Author: Bambi

Beirut is still mourning since that doomed August 4, 2020.

Today, Bambi learned from her sister Roula of the death of Mr. Rami Fawaz.

According to l’Orient Le Jour (https://www.lorientlejour.com/article/1297189/blesse-par-des-eclats-de-verre-rami-fawaz-nouvelle-victime-de-lexplosion-du-4-aout-2020.html), Mr. Fawaz, a dear spouse and a beloved father of 3- and 5-year-old kids, became the 220th victim of the surrealistic Beirut port explosion that also injured 6 500 innocent people, including children (many of whom lost their eyes).

Bambi’s heart goes to Mr. Rami Fawaz’ family… May his memory be eternal.

Bambi is very thankful and honoured to have been invited by CUPE 3912 to write an article on academic freedom in its latest newsletter (https://cupe3912.ca/documents/the-instructor/). Of note, her article was authored/in press prior to the settlement of her arbitration process.

From this union’s website, you can read that “CUPE 3912 is Nova Scotia’s largest university union, proudly representing 3000+ precarious academic workers in 4 bargaining units at Dalhousie University (Dal), Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU), and Saint Mary’s University (SMU)” (https://cupe3912.ca/about/).

Bambi (or Rima Azar)’s article appears in the April 2022 edition of the Instructor‘s newsletter of CUPE 3912 on pages 2, 3, and 4: https://newsletter.cupe3912.ca/2022-04–CUPE3912_Newsletter.pdf

As a reminder, both the About Page of Bambi’s Afkar’s blog and Dr. Rima Azar personal website (https://rimaazar.ca/) include the following words about the settlement of her arbitration process:

Thank you for your heart-warming support

Merci du fond du cœur pour votre soutien chaleureux

ENGLISH (Le français suit…!)

Hello everyone:

Many thanks, from the bottom of my heart, for your heart-warming continuous support over the past 14 months.

It is your generosity that contributed to making the resolution of my arbitration process possible in the form of a confidential settlement.

Last but not least, I would like to thank my great lawyer, Max, for his outstanding legal counsel throughout my journey.

Below you can find the official statement for the settlement, as released in emails by the university and the union.

Thanks again,

Rima Azar, PhD [or Bambi on her blog]

“Mount Allison University, the Mount Allison Faculty Association and Professor Rima Azar (the “Parties”) are announcing today that all matters in dispute between them have been resolved. 

 The University received student complaints and took these complaints seriously pursuant to the Policy on Workplace Harassment and the Anti-Racism Policy. The Parties agree that these processes are important and complaints of this nature from our students need to be taken seriously. 

 Where all parties have agreed that fostering a respectful and inclusive learning environment – one which also recognizes academic freedom – is of the utmost importance, we consider all outstanding issues in dispute resolved, and no further commentary will be offered.”

FRANÇAIS

Bonjour tout le monde:

Un grand merci, du fond du cœur, pour votre soutien continu et chaleureux au cours des 14 derniers mois.

C’est votre générosité qui a contribué à rendre possible la résolution de mon processus d’arbitrage sous la forme d’un règlement confidentiel.

Enfin et surtout, je tiens à remercier mon excellent avocat, Me Max, pour ses conseils juridiques exceptionnels tout au long de mon parcours.

Vous trouverez ci-dessous le communiqué officiel du règlement tel que publié par courriel par l’université et le syndicat.

Merci encore,

Rima Azar, PhD [ou Bambi sur son blog]

“Mount Allison University, the Mount Allison Faculty Association and Professor Rima Azar (the “Parties”) are announcing today that all matters in dispute between them have been resolved. 

 The University received student complaints and took these complaints seriously pursuant to the Policy on Workplace Harassment and the Anti-Racism Policy. The Parties agree that these processes are important and complaints of this nature from our students need to be taken seriously. 

 Where all parties have agreed that fostering a respectful and inclusive learning environment – one which also recognizes academic freedom – is of the utmost importance, we consider all outstanding issues in dispute resolved, and no further commentary will be offered.”

Our friends are like a ray of sunshine in our lives… and vice versa.

We may sometimes end friendships in life.

Alternatively, friendship could slowly but surely fade out of existence.

The good news is that we may make new friends at any stage of life.

However, perhaps most importantly (even if it may be rare), we are blessed to have childhood friendships that can last a lifetime.

