Hockey crime…

April 11, 2017

Globe and Mail – Roy MacGregor
“The program meant everything to me”

The story is about hockey, but also about crime statistics (and consultants), and raise a further question about the use of crime statistics to justify a decision not to spend what are agreeably high costs for youth sport.  Lawyers, judges, and police have long touted the notion that crime prevention is best achieved by investing in community.  This story will challenge all the assumptions about what is truly caring and responsible.  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/nunavik-youth-hockey-program-started-by-joe-juneau-shutting-down-leaving-communitytorn/article34643428/

CBC News – Chad Pawson
RCMP yellow stripe protest over pay discrepancies spreads among officers – Criminologist calls push-back by rank and file unusual, but expects more

The RCMP uniform sports a yellow pant stripe that some constables, in spite of threats from management, are covering up with pink duct tape as a protest to the continuing struggle to achieve pay equity with other police forces in Canada.  The discrepancy at the end of three years of service is over $5,000 and initial salary discrepancy is almost $18,000.  RCMP members are said to be suffering a moral problem and looking to jobs with other forces.  http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/rcmp-yellow-stripe-campaign-grows-despite-threat-of-backlash-1.4061686

 Toronto Star – Brendan Kennedy
Ottawa is rethinking its approach to immigration detention

Canada has three refuge / immigration detention facilities: one each in Vancouver, Peterborough, and Laval (QC).  This new report is an effort to bring the immigration detention policies in line with international standards following a 2016 stake-holders consultation.  While the average detention is 23 days, many are held much longer and the report seeks to find ways to reduce the detention time and frequency.  https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/04/09/federal-government-exploring-ways-to-reduce-immigration-detention.html   Actual Report:  CBSA’s New National Immigration Detention Framework – A Summary Report of the Framework and Stakeholder Roundtable Discussions (August – December 2016)    http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/agency-agence/consult/consultations/nidf-cnmdi/menu-eng.html   

Suffolk Times – Kelly Zegers
New York ‘Raises the Age’ of criminal responsibility

New York State has a two stage plan to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 18 years by October of 2019.  N.Y. is now one of two states that allow 16-18 year olds to be tried, and sentenced, as adults in criminal court.  Youths held in adult facilities are five times more likely to be sexually assaulted and twice as likely to be assaulted by guards.  https://suffolktimes.timesreview.com/2017/04/74518/new-york-raises-the-age-of-criminal-responsibility/

Prison Construction Moratorium – Jean Piché, University of Ottawa
Canadian Prison Construction Moratorium

The link is to an explanation and petition aimed at diverting the federal government from its intent to build additional prisons.

(https://www.change.org/p/justin-trudeau-canadian-prison-construction-moratorium) Related report:   (https://static1.squarespace.com/static/561fe6a6e4b04af720d87c57/t/58e66709ebbd1a5be13c8f80/1491494665760/NOPE+Report_March+2017_final.pdf) (produced by the No On Prison Expansion / #NOPE Initiative)

Globe and Mail – Sean Fine
Ottawa schedules emergency meeting as court delays intensify

R vs Jordan is impacting enough to cause Minister of Justice Jody Wilson-Raybould to call an emergency meeting of the provinces ministers of justice to address the complications of criminal court delays.  The emergency follows the dismissal of second degree murder changes in Montreal and a dispute between Quebec Justice Minister Stéphanie Vallée and Wilson-Raybould about how many judges are needed.  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ottawa-schedules-emergency-meeting-as-court-delays-intensify/article34662280/

Globe and Mail – Gloria Galloway
Fort William First Nation Chief to discuss status expansion with Ottawa

Chief Peter Collins wants clarity around what it means to be a self-determining First Nation. He wants Fort William First Nations to determine who is and who is not a member.  While the process allows even non-Indigenous people the right to vote and to hold reserve land, the federal government is refusing to register the new members and bestow status.  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/fort-william-chief-to-discuss-status-requirements-with-ottawa/article34649249/

Holtom Lecture March 7, 2017 – First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa
Shaping Canada as a Beacon for Peaceable Communities

In a 45 minute Youtube presentation,, Dr. Irvin Waller of the University of Ottawa proposes a focus on reducing the levels of violence to be more compatible with other countries.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lYxhRb8cX8  Web site and text for the perspective:  http://irvinwaller.org/crime-victims-rights/2017/02/23/2471/