Jan 7, 2014
Chronicle Herald (Halifax) – Danny Graham
Restorative justice gets to the root of the evil
Graham, one of the founders of Smart Justice Network, offers his take on the appropriateness of restorative justice as a response to the Facebook involvement of the 13 Dalhousie dental students. After 30 years of work with the criminal justice arena, Graham says: “What I have learned is that our preoccupation with tough punishment is sacrificing opportunities for safer societies, more satisfied victims and reformed offenders. In the systems of police, courts and corrections, rates of reoffending remain stubbornly high; victims’ needs are typically ignored; and the general public stays largely oblivious to the causes of harm and crime.” Dalhousie has suspended the 13 from dental clinic activity and may expel the students. http://thechronicleherald.ca/opinion/1260922-restorative-justice-gets-to-the-root-of-the-evil Related article: Chronicle Herald (Halifax) – Michael Gorman Dalhousie suspends 13 dentistry students from clinic over Facebook page http://thechronicleherald.ca/metro/1260899-dalhousie-suspends-13-dentistry-students-from-clinic-over-facebook-page Related article: Globe and Mail Editorial ( Jan. 6, 2015) Dalhousie’s handling of Facebook scandal is the right way to go http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/editorials/dalhousies-handling-of-facebook-scandal-is-the-right-way-to-go/article22301628 Related article: Globe and Mail – Simona Chiose Dalhousie dentistry students scrambled to contain damage after comments became public http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/dalhousie-rejects-calls-to-name-students-involved-in-facebook-scandal/article22317027 Related article: Globe and Mail – Margaret Wente Dalhousie’s dental hysteria http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/dalhousies-dental-hysteria/article22310028
Ottawa Citizen – Ian MacLeod
Here’s what the Supreme Court will hear in its 2015 session
There are a number of issues still remaining before the Supreme Court of Canada for 2015. The court will hear about privacy issues and child pornography, assisted suicide, mandatory sentencing, human smuggling, and pot rights. http://www.canada.com/News/politics/Here+what+Supreme+Court+will+hear+2015+session/10706579/story.html
CTV News
Sentencing postponed for man convicted in death of Sask. conservation officer
Blaine Taypotat pleaded guilty to the death of Conservation Officer Justin Knackstedt who was killed while directing traffic around a highway collision. Taypotat was trying to escape the RCMP at the time and the defense has requested a RJ process prior to sentencing. http://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/sentencing-postponed-for-man-convicted-in-death-of-sask-conservation-officer-1.2172861#ixzz3OBFvVjB3
National Newswatch – Murray Brewster, Canadian Press
Fantino out, O’Toole in at Veterans Affairs
A former navigator on the Sea King helicopters has replaced Julian Fantino as Minister of Veterans Affairs. A recently elected MP from southern Ontario, O’Toole has been the front man handling the tensions and conflict created by Fantino’s handling of the portfolio for the past 18 months. Fantino remains in Cabinet as Associate Minister of Defence, a position he held previously. http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2015/01/05/harper-dumping-embattled-fantino-from-veterans-affairs-sources-say/#.VK1FDHtQRTR Related article: CBC News: Kady O’Malley Stephen Harper kicks off election year with Veterans Affairs shuffle http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/stephen-harper-kicks-off-election-year-with-veterans-affairs-shuffle-1.2890318
iPolitics.com – BJ Siekierski
No rogue: Scott Reid on the politics and policy of pot
Reid is a Conservative MP – a former Canadian Alliance member and a son of the founder of the Giant Tiger chain – is one of the few in the Conservative ranks to think that the laws around marijuana are contributing to the problems rather than offering solutions. He thinks that the pot laws “artificially raises prices, encourages crime, and gets in the way of the safest possible consumption.” http://www.ipolitics.ca/2015/01/06/no-rogue-scott-reid-on-the-politics-and-policy-of-pot