nder The Radar is a special series and newsletter offering from Diplomatic Courier bringing you compelling, under–the–radar stories from around the world over the past month. This month in the Americas: minor children imprisoned as political prisoners in Venezuela, climate resilience upgrades to Nova Scotian infrastructure, and an emergency services upgrade underway in Canada. You can sign up to receive the newsletter here.
In late July 2024, Venezuela held its high–stakes elections with—according to a 2023 poll—only 26% of Venezuelans feeling confidence in the honesty of their elections. President Nicolás Maduro was declared winner by the Venezuelan National Electoral Council with 51% of the votes. The integrity of the election was immediately questioned, with the opposition leader—María Corina Machado—claiming they had received 73% of the votes. The government’s violent crackdown on protesters killed over 20 people and injured hundreds. Thousands of protesters were also arrested despite assurances from the Venezuelan attorney general before the election that “Venezuela does not prosecute people for their political opinions and holds no political prisoners.”
Some of the arrested protesters were minors unable to even vote in the election. While the Venezuelan government did release more than 80 teenagers, some of the minors are still imprisoned and facing possible 10– to 30–year sentences, charged with terrorism or incitement to hatred. Mothers of these minors are speaking out about the injustice as their children were not capable of voting in the election and were drawn to the protests out of “curiosity.” One of the minors even attempted suicide in prison after hearing another minor’s 10–year sentence. These mothers are pleading with the government, demanding their children’s freedom.
Nova Scotia’s infrastructure undergoes needed changes for climate change
The Nova Scotian government faces heavy criticism for falling short of their plan to curb climate change. However, while the government may still be failing to follow through with its plan to reduce climate change, the government is taking steps to improve Nova Scotia’s infrastructure to mitigate the effects of climate change. The biggest concern is damage from flooding, which Nova Scotia is facing more of as the climate crisis worsens.
Programs include a C$69.4 million joint investment by the Canadian federal and Nova Scotian governments in support of the Nova Scotian town of Bridgewater, which is especially vulnerable to flooding from storms. The money will be spent improving wastewater treatment plants and pump stations and separating storm drainage from sanitary sewer pipes.
The Nova Scotian government also plans to change the route of an iconic road which has, over the past few decades, seen the beach creep ever closer. To mitigate potential flood damage to the road, which can impact those who rely on the road for emergency services and transportation, the Department of Public Works intends to move 500 meters of the road 40 meters further inland. The government also intends to raise lower parts of the road.
These ongoing projects will likely be watched closely by different areas in Nova Scotia that face many of the same risks from the impacts of climate change. If the projects go smoothly, other regions may begin seeing more government support for climate change resilience upgrades.
911 transfers a huge success in Ottawa, with more to come
When Michael Wood—a professor in Ottawa—could not get emergency medical assistance for a relative in Toronto, he started a campaign to teach government officials about how desperately the system needs to change. Wood had tried to call 911 for a relative, who lived in Toronto—Ottawa’s emergency services were unable to transfer the call. Following Wood’s advocacy, Ottawa last year upgraded its emergency services with the capability to transfer calls to other North American cities. Despite low expectations for the use of 911 transfers, a year after its implementation, reports indicate that the service is used by Ottawa residents around 70 times a month.
Unfortunately, the upgrades have only been partially completed—Ottawa resident emergency calls can only be transferred to and from Gatineau, right across the river. Initial plans were that the new system would be fully in place and the old system removed from service by March 2025. But some groups, including the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police(CACP), have filed for extensions to the implementation deadline, citing challenges of implementation, particularly in more rural areas. Wood is appealing the extension request via an intervention filed with The Canadian Radio However, in October 2024, Wood filed an intervention with the Canadian Radio–Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). for needing to extend their deadline—previously set as 4 March 2025—for implementing all planned updates.
The deadline could be extended by up to a year if the CRTC rules in favor of the CACP. Wood argues that the project can be completed on time with additional funding. When fully in place, emergency system capacities will expand to include The rest of the updates include expanding the ability to transfer 911 calls to all areas in Canada and to communicate with 911 via text, image, and video. implementing new means of communicating with 911, including messaging with text or images.
Despite the pressing urgency to continue to expand Canada’s emergency services, the head of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police points out that Canada needs to carefully upgrade their services, ensuring that as things change, no areas—like rural areas with less funding—are overlooked. He and Wood agree that the safety of all Canadian citizens is “paramount,” even if the process takes more time. Still, Wood believes funding for the project should be increased so the CRTC can meet its established deadline.
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Venezuelan mothers plead for minor children caught up in protest arrests
Photo by Altamart via Pexels.
