The former head of the Alberta New Democrats’ membership organization for people with disabilities has filed a human rights complaint against the party for discrimination.
Justin Reinke, the former co-chair of the NDP’s disability caucus, is alleging he was discriminated against and wrongfully dismissed from his role in retaliation for speaking out against mistreatment.
But in a statement Friday, the NDP pushed back, saying Reinke behaved aggressively with his fellow members, which led to his removal.
CBC News has obtained a copy of the human rights complaint and supporting documentation filed on Tuesday, less than a week before Alberta’s election.
Reinke alleges he witnessed and was subject to discrimination against disabled NDP members, as well as abuse of volunteers and staff by more senior members of the party.
This included a provincial council meeting last June, where he says a member in a wheelchair was wheeled out of the way without consent, jeering from the audience at disabled members during policy debate and the party failing to make accessibility supports available. The complaint says the washrooms were too small for a power chair and there were no closed captioning services for some sessions.
“There is an immense amount of ableism in the ANDP,” Reinke told the executive in an August report asking for the alleged discrimination to be addressed.
His complaint says he advocated for the resolution of these issues and allegations of bullying internally but was ignored. Reinke was removed shortly after from his role (a volunteer, elected position), which he alleges was retaliation for speaking up about his concerns.
The allegations have not been tested in court, and the Alberta Human Rights Commission’s confidentiality process means it’s unable to say whether the matter would be accepted and brought to a hearing. The Alberta Human Rights Act protects people from discrimination, including those with a physical or mental disability.
Counter-allegations and pushback
In a statement, the NDP said there had been six counter-complaints about Reinke’s conduct, including “violent threats” against volunteers and staff. They added that an investigation found he violated the party’s anti-harassment policy, and his membership was suspended. The current disability caucus also expressed that they’d had concerning incidents with Reinke, which they’d confronted him about.
“Those allegations are completely fabricated,” said Kathryn Marshall, Reinke’s lawyer and a partner with Levitt Sheikh LLP, calling it a campaign of intimidation and retaliation.
“None of this was raised at the time he was removed as co-chair.”
Kathryn Marshall, who is Reinke’s lawyer, says the NDP’s allegations about his conduct ‘are completely fabricated.’ (Paul Borkwood/CBC)
Reinke’s August report to the party executive asked them to take action against the “vile and shameful behaviour of multiple delegates against delegates with disabilities.”
“I would expect that behaviour from zoo animals. Make no mistake, these are serious violations of the human rights of disabled people,” he wrote. He sent several emails over the course of the summer with very strong language and accusations to the executive, which CBC News has obtained.
Reinke, who has a neurological disability, asked via email for NDP Leader Rachel Notley’s attendance at two meetings — one in early June to discuss allegations of bullying volunteers and one the night he sent the report to discuss the discrimination he’d raised. She was not at either, the complaint says.
Early in September, there was an emergency meeting of the disability caucus, where Reinke was removed as co-chair.
“The board felt that we needed a different approach to leadership that was more in touch with the executive board,” reads an email sent from the interim chair to Reinke that day.
He’s seeking $500,000 in damages and for the party to adopt his recommendations on inclusivity. There is a one-year time limit to file a complaint with the commission, which would set the expiration date for two weeks from now.
Clare Hickie, Reinke’s disability caucus co-chair, also resigned in July after the provincial council meeting citing “internal and external” pressures having a negative impact on her health in a letter obtained by CBC News.
Clare Hickie, who was co-chair of the NDP’s disability caucus, also resigned in July. (Justin Pennell/CBC)
Allegations of bullying
In a followup letter to party members included in the complaint, Reinke says he’s witnessed discrimination and intimidation against party volunteers from senior officials — such as being told it’s not politically prudent to campaign on disability issues.
He called for the resignation of several party executives as a result of the cumulative behaviour and complaints.
It’s not the first time an NDP volunteer has raised alarm about conduct in the party.
A letter sent in March 2022 by 15 NDP constituency presidents and regional vice-presidents to party brass outlined concerns with how the party was operating, particularly dealing with alleged favouritism in the nomination process and bullying.
It asked for more respect from senior party staff toward volunteers and constituency-level workers. It also asks for an independent review into reports of mistreatment of volunteers by party staff.
“We expect to be spoken to, and corresponded with, in a manner that upholds our party’s commitment to respect.”
Notley told the provincial council in June that the NDP would be asking an independent firm to look into those complaints — as well as examine the party’s human resources policy — as a result of the letter.
