FRIDAY, JULY 29, 201 1 | WWW.PGCITIZEN.CA Canada 13 New Democrat MP Nycole Turmel speaks to reporters Thursday in Ottawa after being chosen interim party leader. NDP rookies forced to grow quickly into new role Andy BLATCHFORD The Canadian Press M ONTREAL — The NDP says its bumper crop of youngsters is prepared to step out of the shadows and take on a more prominent role during the absence of party leader Jack Layton. While many never bothered to campaign during the election because they never expected to win, the rookies have spent the postelection period playing catch-up -going to door-to-door and studying local issues. One of the party’s more experienced MPs, Megan Leslie, describes the process as a “baptism by fire” - one that has helped prepare the youngsters for the daunting task ahead. Layton’s medical leave, while he fights cancer, may pose a particular challenge for the party’s nearly six-dozen rookie MPs, 18 of whom are under the age of 30. His absence not only deprives the youngsters of a political role model but also means they may absorb some of the public scrutiny that would normally have fallen on Layton. But Leslie, who is mentoring five of the party’s new Quebec MPs, says the busy months that followed the May 2 federal election have forced the party’s newcomers to learn quickly. “I can’t imagine what it’s been like for them to go through this series of really intense events so quickly after they’ve been elected,” said Leslie, who was first elected in Halifax in 2008. “So, I know [Layton’s absence] is going to be hard for a lot of them in particular because they maybe owe their involvement to Jack, or maybe some of the electorate voted for Jack and not for them?” mIf what the new MPs have achieved so far is any indication of the future, we're going to be fine. — Megan Leslie, MP Even before the NDP leader’s stunning announcement earlier this week, she suggested the rookies had already faced an unusually intense introduction to elected life. First the newbies walked into the House of Commons without aides, offices or virtually any orientation and have struggled to fill a historic number of vacant political staff positions. Then, Leslie noted, came the Fifth suspect nabbed by border agents was member of Congolese security forces Jennifer DITCHBURN The Canadian Press OTTAWA — A Congolese man arrested this week after his face was seen on an online government “wanted” list had been deemed by immigration officials to be a member of the brutal security forces of his home country’s former regimes. Members of the Congolese community in Montreal and family members of Abraham Bahaty Bay-avuge have said he was only a low-level employee in the government of dictator Laurent-Desire Kabila. But the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) dismissed Bayavuge’s application for refugee status in 2004, saying it found he was a member of Kabila’s security forces and those of the previous Mobuto regime. A removal order was eventually issued against him, and Bayavuge lost an appeal of that decision in 2006 in Federal Court when he failed to produce any evidence of the risks he would face should he return to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Then he disappeared. On Wednesday, Canadian Border Services agents tracked him down in Ottawa. Bayavuge is the fifth alleged war criminal to be caught following the Conservative government’s posting of 30 faces on the Canadian Border Services Agency’s website. “I think this reassures new Canadians as well as all Canadians that we take the issue of citizenship and the appropriateness of behaviour on an international level very seriously,” said Public Safety Minister Vic Toews on Thursday in announcing Bayavuge’s arrest. Time... to think about your dream home. There's never been a better time to turn your clieain into reality. 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Safe injections sites needed across Canada The Canadian Press VANCOUVER — A group advocating for a more aggressive fight against hepatitis B and C says safe-injection sites are needed across Canada. The Canadian Coalition of Organizations Responding to Hepatitis B and C says the sites, as well as methadone clinics and needle exchanges, must be available in all regions to decrease the spread of the diseases. The group has released a report card that found co-ordination is lacking across the country and resources appear particularly poor in Prince Edward Island, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. Vancouver hosts North America’s only safe-injection site, and the Supreme Court of Canada is currently weighing whether the federal Conservative government should have the power to shut it down. The coalition found governments across the country are especially failing to keep the disease from spreading in the prison population, and screening for the disease is inconsistent. Hepatitis B and C are infectious diseases of the liver, which can lead to serious liver damage requiring transplants and cause cancer. NDP’s marathon, 58-hour filibuster to delay back-to-work legislation for Canada Post. Now, they’re dealing with the absence of their popular boss, who was replaced Thursday by interim leader Nycole Turmel. Leslie learned about Layton’s latest battle with cancer from his news conference, which she watched from her riding office with one of her apprentices: 22-year-old MP Mylene Freeman. She had invited the McGill University student to Halifax to learn the ropes of being an MP. Leslie said Layton’s news hit hard. “Mylene and I, we kept looking at each other, ‘Oh my God, what are we going to do? How are we supposed to react?’ ” Leslie said, recalling the moments following the announcement. “It was really wonderful that we were there for each other as a political family, but at the same time we were all at such loose ends.” However, Leslie says Layton’s health has brought the party closer together and predicts it will have a positive effect. Leslie added that Layton’s time away will also give young MPs an opportunity to step out of their popular leader’s shadow. “If what the new MPs have achieved so far is any indication of the future, we’re going to be fine,” she said. But what happens to the alleged war criminals once they are deported had not been assessed by the government. Amnesty International had criticized the government for not taking action on its own to prosecute alleged war criminals. Although Canada has Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act, only two people have ever been tried under the legislation. “Our obligation is to enforce Canada’s laws and protect the security of Canadians. Other countries have laws to deal with crimes that have been committed in their jurisdictions,” said Immigration Minister Jason Kenney on Thursday. “We would expect that any responsible sovereign state will do its utmost to ensure there are sanctions for those who are culpable of crimes against humanity or crimes of this nature...” LIFESTYLE programs on TV tonight 7/29/11 | 0 03 7 PM | 7:30 8 PM 8:30 9 PM | 9:30 10 PM 10:30 American Pickers'Su- House House Turf War "Taking The In American Pickers 'Su- HGTV pci Swdur" Vuspu Ape Hunt ere Hunters In¬ ado Out' Backyard pu Bcouter" Vespa Ape suxter. buses, trucius ternational court aid duck guts souUei. buses, tiaUus makeover Diners, Diners, Restaurant Makeover Diners, Un¬ Throw- Throw- FOOD Drive-Ins Drive-tn6 'Phis RRCr'PHI'S Ong- Drive-Ins wrapped down, down, and Dives and Dives mal BBQ' and Dives 'Ranbow Bobby Bobby Foods' Flay Flay Murder She Solved Cold Case 'Almost Par- ** Bridget Jones:The Edge of Reason (041 W 'Severed' A severed adse' Investigating the RenAe Zellweger An attractive lawyer and Bnu- arm and fires are con¬ death cf a prcm queen get's former boss threaten her newfound happi¬ nected ness with Mak Darcy Say Yes: Say Ye;;: Say Yes to Say Yes to Say Yes: Say Yes: Say Yes: Say Yes: TLC Brides¬ Brides¬ the Dress: the Dress: Brides¬ Brides¬ Brides¬ Brides¬ maids maids Atlanta Atlanta maids maids maids maids Storage Operation Man v. 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