$45M G20 class-action suit filed
Sherry Good is the representative plaintiff for more than 800 people involved in a class-action lawsuit brought against the Toronto Police Services Board and the Attorney General of Canada. (CBC) A woman who says she was in a crowd detained by police for hours at a Toronto intersection during a G20 protest has launched a $45-million class-action lawsuit against the Toronto Police Services Board and the federal attorney general.
Sherry Good is acting as the representative plaintiff for more than 800 people who claim they were wrongfully arrested during the G20 summit in late June.
She is among about 500 people who were hemmed in by hundreds of riot police at the intersection of Queen Street West and Spadina Avenue for several hours in the rain on June 27.
Good, who called herself an "ordinary person" not involved in organizing any protests, claims to have suffered a panic attack following the incident.
"But the biggest consequence of that weekend is that I have lost my trust in the police," she told a Friday morning news conference.
"Now I am nervous when I see a police car. I consistently look over my shoulder. Sadly, it will take a long time to regain that trust."
The Toronto Police Services Board is a civilian organization that oversees the force. It is being sued because "it is the legal entity charged with overseeing the majority of the police activity that took place that weekend," said Eric Gillespie, one of the lawyers representing Good.
The Attorney General of Canada has been named because "it is the legal representative of the RCMP, who also had a significant role, it appears, in the events that transpired at that time," he said.
The suit was filed Thursday at Ontario Superior Court, but the bid to certify the legal action — meaning it would proceed — will likely take several months, Gillespie said.
Around 1,000 people were arrested during the summit, which ran June 26-27 in downtown Toronto.
'No comment' from police
Meanwhile, Toronto police held a news conference to release pictures of five more people they are looking for in connection with vandalism during the protests.
"My message here today has nothing to do with the class-action suit," Det. Mike Carbone said when asked about Good's lawsuit.
"I have no comment about the class-action suit."
Police also displayed previously released images of six other people identified as people they believe may have been involved in some of the vandalism.
The news conference is the third in which police have released pictures in hopes the public can help identify potential suspects. Since the first news conference last month, 17 people have been arrested.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2010/08/06/g20-class-action546.html#socialcomments#ixzz0vrBBTqPh
Friday, August 6, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
MPs get letters: Stockwell Day's pushback on census jumps.
MPs get letters: Stockwell Day's pushback on census jumps more than 200 per cent!!
Earlier this week, Treasury Board President Stockwell Day held a press conference where the subject of the census came up. Here's the transcript:
Mike De Souza (PostMedia): What kind of reaction have you been getting from your constituents and among caucus – within your colleagues on this decision over the summer? Can you describe what people are saying, what they’re saying to you?
Day: Well, I’ll give you just what I’m finding on the street and not just in my own constituency, in Vancouver where I’ve been having a number of days of meetings also in my constituency. I’ve got a fairly responsive constituency. People get in touch with me quite quickly when there’s issues that are upsetting to them. In all the meetings that I’ve been having, whether it’s one-on-one, whether it’s at the roundtables, in my constituency over the summer, and I’m out there a lot, I think I have heard directly from three people on this. In meetings, including roundtables in Vancouver on a variety of issues, it has come up twice. It came up once when I was in Kitimat and once in Prince Rupert. I’m not saying that’s the number of people who are concerned. You asked me what am I hearing and I’m telling you people are pretty responsive on issues that are bothering them and that’s what I’ve heard so —
De Souza: And those people, they are concerned about the decision?
Day: A couple of those were saying, yeah, how are we going to get certain types of information. They were raising from a point of concern about getting information and others were saying what is the stir all about here? So I’m just giving you the – now I’ve heard about a lot of other issues but that’s what I’ve heard on that one.
The Thompson family has responded to Day's comments and was kind enough to send a copy of them my way:
Dear Mr. Day,
While enjoying a day at the cottage today my family came across an article by Jane Taber which mentioned that that in a press conference today you have only heard from three complaints from Canadians over your governments decision to scrap the long-form census.
I would like to register an additional seven complaints from around our table (we are concerned there might be an issue with your e-mail - please let us know if you receive this if not I can send a hard copy).
Your governments decision to manufacture this issue is reckless and completely ideologically driven. I'm sure you have heard the many reasons that this is clearly an attack on reliable data that severely hurts minorities and those most vulnerable in our society. It also will make it much more difficult to create effective policy based on sound statistical evidence (but maybe that's not a big deal because your "sense" on crime rates and other things is probably better then the "census" that of our world-renowned statistics agency used to reliably produce). On top of all this despite your talking points which we have heard so much - no one has ever gone to jail for not filling out the census. Just thought I'd make sure you've heard that.
