Company Law - corporate governance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Company Law - corporate governance - Essay Example The consequences when the policy of the company makes a director a victim or a loop hole in a law makes the company pay compensation for the victim on behalf of the employee can be examined. The points and the necessities found in the above study can form a back ground for the future changes in the law if any. 1 The duties and responsibilities which directors assume are important as they have powers to take majority business decisions. The duties (fiduciary) will be in such a manner that the interests of the company and the stake holders are protected. . This is enshrined in the common law rules and equitable principles. Hence, directors need to take great care to avoid the breaching of any duty under case law. From the case of Foss v Harbottle, it is derived that directors owe a duty to the company due to the fact that the proper claimant to the breach is the 'company itself'. In the case of Savoy Hotel Ltd, company's interests are expressed as 'interests identified with current and future shareholders'. Hence, the inclusion of future shareholders into corporate interests allows management to justify decisions which are made outside the interests of the current shareholders. ... Hence, the inclusion of future shareholders into corporate interests allows management to justify decisions which are made outside the interests of the current shareholders. However in special circumstances, especially during takeover situations, directors are found to carry with them a 'duty of disclosure' towards current shareholders which encompasses the duty to be honest and not to mislead. Similar obligations arise when directors are in control of small private domestic companies (when shares in particular are owned by hands of 'few family members') as they would be indirectly be in place of a 'direct fiduciary capacity'. Thus, directors in these situations would be treated as agents of the shareholders and not the company. 2 Under Section 309(1) directors owes a duty (in regards to their performance) to the interests of the company's employees as well although it is lined with problems of enforceability. It is difficult to determine whether the director has discharged their duty in regards to their performance as they are not bound to prioritise interests of the employees over those of the shareholders. CLRSG even concluded that this provision should be repealed, unless employees interests would serve as an 'incident if promotion shareholders interests'. In regards to insolvent companies, directors are found to owe a duty to creditors (a general body of creditors and not to individual creditor) as their interests are indirectly represented by liquidator. This can be seen in the case of Kinsella v Russell Kinsela Pty and approved in the case of West Mercia Safetywear Ltd Dodd, in which shareholders do not have the power to absolve the breach made by directors to prevent the

Compare and Contrast Goodbye My Brother and Sonnys Blues Essay Example for Free

Compare and Contrast Goodbye My Brother and Sonnys Blues Essay No story can be as touching as family relationships and reconciliation and when it comes to family, two of the most famous stories about brothers are Sonnys Blues and Goodbye My Brother. Goodbye My Brother is said to be one of John Cheevers greatest literary success while Sonnys Blues garnered widespread critical claim for James Baldwin. It is interesting to note that by comparing and contrasting the two, there are a lot of striking lessons about what to do and what not to do when it comes to dealing with family relationships can be learned from these stories. John Cheevers Goodbye My Brother is a story that centers around the Pommeroy family. The family is composed of the widow mother, Mrs. Pommeroy, and her four children named Diana, Chaddy, Lawrence and the one narrating the story. All of the children are grown up and are all living their separate lives and this reunion in particular was a special one because they have not seen Lawrence in four years. Diana is divorced and is living in France, Chaddy is a successful businessman who lives in New York, Lawrence the youngest is a lawyer and the narrator teaches the secondary school. The Pommeroys can be considered as an upper class family who got together in Lauds Head in New England for a family reunion at their old beach house. The narrator openly talked about the siblings general dislike for Lawrence and despite the efforts of their mother, he refused to reach out and be a part of their family. This apparent tension between Lawrence and their mother has a history. Lawrence was only sixteen years old when he said said that Mother was overly strong, mischievous and destructive. He was in boarding school back then and he did not come home for Christmas, after which, he seldom comes home. Everything seems to be going as expected until the unnamed narrator brother beats his brother Lawrence who seemed distance since the beginning of the story. (Cheever, p. 1-10). This melodramatic tale was one of the earliest stories written by Cheever who has been compared with Dante because he perceives God as a mystical being. As a writer he gives emphasis to the incandescence of the earth and it can be aptly observed that many paragraphs from his works hardly pass without him invoking the luminosity of the world. This mystical notion is the reason why many people think that Cheever does not pay attention on God. Goodbye My Brother has a very unexpectedly strange ending. The story ends with Helen and Diane walking like naked goddesses out of the sea and as such, it is safe to say that the title is inconsistent with the ending (Wood, p. 1163). However, other commentators who read this story appreciated the powerful language used by Cheever in the ending. According to them, the ending illustrated the familiarity of the author with King James and Shakespeare (Boyle, p. 1). In general, the mastery of the author