A York University law professor says the prime minister may be trying to please the US by not reintroducing legislation that would have decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana, reported CBC.ca online news April 5. “Harper wants to mend fences with Bush,” said Alan Young, professor at York’s Osgoode Hall Law School, who has been involved in many of Canada’s landmark marijuana cases. “I think it’s a mistake for the country, and I regret that it’s happening after so much work has been done.”
Police warn of released sex attacker
The man who committed six sexual assaults near York University’s Keele campus in 2000 has been freed after serving his full five-year sentence and police are warning he’s at a high risk to re-offend, reported the Toronto Star April 5. Philip Foremsky, now 23, was 18 when he pleaded guilty to sexual assault with a weapon, two counts of sexual assault and two of armed robbery. The Toronto Sun reported that at least six women were attacked from July 21 to Sept. 29, 2000, and police said Foremsky should be put on a judicial restraint. Under the restraint order, Foremsky would have to report to police on a weekly basis, have no contact with his victims and not go to any park or school campus. Police would not say where he was released.
York faculty members contributed to campaign to save writer’s house
The city of Vancouver has extended the stay of execution for Joy Kogawa’s childhood home, reported CBC.ca April 5. The modest wood-frame house that features in her novel Obasan was scheduled for demolition March 30. A group led by the Land Conservancy of BC has been trying to raise money to buy the house, so it can be turned into a writers retreat. The house will cost about $1 million to buy and restore, but the group has raised just $200,000 so far. The faculty association at York University contributed $1,000 to the campaign, and book readings and silent auctions have been held in Vancouver and Toronto.
Investment firm promotes York graduate as money-management head
Amvescap PLC has promoted York alumnus Phil Taylor (MBA ‘79), head of its Canadian money-management division, to lead all of the company’s North American mutual-fund operations, including the struggling Aim Investments unit in the US, reported the National Post April 6. Taylor will be based in Houston and his most pressing job will be to stem investor withdrawals caused by below-average investment performance and the company’s implication in a 2003 mutual fund trading scandal. Taylor has worked at Amvescap for about seven years. He holds a master’s degree in business administration from York’s Schulich School of Business.
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- Scott Fielder