RCI viva : Radio Canada International

After the near-collapse of Canada's West Coast salmon stocks, the fish have returned in huge numbers. But, as Lynn Desjardins reports, it's a mixed blessing for British Columbia's commercial fishing industry.

Want to help Pakistani flood victims, but don't have a lot of money? One Mississauga resident dreamed up a clever way for Toronto residents to send shelter to Pakistanis affected by the floods. We speak to Asma Mahmood about Tents from Toronto.

Last year, nearly 57,000 Canadians joined forces to clear coastal areas of debris. It was all part of the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. We talk to Jill Dwyer, the Cleanup's program manager, about why so many Canadians are getting involved, what they're finding in the water, and why it's so important to keep our coasts clean.

The province of Ontario is planning to provide full-day kindergarten in all of its public schools. A new study shows economic benefits would be greater than the cost, but not everyone thinks it's a good idea.  Lynn Desjardins reports on the pros and cons.

Lynn Desjardins tells us about a Canadian consortium that has an innovative new design for housing in Haiti. The houses, which are easy to assemble and can withstand heat and earthquakes, will be entered in a competition to provide housing for earthquake victims.

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield talks to Marc Montgomery about his participation in the Pavilion Lake Research Project in British Colombia and how NASA is using the scientific exploration of this very unusual lake, as a dress rehearsal for human exploration of other planets.

Canada's doctors are calling for a ban on the commercial sport of mixed martial arts. But, as Lynn Desjardins reports, proponents of the sport reject the doctors' warnings that this form of extreme fighting is barbaric and too often causes brain injuries.

Canada has about 2,000 energy-generating wind-turbines and thousands more in the works. But, there's no uniform way of measuring the noise they make. Marc Montgomery talks to engineer Steven Titus of the Toronto firm, Aercoustics, which has been contracted by Ontario's Environment ministry to find the best way to do that.  

We hear about Operation Nanook, the Canadian Military's Arctic Sovereignty exercises in the far northern reaches of Canada and how they're being received in the tiny Nunavut hamlet of Resolute Bay.

Canadians are ramping up their donations for Pakistan flood relief.  And, as Lynn Desjardins reports, the Canadian government has announced it will match private donations dollar for dollar.

Should someone who has been displaced because of a climate disaster be treated differently than someone fleeing war or persecution? Because if climate change experts are right, we'll be seeing more environmental refugees in the future. So what should we be preparing for? And what should Canada's role be? We ask three people, two refugee lawyers and a filmmaker who's looked into the topic to weigh in on this issue.

A Russian fisherman who jumped ship in Halifax harbour 10 years ago - only to be deported later - has returned to Nova Scotia, this time as a skilled immigrant. We hear his story from our reporter in Atlantic Canada, Robert Jaros.

The Link's producer, Levon Sevunts, talks about his feature documentary about how Europe's anti-sealing campaign is threatening the survival of Inuit culture in Canada's far north.  

International aid agencies are having to make some heart wrenching choices as the food crisis in the Sahel region of West Africa goes from bad to worse.  The United Nations World Food Programme is now having to pick and choose who will be fed and who will go hungry. We talk to Robert Fox, the head of Oxfam Canada.

A group of immigrants from Africa is accusing a forest company in British Columbia of racism. Correspondent Lorn Curry tells us the B.C. government has ordered an investigation into the workers' allegations that they were subjected to racist taunts and dangerous living conditions at the company's work camp.

We talk to two immigration lawyers, Doug Cannon and Daniel McLeod as Canadian authorities wait to assess the status of a group of as many as 500 refugees aboard the MV Sun Sea docks at Esquimalt on Vancouver Island. Both lawyers worked with some of the people in the large group of Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka who landed on Canada's West Coast last year in October aboard the Ocean Lady.

The floods in Pakistan are a disaster of  epic proportions. In terms of the number of people affected, it's worse than the tsunami of December 2004, with millions of people caught up in the flooding. Worse than the earthquake in Haiti. And yet, it doesn't feel as immediate. Why? We talk to several sources who help us understand the situation in Pakistan and what our role as Canadians should be, including Omar Hayat, a regular voice on The Link, who talks about his perspective on what’s happening in his country of origin, Khalid Usman, a Pakistani-Canadian in Markham, Ontario who’s raising money for flood victims and Rahul Singh, founder and director of GlobalMedic, a disaster relief organization that’s already sent one team to Pakistan and is working on sending a second team.

Environment Canada has issued it's first National Pollutant Release Inventory. It documents the tonnes and tonnes of toxic chemicals that are released into the environment as by-products of oil-sands and metal mining operations in this country. We talk to Justin Duncan of the group Ecojustice Canada who went to court to compel Environment Canada to release that information.