This is a serious issue and we would urge you to re-consider. This will have serious damaging effects on statistical reliability in Canada and there is simply no reason to implement this change. You know as well as everyone else that the outrage has been manufactured and even the polls are against you. Turn back this decision and protect fact based decision making in this country.
Sincerely,
Chris Thompson
Carolyn Thompson
Steven Thompson
David Thompson
Lynne Green
Susan Johnson
David Johnson
Earlier this week, Treasury Board President Stockwell Day held a press conference where the subject of the census came up. Here's the transcript:
Mike De Souza (PostMedia): What kind of reaction have you been getting from your constituents and among caucus – within your colleagues on this decision over the summer? Can you describe what people are saying, what they’re saying to you?
Day: Well, I’ll give you just what I’m finding on the street and not just in my own constituency, in Vancouver where I’ve been having a number of days of meetings also in my constituency. I’ve got a fairly responsive constituency. People get in touch with me quite quickly when there’s issues that are upsetting to them. In all the meetings that I’ve been having, whether it’s one-on-one, whether it’s at the roundtables, in my constituency over the summer, and I’m out there a lot, I think I have heard directly from three people on this. In meetings, including roundtables in Vancouver on a variety of issues, it has come up twice. It came up once when I was in Kitimat and once in Prince Rupert. I’m not saying that’s the number of people who are concerned. You asked me what am I hearing and I’m telling you people are pretty responsive on issues that are bothering them and that’s what I’ve heard so —
De Souza: And those people, they are concerned about the decision?
Day: A couple of those were saying, yeah, how are we going to get certain types of information. They were raising from a point of concern about getting information and others were saying what is the stir all about here? So I’m just giving you the – now I’ve heard about a lot of other issues but that’s what I’ve heard on that one.
The Thompson family has responded to Day's comments and was kind enough to send a copy of them my way:
Dear Mr. Day,
While enjoying a day at the cottage today my family came across an article by Jane Taber which mentioned that that in a press conference today you have only heard from three complaints from Canadians over your governments decision to scrap the long-form census.
I would like to register an additional seven complaints from around our table (we are concerned there might be an issue with your e-mail - please let us know if you receive this if not I can send a hard copy).
Your governments decision to manufacture this issue is reckless and completely ideologically driven. I'm sure you have heard the many reasons that this is clearly an attack on reliable data that severely hurts minorities and those most vulnerable in our society. It also will make it much more difficult to create effective policy based on sound statistical evidence (but maybe that's not a big deal because your "sense" on crime rates and other things is probably better then the "census" that of our world-renowned statistics agency used to reliably produce). On top of all this despite your talking points which we have heard so much - no one has ever gone to jail for not filling out the census. Just thought I'd make sure you've heard that.
This is a serious issue and we would urge you to re-consider. This will have serious damaging effects on statistical reliability in Canada and there is simply no reason to implement this change. You know as well as everyone else that the outrage has been manufactured and even the polls are against you. Turn back this decision and protect fact based decision making in this country.
Sincerely,
Chris Thompson
Carolyn Thompson
Steven Thompson
David Thompson
Lynne Green
Susan Johnson
David Johnson
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Can I find a donor list to political parties?.
Hello
Is there any public record of large donors such as companies to political parties? If you tell me to look at the Elections Canada webpage I have already been there. It looks like they have a database but I'm not sure how to use it. It is not the most intuitive database I have ever met. Although I am interested in all large contributions to political parties, at the moment I am interested in specifically finding out if there have been any large donations to the Conservative Party of Canada on behalf of the defence industry. I am mostly interested in Lockheed Martin as it may go to partly explain why they were the single source contract for the new fighter jets to replace the CF18's. If I recall correctly, there was a maintenance contract that was exclusively sourced to Boeing in 2006 to refurbish and upgrade the current CF18's. If that's true, why replace with new Lockheed equipment except for quid pro quo agreements? I need links and background.
Thanks
Send info to
msdogfood@hotmail.com
or this.
Is there any public record of large donors such as companies to political parties? If you tell me to look at the Elections Canada webpage I have already been there. It looks like they have a database but I'm not sure how to use it. It is not the most intuitive database I have ever met. Although I am interested in all large contributions to political parties, at the moment I am interested in specifically finding out if there have been any large donations to the Conservative Party of Canada on behalf of the defence industry. I am mostly interested in Lockheed Martin as it may go to partly explain why they were the single source contract for the new fighter jets to replace the CF18's. If I recall correctly, there was a maintenance contract that was exclusively sourced to Boeing in 2006 to refurbish and upgrade the current CF18's. If that's true, why replace with new Lockheed equipment except for quid pro quo agreements? I need links and background.
