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Copyright © 2012 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation 

News in Review, October 2012 

1. Quebec Votes 2012 

(Length: 15:05) 

2. Lance Armstrong: Hero or Villain? 

(Length: 16:01) 

3. The Search for the Franklin Expedition 

(Length: 15:04) 

4. Crisis in Syria 

(Length: 18:17)

OCTOBER 2012 

CONTENTS 

IN THIS ISSUE ...................................................................................................... 2 

Quebec Votes 2012 ............................................................................................. 4 

Minds‐on Discussion ..................................................................................................................................... 4 

Setting the Stage ........................................................................................................................................... 4 

Research Activity: What Party Has the Best Ideas for Quebec? ................................................................... 7 

Activity: What's The Deal with a Minority Government? ............................................................................. 9 

Extension Activity .......................................................................................................................................... 9 

Video Review .............................................................................................................................................. 10 

Community Connections ............................................................................................................................. 13 

Lance Armstrong: Hero or Villain? ..................................................................... 14 

Setting the Stage ......................................................................................................................................... 14 

Video Review .............................................................................................................................................. 17 

Learning Activity: Forming an Educated Opinion ....................................................................................... 20 

Debate ......................................................................................................................................................... 23 

The Search for the Franklin Expedition .............................................................. 25 

Minds‐on Activity ........................................................................................................................................ 25 


Examining Primary Evidence of the Franklin Mystery ................................................................................ 27 

Video Review .............................................................................................................................................. 29 

Inuit History and the Franklin Expedition ................................................................................................... 32 

Community Connections ............................................................................................................................. 33 

Crisis in Syria ..................................................................................................... 34 


Video Review .............................................................................................................................................. 37 

Activity: Groupthink .................................................................................................................................... 40 

Activity: Save the Children .......................................................................................................................... 43 

News in Review ∙ CBC Learning ∙ newsinreview.cbclearning.ca 1

OCTOBER 2012 

IN THIS ISSUE 

Quebec Votes 2012 (Length: 15:05) 

In a political roll of the dice, Quebec Premier Jean Charest called an election for September 4, 2012 — 

more than a year before it was required. Charest was hoping that voters would appreciate his handling 

of Quebec's recent student protests, but the Parti Québécois under leader Pauline Marois were ready 

for battle. This News in Review story looks at the campaign, the controversies and the election outcome. 

News in Review Study Modules 

Quebecers Vote in a Provincial Election, 

April 2007 

To Stay or Go: Quebec Ten Years Later, 

December 2005 

Charest Sweeps Quebec, May 2003 

Bouchard Quits: A Blow for Sovereignty? 

February 2001 

Quebec Elects Bouchard: Referendum 

Deferred, February 1999 

Quebec: The Rules For Separation, 

October 1998 

Jean Charest: The New Champion? May 1998 

After the Referendum: What Now? 

December 1995 

Quebec: The Referendum, November 1995 

Quebec Separatism: Campaign Stalled? 

May 1995 

Parizeau’s Plan: Blueprint for Separation, 

February 1995 

The Quebec Election: A Time of Choice, 

September 1994 

Bourassa: The End of an Era, February 1994 

Canada Votes No, November 1992 

Yes or No: Canada Votes on its Future, 

October 1992 

THE MEECH LAKE SPECIAL 

Related CBC Videos 

Black October 

October 1970 

Lance Armstrong: Hero or Villain? (Length: 16:01) 

Lance Armstrong's legacy of beating testicular cancer and winning an unprecedented seven Tour de 

France races has been on the line in recent years with persistent allegations that he used performance‐ 

enhancing drugs. This News in Review story explores the most recent of these allegations and 

Armstrong’s decision to give up the fight against the U.S. Anti‐Doping Agency. 


Athens 2004: The Games Return to Greece, 

September 2004 

The Salt Lake City Olympics, March 2002 

The Sydney Olympics: Re‐assessing the Costs, 

November 2000 


Girls of Summer 


OCTOBER 2012 

The Search for the Franklin Expedition (Length: 15:04) 

It's an important piece of Canadian history and a mystery that has stumped the world for more than 160 

years: what happened to Sir John Franklin's Arctic expedition and where are his ships? As this News in 

Review story discovers, this year a team of archaeologists from Parks Canada took another crack at 

solving this high‐arctic mystery. 


Titanic: The Canadian Story, May 2012 

Diving for Clues to Canadian History, 

March 2010 

Digging History, December 2003 

Re‐examining History: Searching for Truth, 

April 1995 


Arctic Meltdown: The Arctic Passages 

Best of News in Review: Canadian History 

Canada: A People's History, Season 1 

(Pre‐History to 1873) 

Crisis in Syria (Length: 18:17) 

It was seventeen months into the violent struggle in Syria, but August of 2012 was the bloodiest month 

of the conflict so far. An estimated five thousand people lost their lives in a civil war with no end in sight. 

This News in Review story follows this continuing conflict, the latest salvos from both rebels and 

President Bashar al‐Assad and recent developments on the UN stage. 


The Bloodbath in Syria, February 2012 

Libya and the Fall of Gadhafi, October 2011 

The Uprising in Libya, April 2011 

Egypt and the Days of Anger, March 2011 

The Assassination of Rafik Hariri, February 2011 


Anatomy of a Revolution 

Beyond the Veil 

Iran’s Young Rebels 

The Revolt of Islam (CBC Audio) 

Exercises marked with this symbol indicate that a worksheet to aid in the exploration of the 

topic is available online. 


News in Review – October 2012 – Teacher Resource Guide 

QUEBEC VOTES 2012 

MINDS‐ON DISCUSSION 

Sovereignty is defined as the ability of a state to 

govern itself. The Parti Quebecois represents the 

political will of those Quebecers who believe that 

Quebec sovereignty means that Quebec should 

leave the nation of Canada. 

Discuss these questions before reading the Setting 

the Stage text below: 

1. What do you think are the major arguments 

made by Quebecers who want to separate 

from Canada? 

2. What are the major arguments made against Quebec separating from Canada? 

3. Sovereignty has little support among Quebec Anglophones (English-speaking Quebecers), immigrant 

communities, and aboriginal First Nations. Why? 

4. Can you think of other peoples who wish to form their own state by separating from the nation they 

inhabit? 

