Jan 25, 2018

Davos Newsletter

7 things that happened on the first day of Davos 2018

Many anti-poverty advocates are encouraged that Davos – The World Economic Forum – is focusing again on inequities, both economic and gender.  Our Trudeau spoke there on opening day about gender in the workplace, India’s Prime Minister Narender Modi identified seven world threats, actress Kate Blanchett showed some passion for refugees as a UBCHR spokesperson, two women co-chairs of Davos spoke about Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World, Norwegian PM Erna Solberg called for an end to corruption and illegal flow of money; she also called for action on gender equity.  Other speakers also tackled gender issues.  https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/01/7-things-that-happened-on-day-one-of-davos-2018/  for today’s agenda  cf also  http://mailchi.mp/weforum/davosdaily230118-966325?e=c7bfe0422b   Related article: Business Insider (UK) –  Alix Langone    A city is giving its poorest residents $500 a month — no strings attached  (Reported in UK on Stockton, California experiment in family minimum income)  http://uk.businessinsider.com/a-city-is-giving-its-poorest-residents-500-a-month-2018-1

CBC News – Nic Meloney

Prison justice group hopes to tackle ‘gaps’ in provincial, federal prisons – Legal and social justice advocates hope to mirror successes on West Coast

Gaps in provincial and federal prisons?  Here’s an East Coast response to issue of human rights inside jails.  “The East Coast Prison Justice Society (ECPJS) was officially registered this month by eight individuals with diverse experiences in legal counseling and human rights advocacy. The roster includes three legal professionals, three from advocacy groups and two university professors.”  The group has modelled itself on the West Coast Prison Justice Society, founded in the 1990’s and the only fully funded group in Canada.  While going to prison may curtail one’s liberty, nothing about prisons should limit the human rights of the inmates.  http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/east-coast-prison-justice-society-emma-halpern-1.4357584

The Conversation (University of Manitoba) – Kevin Walby and Brendan Roziere

Rise of the SWAT team: Routine police work in Canada is now militarized

Issues around the militarization of police had a brief lifespan in Canada and faded while the US practices caught on fire.  In Canada, researchers studied the tactics of police in 12 major cities with 500,000 plus population.  The deployment of SWAT teams (Special Weapons and Tactical) has gone to 1300 incidents per unit, an increase of over 2100% since first established 37 years ago in 1980 when there were 60 per unit.  “SWAT teams are increasingly being used by public police for routine activities such as executing warrants, traffic enforcement, community policing and responding to mental health crises and domestic disturbances.”  http://theconversation.com/rise-of-the-swat-team-routine-police-work-in-canada-is-now-militarized-90073?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=facebookbutton

Pew Charitable Trust (US) –

Incarceration and Crime Rates Keep Falling

Pew is a highly respected charitable Trust that engages extensively in research around criminal justice, especially juvenile justice.  The link offers a variety of commentary and study conclusions on the issues of the correlation between crime and mass incarceration.  Crime has fallen by 11% since 2008, more in states which reduced their prison population than otherwise.  Of interest as well at the link, the story of a conversion to criminal justice reform by the Chief Deputy of the King’s County Sherriff, Jim Pugel, who is advocating for the least amount of punishment possible.  http://view.pewtrusts.org/?qs=52e6081553add8a745d86e3f1867f6169f62dfc752c7fddac96f477895497f1c62aeaa38ff30b12ee6af1061e7a09ac3aa2fddd4a274ac74e22fa8d334eb45af0609e16239d5bd6c

CBC News – Jorge Barrera

 Behind the statistics: The story of 2 Indigenous children on the brink of becoming court wards – Official with father’s First Nation says it’s ‘mind-boggling’ how situation unfolded

The federal government is currently scrambling to prove concern and drive to resolve the crisis in both wards of the system and children on reserves.  There is a chronic and considerable over representation of Indigenous children in the provincial child welfare system.  The two children in this link help explain the crisis, sustained by “underlying root causes” of the crisis like “poverty, intergenerational trauma and access to housing.”  http://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/ottawa-indigenous-child-foster-care-1.4502217  Related article: CBC News – Kristy Kirkup, Canadian Press   Get on with tackling outstanding issues with Indigenous child welfare: Sinclair – Philpott holding emergency conference in Ottawa Thursday, Friday  http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/sinclair-child-welfare-1.4501935   Related article: CBC News – Cameron MacLean  Manitoba CFS worker hopes emergency meeting will lead to flexible funding for Indigenous kids in care – Indigenous Relations Minister Jane Philpott called Ottawa meeting to address ‘humanitarian crisis’   http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/first-nations-child-welfare-emergency-meeting-1.4502663

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