May 16, 2017
CBC News – Alison Crawford
Time for civilian governance at the RCMP, watchdog says in harassment report – Time for government to take over efforts to fix RCMP’s dysfunctional workplace culture, says watchdog
The RCMP culture is definitely broken and the review commission is saying it is time for civilian governance of the internationally famous police force, once the pride of all Canadians. The solution is dictated, says Ian McPhail, chair of the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP, because “the RCMP will not be able to bring about the necessary change required to address its dysfunctional culture on its own.” http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/rcmp-harassment-report-1.4112912 Related article: Toronto Star – Tonda MacCharles New audit slams RCMP’s efforts on staff mental health – Federal Auditor General Michael Ferguson says the RCMP failed to allocate enough money and staff to implement a mental health strategy it rolled out in May 2014 https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/05/16/new-audit-slams-rcmps-efforts-on-staff-mental-health.html Related article: Toronto Star – Tonda MacCharles Mounties are incapable of policing themselves, RCMP watchdog report says https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/05/15/mounties-are-incapable-of-policing-themselves-rcmp-watchdog-report-says.html Related article: Globe and Mail Editorial (May 15, 2017) The RCMP is never going to fix itself. Only Ottawa can end the abuses http://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/editorials/the-rcmp-is-never-going-to-fix-itself-only-ottawa-can-end-the-abuses/article34997706/ Related article: National Newswatch – Stephanie Levitz Liberal promise for refugee system reform postponed as feds consider options http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2017/05/15/liberal-promise-for-refugee-system-reform-postponed-as-feds-consider-options/#.WRl7OvnyuUl CBC News – Kairos Blanket Exercise bridges cultural gaps between First Nations and Alberta RCMP – ‘It’s going to help me to be more attentive to what the Native people have gone through’ http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/kairos-blanket-exercise-rcmp-alberta-1.4115050
CBC News – Shanifa Nasser
Federal Court hearing landmark challenge on indefinite immigration detention – ‘I remember the shame … We weren’t allowed to talk about it. There was so much stigma,’ says ex-detainee
Canada is one of the few countries where an immigrant or a refugee applicant can be held in custody for an indefinite period. Now the federal court is asked to rule in two specific cases on the constitutionality of the practice, which in some cases, indefinite may mean years without any expectation of release from maximum security prison. According to Canada Border Security Services, at any point in time there are between 400-500 cases that lawyers say violate the charter as well as standards for cruel and inhumane punishment. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/immigration-detention-canada-challenge-1.4114908
Globe and Mail – Gloria Galloway
Inquiry into missing and murdered women a failure: Indigenous group
The Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) who were instrumental in calling for the national inquiry into Murder and Missing Indigenous Women (MMIW) think that the process, already well off track in timings and hearings can be termed a failure. On 15 measures of success, the NWAC rated 10 as failures at this point (there was insufficient information on 2 other measures). http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/inquiry-into-missing-and-murdered-women-a-failure-indigenous-group-says/article35003027/
Globe and Mail – Alex Marland
How the Liberals became masters of their brand
Marland is the winner of this year’s Donner Prize for the best political book (Brand Command: Canadian Politics and Democracy in the Age of Message Control) and comments in this op ed piece about the capacity of the Liberal government and father and son Trudeau to personify the Liberal master brand. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/how-the-liberals-became-masters-of-their-brand/article34999255/
NationTalk – Canadian Press
Ontario Children’s Aid Societies call for inquest into aboriginal youth deaths
The Ontario Association of Children’s Aid, jointly with First Nations in Ontario and the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth, wants an inquiry into the recent deaths of Indigenous youth – four youth in youth homes in the last six months aged from 13 to 17. http://nationtalk.ca/story/ontario-childrens-aid-societies-call-for-inquest-into-aboriginal-youth-deaths-cp
Vera Institute of Justice (US) – Lauren Musu-Gillette, Anlan Zhang, Ke Wang, Jizhi Zhang, Barbara A. Oudekerk
Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2016
What makes a school safe or dangerous? What factors are apparent in schools where there is, relatively speaking, a crime problem? The report is lengthy (261 pages) but seeks to understand a number of factors: victimization at school, teacher injury, bullying and cyber-bullying, school conditions, fights, weapons, availability and student use of drugs and alcohol, student perceptions of personal safety at school, crime at postsecondary institutions. https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/iscs16.pdf
Canadian Law Times – Alex Robinson
Debate heats up on paralegals in family law
This article is a lawyer’s reaction to the report of Justice Annemarie E. Bonkalo to the Ontario Attorney General. The report examines the potential of invitation participation of paralegals to offer services in family law to in-turn allow a broader option for obtaining legal services at all in a scene where 57% of those with cases before the court are self-representational. The Bonkalo report says “that paralegals should be allowed to represent clients in matters concerning custody, access, simple child support cases, restraining orders, enforcement and joint divorces without property. Opponents say it’s too complicated. http://www.lawtimesnews.com/201705156166/headline-news/debate-heats-up-on-paralegals-in-family-law?utm_term=Debate%20heats%20up%20on%20paralegals%20in%20fa mily%20law&utm_campaign=CLNewswire_20170515&utm_content=email&utm_source=Act-On+Software&utm_medium=email Text of the Bonkalo Report: Family Legal Services Review – https://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/about/pubs/family_legal_services_review/ ).