Sept 10, 2021

APTN – Brett Forester

What are the major parties promising Indigenous people this election? Here’s a look at the platforms

The link offers the Indigenous appraisal of what the different political parties are promising to Indigenous people. The parties mentioned are the Liberals (stay the course), the Conservatives (develop the resources), the NDP (a new standard of free, informed consent), the Greens (will implement the TRC recs), the Bloc (nation to nation relationship). Read on… https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/what-are-the-major-parties-promising-indigenous-people-this-election-heres-a-look-at-the-platforms/

The Toronto Star – Jacques Gallant

Too many Indigenous and Black people are in Canada’s prisons. Here’s how the parties will — or won’t — fix that

Gallant presents the platform of the three major political parties – Liberal, Conservative and New Democratic – as regards where they stand on criminal justice reform. Under the Liberal banner he reviews the past six years and Bill 22. For the Conservatives Gallant looks at their refusal to eliminate mandatory sentencing, their platform of $25 million for policing, their opiate policy and safe injection site policy. NDP is for the elimination of mandatories, especially for drug offenses, while repealing laws about drug possession, and would form a task form for reforming criminal justice. https://www.thestar.com/amp/politics/federal-election/2021/09/04/too-many-indigenous-and-black-people-are-in-canadas-prisons-heres-how-the-parties-will-or-wont-fix-that.html?__twitter_impression=true&s=03

Globe and Mail – Colin Freeze

Canada aims to block Chelsea Manning from entering country

Manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison for revealing US secret documents about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Pardoned by Obama, Manning attempted to enter Canada and after an initial few days without determining her eligibility, she was prohibited by Canadian Border guards because of her criminal record. Most such visitors return to the home country without challenge but Manning has decided to challenge the Immigration and Refuge Board decision. The link explains the little known exclusionary process. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-canada-aims-to-block-chelsea-manning-from-entering-country/

Join us for the Collective Trauma Summit 2021, Collective Healing in Action

Access 45+ Online Talks plus a Series of LIVE Events to Explore How to Address Collective Trauma in Our World Today Sept 19-28, 2021 45 on line talks over 10 days, 5 live events

Some of the many topics INCLUDE:

How individual, ancestral, and collective trauma are interdependent and why all need to be addressed for true healing
A deep dive into how people are working with the emerging collective trauma issues of our time including racism, the environment and climate change, global health care/pandemic crisis, war and conflict legacies, and intergenerational trauma
How our individual nervous system is a part of the collective nervous system rather than separate and how we need to care for both
How to go from a state of overwhelm, fear and anxiety toward building resilience and internal coherence capacities, and
How to go beyond being trauma-informed and trauma-sensitive to move toward a society that is trauma-integrating
The power of facilitated group work to hold space for witnessing, working with, and transforming collective trauma

For more information or to register: https://collectivetraumasummit.com/

Washington Post – Radley Balko

Opinion: ‘Woke’ corporations are funding groups working to undermine criminal justice reform

Balko presents a new twist on both sides of the mouth. Some corporations which are voicing support for criminal justice reform have been at once funding opposition to the reforms. Balko identifies two right wing groups, the Judicial Crisis Network (JCN does not disclose its funders) and the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC which discloses major corporations such as Google, US Chamber of Commerce, Blue Cross /Blue Shield, Berkshire Hathaway, Koch Industries plus some pharmaceutical companies as funding sources) to both deny state judicial positions (including state supreme court and appellate judges) to some candidates and to support more suitable candidates, using a tough on crime criteria. “Why would corporations fund attacks on judges for being soft on crime? The most likely explanation is that they believe “tough on crime” judges are more likely to be conservative, and therefore business-friendly, so they fund groups that work to elect conservative judges, irrespective of or oblivious to how they go about doing so.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/09/08/woke-corporations-are-funding-groups-working-undermine-criminal-justice-reform/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_opinions&utm_campaign=wp_opinions

Smart Policing Initiative (US) / Bureau of Justice Assistance – Lindsey Pointer, Ph.D.

What is “Restorative Justice” and How Does it Impact Individuals Involved in Crime?

Pointer is Associate Director, National Center on Restorative Justice, Assistant Professor, Center for Justice Reform, Vermont Law School. His article, and the work of the National Center for Restorative Justice, are jointly sponsored by the Vermont Law School and the federal Bureau of Justice. The article outlines the approach taken in the training sessions with citizens who want to learn about RJ. https://bjatta.bja.ojp.gov/media/blog/what-restorative-justice-and-how-does-it-impact-individuals-involved-crime Smart Policing Initiatives is an association of progressive and innovative police agencies in the US (https://www.smart-policing.com/ ) who offer resources to evidence based solutions to common problems.

Vera Institute of Justice (US) – Kica Matos

As Part of Vera Institute Initiative, Progressive County Attorney Will Stop Prosecuting Non-Public Safety Traffic Stops to Address Systemic Bias, Honoring Philando Castile and Others

The link unveils an important and courageous decision on the part of one prosecutor in Minnesota: Ramsey County Attorney John Choi will no longer prosecute cases stemming from “pretextual stops” by police, the automobile version of stop and frisk. Such stops led to the death of one Black woman and two Black men – Sandra Bland, Eric Garner, and Philando Castile. Equally important to the legal resolution of these type events is the need to denounce the rationale in the first place. “In this moment of reckoning, prosecutors have a responsibility to question existing practices and seek to rectify biased policies that inflict deep harm on Black communities…Evidence shows that non-public safety stops reflect racial bias, and police stop, question, and search people of color at higher rates than white people. In addition, non-public safety stops do not improve public safety, as the majority do not result in the discovery of contraband or weapons. When prosecutors condone non-public safety stops, they encourage police officers to focus on people, rather than actions, they deem “suspicious.” https://www.vera.org/newsroom/as-part-of-vera-institute-initiative-progressive-county-attorney-will-stop-prosecuting-non-public-safety-traffic-stops-to-address-systemic-bias-honoring-philando-castile-and-others

Promises! Promises!