Aug 15, 2017
Toronto Star – Brendan Kennedy
‘Why is this man in prison?’, judge asks government lawyer in immigration detention case
This is an odd question but one which flows from the ability of the Immigration Department / CBSA to hold in indefinite detention people who are not convicted of crime and who have claims for refugee status in the hopper still. Ontario Superior Court Justice Edward Morgan had a hard time getting an answer from the Crown in the case of Riccardo Scotland of Barbados who has been in jail for almost 18 months while the only parent of a 13 year old daughter. The absurdity comes through when the Crown tells the Judge that one of the four reasons for detention was Scotland’s failure to notify the IRB that his address had changed to the jail. https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/08/13/why-is-this-man-in-prison-judge-asks-government-lawyer-in-immigration-detention-case.html
Toronto Star – Shree Paradkar
NGOs tell UN panel Canada is failing on ending racism
A group of non-governmental organizations are in Geneva to protest the failure of the Canadian government to combat racism in Canada. The Colour of Poverty, Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI) and the Southeast Asia Legal Clinic want the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) to be aware of the government failure to comply its international obligations and with its internal domestic human rights obligations. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/08/14/ngos-tell-un-panel-canada-is-failing-on-racism-paradkar.html Related article: CBC News – Milissa Kent Canada’s record on racial discrimination under scrutiny at UN – A delegation will appear before a committee Monday to defend Canada’s record http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/canada-racial-discrimination-un-1.4244297 Related article: National Council of Canadian Muslims – NCCM makes submission to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?m=1114179096563&ca=05acfae8-9a41-4d93-90e5-199c86abed52 Related article: CBC News – Kate Kyle CMAJ article links hunger in residential schools to Type 2 diabetes, obesity – ‘We need to start looking at hunger in residential schools as a real predictor of long-term health problems’ http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/residential-school-hunger-disease-1.4244432
CBC News – Jonathan Kay
Attacks on due process are coming from both sides of the political spectrum – Ultimately, due process is the only thing that stands between individuals and the mob fired up by social panic
Kay is the former editor of the Walrus. The timing may be right to talk a long hard look at the rule of law and opportunism on the part of anyone with a political agenda. Noting many arenas of conflict over various liberal values, Kay is pre-occupied with due process for conflicts at law: “But in the case of due process, the assault on classic liberalism is coming from both sides. That’s worrying, because once you deprive accused individuals of the presumption of innocence, of fair notice of the claims made against them and of the right to present evidence in their own defence, then every one of us becomes vulnerable to mob justice.” Early warning of breakdown of justice? Kay cites several recent incidents and the political reactions to illustrate his concern. http://www.cbc.ca/news/opinion/attacks-on-due-process-1.4245631
Independent Catholic News and Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT) (UK)
Michael Palin presents animated website for prisoners’ children
The British charity present on the BBC a package of cartoons aimed at helping children with incarcerated parents cope with the victimization they feel. Animators worked with children to create the series. The link offers a preview of the material. http://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/33162?platform=hootsuite The direct link to the series at PACT: https://www.prisonadvice.org.uk/Pages/Category/for-children Also available on Youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4632c45VBhw
Brandon Sun (Manitoba) – Erin Debooy
Brandon gallery to showcase artwork done by inmates
This is the seventh year for an art contest by inmates but a historic first to have their work on display at a formal art gallery. One the exhibits is called “Time well wasted” by artist Edward Southwind, and a second consists of a series of thirty-two drawings called “Created with Dignity.” “Ideas that dance throughout each work circle around personal growth, self-worth and moving forward, but the styles and themes change from piece to piece.” https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/agsm-to-showcase-artwork-done-by-inmates-439977183.html
CBC National – Ron Charles
White supremacists in Canada emboldened
The link is to a 2 minute video report on the presence of white supremacy groups in Canada and their increasing disruptive appearances in public, such as around the recent incidents in Halifax. Suspicions at this point suggested a borrowed boldness from the US but advocacy groups acknowledge the political presence here in Canada for a long time. http://www.cbc.ca/news/thenational/white-supremacists-in-canada-emboldened-1.4247445