Blog - Page 65 of 93 - Maureen F. Fitzgerald

If I had done what Barclays did I would have been imprisoned

How is it that the three top executives at Barclay’s PLC (London) can resign after the bank was fined $455 million dollars for fraud? As a lawyer, if I committed fraud, I would no longer be allowed to practise law – ever. I would also be required by law to pay back all those I defrauded,

Nora Ephron was an amazing screenwriter

Nora Ephron who died recently was famous for writing movies that showed the real essence of women. Movies such as “Sleepless in Seattle”; “When Harry Met Sally” and “You’ve got Mail” come to mind as movies that were not only funny but celebrated the differences between men and women – bringing us together, not apart. It’s another reminder why we need

Please support feminist frequency

I listened to a disturbing interview on CBC radio yesterday about Feminist Frequency. A well known blogger posted a video about her decision to investigate sexism and dicrimination in the gaming industry. This is not really big news but the mass viral attack on her is! Many have criticized the huge-breasted-stupid-women stereotypes that fill the games that boys, girls, men and

Would you want your local police officer sexually degrading a woman?

I am shocked that someone (likely a lawyer) told the RCMP regulators that it “was fine” for one of its police officers to participate in sado-masochistic activities – not during work hours of course. This officer actually posted online videos of him tying up and slashing naked women. Later he said it was no issue because there was no victim. No

Women need men who promote them not just stand by

This article reminded me of my law firm articling experience 25 years ago. Although we were never told exactly what happened, apparently a senior male lawyer had an affair with a law student and because of that all office doors had to be kept open when we women met with our mentors. We had only one

Bible, Biology and Bigotry great article

I love Ms Magazine. http://msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2012/06/08/the-bible-biology-and-bigotry/

I am glad I am not a woman in India

India ranked the lowest in terms on female equity in a recent G20 report by 370 gender experts. Almost 45 percent of girls are married before they turn 18, one bride is murdered every hour over dowry demands, violence against women is rampant and research shows that 51 percent of men and 54 percent of

Canada is best G20 country for females

I am not sure we should celebrate yet. Out of 19 countries, Canada scored best for females because we have “free” medical services, “paid” maternity leave and don’t suffer as much death on birthing, murder and rape as women in 18 other countries. I am also most proud that Canada (and not the USA) has signed the international law that protects women (the

Artists get studios in unused park houses

I was so pleased to see that some of the vacant houses in Vancouver parks were going to be used by artists. The deal is that the artists do 350 hours of community engagement in exchange for an inexpensive lease. What a great idea. I worked with Sharon Kallis, an environmental artist on her

Human rights lawyer jailed in Tehran

I can’t stand hearing news like this. The very people who fight for rights are the victims of rights violations. Abdolfattah Soltani, a Iranian human rights lawyer was just sentenced to 13 years in prison by a Tehran revolutionary court. He co-founded a human rights group with a Nobel laureate and was charged with spreading