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The AIH Transcript for December 19, 2016

Hosts: Carol Off and Jeff Douglas

STORIES FROM THIS EPISODE

Prologue

CAROL OFF: Hello, I'm Carol off.

JEFF DOUGALS: Good evening. I'm Jeff Douglas. This is As It Happens.

[Music: Theme]

JD: Tonight:

CO: They were there to sip mulled cider, buy stocking stuffers, take in the lights. Then, a truck drove into the crowd at a Christmas market in Berlin, leaving at least nine people dead, and a lot of unanswered questions.

JD: Out, but not out of danger. As thousands of evacuees stream out of Eastern Aleppo, medical staff are working overtime to treat the wounded, and the weary.

CO: Darkness under the bright lights. An art gallery in Ankara, Turkey is the sight of a shocking murder, as the Russian ambassador is killed mid-speech by a gunman shouting, “Don’t forget Syria!”

JD: He’s up in arms, they’re shrugging their shoulders. Former MP Daniel Turp ask the federal court to find the Saudi arms deal broke the law, but Ottawa lawyers say the rule are loose enough that it doesn’t.

CO: Heartbreak hotels. The makers of “Monopoly” announce a hotline to help you settle game-related disputes, but ignore the fact that the game’s real inventor wound up on the real-life equivalent of Baltic Avenue.

JD: and is [Sound: loud sigh] a word? How about sobbing in a bathroom stall? I guess not, technically. So a representative of Merriam-Webster will tell us what word he thinks best represents 2016. As It Happens, the Monday edition, radio that can’t wait until the year is over — definitely.

[Music: Theme]

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Part 1: Berlin Christmas market, Russian ambassador killed, Merriam Webster word of 2016

Berlin Christmas market

Guest: Jan Hollitzer

SOUNDCLIP

[Sound: Sirens and voices]

JD: Tonight, in Berlin, a truck plowed through a busy Christmas market, it does appear to have been a deliberate attack. Nine people are dead, at least 50 are injured. Police have arrested the driver, and another person in the truck’s cab was killed. It is chillingly reminiscent of the attack on Bastille Day in Nice, France. People are already speculating that it could be an act of terrorism. Jan Hollitzer, was at the Christmas market, he is the deputy editor-in-chief of a local news outlet, Berliner Morgenpost. We reached him in Berlin

CO: Jan, where were you when the truck drove into the Christmas market? JAN HOLLITZER: I was on the other side of the street in which the Christmas market took place — maybe 50 metres away.

CO: And what did you hear?

JH: I heard noise from destroyed that were centred around the place, and some screams. Then I saw lights, many Christmas lights that were shaking. Then the truck came out of the Christmas market again, destroyed and then came on the street. CO: When you say small houses, these are — because this is a Christmas market — these are like booths? They are not real structures.

JH: Yeah, you are right.

CO: so there is not much protection for people?

JH: At every Christmas market in Berlin, there are police officers. And there is protection, but if there comes in a truck, we pass through a very narrow place with speed on the markets.

CO: Did you actually see the truck plow into the market where all these people were? JH: No I didn't see in the moment when the truck came on the market. I was very scared by the situation. It was immediately after the accident.

CO: And you are both a witness and a journalist. But you felt fear at the time, as other people did. Tell us how you were feeling?

JH: I had to decide should I document or because of all the people there who were injured, to respect the people who were injured by the truck. Then I decided to go live and show the world what happened in Berlin. I walked over the market and described what I was seeing. Those are pictures you don’t want to see in your life. I can tell you.

CO: What did you see?

JH: Lots of injured people on the ground.

CO: there were warnings in advance that were vulnerable, soft targets for this kind of attack. How is this going to affect Berliners?

JH: It’s really hard to think of how it will on Christmas Eve. I don’t know if people will go to Christmas markets further on, I don’t know. It depends on further information I think, but also what principle says. I think that the people are scared for sure.

CO: What affect does it have on you?

JH: I don’t know (laughs), maybe tomorrow because I’ve only had a moment to think on it.

CO: Jan, I really appreciate you speaking to us, tonight. Thank you

JH: Okay thanks

JD: We reached Jan Hollitzer in Berlin, Germany. He was at the Christmas market tonight when a truck drove through the scene. At of airtime, nine were dead, and at least fifty injured. Mr. Hollitzer did record the aftermath of that attack, you can see the video on our website www.cbc.ca/aih

[Music Jazz]

Russia ambassador killed

Guest: Humeyra Pamuk

SOUNDCLIP

[Sounds: Shouting in a foreign language]

JD: Just moments earlier, that shouting man had shot Russia's ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov. Moments later, the shooter himself was killed by security forces. The ambassador died of his wounds as well. Mr. Karlov was speaking at an art gallery in Turkey’s capital Ankara, when he was shot from behind. It has now been confirmed that the assassin was shouting "Don't forget Aleppo", “Don’t forget Syria”. Humeyra Pamuk is a Reuters journalist based in Turkey. We reached her in Istanbul.

