July 22, 2021
Ottawa Citizen – Gary Dimmock
Young Inuk woman spared jail after killing mom; Ottawa judge leans on hope and Indigenous healing
This is a striking example where all those who have struggled with the heavy handedness of criminal law can stand up and cheer for empathy and compassion on the part of most everyone impacted by the crime. Teenager Lenesse Kublu knifed to death her mother in a drunken rage, and at the urging of one Dwight Brown, “her controlling, abusive, violent, crack-dealing boyfriend 10 years her senior.” Then the community spoke through a healing circle and the judge, Ontario Superior Court Justice Robert Maranger, went on record: “The judge told court Monday that sending Kublu to prison would be the last thing her dead mother would want. The more significant sentence, that will haunt her for life, is that she will “shoulder the burden” of always knowing that she killed her own mother, the judge told court. The judge said sparing Kublu jail was as rare as the details of the awful, sad case.” Let’s hope for more enlightenment and compassion. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/young-inuk-woman-spared-jail-after-killing-mom-ottawa-judge-leans-on-hope-and-indigenous-healing-2#:~:text=guilty%20to%20manslaughter.-,Young%20Inuk%20woman%20spared%20jail%20after%20killing%20mom%3B%20Ottawa%20judge,a%20two%2Dyear%20conditional%20sentence.
Toronto Star – Victoria Gibson, Jennifer Pagliaro, Wendy Gillis
Dozens arrested after protesters, police clash as city removes encampment at Lamport Stadium
The link offers a seven minute read on why the article is not about police clearing Lamport Stadium of a homeless people encampment. Street nurse Cathy Crow (cf TVO interview https://www.cathycrowe.ca/ ) estimates that there are 13,000 such people in Toronto alone. The article is about the failure of votes and politicians alike to address the problem of homeless citizens in a country of plenty, a country allegedly committed to the UN declaration of the right of every person to shelter. This incident follows short days after a similar one at Alexandera Park and at Trinity Bellwoods Park is likely going to shortly see a similar intervention at the larger homeless encampments. Since there is no place for the homeless to go this exercise by police and city politicians is simply one of brutally re-locating these people until the next time. The protest has moved now as well to the 14th police division. Police report that 26 people were arrested for trespass. The issue of police initiated violence remains as well. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2021/07/21/city-workers-begin-removal-of-encampment-at-lamport-stadium.html Related article: CBC News – Muriel Draaisma Toronto councillor, doctor say city must stop using police to clear homeless encampments – Coun. Mike Layton, Dr. Andrew Boozary say violence completely unacceptable https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/city-councillor-mike-layton-doctor-andrew-boozary-homeless-encampment-clearing-1.6112332 “They came in to really hurt people,” Doug Johnson Hatlem, a street pastor with Sanctuary Ministries of Toronto. Related virtual Conference: The Canadian Association to End Homelessness (CAEH) – 14 streams of focus and a call for presentations (Aug. 6 deadline) Registration open: https://conference.caeh.ca/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw6NmHBhD2ARIsAI3hrM2KhIKMvNXAU17zIjmO2uj1Fix0rvXHMpkYQhpIIfbfjZEvGPvRFWAaArPxEALw_wcB
Lawyer’s Daily – Jeffery Hartman
Human detritus problem at Elgin Middlesex Detention Centre
Hartman first announces that 19 prisoners have died while in custody at Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre since 2009. Efforts to question such a high number of people whose protection the institution has undertaken to effect led to a series of 19 crosses just outside the prison when correctional officers’ union lodged a grievance and had the crosses removed. “Are there consequences to treating inmates badly? Not really. When they die the union grieves and the crosses come down. Ontario has paid substantial sums as a result of litigation arising from its jails, including EMDC, but substantial problems persist. And those problems will continue to persist because nothing can change while inmates occupy personalities that are inherently unworthy of respect.” https://www.thelawyersdaily.ca/criminal/articles/28352/-human-detritus-problem-at-elgin-middlesex-detention-centre-jeffrey-hartman-?nl_pk=40ed8ea4-637a-4d76-870f-04f0eeae7de8&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=criminal Related article: Toronto Star – Wendy Gillis Toronto cop’s nine-month jail sentence upheld in Dafonte Miller beating as court dismisses appeals https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2021/07/19/toronto-cops-nine-month-jail-sentence-upheld-in-dafonte-miller-beating-as-court-dismisses-appeals.html?source=newsletter&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=email&utm_email=404CAADEF7EB839FC77B1B04F0C251E1&utm_campaign=bn_63152 Related article: CBC News – Delay in Labrador prison expansion will hurt women moving through justice system, say advocates https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/labrador-corrections-delay-women-advocacy-1.6110938
CBC News – Elizabeth Thompson
Canadian right-wing extremism increased online during the pandemic – Report warns extreme right-wing activity could rise as lockdown restrictions are lowered
This report says that hate groups have intensified their presence on the internet during the pandemic in spite of efforts by both government and social media platforms to limit and deny the access. That in turn raises two questions: first, does a social media increase translate into a public space presence? And second, will the increasing presence of sharply divided US political right wing debate have repercussions for Canada? What exactly are the connections between the banned Proud Boys in Canada and their US counterparts? https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/right-wing-extremism-report-1.6108958
CBC News – Associated Press
Hundreds of journalists, activists among firm’s spyware targets, probe finds – Targets reported to include 189 journalists, more than 600 politicians and government officials
Here’s a new entry into the countries originating electronic spying and cyber interference, this time “Targets reported to include 189 journalists, more than 600 politicians and government officials.” The report by French non-profit Forbidden Stories and Amnesty International lays the operation at the feet of Israel and “Israel-based NSO Group, the world’s most infamous hacker-for-hire outfit, is being used to spy on journalists, human rights activists and political dissidents.” Amnesty International identified the spyware purveyor Pegasus as the chief division of NSO Group. https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/spyware-journalists-activists-1.6108070 Related article: Washi9ngton Post (US) Dana Priest, Craig Timberg and Souad Mekhennet Private Israeli spyware used to hack cellphones of journalists, activists worldwide – NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware, licensed to governments around the globe, can infect phones without a click https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/interactive/2021/nso-spyware-pegasus-cellphones/?itid=lk_inline_manual_16 Related article: Washington Post Staff (US) – Takeaways from the Pegasus Project https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2021/07/18/takeaways-nso-pegasus-project/?utm_campaign=wp_the_daily_202&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_daily202&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F342ebb4%2F60f59e989d2fda945a0c68fe%2F597720279bbc0f6826c0ca16%2F45%2F69%2F60f59e989d2fda945a0c68fe
CBC News
National Council of Canadian Muslims reveals anti-Islamophobia recommendations – ‘Islamophobia is lethal and we need to see action now,’ council says
The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) has called for a national consultation on Islamophobia in Canada and has released a series of recommendations around what would help the Muslim community cope with the experience of violence directed at Muslim persons and Mosques. The 60 recs are sub-divided by the level of government asked to respond. “The recommendations, which include Criminal Code amendments to better deal with hate crimes, a curriculum review and a national fund for victims of Islamophobia, come in advance of a national summit on Islamophobia this week… We cannot stand by and see any more lives lost… Islamophobia is lethal and we need to see action now.” https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/national-muslim-council-policy-recommendations-1.6108161