Jan 26, 2015
Toronto Star – Ed Tubb
Chaplains keep up work with parolees — even without a paycheque
Harry Nigh is a Mennonite minister and a long-time advocate for people coming out of the prison system. He is called on internationally for his advice on rehabilitation of all sorts of criminals, especially the high risk sex offenders. He played a crucial role in the establishment of the very successful but now struggling Circles of Support and Accountability. Here is an account of what has happened since last March within the chaplaincy services in federal prisons and among what are termed community chaplains who look after those inmates on release and re-entry. http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/01/23/chaplains-keep-up-work-with-parolees-even-without-a-paycheque.html
Toronto Star – Edward Keenan
Why haven’t any Harper-friendly charities been scrutinized?
The recent spate of what appears to be targeted audits of charities has led Keenan to conclude that the audits are for charities that appear to want to influence legislation or public policy and have a perspective contrary to government`s. Says Keenan: “Harper and his ministers clearly want to hear from a public that is untroubled by research, untainted by statistics and, now, sheltered from the advocacy of pesky charities. The better to shape, it seems, a government that is free from evidence, reason and the pressures of morality.” http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2015/01/23/why-havent-any-harper-friendly-charities-been-scrutinized-keenan.html
Globe and Mail – Colin Freeze
Harper’s anti-terror bill to criminalize the ‘promotion of terrorism’
Likely on Friday of this week, the Harper government intends to introduce a new piece of legislation that will criminalize those who promote terrorist groups and will lower the threshold on a number of methods used to confront those travelling to participate in terrorist activities. The pre-occupation of the legal community is the jeopardy such legislation may have to rights of Canadians. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/harpers-anti-terror-bill-to-criminalize-the-promotion-of-terrorism/article22633213/ Related article: CBC News / Thompson Reuters New security bill aimed at combating ‘lone wolf’ attacks coming this week – Legislation will expand powers of domestic security agencies in wake of last year’s attacks http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/new-security-bill-aimed-at-combating-lone-wolf-attacks-coming-this-week-1.2931216
Toronto Star – Amy Dempsey
Toronto jail inmate says he was sent to solitary for having HIV
Jamie Simpson is infected with HIV and spent time in Toronto`s new super jail where complaints from other inmates led to his housing in solitary for over 75 days. The medical unit of the jail was not open. Simpson is suing the Ontario government for $200,000 under the Human Rights Tribunal provisions looking to end the practice of administrative segregation. Included in the article is an extensive description of solitary by Simpson himself. http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2015/01/23/toronto-jail-inmate-says-he-was-sent-to-solitary-for-having-hiv.html
Globe and Mail – Colin Freeze
Harper’s anti-terror bill to criminalize the ‘promotion of terrorism’
Likely on Friday of this week, the Harper government intends to introduce a new piece of legislation that will criminalize those who promote terrorist groups and will lower the threshold on a number of methods used to confront those travelling to participate in terrorist activities. The pre-occupation of the legal community is the jeopardy such legislation may have to rights of Canadians. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/harpers-anti-terror-bill-to-criminalize-the-promotion-of-terrorism/article22633213/
Toronto Star – Nicholas Keung
Deportations of criminals down under Ottawa’s fast-ouster scheme
Ottawa passed the Faster Removals of Foreign Criminals Act in 2013. Since then the number of removals of permanent residents for criminal convictions has been, like the crime rates, falling drastically. The numbers have fallen by almost one third and all the experts are puzzled about why. The act effectively strips people of appeal process. http://www.thestar.com/news/immigration/2015/01/24/deportations-of-criminals-down-under-ottawas-fast-ouster-scheme.html
Globe and Mail – Konrad Yakabuski
What’s so smart about unaffordable housing?
The article looks at the affordability of housing in Canada based on a multiple of income and the pricing of housing. The biggest losers are the millennials – those in their 30’s – and Vancouver is 10.5 times the median income while Toronto is 6.5. Yakabuski includes the impact on environment as well as he suggests that many families have no alternative but condo/apartment living. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/whats-so-smart-about-unaffordable-housing/article22607554/
Toronto Star – Editorial (Jan 26, 2015)
Curb solitary confinement
Solitary means at least 23 hours a day in a cell and there are approximately 1800 a day subjected to solitary; one of four have been in solitary for some extended time period. Known in CSC circles as administrative segregation, solitary often involves people who are mentally ill and difficult to handle inside a prison. The Star thinks it’s time for the Correctional Services to rein in the abuse. http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2015/01/26/curb-solitary-confinement-editorial.html Related article: National Post – Lisa Kerr Solitary confinement on trial http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/01/26/lisa-kerr-solitary-confinement-on-trial/
Boston Standard (US) – Daniel Jaines
More than 400 arrests used footage from Boston’s CCTV cameras last year
Closed circuit TV cameras have been espoused as both useful crime fighting tools as well as denounced as intrusive but expensive toys. Rarely are there any assessments on the effectiveness of the omni-present cameras and there is a movement among police to adopt a body worn version. Boston has 68 cameras and saw a total of 439 arrests using CCTV footage, with cameras capturing 1,740 separate incidents. A number of those arrests (173) had to do with littering and public urinating; the cost effectiveness of the video as a crime prevention measure remains at issue. http://www.bostonstandard.co.uk/news/business/business-news/more-than-400-arrests-used-footage-from-boston-s-cctv-cameras-last-year-1-6542133
Huffington Post (US) – Rob Flaherty
Income Disparity: Corporations Need to Act Now or Feel Pain Soon
Flaherty is the CEO of the US communications giant Ketchum. He is suggesting that the real primary target for resolving the income disparity issue is not the 1600 billionaires but the 3 billion people who living in poverty. Flaherty says: “The real enemies are the structural problems that maintain the cycle of poverty. Wage erosion, tax evasion, education gaps, isolation, corruption, and to some extent fiduciary requirements that mandate shareholder return above all else.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rob-flaherty/income-disparity-corporat_b_6546556.html?utm_hp_ref=business&ir=Business
Daily Mirror (UK)
Teen expelled ‘for exposing head teacher’s bad example haircut on Facebook’
Jordan Ford, 14, got a red dyed Mohawk haircut and was expelled from school. Ford found a picture of the head teacher on her Facebook page with her hair dyed red and posted it on Facebook. School authorities claimed Ford was using social media to cyber bully the teacher whom Ford, unrepentant, also later added other Facebook comments disparaging the physical appearance of the teacher. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/teen-expelled-for-exposing-headteachers-5043577