Obama Supports Same Sex Marriage
Image: Flickr
After years of notoriously flip-flopping on the issue of same-sex marriage, dating back to his days as an Illinois senator, U.S. President Barack Obama declared his support for the cause in an interview with ABC News on Wednesday night.
Taking this stance on a controversial, and often polarizing American issue with just six months to go before the election is being seen as a politically risky move, especially considering Tuesday’s passing of North Carolina’s gay marriage ban.
With his announcement, Obama becomes the first sitting U.S. president to publicly support gay marriage. In a country so incensed by the states’ rights, only six states have ratified same sex marriage, while 12 actively prohibit it, and 30 ban it on the basis of the constitution.
The DND Publishes Russell Williams’ Photo by Mistake, Peter MacKay Apologizes
Image: Flickr
I’m not sure if “oops” begins to cover this one. Convicted murderer Russell Williams had his photo published in an official Department of National Defence booklet. Peter MacKay, the Minister of National Defence apologized for the, “terrible mistake,” and “immediately ordered the military to destroy all copies of the collected booklets.”
Williams’ image appeared in the 2012 CF Canadian Defence Academy pamphlet, designed to emphasize commitment and professionalism amongst the Canadian Forces. The booklet was only distributed within the Canadian Defence Academy headquarters before being quickly recalled and destroyed, though a few copies have not been returned, yet. Only 4, 000 copies were printed, for a cost of $5, 000.
Formerly a decorated commander of the Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Williams is facing two life terms without chance of parole for rapes and murders of Canadian Forces Cpl. Marie-France Comeau and Jessica Lloyd. He pleaded guilty to 88 charges stacked against him, and was sentenced in October 2010.
A revised version of the booklet will be printed, but this time, you can be sure the DND will give each picture a once-over, or two. Or three.
Daniel Dale is Cleared of Spying on Rob Ford
Headshot via Toronto Star
Remember all that hoopla about the Toronto Star reporter, Daniel Dale, being chased by Mayor Rob Ford after being accused of “spying” on his property? Well, the police have cleared Dale of any wrongdoing, citing no evidence that he spied on the mayor.
The case was closed on Wednesday, when Dale learned that Toronto police had found no photos on his BlackBerry from the night of his run-in with the mayor – the same device Ford alleged was being used to take unsolicited pictures of his property. Dale told The Globe and Mail that police “didn’t find any evidence to substantiate a charge,” after a memorable altercation (and high-speed chase) left the mayor charging after him, with his “fist cocked.”
At the time of the incident, Dale had been reporting on a parcel of disputed public parkland Ford and his wife had been planning to purchase to guarantee more personal privacy. Dale, who had been accused of standing on cinder blocks to peer into Ford’s yard, has now been cleared of all charges. Still, the best part about this entire story was that Dale outed himself as a Boyz II Men fan – something no reporter should ever be ashamed of.
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Joanna Adams is the online and social media editor for Toronto Standard. Follow her on Twitter at†@nowstarringTO.
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