8 inmates stabbed, one shot as well, at maximum-security prison in Edmonton

By The Canadian Press

EDMONTON - An inmate at the maximum-security Edmonton Institution was shot and seven others stabbed Tuesday in what officials are calling a gang ambush.

About 50 inmates were out for their daily outdoor recreation time when one group was suddenly jumped.

"What we believe to be two rival gangs squared off in the big recreation yard," said Kevin Grabowsky, president of the Prairies region of the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers.

"I think the incident was very much a surprise to one of the gangs."

Several shots were fired from guard positions, said Grabowsky. He declined to say if more than one guard fired, but added that warning shots are usually fired in situations like this.

Eight inmates were taken to hospital, all suffering from stab wounds. One inmate also had bullet wounds.

Grabowsky said some homemade weapons, known as shanks, were recovered.

Capital Health said one patient was in critical condition at the Royal Alexandra hospital, while the others were stable.

Guards had to go into the courtyard to retrieve the injured even as the inmates continued to mill around.

"The inmates were taunting them as they went out there. But they stayed away and we got the injured inmates out," said Grabowsky.

Forty inmates remained in the yard Tuesday evening, refusing to return to their cells until their demands were met. It's not known what they want.

Late Tuesday, the inmates started a bonfire in the yard, and fire crews were on scene.

The rest of the jail was locked down and for hours after the incident, yelling could still be heard in the recreation yard.

"Gangs are a serious issue in Canadian prisons," said Grabowsky. "Our gang problems are pretty serious in Canada, especially inside our prisons. We have a number of different gangs that just don't get along. They're springing up all the time. They're getting smarter and we have to grow along with them."

Of 3,200 federal inmates housed in the Prairie region, Grabowsky said 900 are known gang members.

Something to Smile About

Life is beautiful!

Henry Morgentaler's naming to Order of Canada met with controversy

July 1, 2008

Terry Pedwell, THE CANADIAN PRESS

OTTAWA - The naming of abortion-rights activist Dr. Henry Morgentaler to the Order of Canada is being met with both applause and outrage.

The Harper government was quick to distance itself from the decision.

Morgentaler, best known for taking the issue of abortion rights all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada, is among 75 people who will receive the prestigious national honour.

"The Conservative government is not involved in either deliberations or decisions with respect to which individuals are appointed to the Order of Canada," said Dimitri Soudas, a spokesman for Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

"Rideau Hall makes these appointments based on the recommendations of the Advisory Council for the Order which is chaired by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada."

Morgentaler was instrumental in having the high court strike down Criminal Code restrictions on abortion on Jan. 28, 1988, making Canada the only western democracy with no criminal sanctions of any kind against abortion.

He is to be named at a later date as a member of the Order of Canada for both his health care and humanitarian work, said a statement posted Tuesday on the governor general's website.

"For his commitment to increased health care options for women, his determined efforts to influence Canadian public policy and his leadership in humanist and civil liberties organizations," the statement reads.

Author and feminist Judy Rebick said "it's about time" Morgentaler was recognized for his work.

"Certainly most women believe this is a huge victory, and he put his liberty and his life on the line to win it, and I think that should be recognized," she said. "The abortion debate is over in this country, the pro-choice side won, and Dr. Morgentaler was a big part of that victory."

But opponents of abortion say the Order of Canada is meant to unify Canadians, not divide them.

"We think the Order of Canada should focus on things that unite us, positive values," said Joanne McGarry, executive director of the Catholic Civil Rights League. "I think it should go to people who all Canadians can look up to and admire and whose undertakings are inspiring for us."

McGarry added that honouring Morgentaler implicitly endorses abortion, and many Canadians will be offended by the decision.

"Suffice it to say that a great many people would take umbrage at the award and therefore perhaps it would become a less prestigious honour," she said.

Most Rev. Thomas Collins, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Toronto, said in a statement that the Order of Canada will be "debased" if Morgentaler receives the award.

"Canada glories in the names of Banting and Best, and the other medical heroes who selflessly brought healing where there was disease and suffering," the statement said. "Now it honours with the Order of Canada a medical man who has brought not healing, but the destruction of the defenceless and immeasurable grief."

But Rebick said many people who have received the Order of Canada in the past haven't made "anywhere near the impact" on Canadian society that Morgentaler has.

"If you want to make change in the world, you have to be controversial," she said. "That's part of being a change agent, and Dr. Morgentaler is a change agent, and we should celebrate that in this country."

Morgentaler, a Polish-born physician who survived the infamous Dachau concentration camp, quit his family practice in Montreal in 1968 to open his first abortion clinic in defiance of the laws of the day.

He soon found himself before the courts, where he was acquitted by a jury that accepted his defence of medial necessity for the abortions he performed. But the verdict was overturned on appeal and he went to jail for 10 months.

It took three more trials and three more acquittals - two in Quebec, one in Ontario - before his case made it to the Supreme Court.

The Order of Canada is the country's highest civilian honour to recognize a lifetime of outstanding achievement and dedication to community.

Conference Board of Canada rains on Canada's Parade

This is the type of story you get every Canada Day. I still think Canada is the place to be and the real envy of the world. That said, there is a need to address some social/economic issues and we cannot merely assume Canada's future is assured -- we have to work to keep Canada great. jcm

Happy Canada Day! But you may have less to celebrate than you think

Module body

Mon Jun 30, 7:29 AM

By Julian Beltrame, The Canadian Press

OTTAWA - To many, Canada Day is a time for fireworks displays and contemplating the country's many blessings, but a new report suggests Canadians may have less to celebrate than they think.