October 30, 2024
Diplomatic Courier staff writer Stephanie Gulls brings you three under–the-radar stories from the Americas in October: minors as political prisoners in Venezuela, climate resilience upgrades in Nova Scotia, and Canada's emergency services upgrade.
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nder The Radar is a special series and newsletter offering from Diplomatic Courier bringing you compelling, under–the–radar stories from around the world over the past month. This month in the Americas: minor children imprisoned as political prisoners in Venezuela, climate resilience upgrades to Nova Scotian infrastructure, and an emergency services upgrade underway in Canada. You can sign up to receive the newsletter here.
In late July 2024, Venezuela held its high–stakes elections with—according to a 2023 poll—only 26% of Venezuelans feeling confidence in the honesty of their elections. President Nicolás Maduro was declared winner by the Venezuelan National Electoral Council with 51% of the votes. The integrity of the election was immediately questioned, with the opposition leader—María Corina Machado—claiming they had received 73% of the votes. The government’s violent crackdown on protesters killed over 20 people and injured hundreds. Thousands of protesters were also arrested despite assurances from the Venezuelan attorney general before the election that “Venezuela does not prosecute people for their political opinions and holds no political prisoners.”
Some of the arrested protesters were minors unable to even vote in the election. While the Venezuelan government did release more than 80 teenagers, some of the minors are still imprisoned and facing possible 10– to 30–year sentences, charged with terrorism or incitement to hatred. Mothers of these minors are speaking out about the injustice as their children were not capable of voting in the election and were drawn to the protests out of “curiosity.” One of the minors even attempted suicide in prison after hearing another minor’s 10–year sentence. These mothers are pleading with the government, demanding their children’s freedom.
Nova Scotia’s infrastructure undergoes needed changes for climate change
The Nova Scotian government faces heavy criticism for falling short of their plan to curb climate change. However, while the government may still be failing to follow through with its plan to reduce climate change, the government is taking steps to improve Nova Scotia’s infrastructure to mitigate the effects of climate change. The biggest concern is damage from flooding, which Nova Scotia is facing more of as the climate crisis worsens.
Programs include a C$69.4 million joint investment by the Canadian federal and Nova Scotian governments in support of the Nova Scotian town of Bridgewater, which is especially vulnerable to flooding from storms. The money will be spent improving wastewater treatment plants and pump stations and separating storm drainage from sanitary sewer pipes.
The Nova Scotian government also plans to change the route of an iconic road which has, over the past few decades, seen the beach creep ever closer. To mitigate potential flood damage to the road, which can impact those who rely on the road for emergency services and transportation, the Department of Public Works intends to move 500 meters of the road 40 meters further inland. The government also intends to raise lower parts of the road.
These ongoing projects will likely be watched closely by different areas in Nova Scotia that face many of the same risks from the impacts of climate change. If the projects go smoothly, other regions may begin seeing more government support for climate change resilience upgrades.
911 transfers a huge success in Ottawa, with more to come
When Michael Wood—a professor in Ottawa—could not get emergency medical assistance for a relative in Toronto, he started a campaign to teach government officials about how desperately the system needs to change. Wood had tried to call 911 for a relative, who lived in Toronto—Ottawa’s emergency services were unable to transfer the call. Following Wood’s advocacy, Ottawa last year upgraded its emergency services with the capability to transfer calls to other North American cities. Despite low expectations for the use of 911 transfers, a year after its implementation, reports indicate that the service is used by Ottawa residents around 70 times a month.
Unfortunately, the upgrades have only been partially completed—Ottawa resident emergency calls can only be transferred to and from Gatineau, right across the river. Initial plans were that the new system would be fully in place and the old system removed from service by March 2025. But some groups, including the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police(CACP), have filed for extensions to the implementation deadline, citing challenges of implementation, particularly in more rural areas. Wood is appealing the extension request via an intervention filed with The Canadian Radio However, in October 2024, Wood filed an intervention with the Canadian Radio–Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). for needing to extend their deadline—previously set as 4 March 2025—for implementing all planned updates.
The deadline could be extended by up to a year if the CRTC rules in favor of the CACP. Wood argues that the project can be completed on time with additional funding. When fully in place, emergency system capacities will expand to include The rest of the updates include expanding the ability to transfer 911 calls to all areas in Canada and to communicate with 911 via text, image, and video. implementing new means of communicating with 911, including messaging with text or images.
Despite the pressing urgency to continue to expand Canada’s emergency services, the head of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police points out that Canada needs to carefully upgrade their services, ensuring that as things change, no areas—like rural areas with less funding—are overlooked. He and Wood agree that the safety of all Canadian citizens is “paramount,” even if the process takes more time. Still, Wood believes funding for the project should be increased so the CRTC can meet its established deadline.