The NDP says HR training was completed among leadership staff in November and the audit was finished in the fall, with stronger harassment policies approved in March.
With the exception of the Reinke’s August report, the emails included in the complaint are light on specific details of instances of harassment or mistreatment
“The party has inflicted trauma and pain to many who were most loyal. That is how the membership is rewarded in the ANDP,” he wrote.
Reinke is asking the party to establish an accessibility committee, make more party business accessible online, add an accessibility policy to the party’s constitution, and for an apology from leadership.
The NDP says accommodations were made for disability caucus members to participate during the June council meeting.
Human rights complaints can be handled either through a conciliation process between the two parties or the matter is referred to a tribunal.
The complaint can go to a formal hearing if it’s not closed or dismissed before it reaches tribunal.
The commission says it opened 1,040 complaints in the 2021-22 fiscal year, 22 per cent of which were dealt with via the tribunal process.
Montreal Alouettes wide receiver Tyson Philpot has announced he will be out for the rest of the CFL season.
The Delta, B.C., native posted the news on his Instagram page Thursday.
“To Be Continued. Shoutout my team, the fans of the CFL and the whole city of Montreal! I can’t wait to be back healthy and write this next chapter in 2025,” the statement read.
Philpot, 24, injured his foot in a 33-23 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Aug. 10 and was placed on the six-game injured list the next week.
The six-foot-one, 195-pound receiver had 58 receptions, 779 yards and five touchdowns in nine games for the league-leading Alouettes in his third season.
Philpot scored the game-winning touchdown in Montreal’s Grey Cup win last season to punctuate a six-reception, 63-yard performance.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sustained a concussion for the third time in his NFL career, leaving his team’s game Thursday night against Buffalo after running into defensive back Damar Hamlin and hitting the back of his head against the turf.
Tagovailoa remained down for about two minutes before getting to his feet and walking to the sideline after the play in the third quarter. He made his way to the tunnel not long afterward, looking into the stands before smiling and departing toward the locker room.
The Dolphins needed almost no time before announcing it was a concussion. The team said he had two during the 2022 season, and Tagovailoa was diagnosed with another concussion when he was a college player at Alabama.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa would get “proper procedural evaluation” and “appropriate care” on Friday.
“The furthest thing from my mind is, ‘What is the timeline?’ We just need to evaluate and just worry about my teammate, like the rest of the guys are,” McDaniel said. “We’ll get more information tomorrow and take it day by day from here.”
Some players saw Tagovailoa in the locker room after the game and said they were encouraged. Tagovailoa spoke with some players and then went home after the game, McDaniel said.
“I have a lot of love for Tua, built a great relationship with him,” said quarterback Skylar Thompson, who replaced Tagovailoa after the injury. “You care about the person more than the player and everybody in the organization would say the same thing. Just really praying for Tua and hopefully everything will come out all right.”
Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212 million extension before this season — a deal that makes him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL — and was the NFL’s leading passer in Week 1 this season. Tagovailoa left with the Dolphins trailing 31-10, and that was the final score.
“If you know Tua outside of football, you can’t help but feel for him,” Bills quarterback Josh Allen said on Amazon following the game. “He’s a great football player but he’s an even greater human being. He’s one of the best humans on the planet. I’ve got a lot of love for him and I’m just praying for him and his family, hoping everything’s OK. But it’s tough, man. This game of football that we play, it’s got its highs and it’s got its lows — and this is one of the lows.”
Tagovailoa’s college years and first three NFL seasons were marred by injury, though he positioned himself for a big pay bump with an injury-free and productive 2023 as he led the Dolphins into the playoffs. He threw for 29 touchdowns and a league-best 4,624 yards last year.
When, or if, he can come back this season is anyone’s guess. Tagovailoa said in April 2023 that the concussions he had in the 2022 season left him contemplating his playing future. “I think I considered it for a time,” he said then, when asked if he considered stepping away from the game to protect himself.
McDaniel said it’s not his place to say if Tagovailoa should return to football. “He’ll be evaluated and we’ll have conversations and progress as appropriate,” McDaniel said.
Tagovailoa was hurt Thursday on a fourth-down keeper with about 4:30 left in the third. He went straight ahead into Hamlin and did not slide, leading with his right shoulder instead.
Hamlin was the player who suffered a cardiac arrest after making a tackle during a Monday night game in January 2023 at Cincinnati, causing the NFL to suspend a pivotal game that quickly lost significance in the aftermath of a scary scene that unfolded in front of a national television audience.
