July 12, 2016
Abacus Data – Bruce Anderson & David Coletto
CANADIANS’ MORAL COMPASS SET DIFFERENTLY FROM THAT OF OUR NEIGHBOURS TO THE SOUTH
In the face of the horrendous killings this week in the US with racism at root, Canadians may wonder how far are we from the same moral and legal developments. The survey asks the same questions to both American and Canadians and graphs the differences. http://abacusdata.ca/canadians-moral-compass-set-differently-from-that-of-our-neighbours-to-the-south/ Related article: Toronto Star – Alex Ballingall What’s stopping the Dallas shootings from happening in Toronto? https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/07/08/whats-stopping-the-dallas-shootings-from-happening-in-toronto.html Related article: VOX (Justice Policy Institute) Tara Golshan – Loretta Lynch (US Attorney General) on Dallas attacks: “reject the easy impulses of bitterness and rancor” http://www.vox.com/2016/7/8/12128220/loretta-lynch-dallas-attacks?utm_content=buffer28937&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
Ultimate 106.9 (Netherlands radio station)
Netherlands closes Down 19 prisons due to lack of prisoners
Here’s heart-warming story from Holland. The country has seen a long term decline in crime and judges who do not impose long prison terms. The result is that, even with renting their cells to neighbouring Norway, they are not filling the cells and are closing a significant number of prisons. Sweden is also in the process of closing unneeded cells. http://ultimatefmonline.com/2016/07/07/netherlands-closes-down-19-prisons-due-to-lack-of-prisoners/
CBC News – Diana Mehta
Ottawa considering reopening prison farms shut down by the Harper government – 6 in total were closed including in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta – Ottawa considering reopening prison farms shut down by the Harper government
Prison farms served a number of rehabilitative purposes in the past. They supplied food to the prisons, they provided real time and purposeful job training and they allowed inmates to exercise responsibility and care for the animals. Closed by the previous government as too costly and the job training as out of date, the prison farms may be coming back. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/reopening-prison-farms-considered-1.3672587 Related article: CBC News Liberals to study restoring Kingston, Ont., prison farms – Conservative government closed prison farms in 2010 http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/kingston-prison-farm-return-to-be-studied-1.3613176
680 News (Toronto) – Adam Allington, Associated Press
Women more likely than men to face poverty during retirement
This report is a US study that suggests that women are more likely poverty victims in old age than men. But the article adds a pointed fact the risk increases noticeably as the woman ages. Additionally, elderly women are more likely than men to take on caregiving in their senior years creating more strain on fixed income. http://www.citynews.ca/2016/07/10/women-more-likely-than-men-to-face-poverty-during-retirement/
CNN (US) – Margeaux Grey
‘Why human trafficking is a public health problem’
The article is a very focused explanation about why, once a person is delivered from trafficking the struggle is not over. Grey, who is now blind and calls her blindness a gift, offers as much testimony to an inspiring strength and courage as she does insight into this perplexing social ill. The article differs sharply from the usual law enforcement focus on human trafficking. http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/11/opinions/human-trafficking-health-margeaux-gray/
CBC News – Canadian Press
Canadian Anglicans vote down same-sex marriage – Church needed lay, clergy and bishops all on side for vote to pass
The Anglican Synod, meeting just north of Toronto, required a two thirds vote of Bishops, Clergy and lay persons to support the notion of blessing same-sex marriages but the clergy vote fell marginally below and the motion was defeated. The 200 delegates and their vote was the culmination of three years of preparation by the 1.6 million who identify as Anglicans. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/programs/metromorning/anglicans-gay-marriage-canada-1.3674706 Related article: Toronto Star -Vjosa Isai Several Canadian Anglican bishops to OK same-sex marriage despite church ruling https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/07/12/some-canadian-anglican-bishops-to-approve-same-sex-marriage-despite-church-ruling.html
Toronto Star – Wendy Gillis and Jim Rankin
Human Rights Commission barred from ‘Neptune Four’ police tribunal
The police disciplinary tribunal was hearing a misconduct complaint against two officers who held four Black youth at gun point. The Ontario Human Rights Commission wanted intervenor status with the police tribunal to explore racial profiling as the immediate cause of the misconduct but the answer was no thanks. The police tribunal says they do not have the authority to grant the intervenor status. The incident, unwarranted by the two police officers from the start, quickly escalated and became chillingly like police/Black encounters in the US. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/07/11/human-rights-commission-cannot-participate-in-neptune-four-police-tribunal.html Related article: Toronto Star – Jessica Botelho-Urbanski Police need clear rules on DNA sampling, review concludes Office of the Independent Police Review Director says 2013 sweep of migrant workers was not racial profiling, but was “overly broad.” https://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2016/07/12/police-need-clear-rules-on-dna-sampling-review-concludes.html