July 17, 2013
Malala’s Birthday Wish
“Weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, fervour and courage was born.”
It is customary to make a wish on one’s birthday. On her sixteenth birthday, nine months after being shot in the head in an assassination attempt by a Taliban gunman in northwest Pakistan, Malala Yousafzai addressed the United Nations Youth Assembly in New York with a wish for universal equality, universal opportunity, and universal education. Once targeted for death because of her outspoken advocacy for her own education and those of other Pashtun girls, she now speaks on behalf of women and children everywhere. Her message is one of fearlessness and hopefulness. It is an inspiring call to justice. The link is to a 17 minute video of Malala’s speech to the Youth Delegations at the UN. http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=4316 Related article: Toronto Star editorial Pakistan’s heroic Malala Yousafzai pleads for millions of girls http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2013/07/13/pakistans_heroic_malala_yousafzai_pleads_for_millions_of_girls_editorial.html
Toronto Star – Bob Weber and Andrew Livingstone
Canada starved aboriginals in the 1940s in the name of science, research shows – Hungry Canadian aboriginal children were used in government experiments during 1940s, researcher says
Just when you thought that all the horror stories about the systemic maltreatment of Canada’s Aboriginals were out in the open, a Guelph researcher has uncovered secret files of experiments involving the availability or denial of nutrition to the residential school children. Over 1300 children from across Canada were subjects of the study. http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/07/16/hungry_aboriginal_kids_used_unwittingly_in_nutrition_experiments_researcher_says.html
Australian Radio – Tony Easterly, AM
Teenage asylum seeker describes life inside Pontville
This is a transcript of a morning radio show which exposes the detention of an eleven year old Sri Lankin child and then explores the conditions of detention with another 16 year old from Afghanistan who spent several months in the same facility. http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2013/s3803744.htm
Toronto Star – David Bruser and Jesse McLean
Police who lie: Illegal searches by Peel Police allow alleged gun offenders to walk free
At least eight incidents of illegal searches in serious criminal cases in Peel have resulted in dismissal of weapons charges, several of which also included suggestions of police officers misleading the court in later testimony about the discovery of these weapons. “A disturbing pattern,” said Justice Bruce Durno. http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/07/15/illegal_searches_by_peel_police_allow_alleged_gun_offenders_to_walk_free.html Related article: Toronto Star editorial Police must follow the rules http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials.html
Globe and Mail – Adrian Morrow
Ontario yet to scrap expanded police powers used during G20
Do you remember the Toronto G-20 and the Public Works Protection Act? It was an old piece of legislation used to broaden considerably the police powers during the summit that saw considerable application to protesters and gawkers alike on Toronto streets. The ‘five meter rule’ supposedly gave police power to arbitrarily stop, search and arrest. Three years later, it has not been scrapped nor do we have any assurances that it was used misguidedly, even though the citizenry was outraged by the fiasco. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/despite-promises-ontario-has-yet-to-scrap-public-works-protection-act/article13242018
Calgary Herald – Jason van Rassel
Province claims progress in cutting court delays
Alberta Justice Minister Jonathan Denis thinks, that after three months of some changes introduced to avoid delays, the streamlining is working. Defence lawyers are concerned about the impact on the accused. Direct indictments seem to make a double digit difference in the smaller centres but the larger urban centres are showing only single digit improvements, while increasing the number of direct indictments by a factor of 3.5 times in the province. Suspicions are, that without preliminary trials in the provincial courts, the dockets of the Superior Court will be longer. http://www.calgaryherald.com/touch/story.html?id=8662115
Guardian (UK) – Natalie Bennett
Rhetoric and reality on immigration
The link is to a letter to the editor around the immigration issue in England. The rhetoric around most political issues is clouded to the extent that the issue pushes the hot buttons. In this case, the letter writer thinks there may be some scapegoating in blaming immigrants for poor National Health Services (NHS), poor schools, and even exploitive landlords. Why not, she suggests, put more energy and resources into solving these social problems, including low paying jobs? http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk-news/2013/jul/16/rhetoric-reality-immigration
Vera Justice Institute
The lack of intersection between justice and health has prompted Vera to set up a new website dedicated to making it easier for governments and community agencies to make these connections. http://www.jhconnect.org
USA Today (Louisiana) – Kevin Johnson and H. Darr Beiser
Aging prisoners’ costs put systems nationwide in a bind
Angola Warden Burl Cain is looking for ways around the growing number of inmates who are elderly and infirm in his population of 5,000. The frailty of many is driving the cost of medical services at times over $100,000 and the weakest can not be paroled because of a life without parole sentence. Those interviewed in the 3 minute video leave one with a sense of pointlessness to the continued incarceration. Even if released, many would likely need extended health care. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/07/10/cost-care-aging-prisoners/2479285