Tagovailoa wound up on his back, both his hands in the air and Bills players immediately pointed at him as if to suggest there was an injury. Dolphins center Aaron Brewer quickly did the same, waving to the sideline.
Tagovailoa appeared to be making a fist with his right hand as he lay on the ground. It was movement consistent with something that is referred to as the “fencing response,” which can be common after a traumatic brain injury.
Tagovailoa eventually got to his feet. McDaniel grabbed the side of his quarterback’s head and gave him a kiss on the cheek as Tagovailoa departed. Thompson came into the game to take Tagovailoa’s spot.
“I love Tua on and off the football field,” Bills edge Von Miller said. “I’m a huge fan of him. I can empathize and sympathize with him because I’ve been there. I wish him the best.”
Tagovailoa’s history with concussions — and how he has since worked to avoid them — is a huge part of the story of his career, and now comes to the forefront once again.
He had at least two concussions during the 2022 season. He was hurt in a Week 3 game against Buffalo and cleared concussion protocol, though he appeared disoriented on that play but returned to the game.
The NFL later changed its concussion protocol to mandate that if a player shows possible concussion symptoms — including a lack of balance or stability — he must sit out the rest of the game.
Less than a week later, in a Thursday night game at Cincinnati, Tagovailoa was concussed on a scary hit that briefly knocked him unconscious and led to him being taken off the field on a stretcher.
His second known concussion of that season came in a December game against Green Bay, and he didn’t play for the rest of the 2022 season. After that, Tagovailoa began studying ways where he may be able to fall more safely and protect himself against further injury — including studying jiu-jitsu.
“I’m not worried about anything that’s out of my hands,” McDaniel said. “I’m just worried about the human being.”
NEW YORK (AP) — When her husband turns on the television to hear news about the upcoming presidential election, that’s often a signal for Lori Johnson Malveaux to leave the room.
It can get to be too much. Often, she’ll go to a TV in another room to watch a movie on the Hallmark Channel or BET. She craves something comforting and entertaining. And in that, she has company.
While about half of Americans say they are following political news “extremely” or “very” closely, about 6 in 10 say they need to limit how much information they consume about the government and politics to avoid feeling overloaded or fatigued, according to a new survey from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and USAFacts.
Make no mistake: Malveaux plans to vote. She always does. “I just get to the point where I don’t want to hear the rhetoric,” she said.
The 54-year-old Democrat said she’s most bothered when she hears people on the news telling her that something she saw with her own eyes — like the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol — didn’t really happen.
“I feel like I’m being gaslit. That’s the way to put it,” she said.
Sometimes it feels like ‘a bombardment’
Caleb Pack, 23, a Republican from Ardmore, Oklahoma, who works in IT, tries to keep informed through the news feeds on his phone, which is stocked with a variety of sources, including CNN, Fox News, The Wall Street Journal and The Associated Press.
Yet sometimes, Pack says, it seems like a bombardment.
“It’s good to know what’s going on, but both sides are pulling a little bit extreme,” he said. “It just feels like it’s a conversation piece everywhere, and it’s hard to escape it.”
Media fatigue isn’t a new phenomenon. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in late 2019 found roughly two in three Americans felt worn out by the amount of news there is, about the same as in a poll taken in early 2018. During the 2016 presidential campaign, about 6 in 10 people felt overloaded by campaign news.
But it can be particularly acute with news related to politics. The AP-NORC/USAFacts poll found that half of Americans feel a need to limit their consumption of information related to crime or overseas conflicts, while only about 4 in 10 are limiting news about the economy and jobs.
It’s easy to understand, with television outlets like CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC full of political talk and a wide array of political news online, sometimes complicated by disinformation.
“There’s a glut of information,” said Richard Coffin, director of research and advocacy for USAFacts, “and people are having a hard time figuring out what is true or not.”
Women are more likely to feel they need to limit media
In the AP-NORC poll, about 6 in 10 men said they follow news about elections and politics at least “very” closely, compared to about half of women. For all types of news, not just politics, women are more likely than men to report the need to limit their media consumption, the survey found.
White adults are also more likely than Black or Hispanic adults to say they need to limit media consumption on politics, the poll found.
Kaleb Aravzo, 19, a Democrat, gets a baseline of news by listening to National Public Radio in the morning at home in Logan, Utah. Too much politics, particularly when he’s on social media sites like TikTok and Instagram, can trigger anxiety and depression.
“If it pops up on my page when I’m on social media,” he said, “I’ll just scroll past it.”
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Sanders reported from Washington. David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder.
The AP poll of 1,019 adults was conducted July 29-August 8, 2024, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points.