CO: HUmeyra, What can you tell us about what happened today at this art Gallery?

HUMEYRA PAMUK: It was supposed to be a nice gathering with the Russian ambassador Andrei Karlov. It was at the gallery in central Ankara, and a gunman, whom the witnesses describe as very well dressed and speaking Turkish went inside, passing through the security, showing his I.D. and starting to shoot at first the ambassador and then to the air and then at the ambassador again. Obviously this was very shocking for everyone.

CO: Your Reuters colleague was inside the gallery. What does he say happened? How does he describe that scene?

HP: The attacker basically asked everyone to leave and he was left alone with the ambassador lying on the floor. The Police blocked off the area, Special Forces police were dispatched and he was able to hear gunfire going round and round. He was able to hear clashes between the police and the gunman, which resulted in the attacker being killed.

CO: What do we know about the shooter?

HP: Well, the Interior Minister just told reporters that he was an officer with the riot police serving for the past two-and-a-half years. His motives are currently completely unknown, but I must say that pro-government media has been floating the idea that he was actually a member of a terrorist organization. You may be familiazre with this as July 15^th and the failed coup in turkey. Because Turkish Government and Turkish President blaimed a US-based Islamic cleric as the mastermind of the failed coup. Word is that this police officer planned this attack, he organized it with some other members of the organization, but no doubt is was a planned attack to harm Turkey and Russian relations at a very critical time.

CO: Now if the pro-government media says he was part of the movement or inspired by that. Does that fit with what we are hearing that the man was shouting references to Aleppo and Syria and that it seems to be associated with Russia’s involvement with that war does that fit?

HP: Well, I mean we have a video that has been widely circulated where he does chant that. There has been quite a few protests across Turkey in front of Russian foreign missions and Iranian foreign missions, especially over the past week when the situation in Eastern Aleppo got more critical. Thousands of people have protested against these two foreign missions. There was one pro-government who was saying the slogans that he shouted fit with the Islamic front.

CO: Do we know anything about him, His name any accomplices?

HP: we don’t know of any accomplices we know his name. He was born in 1994 and as far as we can see from the video, he was well-dressed, spoke in Turkish and entered the building without any obstacles because of his police I.D.

CO: Is it likely that this will damage relations between Turkey and Russia?

HP: Well, the jury is still out on that. Obviously this is such a critical time. Turkish-Russian relations have suffered a major blow last year when Ankara downed a Russian warplane saying it violated its airspace and it took nine months to repair that.

CO: We will be following this story, Humeyra, Thanks.

HP: Thank you.

Humeyra Pamuk is a Reuters journalist based in Turkey. We reached her in Istanbul.

[Music: Somber]

Merriam-Webster

Guest: Peter Sokolowski

JD: Bigly. Deplorables, and braggadocious. Odds are this isn't the first time you hear those words -- especially after their prominence during the last U.S. presidential election.But what if you had to pick one word to describe ALL of 2016? While the image of a dumpster fire burning online seems to work for some people, the folks at Merriam-Webster have opted for something more...wordy for their word of the year. We first spoke to Merriam-Webster's Editor-at-Large, Peter Sokolowski, on election day.

We reached him again earlier today in Springfield, Massachusetts.

CO: How did Surreal become the word of the year?

PETER SOKOLOWSKI: The word "surreal" was a common search this year — often in the wake of tragedies such as the March terror attack in Brussels, the Bastille Day massacre in Nice and the attempted coup in Turkey in July. Surreal is a word we do associate with tragedy. It was one of the most looked up words after 9/11 and we have seen it subsequently after shootings in the United States, after the suicide of Robin Williams, after the Boston Marathon. In this case we also see it after the election, so it is clearly a word that people go to when they are very surprised and shocked by something in the news.

JD: That was Peter Sokolowski. He is the Editor-at-large at Merriam-Webster.

We reached him in Springfield, Massachusetts

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Part 2: Syria doctor, Daniel Turp

Syria doctor

Guest: Salah Safadi

JD: Many residents thought they would never get out of Eastern Aleppo alive. But over the weekend an evacuation plan for civilians and rebel fighters did resume. And by this afternoon more than 20,000 people had been evacuated from the city into Idlib province, or into Western Aleppo. However, after months of constant bombardment evacuees are now facing new challenges. Medical teams that have been waiting outside the city have been treating civilians since the evacuations began. And what they are seeing is not good. Dr. Salah Safadi works with the Independent Doctors Association. He is the head coordinator for the group's medical facilities. We reached him near the Turkish-Syrian border in Gaziantep.

CO: Dr. Safadi, we are seeing thousands of residents pour out of Eastern Aleppo today. What kind of medical help are they needing?

SALAH SAFADI: They need almost all kind of medical support. Mainly for those civilians who were injured because of the heavy bombardment over the city for the last three months. We had the brain injuries, we had orthopedic injuries, we had the general surgery injuries plus we have met a lot of cases of malnourished children between six months and six years. We are working on giving them the treatment and supporting them.