Thanks
Send info to
msdogfood@hotmail.com
or this.
Charter Challenge in Ontario : Alcohol ban for young drivers
20-year-old Conservative activist is challenging a controversial new provincial law that makes it illegal for young drivers to drink alcohol before getting behind the wheel.
Toronto’s Kevin Wiener, who tools around in a 1988 Cadillac he got from his grandfather, will file an application in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on Wednesday.
The law that took effect Sunday requires drivers aged 21 and under to have a blood alcohol content of zero.
Wiener, a business student at the University of Western Ontario, said the law is unconstitutional because it discriminates solely on the basis of age.
“Talk to my friends, I’m actually the last person to do any risky behaviours or stuff like that,” he said Tuesday, emphasizing he does not approve of drunk driving.
“This law is discriminating on age and it should be based on years of experience (driving),” said Wiener, suggesting a fairer model is the Manitoba law that prevents all drivers from drinking for their first five years under that province’s graduated licensing system.
“The Charter (of Rights and Freedoms) prohibits discrimination based on age.”
While Wiener is a federal and provincial Conservative party member, he insisted the legal crusade is his alone and is not driven by partisan politics or a desire to embarrass Premier Dalton McGuinty’s Liberals.
“Right now, I’m self-representing. I’m driving a 22-year-old car, so if I had $30,000 or $40,000 to burn, it wouldn’t be going to lawyers’ fees,” he said.
“This really isn’t a left-right issue. As a young person, I don’t feel it’s fair for the government (to do this). I’ve been driving for four years, I have a clean driving record, I have no demerit points ever and the government’s saying that because I’m 20, I can’t be trusted to have a glass of wine with dinner.”
Transportation Minister Kathleen Wynne said in an interview that she’s “comfortable” the new legislation can withstand any legal challenge.
“We’ve changed these rules based on evidence. We looked at the stats. We know that at the age of 22 the statistics start to change, so 19, 20, and 21 are really peak years for drinking and driving,” said Wynne.
“As a society, we’ve made a lot of decisions based on age,” she noted.
“Young people can’t get their licence till they’re 16, they can’t vote till they’re 18, they can’t drink till they’re 19. Every two years, anybody over 80 … has to do a written test and if there’s a problem, they have to take a driving test.”
Still, NDP MPP Peter Kormos (Welland) said the government may have a rocky road ahead.
“At first glance, the law clearly is discriminatory,” said Kormos, a lawyer and the New Democrats’ justice critic.
“Maybe it’s time for us in Canada to adopt a standard that’s prevalent in so many European countries of literal zero tolerance for drinking and driving,” he said.
“That makes it so much easier. You don’t have to try to guess your breathalyzer limit, you don’t have to play with some toy machine in a bar that costs you $2 to measure your breath with. Don’t drink and drive – it’s so easy.”
Under Ontario’s new law, drivers aged 21 or younger lose their licences for 24 hours if even trace amounts of alcohol are detected in the blood. A second offence could result in a 90-day suspension and a third violation could spell the loss of driving privileges.
McGuinty’s government amended its youth driving legislation after a campaign by Tim Mulcahy, whose son Tyler, 20, was killed in a July 2008 car crash after an afternoon of drinking at a Muskoka club.
Two of his friends also died when his high-powered Audi S4 crashed into a river.
Mulcahy took out full-page newspaper ads and lobbied politicians of all stripes to tighten the rules for young drivers.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Charter Challenges
Challenging a law as unconstitutional under the 1982 Charter of Rights and Freedoms requires a legal journey that begins in a lower court.
In this province, the complainant applies to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to have the law considered null and void.
When the court rules in favour of the applicant, the law is not usually struck down right away. Instead, the government is given a reasonable amount of time —perhaps six months to a year—to amend the legislation.
If the court rules in favour of the government, the applicant could take the case up the legal ladder to the Court of Appeal. (This avenue is also open to the government if it is ordered to amend a law.)
In Ontario, Court of Appeal rulings are binding unless overturned by the Supreme Court of Canada.
That means either the government or the complainant could continue the legal battle to the highest court in the land.
When a law is challenged as unconstitutional, courts tend to expedite proceedings so that the entire process, in some cases, takes less than a year.
Toronto’s Kevin Wiener, who tools around in a 1988 Cadillac he got from his grandfather, will file an application in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on Wednesday.
