News & Features
Local Article:
Staff from at least 16 federal ministries/departments is unaware of where clothing made for civil servants was produced, and under which working conditions. These departments do not track garment purchases by country of origin. Unfortunately, it is well known that the working conditions in third-world countries where most clothing is produced are less than acceptable in terms of Canadian standards. Sweatshops are a serious issue facing those countries. Is Canada endorsing sweatshops by purchasing garments with no knowledge of where, and under which circumstances the clothing was produced? People who are forced to work in sweatshops due to their economic situation are not being treated fairly or ethically. Is it Canada’s moral duty to demand information and solely work with manufacturers that provide safe working conditions for their employees?
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2014/05/16/ottawa_still_dragging_feet_on_garment_industry_reform_activists_say.html
National Article:
Physician-assisted suicide is becoming a hot topic among politicians and parties. The federal Liberal party, led by Justin Trudeau, recently committed to de-criminalizing physician-assisted suicide. Often confused with euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide entails the doctor’s help in providing the medicine, while the patient him/herself takes the final step. Is this ethical? Physicians are tasked with saving lives, not taking them. To religious people, only God should have the authority to control life and death. Additionally, will legalization result in abuses against the elderly and disabled? Physician-assisted suicide has been debated for years, and the question remains: is killing ethical, even if the patient chooses that fate for him/herself?
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/03/19/canadas_shifting_landscape_on_euthanasia.html
International Article:
When news of the Syrian regime’s use of chemical weapons on its civilians emerged, the world expected the United States to intervene. Although this is a terrible issue that needs to be dealt with immediately, there are various other institutions and countries that are more directly related to the situation. Can an American intervention be considered a ‘just war’? Does the duty fall on them to protect others? Do they have the right and ethical intention behind an attack? There are many factors to consider for an American intervention in Syria to be looked upon as reasonable and ethical. Can it be viewed as a ‘just war’, or are there other alternatives that deserve to be acknowledged?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/30/syria-conflict-just-war-theory_n_3839287.html