in incorporating symbolism through his work can be best appreciated in this ending. It can be noticed that Cheever uses water as a main symbolic element that clearly demonstrates how the ebb and flow of the ocean waters can be related to mens existence. The narrator described the family get together as warm and tender which is in clear contrast with the exasperation that Lawrence is feeling with his family. This story gives the readers an exercise of their point of view as they observe the striking contrast between the optimism and the pessimism of human nature in the personality of the two brothers, the sunny and prejudicial unnamed narrator and his saturnine youngest brother Lawrence. On the other hand, Sonnys Blues by James Baldwin is another masterpiece that the readers love to read about two brothers and since the story of Goodbye My Brother is also about brotherly relationships, most readers can find that a mixture of the two relationships can give them a glimpse of what it would be like if they were to cooperate with each other or let pride and hatred get in the way of family. Sonnys Blues is a story of how two African American brothers react to the â€Å"blues† of each other and how they handle their inner conflicts. The feelings experienced by the main characters is called â€Å"blues†, which is a mental and emotional state that arose from the recognition of the limitation imposed mostly in the case of African Americans by the racial barriers to the opportunities that they often encounter. The narrator, who makes his living as a school teacher and his brother who is a jazz pianist make their way into the world struggling to understand the other party (Flibbert, p. 32). The narrators first instinct was to believe the story in the newspaper. It said that his brother was arrested for dealing with heroin and for him, it was not very hard to believe. He started feeling scared for Sonny and it is here that the narrator has started to relate the fear that he has lived with his whole life. Little did he know that this event will serve as a catalyst for their closeness. While still in shock, the narrator was forced to confront their past. When a friend of the narrator went to his school to bring his the news about Sonny, he said that he abruptly hated him. (Baldwin, p. 2). However, as the narrator continues to express his sentiments, he realizes that he feels a little bit guilty for not listening to him before. The friend goes on to talk about the effects of heroine in the body and as the conversation goes on, a hidden care for his brother can be sensed from the narrator. He even sent a letter to Sonny and this correspondence continues until Sonny returned to New York. This story has several flashbacks that contribute to the readers comprehension of the history of the distance of the two brothers and how they both overcome that distance little by little. In the last scene of the story, the narrator found himself in a jazz club where his brother works and so he understood that this was indeed what Sonnys world looks like. This is where the two brothers were finally reunited by music as the narrator listens to his Sonny and his friends. The usual experience of suffering is one of the things that makes men relate to each other and by denying these feelings, the narrator has denied himself a place among his community and friends. This last scene illustrates how the narrator took one more step into discovering his brother and how through his own suffering and Sonnys example, he found himself in the brotherhood and company of men (Murray p. 197). The common theme of Goodbye My Brother and Sonnys Blues is family relationships. What makes these story appealing and real is the amazing insight that John Cheever and James Baldwin have on familial relationships. These two authors were able to successfully explore the notion of identity and social context in the stories and the readers feel a more personal connection with the character because they were told from a first persons point of view. James Baldwins Sonnys Blues opens when the narrator found out through a newspaper that his brother was arrested for heroin dealing. Interestingly, the two stories involve two brothers but in contrast, Sonny Blues talks about how the two brothers were able to understand each other and Goodbye My Brother talks about the misunderstanding and refusal to reach out between two brothers. The striking contrast can be seen at the ending of the two stories. Goodbye My Brother ends with the bathing of Helen and Dianne at sea. After the fight of the unnamed narrator and Lawrence, nothing was said about them making amends and things were left the way they were. On the other hand, Sonnys Blues ends very well. At first, the two brothers here were distant like the brothers in Goodbye My Brother but over time, they have come to understand each other. Starting from the moment of Sonnys arrest, the two brothers are getting closer and closer and in the end of the story, Sonny declared the narrator as his brother for the very first time (Baldwin, p. 23). Unlike here in Sonnys Blues, the brother in Goodbye My Brother both lack the willingness to reach out and make an effort to fix their relationship and understand each other. Some critics mentioned that the ending of Goodbye My Brother displayed the authors familiarity with the King James version and that of Shakespeares works (Boyle, p. 1). In the same way, Sonnys Blues also depicts Baldwins biblical sense. These two stories both use symbolism which makes the story profoundly interesting to the readers. The narrator Baldwins story can be likened to the character of Cain. In Genesis, after Cain kills his brother Abel, God asks Cain about his brother and he answered by saying that he is not his brothers keeper. The final conversation between the narrator and his mother sends a message to the readers that their mother wants him, to be his brothers keeper but the narrator failed in doing his duty and this failure was made clear in the opening lune of the story. The