Sept 25, 2021 –
Sept 30 – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
September 30 marks #OrangeShirtDay and the first National Day for #TruthAndReconciliation. We wear orange to remember the Indigenous children who were sent to Residential Schools and never returned, and to honour the Survivors, their families, and their communities. #NDTR
On Truth and Reconciliation Day, Amnesty International Canada presents
“Suffer the Little Children”: Sep 30, 2021 07:00 PM in Eastern Time (US and Canada) Tamara Starblanket on genocide, Indigenous Nations and the Canadian State. Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_oSE3Bv7HSYyAZbCiCU4QPg
Montreal Gazette – La Presse Canadianne…
Parole decisions differ depending on which party is in power: analysis – The Parole Board is meant to be an independent tribunal, but a study found parole rates differ under Liberal and Conservative governments.
The thesis is that Conservatives and Liberals both appoint people to the National Parole Board based on party affiliation, and then quotes case and point. “In 2017, the Trudeau government proceeded with a revision of the Parole Board appointment system, but this seems to have had the effect of facilitating partisan appointments.” Part time board members serve for a three year term, full time for five years. Renewals require re-applying and thereby allowing the party in power to appoint. https://montrealgazette.com/news/quebec/parole-decisions-differ-depending-on-which-party-is-in-power-analysis
Canadian Press (Halifax) – Michael Tutton
‘I hope he dies’: Court told inmates refused to let guards near N.S. jail assault
The scene is a Nova Scotia Courtroom for the trail of six of fifteen prisoners accused of complicity in the effort to kill another prisoner and who refused to allow guards access to the cell in Burnside Jail where the beatings of Stephen Anderson took place. One of the issues is whether the beating was the use of a technique called ‘bouncing’ or making it unsafe to leave a prisoner where is and forcing Corrections to move him to another unit. John Hawkins, the supervisor on duty that night, said: “…the violent attack on Anderson went far beyond any of the usual “bouncing” tactics used to evict an inmate from a unit at the jail.” https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/trial-inmates-accused-attempted-murder-1.6188297
Harper’s Magazine (US – 2016) – Dan Baum
Legalize It All – How to win the war on drugs
This is a dated article that is worthy of recall as we live a Canadian election that basically changed nothing and people are wondering all over what really needs to change. Baum would say the war on drugs but perhaps the cynicism in the quote is even more pressing a matter for rejection and accountability of government. “The Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: the antiwar left and black people. You understand what I’m saying? We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.” For us in Canada, in the light of a political resolution to hostage taking by China, the use of the law for political, not legal, purposes, remains a considerable issue, whether domestic or international. https://harpers.org/archive/2016/04/legalize-it-all/ Related article: Toronto Star: Martin Regg Cohn China makes little attempt to conceal the link between Meng and the two Michaels https://www.thestar.com/politics/political-opinion/2021/09/25/meng-wanzhous-game-is-over-but-the-two-michaels-are-forced-to-keep-playing.html?itm_source=parsely-api
Daily JSTOR (US) – Kate McQueen
Introducing American Prison Newspapers, 1800-2020: Voices from the Inside – This overlooked corner of the press provided news by and for people who were incarcerated. A newly available archive shows it worked hard to reach outside audiences too.
This link is to a new book tracing the development of prison newspapers across both time and states. “Regardless of style, the publications cover similar ground. They report on prison programming, profile locals of interest, and offer commentary on topics like parole and education. A close look at mastheads and statements of purpose reveals similar goals, frequently packaged in a shared language. In fact, the prison press introduced itself with verve and clarity of purpose.” https://daily.jstor.org/introducing-the-american-prison-newspapers-collection/?utm_term=Introducing%20American%20Prison%20Newspapers%2C%201800-2020%3A%20Voices%20from%20the%20Inside&utm_campaign=jstordaily_09232021&utm_content=email&utm_source=Act-On+Software&utm_medium=email Related article: University of Ottawa – Justin Piché Journal of Prisoners on Prisons https://press.uottawa.ca/books/journals/journal-of-prisoners-on-prisons.html (Piché, a professor of Criminology at U of Ottawa, has edited a 30 year history of Canadian prisoners writing about prisons under open access.)
New COMMON GOOD Event Series (UK) –
The link is to a British site that is clearly religiously based but presents a view of the common good that goes well beyond any ecclesial view. As such, it may be refreshing to insert this common good in any direction seeking perspective. The web event: The Common Good: What does it mean for civil society? Hosted by Together for the Common Good, Caritas Social Action Network, St Mary’s University, the Centre for Social Justice and CCLA Wednesday 29 September @ 6.30pm – 8pm (You may join for the second through fourth events; if you missed the first – Defining the Common Good you may access a video at the link.) https://togetherforthecommongood.co.uk/news/new-event-series
Filter Magazine.org (US) – Alexander Lekhtman
What Will San Diego’s New “Harm Reduction” Shelter Actually Be Like?
The new partnership will have 50 beds and will be the first shelter in the city to focus on mental health: “The shelter will offer “care coordination, peer support services, substance abuse treatment, medication-assisted treatment, mental health services and access to public benefits.” 7600 people sleep in the streets each evening. https://filtermag.org/san-diego-homeless-shelter/
The Marshall Project (US) – Christie Thompson
No Driving, No Working, No Dating: Inside A Government Program That Controls The Lives of People Leaving Psych Hospitals – For those found not guilty of a crime by reason of insanity and put into California’s CONREP program, strict supervision can last decades.
This research is enough to suggest that rather than be declared not guilty by reason of insanity a person is better off taking the prison sentence. It is a hard and bitter commentary on the quality of mental health treatment for those with mental illness and in conflict with the law. Catherine Barrett, a former psychologist with the forensic conditional release: “They warehouse a lot of patients,” said Barrett, who said she felt pressure to keep clients on the highest levels of supervision. “Getting someone to move to a lower level of care was so exhausting … I felt like I was just banging my head against a wall. Does their only option have to be living at a [care home] for the rest of their life?” https://www.themarshallproject.org/2021/09/24/no-driving-no-working-no-dating-inside-a-government-program-that-controls-the-lives-of-people-leaving-psych-hospitals