CO: And we're seeing that a number of children orphaned children are coming out in in a part of the convoy UNICEF says it has at least 47 orphan children, who have been evacuated. And so these children are malnourished. What other problems are they suffering?

SS: Some of them yes they are malnourished. I think the number the exact number almost to 100 110. They have great chronic diarrhea because of not having a proper food for a long time. Plus they are having influenza-like diseases because of the weather. And they hadn't the fuel or the electricity to turn on heaters. So you know it's a winter that's why we had the cases of influenza-like diseases chronic bronchitis and cough fever or such kinds of symptoms.

CO: We spoke with a man who was in Eastern Aleppo on Friday as people were leaving and he said that what concerns him is that anyone who doesn't get out will have no medical assistance. There will be no more doctors, no one there to help them. And there is almost nothing there. What stories are you hearing from back where the people still are?

SS: He's completely right. We have faced this during the last two days. As you know before two days, the regime and the Iranians, they didn't allow for the convoys from the city to be evacuated. They delayed and they stopped the evacuation plan because of that. We had a caesarian section inside the city was done by the only doctor remained in the city. He's in Thurman medicine the doctor, he's not the surgeon. We had no anesthesia technician at that moment. And the result was the woman has died and the child also died. So right now we do not have a medical staff in the city. And if the evacuation would stop for any reason, I think who remains in the city will die because of the disease.

CO: Is there anybody in East Aleppo doing some kind of triage? Identifying people who are emergencies, who have to get out immediately like this woman who died?

SS: Yes exactly exactly. There was a committee consist of one doctor and one paramedic. They are doing right now the triage. The priority for evacuation for injured people and sometimes really we are not able to or to send all the injured people out of the city at one time because some of the parts of Eastern we don't have ambulances. So we are depending on the ambulance to take the patient out of the city till the checkpoint and the ones who are outside of the city to come back and we are putting more than one patient in the ambulance.

CO: And now you're talking about most of the cases you're dealing with are that are first aid emergency. What are the long term effects? What are the things that you expect to that will need treatment for the refugees as time goes on?

SS: For those internally displaced people I think the most cases that we are going to see I think it will be psychological diseases. Right now we are facing a lot of cases, especially from the females, regarding PTSD post-traumatic stress disorder plus depression and sometimes hysterical attacks because they are terrified from any noises of explosion noises of the planes in the sky. They are terrified and they are just they will go into attacks of crying. And I think this will be the most difficult kind of diseases that we are going to treat and to deal with.

CO: And you're going to be seying tens of thousands of people needing treatment and help as they leave East Aleppo in the coming days. How will you cope? How are you accommodate that?

SS: I think all the partners plus the United Nations agencies like UNICEF and WHO, we have done like a shock home to just manage those cases to give them the proper treatment and proper care. It's a huge load over a country. Most of the hospitals — almost all of them — were destroyed partially or completely. But still we are doing our job for our people.

CO: Dr. Safadi, I know you have a lot to do and I appreciate that you took time to speak with us. Thank you.

SS: You are most welcome. Thank you very much.

CO: Goodnight.

SS: Goodnight.

JD: Dr. Salah Safadi coordinates the medical facilities for the Independent Doctors Association. We reached him in Gaziantep.

[Music: Country]

Zsa Zsa Gabor obit

JD: Before people like Kim Kardashian or any of the Kardashians, became famous for being famous. There was Zsa Zsa Gabor, the Budapest-born socialite turned actress died yesterday. She was 99-years-old. And yes she did appear in more than 60 movies. But I think it is fair to say that it was her constant string of marriages, nine of them and the one liners about men that kept her in the spotlight. One liners like “I am a marvelous housekeeper, every time I leave a man I keep his house.” Back in 1986, Ms. Gabor spoke to CBC Radio. Vicki Gabereau row from her home in Beverly Hills, here's part of that conversation.

SOUNDCLIP

ZSA ZSA GABOR: When I was 15-years-old I married a Turkish ambassador.

VICKI GABEREAU: ah yes.

ZG: I stayed there two years and I learned how to speak Turkish and I was diplomatic. I had a very interesting life, except I was too young to really appreciate it. Now I would have appreciated it much better.

VG: Why did you marry so young do you think?

ZG: Well, because I came back from Switzerland and I had a wonderful Scottie. It's a funny story; I had a lovely little dog I loved. And Daddy said he's not going to allow me to have one more dog in the house. So I knew that the Turkish ambassador was my father's friend and he always said, “Little girl when you grow up, I’ll marry you.” So I called him up I said you your Excellency, I'm 15 and I'm grown up. Please marry me?” But first he nearly fainted on the telephone. Then I had to see him and talked him into it and he met me in two weeks.

VG: That's pretty fast!

ZG: And I could keep my dog too (laughing).

VG: (Laughing) but you lasted two years, which was not bad?