narrators act of relying on the newspaper to know the whereabouts of his brother is not a sign of keeping his promise to his mother that he will take care of Sonny. As a matter of fact, Sonny did not even phone him after the arrest was made and this only shows the distance between them in the start of the story (Tackach, p. 4). Lastly, both stories carry a social message that many people today will find applicable. In Goodbye My Brother, the refusal of the brothers to fix their broken relationship was the primary factor that led to the violent ending of their relationship and as the title implies, the brothers are ready to cut their bond to each other while in contrast, it is the willingness of Sonny and his brother that led to the harmonious reconciliation of their relationship. Happy ending or not, many people learned what life is like for those who harden their hearts and for those who open them for it is in the shared intensity of suffering that darkness is pierced and a new ray of hope is born. Works Cited Baldwin, James. Sonnys Blues in Vintage Baldwin. New York: Vintage. 2004. Print. Boyle, T. â€Å"On Learning to Appreciate John Cheevers Stories†. NPR. org. NPR. 2006. Web. 2010. http://www. npr. org/templates/story/story. php? storyId=5652619. Cheever, John. The Stories of John Cheever. New York: Random House, Inc. 1978. Print. Flibbert, Joseph. Sonnys Blues: Overview in Reference Guide to Short Fiction. US: St. James Press. 1994. Print. Murray, Donald. James Baldwins Sonnys Blues:Complicated and Simple. NY: Newberry College. 1977. Print. Tackach, James. â€Å"Biblical Foundation of James Baldwins â€Å"Sonnys Blues†. BNET. 2007. Web. 20 May 2010. http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_qa3777/is_200701/ai_n19197653/pg_4/ Wood, Ralph. The Modest and Charitable Humanism of John Cheever. Christian Century. USA: Christian Century Foundation. 1982. Print.

Challenges In Automating Tanzania Academic Library Information Technology Essay

Challenges In Automating Tanzania Academic Library Information Technology Essay The main aim of this paper is to establish the cultural challenges of automating academic libraries in Tanzania. It is evident that many libraries, especially in the developed countries are using automated libraries to retrieve data, hence save space, time and increase efficiency in their daily activities. While there are some automated libraries such as that of the University of Dar es salaam, majority are operating still manually. This paper starts with introducing the paper and defining academic library, automated library, automated librarian and moves forward in identifying some eight cultural challenges that act as a stumbling block to the automation of Tanzanian libraries. Amongst those are poor reading culture, inadequate capital, availability of services, poor infrastructure, lack of ICT skills, lack of management support and the donor funded dependency syndrome. It ends with a conclusion on how best to overcome these stumbling blocks. Key words: Challenges, automated libraries, academic library Introduction In discussing automating Tanzania academic libraries, stumbling blocks in various forms surface, including social, cultural, academic, economic, and infrastructural, to mention a few. As for this paper however, it is intended to highlight the cultural challenges facing the automation of academic libraries. It has to be noted that there are twenty eight academic libraries across Tanzania, in both public and private universities (TLS, 2012). Most of these libraries are operated manually, with few remotely automated. In his paper, Kasulwa (2008), stated that 15 Universities are already in the process of automating their libraries. Out of those, only the University of Dar es salaam seemed at that time to have completed automating its library. This paper tries to address the cultural challenges that are a result of this and provides recommendations on how to overcome these challenges in order to move to a more futuristic library. In understanding the academic library, it has to be noted that this type of library is generally located on the campuses of colleges and universities and serve primarily the students and faculty of that and other academic institutions. Some academic libraries, especially those at public institutions, are accessible to members of the general public in whole or in part. Academic libraries are libraries that are hosted in post-secondary educational institutions, such as colleges and universities. The main functions of an academic library are to provide resources and research support for students and faculty of the educational institution. Specific course-related resources are usually provided by the library, such as copies of textbooks and article readings held on reserve (meaning that they are loaned out only on a short-term basis, usually a matter of hours). Academic libraries offer workshops and courses outside of formal, graded coursework, which are meant to provide students with the tools necessary to succeed in their programs. These workshops may include help with citations, effective search techniques, journal databases, and electronic citation software. Workshops organized by academic libraries assist students in acquiring skills needed in their academic endeavors and in the long run in their occupations, in many cases knowledge otherwise not acquired in classrooms. Depending on the nature of the task that the student or user in general has for the library, an academic library offers both, a quite study place and in some libraries, a discussion area. In North America, Europe, and other parts of the world, academic libraries have become more automated. As a result, users have a variety of choice in selecting their reading resources between printed and digital information as per need (Dowler, 1997). In many libraries, academic institutions have subscribed to electronic journals databases, providing research and scholarly writing software, and usually provide computer workstations or computer labs for students