Young and old income gap…

  Sept. 23, 2014

 Toronto Star – Dana Flavelle
Income gap grows between young and old: Report  

The Conference Board of Canada says that income gaps are appearing between rich and poor but now more so between young and old.  Three decades ago, the gap was 47% difference in income after taxes for the older Canadians.  Now, the gap is at 64%.   Older women have made the largest gains but older men have the largest gap at 71%.  Report author David Stewart-Patterson thinks the issue is about creating better jobs, rather than simply more jobs. http://www.thestar.com/business/2014/09/23/income_gap_grows_between_young_and_old_report.html#   (Free membership required to access the original document) Report:  The Buck Stops Here:  Trends in Income Inequality between Generations    http://www.conferenceboard.ca/e-library/abstract.aspx?did=6510&utm_source=elibraryrss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=elibrary   Related article: Globe and Mail – Barrie McKenna    Age eclipsing gender as Canada’s major income gap, Conference Board warns   http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/canada-narrows-gender-income-gap-as-generational-divide-grows/article20732086   Related article: CTV News – Lee-Anne Goodman, Canadian Press     Age is Canada’s new income divide, study warns    http://www.ctvnews.ca/business/age-is-canada-s-new-income-divide-study-warns-1.2019781#ixzz3E9SHON9M

 Canada.com – Jason Fekete, Ottawa Citizen
Conservative government spends $20M on media monitoring 

The federal Liberals, led by Scott Brison, have released documents showing that the government, mostly through the PMO, has spent $20 million monitoring the media, especially around ethnic communities.  The pay out is also seeing a considerable increase in the communications staff – now at 3300 and expected to cost over $260 million.  Says Brison:  “They’re addicted to spin but allergic to data.”   http://www.canada.com/News/canada/Conservative+government+spends+media+monitoring/10225868/story.html

 National Newswatch – Jim Bronskill, Canadian Press
Study gives cautious nod to e-tracking tools 

Britain and the US have already applied electronic surveillance to immigrants and refugees and Canada is now considering it.  The practice involves a bracelet attached to the ankle with a GPS device.  The CBSA spends $239 a day to detain in custody.  The problem of backlogs and the care of immigrants or refugees is outside the purely security pre-occupation of the bracelets, a concern in the light of the recent changes to deny welfare to the immigrants and refugees.  http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2014/09/22/study-gives-tentative-nod-to-electronic-tools-for-tracking-immigrants/#.VCF5_Bbej3t

 Toronto Star – Peter Goodspeed, Atkinson Series
Why has Canada only taken in 200 Syrian refugees? 

Religious charities have served the refugee and immigrant communities for a long time under master agreements with the federal government.  Goodspeed looks at the resettlement process and its recent results through the eyes and experience of Martin Mark, the Executive Director of Toronto’s Catholic Archdiocese Refuge Office.  “Canada is just failing to respond,” says Mark. “It is very sad.”   http://www.thestar.com/news/atkinsonseries/2014/09/22/delay_delay_delay.html

 Huffington Post (US) – Kim Bellware
Pastor Gets Rival Gang Members to Put down Guns and Pick up Basketballs, And the NBA Notices    

Father Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina Parish Church on Chicago’s South Side runs the Peace Basketball League.  He has managed to attract some big names from the NBA as well.  The league brings together some of the violent gangs in Chicago.  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/22/peace-basketball-tourname_n_5863762.html  Related article: The Star Phoenix (SK) -Jason Warick    A work in progress: Saskatoon man sheds former life of drugs, gangs and violence   http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/work+progress/10221158/story.html

 The Inquisitor – (Colorado)
Is Legalizing Recreational Marijuana Use Beneficial To The Society? Colorado Crime Rate Statistics Surely Suggest So 

As Canada prepares for the great marijuana debate, Colorado, which legalized the drug a year ago, is still heatedly debating whether the crime rates are impacted.  This article reports 10% drop in the crime rate in Denver, the hotbed for the smokers. http://www.inquisitr.com/1490010/is-legalizing-recreational-marijuana-use-beneficial-to-the-society-colorado-crime-rate-statistics-surely-suggest-so

 International Detention Coalition
Parliamentary Assembly to vote on ending child immigration detention in Europe  

A number of countries, US, UK and Australia in particular, are involved in a major struggle with issues around children in detention.  The European Union has a resolution before its Parliamentary Assembly Council of Europe (PACE) to prohibit the practice entirely.  Canada still routinely detains immigrant / refugee children.  http://idcoalition.org/european-parliamentary-assembly-vote-ending-child-immigration-detention-europe