May 2, 2016
Ontario Government Ministry of Social and Correctional Services – Minister Yasir Naqvi
Full-body Scanners to be installed in all Adult Correctional Facilities
In the middle of some terrible conditions and continual disruptions, overcrowding, under staffing, abuse of solitary, all 26 adult jails are getting full body scanners to better protect the guards. Over the first ten years, the government will spend $9.5 to but, place and maintain the full body scanners, making a mockery of the notion shortage of funds to improve conditions and services. https://news.ontario.ca/mcscs/en/2016/05/full-body-scanners-to-be-installed-in-all-adult-correctional-facilities.html?utm_source=digest&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=p
Globe and Mail – Gloria Galloway
Indigenous Affairs Minister says it’s up to Catholic Church to put things right
The issue of the $25 million in recompense to the Indigenous people by the Catholic entities is still provoking criticism of the Catholic Church. The final agreement required the payment of $29 million in cash, $25 million is contributed services and another $25 million to be derived from best efforts to raise the money among Catholic across Canada. The fundraising raise $3.7 million and Indigenous Affairs Minister Bennett says the responsibility, excused by a Saskatchewan court in an agreement with the federal lawyers, reverts to the Catholic Church. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/indigenous-affairs-minister-says-its-up-to-catholics-to-put-things-right/article29818908/
Globe and Mail – Lisa Kerr
Why rules on solitary confinement must be written in law
Kerr thinks we have already decided as a nation that the use of solitary confinement in our prisons needs to change and be more accountable. The question she raises is how should the practice change? She thinks we need to write the changes into a law, while referencing the Ashley Smith juror’s recs, the UN recs, and the Corrections Canada guidelines under the Corrections and Conditional Release Act. Says Kerr: “Our criminal-justice system endorses the deprivation of liberty as punishment for wrongdoing, but we do not endorse dehumanizing treatment.” http://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/why-rules-on-solitary-confinement-must-be-written-in-law/article29809838/ Related article: Takepart.com (US) Rebecca McCray Solitary Confinement Is Broken, and Prison Guards Are Trying to Fix It http://www.takepart.com/feature/2016/04/29/prison-guards-vs-solitary-confinement
National Newswatch – Will Leroy, Canadian Press
Dion official: Canada to join UN anti-torture protocol after years of delay
Canada, surprisingly, has never ratified the UN Convention on Torture, though we committed to do so several times. The convention would allow international inspection of detention facilities where torture is thought to occur, often in secrecy. http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2016/05/02/dion-official-canada-to-join-un-anti-torture-protocol-after-years-of-delay-4/#.VyfSffnyuUk Related article: National Newswatch – Murray Brewster Canada’s army reserve lacking soldiers, equipment, training, audit finds http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2016/05/03/canadas-army-reserve-lacking-soldiers-equipment-training-audit-finds/#.Vyi0zoQ8aUk
National Newswatch – Stephanie Levitz
Citizenships being granted without all checks being carried out: auditor
Canada’s Auditor General has found some serious deficiencies in the way the citizenship process in the period between July 2014 and the fall of 2015. He found people with criminal records missed and he found seriously delay in getting appropriate information from both the RCMP and CBSA, even to the point of failure to check data banks of known forged documents. http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2016/05/03/citizenships-being-granted-without-all-checks-being-carried-out-auditor/#.Vyi1IoQ8aUk Related article: CBC News AG finds gaps in veterans’ drug coverage, efforts to combat citizenship fraud http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/auditor-general-ferguson-spring-2016-report-1.3563877
CBC Radio – The Next Chapter – Shelagh Rogers
Murray Sinclair on tragedy, respect and the lessons of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Rogers interviews Justice, and now Senator, Murray Sinclair around a new book entitled In This Together: Fifteen Stories of Truth and Reconciliation. The interview is the last chapter of the book and attempts to suggest what happens next. The audio recording is 15 minutes long. http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thenextchapter/ann-y-k-choi-on-korean-mothers-murray-sinclair-on-reconciliation-1.3556084/murray-sinclair-on-tragedy-respect-and-the-lessons-of-the-truth-and-reconciliation-commission-1.3556097
The Atlantic – J. Weston Phippen
Australia’s Controversial Migration Policy
Phippen draws attention to how the Australian government’s policy has changed since the arrival of the first boat people from Vietnam in the 70’s. In many ways, Australia has become the focus for the tension between the refugees who arrive in desperation and the government’s firm policy that those who arrive as refugees will not settle permanently in Australia. Detention and deportation followed and detention facilities, with child populations became the crisis. Now it appears that off-shore detention practices are hampered by corporate take-over of privately contracted prison companies. http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/04/australia-immigration/480189/