to access journals, library search databases and portals, institutional electronic resources, internet access, and course- or task-related software (i.e. word processing and spreadsheet software). They are increasingly acting as an electronic repository for institutional scholarly research and academic knowledge, such as the collection and du ration of digital copies of students theses and dissertations, heading towards what we call: the futuristic library (Anunobi et al, 2012). Tanzania is making an effort in automating the library services in all its libraries through training, aiding libraries with computers and building the capacity of staff and other stakeholders. The Tanzania Library Association supervises these activities and facilitates them through welcoming paper presentations, hosting workshops and training. Defining the automated library 2.1 The Automated Library An automated library is a robotically controlled device designed to load and unload removable cartridges without operator intervention. Cartridges are imported to and exported from the library. They are loaded and unloaded automatically. The archiving and staging processes use a site-defined scheme for allocating the number of drives to use. Automated libraries are also known as media changers, jukeboxes, robots, libraries, or media libraries. The term automated library can be used to describe a library where all tasks are carried out automatically. Computer programs substitute for the intellectually demanding tasks that are traditionally carried out by skilled professionals. These tasks include selection, cataloguing and indexing, seeking for information, reference services, and so on. The common theme is that these activities require considerable mental activity, the type of activity that people are skilled at and computers find difficult. A good examples of automated library is that of the University of Chicago, that has spent over $80 million on the Joe and Riko Mansueto Library, that is unique and handy to its end users and staff. Instead of filling the library hall with books and journals full of dust, the Mansueto library houses its contents fifty feet below the ground. Students and anyone who wants to check out a book searches the online catalog for the item and fills out a request form. A library attendant then tells the system to retrieve the book, prompting the robotic aspects of the library to take over. The books are retrieved by a robotic arm which returns the storage bin containing the book or item. This is different, in that it reduces lounging around in the library here, everythings much more efficient and quick making a request and picking up the book can often take less than 10 minutes, depending on where the student is on campus. View the video below to get a better idea of how the Mansueto Library does things differently. Its another very smart usage of robotic technology, one that wouldnt be out of place in Japan, where new robo-tech gadgetry seems to make waves every other day. 2.2 The automated Librarian A librarian, the person who looks after the storage and retrieval of information was previously professionally trained and educated to deal with information in a wide variety of formats and settings (WordiQ, 2010). Today, in the automated library, the librarian is expected to helps users to navigate into the voyage of internet and evaluate information efficiently. Librarian offers a helping hand for users to find out the required piece of information and to use it for personal and professional purposes (BLS, 2011). Due to the advent of Internet, World Wide Web and proliferation of online catalogue, the role of librarian has been changed. Now he is more efficient and has new roles as intermediary, facilitator, end-user trainer/educator, web organizer designer, researcher, interface designer, knowledge manager/professional and sifter of information resources (Rao Babu, 2001). Librarian should be knowledgeable in a variety of information sources and follow the new trends and advanceme nts in computers, media and publishing (Careeroverview, 2011). Cultural Challenges in automating Tanzanian Libraries The challenges of automated libraries vary from country to country, while in some instances there are some similarities. Kamba (2011) identifies challenges in Nigeria as being ICT illiteracy, ICT awareness and lack of ICT framework. Muller (2005), identifies challenges facing special libraries in South Africa as being trend change, adding value to the special library, inadequate education on library information service, lack of or inadequate proper benchmarking and lack of succession plan. As for cultural challenges in Tanzania, this paper identifies six major challenges as discussed in the sections hereunder: 3.1 Poor reading culture of many university/college students A survey conducted by the daily news paper in 2011 at the St. Augustine University of Tanzania, reported a poor tendency of individual reading at the library, which resulted to poor assignments and research reports and in some instances even duplication of research reports. It revealed statistics of 60 percent of students enter the library for assignments and research, and 85 percent of those who do visit the library study books that are relevant in their respective courses only. As a result, the language proficiency is low, the research papers have low quality and the theory of I can read has preceded I do read. According to their survey, some students complete their three years in college without having visited the library at all. While this is an example in one university, experience reported in research and surveys reveal that the case is almost similar in many other universities across the country. 