Latest news with #Letts
National Observer
3 days ago
- Politics
- National Observer
Canadian men, children held in Syria make human rights complaints against Ottawa
A dozen Canadian men and children detained in Syria are complaining to the Canadian Human Rights Commission that Ottawa is discriminating against them by not assisting their return to Canada. The Canadians are among the foreign nationals who have endured squalid and dangerous conditions for years in camps and prisons run by Kurdish forces that reclaimed the war-ravaged region from militant group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Some Canadian women and children have been repatriated in recent years with help from Canadian officials and the co-operation of Kurdish authorities. There are 12 complainants in the human rights commission case — five Canadian men and seven children aged five to 12. Lawyer Nicholas Pope, who launched the complaints, said federal policy guiding the repatriation of Canadians from the region discriminates based on age, sex and family status. Pope said the policy gives less favourable treatment to Canadian children whose mothers were not born in Canada. Canada has insisted that the remaining detained Canadian children, who were born to three non-Canadian mothers, be forcibly separated from their mothers and become orphans in Canada in order to receive repatriation services, he said. In addition, Ottawa has declined to help repatriate Canadian men. "Every Canadian has the right to be treated equally," Pope said in a statement. "This is a rare situation in which the detaining authority holding Canadians abroad is actually pleading with us to end the detention, but it is Ottawa that is selectively refusing to let some Canadians return home." Among the men complaining to the human rights commission is Jack Letts, who became a devoted Muslim as a teenager, went on holiday to Jordan, then studied in Kuwait before winding up in Syria. The Federal Court of Appeal ruled two years ago that Ottawa was not obligated under the law to repatriate Letts and three other Canadian men. The Supreme Court of Canada then declined to hear an appeal of the ruling. In accordance with the Canadian Human Rights Act, the human rights commission receives and screens complaints from people who believe they have experienced discrimination or harassment. The commission helps resolve disputes through mediation or conciliation, and sometimes refers complaints to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, an independent body that can decide whether there is discrimination. Pope said the commission "has put the files on a fast-track" and is requiring the government to participate in conciliation, which is in the process of being scheduled. The human rights commission did not respond to a request for comment. Global Affairs Canada spokeswoman Charlotte MacLeod said that due to confidentiality the department is unable to comment on cases before the human rights commission. The complaint filed last August on behalf of Letts says he suffers from anemia and experiences considerable pain from a potentially life-threatening kidney disorder, but he cannot access adequate medical treatment. "The Complainant is held in prison in a small cell that is overcrowded and unsanitary," the form reads. "He lacks adequate food and medical attention. He has never been given any legal process to challenge his detention." It notes that Canada has repatriated women and children from northeastern Syria under federal policy, but not any men, even though their conditions are more dire than those of the repatriated women and children. "The blanket ban on repatriating adult males perpetuates the stereotype that men are more dangerous than women and children," the complaint says. In a response filed with the commission concerning Letts's case, the federal government says the commission should refuse to deal with the complaint because "the assessment of the complainant's situation is ongoing and a decision whether to provide extraordinary assistance has not yet been made." The government also denies the allegation that Letts was not given repatriation assistance because of his sex or age. A statement of reply to the commission on behalf of Letts says the government has twice made determinations to refuse him repatriation services. In a response to the commission concerning the complaints involving children, the government denies the federal policy is discriminatory towards them on the basis of family status. MacLeod said Global Affairs continues to evaluate the provision of extraordinary assistance, including repatriation to Canada, on a case-by-case basis. "Canadian consular officials remain actively engaged with authorities and international organizations operating in Syria for information on and assistance to Canadian citizens in custody," she said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Canadian men, children held in Syria pursue human rights complaints against Ottawa
OTTAWA – A dozen Canadian men and children detained in Syria are complaining to the Canadian Human Rights Commission that Ottawa is discriminating against them by not assisting their return to Canada. The Canadians are among the foreign nationals who have endured squalid and dangerous conditions for years in camps and prisons run by Kurdish forces that reclaimed the war-ravaged region from militant group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Some Canadian women and children have been repatriated in recent years with help from Canadian officials and the co-operation of Kurdish authorities. There are 12 complainants in the human rights commission case — five Canadian men and seven children aged five to 12. Lawyer Nicholas Pope, who launched the complaints, said federal policy guiding the repatriation of Canadians from the region discriminates based on age, sex and family status. Pope said the policy gives less favourable treatment to Canadian children whose mothers were not born in Canada. Canada has insisted that the remaining detained Canadian children, who were born to three non-Canadian mothers, be forcibly separated from their mothers and become orphans in Canada in order to receive repatriation services, he said. In addition, Ottawa has declined to help repatriate Canadian men. 'Every Canadian has the right to be treated equally,' Pope said in a statement. 