SETTING THE STAGE 

On September 4, 2012 the first female premier of 

Quebec was elected. Pauline Marois, the leader of 

the separatist Parti Quebecois (PQ) defeated the 

incumbent Liberal Party led by Jean Charest by the 

narrow margin of less than one percentage point 

(or four seats) to form a minority government. The 

newly created party Coalition Avenir Quebec 

(CAQ) came in third place. This was the fifth time 

in four decades that Quebecers had elected a 

sovereigntist government. 

During the five week campaign the PQ positioned 

itself as an agent of change for Quebecers. The 

party hoped to win voters away from the Liberal 

Party since recent polls showed that the Liberals 

had a very low satisfaction rate amongst voters. 

This dissatisfaction with Premier Jean Charest was 

heightened by nightly post-secondary student 

protests that preceded the election, the passage of a 

bill to limit the student protests, and allegations of 

corruption and illicit fundraising within the 

provincial government. Premier Charest gambled 

that since student protests had ended and the 

investigation into political collusion that may 

implicate his leadership had yet to begin, late 

summer was a good time for him to announce an 

election. 

With 31 years of political experience, Pauline 

Marois felt prepared to lead a strong campaign 

against the Liberal party and she hoped to win a 

majority government. PQ party goals included 

bringing in stricter language laws, a secular charter 

and a move toward a sovereignty agenda. She also 

appealed to Quebec students by promising to 

cancel proposed tuition increases and Quebec's 

emergency Bill 78. Marois also recruited one of 

4

OCTOBER 2012 — QUEBEC VOTES 2012 

the most charismatic college student protest 

leaders, Leo Bureau-Blouin, to run as a candidate. 

But the PQ alienated allophone and anglophone 

voters despite Marois’ assertion that her party 

respects minority language rights. Marois faced 

harsh criticism when she called for a charter of 

secularism that would include barring public 

servants from wearing religious "signs" such as 

turbans, hijabs and kippas. Marois stated that a 

crucifix would be exempt from the charter since 

she argued that that is a symbol of French 

Canadian heritage, not religion. Mild critics of 

Marois accused her of supporting a double 

standard and playing to anti-minority sentiments. 

Harsher critics called her a bigot and racist. 

One of the more colourful figures in the campaign 

was Jacques Duchesneau, a former Montreal 

police chief, who decided to run as a candidate for 

the nine-month-old party CAQ. His candidacy 

caused a sensation since he was the author of a 

report that alleged the use of intimidation and 

illegal practices involving construction companies 

and engineering firms to obtain government 

construction contracts. He also said the practices 

were tied to the illegal financing of political 

parties. The report forced Premier Charest to call 

an inquiry, one which his critics claim he was 

trying to avoid potentially damaging revelations by 

calling the early election. 

The CAQ promised a sweeping anti-corruption 

law, a doctor for every Quebecer within a year and 

a campaign to lessen the province's dropout rate. 

During the campaign CAQ leader Francois Legault 

was accused of changing his mind on the issue of 

sovereignty, at first supporting a referendum then 

stating the party was not at all supportive of a 

referendum on sovereignty. 

When the election results were confirmed, Jean 

Charest had lost his riding of Sherbrooke, a seat he 

had held for 28 years. His riding boasts one of the 

highest proportions of post-secondary students of 

all Quebec ridings. He announced that he was 

leaving politics the day after the election. The PQ 

election victory was by a tiny margin, leaving 

Quebecers and Canadians wondering how Ms. 

Marois will proceed with many of her election 

promises. 

The PQ’s win was marred by a shooting which 

took place as Ms. Marois delivered her victory 

speech, leaving one man dead and another injured. 

For more information on the Quebec Student Protests go to CBC News in Review, September 

2012 – newsinreview.cbclearning.ca/september12 

Checking Understanding 

1. What challenges did Jean Charest face in this election? 

2. What challenges did Pauline Marois face in this election? 



Extending Understanding 

3. Why do you think the CAQ emerged as a contender in this election? 

4. Why do you think Jean Charest lost his seat, and the Liberal Party of Quebec lost the election? 

5. Consider Pauline Marois’ charter of secularism after further research. What would be the benefits? 

What do you think are the drawbacks? 



RESEARCH ACTIVITY: What party has the best ideas for Quebec? 

1. Choose two of the Quebec political parties below to research (Liberal, PQ or CAQ). Go to your 

chosen party’s website for information on their election platform (their beliefs and ideas for a better 

Quebec). Copy the chart below into your notes and record your point-form answers. 

2. Prepare a Venn diagram where you note similarities, differences between the parties. Debrief your 

findings as a class. 

3. Argue which party had the best ideas for Quebec and explain your position. 

Party Liberal Party of Quebec Parti Quebecois Coalition Avenir Quebec 

Leader Jean Charest Pauline Marois Francois Legault 

Party 

Platform as 

stated on 

Official 

Website 

Economic 

Sovereignty 

Cultural 

http://plq.org/pdf/Plan_Econo 

mique_PLQ_en.pdf 

https://d.pq.org/sites/default/ 

files/programme2011.pdf 

http://coalitionavenirquebec.org/ 

en/platform/ 



Party Liberal Party of Quebec Parti Quebecois Coalition Avenir Quebec 

Education 

Medical 

Who is this 

party 

appealing to? 

(Consider 

age, 

ethnicity, 

language, 

employment 

status, 

urban/rural 

inhabitant, 

religion etc.) 



Note for Teachers 

Consider viewing a 

student‐friendly TVO 

animated clip that explains 

the difference between a 

minority and a majority 

government (through an 

Ontario example): 

www.youtube.com/watch 

?v=9G_ro‐EhW4c 

EXTENSION ACTIVITY 

ACTIVITY: 

What's the deal with a minority government? 

Discuss the following questions. 

1. What is a majority and minority government? 

2. What challenges do a minority government face that a majority 

government does not? 

3. What challenges will Pauline Marois face as the leader of a minority 

government? 

In the following CBC photo gallery, Quebecers were asked to finish the sentence "My Quebec is …" 

and send in a photo to accompany their submission. 

Go to the site and discuss as a class the diversity of opinions and beliefs in Quebec. 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/story/2012/07/30/my‐quebec‐is.html 



VIDEO REVIEW 

Pre‐viewing Activity 

Review your understanding and/or define the following key terms for the Quebec election: approval 

rating; riding; seats; incumbent; popular vote; campaign trail; party platform; referendum: Francophone; 

Anglophone; Allophone. 

