Mar 4, 2015
CBC News – Laura Peyton
Stephen Harper proposes bill to deny parole for some murderers
The article includes a one minute video of the Prime Minister answering a question from a reporter about ending the possibility of parole for convictions of first degree murder under certain circumstances. The article quotes extensively also from an interview with Howard Sapers, the correctional investigator, who comments on the notion of effectively eliminating the “faint hope” provision. Additionally, the legislation will remove from the Parole Board the authority to decide on parole and place with the federal minister and the cabinet, a political process eliminated from the justice system over fifty years ago. http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/stephen-harper-proposes-bill-to-deny-parole-for-some-murderers-1.2981192 Link to the Prime Minister’s web site for the press release: Proposed legislation to ensure Canada’s most heinous criminals are subject to a mandatory life sentence without parole http://pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2015/03/04/proposed-legislation-ensure-canadas-most-heinous-criminals-are-subject-mandatory#sthash.7se83h4r.dpuf Related article: Toronto Star – Bruce Campion-Smith New law will ensure some criminals stay in jail for life, Stephen Harper says (includes a 1:41 video news report) http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/03/04/new-law-will-ensure-some-criminals-stay-in-jail-for-life-stephen-harper-says.html
Globe and Mail – Sean Fine
Convicted killers could face life in prison under expected changes
No one is quite sure what the detail is but the federal conservatives are again back at the sentencing for murder and anticipating to make a “life means life” a re-election issue. Fine outlines three possible routes for the tough-on-crime agenda: one, to make certain types of first degree murder the focus; two, to extend the current point of eligibility from 25 years to some higher number, say 35 or 40 years; three, leaving jurors with the right to recommend sentences beyond the current practices. Critics are at a loss to see the substantive change from the current practice since the 25 years is a point of eligibility for parole and not a sentence expiry; in fact, even on parole, a life sentence means that the inmate is still governed for life by the conditions imposed on parole release. As you may suspect, the actual option is all of the above. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/convicted-killers-could-face-life-in-prison-under-expected-changes/article23275779/ Related article: Globe and Mail – Editorial (Feb. 4, 2015) The Conservatives’ temptation to politicize the parole system http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/editorials/the-conservatives-temptation-to-politicize-the-parole-system/article22793802/
Dalhousie University (NS)
An Open Statement from the Participants in Dalhousie’s Restorative Justice Process to Address Harms Related to the Dalhousie Dentistry Student (DDS2015) Facebook Group Posts issued March 1st, 2015.
The open statement offers comments on the progress of the Restorative Justice Process that the University elected to use to confront and heal the hurts from the misogynistic Facebook incidents. The statement offers comments from the 13 participants in the Facebook pages, the six women identified in the pages and the rest of the class of DDS2015. It is a powerful commentary on courage in opting for healing over punishment. http://www.dal.ca/cultureofrespect/open-statement-from-restorative-justice-participants.html?utm_source=DalRespect&utm_medium=DalRespect&utm_campaign=DalRespect_StatementMarch2_ES
Toronto Star – Alex Boutilier
Anti-terror law ‘unprecedented’ in peace time, says ex-Tory senator Hugh Segal
While Segal appears to support the C-51 anti-terrorist bill, he nonetheless thinks that there is a pressing need for additional oversight, drawing on his experience with the previous Liberal government terrorist legislation. “When the United States and the United Kingdom and France and Germany and Belgium — NATO partners all — have . . . parliamentary oversight that is much more substantial than ours, it’s hard to understand why we would not take that path,” Segal said. “I think that is a flaw.” Segal retired last year from the Senate and is now master at Massey College. http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/03/04/anti-terror-law-unprecedented-in-peace-time-says-ex-tory-senator-hugh-segal.html Related article: Toronto Star – Tanya Talaga and Alex Boutilier – Edward Snowden warns of perils in Canada’s proposed anti-terror law Free countries should not pass laws that limit liberties because they are afraid of terrorist threats, warns U.S. whistleblower Edward Snowden in web talk. http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2015/03/04/archive-puts-all-edward-snowden-leaks-in-one-spot-brings-debate-to-canada.html