Dec 4, 2022
Toronto Star – Daniel Brown
Long-awaited reforms to criminal sentencing are also sound public health policy – Bill C-5 recognized drugs as a public health problem that should be addressed through treatment programs, not through ineffective, punitive measures.
Brown hails the passage of the federal bill C-5 as the happy ending of mandatory minimums, the at-least partial answer to racial over representation of Black and Indigenous in the criminal legal system, and the beginning of the acknowledgement of drug abuse as a public health issue, not a criminal matter. “Crown Attorneys are now mandated to consider drug treatment options instead of criminal prosecutions. Judges will have greater discretion to craft creative community-based sentences that put saving lives and health ahead of imprisonment.” The bill also establishes a simpler process for pardoning possession. https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2022/12/01/long-awaited-reforms-to-criminal-sentencing-are-also-sound-public-health-policy.html?source=newsletter&utm_content=a07&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=email&utm_email=404CAADEF7EB839FC77B1B04F0C251E1&utm_campaign=top_156721 Related article: Globe and Mail – Lisa Kerr A return by Poilievre to Harper-era criminal sentences would be a terrible sequel https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-a-return-by-poilievre-to-harper-era-criminal-sentences-would-be-a/ (Ed note: Kerr includes a list of sentences struck down by the Harper era government which Poilievre is perhaps trying to imitate.)
Canadian Lawyer – Michael Spratt
Dubious crime statistics: a disturbing trend of police and media misleading the public – Police will tell you crime is up, but the actual numbers don’t back up their self-serving analysis
Spratt is saying that small samples, percentages based on small samples, and failure to look behind statistical claims made for policing and police budgets can just as easily be the truth of our crime statistics. “Here is the grift: Police are in a win-win situation. When crime goes down, it is because of the excellent police work, and they are spending our tax dollars well. And when crime goes up, the police need more money… The police are not the only ones who twist to fit their agenda. It’s also a classic political strategy.” Spratt offers burglary and drunk driving as examples of the misleading statistics. https://www.canadianlawyermag.com/news/opinion/dubious-crime-statistics-a-disturbing-trend-of-police-and-media-misleading-the-public/372046
CBC News – Mark Gollum
What these constitutional law experts have to say about Alberta’s proposed Sovereignty Act
Constitutional lawyers are skeptical of the proposed the Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act for what it says about provincial / federal relations as well as what it says about the power to overturn democracy. “The act has raised significant constitutional questions. CBC News contacted experts in constitutional law to get their take on Smith’s proposed legislation, many of whom believe the proposed law is constitutionally vulnerable, imbues too much executive power, and contravenes the separation of federal and provincial powers.” https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/alberta-sovereign-act-constitutional-experts-1.6669936 Related article: Toronto Star – Stephanie Levitz ‘Catastrophically stupid’ bill to limit federal powers introduced by Alberta’s new premier – Eyebrows were raised in Ottawa on Wednesday after Alberta Premier Danielle Smith introduced a bill that would giving her province sweeping powers to overrule the federal government. https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/2022/11/30/catastrophically-stupid-bill-to-limit-federal-powers-introduced-by-albertas-new-premier.html?li_source=LI&li_medium=thestar_recommended_for_you
CBC News (Montreal) – Laura Marchand
Montreal’s 2023 budget in a nutshell: taxes, money for housing, policing all go up – City says it must find new ways of generating revenue to fulfill responsibilities
Property taxes are going up in Montreal, partially to fund a sizeable increase in costs of policing, up by $63 million. Yes, you guessed it: the cost increases will fund 123 more police officers. The budget also covers off a $30 million excess in last year’s budget for police, an overrun without it seems anyone’s approval. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/montreal-budget-2022-1.6666580?__vfz=medium%3Dsharebar Related tweet from Ted Rutland: Policing cost graph “This graph is incredible. The red is the $50M the SPVM overspent in 2022. It seems like an anomaly (the only red) because there’s no such thing as a deficit for the SPVM. The police overspend by $30M a year and the city just pays it and boosts the budget for the next year.” https://twitter.com/TedRutland/status/1597935309668241411?s=03 Tweet from Critical Criminology On Montreal Police budget “Compared to $120 million for social housing. Wonder which contributes more to wellbeing and safety? The Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) will receive about $787 million next year, an increase of $63 million compared to last year.” https://twitter.com/critcrim/status/1597836147186888704?s=03
Blogger Russell Webster (UK)
What’s it like being on probation? ‘Helping, Hurting, Holding and Hands Off’
Webster has an intriguing report on probation services in Ireland but rather than a written version the report is a deliberate oral project. The authors, Deirdre Healy, Louise Kennefict, Niamh Wade are looking at the service from the 1960’s and offering an assessment according the what helps, what hurts, what holds (minimization of harmful) and what is hands-off. https://www.russellwebster.com/whats-it-like-being-on-probation-3/ Full report: The Irish Probation Journal – Louise Kennefick, Deirdre Healy and Niamh Wade ‘Helping, Hurting, Holding and Hands Off’: Preliminary Findings from an Oral History of Probation Client Experiences of Supervision in Ireland
http://www.probation.ie/EN/PB/0/B204D5E047563ADD80258905005B3677/$File/05%20IPJ%20Vol%2019%20Helping,%20Hurting%20.pdf
CBC News
Deaths of 2 inmates at Sask. Penitentiary in past week prompt Corrections Canada reviews – Brandon Lupkoski died on Monday, Raymond Stonechild on Thursday at Prince Albert penitentiary, agency says
The initial link shows the brief and curt announcement from Corrections Canada about two deaths of incarcerated men in Saskatchewan Penitentiary. The tweeted comment from John Howard is equally informative and suggestive of questions that need answers: in 2021 53 people died while incarcerated in federal prisons. “In 2021, 53 people died in federal prisons. What findings were made in Corrections Canada reviews of those deaths? Any action taken? Should reviews be independent?” https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/deaths-of-inmates-prompts-review-1.6672373 Also cf cbc.ca/news/canada/sa… (Related tweet John Howard Canada for Bradley and Mulley tweets) Related article: Prince Albert Herald – Bailey Sutherland Sask Penitentiary under investigation following two inmate deaths and an alleged assault in less than a month https://paherald.sk.ca/sask-penitentiary-under-investigation-following-two-inmate-deaths-and-an-alleged-assault-in-less-than-a-month/
EI Jones on Alternatives to prisons and police: The Breach Media (Canada) The link provides a five minute Youtube on the reality of the present system and possible – and preferred – variations. “The growing movement for abolition is as needed in Canada as it is in the United States. In a new video, El Jones makes the case for alternatives to prisons and police.” https://twitter.com/TheBreachMedia/status/1598699082088058883?s=03 Related article: Leader-Post (SK) – Creeden Martell New legislation to curb social assistance to ‘prolific’ offenders panned by critics – ‘It’s bad for those families and it’s ultimately bad for public safety,’ says John Howard Society lawyer.” https://leaderpost.com/news/saskatchewan/new-legislation-to-curb-social-assistance-to-prolific-offenders-panned-by-critics