Hope in justice…

   Nov. 2, 2014

 Cape Breton Post – Staff
Cape Breton lawyers express caution about effect of consecutive sentences 

Allan Nicholson, of Nova Scotia Legal Aid, and private practice lawyer Tony Mozvik both expected the 75 year sentence for Justin Bourque.  However, they suggest, the sentence opens new expectations in Canadian punishment.  “”Now all we’re doing is keeping a person alive in a cage,” said Nicholson, adding the change in the law allowing such sentences is more the result of political interests than improving the justice system.”    What’s the point of programs and a belief in rehabilitation?   http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/Local/2014-10-31/article-3924046/Cape-Breton-lawyers-express-caution-about-effect-of-consecutive-sentences/1   Related article: Globe and Mail – Isabel  Grant and Debra Parkes    By locking up Bourque and throwing away the key, we lose hope in justice      http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/by-locking-up-bourque-and-throwing-away-the-key-we-lose-hope-in-justice/article21419211/?cmpid=rss1&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheGlobeAndMail-Front+%28The+Globe+and+Mail+-+Latest+News%29

 Toronto Star – Debra Black
Does Canada Border Services Agency need oversight?  

The Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) has sweeping powers but little oversight.  The Red Cross, refugee lawyers, NGO’s and the Jimenez inquest jury recommendations have all criticized the way the CBSA has handled immigrants and refugees, especially for the facilities used to detain people, and then especially children.  The circumstances around these practices seem to hold warning for expanded national security provisions without oversights as well.   The article includes a review of the resources of CBSA as well.  http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/11/02/does_canada_border_services_agency_need_oversight.html    Related article: Globe and Mail – Joe Friesian     Canada to open the door wider to ‘higher calibre’ immigrants http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/canada-to-open-the-door-wider-to-higher-calibre-immigrants/article21417126    Related article: Globe and Mail – Lorna Dueck   Are we still that compassionate Canada?   http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/are-we-still-that-canada/article20924259

National Newswatch – Joan Bryden, Canadian Press
Harper’s silence on anti-Muslim backlash disheartens Muslim groups 

So far, there have been four incidents of threats against Muslims in Canada, following the deaths of two soldiers.  Muslim communities suggest that their efforts to disassociate themselves from the extremism needs to be reinforced by political and community leaders. Amira Elghawaby, human rights co-ordinator for the National Council of Canadian Muslims, says “”He (Prime Minister Harper) has a responsibility to represent everyone and certainly Canadian Muslim communities are extremely worried about a backlash and I think that needs to be spoken to.”  http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2014/11/01/harpers-silence-on-anti-muslim-backlash-disheartens-muslim-groups/#.VFZjDsnej3t

 Metro News – Jacob Morgan
‘This is the greatest challenge we face’: Bob Rae on treaty rights in Canada 

Rae, a former Ontario premier and former leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, spoke at the University of Regina and declared fundamental problems in both how the treaties with Aboriginals came about and their implications for the future relations between Aboriginals and the various governments, especially the federal.  http://metronews.ca/news/regina/1200876/this-is-the-greatest-challenge-we-face-bob-rae-on-treaty-rights-in-canada

 Toronto Star – Chantel Hebert
Loss in Whitby-Oshawa by-election would spell trouble for Stephen Harper 

National Affairs reporter Chantel Hebert looks at this specific riding which once belonged to former finance minister Jim Flattery as a yardstick for the income splitting political payoff.  The point is, she says, that the tax benefit only covers a few days of child care benefit but every dollar given to individuals is a dollar less available for a national day care plan for everyone.  Ironically, using Flattery’s name also recalls that he opposed income splitting in his departure from the office.  http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/10/31/stephen_harpers_conservatives_need_big_win_in_whitbyoshawa_byelection.html

 Toronto Star – Karl Ritter
U.N. climate change report: “Time is not on our side” – Climate change is happening, it’s almost entirely man’s fault U.N. report says 

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), meeting this week-end in Denmark, leaves no doubt about the immediacy of the crisis nature of climate change.  The U.N.’s panel on climate science demands the end of the destruction of greenhouse gas emissions before the end of the century.  In starker terms, we must end – reduce to zero – the emissions from fossil fuels.   http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2014/11/02/un_climate_change_report_time_is_not_on_our_side.html      IPCC webpage and report:  Climate Change 2014  (Includes a summary for policymakers – a 40 page pdf, the synthesis report – 116 pages pdf, a fact sheet and quick links.)    http://www.ipcc.ch

 Buffalo News (US) – James Piereson and Naomi Schaefer Riley
Income inequality TOUGH TO CONQUER – Despite stepped-up recruitment efforts at the nation’s elite universities, for most low-income students, a college education remains just a fantasy 

In a special guest article for the Washington Post, the authors suggest that fixing accessibility to university education would help fix income disparity as well.  The Canadian concern is the financial setback beginning work life with sizeable amounts in student loans coming due immediately.  Today’s US circumstances have significantly changed for college admissions.  Say the authors: “Today, for most low-income kids, college is merely a fantasy. If you finish high school, you are probably unprepared to attend a good four-year university, even if you could get in. And if you do, you will probably need multiple remedial courses. About half of students entering the California State University system do, for instance.”   http://www.buffalonews.com/opinion/viewpoints/income-inequality-tough-to-conquer-20141102   Related article: Business Day Live: Pippa Green and Murray Leibbrandt    Inequality: what Brazil got right   http://www.bdlive.co.za/businesstimes/2014/11/02/inequality-what-brazil-got-right    Related article: The Sunday Independent (South Africa)    The impact of SA policy on inequality  http://www.iol.co.za/sundayindependent/the-impact-of-sa-policy-on-inequality-1.1774176#.VFZ-R8nej3s

 CCTV – China
Lawmakers discuss scrapping death penalty for 9 crimes 

There are presently 55 crimes for which a person can be executed in China but the Communist party is seeking to reduce the number of executions by reducing the crimes which are punished by execution.  This effort is the second since 1979 that China has reduced the application of the death penalty, having already eliminated death for 13 economic crimes.   The report is all in English – a three minute video and a text.  http://english.cntv.cn/2014/10/31/VIDE1414748527852977.shtml