May 30, 2015
CBC News – John Paul Tasker
Residential schools findings point to ‘cultural genocide,’ commission chair says
Justice Murray Sinclair says that after seven years of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings across Canada he has concluded that at least 6,000 children died in the residential schools. Sinclair, Manitoba first Aboriginal judge, said that the number is likely low because of poor record keeping and that most died from malnourishment or disease. The full report is due June 2. http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/residential-schools-findings-point-to-cultural-genocide-commission-chair-says-1.3093580 Related article: CBC News Power and Politics – Rosie Barton interviews Justice Sinclair (a nine minute video) http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Politics/ID/2668411763/ Related article: Globe and Mail – Sean Fine Chief Justice ignites debate over Canada’s treatment of aboriginals http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/chief-justice-ignites-debate-over-canadas-treatment-of-aboriginals/article24710491/ Related article: Globe and Mail – Ken Coates McLachlin said what many have long known http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/mclachlin-said-what-many-have-long-known/article24704812/ Related article: CBC News – Duncan McCue Residential schools: Promises of reconciliation saved in bentwood box – Canadians offered hundreds of items to commission at events over 6 years http://www.cbc.ca/news/aboriginal/residential-schools-promises-of-reconciliation-saved-in-bentwood-box-1.3092725 Related article: Toronto Star – Rachel Mendleson Crown wards overcome roadblock in landmark lawsuit http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/05/29/crown-wards-overcome-roadblock-in-landmark-lawsuit.html Related article: Globe and Mail – Simona Chiose Universities must address residential school legacy, Justice Sinclair says http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/education/universities-must-address-residential-school-legacy-justice-sinclair-says/article24709958/
PJ Media (US) – Rod Kackley
Is Income Inequality the Fault of the States?
The question is framed on the idea that the percentage of income spent by ordinary people is far greater than that spent by wealthy people. The tax structure is built around sales tax for normal items needed to live on. Does the federal / state tax system disproportionately help to create the inequality? The study took those below the 90% income level and those above the 90% level to see what difference federal and state taxes make. Three economists found that federal tax laws can do much to improve the income inequality. http://pjmedia.com/blog/is-income-inequality-the-fault-of-the-states/ Full report: The Role of Taxes in Mitigating Income Inequality Across the U.S. States (A 45 page downloadable pdf) http://byron.marginalq.com/cooper_lutz_palumbo_2015.pdf Related article: Huffington Post – These Countries Have The Widest Gap Between The Rich And The Poor http://pjmedia.com/blog/is-income-inequality-the-fault-of-the-states/
Huffington Post (US) – Joseph Erbentrat
How One Massachusetts Jail Cut Its Population by 30 Percent in 6 Years
The thesis makes a lot of sense. Lots agree that mass incarceration is not working but what does work? The MacArthur Foundation has $75 million for prison reform so it gave 20 jail systems $150,000 each to come up with an answer, and then next year the Foundation will select 10 of those jails for more funding to implement what they find, especially among nonviolent, poor and/or mentally ill inmates. According to the VERA Institute of Justice, the Hampden County jail in Ludlow, Massachusetts has a variety of approaches that helps to reduce its population by 30%. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/29/reduce-jail-population_n_7471696.html
Toronto Star – Nicholas Keung
Immigration Canada snafus causing ‘a lot of misery’
This is the first of a two part series documenting the high error rate in spousal sponsorship applications to the Immigration services. Some are outrageous such as the receipt by one applicant of a visa for which the date was already expired. The applications are reviewed in Vegreville, AB, and an internal review found that 617 files of 996 files submitted had errors in response requests from Citizenship and Immigration Canada. http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2015/05/30/immigration-canada-snafus-causing-a-lot-of-misery.html
Globe and Mail/Canadian Press – Steve Lambert
Violent dementia patients a rapidly growing concern, judge says
Provincial court Judge Michel Chartier who investigated the violent death in a retirement home of an 87 year Alzheimer patient by another patient, also suffering from Alzheimer’s, thinks the numbers tell the story: Presently there are over 500,000 such patients in Canada and by 2030 there will be 1.1 million, many of them disposed to violence and requiring some sort of protection from themselves and from assaults on other patients and staff in these homes. The wait time for these special spaces is now at one year. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/violent-dementia-patients-a-rapidly-growing-concern-judge-says/article24712787/
Globe and Mail – Michelle McQuigge
Law that allows revocation of Canadian citizenship goes into effect
The law, introduced last June, went into effect on Friday past and gives the federal government the right to revoke the Canadian citizenship of a dual citizen who is convicted of treason, spying for a foreign country or fighting in the army of another country or joining a terrorist organization. The law is already under constitutional challenge by two Toronto lawyers, Paul Slansky and Rocco Galati. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/law-that-allows-revocation-of-canadian-citizenship-goes-into-effect/article24699575/