Nov. 17, 2015
National Newswatch – Canadian Press
Liberals drop controversial Supreme Court of Canada niqab appeal
The most recognized wedge issue in the last federal election has sounded its death knell from the legal precincts. The Liberal government will not appeal the federal court ruling to the Supreme Court and has announced that it accepts the lower court ruling that allows the niqab to be wore at citizenship ceremonies. Kudos and welcome to new Canadian Zunera Ishaq for her courage and determination to call out the best of the rest of us. http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2015/11/16/liberals-drop-controversial-supreme-court-of-canada-niqab-appeal/#.VkoroHZJaUk Related article: Ottawa Citizen – Glen McGregor Court told to freeze citizenship revocations in terror cases http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/government-asks-court-to-freeze-proceedings-in-citizenship-cases-while-it-revises-rules-for-revokation Ottawa Citizen – Mark Kennedy Deadline on doctor-assisted suicide law could be delayed http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/deadline-on-doctor-assisted-suicide-law-could-be-delayed
CBC News
Overcrowding hampering Canada’s prisons, says correctional investigator Howard Sapers – Changes to prison policy the past 10 years were ‘ad hoc,’ according to Sapers
According to Howard Sapers, the price we paid for the last ten years of tough-on-crime is “longer periods of custody, more instances of institutional violence, and more crowding… The longer somebody stays inside a penitentiary cell, the less prepared, frankly, they are, for the community.” http://www.cbc.ca/m/touch/canada/britishcolumbia/story/1.3321819
Church Council on Justice and Corrections
A five-part restorative justice infographic series
For Tuesday the CCJC infographic is about the Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA), a faith community based effort to provide 7/24 accompaniment for child sex offenders coming out of prison having finished their sentences. http://ccjc.ca/tuesday-restorative-justice-week-2015-infographic-series/
Toronto Star – Allan Woods, Robert Benzie, Alex Boutilier
Quebec, Ontario ready to accept 16,000 Syrian refugees, as Saskatchewan balks
The link provides a one minute video of Justine Trudeau confirming the government’s intention to bring the 25,000 Syrian refugees as soon as possible. Conservative Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall has called for slow down while Ontario and Quebec have already spoken for a total of 16,000. Quebec’s Immigration Minister Kathleen Weil says: “They are people who are fleeing violence. They are people who are fleeing the exact same acts of terrorism that we saw in Paris. They are people who are very vulnerable, who are worried, and who are searching for a haven of peace.” http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/11/16/quebec-ontario-ready-to-accept-16000-syrian-refugees-as-saskatchewan-balks.html Related article: CBC News – Susana Mas Syrian refugee security screening ‘paramount,’ says Health Minister Jane Philpott – Paris attacks should not deter response to a humanitarian crisis, minister says http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/syrian-refugee-security-screening-paramount-says-health-minister-jane-philpott-1.3318227 (Link includes an 8m40s video looking at the security issue) Related article: Toronto Star – Robin V. Sears We must not allow terrorists to turn us into beasts – Terrorists’ goal is to stab us into becoming the beasts their propaganda requires. By welcoming Syrian refugees, we can defeat them http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2015/11/17/we-must-not-allow-terrorists-to-turn-us-into-beasts.html Related article: Globe and Mail – Michael Molloy Even after Paris – especially after Paris: Bringing refugees to Canada must be done well, not fast http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/even-after-paris-especially-after-paris-bringing-refugees-to-canada-must-be-done-well-not-fast/article27285873/ Related article: Globe and Mail – Wency Leung Refugee sponsorship program a chance to turn generosity into happiness http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/refugee-sponsorship-program-a-chance-to-turn-generosity-into-happiness/article27251164/ Related article: Globe and Mail – Robert Everett Green Fleeing Syria, teen refugee slowly making Montreal feel like home http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/travel/fleeing-syria-teen-refugee-slowly-making-montreal-feel-like-home/article27282045/
Globe and Mail – Kathryn Blaze Baum
National inquiry into indigenous women to launch by summer: Minister
Carolyn Bennett wants to consult about how the national inquiry into the murdered and missing women will unfold but wants the actual inquiry to start the summer of 2016 if not before. Indigenous people are generally relieved the inquiry is going to happen and are actively offering advice about how and how long the inquiry will operate. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/national-inquiry-into-indigenous-women-to-launch-by-summer-minister/article27291126/
Globe and Mail – Iain Marlowe
Japan’s Bold Steps
In Japan the over 65 population is at 25% and moving towards 40% so Japan finds itself already coping with a large part of its population needing senior care. The solutions go from “comprehensive long term insurance to robotics.” Marlow takes the reader to Asuke for a tour of the problems and some of the working solutions. Marlow says that Japan is now grappling with the same demographic time bomb as Canada. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/retirement/retire-planning/how-japan-is-coping-with-a-rapidly-aging-population/article27259703/