'This is a rare situation in which the detaining authority holding Canadians abroad is actually pleading with us to end the detention, but it is Ottawa that is selectively refusing to let some Canadians return home.' Among the men complaining to the human rights commission is Jack Letts, who became a devoted Muslim as a teenager, went on holiday to Jordan, then studied in Kuwait before winding up in Syria. The Federal Court of Appeal ruled two years ago that Ottawa was not obligated under the law to repatriate Letts and three other Canadian men. The Supreme Court of Canada then declined to hear an appeal of the ruling. In accordance with the Canadian Human Rights Act, the human rights commission receives and screens complaints from people who believe they have experienced discrimination or harassment. The commission helps resolve disputes through mediation or conciliation, and sometimes refers complaints to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, an independent body that can decide whether there is discrimination. Pope said the commission 'has put the files on a fast-track' and is requiring the government to participate in conciliation, which is in the process of being scheduled. The human rights commission did not respond to a request for comment. Global Affairs Canada spokeswoman Charlotte MacLeod said that due to confidentiality the department is unable to comment on cases before the human rights commission. The complaint filed last August on behalf of Letts says he suffers from anemia and experiences considerable pain from a potentially life-threatening kidney disorder, but he cannot access adequate medical treatment. 'The Complainant is held in prison in a small cell that is overcrowded and unsanitary,' the form reads. 'He lacks adequate food and medical attention. He has never been given any legal process to challenge his detention.' It notes that Canada has repatriated women and children from northeastern Syria under federal policy, but not any men, even though their conditions are more dire than those of the repatriated women and children. 'The blanket ban on repatriating adult males perpetuates the stereotype that men are more dangerous than women and children,' the complaint says. In a response filed with the commission concerning Letts's case, the federal government says the commission should refuse to deal with the complaint because 'the assessment of the complainant's situation is ongoing and a decision whether to provide extraordinary assistance has not yet been made.' The government also denies the allegation that Letts was not given repatriation assistance because of his sex or age. A statement of reply to the commission on behalf of Letts says the government has twice made determinations to refuse him repatriation services. In a response to the commission concerning the complaints involving children, the government denies the federal policy is discriminatory towards them on the basis of family status. MacLeod said Global Affairs continues to evaluate the provision of extraordinary assistance, including repatriation to Canada, on a case-by-case basis. 'Canadian consular officials remain actively engaged with authorities and international organizations operating in Syria for information on and assistance to Canadian citizens in custody,' she said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2025.
The Independent
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Carrie Coon didn't return to Avengers: Endgame over Marvel pay dispute
The reason why Carrie Coon didn't return to Avengers: Endgame was due to a salary dispite, her husband Tracy Letts has said. Coon first played villain Proxima Midnight in 2018's Avengers: Infinity War, in which her character was killed off. However, she was still offered the chance to return for the 2019 sequel, but she ultimately turned down the offer. Speaking in a recent episode of The Ringer's The Big Picture podcast, Letts said that Marvel didn't offer Coon a higher fee for the follow-up film, which is why she said no. 'I believe [Marvel] went to her for the second one, and they asked her to be in the second one,' said Letts. 'And she said, 'Well, the first one is the most successful movie ever made. Are you going to pay me any more money?' And they said, 'No. We're not going to pay you any more money.'' 'She said, 'Wow, you're not going to pay me any more money, then I don't think I'm going to do it,'' Letts continued. 'And they said, 'Well, you should feel yourself fortunate to be part of the Marvel Universe.' So she declined.' In 2020, Coon previously said she declined the part due to a scheduling conflict, but said she wouldn't rule out future projects. 'No one ever dies. It's very possible I could have my own Avengers movie next," she joked. "But I wouldn't hold your breath,' she told PeopleTV 's Couch Surfing. While The White Lotus actor didn't appear in Endgame, her voice was used uncredited in the film. 'We would've made a bigger deal out of this,' Letts said. 'But it would have involved us watching the movies, and we weren't going to do that.' The Independent has contacted Marvel and Coon for comment. Speaking about how she won the role in 2018, Coon said: 'I got a voice-over audition; it was not specified what the project was. They were being very secretive about it, but I was given some of the lines that did end up being in the film. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free "[The Russos] were excited about the possibility of me actually physicalising the character as well, and they invited me to come down to Atlanta. I was pregnant and doing a play at the time, so I flew down and was on set with them for about 12 hours.' She added: 'They were just looking for the voice of Proxima Midnight, and [they reached out] perhaps because they were interested in my voice or maybe because I've actually done motion-capture work previously. I used to do motion-capture work for video games, back in Madison, Wisconsin.' 'I was an athlete in college, and so it was very physical work that I enjoyed tremendously, and I had such a ball working on it." Coon and Letts met in 2010 while starring in the Broadway production of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? They got married three years later before welcoming their first child, Haskell, in 2018. They also welcomed a daughter in 2021, but have yet to share her name publicly.