The annual Conference Board of Canada report card measuring quality of life among 17 advanced countries released Monday concludes that Canada is like a student who started out strong, but is coasting toward the bottom of the class.

In a break from past reports, the Conference Board looked back at Canada's performance to the 1970s and found that although the economy is stronger and per capita income has increased, other countries have passed it by.

Canada's economy was the envy of the world in the 1970s, ranking third. Now it has fallen to 11th place, behind leader Ireland. And on a per capita basis, individuals in the United States, which ranks seventh, earn $6,400 a year more on average than Canadians.

It is a similar story with the other five domains in the report card - innovation, environment, education and skills, health and society, which includes levels of crime. In most, the country is either treading water or slowly sinking.

"While Canada is still in the gifted class among nations, its report card tells the story of a country moving to the back of the class," the study says.

"That's a hard argument to make in a country enjoying low unemployment, a strong dollar, declining debt and a booming resource economy. If everything's so bad, why does it feel so good?" the report adds.

But the devil is in the details.

Board president Anne Golden says other countries have caught up and surpassed Canada in many areas, something that should not have happened given Canada's natural advantages.

Canada ranks 15th in environmental performance due to high greenhouse gas emissions and that it produces more garbage per person that any other country in the group. It is ninth in health outcomes, 10th in the society category, and a woeful 13th in innovation with a D grade - not failing, but close.

It does best in educational attainment with a second place behind Finland and a B grade. But its illiteracy rate is worse than a decade ago and while it leads the class in college-level completions, Canada is graduating students in the wrong fields.

Canada underperforms in skills training, produces relatively few PhDs in the sciences, math and engineering, and the scientists it does produce "tend to congregate in research positions that many not be well connected to commercializing activities."

Canada has been able to do as well as it has over the years mostly due to its abundant natural resource riches and proximity to the world's richest and largest market, the report says.

"We've been lucky more than smart," said Golden. "We're doing fine, but we're coasting and that's not good enough."

This year's report also contains some myth-busting items.

Canada does very poorly in rates of child poverty, with one of seven children considered under the line and most surprisingly in levels of crime.

For instance, Canada has 17 times the rate of assaults, seven times as many burglaries and three times as many homicides as Denmark.

But even more surprising is that the United States, which is last in the society category, still has fewer burglaries, a lower suicide rate and greater gender equity than Canada.

"It was a shock to me too," said Golden. "We are much more violent than we think."

The report notes that Canada is doing well in many areas that contribute to quality of life. Canadians rank high in acceptance of diversity, the ability of individuals to move up the income scale, levels of high school and college graduation, living standards that are rising even if not as fast as many others, and Canadians are healthier than several decades ago.

"The good news is that Canada's past achievements, such as reducing poverty among its elderly, show that given the political will, Canada could successfully address other social challenges to sustain future quality of life," the report concludes.

HAPPY CANADA DAY

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!

Changes bring Ontario Human Rights Code into 21st century: Attorney General

TORONTO - Ontario residents filing human rights complaints will have faster service and access to free legal support as a result of changes to the province's Human Rights Code taking effect Monday.

"We're bringing human rights protection into the 21st century," said Attorney General Chris Bentley. "We're making sure that the rights outlined in the code actually have the strong public protection they require."

The changes to the code streamline the process for individuals who feel they've been discriminated against, Bentley said.

Under the old system, anyone with a human rights issue filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission for review. If the commission ruled the complaint had legitimacy - a process that could take months to complete - the case would then be referred to the Human Rights Tribunal.

Of the 2,300 complaints filed to the Human Rights Commission in 2006 and 2007, seven per cent were rejected before being passed on to the tribunal. The cases that were referred could then take up to five years to resolve, Bentley said.

Now, Ontario residents will bring their concerns directly to the tribunal, bypassing the commission. The Ministry of the Attorney General estimates the new system should complete hearings within one year.

"It's a bit overwhelming if it takes you four to five years to have a hearing," said Soma Ray-Ellis, a Toronto-based lawyer specializing in human rights and employment issues. "Now, we should be able to see hearings very quickly."

Ray-Ellis called the old process "harassing in and of itself."

Ontario residents will also be able to access free legal advice to guide them through the process, a move Bentley calls "the first of its kind in Canada."

"People who were bringing complaints to the Human Rights Commission realized that the law is pretty complex," he said. "They needed some legal support.

"They're going to have the type of legal support that they've never had before."

The legislation also removes a $10,000 cap on awards for "mental anguish" caused by discrimination.

Ray-Ellis says that's important "because if you look at the United States, you can get millions of dollars in damages for human-rights issues.

"They only protect a few things, but they give you big awards. In Canada, we protect a lot of things, but traditionally we have given out small awards."

The law also outlines that individuals can now be compensated for injury to dignity, feelings and self-respect.

Other changes to the law include an extension of the window to file a complaint to one year from six months. The previous stipulation eliminated 50 human-rights complaints in 2006 and 2007.

The legislation, passed in December 2006, has been in the works since the 1990s.

Bentley said the system originated almost 50 years ago and had become outdated and slow.

"There was an almost universal call for change," Bentley said. "At the end of the day, we don't strengthen human rights protections by procedures that are too slow and too cumbersome."