The Inuit people of Canada's far North have won a significant legal battle: An injunction was issued this past weekend against the seismic testing being planned for Lancaster Sound. We talk to the lawyer who successfully argued on the Inuit's behalf.

The fires that have been destroying vast swaths of Russian forest in recent weeks have raised concerns that they may also be releasing radioactivity that had been stored in the vegetation since the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 1986.  We talk to Dr Gordon Edwards, the president of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility.

Should foreign soldiers who want to avoid being sent to war because they don't believe in their country's motives, be allowed to stay in Canada on humanitarian grounds? Or should they be considered criminals because they've broken civil and military law in their own country? Immigration Lawyer Guidy Mamann explains Canadian rules for these issues and then Gerard Kennedy, Liberal MP, talks about his private member's bill that would allow deserters and draft dodgers to stay.

It takes 20,000 volunteers and 45 different ethno-cultural groups to mount the annual Folklorama Festival in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The festival is on now (until August 14th), and Victor Nerenberg reports on his conversation with festival director Ron Gauthier.

An overview of the catastrophic floods in Pakistan and how the response to the disaster is affecting the balance of power in that country and potentially weakening democracy there, followed by a look at what's being done in Canada to help Pakistani flood victims.

Correspondent Frank Rackow introduces us to Michael Roberts who is part of a Canadian-led effort to stop disease and illness in rural Cambodia with an award-winning invention. It's a low-tech, affordable latrine system that aims to eliminate the contaminated water that comes with inadequate sanitation.

A group of Canadian researchers recently made some new finds. A Canadian Coast Guard vessel equipped with an underwater research robot has helped the scientists discover several new deepwater species.  Dr. Ellen Kenchington talks about finding these delicate sea creatures.

Ahmad Zia is an Afghan-Canadian who spends most of the year working as a reporter for Afgahnistan's biggest newspaper, Kabul Weekly. He talks to about life in the capital and his hopes for Afghanistan’s people.

We look at a major archaeological find: The discovery of HMS Investigator, a ship that sank in the High Arctic more than a century and a half ago as it searched for the Franklin expedition which itself had been lost as it tried to find the fabled Northwest Passage from Europe to the Orient.

Here's a riddle: What happens when the smallest organisms in the sea start to die off? Answer: You don't want to find out. Marine researchers in Halifax have compared a century's worth of phytoplankton readings and find there's been a steady decline. Daniel Boyce, one of the lead scientists on the study, tells us what this means to the rest of the food chain.  

The internet is a goldmine of valuable information about people and services.  But finding that particular person or service you're looking for isn't always that easy.  Now a new online company from Alberta wants to help out by highlighting key opinion makers on the internet.

Concordia University Associate Professor of Political Science and Afghanistan researcher Julian Schofield says the thousands of documents that were made public through WikiLeaks online reveal little new information. But he says he's hoping the effect of the leak will be to turn public opinion against the war.

New York City has a plan to gas thousands of Canada Geese who're seen as a nuisance there. But, even bird experts say it's no big deal. We talk to Jeff Wells, senior scientist with the Boreal Songbird Initiative.

The Canadian government is going ahead with undersea seismic mapping in Nunavut's Lancaster Sound. We hear from an environmental group and an Inuit people's organisation about the prospect of oil and gas exploration in one of the world's richest and most fragile eco-systems.

Zimbabwe literally means House of Stone, and with over 200 varieties of stone from which to choose, it's no surprise that many Zimbabwean artists become masters of the art of stone sculpture. We meet a Shona artist and the gallery owner who's brought him and his work to Canada.

Correspondent Lorn Curry tells us about a project looking at the impact of the growing number of Asian religions in British Columbia.

Preparations are being made for the repatriation of the remains of 22 Inuit people whose graves were robbed back in 1927 and their bones spirited away to the Chicago Field Museum. We talk to Johannes Lampe, the Minister of Culture in the Nunatsiavut Inuit government about the return of those people's remains to their ancestral home.

China recently surpassed the United States of America as the world's most voracious energy consumer. And, increasingly China is turning to Canada to meet those needs. We talk to the head of the University of Alberta's China Institute, professor Wenran Jiang.

Can a new constitution be the starting point of a peace process for war-torn Somalia? A United Nations team of experts and Somalia's transitional government are certainly hoping so. We talk to a Canadian involved in the process of drawing up a new constitution for Somalia: David Cameron, the chairman of the department of political sciences at the University of Toronto.

