June2009

	The Royal Canadian Mint says $15.3 million worth of gold missing from its vaults in Ottawa could have been stolen. Officials had hoped that an accounting error was to blame for the gold reported missing last fall. However, a review by auditors has found that the discrepancy of over $15 million worth of gold wasn't because of an inventory error.
	Alex Neve, Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada, was among leaders of human rights and labour groups to condemn Iran for human rights abuses in recent days. "There have been terrible human rights violations since the contested presidential election," said Neve during a protest June 25 across the street from the Iranian embassy in Ottawa. "There is a deeply entrenched human rights crisis in Iran that demands attention," he said. Activists from the Iranian-Canadian community also took part in the protest
	RCMP stationed outside the Iranian embassy in Ottawa June 25 keep an eye on protesters angry at Iran for human rights abuses in the wake of the recently contested Iranian election.
	Leaders of labour and human rights groups, along with members of the Iranian-Canadian community, demonstrate outside the Iranian embassy June 25 against human rights abuses in Iran.
	Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Walt Natynczyk -- seen here at a recent "Wear Red Friday" event in support of the Canadian Forces -- says members of the military who have mental health issues will be getting help. The Department of National Defence announced a new initiative June 24 aimed at helping soldiers suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. The announcement was made a week after a House of Commons committee released a report calling on the Canadian Forces to plug the holes in its mental health system and come to grips with the problem
	Former governor general Romeo LeBlanc -- seen here with his second wife, Diana Fowler LeBlanc, attending the funeral of his predecessor, Ray Hnatyshyn, in December 2002 -- died June 24 at the age of 81. Leblanc was the the first Acadian to hold the post, serving as governor general from 1995 to 1999. As governor general, LeBlanc proclaimed National Aboriginal Day on June 21. He was known as a humble man with a keen sense of humour. The former journalist, once told members of the press gallery in Ottawa that he would be presenting the Michener awards for excellence in journalism the following week. "I suspect I won't see many of you there," he mused to everyone's delight. A state funeral is to be held in LeBlanc's home community of Memramcook, N.B.
	Canada's military aerobatic team, the Snowbirds, are flying again after being grounded for over a week because of problems with the jets' seat lap belt system. The Department of National Defence said June 20, "The operational pause that affected them was put in place as a safety precaution." The Snowbirds' schedule includes a flyby in the nation's capital for Canada Day celebrations.
	The lighthouse at Peggy's Cove, N.S., which attracts about a million people each year, will be getting its paint job after all. On June 11, an official with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, said it couldn't afford to spend $25,000 to repaint the lighthouse, following complaints that the paint was peeling off. That prompted Defence Minister Peter MacKay, Nova Scotia's representative in cabinet, to ask the Atlantic Opportunities Agency to pay for the paint job. "The money is not prohibitive," he told the CBC. "Let's just make this happen as soon as possible." The work is to begin within weeks.
	"We' ve gratefully accepted apologies from the government and from the churches, now we all want to see some action," said Phil Fontaine, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, at a news conference in Ottawa June 3 to announce plans for the National Day of Reconciliation June 11. The plans include calling on every church in Canada to ring its bells in a show of solidarity with First Nations. On June 11 of last year, the federal government apologized to Indian Residential School survivors for abuses they suffered in the schools established by the federal government and operated by the churches as part of a policy of assimilation of natives into white society. Showing support for the Day of Reconciliation were representatives of national church, labour and student organizations. Seated, from left, Colin Heslop (Canadian Auto Workers); Hassan Yussuf (Canadian Labour Congress); Fontaine; Katherine Giroux-Bougard (Canadian Federation of Students). Standing, left, David MacDonald, (United Church of Canada), and François Poitras, (Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops).
	Phil Fontaine, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, said that at his meeting with Pope Benedict XVI in Rome April 29, the pontiff's first words to him were, "I know you are suffering." Speaking at a news conference in Ottawa to announce plans for the National Day of Reconciliation June 11, Fontaine said it was obvious that the pope was acknowledging that survivors of Indian Residential Schools continue to suffer. "I believe the Holy Father was also referring to the fact that our people are suffering - the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren of the survivors are still suffering." Fontaine added, "In fact there are more First Nations children in state care than at the height of the residential school experience - three times as many or approximately 27,000 first nations children in state care. This is a human rights violation and a national tragedy."
	Phil Fontaine, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, poses for a photo beside his chief's headress in his office. On a wall nearby hangs a framed photo of the AFN chief meeting with the late Pope John Paul II. Fontaine also met recently with Pope Benedict XVI in Rome.
	François Poitras, secretary of the Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, speaks at the Assembly of First Nations news conference in Ottawa June 3 that outlined plans for the National Day of Reconciliation June 11. He noted that AFN national Chief, Phil Fontaine, had told the Catholic bishops at their plenary assembly last year that the best way to achieve reconciliation with First Nations people was to help combat poverty. "I will never forget that," he said. Poitras assured Fontaine of the CCCB's "full support" in working "for the respect of the dignity of First Nations - the dignity of all people living in this country."
	David Macdonald, the United Church of Canada Special Advisor on residential schools, said reconciliation with First Nations means "acknowledging the hardship, the extreme poverty, the lack of basic services and the need to have communities come together." MacDonald, a former federal Conservative cabinet minister, added that "The government needs to be essential to that leadership and all of us need to be a part of it." He also said he hopes that every June 11 will become "a day to acknowledge what we still need to do." He was speaking at a news conference in Ottawa June 3 to announce plans for the National Day of Reconciliation June 11.