Thursday July 17, 2014 – 11am
Posted Jul 17, 2014 01:19:48 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
11:00- Renu Mandhane, Director of International Human Rights Program at the University of Toronto
How many people have to die alone in a jail cell, with only their troubled thoughts for company, before we demand an end to grave human rights abuses happening in our prisons? Edward Snowshoe is the latest casualty in a systemic practice that killed Ashley Smith in Kitchener’s Grand Valley Institution, and likely contributed to the death of Kinew James as well. Edward, Ashley and Kinew were all prisoners with serious mental health issues who were segregated for extended periods of time by the Correctional Service of Canada. They were segregated for months on end, despite their self-injurious behaviour and diagnosed mental health conditions. Edward was 24, Ashley was 19, and Kinew was 35. In 2012, the United Nations Committee against Torture found Canada in breach of its human rights obligations under the Convention against Torture. The UN found that Canada had inadequate infrastructure to deal with the rising and complex needs of prisoners with mental illness, and continued to use inappropriate and extensively prolonged solitary confinement to deal with them.
11:30- Andy Radia, Yahoo! Political Reporter
It’s a far-out idea that’s been floated about before. Proponents of the plan cite Toronto’s mammoth population – relative to the rest of the province – means that residents outside the ‘Big Smoke’ really don’t have a say with regard to government decisions. Now a veteran Progressive Conservative MPP wants to re-ignite the debate. Randy Hillier says that the “time is either fast approaching or already here, that Toronto ought to become a province unto its own.” “I don’t think anyone would disagree that there are very distinctive differences in lifestyles and attitudes and demographics… between Toronto and the rest of Ontario.” Hillier cited several examples of government policies – decided by GTA MPPs – that have hurt people who live and rural and northern ridings.
@andyradia w/ @politicalpoints
Listen:
