The ReeveLaw Blog

“Canadians must understand that by granting government officials the power to extinguish citizenship for some of us, the new law devalues Canadian citizenship for all of us. The permanence of Canadian citizenship is a cornerstone of Canadian values — once a citizen, always a citizen. With this new law, the Harper government has turned this idea on its head, turning millions of us into second-class citizens and establishing a hierarchy of belonging that deems some of us as less worthy of rights protection than others. The new law also blatantly disregards the Charter of Rights and Freedoms: it allows the government to discriminate against Canadians in flagrant disregard for the equality rights the Charter guarantees.”

Canadians must understand that by granting government officials the power to extinguish citizenship for some of us, the new law devalues Canadian citizenship for all of us. The permanence of Canadian citizenship is a cornerstone of Canadian values — once a citizen, always a citizen. With this new law, the Harper government has turned this idea on its head, turning millions of us into second-class citizens and establishing a hierarchy of belonging that deems some of us as less worthy of rights protection than others. The new law also blatantly disregards the Charter of Rights and Freedoms: it allows the government to discriminate against Canadians in flagrant disregard for the equality rights the Charter guarantees.

Source: Opinion: New Citizenship Act weakens Canada

Misconceptions persist about how a person might be able to “beat” a breathalyzer in a roadside test. Get the facts here.

Source: Can You Trick a Breathalyzer?

Why cops across the U.S. are targeting men who pay for prostitutes

Source: Sex Buyers: Why Cops Across the U.S. Target Men Who Buy Prostitutes

The system is unforgiving, the consequences brutal. There is no fairness in the criminal justice system. The American style public defender system Legal Aid Ontario is moving toward will ensure that your publicly funded lawyer is nothing more than another cog in the wheel.

Every year, thousands of innocent people are sent to jail only because they can’t afford to post bail, putting them at risk of losing their jobs, custody of their children — even their lives.

Source: The Bail Trap – The New York Times

If you’ve applied for a pardon, give it up. You’re not going to get one. Harper has abolished pardons in his no rehabilitation, once a criminal always a criminal, no forgiveness for past mistakes ideology. You can reapply at more than 4X the price for a “record suspension” but again, don’t hold your breath.

The Parole Board of Canada says it can no longer dedicate its resources to clearing a backlog of old pardon applications, leaving thousands of former offenders in legal limbo.

Source: Funding runs out for clearing Canada’s pardon application backlog

If we can put our moral judgements aside for a bit we could gain some insight into the real life of night labourers.

In every strip club I’ve worked in, it’s the same: We’re exploited.

Source: Stop Stealing From Strippers – The New York Times

Now, having said that, I’m confused:

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2015/08/14/amnesty-prostitution-ruling-is-heartless-mallick.html

 

The minimum fine for distracted driving in Ontario is set to increase to nearly $500 starting next month, police tell 680 NEWS.

Source: Drive distracted? Minimum penalty hits nearly $500

The Ontario Superior Court  decides it’s okay for police to pretend to be and pose as a news reporter, so now if you think you’re talking to a journalist you may find out you’re talking to a cop. However, if a journalist pretended to be a cop I’m pretty sure that wouldn’t be okay.

Media groups may appeal Ontario court decision, arguing such police tactics will cause a chill in press freedom.

Source: Judge tosses Charter challenge against cops posing as journalists | Toronto Star

While jail sentences for corporate executives convicted of criminal offences aren’t at all unusual anymore, it’s only in the last two years or so that courts have been incarcerating executives and managers for regulatory offences, particularly for occupational health and safety violations.

Source: Focus: Courts getting more aggressive on safety offences

The

“Canada used to be admired internationally for its approach to corrections, particularly its treatment of young offenders and its progressive rehabilitative programs. Today, Canada is moving in the other direction — establishing mandatory minimum sentences, incarcerating more offenders, making it harder for them to obtain parole and ensuring that the conditions of their incarceration are harsher.”Former Toronto police chief Bill Blair says ” Prison should be reserved for “truly dangerous” individuals.”

Myth 1: Tough-on-crime policy is about promoting public safety.

Myth 2: Tough-on-crime policy is about helping victims.

Myth 3: Tough-on-crime policy is good use of taxpayer dollars.

Myth 4: Heavier enforcement controls crime rates.

Myth 5: People who break the law deserve long, punitive sentences.

Conservatives swear their crime policies have made Canadians safer. On the contrary: it’s the one area we can safely say Canadians are less safe and paying too much for the privilege.

Source: Five myths about the tough-on-crime agenda | rabble.ca