March 7, 2016
Toronto Star – Carol Goar
Surprising perspective on International Women’s Day
March 8 is International Women’s Day and Goar suggests that the bar for the women’s movement was set too low in retrospect and in view of the achievements in a relatively short time. But Goar also suggests, in the light of a new OECD report from Paris, that paternity leave was one of the unanticipated but critical achievements. http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2016/03/07/surprising-perspective-on-international-womens-day-goar.html OECD Report: Parental leave: Where are the fathers? Men’s Uptake of Parental Leave Is Rising But Still Low http://www.oecd.org/gender/parental-leave-where-are-the-fathers.pdf (2 page pdf) Related article: Globe and Mail – Laura Kane Universities dragging heels on sex assault policies: students http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/universities-dragging-heels-on-sex-assault-policies-students/article29045637/ Related article: Vancouver Sun – Bethaney Lindsay Vision Vancouver pushes gender parity motion – Proposal calls for all city advisory committees to have 50-per-cent female membership http://www.vancouversun.com/life/vision+vancouver+pushes+gender+parity+motion/11766850/story.html
National Newswatch – Jim Bronskill, Canadian Press
Nine factors should drive federal marijuana moves, ministers told
In November 2015, Health Canada tabled a ministerial briefing on the issues around the legalization of marijuana. The briefing contains nine points and was only recently released, but with a number of considerations and recs blacked out. The nine recs include an assessment of the rates of usage, legal and international aspects of the anticipated legalization. http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2016/03/05/nine-factors-should-drive-federal-marijuana-moves-ministers-told/#.VtsFW_nyuUk Related article: Toronto Sun – Tom Parkin, Postmedia Network Decriminalize marijuana possession ASAP http://www.torontosun.com/2016/03/06/decriminalize-marijuana-possession-asap Related article: National Newswatch – Mark Blevis Why the conservatives lost the marijuana fight http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2016/02/28/why-the-conservatives-lost-the-marijuana-fight/
Toronto Star – David Rider
Man shot dead by Toronto police identified as Ottawa’s Devon LaFleur – A man who grew up with LaFleur, 30, describes him as a gentle nature-lover who had been mentally ill
Toronto has seen yet another mentally ill person shot by police. Devon Lafleur was in front of a women’s shelter and had been reported by the hometown Ottawa police as possibly armed and involved in two armed robberies in 2007 and 2009 while armed with a knife. The Special Investigations Unit is looking into the killing. http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/03/06/man-shot-dead-by-toronto-police-identified-as-ottawas-devon-lafleur.html Related article: Ottawa Citizen – Joanne Laucius Ottawa man shot dead by Toronto police struggled with bipolar disorder http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ottawa-man-shot-dead-by-toronto-police-struggled-with-bipolar-disorder
Pew Trusts Stateline – Jen Fifield
Many States Face Dire Shortage of Prison Guards
Understaffing has been repeatedly identified as a major irritant in the effort to deliver adequate services and programs to inmates all over North America. In the US, part of the solution, especially in immigration detention, has been private prisons. In a Pew Trust survey 28 of 34 states responding are saying that by 2018 the inmate population will grow from 1-16%. In many of these states there is already critical shortage and guards leaving for better paying jobs. In New Mexico, one in three guard position are vacant. In Kansas last year 29.7% of prison staff left for other jobs. http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2016/09/01/many-states-face-dire-shortage-of-prison-guards
Ottawa Citizen – Sharon Kirkey
Twenty-one years ago his doctor prescribed him 50 pills, enough to kill himself. Why he’s alive today
Mark Jewitt had read that 40 barbiturate pills would kill him so he asked for 50 from his doctor. Then Jewitt, then 32 and an HIV patient in 1995, swallowed them two by two. He woke up in hospital after a couple of coma periods and recovered. His doctor, Maurice Généreux, was charged and the first doctor convicted of assisted suicide of a second patient Aaron McGinn, who ended his life in April 1996. Généreux pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years, serving nine months. Given developments in HIV and attitudes towards homosexuals since, Jewitt has no regrets for his failed attempt. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/national/twenty+years+doctor+prescribed+pills+enough+kill+himself+alive/11760486/story.html Related article: Ottawa Citizen – Brian Cross, Windsor Star Hotel-Dieu, Hospice hope to avoid providing doctor-assisted death http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/hotel+dieu+hospice+hope+avoid+providing+doctor+assisted+death/11763866/story.html