ZG: No it wasn't bad at all. No. Some of my marriages only lasted six months or nine months, so this was pretty good.

VG: Well how did you ever become an actress? Because to start out a life like that at that age…

ZG: At 17 I came to America and for months later, Conrad Hilton married me as you probably know. And then of course being in Hollywood, it's a big temptation. People always said you must be in movies and it didn't happen to me until I married George Sanders. And so I don't remember James Mason? Wasn't he gorgeous? James Mason said to George at that dinner party “Zsa Zsa is so funny, she should be in the movies or on television.” And George didn't want me to be an actress they sneered and he said, “Oh she's not bright enough to be in the movies.” And so George went to London to do a movie. And his brother asked to come on a television show. I went on a television show and next day the show was mine. They gave me a show it was called [unintelligible] before George came back in a month. I had a leading part in Moulin Rouge, a contact to make a film “Lovely to Look at Lily”. I was on the cover of all these magazines it was really like a fairy dream. I mean it was unbelievable how fast my whole career started.

JD: That was Zsa Zsa Gabor speaking with Vicki Gabereau on CBC Radio in 1986. Ms Gabor died yesterday, reportedly of a heart attack after years of ongoing health problems. She leaves behind her husband, Frederic Prinz Von Anhalt, and other relatives including her great-niece Paris Hilton.

[Music: Rock]

Daniel Turp

Guest: Daniel Turp

JD: Today Daniel Turp took Canada's Minister of Global Affairs to court. the former Bloc Quebecois MP now teaches law at the University of Montreal, and he wants the federal court to review one of the Liberals decisions. A big lucrative decision the one where they granted export permits to $15 billion dollars worth of Canadian-made light armored vehicles. The Harper government agreed to sell to Saudi Arabia. Mr Turp argues that the government has a duty when it comes to known human rights violators. Ottawa’s lawyers on the other hand, not so sure. We reached Daniel Turp in Montreal.

CO: Mr. Turp, In what way do you think that Stephane Dion is breaking the law by handing over permits to export these light armored vehicles to Saudi Arabia?

DANIEL TURP: Well, the law regulations guidelines say that you shouldn't export material goods in these light armored vehicles to countries that breach human rights, or that could use these vehicles to breach human rights. That's the argument we've been making in front of the federal court today.

CO: And what testa does that rule have? What can you actually do by demanding that rule is observed?

DT: Well, I guess for Mr. Dion, it didn’t have thatr much testa to it (laughing). Because he just, in our opinion, didn’t abide by that rule. And that is why we are going to court and asking a judge to look into this and ask a judge to decide that Mr. Dion didn’t exercise the discretion he has. Because he does have some discretion in deciding if he will deliver or not some export permits. And we believe that he didn't exercise it properly because Saudi Arabia obviously is a country that reaches human rights on a large scale and that sending these armored vehicles to Saudi Arabia does represent a risk when it comes to human rights.

CO: There is an interesting Canadian government filing in court in response to what you're saying that government lawyers are saying this is a quote. “In fact, even if the minister was of the opinion that there was a risk that the goods could be misused, he would still have the discretion to authorize their export if other pertinent considerations justify that opinion.” So the response you're likely to get from the government lawyers in court is that he doesn't have to abide by this rule?

DT: Well, that's what they said. That's what they repeated it was in their brief. They repeated it this afternoon from the court. But there's something wrong and I think and we believe that something legally wrong in saying that the Minister has such discretion — so much discretion — that he can even ignore human rights and that's what we've argued. We've argued that the discretion of the minister not the large as they say it is that it's an absolute that when it comes to examining you know this situation is human rights in a country like Saudi Arabia. You should come to the conclusion that there is a risk if you sell these armored vehicles to Saudi Arabia that they might be used to breach human rights. Whether it be in Yemen because Saudi Arabia is heading a coalition there and there is evidence that there have been breach of human rights with military equipment used by Saudi Arabia, or in Saudi Arabia itself. Because again there have been some reports suggesting that some even armored vehicles have been used to repress leading them to freedom of expression of minorities in Saudi Arabia. The fact that you know the people in the government try to suggest that these videos don't reflect what's really happening is it is a bit disturbing. And I think that there is a need for people and you know young people like my students really thought this was a very important case to bring to the court. And we just hope that the judge will remind the government that human rights should be taken into account in any kind if this isn't even a decision to sell arms a country like Saudi Arabia.

CO: This deal is worth $15 billion dollars that's a lot of change and it will provide jobs in an area in Ontario where there has is high unemployment right now. This is also a deal that was done by the Harper government. Mr. Dion is facing possible repercussions if he pulls out not just from Saudi Arabia if he pulls out a deal, but also from people who are depending on these jobs. Do you have any sympathy for the position that Stephane Dion is in right now?