Viewing Questions 

While you watch the CBC News in Review video, answer the questions below: 

1. What was Quebec Premier Charest's approval rating before he called the election? 

2. What two problems has Charest's government faced? 

3. How did ethnicity and culture become an election issue in Quebec? 

4. Why is a provincial election in Quebec typically of great interest across Canada? 

5. Why did other provinces once fear Quebec separation? 



6. Why do other provinces no longer have great interest in Quebec politics? 

7. What violent incident occurred the night of the election? 

8. Why did Charest not carry on as Liberal leader? 

9. What two promises did Marois make immediately following the election? 

10. Why did some speculate that Marois did not mention a sovereignty referendum following the 

election? 



Post‐viewing Discussion 

Read the following quotes from PQ leader Pauline Marois, taken from her interview with Daybreak 

Montreal host Mike Finnerty. 

What is the central issue in this election for 

Quebecers? 

First of all, that it is integrity, I think. We have 

major problems with the actual government, 

with Charest’s government, that he didn’t decide 

to resolve the problem or act on this issue. They 

decided to have an inquiry commission only 

after two years and a half of demand on the part 

of the population. So, I think it is a major issue. 

The other one is to have real answer to the 

problems of the population of Quebec. Old 

people have many great problems — they don’t 

have access to services at home. The family 

doesn’t have access to daycare centres. There 

are major problems at the emergency [rooms] in 

hospitals. It is important to present real solutions 

to the population of Quebec. 

If you win on September 4, will you see yourself 

as having a mandate to call a referendum in 

your first term in office? 

No. But if I want to do a referendum, I will have 

the possibility to hold one.… So if it is possible 

for us to convince the majority of the population 

to vote yes for a referendum, it will be possible 

for a referendum.… We could do it, but also it 

could be possible to not hold one. 

Your proposal for a secular charter has a lot of 

people talking. How can a modern, diverse, free 

and open society like ours say to the citizenry 

you cannot wear outwardly religious symbols if 

you are working in the public system? 

I think it is important for the government to be 

neutral. There are many people from different 

religions. That is respect for all these religions to 

say to these people when you will work for the 

government, you will be neutral. 

It’s for the respect of many different religions, 

so the state [does] not to have one religion.… 

The [crucifix in the National Assembly] is a part 

of our history and we don’t have to renounce our 

history. It is why I accept the crucifix in our 

National Assembly. 

1. How effectively, clearly and convincingly did Marois answer the reporter's questions? 

2. What challenges does a politician faced when being interviewed by the media? 



3. What other questions would you have asked Marois? 

Why? 

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS 

Women in Canadian Politics 

Pauline Marois became the 

Canada's fourth female premier. A 

woman is also the premier of the 

territory of Nunavut. Women make 

up a quarter of the 308 seats in the 

House of Commons. Canada 

remains 52nd in the world when it 

comes to female representation in 

political office. Why do you think 

this is? Other countries are 

purposefully trying to balance 

gender representation. Do you 

think Canada should do the same? 

Have someone in your community who has run for political office (trustee, councillor) come and speak to 

your class about the process, challenges and rewards of involvement in a political campaign. 



LANCE ARMSTRONG: HERO OR VILLIAN? 

Setting the Stage 

The defiant cyclist stepped to the podium at the World 

Cancer Congress in Montreal and told the 2,000 

dignitaries gathered before him, “My name is Lance 

Armstrong. I am a cancer survivor. I’m a father of 

five. And yes, I won the Tour de France seven times.” 

(Associated Press, August 29, 2012) This marked the 

first public appearance by Armstrong since he bowed 

out of his battle with the United States Anti-Doping 

Agency (USADA). The USADA had accused the elite 

cyclist of using performance-enhancing drugs 

throughout his storied career. Once Armstrong made 

the decision to give up the fight with the USADA, the 

agency promptly stripped him of all his awards and 

titles, including his seven Tour de France triumphs. 

Hero (?) 

The hero side of the Lance Armstrong story reads 

like a Hollywood script. A truly gifted athlete, 

Armstrong rose through the ranks of the United 

States cycling community to grab the US amateur 

title in 1991. In 1993, he won a stage of the Tour 

de France along with the World Road 

Championship. He continued to be a force in 

cycling until the fall of 1996 when he began to feel 

unusually weak. Along with the weakness came a 

soreness in one of his testicles — which is not 

unusual for saddle-bound cyclists who are on a 

bike six hours a day. But when he started to spit up 

blood, Armstrong knew he needed to get to a 

doctor. Almost immediately he was diagnosed 

with testicular cancer and shortly thereafter he had 

the cancerous testicle removed. Unfortunately the 

cancer had spread to his lungs, abdomen, and 

brain. What followed was intense chemotherapy 

and brain surgery. When he was diagnosed, 

doctors gave him a less than 50 per cent chance of 

survival. He was only 25 years old at the time. 

Despite the odds, and thanks to a combination of 

will power and extensive medical intervention, 

Armstrong beat the cancer and stayed alive. 

No one could imagine what would come next. In 

spite of the debilitating toll that the cancer, and 

subsequent cancer treatment, took on his body, 

Armstrong mounted a cycling comeback. He 

trained relentlessly and, through an incredible 

display of determination, got his physical 

conditioning to a point that no doctors thought he 

could reach. By 1998, he was in competitive race 

shape again and in 1999 he won his first Tour de 

France (the first of seven straight), arguably one of 

the greatest cycling feats ever. In the same period, 

Armstrong also won an Olympic bronze medal and 

received millions of dollars in commercial 

endorsements. 

Meanwhile back home in Texas, Armstrong 

established the Lance Armstrong Foundation and 

the Livestrong brand to help people suffering with 

cancer. Since 1997, the foundation has raised close 

to half a billion dollars for people doing battle with 

the disease. Those close to Armstrong say he has 

always worked tirelessly for the foundation. 

14

OCTOBER 2012 — LANCE ARMSTRONG: HERO OR VILLIAN? 

Villain (?) 

