Dec 11, 2015
CBC News – Chris Hall
MMIW inquiry: ‘This is not an indigenous problem, this is a Canadian problem’ – Status of Women Minister Patty Hajdu confident this aboriginal inquiry will be different
The scope and context of the inquiry into murdered and missing Indigenous women is changing quickly. The inquiry has grown to widespread support in the Canadian Parliament with support from all political factions. But the focus has expanded as well, now the victim families adding their needs to the perspective of the inquiry and with racist police officers adding fuel to the fire. http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mmiw-inquiry-patty-hajdu-chris-hall-1.3359915 Related article: CBC News – Susana Mas Bob Paulson says he doesn’t want racists inside RCMP ranks – Tackling racism key to inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women, First Nations say Related article: Toronto Star – Julie Kaye Beverly Jacobs RCMP racism runs deeper than a few bad cops http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2015/12/11/rcmp-racism-runs-deeper-than-a-few-bad-cops.html Related article: CBC News – Connie Walker 22 cases added to CBC’s missing and murdered indigenous women database – CBC News continues to investigate the unsolved cases of missing and murdered indigenous women http://www.cbc.ca/news/aboriginal/22-cases-added-to-cbc-s-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-database-1.3355012 Related article: CBC News Susana Mas Carolyn Bennett confirms meeting with families of missing, murdered indigenous women – ‘This government gets it,’ AFN Chief Perry Bellegarde says of renewed relationship with Ottawa http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/missing-murdered-indigenous-women-meeting-1.3359158 Related article: Globe and Mail – Kathryn Blasé Baum Canada ‘cannot afford any more stolen sisters,’ native-women’s advocate says http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/canada-cannot-afford-any-more-stolen-sisters-native-womens-advocate-says/article27703171/ Related article: CTV News Infant murder case collapses after key evidence goes missing http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/infant-murder-case-collapses-after-key-evidence-goes-missing-1.2694911
National Newswatch – Don Lenihan
Electoral Reform: A referendum is only half the question
Lenihan is suggesting that a national referendum on election reform is practically the only way to go but that what is equally important the process designed for the question. The government is looking for an all-party committee but each party has already aligned itself for the type of reform that favours their electoral chances: possible options are ranked voting, proportionate representation or none of the above? http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2015/12/11/electoral-reform-a-referendum-is-only-half-the-question/
Toronto Star
“GunTV,” a cable-TV firearms store, set to debut in U.S.
The Gun TV Channel will be a cable channel pre-occupied exclusively with selling guns, an electronic version of the week-end gun fairs. While assault rifles will not be sold, nor will the firearms be sold outside the US, critics are concerned with the recent Black Friday spike for gun owner applications, an all-time high of 180,000 plus. http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2015/12/11/guntv-a-cable-tv-firearms-store-set-to-debut-in-us.html Related article: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (US) Firearms Commerce in the United States: 2014 Annual Statistical Update https://www.atf.gov/file/3336/download
The Criminalization and Punishment Education Project (CPEP) –
Life inside Ottawa’s Jail
The centre is meant to hold those on remand but that often means a year to 18 months. Long overcrowded, and with little or no services available, the Centre has come under severe criticism in recent weeks for a host of problems: poor food, lack of exercise opportunity, lack of medical treatment especially for mental health. The link is a new 7 minute video detailing the problems. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSyBuSsejNU&feature=youtu.be
UNHCR
Don’t give terror groups propaganda says Guterres
The head of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees thinks we need to tone down the anti-Muslim rhetoric for fear we give the terrorists what they are obviously trying to achieve. Says Antonio Guterres: “It is just telling them, ‘you are right, we are against you’.” http://www.unhcr.org/5669a3be6.html
Juvenile Justice Information Exchange (US)
An Epidemic of Questionable Arrests by San Bernardino School Police
The presence of a police officer in the school and reference of disciplinary cases to him rather than school authorities has again become controversial, this time in the same area of the latest terrorist murder of 14 people, San Bernardino, California, as well in neighbouring communities. The questionable arrests are proving the schools an easy place to arrest youth, often for less than good reason. San Bernardino has about 1/10 the population of near-by Los Angeles but has more youth arrests from police in the schools. http://jjie.org/an-epidemic-of-questionable-arrests-by-school-police/