Your Daily Spiel for August 31
Maxwell Smart and Irwin Cotler were honoured this week at a Canadian Friends of Tel Aviv University’s black-tie dinner in Montreal; Israeli police have announced a move to criminalize lap dancing at strip clubs; and American Jewish actress Emmy Rossum has announced that the upcoming season of Shameless will be her last.
Maxwell Smart, Irwin Cotler honoured at Montreal gala
The theme of the Canadian Friends of Tel Aviv University’s black-tie dinner, which was held at the Montreal Science Centre on Aug. 26 and attended by over 550 guests, was “Never Again.”
Your Daily Spiel for August 27
U.S. Sen. John McCain has died; a Jewish gunman has killed two people and wounded 11 others at an eSports tournament in Jacksonville; and Pulitzer-Prize winning playwright Neil Simon has died at the age of 91.
Canada-Saudi dispute ‘almost inexplicable,’ Irwin Cotler says
Saudi Arabia’s reaction to Canada’s call for the release of two activists was self-defeating, the international human rights lawyer and former justice minister says.
Venezuela is committing crimes against humanity: experts’ report
The Venezuelan government under President Nicolas Maduro should be investigated for crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, according to a panel of independent international experts appointed by the Organization of American States.
Vladimir Putin’s ‘No. 1 enemy’ urges G7 to sanction Russian officials
Bill Browder, who amassed billions of dollars in an investment fund in Russia in the early 1990s, is on a relentless mission to expose the Russian president as, not only corrupt, but having blood on his hands.
Jewish community members discuss plight of asylum seekers in Israel
Around 150 people packed Holy Blossom Temple’s social hall in Toronto for a discussion of the Canadian Jewish community’s response to the tens of thousands of African asylum seekers living in Israel.
Irwin Cotler urges Israel to reverse its policy on African migrants
Israel should halt its plan to deport or imprison thousands of African migrants who are currently living in the country, says human rights activist and former justice minister Irwin Cotler.
Cotler calls on UN to help retrieve the bodies of slain Israeli soldiers
Irwin Cotler called for the return of the remains of two Israeli soldiers who were killed in action during Israel’s 2014 conflict with Hamas.
After passage of Magnitsky law, Cotler urges others to follow suit
Irwin Cotler is urging Canada to use its influence to persuade other countries to adopt a so-called Magnitsky law.