DT: Well, I have sympathy and I would have sympathy for people that would lose their job and that would be sad. But you know, there should never have been a contract itself taking billions of dollars of armed vehicles to Saudi Arabia because of Saudi Arabia's record when it comes to human rights. So whether it be Mr. Harper's government or Mr. Trudeau's government, there shouldn't have been a contract in the first place and Mr. Dion should not have delivered these export permits because the issue at the end is not only about the economy, it's not only about jobs, It's about human rights, fundamental human rights that could be reached like they have been breached so repeatedly and seriously by Saudi Arabia.

CO: We will continue to follow this story. Mr. Turp, thank you.

DT: My pleasure.

JD: Daniel Turp a former Bloc Quebecois MP, who now teaches law at the University of Montreal. We reached him in Montreal.

[Music: Jazz]

Monopoly

JD: Over the next week, you may wind up spending some time with your family, it's almost inevitable. And after a few days, or possibly twenty-five minutes it may become tiresome. And so you may be tempted to start up a nice game of “Monopoly”, and that's a great idea. But keep one thing in mind: that is a terrible idea. Because that game could easily tear your family apart, that is what it does. That is what it has done since the very moment it was stolen from its original inventor. Now I'm talking about monopoly because Hasbro in the U.K. will be running a hotline between December 24th and December 26. Experts on the rules of monopoly will be standing by to help you and your family get through any disputes. And as publicity stunts go, it's pretty cute. And who knows, it maybe even will prevent a serious rift between you and your jerk uncle who built 10 hotels on Baltic or your 50-year-old cousins fighting over that stupid top hat. But it cannot lift the monopoly curse that goes back to the beginning of the 20th century. Because that is when a woman by the name of Elizabeth Magie created a board game called “The Landlords Game”. Ms. McGee was a feminist writer; she was a comedian and an engineer. She developed the game to explain a particular approach to taxation. Fun! In any case she called the game company Parker Brothers a few times to see if they would put it out. They would not. And then in 1932, a couple who owned a copy of “The Landlord's Game” invited another couple over the Darrow’s, Mr. Charles Darrow in particular. He was an unemployed radiator repairman and he liked the game so much that he asked his host to write down the rules for him. And then he made his own version of “The Landlord's Game.” He called it “Monopoly”. It became a hit and it was purchased by Parker Brothers and the rest is history rather than her story. So we shouldn't be surprised when “Monopoly” gets nasty because it started nasty. The man who stole it became a millionaire and the woman who invented it got a measly five hundred bucks from Parker Brothers.

Back To Top »

Part 3: Canadian killed in Jordan, Danish Peshmerga fighter

Radio Garden

JD: Not that you would ever change the station when As It Happens is on the radio. But if you want it to after the show, you can check out what is playing live on radio stations around this world. The people at Transnational Radio Encounters have just launched a project called Radio Garden. It is very cool that their site: radio.garden, you will see an interactive globe speckled with a bunch of little green dots. You click on one of those dots and the different dots represent different cities and it will stream whatever is playing at the moment. Here's a taste of what is on the airwaves in places from Tallinn, Estonia to Kampala, Uganda and beyond.

SOUNDCLIP

Sound: Constantly changing music and talk.

JD: And welcome back to CBC Radio One, that was a sampling from stations ranging from Taiyuan Private Car Radio in China, Amor Stereo Medelin in Columbia Tank FM in Kempsey, Australia and way more hear for yourself online. It is so cool, radio.garden.

[Music: Percussive]

Canadian killed in Jordan

Guest: Charles Pender

JD: Linda Vatcher was in Jordan to visit her son for Christmas. And this past weekend, the retired teacher from Newfoundland was touring a 12^th-century castle when gunmen took shelter there and in an ensuing shootout between those gunmen and the police. Ms Vatcher’s son, Christopher, was injured. She was killed. Her death leaves two communities mourning her hometown of Borgeo, Newfoundland and Corner Brook, where she lived the last 15 years of her life. Charles Pender is the mayor of Corner Brook and that is where we reached him.

CO: Mayor Pender, how are those who knew Linda Vatcher reacting to the news of her death?

CHARLES PENDER: Well, I guess everybody's terribly shocked and saddened. You know, it's so sad when somebody pass away, but to lose somebody in such a tragic and violent way is, I think beyond comprehension for a lot of people.

CO: What are people saying? You've been out and about and talking to folks who knew her?

CP: Yeah, you know everywhere I've gone today from looking over to the local food bank this morning, were Linda had volunteered, and they were in total shock over there and very saddened. And then when I was at our local arena somebody came in and said, “You know I volunteered with her at the Salvation Army soup kitchen and she was such a wonderful person. You know how could this happen to somebody who was so kind and generous and so thoughtful of others?” And to see this happen, it's just incomprehensible for a lot of people.

CO: You first knew her years ago when you were a new teacher in her hometown of Borgeo?

