July 16, 2014
Globe and Mail – Josh Wingrove
Tories soften prostitution bill provision by expanding legal discussion areas
The Globe and Mail is reporting that the federal government will change the key provision of the new prostitution bill (C-36) by eliminating the provision that one may not discuss the sale of sex anywhere a young person could be expected to be found. The new version limits the sale of sex talk to at, or near, a school, playground or daycare. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/tories-soften-prostitution-bill-provision-by-expanding-legal-discussion-areas/article19607673 Related article: CBC News – Kady O’Malley Prostitution bill’s fate unclear as committee begins final review http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/prostitution-bill-s-fate-unclear-as-committee-begins-final-review-1.2706743 Related article: CBC News – Julian Sher Prostitution not an equal crime for men and women http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/prostitution-not-an-equal-crime-for-men-and-women-1.2706756 Related article: Toronto Star – Kimberley Potter Tories’ moral stand puts prostitutes in danger http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2014/07/14/tories_moral_stand_puts_prostitutes_in_danger.html Related article: Kitchener-Waterloo Record – Liz Monteiro Prostitution is one name, human trafficking is another http://www.therecord.com/news-story/4628655-prostitution-is-one-name-human-trafficking-is-another Related article: Toronto Star – Tonda MacCharles Prostitution bill hearings had strong evangelical voice http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/07/15/prostitution_bill_hearings_had_strong_evangelical_voice.html Related article: CBC News – Kady O’Malley Analysis: Prostitution bill critics treated as hostile witnesses at committee http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/prostitution-bill-critics-treated-as-hostile-witnesses-at-committee-1.2704434 Related article: Globe and Mail – Terri-Jean Bedford As a former sex worker, I am sure the Conservative bill will fail http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/as-a-former-sex-worker-i-am-sure-the-conservative-bill-will-fail/article19626910
Toronto Star – Donovan Vincent
Inquest into deaths of young natives halted over imbalance on jury rolls
The Thunder Bay inquest has long had an on-again/off again struggle to get started, suffering, as do many criminal trials as well, from a lack of First Nations representation for the jury pool. In this incident there are seven young people – six in a drowning accident and one in an alcohol incident – but there is a similar predicament for eleven others. The SCC is expected to rule on jury roll representation later this year. http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/07/14/jury_roll_problem_halts_inquest_into_deaths_of_7_young_aboriginals.html Related article: NationTalk Joint Inquest Can Proceed if Ontario Willing http://nationtalk.ca/story/joint-inquest-can-proceed-if-ontario-willing
CTV – Sheryl Ubelacker, The Canadian Press
Access to mental health care doesn’t hinge on more psychiatrists: study
A new study in Ontario (2009 but only recently published) seems to contradict traditional wisdom around accessing psychiatric services. Instead of concluding that we need more psychiatrists, this study suggests it’s the way the psychiatrists practice that limits access. “What we found was that the number of patients seen per year reduced as the number of psychiatrists per capita increased, to the point where in Toronto, the average outpatient volume was 181 and for the low-supply LHINs ( Local health Integration Networks) it was 431,” said lead author Dr. Paul Kurdyak, an emergency-care psychiatrist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto. http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/access-to-mental-health-care-doesn-t-hinge-on-more-psychiatrists-study-1.1914255#ixzz37aS9p0EA
N.Y. Times – Michael Winerip and Michael Schwirtz
Rikers: Where Mental Illness Meets Brutality in Jail
The article reports on violence in Rikers – N.Y. City’s jail – through the witness of one who endured a beating for trying to hang himself. A four month Times investigation has revealed literally scores of documented beatings – at least 129 incidents, five of which immediately followed suicide attempts. The majority of these documented beatings were against people exhibiting mental illness. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/14/nyregion/rikers-study-finds-prisoners-injured-by-employees.html?_r=0
Slate.com / Moneybox – Alison Griswold
Watch John Oliver Explain Income Inequality with a Ridiculous Powerball Lottery
The link is to a 14 minute video in which comic John Oliver discusses the issue of income inequality and the political reaction to the notion that it is the key issue of the times. Estate taxes, or the lack of estate taxes, make a large part of the diatribe against income inequality and the preference for strategic lottery as an alternative. (Language may be a problem for some.) http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2014/07/14/john_oliver_on_income_inequality_let_s_just_call_it_america_ball.html
Thomson Reuters Foundation
Domestic violence
This link is for a number of articles that look around the world at domestic violence. The link includes a first ever survey of the EU countries – interviews with 42,000 women – and a comparison chart of rates of domestic violence. There are commentaries on the Nordic countries (highest rate) and on Italy, Greece, England, Afghan. http://www.trust.org/spotlight/Domestic-violence/?source=jtInDepth
The Baltimore Sun – Editorial
Breaking a vicious cycle
The Sun recognizes that without diversion on first offense any juvenile who goes through the criminal justice system is likely to be back , and for more serious causes, as an adult. The editorial wants a determined effort to break the school-to-jail pipeline using community based restorative justice responses and offers its support for the efforts in Congress for the Youth Promises Act. http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bs-ed-youth-promise-20140713,0,445106.story Related article: Peace Alliance – Youth Promise Action .org The Legislation http://youthpromiseaction.org/about-bill.html