July 31, 2015

 Globe and Mail – Sean Fine

Medicare challenge highlights power of trial judges

Here’s the question: given delay in obtaining medical services required for life threatening conditions why could not a person under a provincial medical plan seek treatment from a private clinic.  A single federal judge will hear this case in late fall or early New Year.  The SCC has established that the fact finding on the lower level should only rarely be overturned by a higher court – witness the findings on prostitution and the ban on assisted suicide.  The change in process of judicial appointments takes on new significance.  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/medicare-cRigoberto Atkins <RigobertoAtkins@perseusbooks.com>hallenge-highlights-power-of-trial-judges/article25745869/

MacLean’s – Zoe McKnight

The real reason crime is falling so fast – How social media obsession, smartphone addiction, and even violent video games are, surprisingly, making us safer 

McKnight is quoting Stats Canada: since 1991 the crime stats – for both violent and non-violent crime – measured against the number of police reported incidents per 100,000 population – have been falling consistently.  But after all the explanations one fairly new and poorly researched explanation remains: our pre-occupation with technology.  We do more interesting things indoors with technology than we can do outdoors getting into traditional trouble.  http://www.macleans.ca/society/the-real-reason-crime-is-falling-so-fast/

Toronto Star – Rob Ferguson

Breaking down the costs of an extended election campaign – How an 11-week federal election campaign will cost taxpayers and political parties more money.

Here are six major areas where the cost of a longer pre-election period will drive the costs for the election and offer and advantage to the political party with the most money:  paying the rent, hitting the tax payer, advertising, campaign spending, donation rebates, campaign rebates.  Usually collective costing $375 million, the extra time will probably approach $500 million in election costs.    http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/07/30/breaking-down-the-costs-of-an-extended-election-campaign.html   Related article: Globe and Mail – Gloria Galloway and Daniel Leblanc   Long campaign would play to Conservatives’ fundraising strengths  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/long-campaign-would-play-to-conservatives-fundraising-strengths/article25791115/    Related article: CBC News – Mark Gollom    Federal election 2015: How a long campaign will benefit the cash-rich Tories    http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/federal-election-2015-how-a-long-campaign-will-benefit-the-cash-rich-tories-1.3173208   Related article: Globe and Mail – Adam Radwanski and Eric Andrew-Gee    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/drop-the-writ-understanding-the-benefits-of-an-early-election-call/article25806274/

Prison Reform Trust (UK)

Why Focus on Reducing Women’s Imprisonment?

The article is in fact a briefing on the rationale for confronting a minority of people jailed by the UK justice system 15% of the caseload and 5% of inmates in prison.  The annual 13,500 women sent to prison each year are, says the report, people with special and complex needs, but they are often overlooked in policy and planning.  Further the rehabilitation needs of women are entirely outside the prison.  After some years of increasing numbers incarceration, the numbers are dropping and PRT wants to accelerate both the reform results and the numbers.  http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/Portals/0/Documents/why%20focus%20on%20reducing%20women%27s%20imprisonment%20BL.pdf?dm_i=47L,3K071,6JSCMH,CR67D,1

A quotable quote Comment by Juliet Lyon, Director of PRT on the Inspector General’s Report (Cf below):

“No mystery that violence, self-harm and suicide rise when you overcrowd prisons, reduce staff by almost one third, cut time out of cell and purposeful activity. The backdrop is a more punitive climate, increased injustice and uncertainty which have sucked hope out of the system for prisoners and staff. Solutions lie in good strong leadership from the new Secretary of State through to prison governors, a commitment to treat people in prison with humanity and respect and a determination to make prison an effective place of last resort.”   Related report:   HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for England and Wales: Annual Report 2014 – 15    http://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprisons/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/07/HMIP-AR_2014-15_TSO_Final1.pdf  (A 115 page pdf / report on the state of the prisons in the UK)