Quebec construction boss and whistleblower avoids jail time
On Nov. 10, 2015, Quebec court Judge Paul Chevalier ruled that former construction boss, and whistleblower, Lino Zambito would not serve jail time for his testimony at the 2012 Charbonneau Commission. Instead, Zambito would serve out a two-year-less-a-day community service sentence.
Zambito will have to serve out 240 hours of community work and will remain on probation for three years. According to the Criminal Code of Canada, two-years-less-a-day is the longest allowed suspended sentence.
During the Charbonneau Commission, Zambito testified that construction magnates paid municipal political parties, as well as members of the Mafia, for public contracts. Zambi’s testimony revealed collusion at the municipal level and shed light on systematic abuse.
“I’m relieved, it will let me put an end to this case,” said Zambito on Nov. 10, 2015. “I’ll serve what I have to serve and as of today, we can put the Bousbriand case behind us an look to the future.”
Afghan citizens call for president’s resignation after Hazara hostages killed
On Nov. 11, 2015, thousands of Afghan protestors marched through the streets of Kabul, demanding the resignation of both President Ashraf Ghani and his coalition government. The protests were a result of the beheadings of seven Hazara—a Persian-speaking minority group in Afghanistan. Protestors carried seven coffins and marched to the presidential palace.
“For too long, we have been buried in silence,” said Mohamad Ishaq Mowahidi, in a Nov. 11, 2015 interview with the Globe and Mail. “The logical way is for us to submit the coffins as a gift to the government.”
President Ghani later appeared on Afghan national television approximately 10 hours after protestors had marched from the west of Kabul to the gates of his palace.
“Our enemies, by creating incidents that have ethnic and regional colour, as trying to take our unity from us,” said President Ghani.
The seven beheadings were carried out by Afghan fighters loyal to ISIL.
—Compiled by Sameer Chhabra