The law that took effect Sunday requires drivers aged 21 and under to have a blood alcohol content of zero.
Wiener, a business student at the University of Western Ontario, said the law is unconstitutional because it discriminates solely on the basis of age.
“Talk to my friends, I’m actually the last person to do any risky behaviours or stuff like that,” he said Tuesday, emphasizing he does not approve of drunk driving.
“This law is discriminating on age and it should be based on years of experience (driving),” said Wiener, suggesting a fairer model is the Manitoba law that prevents all drivers from drinking for their first five years under that province’s graduated licensing system.
“The Charter (of Rights and Freedoms) prohibits discrimination based on age.”
While Wiener is a federal and provincial Conservative party member, he insisted the legal crusade is his alone and is not driven by partisan politics or a desire to embarrass Premier Dalton McGuinty’s Liberals.
“Right now, I’m self-representing. I’m driving a 22-year-old car, so if I had $30,000 or $40,000 to burn, it wouldn’t be going to lawyers’ fees,” he said.
“This really isn’t a left-right issue. As a young person, I don’t feel it’s fair for the government (to do this). I’ve been driving for four years, I have a clean driving record, I have no demerit points ever and the government’s saying that because I’m 20, I can’t be trusted to have a glass of wine with dinner.”
Transportation Minister Kathleen Wynne said in an interview that she’s “comfortable” the new legislation can withstand any legal challenge.
“We’ve changed these rules based on evidence. We looked at the stats. We know that at the age of 22 the statistics start to change, so 19, 20, and 21 are really peak years for drinking and driving,” said Wynne.
“As a society, we’ve made a lot of decisions based on age,” she noted.
“Young people can’t get their licence till they’re 16, they can’t vote till they’re 18, they can’t drink till they’re 19. Every two years, anybody over 80 … has to do a written test and if there’s a problem, they have to take a driving test.”
Still, NDP MPP Peter Kormos (Welland) said the government may have a rocky road ahead.
“At first glance, the law clearly is discriminatory,” said Kormos, a lawyer and the New Democrats’ justice critic.
“Maybe it’s time for us in Canada to adopt a standard that’s prevalent in so many European countries of literal zero tolerance for drinking and driving,” he said.
“That makes it so much easier. You don’t have to try to guess your breathalyzer limit, you don’t have to play with some toy machine in a bar that costs you $2 to measure your breath with. Don’t drink and drive – it’s so easy.”
Under Ontario’s new law, drivers aged 21 or younger lose their licences for 24 hours if even trace amounts of alcohol are detected in the blood. A second offence could result in a 90-day suspension and a third violation could spell the loss of driving privileges.
McGuinty’s government amended its youth driving legislation after a campaign by Tim Mulcahy, whose son Tyler, 20, was killed in a July 2008 car crash after an afternoon of drinking at a Muskoka club.
Two of his friends also died when his high-powered Audi S4 crashed into a river.
Mulcahy took out full-page newspaper ads and lobbied politicians of all stripes to tighten the rules for young drivers.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Charter Challenges
Challenging a law as unconstitutional under the 1982 Charter of Rights and Freedoms requires a legal journey that begins in a lower court.
In this province, the complainant applies to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to have the law considered null and void.
When the court rules in favour of the applicant, the law is not usually struck down right away. Instead, the government is given a reasonable amount of time —perhaps six months to a year—to amend the legislation.
If the court rules in favour of the government, the applicant could take the case up the legal ladder to the Court of Appeal. (This avenue is also open to the government if it is ordered to amend a law.)
In Ontario, Court of Appeal rulings are binding unless overturned by the Supreme Court of Canada.
That means either the government or the complainant could continue the legal battle to the highest court in the land.
When a law is challenged as unconstitutional, courts tend to expedite proceedings so that the entire process, in some cases, takes less than a year.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Talk, as it turns out, is not cheap if your The Prime Minister’s Office .
Prime Minister’s Office spending to jump more than $1-million
24-hour news cycle, rise in ethnic media drive up cost of communications, spokesman says
.Talk, as it turns out, is not cheap.
The cost of running the Prime Minister’s Office will jump by more than $1-million this year, mostly because of communications expenses.
The final number will be published in the government’s official accounting of expenses for 2009-2010, which will be released in the fall.
But The Canadian Press has learned it will hit about $9.89-million, compared to last year’s $8.15-million on spending.
The PMO has hired another 20 people in the last year, including more staff to handle regional and ethnic media, as well as direct government communication, such as the ad blitz on the economic action plan.
