Aug. 12, 2014
Ed note: Mr. Willie Gibbs, R.I. P.
Smart Justice Network today mourns the loss of one its founding members, Mr. Willie Gibbs, who lived a life in pursuit of public justice in Canada. After many years with the Correctional Services of Canada, Willie brought to the chairmanship of the National Parole Board that experience and a perspective that prompted him to practice great concern over the direction offered by ‘tough-on-crime’ and C-10. Smart Justice Network is impoverished by his loss while enriched with his sense of justice, his caring and his lifetime of service to us all. Smart Justice Network offers the family, friends, and many longstanding colleagues our profound sympathy. http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/ottawacitizen/obituary.aspx?n=joseph-gibbs&pid=172062290
Hill Times on Line – Mark Burgess
Swelling of feds’ communications staff reflects growing ‘public relations state’: experts
The conservative Canadian Tax Payers Federation (CTF) is upset with the feds around the spending increases in P.R. personnel and projects. 3325 employees, $262.7 million budget for fiscal 2013-14, work force up 13% and costs up 30% while such services in the provinces have been decreasing for hard budget times. Spokesperson for the CTF Gregory Thomas says “the money spent on communications hasn’t led to better service, but rather a system that prevents citizens from communicating with government.” http://www.hilltimes.com/civil-circles/2014/08/11/swelling-of-feds-communications-staff-reflects-growing-public-relations-state/39273
Ottawa Citizen – Katheryn May
Call for federal pension policy baffles experts
Experts are puzzled by the federal decision to develop a pension fund when the pensions are paid out of the Consolidated General Revenue Account. Pensions for civil servants, RCMP and military are involved but Malcolm Hamilton, a pension expert, is wondering why the government needs a pension fund policy when there are no funds and no assets set aside. http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/call-for-federal-pension-policy-baffles-experts
EKOS Politics
Political Landscape Turning Bleak for Stephen Harper
Calling its poll a comprehensive diagnostic poll, EKOS is pronouncing these results as indicating that the Liberal lead is far from a blip in the landscape and that a new political normal seems emerging in Canada. The poll also identifies a considerable voter intention swing since the last election. http://www.ekospolitics.com/index.php/2014/08/political-landscape-turning-bleak-for-stephen-harper
Huffington Post (Canada) – John Millar
All of Us Are Paying for Government Inaction on Poverty
In the latest income disparity comparison, 86 families in Canada hold more wealth than 11.4 million of Canada’s poorest. The numbers follow long term economic decisions that created ‘the austerity agenda,” lower taxes, cuts to social programs, a proven silly reliance on trickle down. BC pays $9.2 billion per year to alleviate poverty while the Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives estimates it would cost $4 billion annually to eliminate poverty. http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/john-millar/poverty-measures_b_5656216.html
Toronto Star – Stephen Bede Scharper
Environmental refugees inch closer to legal recognition
While the debate about environmental degradation rages back and forth, a court in New Zealand has accepted the notion of refugees made so by environmental damages and climate change to their native land. According to UNHCR, for the first time the number of refugees from climate change – 30 million – now outnumbers those from political unrest. http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2014/08/10/environmental_refugees_inch_closer_to_legal_recognition_scharper.html (Cf also communiqué for Aug 8: http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2014/08/06/new_zealand_decision_created_worlds_first_climate_refugees.html )
Huffington Post (Canada) – Susan Inman
The Consequences of Mental Illness That Nobody Talks About
Inman suggests that we know a fair amount about the more visible demonstrations of mental illness such as disillusions and hallucinations, often effectively controlled by medication, but little about some more subtle cognitive disorders that come with the manifestations and often hang around after. Inman refers to difficulties with short term and working memory, focusing, sequencing, planning and judgment. http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/susan-inman/mental-illness-cognitive-loss_b_5664999.html
N.Y. Times – Op Ed Sonja B. Starr
Sentencing, by the Numbers
US Attorney General Eric H. Holder is concerned that sentencing by the numbers is both unfair and unconstitutional. The practice does an assessment of the risk factors for re-offending and delivers a harder sentence based on the higher risks determined. Over 20 states use the practice. The risk factors are not based on the crime but on social history like unemployment, marital status, age, education, finances, neighborhood, and family background, including family members’ criminal history. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/11/opinion/sentencing-by-the-numbers.html