Despite his ability to beat cancer and comeback to 

win the most grueling road race in the world, 

skeptics claimed that Armstrong must have taken 

performance-enhancing drugs — namely the blood 

booster EPO and anabolic steroids that mimic the 

male hormone testosterone — to be able to 

overcome so many obstacles. These allegations 

emerged after Armstrong’s first Tour win in 1999 

and gained momentum as his victories and 

notoriety grew. Things really came to a head in 

2011 when a US grand jury investigating drug use 

in sports summoned several of Armstrong’s 

teammates to court — including Tyler Hamilton, 

who claimed he saw Armstrong use EPO and 

testosterone. A short time after testifying, 

Hamilton appeared on the CBS news program 60 

Minutes and outlined his relationship with 

Armstrong and reiterated the fact that his 

teammate used performance-enhancing drugs. 

Hamilton’s claim was supported by two other US 

cyclists, Frankie Endreu and George Hincapie, 

both of whom said they saw Armstrong use banned 

substances. Hamilton went on to describe a drug 

test in 2001 that indicated Armstrong had taken 

EPO after competing in the Tour de Suisse (a tune 

up race for the Tour de France). The positive test 

result seems to have been concealed. Journalists 

investigating the incident have speculated that two 

donations totaling $125,000 to cycling’s governing 

body (the Union Cycliste Internationale or UCI) 

may have played a role in quashing the test result. 

Armstrong says the donations were to help pay for 

drug testing equipment purchased by the UCI. 

For his part, Lance Armstrong points to the fact 

that he has passed hundreds of drug tests 

(repeatedly referring to himself as “the most tested 

athlete ever”) as evidence that he is not a cheater. 

In terms of the failed drug test in 2001, he says that 

the sample must have been spiked at the lab. He 

claims that his detractors — the USADA in 

particular — have mounted a vendetta against him 

and that, after a lawsuit attempting to block the 

USADA’s doping charges was thrown out of court, 

he made the decision to stop fighting his accusers. 

In a media statement, Armstrong said, "There 

comes a point in every man's life when he has to 

say, ‘Enough is enough.’ For me, that time is 

now.” (lancearmstrong.com, August 23, 2012) The 

USADA responded by claiming that Armstrong’s 

choice to give up the fight was proof that he would 

not be able to defend the charges against him. 

Apparently they had blood samples from 2009 and 

2010 that confirmed drug use and the testimony of 

at least 10 witnesses who had direct knowledge of 

Armstrong taking performance-enhancing drugs. 

They also had frozen urine samples from previous 

Tour de France races that, given new testing 

methods, would show Armstrong used EPO. By 

withdrawing from the USADA process, the 

evidence and testimony will never be revealed in 

an open and public forum. 

Hero or Villain? 

While Lance Armstrong may have started his 

speech to the World Cancer Congress in Montreal 

with a defiant message defending his cycling 

accomplishments, the rest of his speech spoke of 

his courageous battle with cancer and the 

tremendous accomplishments of his foundation in 

the global fight against the disease. Only the Terry 

Fox Foundation has raised more than the $500 

million raised by Lance Armstrong and his 

Livestrong brand. Cheater or not, his efforts to 

help experts find a cure for cancer can’t go 

unnoticed. He may have given up the fight against 

charges of drug use, but not his commitment to 

fighting cancer. This makes him simultaneously a 

hero to those battling cancer and a villain to those 

claiming he tainted the sport of cycling by using 

performance-enhancing drugs. 



To Consider 

1. What evidence is there that Lance Armstrong is a hero? 

2. a) What evidence is there that Lance Armstrong is a villain? 

b) How strong is the evidence against him? 

c) How does Armstrong respond to accusations that he used performance-enhancing drugs? 

3. Based on your reading of the article, where do you stand on the issue? Is Lance Armstrong a hero or a 

villain? 



VIDEO REVIEW 

Pre‐viewing Activity 

Keep the following question in mind while you review the contents of the table: 

Why might an athlete choose to take performance‐enhancing drugs? 

In the controversy surrounding Lance Armstrong, two performance-enhancing drugs have been repeatedly 

mentioned: erythropoietin and steroids. 

Drug Benefits for athletes Side effects 

Erythropoetin (EPO) – a 

peptide hormone released 

from the kidney. 

Erythropoetin helps boost the 

oxygen carrying capacity of 

blood by increasing a 

person’s red blood cell mass. 

This boost gives the person 

energy. 

Steroids – a synthetic form of 

the male sex hormone 

testosterone. Testosterone 

aids in the building and 

maintenance of muscle mass. 

Steroids allow for the 

building of muscle mass and 

increases muscular 

endurance. 


The higher the presence of 

red blood cells, the more 

oxygen is present in the blood 

stream. This leads to a 

significantly higher level of 

energy. EPO aids in 

endurance and muscle 

stimulation. 

An athlete can build muscle 

mass quickly with less time 

and pain between workouts. 

Steroids also improve 

strength and endurance. 

Thickening of the blood 

resulting in strain on the heart 

because it is harder to pump 

the thicker blood through the 

bloodstream. This can 

dramatically increase the 

likelihood of heart attack or 

stroke. 

High blood pressure, heart 

conditions, and liver damage 

are just a few of the many 

side effects of steroid abuse. 

There are also psychiatric 

problems — like increased 

aggression (‘roid rage’) — 

associated with steroid abuse. 

1. a) Why did allegations of drug use by Lance Armstrong become more intense in 2010? Who levied 

the accusations against him? 



b) What does the person making the allegations say happened at Armstrong’s house in 2003? 

2. What is the name of Armstrong’s cancer charity? 

3. Why do many people consider Lance Armstrong to be a source of inspiration? 

4. How many cyclists did the United States Anti-Doping Agency say that they had lined up to testify 

against Armstrong? 

5. a) What did Tyler Hamilton say he saw Armstrong do on more that one occasion? 

b) What is the drug EPO designed to do? 

6. a) How many drug tests has Armstrong passed? 

b) What do anti-doping regulators think of these test results? 

7. When the US Anti-Doping Agency declared him a cheat, how did Lance Armstrong respond? 



8. What impact has the accusations of cheating had on the Livestrong brand? 

9. How much money has Lance Armstrong and Livestrong raised for cancer research? 

10. What did Lance Armstrong tell the crowd gathered at the World Cancer Congress in Montreal? What 

did this reveal about his state of mind as his detractors continued to accuse him of cheating? 

Post‐viewing Questions 

1. How is the Lance Armstrong controversy a reflection of our “win at all costs” society? 

Consider one or both of the following perspectives when answering the question: 

IF Lance Armstrong used drugs, experts believe he would have improved his performance by as 

much as five per cent — which is more than enough to put an already elite athlete over the top in 

competition. What does this say about an athlete’s desire to win? 