It’s a dilemma for many newcomers: Should you visit your family abroad this summer or get to know your country of adoption? Or, how about just relaxing on a faraway beach? On our panel today, a discussion about what vacations are made of for many immigrants in this country.

With more and more life-forms disappearing, and the countries of the world failing to meet their targets for slowing biodiversity loss on our planet, we look at Canada's efforts in the United Nations Environmental Programme's Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. 

Often, the most frustrating part of being a small business owner is feeling like you work in isolation and having no one to help you with your decision making. But there's a website out there that has been created specifically to help Canadian small business owners make savvy decisions, especially, when it comes to marketing.

Do you have the new iPhone 4? Have you been disappointed by its lack of reception? Before you return it, consider the fact that you might own the safest cell phone on the market! Dr Magda Havas, an expert on the biological effects of environmental contaminants, thinks that Apple's so-called design flaw is a blessing in disguise. Because she says your regular cell phone might be killing you. Literally.

Fifty years after the discovery of a thousand-year-old Viking settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, Canada's easternmost province is celebrating that unique aspect of its colourful heritage today. It's holding a re-enactment of the historical day when a Norwegian archaeologist met with the Newfoundland fisherman who led him to the discovery of a lifetime. We talk to Birgitta Wallace, the world-renowned archaeologist emeritus from Parks Canada and to Historic Sites Manager, Trudy Taylor-Walsh.

Toronto correspondent Lyne-Francoise Pelletier reports on a group of young Muslim women who take to the airwaves to talk about things that are not openly discussed in their communities: topics like homophobia and sexuality.

We examine the case of Capt. Robert Semrau who was convicted by a court martial of disgraceful conduct in the battlefield shooting death of a severely wounded Taliban fighter.

A recent article in the Washington Post raving about Canada's capital, Ottawa, being the unselfconscious cool capital with an easy cosmopolitan nature, has stirred quite a bit of reaction in Canada. The Link's Valérie Morand brings us the reactions from people living in Ottawa.

We head out West today to visit the Calgary Stampede and find out about how organizers are addressing complaints by animal welfare groups following the death of several horses at this year's event.

The misadventure of the Iroquois Nationals Lacrosse team, stranded in New York while on its way to Britain because of their Iroquois passports, raises awareness of sovereignty issues of aboriginal nations in Canada and the United States. Aboriginal activist Kenneth Deer tell us more about the Iroquois nations, their history and their sense of identity.

Canada's smallest province, Prince Edward Island, has welcomed record numbers of newcomers in recent years. But most eventually settle elsewhere in Canada. East Coast reporter Robert Jaros examines whether the island province just a stepping-stone for immigrants.

A woman in Iran faces a death sentence after being convicted of adultery. The sentence has caused an uproar around the world. We talk to an expert on Iran about the case and the reasons for the international attention it is getting.

The federal government is changing the way Canadians fill out the census form. Now, only the short form will be mandatory. Filling out the long form will be voluntary. Many groups, from statisticians and health care officials to businesses and social aid agencies are concerned. We find out why from a couple of groups who say the move will be detrimental in a variety of ways.

A squad of China's famed terracotta soldiers has invaded the Royal Ontario Museum. Correspondent Lyne-Francoise Pelletier tells us about a new exhibit showcasing the life-sized statues for the very first time in Canada.

We take a closer look at this invasive plant species, which was brought to Canada by enthusiastic Victorian era gardeners for its spectacular appearance. David Galbraith, the head of science at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton, Ontario tells us how it now serves as a cautionary tale, teaching us what happens when we introduce alien species to new environments.

Tibetans around the world have until August 18th to register to vote for the next leader of their Government in Exile. The Kalon Tripa, Tibet's most influential leader after the Dalai Lama, is set to be elected on March 20th, 2011. Tibetans in Canada and India have launched a website to help get the vote out. We talk to Dicki Chhoyang, the co-coordinator of www.kalontripa.org.

We meet Rafael Zaldivar, an up-and-coming Cuban born jazz pianist who's making his way on Canada's jazz scene, only five years after he adopted Canada as his new home.

Canada's Bosnian community yesterday marked the fifteenth anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre, the worst act of violence in Europe since the Second World War. We'll hear how they remembered the victims and what they're doing to get the Canadian government to recognize the massacre of over 8-thousand men and boys, as genocide.

We make a return visit to Haiti six months after the earthquake that devastated the impoverished island.  Our guests tell us how hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign aid is being spent and what progress is being made.  We also hear about the role Canada is playing in rebuilding Haiti, and helping the country get on its feet.