3.2 Inadequate Capital This comes in four forms. Inadequate economical, cultural, social and institutional capital. The economic capital is in terms of financial implications in an attempt to get connected, purchase of a computer, train responsible staff and students, build a user friendly infrastructure for the automated library and the likes. Cultural refers to knowledge acquired through cultural expression learned from the family socialization and education institutions. With these statistics, the uneducated outweigh the educated, posing a serious challenge on how the former influence the later in decision making and studying habit. Social means the social networking and relationships benefits one can get from participating in certain library networks and databases related to lending books, journals, papers and research. As for institutional capital, they include issues that mediate all of economic, political and social life. These include bodies that enable and support the initiatives to bring the Inte rnet access. Inadequate capital results into poor libraries with minimum automation, poor staff with little qualification for automated libraries and poorly developed students with limited resources for their education. 3.4 Availability of Service In their survey on service providers, the Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority (TCRA), showed that by June 2010, only 46 (67%) out of 68 ASLs were found operating, 20 of them (30%) were not traced and 2 (3%) were not operational. Out of 46 operational licensees only 38 (83%) of them provide internet service. As a result, availability of service to end user is limited, often unreliable. Hence, even if libraries were to use their services, the library services quality would still be in jeopardy. Uncertainty in availability of services acts as a stumbling block in learning, using and communicating in an automated library environment. 3.5 Infrastructure Barrier Infrastructure includes a shared, evolving, open, standardized, and heterogeneous installed base and by as all of the people, processes, procedures, tools, facilities, and technology which supports the creation, use, transport, storage, and destruction of information, Pironti (2006). The notion of information infrastructures, introduced in the 1990s and refined during the following decade, has proven quite fruitful to the Information Systems (IS) field. It changed the perspective from organizations to networks and from systems to infrastructures, allowing for a global and emergent perspective on information systems. Information infrastructure is a technical structure of an organizational form, an analytical perspective or a semantic network. If some of the component of the automated infrastructure doesnt operate the way it should, then other parts are affected. In Tanzania, if the staff are not well equipped, then they are in no good position to assist students, while if the students dont understand on how to use the infrastructure, then the staff and equipment will not be of any use. Should the staff and students understand the computer and automated equipment, but lack computers and or electricity, then that acts as a stumbling block. Should everything be in order but the service provider are on and off, again it affects the operation of the automated library. Unfortunately, in most of the academic libraries in Tanzania, one of the above mentioned or more are off-order, hence acting as stumbling blocks to the library. 3.6 Inadequate ICT skills Most of the ICT staff and end users lack the proper know-how in usage of ICT equipment. Shortage of computers and low computer student ratio, lead to some students not touching computer for all the three years in their academic endeavor. As a result universities find themselves with graduates who have no skills. Even the staff lack adequate environment to display their talents and use their talents. 3.7 Lack of Management Support Though the library is at the center of any academic institution, the management has not been supportive to modernizing and automating their services. This is often a result of minimal funds, low enrolment, never-ending priorities and ever increasing competition, resulting to investing more in marketing, bettering remuneration and modernizing buildings. 3.8 Donor Funded Dependency Syndrome By definition, donor funded dependency syndrome also known as aid dependence can be defined as a situation in which a country cannot carry out its activities without the assistance of funding and expertise. It is a national pandemic, and has spread in all sectors of the country, academic institutions not exempted. Waiting for sister-colleges to donate computers, printers, books, experts in automation, construction, tools, laboratory equipment and so much more. This again acts as a stumbling block in that in kills creativity on how best to utilize available resources and work on automating their libraries hence save space, time and increase efficiency. Conclusion The significance of automating academic libraries can never be overlooked. The heart of the academic world lies in the library and if that is not updated, operated in an efficient and professional manner, the quality of the product from the local universities will be jeopardized. Running campaigns on significance of automating libraries, providing ICT training to librarian, academic staff and students and building a user friendly infrastructure that can facilitate the smooth running of an automated library will place Tanzania in a better situation academic wise and will assist it to work hand in hand with other universities across the world.

A Comparison of Two Advertisements :: Papers