Boston Globe
17-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
James Taylor at work on Broadway musical ‘Fire and Rain' with writer Tracy Letts
'It feels like the first time I performed with a symphony orchestra, John Williams and the Boston Pops, stepping into a new world at the highest possible level,' Taylor said. 'Who knows where it will go? But if it bombs, it won't be because we couldn't get the right people. We got the right people.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The celebrated singer, who turned 77 last week, wrote the song ' Advertisement Taylor said there was never any discussion about of calling the musical, 'Fire And Rain.' 'It just seems to have happened,' he said. 'Like a working title that sticks.' Related : Letts, an acclaimed American playwright, actor, and screenwriter, won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for drama and the Tony Award for best play for ' Jukebox musicals have become a staple of Broadway (and Off-Broadway) pretty much since 'Mamma Mia!', the enormously successful 1999 musical based on the songs of ABBA. Since then, countless artists — Alanis Morissette, Alicia Keys, Billy Joel, the Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, Carole King, Cher, Donna Summer, Huey Lewis, Green Day, Michael Jackson, Tupac Shakur, and Tina Turner, among others — have seen their music catalogs used to tell a story on stage. (Some, like Green Day's 'American Idiot,' have been hits; others, like Lewis's 'The Heart of Rock and Roll,' bombed and closed soon after opening.) Advertisement Taylor said he and Letts have been talking about this project for a while, but a workshop with actors and musicians in New York in December helped sketch the contours of the story. 'It was like the ice breaking up in the river. It was just an amazingly fluid and productive process for Tracy to stage it in that reading context,' Taylor said. 'You're just in a room with people, trying different things, working with musicians on the songs, and trying to translate them for actors who are singing them.' Taylor, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Paul McCartney in 2000, grew up in Chapel Hill, N.C. He's lived for much of his adult life in the Berkshires, Martha's Vineyard, and New York City. In the five decades since 'Fire and Rain,' Taylor has sold 100 million records, with hits that include 'Carolina In my Mind,' 'Sweet Baby James,' 'You've Got a Friend' (written by his friend Carole King), 'Country Road,' 'How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You),' and 'Shower the People.' Taylor said the musical will touch on themes familiar to fans of his music, including addiction, love, loss, heartbreak, spiritual connection, and family. As much as he's enjoyed collaborating with Letts, Taylor said entrusting his work to someone else has been an adjustment. 'I think it's fascinating, Tracy's process of synthesizing things. It's different from songwriting, but it's connected,' he said. 'I've always thought being a singer-songwriter — writing about very personal experiences and illustrating one's navigation through the world — was very much in my control. Advertisement 'But this is a real team and it's fabulous,' he said. Taylor isn't stressed about the project — he's seen fire and he's seen rain, after all — and he insists he won't be bothered if, in the end, it isn't high art. 'It can be entertainment or it can be more, we don't know,' Taylor said. 'As a matter of fact, it has to be entertainment, and maybe something else as well.' Mark Shanahan can be reached at
CNN
27-02-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Carrie Coon shuts down speculation she has an ‘open' marriage: ‘Settle down, internet'
Carrie Coon is pushing back on a rumor she accidentally started. Remarks 'The White Lotus' star made about her marriage to actor and playwright Tracy Letts on a recent episode of 'WTF With Marc Maron Podcast' prompted Coon to clarify. Coon told Maron that she enjoyed having a marriage where 'you talk about everything.' 'We're not jealous people. Like, we don't have any of those hang-ups,' she said of her partnership with Letts. 'So we never wanna be like, the police. You know? So it's nice to be in a relationship where we can always talk about, like, 'Who are you attracted to on set?'' Letts, she said, is 'the kind of person who notices every single woman on the street.' 'And he always tells me who he has a crush on,' Coon said. 'It's fun. It's interesting to know what your partner's into. I think it's titillating.' The star went further by discussing monogamy, describing it as 'something we've imposed on ourselves.' 'We were supposed to have babies and die when we were like 30. And that's not the way life is anymore,' she said. 'You have to kinda be open-minded about what engages you in the world and what sparks your imagination and where your passion is. And I think if you're willing to stay open to that, then you're living a more full life.' All of that talk about being 'open' led some to believe that Coon and Letts have an 'open' marriage, something she took to X to clarify. 'Settle down, internet! I said 'open minded' not 'open',' she wrote on X, along with a laughing emoji and a few others. Coon currently stars in the third season of the HBO drama 'The White Lotus.'
