April 14, 2016
Hill Times-on-line – Peter Mazereeuw
Goodale keeping options open for CBSA oversight
Oversight is the operative word since two detainees have died in CBSA custody within a week of each other. (The same issue is still following C-51.) CBSA will not release any information about a death in custody citing privacy concerns. Refugee and immigration critics say only total independence from government will satisfy for oversight. A once Liberal senator, Wilfred Moore, is calling for the adoption of S-205, a private member’s bill calling for the appointment of an inspector general for CBSA. http://www.hilltimes.com/2016/04/13/goodale-keeping-options-open-for-cbsa-oversight/57986 Related article: Toronto Star – Robin Levinson King Privacy watchdog to investigate RCMP over alleged ‘stingray’ cellphone surveillance http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/04/12/privacy-commissioner-investigating-complaint-on-rcmp-use-of-stingrays-for-surveillance.html
APTN – Jorge Barrera
During First Nation suicide debate Justice Minister says it’s time for First Nations to shed Indian Act ‘shackles’
A “reconciliation framework” to replace the current Indian Act seems to be part of the agenda of the Liberal government. While Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould did not lead the emergency debate on Indigenous suicide in the House her speech seemed to want to scrap the Indian Act and replace it with a new vision based on Section 35 of the Constitution and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). “The nation-to-nation relationship is one of the most challenging public policy issues of our time and I challenge all members of this House to work with us in building this relationship. There are no quick fixes to these issues, a substantive nation-to-nation discussion with Indigenous peoples is needed. We need to sit down and work jointly to ensure Indigenous communities are strong and healthy and in charge and in control of their own destiny.” http://aptn.ca/news/2016/04/13/during-first-nation-suicide-debate-justice-minister-says-its-time-for-first-nations-to-shed-indian-act-shackles/
Toronto Star – Alyshah Hasham
Troubled bail system a ‘vicious circle’, experts say – Delays and strict conditions mean those subject to bail are being set up to fail, legal experts say.
The bail system contributes to most overcrowding but say critics it is also suffering from long processing times and unfair bail conditions and has devolved into what one Ottawa JP recently called “dysfunctional and punitive bodies, devoid of the rule of law.” Another lawyer, CCLA’s executive director, Sukanya Pillay, says, “People are being “set up to fail” by the system. http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2016/04/13/troubled-bail-system-a-vicious-circle-experts-say.html
Porte Ouverte – Associations des services de réhabilitation sociale de Québec (ASRSQ)
La revue est disponible et nous offert quelques articles, plusieurs e anglais. Le thème de cette parution: Des citoyens engagés au mieux-être de nos communautés. http://www.asrsq.ca/fr/salle/porte-ouverte/1601/index.php (Voir aussi: Le Cabaret de la Seconde Chance – Un cabaret unique en son genre ! http://www.asrsq.ca/fr/salle/porte-ouverte/1601/salle_por_160105.php
Toronto Star – Jim Coyle
Poorest children in Canada falling even further behind
Coyle draws attention to the fact that Canada is ranked 36 out of 35 on the international stage for care of children in the lower 10% income level, falling lower on the ranking from 17/29 in 2013. David Morley, president and CEO of UNICEF Canada, who issued the report, said that the report “focused on what is called “bottom-end inequality” — how far the poorest children are allowed to fall behind the average of their peers.” The report looked at four key areas: income, health, education and life satisfaction — between those children at the bottom 10 per cent of family income and those in the middle. The article includes five key findings. http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/04/14/poorest-children-in-canada-falling-even-further-behind.html UN Document: Innocenti Report Card 13: Children in the Developed World – Fairness for Children – A league table of inequality in child well-being in rich countries https://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/RC13_eng.pdf (A 52 page downloadable PDF.) Related article: Toronto Star – Kaylie Tiessen Five lessons from the failing fight against child poverty http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2015/11/27/five-lessons-from-the-failing-fight-against-child-poverty.html Related article: CBC News – Liam Britten War on drugs needs to end, says group of mothers heading to UN – “We find that we, as mothers who have lost children, are listened to,” says mumsDU co-founder http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/war-on-drugs-mumsdu-1.3534791
Thompson Reuters Foundation (UK) – Astrid Zweynert
‘Breakthrough Generation’ needed to end culture of violence against women
Breakthrough is an international organization with a huge ambition: to end violence against the one third of women who will experience sexual or physical violence within their lifetimes. The campaign, using social media, has reached an estimated 350 million people and encourages men to participate directly in dialogue and by interrupting violence when it occurs. http://news.trust.org/item/20160414112144-wsh8q/?source=fiHeadlineStory