IF Lance Armstrong did not use drugs, his enemies have gone to great lengths to knock this hero off 

his perch. What does this say about a society that likes to see its heroes fall? 

2. Does the fact that the Lance Armstrong Foundation has raised hundreds of millions of dollars for 

cancer survivors allow him to maintain his hero status even if he took performance-enhancing drugs 

when he competed? 



LEARNING ACTIVITY: Forming an Educated Opinion 

Read the Setting the Stage section of this News in Review story and complete the “To Consider” 

questions. Based on your reading, write two (2) opinion paragraphs (7-10 sentences each): one will argue 

in favour of the United States Anti-Doping Agency’s (USADA) decision to strip Lance Armstrong of all 

titles and awards from 1998 until his retirement; and the other will argue against the decision. The 

USADA decision essentially labeled Armstrong as a drug-using cheater and stripped him of seven Tour 

de France titles and an Olympic bronze medal. After you finish your two opinion paragraphs, write a 

summary paragraph where you state the position that most reflects your beliefs. 

Prior to writing your two opinion paragraphs, jot down some point-form notes in the following table: 

Points in favour of USADA decision Points against the USADA decision 



Paragraph 1 – In favour of the USADA decision 

Paragraph 2 – Against the USADA decision 

Your opinion regarding the USADA decision 



Follow‐up questions 

1. How difficult was it for you to complete this activity? 

2. What did you find challenging about writing a paragraph contrary to your actual opinion? 

3. How important do your think it is to have an understanding of both sides of an argument when 

forming an educated opinion? 



DEBATE 

Form a group of five (5) and prepare to debate the statement below. Two people will argue for the 

statement and two people will argue against the statement. The fifth group member will act as the 

moderator — keeping the debate on topic and moving the debate from one phase to the next. 

Debate statement 

That athletes should be permitted to take performance‐enhancing drugs in order to achieve 

optimal results in competitive sports. 

Research: Use the information in this News in Review guide to help you prepare your argument. 

(Important note: You don’t need to be an expert on performance-enhancing drugs and their effects to take 

part in this activity. The goal is to help you use your existing knowledge to argue a point.) 

Debate format 

Opening Statement – FOR / AGAINST – one minute each (total – 2 minutes). The opening statement 

should present three points that your side will use to argue your position. 

Debate Point #1 – FOR – explain your first point with as much conviction as possible (2 minutes) 

Rebuttal Point #1 – AGAINST – challenge the argument put forward (2 minutes) 

Debate Point #2 – FOR (2 minutes) 

Rebuttal Point #2 – AGAINST (2 minutes) 

Debate Point #3 – FOR (2 minutes) 

Rebuttal Point #3 – AGAINST (2minutes) 

Reverse the process for the AGAINST side, ie. Debate Point #1 – AGAINST (2 minutes); Rebuttal Point 

#1 – FOR (2 minutes), etc. This should take another 12 minutes to complete. 

Closing Statements – FOR / AGAINST – 2 minutes each (total 4 minutes) 

Total time: 30 minutes 



Guiding questions: 

• What are the potential health risks associated with permitting performance enhancing drug use by 

athletes? 

• Is a “win at all costs” mentality detrimental to competition or is this merely a reflection of what is 

happening in sports anyway? 

Follow up 

This activity calls for several debates to be happening in groups throughout the class. After the debates 

have been completed, your teacher might choose to call on the moderators and debaters to summarize 

their debate experience in an informal class discussion. 



THE SEARCH FOR THE FRANKLIN EXPEDITION 

MINDS‐ON ACTIVITY 

Discuss the following questions before reading: 

1. Name as many explorers as you can. Note 

what country each explorer was from and 

what lands they were exploring and 

claiming. Discuss your findings as a class. 

2. Define the terms imperialism, colonialism 

and indigenous. 

3. Why might explorers be considered heroes 

of their own nation? Why might they be 

viewed less favourably by indigenous 

peoples? Why are explorers considered 

important historical figures? 

4. Who would you consider as present day examples of explorers? Why? 


Captain Sir John Franklin and his crew of 130 

men set off from Britain 160 years ago on an 

expedition of the Arctic. The two ships, the 

HMS Erebus and HMS Terror were some of the 

biggest and strongest vessels ever to make the 

journey. Stocked with food, water and other 

necessities to last seven years, the expedition 

hoped to detail the last un-navigated section of 

the Northwest Passage (a route from the Atlantic 

to Pacific Ocean through Canada). 

Naval explorers like Franklin were heroes of 

Victorian Britain; brave men who risked life and 

limb to examine the mysteries of uncharted 

lands and to lay claim to those lands for their 

mother country. 

After two years with no communications back to 

Britain from Franklin, everyone feared the 

worse. The entire crew had vanished in the 

Arctic Archipelago. Victorians wondered their 

fate and sent several expeditions to find answers 

to the mystery. Dozens of expeditions were 

launched in an attempt to search for the lost 

men. 

In 1859, a search party hired by Lady Jane 

Franklin found a message left in a cairn (a pile 

of stones made by humans) on Victory Point, 

King William Island that detailed how the two 

ships had become trapped in the ice in Victoria 

Strait in late 1846, and remained there a year 

and a half. The message also stated that Sir John 

Franklin died on June 11, 1847 and by spring 

1848 another 24 members of the crew has 

perished. In April 1848 the rest of the crew left a 

note saying they were setting out on foot, for a 

destination they never reached. 

Despite the tragic ending to his journey, 

Franklin remained a hero in British popular 

culture and other expeditions were launched to 

25

OCTOBER 2012 — THE SEARCH FOR THE FRANKLIN EXPEDITION 

find out more about the disaster. Some 

speculated that the crew had fell victim to 

scurvy, lead poisoning, or tuberculosis. Earlier 

speculation of cannibalism was finally proven 

when skeletal remains were found in later search 

parties (bones revealed evidence of being 

intentionally severed). The story of the doomed 

quest in the unforgiving North remains a 

historical mystery. 

In recent times, the Canadian government has 

also invested time and money to search for the 

Class Discussion 

doomed vessels, but the reasons for the latest 

revived interest in Franklin seem to be scientific, 

economic and political interest related to Arctic 

sovereignty. The latest hunt for wreckage was 

led by Parks Canada. Franklin's ships were not 

found but important artifacts were discovered. It 

was the fourth government-led expedition over 

the past five years and the biggest. The lost ships 

remain an undiscovered national historical site. 

