May 27, 2016
National Newswatch – Joan Bryden, Canadian Press
Emergency resolution at Grit convention urges amendments to assisted dying bill
An attempt to introduce an emergency resolution calling for amendments to the C-14 Bill on Assisted dying was short circuited at the Liberal Convention in the Women’s Commission. Media were mostly excluded from the policy sessions but the resolution shows discontent with the proposed law and its projected path. The resolution was brought before the commission by its chair Wendy Robbins. http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2016/05/26/emergency-resolution-at-grit-convention-urges-amendments-to-assisted-dying-bill-2/#.V0dc7PnyuUk Related article: Ottawa Citizen – Lee Berthiaume ‘This isn’t what Liberals are about’: Some party members bristling over perceived efforts to quash dissent http://www.canada.com/news/national/98this+what+liberals+about+some+party+members+bristling+over/11946879/story.html Related article: National Newswatch – Joan Bryden, Canadian Press Liberal party brass block emergency resolution on assisted dying bill http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2016/05/27/emergency-resolution-at-grit-convention-urges-amendments-to-assisted-dying-bill/#.V0gVufnyuUk Related article: Toronto Star – Tim Harper The assisted dying elephant in the happy Liberal room https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/05/26/the-assisted-dying-elephant-in-the-happy-liberal-room-tim-harper.html Related article – Ottawa Citizen – Lee Berthiaume Debate over assisted-dying law shouldn’t be bound by ‘arbitrary timelines’: Paul Martin http://www.canada.com/news/national/debate+over+assisted+dying+shouldn+bound+98arbitrary+timelines/11945172/story.html
iPolitics – Elizabeth Manley
Conservative mandatory minimum sentences were aimed at Aboriginal Canadians
Former PM Paul Martin, speaking at the Indigenous People Commission at the Winnipeg Liberal Convention, decried mandatory minimums and suggested the policy was aimed at, and had its most serious impact on, Aboriginal people. He was supported in that sentiment by the Minister of Northern Affairs Carolyn Bennett, also critical of the policy. “Martin said mandatory minimums are at odds with the concept of restorative justice, which requires judges to exercise their discretion.” http://ipolitics.ca/2016/05/26/martin-conservative-mandatory-minimum-sentences-were-aimed-at-indigenous-canadians/
Phys.org (US) – Kerry Sheridan
Climate Feedback site allows scientists to correct media errors
As climate change and international agreements proliferate, this site claims to be a scientific effort to separate the truth from fiction in claims made about climate change; the site itself insists it is scientific, not activist, and has 100 scientists who make pronouncements on claims about climate change and proffered timelines found in various publications. http://phys.org/news/2016-05-climate-feedback-site-scientists-media.html Climate Change site: http://climatefeedback.org/
Toronto Star – Christopher Reynolds
Pot charges ‘will stick,’ police chief tells rancorous news conference
On Thursday, Toronto police gave a press conference following a co-ordinated raid on a number of pot shops in the Toronto area. Police are claiming that the raids were carried out on shops outside the medical marijuana shops and expect the charges to stick. Police gave no numbers but licensing officials had visited 45 shops with warnings; it is not clear if the raids were pursuant to licensing violations or trafficking marijuana. https://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2016/05/27/police-chief-talks-about-marijuana-raids.html Related article: Toronto Star – David Rider and Christopher Reynolds Toronto police and drug squad raid marijuana dispensaries https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/05/26/toronto-police-and-drug-squad-raid-marijuana-dispensaries.html Related article: Globe and Mail – Canadian Press Toronto police say health concerns, complaints behind pot shop raids http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/toronto-police-chief-speaks-on-marijuana-shop-raids/article30186564/ Related article: Globe and Mail – Ljubica Kostovic Toronto’s pot shop crackdown was long overdue. Here’s why http://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/torontos-pot-shop-crackdown-was-long-overdue-heres-why/article30183291/ Related article: Globe and Mail – Mike Hager and Laurent Bastien Canadian cities grapple with enforcing pot-shop boom on cusp of legalization http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/police-raid-marijuana-dispensaries-across-toronto/article30172624/
Toronto Star – Tom Cooper and Trish Henderson
The promise of the living wage movement
If we give up the argument that living wage depresses the market and creates unemployment, what real benefits can we see coming from a growing incidence of companies taking a pro-active role in paying a wage more comparable with the cost of living? Cooper and Henderson offer testimony to benefits and companies where the benefits are already enjoyed. https://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2016/05/27/the-promise-of-the-living-wage-movement.html