Income inequality gaps for Canada

 Sept. 11, 2013 

 Toronto Star – Heather Scoffield
National Household Survey: Richest are middle-aged, white men

 The National Household Survey was meant to replace the old, long form of statistics.  The info for 2011 was delayed.  Median income for families is $76,000 and for the individual $27,600, with incomes a little higher in the west than in the east.  A median income is the point at which half fall above and half below.  http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/09/11/national_household_survey_richest_are_middleaged_white_men.html   Related article: Toronto Star  – Bruce Campion   NDP’s Mulcair takes aim at ‘widening’ income gap  http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/09/11/ndps_mulcair_takes_aim_at_widening_income_gap.html

 Star Phoenix (Regina) – Jordan Cooper
Income gap issues worsen 

 Did you know that the cost of school supplies is now prompting some to make donations to parents who are struggling to make ends meet?  That idea is Cooper’s introduction to the announcement that the Conference Board of Canada thinks income inequality is hurting our economy.  The World Economic Forum of 469 experts from various fields has identified income inequality at the top of their list of economic concerns.   http://www.thestarphoenix.com/business/Income+issues+worsen/8886312/story.html  Related article (US)   Nets Blast ‘Dangerous’ Growth of Income Gap between Rich and Poor, Forget Who’s President –  http://newsbusters.org/blogs/scott-whitlock/2013/09/11/nets-blast-dangerous-growth-income-gap-between-rich-and-poor-forget-#ixzz2edN8bHMv

 CBC News – Kathleen Harris
Mentally ill Kingston inmates to be moved twice – Collins Bay inmates concerned about ‘reckless’ plan to move in mentally-ill prisoners 

 Correctional Services of Canada will move about 70 mentally ill inmates from Kingston Regional Treatment Centre to a temporary arrangement at Collins Bay before the permanent facility for them is ready when they will move a second time.  Cost savings, ideology and poor planning, says lawyer Todd Sloan, are prompting the decision which will in turn make Collins Bay more dangerous and more crowded and resorting to more double bunking.  Sloan is asking for ministerial intervention or he will file injunctions.  http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2013/09/09/pol-regional-treatment-centre-kingston-move-offenders.html

 Editorial Comment – Catherine Latimer, John Howard Society:

 Why subject mentally-ill inmates to a double disruption rather than moving them once when their facility at Bath is ready? A three-month delay in the completion of a building can be expected and surely part of the planning for the massive infrastructure change resulting from closing 3 penitentiaries. The government’s treatment of mentally-ill prisoners is being questioned in the Ashley Smith tragedy and with the increasing use of solitary confinement, often for prisoners suffering from mental health issues. Is any other group of inmates facing interim moves? Both the inmates (and staff) at Collins Bay and RTC will be subjected to higher levels of tension and risk due to the crowding and disruption. Who bears the liability if there are injuries or harm from pressing ahead with a two-stage move of some of the most vulnerable prisoners? As a society, we don’t want people leaving our correctional facilities in worse mental and physical health than when they entered. Let’s wait for the Bath facility to be finished before moving people.   Catherine Latimer,John Howard Society of Canada  Todd Sloan’s letter to the Minister of Public Safety Steven Blaney   http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/784959-collins-bay-minister-letter-sept-1.html

 Latino Daily News (L.A.)
San Francisco Poised to End Immigration Detention and Not Cooperate with Immigration Officials 

City Hall in San Francisco is ready to defy the federal government requests to detain for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) those who encounter city police and are found on a detain list.  Officials say that fear of immigration problems is a serious problem that prevents people from seeking help from police when needed.   http://www.hispanicallyspeakingnews.com/latino-daily-news/details/san-francisco-poised-to-end-immigration-detention-and-not-cooperate-with-im/26970  

 CBC News –  Brett Story and Craig Desson
Solitary confinement a growing issue in Canadian, U.S. prisons –  People who have experienced ‘administrative segregation’ weigh in on its long-term effects 

Adopted from CBC Radio Ideas, the article reviews the growth of the use of solitary with the CSC’s Ombudsman and then invites people who did time in solitary to comment on the practices.  The UN suggests that, from the viewpoint of mental health, 15 days is the maximum allowable.  http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2013/09/06/f-solitary-confinement-segregation-prison-ideas.html

 Edmonton Journal – Ryan Cormier
Baumgartner faces unprecedented sentence of life in prison, no parole for 40 years

Canadians will see the December 2011, The Protecting Canadians by Ending Sentence Discounts for Multiple Murders Act tested for the first time.  Baumgartner pleaded guilty to three murders and one attempted murder.  The act allows a judge to sentence consecutively rather than concurrently.  Says Darcy Depoe, President of the Criminal Trail Lawyers, “There’s an element of retribution here bordering on vengeance.”  http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Baumgartner+faces+unprecedented+sentence+life+prison+parole+years/8895181/story.html

 City of Waterloo
Waterloo council passes a motion addressing community safety with the railway system 

 The city council voted to support the efforts of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in its efforts to re-assess public safety around rail transportation.  The motion calls for the railway to inform the Waterloo fire chief about the cargoes going through the city.  http://www.waterloo.ca/en/News/index.aspx?newsId=cc9f9fcd-02d2-4013-9dbe-4fcfa013ad27