1. Why is the Arctic important to the government of Canada? List as many reasons as you can (i.e. 

natural resources, national identity, military/defense, environmental)? 

2. Why is the Arctic important to the Inuit people? List as many reasons as you can. 



Examining Primary Evidence of the Franklin Mystery 

Primary evidence is important to historians. Primary evidence provides us with details about a historical 

person, place or event from the viewpoint of a person who had knowledge of the person, place or event 

being examined. 

For that reason, primary evidence is called "first-hand" evidence or "original" evidence. 

With a small group, examine the following selection of primary evidence that can be found on the web 

and complete the chart. 

Primary 

Evidence of 

the Franklin 

Expedition 

Cairn note 

Map of 

collected 

evidence 

from searches 

for Franklin 

Inuit 

testimony* 

Who is the 

author/creator? 

When was it 

written/made? 

Why did the 

author/creator record 

this evidence? 

What does this primary 

evidence tell us about 

the Franklin mystery? 



Primary 

Evidence of 

the Franklin 

Expedition 

Engraving of 

Frederick 

Schwatka's 

search party 

for Franklin 

Who is the 

author/creator? 

When was it 

written/made? 

Why did the 

author/creator record 

this evidence? 

URLs 

• Cairn note – http://www.cbc.ca/news/interactives/franklin-cairn-note/ 

What does this primary 

evidence tell us about 

the Franklin mystery? 

• 1927 map of information related to Franklin searches – http://www.cbc.ca/news/interactives/franklinsearches-map/ 

• Frederick Schwatka’s search party – http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/photos/2762/#igImgId_45768 

• Inuit Testimony – http://www.ric.edu/faculty/rpotter/inuittest.html 

Note to Teachers 

Students could focus on one piece of Inuit evidence, such as Iggiararjuk's testimony, as told to 

Rasmussen in 1923. 

Further Exploration 

To learn more about the doomed expedition and the 2012 search efforts for Franklin's ships go 

to the CBC website Searching for Franklin: Making history in the Canadian Arctic. View special 

reports, timelines, photographs and interviews: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/features/franklin/ 



VIDEO REVIEW 

Pre‐viewing Questions 

Answer the following questions individually, then discuss them with a partner. Prepare to debrief as a 

class. 

1. What challenges do you anticipate facing in a present-day search for Franklin's ships? 

2. How do you think technology will help the search? 

3. Why do you think some people want to find the remains of the Franklin expedition? 

4. Why do you think the Canadian government wants to find the remains of the Franklin expedition? 


While you watch the CBC News in Review video, answer the questions below: 

1. What was the importance of the Northwest Passage? 

2. What happened to Franklin and his men? 



3. What is the main objective of the Parks Canada team? 

4. How close was Franklin and his crew to achieving their goal? 

5. What remains were found of the crew? 

6. Who has vital testimony regarding what happened to the Franklin crew? 

7. Why is the researchers’ work described as monotonous? 

8. Why is the search important even if the ships are not found? 

9. What other information is being gathered on the expedition in regards to a potential oil spill? 

10. How did the expedition conclude? 

11. Why is the search considered important? 



Post‐viewing Discussion 

1. Do you think the Canadian government should continue its search for the Franklin ships? Why or 

why not? 



Inuit History and the Franklin Expedition 

Hungry Qallunaat (white people, in Inuktitut) is how Inuit people remember the survivors of the Franklin 

expedition in their oral history. The testimony of the Inuit people was sought in the early 20th century and 

is being sought again today as important primary evidence in the search for Franklin's ships. 

Going Deeper 

On the CBC.ca website, watch The National segment, Inuit History and Franklin Ships: 

www.cbc.ca/player/News/TV+Shows/The+National/ID/2278124371/ 

1. Why do the Inuit care about the fate of Franklin and his crew? 

2. Describe the land where the Inuit live. 

3. What is oral history and why is it important? 

4. Why is the Inuit account considered credible and reliable? 

5. How could the Inuit be impacted by further exploration of the Arctic? 

For Further Research 

Go to the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami Website at www.itk.ca to gain first‐hand information on the 

peoples and cultures of the four Inuit regions and their social, economic, political and 

environmental concerns. 



COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS 

1. Find out what indigenous peoples once inhabited and still inhabit the land of your community. 

2. Contact an Aboriginal Friendship Centre to invite a speaker to talk about the impact of exploration on 

aboriginal peoples. 

3. Ask a family or community member if they can recall a historical mystery/tragedy that they learned 

about when they were young. Compare this story to the one of the Franklin expedition. 



CRISIS IN SYRIA 


How it all began 

The iron hand of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad 

and his self-serving government had proven to be 

more than the people of Daraa could bear. Inspired 

by the protests of the Arab Spring a year earlier, 

and infuriated by the Syrian government’s 

repressive rule, the citizens of Daraa took to the 

streets to voice their outrage over the arrest and 

torture of 15 boys who painted the slogan “The 

people want to overthrow the regime” on one of the 

walls of their school. Government forces responded 

to the demonstration by opening fire on the crowd, 

killing five and wounding many others. The events in Daraa inspired similar protests across the country. 

Note to Teachers 

The classroom must promote a safe place for students to discuss sensitive issues such as violence and death. 

Prepare students for the topics that will be discussed and allow for individual reflective time in addition to small 

group activities where students can safely process their thoughts and emotions. 

The Evolution of a Civil War 

What started as a few isolated protests suddenly 

became a nationwide phenomenon and, the more 

the movement grew, the more violent President 

Assad’s army became. Within months, the crisis 

evolved into an all-out civil war. It was the 

president’s hope that the military might of the 

Syrian army would stop the uprising in its 

tracks. Instead it spawned a spirit of militancy 

among the common people and caused many 

members of the armed forces to defect to the 

protesters side — thus pitting the extremely 

well-armed and well-trained Syrian army against 

a makeshift rebel army consisting of protesters 

and ex-soldiers. 

Conflict Hotspots 

Conflict hotspots began to emerge across Syria 

with the city of Homs being one of the most 

intense battlegrounds. In the fall of 2011, 

government forces went door-to-door and 

arrested scores of alleged rebels — killing at 

least 18 people (including an eight year old girl) 

— in an effort to regain control of the city. 

