Mar 6, 2017
Toronto Star – Alex Boutilier
After introducing a motion condemning Islamophobia, she received thousands of disturbing messages
Motion 103 is not a piece of legislation. It is simply a motion supporting a stance against all sorts of religious phobia and prejudice. Yet it has aroused considerable controversy and even resistance in Canada. Liberal MP Iqra Khalid who introduced the motion has been inundated with nasty Islamophobia messages, including death threats and enough to wonder if there needs be some sort of special security measures taken. https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/03/05/liberals-consider-help-for-mps-facing-threats-harassment-even-death-threats.html Related article: Toronto Star – Laura Beeston Demonstrations clash in Toronto over M-103 motion to fight Islamophobia https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/04/demonstrations-clash-in-toronto-over-m-103-motion-to-fight-islamophobia.html Related article: CBC News (Saskatoon) – Alicia Bridges Anti-Islamophobia motion spurs protests — and counter-protests — at Sask. city halls Saturday – Groups have opposing views on value of anti-Islamophobia motion http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/islamophobia-motion-103-regina-protests-saturday-1.4009786 Related article: CTV News (Windsor, ON) – Colleen MacDonald Scuffles break out between opponents of M-103 and members of a counter-protest http://windsor.ctvnews.ca/scuffles-break-out-between-opponents-of-m-103-and-members-of-a-counterprotest-1.3311052 Related article: National Post – Canadian Press M-103 protests: Violence breaks out as supporters, critics of motion condemning Islamophobia clash http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/m-103-protests-violence-breaks-out-as-supporters-critics-of-motion-condemning-islamophobia-clash?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NPCanada+%28National+Post+-+Canada+Top+Stories%29
Ottawa Citizen – Editorial (March 3, 2017)
Help the wanderers with Alzheimer’s find their home
Hats off to the Citizen for drawing attention in its editorial to the problem of our Canadian winter and the tendency of 60% of Alzheimer patients to wander and get lost in their own neighbourhoods. The editorial offers some neighbourhood friendly ways to bring much needed relief to the anxiety the incidents bring to family care-givers. http://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-help-the-wanderers-with-alzheimers-find-their-home
The Tyee (BC) – Ruth Elwood Martin and Carlos Magno Neves
Brazil’s Deadly Prison Riots a Warning for Canada – Investments in rehabilitation and equal treatment best ways to avoid desperation-fuelled violence.
The authors, from the Collaborating Centre for Prison Health and Education, are involved in lessons for Canada from the repeated riots in Brazil’s prisons where conditions are sub-human – over-crowded and where “poor hygiene and nutrition likely pushed people to the edge of desperation.” International commonly agreed rules for the humane treatment of prisoners – called the Mandela Rules – have still not been fully implemented in Canada. “The lessons to be learned from Brazil are plain: we must treat incarcerated men and women as human beings by investing in programs and services that aid rehabilitation.” https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2017/03/02/Brazil-Deadly-Prison-Riots/ Related article: National Post – Postmedia News ‘Criminals don’t need plasma TVs’: New $91-million ‘luxury’ Quebec jail slammed by taxpayers group http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/criminals-dont-need-plasma-tvs-new-91-million-luxury-quebec-jail-slammed-by-taxpayers-group?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NPCanada+%28National+Post+-+Canada+Top+Stories%29 Related article: The Washington Post – Kristine Phillips Thousands of ICE detainees claim they were forced into labor, a violation of anti-slavery laws https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2017/03/05/thousands-of-ice-detainees-claim-they-were-forced-into-labor-a-violation-of-anti-slavery-laws/?utm_term=.8ce50ff9f234&wpisrc=nl_most-draw16&wpmm=1
NY. Times / Prison Watch Network – Matthew Haag and Richard Fausset
Arkansas Rushes to Execute 8 Men in the Space of 10 Days
In a pace of executions unmatched since 1977 when the states resumed executions, the state of Arkansas plans in April over ten days to execute eight inmates. The Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson regrets having the executions stacked so closely together but is fearful that the state will run out of the drugs used in executions because of the expiry date on the drugs and the lack of availability to get more. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/03/us/arkansas-death-penalty-drug.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0
Toronto Star – Tanya Talaga
Families divided after Ottawa tells thousands they’re not indigenous
How to determine who’s Indigenous and who’s not? This effort has not met total success. A set of twins fell on either side as 80,000 were told they did not have enough points to qualify. Talaga looks at the process and the results to date, the point system used and the consistency in its application by Northern Affairs Canada. The effort to date has, in the words of one chief, “torn the community apart.” https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/03/04/families-divided-after-ottawa-tells-thousands-theyre-not-indigenous.html
CBC News – Kathleen Harris, Alison Crawford
Bob Paulson set to retire as RCMP commissioner http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/rcmp-commissioner-paulson-retirement-1.4011332