A Comparison of Two Advertisements Advertisements are messages that are intended to influence and persuade their audience. Their purpose is to raise awareness of the existence of their product in the people whom they target and to promote the benefits of buying or using it. Adverts are paid for by the advertisers and is a major source of income for magazines - approximately 40% of revenues. Without money from advertising, much of the modern media would not exist. Therefore advertising is a commercial business as opposed to ‘free’ publicity like press releases and photo opportunities. A range of advertisers exist in the UK. Many of them are small companies who are trying to promote themselves. Bigger companies will buy in an advertising agency to create the messages in relevant media. Also, the Government spends considerable amounts of money on advertising. They produce two types of advertisements; information (i.e. tax returns) and persuasive (i.e. not to drink drive). I am going to compare and analyse two advertisements from magazines. Magazines have a ready-made pre-defined target audience, so they provide an effective point of contact for advertisers and their target consumers. Both of my chosen adverts are from ‘Bliss’, a teenage magazine aimed at girls roughly aged 11-19. It is the second biggest selling teen title and leads the market in editorial innovation and exciting new ideas. The messages of this type of mainstream magazine are dedicated to the ideal image of a teenage girl who is independent, sexy and looks after her appearance. Fashion, cosmetics and beauty tips take up 50 pages of the magazine, so a substantial part of it is devoted to the improvement of the body and looks. Because image dominates the magazine so much, it seems the ideal medium for advertising lip products. The first advert I have chosen to analyse is advertising a new lipstick. My second advert is promoting is a lip gloss. I am going to scrutinize each advertisement separately, examining how the techniques they have used persuade the consumer to purchase the product, and then

21st Century Racism in Canada Essay

Racism in Canada is one of the least publicised problems modern Canadian society has faced in the Twenty First Century. With the majority of the Canadian and world public holding the census that Canada through its lax immigration policies and political reform, is far from a racist state. This belief is a falsehood that has either been achieved through white lies from history textbooks or a lack of endeavor to uncover the real racial issues that permeate through out Canada. Canada has been and is a racist nation that continues to not face the fact that racism is alive and well in Twenty First Century Canada. Racism towards slaves coming to Canada in search of solace from the racist United States was not an uncommon occurrence in the mid 1800’s before the American civil war. Halifax was the last stop on the Underground Railroad, although what African Americans were coming to was a whole different story. The popular depiction is of slaves that were granted freedom and loved and welcomed into society, as evidenced by this television advertisement. (YouTube) The truth was a lot harsher. In Halifax the majority of freed black slaves resided in â€Å"Africville†, the atrocities of which are not widely known but are still keenly documented. In order to turn â€Å"Africville† from poor black slum to profitable industrial land, the city of Halifax erected a hospital for diseased WWII veterans nearby along with leaving massive mounds of toxic garbage to be incinerated in the same vicinity. (Taylin) â€Å"Africville† is not mentioned in Canadian history books nor do most people across Canada know of its existence. It was nothing short of genocide of people that Halifax felt did not deserve the rights any other Canadian citizen would take for granted. Racism towards black immigrants and natural-born Canadians was not and is not limited to â€Å"Africville† or even Nova Scotia for that matter. Don Oliver a Canadian senator pointed out how most Canadians do not know about great black Canadians. Portia White was a classical musician that was known the world over, and Elijah McCoy’s  invention of modern lubrication for industrial purposes were so famous that it is thought the catch phrase â€Å"The real McCoy† could have been named after him. (Oliver) History books as well as the public because of overt racism tend not to celebrate the successes of black Canadians. Although there are very notable exceptions especially in music such as popular rapper Drake and R&B singer The Weeknd, by and large only in sports and music are the successes of black Canadians prevalent in mainstream media. There have been numerous studies done to show the effect having colored skin has on every day life in Canada. Carlos Teixeira found that black Portuguese Immigrants faced significant disadvantages in housing in comparison to people who were not of color. The Study showed that in the rental market of Toronto, people of color could expect to pay on average 30% higher rental rates versus white counterparts of similar Portuguese descent. He further concluded that people of Asian descent also were subjected to the same treatment. (Teixeira) A further study where over 6,000 mock resumes were sent out showed that applicants that had Chinese, Pakistani or Indian sounding names got 40% less call backs than those with English sounding names. Although it should be seen that this study was conducted in Toronto and a different result perhaps not as favorable towards English sounding names could have been found in Quebec or other parts of Canada. The key point is if racism exists in Canada’s most multicultural city, how widespread and to what severity is racism in the rest of Canada. (Oreopolous, Dechief) The Canadian armed forces are noted world wide as one of the top armed forces, and are known to pay the second highest salary behind only the Australian army. However the racism that Mr. Fowler and Mr. Coward experienced while serving was clearly targeted towards their color. (CBC NEWS) It is impossible to fathom the l ow level of respect garnered for these men who put their lives on the line every day to defend a country that does not give them the respect they deserve simply because of their color. It should be noted that their case is still in the process of being investigated so any judgment as to whether they were subjected to racism cannot be confirmed. A study into Canada’s judicial system showed alarming results that independent juries are more likely to find black defendants guilty approximately 40% of the time more frequently than defendants of other races. This is worrying as it could have