July 6, 2019
CBC News – Paola Loriggio
Quebec man’s broken promise to wear a condom was sexual assault, justice rules
Superior Court Justice Nathalie Champagne has ruled that a man who promised to wear a condom for sex but did not and resisted her refusal when he failed was guilty of sexual assault. “Champagne said not wearing a condom against another person’s wishes usurps that other individual’s sexual autonomy and the right to make decisions about engaging in sexual activity.” The couple met on a web dating site and agreed prior to meeting on the use of the condom. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/condom-sex-assault-cornwall-valleyfield-1.5199531 Related article: Globe and Mail – Paola Loriggio Man’s refusal to wear condom during sex, after agreeing to do so, is sexual assault, Ontario judge rules https://www.theglobeandmail.com/amp/canada/article-mans-refusal-to-wear-condom-during-sex-after-agreeing-to-do-so-is/?__twitter_impression=true Related article: Toronto Star Editorial Board (July 2, 2019) Judges need better training in law dealing with sex assault https://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2019/07/02/judges-need-better-training-in-law-dealing-with-sex-assault.html
Medium.com – Blogger Mike Moffatt
One Dad’s experience raising two wonderful children on the spectrum
While Doug Ford squabbles about waiting lists and programs available for autistic children, Blogger Mike Moffatt offers a personal experience from raising two autistic children. This is a powerfully provocative piece that eliminates any possible response except one of compassionate support for a family doing well the near impossible and offering equally powerful understanding to the rest of us. https://medium.com/@MikePMoffatt/one-dads-experience-raising-two-wonderful-children-on-the-spectrum-c92babddcc96
Canadian Politics and Public Policy Magazine – Wanda Thomas Bernard
Racism in Canada: Planting the Seeds of Inclusion
This reflection, appropriate to Canada Day space, comes from a member of the Canadian Senate and a long time social worker and public advocate from Atlantic Canada. Senator Bernard speaks about belonging and exclusion, and further marginalization in intersecting status and planting seeds for hope after discriminatory incidents. https://policymagazine.ca/racism-in-canada-planting-the-seeds-of-inclusion/ Related article: Toronto Star: Brennan Doherty Referees refuse to supervise Kainai Nation youth basketball teams, tournament organizer says https://www.thestar.com/amp/calgary/2019/07/02/referees-refuse-to-supervise-kainai-nation-youth-basketball-teams-tournament-organizer-says.html?__twitter_impression=true
CBC News – Andrea Bellemare
The real ‘fake news’: how to spot misinformation and disinformation online
As Election Day approaches there is increasing concern about fraud and subterfuge filling social media with disinformation and misinformation. The article looks to what kind of false news is out there and how to recognize it. An individual item may be false or the entire website may be propagating false information. https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/fake-news-misinformation-online-1.5196865 Related article: Toronto Star – Alex Boutilier, Craig Silverman, Jane Lytvynenko Good luck finding justice for foreign election interference, experts say https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/2019/07/03/good-luck-finding-justice-for-foreign-election-interference-experts-say.html
CBC News –
Charges dropped against U.S. woman who lost fetus when shot in stomach
In what was bizarre at best, as we reported previously, a pregnant woman was charged with manslaughter in the death of her baby when a man with whom she was fighting shot her in the stomach. Since the male in the fight was determined to be acting in self-defence – the woman started the fight – he walked and she was charged. Now the District Attorney has dropped the manslaughter charge. “Alabama is one of dozens of states that have fetal homicide laws allowing criminal charges when fetuses are killed in violent acts, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.” No one is talking about what is next. https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/alabama-fetus-manslaughter-charges-dropped-1.5198893
CBC (Saskatoon) – Guy Quenneville
Discussions on police investigating police ‘very much alive’: Saskatoon police chief
Joshua Megeney was a 28-year-old who died after a standoff with Saskatoon police in 2016. Following the death, Saskatoon police major crimes squad investigated the death as part of a coroner’s inquest. Police Chief Troy Cooper is now confronting the question of appropriate police oversight in the case of interactions involving deaths or serious injuries. Cooper says he is open to an independent body provide the police chiefs have a say in how it happens. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/troy-cooper-police-investigating-police-1.5198995 Related article: CBC – New Brunswick – Karissa Donkin Prosecutors won’t pursue further legal action in prisoner Matthew Hines’s death – 2 guards who pepper sprayed Hines before he died were charged with manslaughter but later discharged https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5198172?__vfz=medium%3Dsharebar&__twitter_impression=true Related article: Edmonton Journal – Jonny Wakefield Court sides with inmate accused of smuggling drugs in habeas corpus case https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/court-sides-with-inmate-accused-of-smuggling-drugs-in-habeas-corpus-case
Colorado Public Radio – Andrea Dukakis
Once Sentenced To Life, Curtis Brooks Walks Out Of Prison a Free Man
The link offers a personal story on a man who was sentenced to life imprisonment for a felony murder or for participating in the crime in which a murder occurred. It is all the more of interest since Curtis Brooks was 15 years old at the time and subjected to the Life without Parole (LWOP) legal practice, even though he did not fire the gun that killed 29 year old robbery victim Christopher Ramos. Now, at age 39, Brooks’ sentence has been determined to have been cruel and unusual punishment and rather then re-sentenced, Brooks has been given clemency by Governor John Hickenlooper. https://www.cpr.org/2019/07/01/once-sentenced-to-life-curtis-brooks-walks-out-of-prison-a-free-man/
Freedom for Immigrants (US)
Detention by the numbers – Where are people detained in the United States?
The link provides an excellent resource for those inquiring about the detention of immigrants in the US – particularly as a backgrounder to the current disputes around the treatment of children and the involvement of private prison as well as state and local jails. The graphics address the frequency of various abuses, who is in jail, for how long, at what costs, and a world-wide perspective on immigration detention. Freedom for Immigrants is a non-profit. https://www.freedomforimmigrants.org/detention-statistics