June 3, 2015
Globe and Mail – Editorial (June 3, 2015)
Truth and Reconciliation: Genocide or not, Canada authored this story
The editorial invites the reader to play an imaginative game about a knock at the door and the end of family for your children. 150,000 children had this experience and no one intervened to stop it. The editorial argues that whether the history was one of cultural genocide or not, the injustice is home grown and all of Canada owns it. The Globe and Mail intends this week to examine the 94 recommendations for its readers. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/editorials/truth-and-reconciliation-genocide-or-not-canada-authored-this-story/article24761811/ Related article: Toronto Star – Editorial (June 3, 2015) Canada must rebuild trust, and make amends for residential school abuse http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2015/06/02/canada-must-rebuild-trust-and-make-amends-for-residential-school-abuse-editorial.html
Toronto Star – Patty Winsa and Jim Rankin
Prominent Toronto citizens jointly call for end to carding – Influential voices add to pressure on Police Chief Mark Saunders to reform a practice they say causes “distrust and disrespect.”
Four well known Toronto political faces are urging the new and the first Black Police Chief, Mark Saunders, to end the practice of carding or arbitrarily stopping people and questioning while recording the contact information. Barbara Hall, David Crombie, Alvin Curling and Roy McMurtry have had a significant involvement in political life and are joined by a veritable who’s who to denounce the practice: “Anger, hurt and unrest have replaced any benefits police may derive from this practice.” http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/06/02/prominent-toronto-citizens-jointly-call-for-end-to-carding.html Related article: Toronto Star – Robert Benzie and Robert Cribb Liberals finally set to curb overuse of police information http://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2015/06/02/liberals-finally-set-to-curb-overuse-of-police-information.html
Huffington Post (US) – Jason Linkins
Everybody Chill: There’s No Ferguson-Inspired ‘New Nationwide Crime Wave’
Linkins is out to challenge the ‘Ferguson effect.’ Manhattan Institute fellow Heather Mac Donald recently wrote an article called “The New Nationwide Crime Wave” which appeared on The Wall Street Journal’s opinion page on May 29. Linkins thinks that the article manipulates the stats and buys into the most alarming interpretation available. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/02/ferguson-crime-wave_n_7494372.html?utm_hp_ref=media&ir=Media
Sydney Morning Herald (AU) – Sarah Whyte
Doctors and teachers gagged under new immigration laws
If you are a doctor or teacher working in an Australian immigration detention facility, you could get two years in jail for speaking to media about the conditions under which the immigrants are held. The Border Forces Act was passed on May 14 and “under the heading of “secrecy and disclosure provisions”, the act says releasing information is only permitted by the secretary of the department responsible for detention centres.” Detention centres on Nauru and Manus Islands have been under scrutiny for some time because of the children and families held there indefinitely. http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/doctors-and-teachers-gagged-under-new-immigration-laws-20150603-ghft05.html Related article: National Immigrant Justice Center (US) – Mary Meg McCarthy Senate Democrats Demand an End to Family Detention http://www.immigrantjustice.org/press_releases/senate-democrats-demand-end-family-detention
KPBS (San Diego) – Megan Burks
A Year Later, San Diego Unified’s School Discipline Changes Yield Big Drop in Expulsions
This article brings further testimony to the effectiveness of restorative justice as a means of controlling the school to prison pipeline, always thought to begin with disproportionate suspensions and expulsion of minority students. The discretion of school authorities vs mandatory punishments is also a factor in San Diego where the rate of expulsion has dropped 60% in the past year. http://www.kpbs.org/news/2015/jun/02/year-later-san-diego-unifieds-school-discipline-ch/
Toronto Star – Theresa Boyle
Use of anti-psychotic drugs on seniors rising
There has been a whopping 25% increase in use of anti-psychotic drugs in both community and residential settings. The problem is viewed through the eyes and experience of one woman whose husband got the drug while still at home. She describes the lack of satisfaction in the care for her husband when the immediate impact was to induce sleep. Long term care facilities have been known to use high and frequent dosages and now the use is increasing in retirement homes and in domestic settings. The study comes from St. Michael’s Hospital. “The review found the use of anti-psychotics in the elderly with dementia almost doubles the risk of mortality.” http://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/2015/06/02/use-of-anti-psychotic-drugs-on-seniors-rising.html