Many beautiful poems, songs, and sayings have been written on friendships in all languages.

For instance, from an older post, Bambi learned that Mr. Richard Wagner reflected on friendship as follows (English follows the French):

«Quelle noblesse d’avoir un ami, mais combien plus noble d’être un ami».

“How noble to have a friend, but how much more noble to be a friend”.

Bambi’s older post, from March 26, 2020, was entitled “Why don’t I be a good “friend” to myself, especially in a pandemic?”.

The two-year old post, mentioned above and shown below, was inspired by a guest (a deer!) in Bambi’s backyard. The current post that Bambi started preparing yesterday night, is also inspired by the theme of friendship. Well, what a coincidence! Guess what happened to Bambi early this morning? She bumped into another (or the same?) “deer” friend in their garden-backyard :). This friendly encounter was magical: it made her day!

Anyhow, regardless of any wild animal in your garden or pet in your house, Bambi hopes you are a good “friend” to yourself before being or becoming a friend for others.

Like any type of relationship, whether personal or professional, friendships take ONE basic (simple and free-of-charge) underlying ingredient, called respect. Without the latter, friendships lack the potential for growth.

To summarize and conclude, in Bambi’s mind, self-respect comes first. It is a must to truly respect/love oneself… and then others. This being said, she will stop here to let the following few songs remind us of the beauty of friendship. Long live friendship! Vive l’amitié!

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Why don’t I be a good “friend” to myself, especially in a pandemic?

Whether you celebrate Easter or not, whether your Easter is today OR next Sunday (i.e., the Orthodox Christian one), Happy Easter to you!

If you happen to believe in the deep meaning of Easter, Little Bunny and Bambi will come together to greet you, in a Lebanese traditional style, by saying in Arabic “El Massih Kam” [Christ is risen]! The joyful reply to this greeting is supposed to be: “Hakan Kam” [Truly risen] :)!

To continue on a more serious musical note, here is Fairouz singing, or rather praying, the El Massih Kam hymn in Arabic with some Greek. Regardless of any faith in the resurrection or not, it may be moving for some, including Bambi, to listen to byzantine chants because: (1) they are a treat to the ears; and (2) they may be associated with wonderful childhood memories, despite the adversity of civil war.

This being said, to conclude and if she may, Bambi would like to offer this joyful song, which is an Easter Greek Orthodox/Catholic hymn, to Aline, Amale, Mary, Chaitali, Jean, Leila, Mirella, Nayla, Rony, Achim, Charbel, Alexis, Evan, Spencer, Felix (Dr. Baerlocher), and Bloo, as well as her cousin Paul, if they happen to read this post :). Enjoy Fairouz’ unique voice!

Today’s post will be brief.

No need for many words… Just one moving picture taken from l‘Orient Le Jour.

Bambi will conclude with Fairuz’ famous song for Beirut, subtitled in English. Li Beirut is also offered to the families of the victims of the Beirut port blast of August 4, 2020.

Finally, since we are in the spirit of Easter, may Beirut “rise” from its darkness. May Lebanon finally start its LONG road of recovery… and collective healing.

Bambi is proud and delighted to learn that “Amherst surgeon Dr. Nabil Nader is being recognized with the CMA Honorary Membership Award for his leadership and outstanding contributions in surgery” (https://doctorsns.com/news-events/annual-conference/achievement-awards).

So well deserved!!!! Bravo Dr. Nader!

During his inspiring career, Dr. Nabil Nader practised surgery in Québec, in Nova Scotia, and in Lebanon during its civil war. We, as patients and potential patients, are lucky to have such a highly competent and devoted surgeon in the Maritimes!

THANK you, Dr. Nader, for your senior expertise, inspiring patient care, and for your continuous, devoted mentorship of junior surgery trainees.

Bambi and her spouse are blessed to have you and your family among their friends. Mabrouk! Congratulations!

Like everyone, Bambi’s heart is heavy… If she may, she would like to share a BEAUTIFUL tribute she found online written by a colleague and dear friend of Dr. Westcott. Thank you so much (unknown name?). Thanks also to Mr. Saliman Yahya Olamide for posting the text. Bambi thought he was the writer at first, but it does not seem to be the case (https://deathobits.com/2022/04/14/steve-westcott-obituary-steve-westcott-has-sadly-passed-away/).

