March 3, 2016
Independent (UK) – Paul Peachey
How the police’s body-worn camera technology is changing the justice system
The Metropolitan Police in London, England, have 22,000 body cameras in play – a £3.5 million investment – and are beginning to acknowledge that the presence of body cameras is changing the way the justice system works and the frequency of complaints against police, now down by one third. Perhaps there are some lessons for the consideration of equipping our front line police with body cameras. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/how-the-polices-body-worn-camera-technology-is-changing-the-justice-system-a6905691.html?utm_content=buffer2db88&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
CBC News
Moving female inmates to HMP makes ‘no sense at all,’ says women’s council
Overcrowding in women’s prisons is leading Corrections to the decision to move 14 women inmates into the St. John’s Penitentiary, already itself overcrowded and allegedly unsafe for women, a move that highlights several more systemic problems in the Newfoundland justice system, especially the spike in the number of women inmates and the lack of alternatives. Says Jenny Wright, executive director of the St. John’s Status of Women Council: “…transferring the women is yet another problematic instance of the way Newfoundland and Labrador deals with addiction and mental health.” http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/moving-female-inmates-to-hmp-makes-no-sense-at-all-says-women-s-council-1.3472977
Ottawa Citizen – Kathryn May
Trudeau makes first shakeup of top PS ranks
Trudeau has made a number of changes in the Public Service personnel at the deputy minister level, some retiring and some transferred to new portfolios. Public Safety, Transportation and Infrastructure, Aboriginal Affairs, and Global development are some of the ministries impacted to date. http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/trudeau-makes-first-shakeup-of-top-ps-ranks Related article: iPolitics – Amanda Connolly Syrian refugee special advisor promoted in senior public servant shake up http://ipolitics.ca/2016/03/02/syrian-refugee-special-advisor-reshuffled-in-senior-public-servant-shake-up/
National Post – Andrew Duffy, Postmedia News
Justin Trudeau’s brother lobbies Liberals to not deport terror suspect Mohamed Harkat
Harkat is in jail under the infamous security certificate which allows the arrest and detention of terror suspect under very murky and often secret legal process. Alexandre (Sasha) Trudeau, now a film maker, made an exception to his practice of not lobbying the Liberals because he has been an advocate for over 10 years. Sasha joins a number of prominent Canadians – Elizabeth May, Stephen Lewis, Maher Arar, Dennis Edney – in the appeal against deportation of Harkat whose family is here in Canada. http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/justin-trudeaus-brother-lobbies-liberals-to-not-deport-terror-suspect-mohamed-harkat Related article: National Newswatch – Will Leroy, Canadian Press PM must avoid Harkat file due to brother’s involvement: watchdog group http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2016/03/02/pm-must-avoid-harkat-file-due-to-brothers-involvement-watchdog-group-4/#.VtdOM_nyuUk
Toronto Star – Wendy Gillis and Jim Rankin
Human Rights Commission seeks to intervene in ‘Neptune Four’ case
Two police constables at a Toronto housing building approached four Black young people and are now in a disciplinary hearing for misconduct in that intervention. Human Rights Ontario is seeking intervenor status to allow a fair hearing of whether racial profiling is at the heart of the dispute. Both prosecutor and constables oppose the intervenor status for Human Rights. http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2016/03/02/human-rights-commission-seeks-to-intervene-in-neptune-four-case.html
Toronto Star – Robin Levinson King
Photos of women breastfeeding in uniform show ‘power of a working mother’
Tary Ruby, who formerly served in the US Air Force while nursing, is a professional photographer who is trying to show that a breast-feeding mother who is working and in uniform are compatible. She has an impressive portfolio of both sensitive and powerful portraits to prove her point. She is looking for a Mountie mother and child for her next picture. http://www.thestar.com/life/parent/2016/03/02/photos-of-women-breastfeeding-in-uniform-show-power-of-a-working-mother.html Related article: Toronto Star – Sunny Freeman Time off work for menstrual pain part of U.K. business’s planned ‘period policy’ http://www.thestar.com/business/2016/03/02/period-policy-aims-to-synchronize-work-flow-with-aunt-flo.html
New CBC Documentary: I, Pedophile to air March 10, 9PM on Firsthand
One worker in the field suggests: “It is probably THE most significant treatment of pedophilia from a scientific perspective yet produced. It will be controversial.” Cf Trailer https://vimeo.com/157227543 Related link: Matthew Campea Tackling a Tough Subject: Why I Made a Documentary About Pedophiles http://www.cbc.ca/firsthand/blog/tackling-a-tough-subject-why-i-made-a-documentary-about-pedophiles
Global News – Hannah James
Failing Canada’s First Nations children
This article comes from an inquest in the death of seven Indigenous teenage girls who left home to be able to attend high school and were murdered – six of them attending the same high school exclusively for Indigenous people. http://globalnews.ca/news/2552557/failing-canadas-first-nations-children/