Parliamentary Protective Service accused of discrimination

Local

According to an article from CBC News the PPS (Parliamentary Protective Service) is conducting an internal investigation, following complaints that its staff discriminated against a group of black visitors to Parliament Hill earlier this week.

Nova Scotia Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard filed a complaint with the PPS following the incident in which it is alleged 150 community members, who were attending the Black Voices on the Hill day event, were referred to as “dark-skinned people.” The group also says they were asked to leave a parliamentary cafeteria, despite having valid parliamentary passes.

National

According to CTV News Alexandre Bissonnette, 29, the man who murdered six people in a Quebec mosque in January 2017 was sentenced to 40 years in prison before he will be eligible for parole.

The Crown pushed for a 150 year sentence for Bissonnette, which would have been the longest sentence in Canadian history. Bissonnette’s lawyer, Charles-Olivier Gosselin wanted Bissonnette to be eligible for parole after 25 years. In a sentencing hearing that extended for hours, Quebec Superior Court Justice Francois Huot commented on the impact of the crime on the victims as well as the mental health of Bissonnette before handing down the sentence.

International

According to an article from CNN Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio has declared rape to be a national emergency, yesterday, following recent incidents in which minors were sexually assaulted.

Bio stated that “As a nation, we must address this scourge. Sexual penetration of minors is punishable by life imprisonment.” This follows a promise Bio made in December to enforce tougher penalties for rape. These developments follow calls from activist and Bio’s wife, Fatima Bio, for the country to do more to protect women and children from sexual violence.