?
By Wayne MacPhail The crisis in the NDP
As delegates prepare for the April 8-10 Edmonton convention, the federal NDP membership is in turmoil. The New Democratic Party needs to redefine itself in a new political environment.
By Duncan Cameron As its convention approaches, the NDP faces its biggest test yet
It is an interesting paradigm shift: for 10 years, Stephen Harper fantasized about disappearing the Liberal Party. Now the Liberals are in a position to destroy the NDP.
By Murray Dobbin The real poison pill in the TPP
Canadians have many reasons to be concerned about the Trans-Pacific Partnership. But the real poison pill in the TPP lies in its "investor-state dispute settlement" mechanism. Here's why.
By Digital Freedom Update, Meghan Sali
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Artist and historian Bahia Shehab on the Arab Spring, memory, art, and why beauty is 'a Western luxury'
The TED Senior Fellow and UNESCO Accomplished Women Speaker shares her thoughts on the Arab Spring, and choosing between being a spectator or participant in times of revolution.
By Charlene Sayo Towards a feminist re-imagining of motherhood
Candida Hadley, Susanne Marshall, and Andrea Smith talk about the work of the Halifax Motherhood Collective.
By Scott Neigh Net safety: Gender and the Internet
From a panel titled Gender and the Internet, held at the Internet Governance Forum in Brazil in November 2015, five speakers describe harmful and helpful uses of the Internet.
By Mindy Ran Kristin Henry brings fight against Site C to downtown Vancouver
Kristin Henry was on hunger strike outside BC Hydro offices on Dunsmuir Street for 19 days. She was taken to hospital on March 31. We speak with Peace River Valley farmer Sage Birley.
By Redeye Collective Honduras: Tragedy and hope
Honduras was in the spotlight with the recent murder of environmentalist Berta Caceras. But that's not stopping World Accord of Waterloo from working with their Honduran partners.
By Victoria Fenner
This week's top booksThe legacy of colonization: Two poets 'dance with memory' and 'cock a fist'
The legacy of residential schools is a horrible scar on Canadian history. Two poets address the impact of residential schools in two profoundly different ways: the imagined and the personal.
By Clarissa Fortin
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