Homs didn’t bend so the army spent the next 

several months firing on unarmed crowds and 

bombarding residential neighbourhoods with 

high-powered artillery shells and air force 

bomber jets. The same gruesome theme emerged 

in Houla, Damascus, and Aleppo. In Houla, 108 

people were killed in one day when government 

forces shelled neighbourhoods and summarily 

executed suspected opponents of the regime. In 

Damascus, the historic capital of Syria, 

government forces protected political resources 

with tanks, warplanes, and an intense military 

presence. That didn’t stop the insurgents from 

setting off car bombs and engaging in tactical 

34

OCTOBER 2012 — CRISIS IN SYRIA 

guerilla warfare to stake their claim to parts of 

the city. Syria’s largest city, Aleppo — a place 

that managed to dodge the violence for most of 

the conflict — suffered the same fate as other 

jurisdictions: bombardment by the army and air 

force, innocent civilians killed alongside rebel 

fighters, and atrocities too horrible to describe. 

Stalemate and Diplomacy 

Fifteen months after the conflict began, Syria’s 

civil war could only be characterized as a 

stalemate — this despite the fact that the Syrian 

army found itself far better equipped than their 

rebel counterparts. While both sides clung to 

their respective strongholds, diplomats tried to 

negotiate a peaceful end to the conflict. The 

Arab League made several attempts to get the 

Assad government to dial back its aggressive 

assault on its own people but, as the carnage 

mounted, they felt they had no choice but to kick 

Syria out of the 22 member regional community. 

Meanwhile, the United Nations dispatched Kofi 

Anan to try to broker a deal between the rebel 

forces and the Assad government. While it 

appeared he had successfully brought the two 

sides together, the Syrian army’s repeated 

violation of the Anan plan ceasefire made a 

diplomatic solution untenable. Eventually Anan 

quit and his successor, Algerian Lakdhar 

Brahimi, declared, “There is no disagreement 

anywhere that the situation in Syria is extremely 

bad and getting worse, that it is a threat to the 

region and a threat to peace and security in the 

world.” (BBC, September 24, 2012) The 

regional threat took on added significance in 

September 2012 after a Syrian army mortar 

attack on a border town in Turkey. The Turkish 

government responded by giving the army 

permission to engage in cross-border operations 

if the Syrian attacks continued. 

The International Community 

Meanwhile, the international community 

struggled to respond to the crisis in Syria. While 

UN partners united in their decision to use air 

strikes to aid rebels fighting Muammar Gaddafi 

in Libya, unanimity was not the order of the day 

when it came to Syria. China and Russia vowed 

to use their Security Council veto power to 

block any UN resolutions designed to remove 

President Assad from power. The US and 

Canada moved from condemnation of the 

actions of the Assad government to a call for his 

resignation. With China and Russia pitted 

against countries like the US and Canada, any 

kind of outside military intervention to aid the 

rebels was not going to take place without 

causing a global crisis. It seems the same 

stalemate that emerged in the conflict between 

the rebels and the Syrian government also took 

hold on the diplomatic front. 

Assad’s Grip Weakening? 

For those seeking regime change within Syria, 

the two-pronged stalemate was extremely 

disheartening. It was unlikely that a sustained 

rebel led guerilla war would win out against a 

far more powerful Syrian army, and it was also 

clear that the international community was 

unwilling to risk a global conflict by imposing a 

military solution on the crisis. However, a few 

events within Syria in the summer of 2012 did 

prove encouraging for the rebels — first, the 

defection of several high profile leaders within 

the regime and, second, a well-orchestrated 

attack on a Syrian military compound in 

Damascus. In July, the Syrian ambassador to 

Iraq defected, as did a number of high-ranking 

military leaders, in support of the rebel cause. A 

month later, Syrian Prime Minister Riad Hijab, 

appointed a few months earlier to appease the 

rebels, also defected and pledged his support for 

the overthrow of the Assad government. Then, 

in September, rebel forces positioned two car 

bombs close to Syria’s main military compound 

in Damascus. Once the car bombs detonated, the 

military base was in shambles and a brief 

firefight between the army and rebels ensued. 



Outside observers marveled at the ability of the 

rebels to get so close to such a key Syrian army 

post, with many wondering if someone inside 

the compound aided them. 

Huge Humanitarian Crisis 

Despite these signs of encouragement for the 

rebels, the civil war remained a stalemate 

heading into the fall of 2012. A little over a year 

after it began, Syria’s bitter and bloody conflict 

had left upwards of 30,000 people dead — 

To Consider 

1. Describe the event that started Syria’s descent into civil war. 

including 2,000 children — and almost three 

million wounded. Over a million people were 

left homeless with close to 300,000 refugees 

seeking shelter in countries neighbouring Syria. 

Some human rights observers claimed that 

160,000 refugees had settled in camps in Jordan 

alone. While the fighting raged on — and the 

stalemate became more and more entrenched — 

a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions 

continued to evolve. 

2. How far was the Syrian government willing to go to stop the rebel threat? Specifically describe some 

of their tactics. 

3. How successful have efforts by outside agencies to broker a peace deal been? 

4. How has the international community reacted to the civil war in Syria? 

5. How serious is the humanitarian crisis facing the people of Syria? What needs to be done to bring the 

crisis to an end? 



VIDEO REVIEW 

Pre‐viewing Questions 

1. Imagine if a group of protesters held a demonstration in your town calling for the resignation of the 

Prime Minister and the Cabinet. Now imagine that the government dispatched the army to quell the 

protest and the soldiers fired on the crowd, killing some of the protesters. How do you think the 

Canadian public would react? Describe the reaction and the reasons for the type of reaction you 

described. 

2. How do you think our allies would respond to this kind of incident? 


1. Why is Mohib Masri so angry? What happened to him? Is his anger justified? 

2. Why are opponents of Syria’s national government frustrated? What actions would they like to see 

taken to deal with the government of Bashar al-Assad? 

3. What warning has UN envoy Kofi Annan given to the world regarding Syria? 

4. How many people has the Assad regime been accused of killing? 



5. What role are Russia and China playing in the conflict? 

6. What decisive blow did the rebels deliver to the Assad government seventeen months after the 

conflict began? 