CP: Yes, about 30 years ago now, I started my teaching career in Borgeo on the southwest coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. Linda worked here with her husband at the time, Doug, who had passed away previously. And I taught in the same elementary school she did. And you know always very caring very warm, I mean I was like I say the new kid on the block and you know I was invited for supper I was invited for lunch. I had to stay over on the weekend because you know we couldn't get out because of snow or something. You know I get a call that would say, “Listen bring over your laundry and I'll do your laundry for you,” that kind of stuff. So you know just always very thoughtful of everyone else and very caring and truly genuine and warm human being.

CO: And what kind of teacher was she?

CP: You know she was a primary-elementary teacher, she taught in Borgeo for a number of years and then moved to Corner Brook to primary school, and again well-respected, a very kind person you know when you're dealing with young children to be able to mentor those children not only in the subject matter of your teaching, but just in life and in you know social skills and listening to kids and making sure that they have everything they need and they feel welcome and warm and appreciated. And that was her quality to be able to reach out and touch people and make them feel special on a daily basis, and never look for anything in return. Just the way she was.

CO: Some of her students responding and talking about her?

CP: Yeah, I actually learned this on Facebook last night because I had heard somebody had been killed in Jordan that you know you always think well that's just so sad especially this time of year and then the name popped up and then all of a sudden you know it's on Facebook and former students making comments about how she you know mentored them and I mean people have learned as a teacher 20 years ago when they're in grade 1 or 2 and they still have these warm very fond memories of her as their teacher in the class. It just goes to say how you know to what a great human being she was you know years later people still feel touched by even those who only met her briefly or had her as a child.

CO: She has, Linda Vatcher, has a son who lives in Corner Brook?

CP: Yeah, her son David and he owns a small restaurant cafe here, very popular and, of course, that's how I first noticed it last night when I saw the restaurant was going to be closed for a couple of days. And then about 20 minutes later, I saw Linda’s name and you know you put two and two together and the shock sets in right? And so he's here and his brother was also injured and he's in a hospital in Jordan as well. So you know obviously a devastating thing. I can't even comprehend how you deal with this.

CO: And what news about her son Christopher, who was in that same castle when that the shootout happened and his mother died?

CP: As far as I know, the latest I've heard is that he is in the ICU in serious or critical condition. And they're doing everything they can to look after him and David is here and I know his uncle an extended family are reaching out to him and I guess he's waiting to hear how he connects with the authorities in Jordan and so on. I understand that the officials with the Canadian embassy are working with him on that.

CO: It's just so tragic.

CP: It is you know, I mean we're a small community 20,000 people. Most people know everyone and we know of someone, especially somebody who's been a lifelong teacher, an educator somebody who has volunteered in numerous causes around the community and to be touched by something so far away and so tragic and it really hits home and I think a lot of people are deeply saddened by this and you know it can take people a while to get over just to comprehend you know this is tragedy. And you know our hearts go out to family and friends and we’ll certainly be there to support them in their time of need.

CO: And it's just so difficult to comprehend isn't it? Because no one's taken responsibility, but it seems there was a standoff at this castle and between the gunmen and the Jordanian security forces the Minister there says that they possibly they were not hostages they possibly didn't even know the tourists were there. So how do you explain that? How did people in Corner Brook make sense of that?

CP: Well, that's the thing right? I mean you know wrong place wrong time perhaps, but in such a tragic and violent manner you know that somebody loses their life and somebody you know who was at the Food Bank the day she left. And she was talking about how excited she was to go over and see her son and spend the holidays with him. And you know Jordan is relatively safe, she's been there before I understand. And you know they know the terrain and the safe places to go I guess, and so totally unexpected. And you know we are all well aware of risks when you're traveling and anything can happen, but something so violent and so unexpected I guess it's really what's probably shocking people the most right?

CO: Mayor Pender, thank you for telling us about Linda Vatcher.

CP: You are welcome.

CO: Bye bye.

CP: Bye.

JD: Charles Pender is the mayor of Corner Brook Newfoundland. That's where we reached him.

[Music: Ambient]

Teddy Bear

JD: At a gas station in Richer, Manitoba, a teddy bear sat abandoned in the parking lot. And staff there have now launched a search for the teddy bears owner and they have learned that there was a lot more to bear than meets the eye. Gas station owner Hubert Perrin told the story to CBC Manitoba reporter Kelly Malone yesterday.

SOUNDCLIP

HUBERT PERRIN: One of my staff found it on the on ground by our pumps and brought it in and didn't think anything of it other than to not throw it away. The next day, when he was with me again, he was kind of playing with it and noticed there was something inside and those that you can open up and see that they were there was a small package inside it appears to have been ashes and we don't know of what. However, a person who was a staff member of mine came in and inspected the packaging saying that this is definitely an urn for a child, a small child. I then went to my video, my recorded video and checked out when it could have been. So I found it. And when it fell out of the person's vehicle and it was a pickup truck when the lady got out of it and the bear fell down and they had to move the truck because it was a Friday and it was busy. So there was a customer waiting after them. So they wouldn’t have noticed it because they've moved the vehicle. They however, you could tell from the video that they're somebody moving across country. They had a U-Haul attached to their vehicle. I can't identify any plates or any numbers on the U-Haul van to try and figure out have these people and some of the things that nature. So we're really stuck with trying to figure out how to connect this bear with these people. Can you possibly imagine the loss of a small child? I mean these people are in distress about this situation, which I'm sure is they are. So we have to put the effort to try and do what we can.

