Oct. 15, 2018
Manchester Guardian Long Read (UK): Helena Kennedy
The myth of the she-devil: why we judge female criminals more harshly
In the light of the current controversy over the decision to allow Terri-Lynn McClintic to pursue healing through spending her prison time in an Indigenous Healing Centre, this article from the UK offers a basis for considering how we explain female criminals who cross a line in violent offences. “There is a conflict between seeking an explanation for the inexplicable in madness and an unwillingness to allow madness to become an excuse. When we ask ourselves, “how could someone do that to another human being, to an innocent child?”, we want someone to make the behaviour intelligible to us… We feel differently about a woman doing something consciously cruel because of our expectations of women as the nurturing sex.” https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/oct/02/the-myth-of-the-she-devil-why-we-judge-female-criminals-more-harshly?utm_term=RWRpdG9yaWFsX1RoZUxvbmdSZWFkLTE4MTAwNg%3D%3D&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=TheLongRead&CMP=longread_email Related article: Toronto Star – Rosie DiManno While she sits in healing lodge, there is little sign Terri-Lynne McClintic has changed her ways https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/2018/10/05/while-she-sits-in-healing-lodge-there-is-little-sign-terri-lynne-mcclintic-has-changed-her-ways.html
Toronto Star – Alex Boutilier
Rise of right-wing extremists presents new challenge for Canadian law enforcement agencies
Barbara Perry, a researcher on white nationalists and right wing extremist groups at the Ontario Institute of Technology, says there has been a 20-25% increase in the numbers and that the police and security forces have not been able to monitor or assess the growth. More alarming, the smaller groups seem to be forming alliances. https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2018/10/07/rise-of-right-wing-extremists-presents-new-challenge-for-canadian-law-enforcement-agencies.html
CTV News – Napier Joyce, Power Play
Outrage over prison transfer…
Howard Sapers, former 12 year Correctional Investigator for Corrections Canada, takes the task to explain the role of the Correctional Services in administering the sentences of the courts and what options are available. Says Sapers: “A healing lodge is not a get-out-of-jail card… but part of a plan to administer a court’s sentence.” https://www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1507897 Related article: Globe and Mail – Benjamin Perrin Politicians can’t interfere with where and how Tori Stafford’s killer serves her time https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-politicians-cant-interfere-with-where-and-how-tori-staffords-killer/
Detroit Free Press (US) – Richard Speck
Former inmate: In prison reform, fix bail system first | Opinion
The US effort towards prison reform always seems to come first and always to the money involvement in determining how people who are arrested are treated and what happens as the process of justice unfolds. Here is another testimony from one who has trod the path, served the time and turned to helping others those both behind bars and once out. Speck now works with the ACLU to address issues around prison reform. https://www.freep.com/story/opinion/contributors/2018/10/06/prison-reform/1534218002/
CBC News – Nicole Ireland
Doctor questions ‘disgraceful’ care provided by private, high-volume methadone clinics amid opioid crisis
At one point there was tension in the communities about the wisdom of and the location of methadone clinics that help opium addicts. Now there is tension in the medical community about volunteer agencies delivering the service in some of the northern cities in Ontario in the light of increased death rates. There are likewise high rates in BC and Alberta but the medical objection is the lack on continuing care for the addicts as opposed to simply supervising the distribution. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/methadone-clinics-opioid-crisis-thunder-bay-1.4854561
“America: The Farewell Tour” Chris Hedges
US Pulitzer Prize author Chris Hedges speaks in Oregon with the Oregon State Community Rights about the current political malaise and the possible solutions for politics, environment and people. The video is an hour and twenty minutes but offers a comprehensive view of what could be. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ruwto2gTrM. Related article: Globe and Mail – Evelyn L Forget Why a Canadian basic income is inevitable https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-why-a-canadian-basic-income-is-inevitable/
CBC News – Kathleen Harris
Petition calls for national ban on ‘conversion therapy’ for LGBT youth
The LGBT community is concerned about the persistence of “talk therapy” as a method of dealing with homosexuality. More drastic methods have largely been eclipsed but religious or psychological based conversion therapy is still practiced. Activist are in particular concerned about conversion therapy on children. Provinces have various laws about the practice to date. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/conversion-therapy-ban-petition-1.4850125
Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP)
Rethinking Criminal Justice in Canada: Round Table Report
This is a report from the IRPP on efforts to get at the reform of the Canadian Justice System. There is a summary report and a longer full report available as a downloadable PDF. http://irpp.org/research-studies/rethinking-criminal-justice-canada/?mc_cid=3803e35b9c&mc_eid=0823b9a108
World Economic Forum (Davos) – Leena Nair, Unilever Company
In the future of work it’s jobs, not people, that will become redundant
The struggle to understand why the income gap keeps growing and why the notion of a guaranteed annual income is becoming more and more feasible as a means of distributing wealth may be visible through the optics of the future – meaning the next ten years – for jobs and the influence of automation in eliminating actual humans working. While insisting that new jobs will be defined, Nair offers the ten defining and the ten declining jobs while also suggesting that the relationship between employer and employee is also changing. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/10/future-of-jobs-humans-skills-leena-nair/ (Note as well the side bar at the link announcing that for the first time in US history there are more women graduating with Ph.D.’s than men.)
POT Round-up: (Marijuana becomes legal on Oct. 17, 2018)
CBC News – Peter Armstrong: How will Canadians buy pot? It depends where they live https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/cannabis-buying-guide-1.4856155
CBC News – Elizabeth Thompson: Parliament Hill’s workplace cannabis policies are a little … disjointed https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cannabis-marijuana-rules-parliament-1.4861008
CBC News Amanda Pfeffer: Illegal pot shops planning shutdown in bid to go legit https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/illegal-pot-shops-planning-shutdown-in-bid-to-go-legit-1.4861197
CBC News – Isaac Olson: Young drivers who use cannabis at higher risk of collisions 5 hours later, McGill finds https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/driving-cannabis-mcgill-study-1.4862882
CBC News – Kimberly Molina: Dog suffered possible cannabis overdose, owner says https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-dog-suffers-possible-cannabis-poisoning-1.4862557
Toronto Star – Stephen Whyno, Associated Press: Marijuana legalization in Canada won’t change NHL yet https://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/2018/10/15/marijuana-legalization-in-canada-wont-change-nhl-yet.html
Toronto Star – Ben Rayner: Newfoundlander has high hopes for his province’s pot industry https://www.thestar.com/news/cannabis/2018/10/15/newfoundlander-has-high-hopes-for-his-provinces-pot-industry.html
Toronto Star – Perrin Grauer: Policies on pot use by police reveal lingering prohibition mindset, says professor https://www.thestar.com/news/cannabis/2018/10/14/policies-on-pot-use-by-police-reveal-lingering-prohibition-mindset-says-professor.html
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