Witness in tyrant’s trial refused refugee status
Despite playing a major role in a case against Charles Taylor, the man behind a civil war in Liberia and conflicts in Sierra Leone that killed hundreds of thousands of people in the 1990s, Cindor Reeves may be forced to leave his safe haven in Canada, Maclean’s has reported. Reeves was Taylor’s brother-in-law but turned on the tyrant, helping British intelligence forces, ultimately providing evidence to build a case against Taylor in the UN Special Court for Sierra Leone. After being unable to work under the Court’s witness protection program in Europe, Reeves took his family to Toronto. But on Jan. 20 the Immigration and Refugee Board rejected his application for refugee status based on their assessment that he came forth with evidence only for self-preservation. He now faces expulsion to Liberia, bar a successful appeal, even though some of Taylor’s followers have threatened him, saying they will kill him and family members if he returns.
Ryerson BoG gets fake Twitter account
Nowadays, if you don’t like someone much, just start a fake Twitter account and spoof them. @Ryerson_BOG is the handle for Ryerson’s Board of Governors’ unofficial Twitter account, reported the Eyeopener. A sample of a snippy Tweet gem: “Can’t find a course you want to take? That’s ok. It wasn’t important so we cut it. But I’m sure there’s “plenty” of others to choose from.” Regardless of who might be running it, we hope someone gets on making one for Concordia’s elusive and secretive Board of Governors. Like, real soon.
Student running for NDP in Nfld.
It’s never too early to enter politics. Rosie Myers, a student at Memorial University in St. John’s, Newfoundland, will be representing the NDP in a byelection next month, the Western Star reported. Myers will be vying for the seat in the Humber West district, a district vacated by former progressive conservative premier Danny Williams who retired last December. In the 2007 general election the NDP didn’t run a candidate in Humber West, and it has been over a decade since the party’s candidate garnered more than four per cent of the vote in that district. The byelection will be held Feb. 15, about eight months before Newfoundland’s regular provincial election.
Baby for sale! Getcha’ baby herrrre!
Kijiji is the site of many odd items up for sale, but this past week that was taken to a new, human level. A young mother from Sydney, Nova Scotia was shocked when police showed up at her door asking whether she had put her baby up for sale on the classifieds website. Police were contacted the week before by someone who had seen the ad for the two-month old child and went to make sure the boy was safe. The police said the parents were unaware and feared, because the address was included in the posting, that the baby might be in danger. The ad has been taken down, but police are still working to find the person behind it.