significant ramifications for Canadians of African descent residing in  Canada. (Pfeifer, J. E. , Ogloff, J. R. P.) This combined with recent findings in 2011 that black prison populations have risen by 52% since 2000, means that this issue has gone unresolved. Points should further be raised that the majority of the black prisoners are young and are spending their formative years in prison. This could have a knock on effect where they find it hard to integrate properly into society and influence more friends and such and could land themselves back behind bars. This could lead to many defendants getting â€Å"caught in a cycle of criminality†. (Crawford) The facts show that with the current education, welfare and societal norms in place, more and more black youth are behind bars than before and it is thought they will only end up back behind bars. The racism of minorities is probably most controversial when analyzed in the context of the abo riginal peoples of Canada. This is because they were originally not a minority but rather a majority as Canada is technically their land. The aboriginal people have been subjected to racism since the very beginning and the facts show it. â€Å"Aboriginal life expectancy is lower; they have fewer high school graduates, higher unemployment, almost twice as many infant deaths and spend more time in jail. They have lower incomes, enjoy fewer promotions in the workplace and remain, as a group, the poorest in Canada.† (Hutchings) The Indian Act was used to create â€Å"Indian Agents† which acted as sort of police for the aboriginal peoples but in truth denied them basic rights, such as the right to sit on juries, vote or permission was needed to do mundane tasks such as wearing traditional garments off the reserves. It was policies like these that truly segregated the aboriginal people from the mainstream consciousness and must have caused a chasm of sorts to exist between aboriginals and non-aboriginals. To combat this chasm between aboriginals and non-aboriginals Duncan Campbell Scott and the department of Indian affairs came up with the policy of enfranchisement. At first voluntary but later forced enfranchisement was used to basically strip Aboriginals of their Indian status. Getting university degrees, becoming doctors or ministers meant enfranchisement. In short it was trying to send the message that once Aboriginals became civilized and held positions of power and respect within the community they should no longer be looked at as Indian. Furthermore in a sexist as well as  a racist policy any Indian woman who married a non-Indian man would lose her status as an Indian as would her children. Duncan Campbell Scott went on later to state: â€Å"Our object is to continue until there is not a single Indian in Canada that has not been absorbed into the body politic, and there is no Indian question and no Indian Department.† (Hutchings) It was clear from that quote alone that the Canadian governments views on Aboriginals at that time was that they should not exist and should be absorbed into the community. Canada would later give up the goal of enfranchising Aboriginal peoples after the â€Å"Lovelace† case that was brought before the International Court of Human Rights led to the United Nations condemning Canada for its discriminatory policies. It would be 1985 when Canada would pass bill C-31 to remove the discriminatory parts of the Indian Act. The Indian Act also gave the Canadian government the power to erect residential schools. Schools where pupils were malnourished, had to work to make up for inadequate funding and were taught â€Å"dumbed-down† subject material so that â€Å"To this end the curriculum in residential schools has been simplified and the practical instruction given is such as may be immediately of use to the pupil when he returns to the reserve after leaving school.† (Hutchings) This led to segregation of Indians and non-Indians from a very young age. The worst part about residential schools however was the physical and sexual abuse that went underway up until the 1970’s when schools started closing. Children’s tongues would be nailed down for speaking native languages, as well as having semi regular checks of genitalia. The abuse was so widespread and gruesome that the Canadian government pledged over three hundred and fifty million dollars to help the Aboriginal peoples that attended the residential schools. The Canadian government continues to however maintain the Indian Act, which by sheer existence is a blatant act of racism. The act itself means that Aboriginal peoples are treated in a different way than other Canadian citizens, there is no other first world country in the world that has policies that differentiate people based solely on the race. Canada is often seen as very welcoming towards the Asian peoples with a  recent study by the Canadian Immigration showing that by 2031 it is predicted that white people will be in the minority in cities of Toronto and Vancouver. (Young) This however was not always the case with the infamous â€Å"Chinese head tax† that was invoked on Chinese immigrants. The tax rose from fifty dollars to five hundred dollars during the period of 1900 to 1903. This is inexcusable and blatantly targeted those not just of Chinese descent but rather â€Å"Orientals† in general. (Greengrass) The racism towards the Chinese reached a high on July 1, 1923 when the Chinese Immigration Act was invoked. It is more commonly known to Chinese Canadians as â€Å"Humiliation Day†. The act meant that only selected classes of Chinese immigrants would be granted entry into Canada, namely Diplomats, students, children of Canadians and Investors. Canada was now openly using racist policies to pick and choose which class of a certain race of people they wanted to enter their country. Only in May of 1939, was the Chinese Immigration Act receded. In general South East Asian’s were subjected to not being granted entry in Canada simply because of their race. Between 1914 and 1920, only a single Indian was admitted into Canada