JD: That was Husky gas station owner Hubert Perrin, speaking with CBC Manitoba from the town of Richer, which is just east of Winnipeg yesterday. And if you have any information on the teddy bear’s owner call the Husky, it is area code 204-422-6380.

[Music: Violin]

Danish Peshmerga fighter

Guest: Erbil Kaya

JD: The Danish government has sent troops to fight ISIS. But when it found out that a young Danish woman had volunteered to do the same thing, it put her in prison. Twenty-three year old Joanna Palani fought against ISIS with the Kurdish Peshmerga in Iraq and the YPG militia in Syria. The government banned her from returning to the region. And when she did and after she admitted that she had violated that ban, she was put in prison. Erbil Kaya is Joanna Palani’s lawyer. We reached him in Copenhagen.

CO: Mr. Kaya, have you been able to speak with your client?

ERBIL KAYA: Yes I have spoken with a Joanna Palani.

CO: And what is she telling you about being in prison right now?

EK: I think she's very mad. She's very furious about this because she doesn't think that she deserves being in jail and in prison because she has been fighting for democracy. She has been fighting for people, for children. She has been fighting not only for people in Syria, but also for people in Europe and for people in Denmark. And the punishment is that they take a passport from her and put her in jail.

CO: What is the law that she has broken?

EK: It is the passport law saying that when the six year passport from you and the court has also said the same in February 2016. And when you break this ban if she's not allowed to travel abroad from Denmark, so if she does that she must have permission and she didn't get the permission.

CO: What was Joanna Palani doing in Syria and Iraq?

EK: Right now the accusation is that she has been in Doha in Qatar. So because of that she is breaking the ban and she has admitted she said, “Yes that's correct, I have been in Qatar — in Doha.”

CO: But there is a great deal on the record already. I mean she is featured in photographs that she has posted herself in a flak jacket with a firearm based in working with the Kurdish Peshmerga in Syria. So what is what can you tell us or not tell us about what she was doing there?

EK: Yes she has been fighting before. She has been fighting before and that was also the reason that they took her passport from her. But the charges now is that she has been breaking the band going out without permission she's not allowed to go out.

CO: Why was her passport taken and what was wrong with what she was doing if she was fighting for Peshmarga and that for militias with which Denmark is an ally. And Canada is an ally. Other countries are allied with. What was she doing that was wrong?

EK: Yeah, that's a good question. That's a very good question because the parliament made a law saying that people are not allowed to go and fight for ISIS but the law didn't say exactly about the people fighting for Kurds for the YPG and the and the court says that you are not even allowed to fight for YPG.

CO: Which is the Peshmerga force, yep?

EK: Yeah, in Syria. So that's the point. It says that you cannot just go and fight when you are not the army in the country you are living in. You must do it that way. You are not supposed to go and fight by yourself.

CO: But if she wants to go and fight ISIS why doesn't she join the Danish military?

EK: You can say that there are some conditions to go into the army and not everybody can afford the conditions so to be honest, I don't know.

CO: Can you tell us a bit about what her motivations for wanting to be with the Peshmerga. What is it that that what's her background that that compelled her to join those forces?

EK: As I understand it, it’s because of this war going on at the area. She is seeing that the children were killed and women were killed and men were killed, some very terrible things in Iraq. And also I think she has a Kurdish background also and had major feeling that she had to do something for the mankind.

CO: And she was born actually in a refugee camp, her parents are Iranian Kurds and she was born in a refugee camp in Iraq. Is that right?

EK: Correct correct.

CO: How long how long might Joanna Palani be in custody before she has a trial?

EK: We don't know yet because it's still very early. As I said it's about two weeks ago that she went to custody. But I think maybe we can get the trial be maybe February or March or something like that.

CO: We know that she has. It's been reported that she has received threats from ISIS sympathizers in Denmark. Is she in any danger while in custody?

EK No I don't think so. She is happy with the Guardians and the people in jail. But she is mad that they put her in. But right now it's I think it's OK.

CO: Mr. Kaya, thank you for speaking with us.

EK: Thank you. Thank you very much.

JD: Erbil Kaya is the lawyer for Joanna Palani, a Danish woman who was imprisoned after traveling to fight against ISIS with Kurdish groups in Iraq and Syria. Mr. Kaya was in Copenhagen.

Gordie Tapp obit

SOUNDCLIP

Sound: television announcer introducing stars.