We talk to the head of Canada's Climate Action Network about a campaign by the country's leading business organisation, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, to prevent adoption of legislation requiring Canada to significantly reduce the amount of pollution being spewed into the environment.

With the appointment of legal scholar David Johnston as Canada's new vice-regal representative, we take a look at the office; and, the governor general's role in the country's system of government.

After more than a year of being shut down for repairs, the nuclear reactor at Canada's Chalk River is going to be re-started. But is the 53-year-old facility really fixed? We hear from the president of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility, Gordon Edwards, who says there are still problems.

Football (soccer) fans of the world are on pins and needles as the World Cup comes down to Sunday's all-European final pitting the Netherlands vs Spain. We've convened a panel of soccer lovers and asked them to share their thoughts and emotions about the past month in South Africa.

It's been more than a month since nine people died after Israeli soldiers boarded several boats headed for Gaza as part of a mission to draw attention to the situation of Palestinians there. Today we talk about the raid and what's happened since then.

The Fantasia Film Festival, two and a half weeks of fantasy and horror films, begins in Montreal tonight with a screening of the newly restored, Fritz Lang classic, "Metropolis." Correspondent Carmel Kilkenny tells us about the event and talks to Vancouver's Clement Cheng about the Canadian premiere of his Kung Fu comedy, "GALLANTS."

In April, Immigration minister Jason Kenney said he was changing the rules for live-in caregivers to protect them from abuse. But, some critics warn a number of the changes go too far while others say the changes are ineffective. We hear from two of those critics.

Canadians are being invited to share their culinary creativity once again this year as part of Food Day Canada. Food author Anita Stewart tells us about the upcoming 2010 edition of the Canada-wide food-fest, being held Saturday, July 31st.

Toronto correspondent Lyne-Francoise Pelletier tells us about Ryerson University latest "DiverseCity Counts" study, which reveals a big gap between the proportion of visible minorities in the Greater Toronto Area and the number who occupy leadership roles.

Of the 12,000 Sudanese-Canadians who live in the province of Alberta, most came to this country as war refugees. But, their stories have gone largely undocumented... until now. Calgary correspondent Frank Rackow introduces us to Kuir É Garang, a young Sudanese man in Calgary who is writing poetry and fiction based on his experiences, both as a refugee and as a new Canadian.

We get the latest on the humanitarian crisis in Kyrgyzstan following the violent ethnic clashes there last month. We speak with Human Rights Watch who are concerned about new abuses, especially targeting the Uzbek community; and we take a look at what the newly voted constitution should mean for the stability of this region.

We take a look at the first-ever photograph of a planet orbiting another star. It was produced by astrophysicist David Lafreniere of the Universite de Montreal, who explains what the planet and its sun tell us about the formation of solar systems.

Aid agencies have been warning for months that West Africa was heading for another famine. Now, some 10 million people, mostly in Niger and Chad, are facing starvation. We talk to Raphael Sindaye, the Deputy Regional Director for Oxfam in West Africa who is overseeing the agency's response to the crisis.

A chat with Paul Nguyen, the recipient of this year's Paul Yuzyk Award for Multiculturalism. Mr. Nguyen tells us how he goes about improving race relations by putting the neighbourhood he grew up in, Toronto's notorious Jane Finch area, on-line. JaneFinch.com is a labour of love that has become a community hub that's accessed from around the world.

We talk to Laura Cliché, one of the Canadian delegates to the non-governmental People's International Observers Mission during the May election in the Philippines, about her campaign for the release of 43 political prisoners in the Philippines.

We talk to Susan Lambert, the president  of The British Columbia Teachers' Federation, who’s just returned from Honduras, about  the newly inaugurated independent commission that is to deal with the human rights abuses that have occurred in Honduras since the coup that was carried out a year ago this week.

What does it mean to be Canadian? On the occasion of Canada's birthday today, we look at what defines the Canadian identity with Myer Siemiatycki the founding director of Canada's first graduate programme in Immigration and Settlement Studies at Ryerson University in Toronto.

Andrew Fazekas, Montreal Gazette columnist and contributing writer for National Geographic News online, takes a look at how the web can help in planning your next great outdoor adventure.

Northwestern Somalia's breakaway Somaliland region just held free and fair presidential elections, another reason its supporters say Somaliland's self-declared independence from lawless Somalia should be recognised by the international community. We hear perspectives from both sides of the issue with university professor  Ahmed Samatar and economist Rashid Osman.

Immigration minister Jason Kenney is taking another stab at shrinking Canada's backlog of immigration applications. One year ago, he made changes to the Federal Skilled Workers program. Now he's changing it once again. We hear more from immigration lawyer Guidy Mamann.