because of the racist immigration policies in place. The discrimination against Indians came to a head when The â€Å"Komagatu-Maru† passenger vessel was denied entry into Vancouver even though there were three hundred and seventy six Indians on board having sailed all the way from China. (Greengrass) It is quite possible that the worst treatment towards â€Å"Orientals† was in fact towards the Japanese that called Canada home or were otherwise refugees. During the period of the second world war, in 1942 Japanese Canadians were forced to live in camps, the living conditions were only slightly better than the camps that the Nazi’s had built. (Greengrass) The Japanese people were subjected to a comparable fate as Jews would have felt in Nazi Germany, however there was no extermination or genocide on the scale of Nazi Germany. All in all, the biggest conclusion should come through a key exclusion. There is no racial prejudice that has been recorded towards that of â€Å"White Aryan† Canadians. Canada is a racist country and has clearly been one for some time. Although the Canadian government has apologized and tried to make amends the clear sentiment still permeates through the people. It is something I personally felt while residing in Ottawa. Whether Canada likes it or not, by the year 2031, whites will no longer be of the majority in the two biggest cities in  Canada. This brings a certain comfort as change is coming and there seems to be no way to halt it. Those who remain and insist on fielding racist views will be forced to change or may face racism on themselves. Although no two wrongs make a right, it is probably of no comfort to racist Canadians that history does repeat itself. I personally am of the belief that should Canada grow to appreciate what makes different cultures unique and create a â€Å"fusion culture† whereby different customs are integrated into Canadian customs, Canada as a whole will benefit. Works Cited Crawford, Alison. â€Å"Prison Watchdog Probes Spike in Number of Black Inmates.† CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada, 15 Dec. 2011. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. . Greengrass, John. â€Å"A HISTORY OF RACISM IN CANADA’S IMMIGRATION POLICY.† Peoples Commission. Peoples Commission, 13 May 2010. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. . Hutchings, Claire. â€Å"Canada’s First Nations: The Legacy of Institutional Racism.† Canada’s First Nations: The Legacy of Institutional Racism. Tolerence, 04 Feb. 2012. Web. 29 Apr. 2014. . News, CBC. â€Å"‘Systemic’ Racism in Canadian Forces Needs Inquiry, Veterans Say – Nova Scotia – CBC News.† CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada, 13 Mar. 2014. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. . Oliver, Don. â€Å"What It Means to Be Black in Canada.† The Mark News. The Mark News, 14 July 2011. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. . Oreopoulos, Philip, and Diane Dechief. â€Å"Why Do Some Employers Prefer to Interview Matthew, but Not Samir? New Evidence from Toron to, Montreal, and Vancouver.† Metropolis British Columbia Centre of Excellence for Research OnWorking Paper Series N/A 11-13.N/A (2011): 1-68. Http://mbc.metropolis.net/assets/uploads/files/wp/2011/WP11-13.pdf. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. â€Å"A Part Of Our Heritage – Underground Railroad.† YouTube. YouTube, 09 May 2007. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. . Pfeifer, Jeffrey E., and James R. P. Ogloff. â€Å"Ambiguity and Guilt Determinations: A Modern Racism Perspective1.† Journal of Applied Social Psychology 21.21 (1991): 1713-725. Print. Tavlin, Noah. â€Å"Africville: Canada’s Secret Racist History | VICE Canada.† VICE. VICE, 04 Feb. 2013. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. . Teixeira, Carlos. â€Å"Journal of Housing and the Built Environment, Volume 23, Issue 4 – Springer.† Journal of Housing and the Built Environment, Volume 23, Issue 4 – Springer. Springer Science + Business Media B.V., 12 Sept. 2008. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. . Young, Ian. â€Å"Chinese Numbe rs in Vancouver, Toronto to Double by 2031.† South China Morning Post. South China Morning Post, 06 Apr. 2013. Web. 29 Apr. 2014. .

Holocaust Survivor Stories

Holocaust Survivor Stories King,Julie KingMs. ReidEnglish 2201December 13 2013The Holocaust was a time period between January 30 th 1933 to May 8 th 1945 when six million Jews were murdered bythe Nazis during World War 2 [The Holocaust: An Introductory History]. By the end of the Holocaust, two out of everythree European Jews had been killed. 1.5 million children had been murdered, and 1.2 million of those children wereJewish. The rest of the children were either Gypsy or handicapped. Holocaust survivor Abel Herzberg stated: "There werenot six million Jews murdered; there was one murder, six million times." The Holocaust is a history oftorturous events, horror, and sorrow. Although a great number of people were murdered by the Nazis, there's an estimateof 3 million survivors who were willing to share their stories [ BÂ ¼low ].Miriam Rosenthal is a 91 year old Holocaust survivor who currently resides in Toronto, Canada. Rosenthal was one outof seven women able to give birth in he barracks during the cold winte rs inside of sub-camp, Kaufering I in Dachau - oneKing,of the Nazi's first concentration camps. While Rosenthal was four-months pregnant in Auschwitz, an SS officer ordered allpregnant women to line up since their food portions were being doubled. Rosenthal did not step forward, instead she statedthe following: "Something was holding me back. Someone was watching over me. I feel maybe my mother; maybe God."Two hundred women lined up to be deceived by the officers, since the statement was a lie and every woman who lined up,even the ones who weren't pregnant and just wanted more food, got sent to the crematorium to be burned to death.statem A short period of time later two SS men appeared at the Messerschmidt...Block 10 - Medical experimentation block in Auschw...