Feb. 3, 2014
CTV News – Alison Auld, The Canadian Press
Nova Scotia‘s unique cyberbullying law to be tested by court case
Roger Merrick, director of public safety, says the Cyberbullying Act will be tested Feb. 11 for its application to threats and harassment on line. The alleged offender, Christopher George Prosper, is accused of posting negative and threatening comments about Andrea Paul, the chief of the Pictou Landing First Nations. Nova Scotia’s CyberSCAN unit, a first in the country for monitoring the internet allegations, intervened in the case but the commentary continuedon several sites, including Facebook. http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/nova-scotia-s-unique-cyberbullying-law-to-be-tested-by-court-case-1.1668535#ixzz2sIgZ4Svx
CBC News
Canadian citizenship bill to be tabled Thursday
Canadian Citizenship Minister Chris Alexander has announced that the federal government will pursue a major revision of the Canadian Citizenship Act, “the first comprehensive reform to the Citizenship Act in more than a generation.” The federal government wants to be able to strip a person of dual citizenship, give citizenshi0p to ‘lost Canadians,’ and introduce new rules to reduce the current backlog in applications for citizenship, and change the eligibility requirements. http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canadian-citizenship-bill-to-be-tabled-thursday-1.2521910 Related article: CBC News Susana Mas Canadian citizenship rules face broad reform in 2014 http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canadian-citizenship-rules-face-broad-reform-in-2014-1.2508758
The International News (Pakistan) Jamil Nasir
Poverty, politics and riches
The article brings a larger parameter to the income gap discussion by suggesting that ‘opportunity capture’ is one considerable consequence for the gap. No longer confined to national boundaries, the disparity was a focus at Davos, the World Economic Summit. Nasir draws up the global financial and economic implications for continuing to ignore the gap or the tax havens contributing to the problem. His commentary is based on an Oxfam report to the Davos gathering. http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-9-230168-Poverty,-politics-and-riches Full Oxfam Report: Working for the Few http://www.oxfam.org/en/policy/working-for-the-few-economic-inequality Related article: Atlanta Journal Constitution (US) – Jay Bookman Income disparity a threat to U.S. economy http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/jay-bookman/2014/feb/03/income-disparity-threat-economic-future
News 24 (South Africa )
Australia probes asylum-seeker child detentions
There has been a considerable tussle between the Human Rights Commission and the Australian federal government on the issue of child immigrant detention. When immigrants arrive in Australia, they are sent to isolated camps. Human rights estimate over a 1000 children are in such camps and wants to know the long term impact on the children and their mental health. The suspicion is that Australia is in breech of international child protection agreements. http://www.news24.com/World/News/Australia-probes-asylum-seeker-child-detentions-20140203 Related article: Human Rights Commission National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention 2014 http://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/asylum-seekers-and-refugees/national-inquiry-children-immigration-detention-2014 Related article: Refuge Council of Australia Inquiry into immigration detention of children welcomed http://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/n/mr/140203_ChildDetention.pdf
Care2 News Network
Justice Department Aims to Cut Short Racially Biased Drug Sentences
Deputy Attorney General James Cole is looking to implement the decision of President Obama to end the imprisonment of people who are still in jail from outrageously discriminatory, non-violent drug sentences under federal mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines. Beyond 8 inmates recently pardoned by Obama, Cole says they are looking for more candidates for pardons or sentence commutation. http://www.care2.com/causes/justice-department-aims-to-cut-short-racially-biased-drug-sentences.html#ixzz2sH67LMbx
Association of Corporate Counsel – CMS Cameron McKenna, Omar Qureshi and Amy Smart
Sentencing guidelines for corporate offenders of economic crime published
In 2010 laws around fraud, bribery and money laundering introduced new strict liabilities for corporations. Deferred prosecution agreements (DPAs) are a common approach to corporate failure to prevent bribery and such crimes. While the reforms date from 2010, and the new laws take effect Feb. 24, 2014, there have been no sentencing guidelines for these offences. The guidelines set out a five step process for the range of the penalty. http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=7ac93105-6af0-48ef-a4c1-0a59e0eac5fe
The Independent (UK) – Emily Dugan
Exclusive: Sex offenders freed from prison without treatment will ‘create more victims’
The Prison Governors in at least six British prisons are saying that the woeful lack of mental health and treatment services for sexual offender inmates who are about to be released may translate into repeat offenders and higher recidivism rates among them. One prison reported only 12 places in treatment for a population of 280 sex offenders. The waiting time can be as long as two years for placement. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/exclusive-sex-offenders-freed-from-prison-without-treatment-will-create-more-victims-9102847.html