7. Describe the morale of the government troops and the rebels. How do the two sides differ? 

8. What happened at the protest Hakim attended in Homs on April 22, 2012? 

9. Why did Kofi Annan resign his position as lead UN diplomat dealing with the crisis in Syria? 

10. Who bears the most responsibility for the atrocities happening in Syria? 

11. What major political blow rocked the Assad government in the late summer of 2012? 

12. How high has the death toll risen in Syria? How many people died in August 2012 alone? 



Post‐viewing Questions 

1. UN envoy Lakdhar Brahimi fears that the Syrian crisis could pose a threat to security in the world. 

Why does this appear to be true? 

2. The Syrian government represents a minority of the country’s population. If the majority is calling for 

regime change, how is the minority able to cling to power? 



ACTIVITY: Groupthink 

Your task is to understand the meaning of the term groupthink and see if it applies to the events in Syria. 

What is groupthink? 

In 1972, research psychologist Irving Janis came up with the term “groupthink.” According to Janis, some 

groups grow to be so enclosed and cut off from others that they become incapable of making efficient, 

realistic and moral decisions. Instead of doing what is best for all, the preservation of the group with the 

power becomes the primary objective. The focus shifts from brainstorming in an open forum to come up 

with practical and tangible solutions to enforcing unanimous decisions that best suit the preservation of 

the group. 

Some characteristics of groupthink include: 

• Illusions of invulnerability – the group is paramount and must be protected at all costs 

• Collective rationalization – the group rationalizes decisions and ignore outside criticisms or 

warnings 

• Belief in the inherent morality of the group – the group is right; everyone else is wrong 

• Stereotyped views of outsiders – the views of critics of the group are discounted because they are 

portrayed in a simplistic and derogatory fashion 

• Direct pressure on group members to agree – members must not express views that are contrary 

to the group perspective or they will be dubbed an enemy and excluded from the group 

• Self-censorship – no views that go against those of the group are allowed to be expressed 

• Illusion of unanimity – all group views are assumed to be accepted by every member of the group 

• Self-appointed “mind-guards” – some group members act as guardians of the group, keeping 

contrary opinions away from the group and the group leader in the interest of maintaining group 

cohesiveness 

Source: Psychologists for Social Responsibility (http://www.psysr.org) 



Step One 

Review the Setting the Stage and Video Review sections of this News in Review story. 

Step Two 

Work with a partner and try to see if the actions of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government 

demonstrate some of the components of groupthink. Put your answers in the following chart: 

CHARACTERISTIC OF GROUPTHINK ACTION TAKEN BY ASSAD’S GOVERNMENT 

Illusions of invulnerability 

Collective rationalization 

Belief in the inherent morality of 

the group 

Stereotyped views of outsiders 

Direct pressure on group members 

to agree 

Self‐censorship 

Illusion of unanimity 

“Mind‐guards” 

Note: Make sure you fill in at least five spaces on the chart. Some of them may remain blank because they 

are not clearly presented in Setting the Stage or Video Review. However, almost all sections of the chart 

call on you to make inferences (forming conclusions based on evidence and/or reason). 



Follow up 

Go online and research the crisis in Syria. See if you can find additional examples that support a 

groupthink mentality in the Assad regime. Revisit the chart and add any new information that you 

discovered. 

Try these sites in your search for additional information: 

• CBC’s coverage of the Syrian civil war (www.cbc.ca – search words: Syria in crisis) 

• BBC’s account of the Syrian crisis (www.bbc.co.uk – search words: Syria conflict) 



ACTIVITY: Save the Children 

In September 2012, the human rights group Save the Children released a report outlining the horrifying 

arrest, torture, and murder of children in Syria. In Untold Atrocities: The Stories of Syria’s Children, Save 

the Children documents the stories of children and parents who have survived the conflict. Please read the 

three stories listed below and complete the activity that follows. 

Khalid, 15-years-old 

Khalid vividly recalls the day armed men came 

to his village. He tried to escape but he was 

captured and taken to his school — which had 

been converted into a jail. Khalid commented to 

Save the Children personnel, “It’s ironic — they 

took me there to torture me, in the same place I 

used to go to school to learn.” According to 

Khalid, the school had been converted into a 

torture chamber. His mood frequently shifted 

from abject fear to profound sadness. During his 

ten days in captivity, he was blindfolded and 

bound with a plastic cord. He was forced to 

remain standing for two days straight. He shared 

his confinement with another boy who was only 

12. Khalid recalls thinking, “What can he have 

done? He’s a 12-year-old boy.” 

Mohamad, 15-years-old 

Mohamad witnesses 25 people in his village get 

massacred before his eyes. They killed people 

using a variety of brutal methods. Those who 

weren’t killed were thrown into prison to suffer 

at the hands of the men who attacked the village. 

Mohamad notes that the attack occurred during 

Ramadan, the most sacred month in the Muslim 

calendar. He stoically concluded, “I feel they 

have neither religion nor understanding.” 

Nabil, father of a 10-year-old boy named Ala’a 

Nabil and his family lived in a village called 

Saydeh before they fled the violence in Syria. 

His family went days without food after armed 

men stormed into his house and willfully 

destroyed the little food they had. His 10-yearold 

son, Ala’a, recounted this story to people 

from Save the Children. 

For Nabil, going without food was not the most 

disturbing thing he endured during the civil war. 

He recalled an event that he could not believe 

possible. One day, two tanks rolled into his 

village. The soldiers had abducted and tied 

several children to the tanks, forming a human 

shield against anyone thinking of attacking. 

Nabil said, “I was close to losing my mind. I 

have never felt so helpless as the moment I saw 

those children strapped to those tanks.” 

Naturally, no one attacked the tanks. And no one 

knows what happened to those children after 

being used as pawns by the soldiers. 

Source: Untold Atrocities: The Stories of Syria’s 

Children. Save the Children 

(www.savethechildren.org.uk) 



Step One: Your emotional reaction 

Highlight the portion of each story that causes the strongest emotional reaction for you. In two to three 

sentences, describe why you chose each passage? 

Step Two: Empathize with the victims 

How will the events described in each story change the lives of the people who witnessed or experienced 

these events? 

Step Three: What should be done? 

The stories demonstrate a willful disregard for human dignity and life. What should be done to protect the 

lives of children in Syria? 

Further Exploration 

Go to the Save the Children website and read Untold Atrocities (Note: The stories are very 

disturbing and incredibly heartbreaking. Please keep this in mind as you read the full report). 

How does reading the full report put the crisis in Syria in perspective? How has the information 

changed the way you see the crisis?

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