Posts Tagged ‘crime prevention’

« Older Entries |

I was a victim of random violence on the TTC. Throwing money at the problem won’t make us safer

Wednesday, January 25th, 2023

My story is just one of many that reveals the systemic failure of our social infrastructure, and the ways in which we need to redirect our energies, efforts and money toward social programming and mental-health supports… to confront issues and traumas deeply rooted in our failure to meet the needs of marginalized people, and a system where a lack of support allows insecurity and mental illness to grow.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Child & Family Delivery System | No Comments »


Public safety comes from curbing violence, not just reacting to it

Monday, January 9th, 2023

Smart investment in tackling the root causes of violence reduces the need for police responses after the fact… It is time to get upstream of the emergencies. Not only because it is the right thing to do, but also because it will alleviate the need for annual increases to policing that take away from so many other budget priorities.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Child & Family Debates | No Comments »


The toll of police work

Monday, October 24th, 2022

Due to tears in the social safety net, many vulnerable people fall through the cracks, and it then falls to police to pick them up. Police therefore become, by default, de facto doctors, nurses and social workers, as they have to deal with issues for which they’re neither qualified nor equipped: homelessness, addictions and mental illness. This adds enormously to operational stress — and to trauma — for overpoliced, vulnerable people who need care, not cops.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Child & Family Delivery System | No Comments »


Reforming our approach to drugs

Sunday, August 21st, 2022

… while study after study confirms that criminalization has no effect on drug usage rates, it has created a vast transnational network of organized crime… the federal government’s expert task force last year recommended an end to our century-long experiment with prohibition. As its “core priority,” the force recommended Canada “immediately develop and implement a single public health framework with specific regulations for all psychoactive substances, including currently illegal drugs as well as alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis.”

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Health Policy Context | No Comments »


B.C. and Ottawa are showing leadership in fighting the scourge of drug overdoses

Tuesday, June 7th, 2022

The exemption, which is authorized by the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, will decriminalize possession of small amounts of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and ecstasy. Toronto has applied for a similar exemption, and the feds ought to approve it now… there’s abundant evidence that drug prohibition has little effect on how many people use drugs but plays a significant role in making an already risky activity even riskier.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Health Policy Context | No Comments »


Forget motives. The Trudeau government is getting it right on gun control

Thursday, June 2nd, 2022

… it plans to introduce a national handgun “freeze” — not a ban — that will bar future sales, purchases, transfers and importation of handguns by anyone across the country… It would cap the number of handguns held legally by Canadians and prevent them from being sold or otherwise moved around. Over time it would reduce the number of legal guns that find their way into the illegal market and end up being used in crimes…

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Child & Family Policy Context | No Comments »


US shootings: Norway and Finland have similar levels of gun ownership, but far less gun crime

Monday, May 30th, 2022

European societies that come close to US rates of gun ownership, in terms of gun owners per 100 people, (but with hunting rifles and shotguns rather than handguns), such as Finland and Norway, are among the safest societies internationally with regards to gun violence… Interestingly, the evidence is now indisputable that more guns in a given country translates directly into more gun violence.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Child & Family Policy Context | No Comments »


It’s the 40th anniversary of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but recent protests show a serious misunderstanding of what those mean

Friday, April 15th, 2022

On the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Charter, it is important to reflect on the rights Canadians share and, more importantly, understand that these rights entail responsibilities to each other.  Perhaps if misunderstandings about rights and freedoms were clarified, there would be a greater sense of unity.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Equality Policy Context | No Comments »


Close to home: The Canadian far right, COVID-19 and social media

Monday, April 4th, 2022

The far-right benefited from social media’s tendency to privilege reductionist and simplified narratives… algorithmic dynamics helped the far-right in propagating the binary populist framework — “we, the people” versus “the corrupt and evil elites,” “bad politicians and leaders” who implemented COVID-19 measures versus “good politicians and leaders” who don’t — to foster and incite rage among discontent Canadians. 

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Governance Debates | No Comments »


Some key details in the “confidence and supply” deal between the Liberals, NDP

Tuesday, March 22nd, 2022

The NDP will not move a vote of non-confidence, nor vote for a non-confidence motion during the term of the arrangement; Parties agree on the importance of parliamentary scrutiny and the work done by MPs at committees; Meetings of party leaders at least once per quarter, as well as regular meetings of House leaders and whips… to identify priority bills to expedite through the House of Commons… Parties agree to prioritize [the following]…

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Governance Policy Context | No Comments »


« Older Entries |