May 3, 2017
Huffington Post (Canada) Blogger Dyanoosh Youssefi
Canada Doesn’t Need To Fix Its Justice System. It Needs a New One
Lawyer and professor Youssefi comments in the context of both provincial and federal government justice officials meeting to determine what to do about unreasonable court delay. “Restorative justice is such a meaningful response to our criminal justice woes that any other solution pales in comparison. More judges, more Crown attorneys, eliminating preliminary inquiries… they are all diversions. They are Band-Aid solutions implemented when we (and our elected officials in particular) lack the will to confront the foundational challenges to our notion of justice and the courage to implement transformational change.” http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/dyanoosh-youssefi/justice-system-reform-canada_b_16365788.html?utm_hp_ref=canada-politics&ir=Canada+Politics
Toronto Star – Kristin Rushowy
Children’s mental health needs increased funding, program changes, groups urge – From funding to front-line services, programs are lacking for youth, advocates say. Youth suicide in Canada is the third highest among industrialized nations.
Rushowy is suggesting that there are clogs and gaps all around the current mental health services. The article focuses on the idea that mental health problems that may lead to youthful suicide or attempted suicide are deep rooted and long term. The case of one Beth Nowosad illustrates how beyond the gaps, the system is clogged at both the educational guidance level for less severe problems and at the hospital emergency department level. The consequences are that the needed resources are not available for the 12,000 children waiting. https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2017/04/30/childrens-mental-health-needs-changes-groups-urge.html Related article: CBC News – Dr. Brian Goldman (White Coat, Black Arts) Changing the channel on 13 Reasons Why http://www.cbc.ca/radio/whitecoat/blog/changing-the-channel-on-13-reasons-why-1.4092898 Related article: CBC News – Kim Kashor 13 Reasons Why you may want to keep your kids from a series on suicide http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/13-reasons-why-to-keep-kids-from-netflix-series-1.4094452 Related article: Washington Post – Moriah Balingit Educators and school psychologists raise alarms about ‘13 Reasons Why’ https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/educators-and-school-psychologists-raise-alarms-about-13-reasons-why/2017/05/01/bb534ec6-2c2b-11e7-a616-d7c8a68c1a66_story.html?utm_term=.a7edb8ae92e9
N.Y. Times (US) – Jason Stanley
Who Is a ‘Criminal’?
Stanley tells the story of his grandfather who was taken to concentration camp by the Nazis in pre-war Germany under pretense that he was a foreign criminal – defined by two traffic violations. The story, and reflections on similar rationales, leads Stanley to the US Supreme Court last week where a justice department lawyer argued that naturalized American citizens could have their citizenship revoked for not revealing such offences in the application process. The reaction of the justices “indignation and incredulity.” Justice Anthony M. Kennedy told the lawyer, “Your argument is demeaning the priceless value of citizenship.” Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., put it simply. If the administration has its way, he said, “The government will have the opportunity to denaturalize anyone they want.” https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/01/opinion/who-is-a-criminal.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0 Related article: N.Y. Times (US) – Adam Liptak Sent to Prison by a Software Program’s Secret Algorithms https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/01/us/politics/sent-to-prison-by-a-software-programs-secret-algorithms.html?smtyp=cur Related article: No On Prison Expansion (NOPE) (Canada) – Justin Piché, University of Ottawa Petition to halt prison construction https://www.change.org/p/justin-trudeau-canadian-prison-construction-moratorium
FCJ Refugee Centre –
Service Providers Training: Supporting Survivors of Human Trafficking / Exploitation through the Criminal Justice Process
May 30, 2017 at 160 Jarvis Str. Toronto From 9 am to 4 pm Registration: (includes lunch) $15 For more information or to register: varka@fcjrefugeecentre.org
Huffington Post (Canada) – Jordan Press (Canadian Press)
Canada’s Increasingly Older Population Will Pose Challenges By 2031
The Canada Census is recording a first in the age divide – as many seniors as youth. The report also tries to project what changes the change in demographics will mean for the populations themselves in 2031 when the number of seniors will rival Japan’s, the oldest population now in the G-7 countries. From 2011to 2016, the senior population grew by 20%. The statistics also will likely cause us to re-visit the typical retirement age, given the good health and energy of many of the seniors. http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2017/05/03/canada-population-older_n_16407038.html?utm_hp_ref=canada Related article: Huffington Post – Colin Perkel, Canadian Press Canada’s Aging Suburban Population Poses Challenges To Residents, Urban Planners http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2017/05/03/canadian-suburbs-aging_n_16407114.html
Huffington Post Blogger Yves Engler
Meet the Right-Wing Think Tank Driving Canadian Policy Toward War
Would it surprise you to know that there may be some focused and self-interested groups in Canada pushing for more military growth and spending? Enter the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, a Calgary based group and a registered charity no less with financial support from many corporations in the arms industry. Besides the military and our government, the institute spends considerable energy influencing news media and reporters. http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/yves-engler/canadian-global-affairs-institute_b_16328950.html