JD: If you are a longtime CBC fan, that might be bringing back some good memories. The beginning of Country Hoedown, A television variety show from the 50s and the 60s. And Gordie Tapp, the host of that show and the man who played Cousin Clem died over the weekend. He was 94-years-old. Mr. Tapp was born in London, Ontario and early on in his career he worked for a radio station in Hamilton, Ontario. But he soon made his way over to the new medium of TV where he filled many different roles on Country Hoedown, Mr Tapp did more than just host the program. He performed in sketches and often played an elegant fancy pants by the name of Gaylord. And as I mentioned above, Cousin Clem, a good natured, happy doofus, Mr Tapp took Clem with him to the incredibly long running American variety show Hee Haw, where he worked as a performer and a writer for years. His work on both those shows got Mr Tapp inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame. He was also awarded the Order of Canada from our archives here is an interview with Gordie Tapp from 1959. At the time he was working on Country Hoedown and another variety show called P.M. Party. A clip begins with a question from host Barry Harris.

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BARRY HARRIS: The thing is intrigue me about your career that you've done an awful lot of hillbilly or country style programs as well as this more modern sophisticated sort of thing. How do you match the two? Or do you find there's any strain at all between the two?

GORDIE TAPP: Yes there is a strain between the two and if and I don't want to offend any of my country music listeners but I turned to country music because I had several hungry children and country music offered me an opportunity to earn some money. Let me preface that by saying that several years ago and I've forgotten how many Tommy Darling, who was the manager of the radio station in Hamilton CHML, if you don't mind me mentioning it, came to me and asked me if I would do country music and I said no I'm not interested. I would never play country music records on my show or anything. And he said we need an emcee you know. So I said well I'll do it for a couple of weeks. So I did it for a couple of weeks. And I began to have fun at it. When I was a kid I played guitar and harmonica. So I bring them out on the show and eventually I was born Cousin Clem and was born Gaylord. And eventually yours truly in country music as far as I was concerned.

JD: From 1959 that was Gordie Tapp speaking with Barry Harris on the CBC program Assignment. Mr. Tapp died over the weekend. He was 94-years-old.

[Music: Ambient]

Playing God

JD: For Richard Kemick the festive season is a transformative time. In December he sheds his persona as Richard Kemick, lowly Ph.D. student and emerges as Richard Kemick, miniature Christmas village master and commander. Richard has been building his festive domain since he was 13-years-old. He is now a grown man and Mr. Kemick has more than twenty five buildings, one hundred people and countless accessories. So what is it about a tiny village of miniature carolers that sets Richard's heart a flutter? Well gather round and he shall enlighten us. Here he is with an excerpt from his essay “Playing God” in which he explains how far he will go to find money to buy tiny accessories for his tiny village.

SOUNDCLIP

[Music: Christmas]

RICHARD KEMICK: My wife Litia and I live in Vancouver. From our apartment it is a 45 minute bus ride to Christmas Traditions, The nearest pop up holiday shop. As I ride the bus. I mentally scroll through the Rolodex of things Litia and I can cut in order to bank even more of our paycheck. Here of course I use the word “our” in its most liberal sense. Since Litia is the only one who receives a salary. I like to think of our one bedroom, three hundred ninety six square foot basement apartment as a museum exhibit on the lengths my generation has to go in order to stay debt free. I've rescued all of our plates from alleyways our cutlery comes from the spill over sections of Salvation Army drop boxes and I try not to make eye contact with our dog. Well I sneak dried rice into her kibble. My wife doesn't realize that I've been selling articles of her clothing for the past three years, we've been living together for only two. Where'd that striped top go? She asked once I feigned ignorance and then inconspicuously checked our Kajiji account to make sure I deleted the ad. I got a whole $23 for it. By the time I get to my bus stop I've settled on cutting out grapefruit, coffee cream and Halloween candy. We can also disconnect the landline. I'll use Litia's cell phone to make my fortnightly call home to Calgary. If we're being robbed quality is at work. I won't be able to call 911 but then we don't have anything to steal. At the strip mall, the Christmas store is near a Mongolian Grill and a now defunct Magic Cuts. I arrived 20 minutes before it opens which gives me time to paste the windows and vow to not spend more than $20. Plus tax, of course. I've often wondered how my parents really feel about my village. The ceramic sprawl that's been growing with the force of manifest destiny in that now occupies the entire dining room table. I think my mother likes the village not only because the woman is insufferably supportive of everything I do, but also because I'm fairly confident she takes credit for it when I'm not around. Oh this she tells her friends gliding her hand over the houses despite my strict no touching policy. This is just a little something I've been working on over the years. I find it difficult to believe that the man who implored me to reuse duct tape and to not throw out asparagus elastics can look in my village and think anything other than. Doesn't he still owe me $4000 for the car?

JD: That was an excerpt from “Playing God” a story written and performed by Richard Kemick. It was produced by CBC's The Doc Project and if you would like to hear the full audio head on over the Doc Project's website which is www.cbc.ca/docproject. You also find a link to Mr. Kemick’s original essay from the Walrus Magazine.

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Dec. 19, 2016 episode transcript

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