Bambi has a 12-year-old yet vivid memory of Dr. Westcott that took place in Fredericton at the New Brunswick Health Research Foundation (NBHRF). He, Bambi, and other researchers from across the province spent 2-3 days reviewing grant applications. At the end of the last day, Bambi called a cab to reach the bus station fast and return home to Sackville. Dr. Westcott kindly offered her a lift in his car. Very sadly, she had to decline as her cab driver was just arriving around the corner. So, she did not have the chance to spend those precious 2.5 or 3 hours chatting with him. However, she lately was blessed to have more than a decade, hearing students speaking highly of him AND happily reading about his incredible achievements in his field as a Professor, Canada Research Chair Tier 1in Boron Chemistry (https://www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/chairholders-titulaires/profile-eng.aspx?profileId=158).

May God know how to comfort your family, Dr. Westcott. Same prayer for ALL your loved ones (close friends, trainees, research partners, colleagues at large, community members, international collaborators, etc.). As a deer, Bambi has a thought for your cat too (as per the picture above found online).

Thank you for touching so many lives… May your memory be eternal!

Much has happened in Lebanon since the official end of its civil war in October 1990.

Regardless of the latest tragedies and crises, April 13 is an unforgettably sad day in the collective memory of this tiny Mediterranean country.

Bambi would like to pause now and offer her birth country a Fairouz’ song called “Chadi” (symbol of this bloody 15-year-long war). By extension, this song is also dedicated to all the civilians of the world who find themselves taken hostages in armed conflicts beyond their control.

Following this moving song, Bambi would like to wish her childhood friend Rita a Happy Birthday! Bambi loves you beyond words, dear Rita ❤️. She thanks you for being in her life across the miles.To make you smile, below is a celebration song for you :). Bambi is grateful to the person who posted this personalized and public song on YouTube.

To conclude this post by integrating the sad and happy memories of the day, it is Bambi’s wish that love, friendship, dignity, humanity, and peace of mind will prevail in everyone’s lives!

Bambi posted the promising news from Québec about its will to come up with a bill to protect academic freedom at its universities, as per the post shown further below. This bill is called Bill 32.

Today, Bambi learned that the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) does not like parts of this bill. It is asking the government of Québec to work with academic staff associations (https://www.caut.ca/latest/2022/04/quebec-academic-freedom-bill-more-clarity-needed-says-caut).

On which planet does CAUT seem to live to say the following: “For academic staff, the strongest protection for academic freedom in Quebec and the rest of Canada has been through labour law. The legislation should not jeopardize that legal foundation.”

If academic freedom foundation is that strong in today’s Canada why are we increasingly observing cases of censorship (suspensions, terminations, final firing, etc.)?

Jointly, across all the known cases of attacks on academic freedom, we can even wonder if being a tenured professor in our Canadian colleges and universities still concretely mean anything today?

At least, CAUT informed us that it welcomes parts of the proposed bill 32 (http://assnat.qc.ca/fr/travaux-parlementaires/projets-loi/projet-loi-32-42-2.html). However, the article above does not tell us which parts are NOT acceptable and why.

Perhaps even more shocking for Bambi was to also read that the union of faculty members of Laval University, entitled “Syndicat des professeurs et 
professeures de l’Université Laval” (SPUL), “prefers no bill than this bill” (https://spul.ca/actualites/pl-32-sur-la-liberte-academique-dans-le-milieu-universitaire-pas-de-loi-plutot-que-cette-loi/). Again, we are not fully clear of the reasons behind this rejection of the proposed legislative framework.

To come back to CAUT, the latter seems to consider that, with the proposed bill 32, a potential concern would be the following: Universities may become dependent on the provincial government… but Bambi feels like reminding CAUT that education is a provincial jurisdiction precisely, not a federal one. Is CAUT equally concerned about the dependence of our universities on the federal government, through funding of certain programs? It is only natural to become too loyal to the hand that feeds us in life. Plus, some of such programs may, directly or indirectly, relate to the mindset underlying many of the attacks on academic freedom (regardless of the cause célèbre of the moment).

To conclude this post, unions must be fully transparent with their members, and the general public, about what they do not like in Québec’s proposed bill 32 and why.

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Bravo Québec for being a national and international leader in the protection of academic freedom!