Control over whole-of-government messaging has also come to reside within the PMO, keeping staffers busy approving requests for information and interviews with every single government department.
The Prime Minister also took multiple trips abroad and hosted the G8 and G20 summits, which expanded the cost of running his shop.
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister said he believed the costs were essential.
There is more pressure in a 24-hour news cycle for ministers, MPs and the government to respond, said Andrew MacDougall, but the explosion in third-language media has also added to demand.
“We’ve made the conscious effort to really step up our efforts and frankly, in contrast with past communications shops, to be out there more and be more helpful,” he said.
Staff in the Prime Minister’s Office are subject to a wage freeze as part of the government-wide effort to face down its $54-billion deficit.
The office is also currently undergoing strategic review for this year.
During the last decade, the cost of running the PMO has fluctuated between $6.7-million in 2000-2001 and a high of $13.8-million in 2005-2006.
That was also the year that former Liberal prime minister Paul Martin and current Prime Minister Stephen Harper each spent time in the office.
There is no line item tally for 2006-2007.
The way expenses are tallied has also changed over the years, making a direct comparison between previous governments difficult.
Starting in 2008-2009, government ministers were required to begin individually disclosing their expenses under the new accountability act.
Prior to 2006-2007, there was a line item for “office of the prime minister” under the expenses for the privy office, but those costs did not reflect political staff costs.
24-hour news cycle, rise in ethnic media drive up cost of communications, spokesman says
.Talk, as it turns out, is not cheap.
The cost of running the Prime Minister’s Office will jump by more than $1-million this year, mostly because of communications expenses.
The final number will be published in the government’s official accounting of expenses for 2009-2010, which will be released in the fall.
But The Canadian Press has learned it will hit about $9.89-million, compared to last year’s $8.15-million on spending.
The PMO has hired another 20 people in the last year, including more staff to handle regional and ethnic media, as well as direct government communication, such as the ad blitz on the economic action plan.
Control over whole-of-government messaging has also come to reside within the PMO, keeping staffers busy approving requests for information and interviews with every single government department.
The Prime Minister also took multiple trips abroad and hosted the G8 and G20 summits, which expanded the cost of running his shop.
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister said he believed the costs were essential.
There is more pressure in a 24-hour news cycle for ministers, MPs and the government to respond, said Andrew MacDougall, but the explosion in third-language media has also added to demand.
“We’ve made the conscious effort to really step up our efforts and frankly, in contrast with past communications shops, to be out there more and be more helpful,” he said.
Staff in the Prime Minister’s Office are subject to a wage freeze as part of the government-wide effort to face down its $54-billion deficit.
The office is also currently undergoing strategic review for this year.
During the last decade, the cost of running the PMO has fluctuated between $6.7-million in 2000-2001 and a high of $13.8-million in 2005-2006.
That was also the year that former Liberal prime minister Paul Martin and current Prime Minister Stephen Harper each spent time in the office.
There is no line item tally for 2006-2007.
The way expenses are tallied has also changed over the years, making a direct comparison between previous governments difficult.
Starting in 2008-2009, government ministers were required to begin individually disclosing their expenses under the new accountability act.
Prior to 2006-2007, there was a line item for “office of the prime minister” under the expenses for the privy office, but those costs did not reflect political staff costs.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Call for police watchdogs growing across Canada by SIU
Call for police watchdogs growing across Canada
Peter J. Thompson / National Post
John Minty (L) his mother Evelyn Minty (C) and sister Diane Minty (R) attend hearings at a Toronto courthouse on May 13, 2010 about family member Douglas Minty, who was shot and killed by officers of the OPP
Shannon Kari, National Post · Tuesday, Jul. 27, 2010
Standing on the front steps of the sandstone facade of the Osgoode Hall courthouse in downtown Toronto, Evelyn Minty grieved openly about the loss of her son, Douglas, who was fatally shot by an Ontario Provincial Police officer last year.
"I want answers. I want to know what happened with my son," she said outside a court hearing this spring. "I don't want mothers to go through what I have gone through. It's been a year. I can't forget it. I can't sleep nights."
Her developmentally disabled 59-year-old son had a knife and was allegedly approaching an officer in the small community of Elmvale, about 120 kilometres northwest of Toronto, when he was killed.
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU), the civilian agency in Ontario that probes incidents of serious harm or death involving police, ultimately decided not to charge the officers involved. It was not an unexpected decision: No criminal charges have been laid against a police officer in Ontario in any of the 45 fatal shootings of civilians over the past decade.
Frustrated by the lack of information about the case, the Minty family and relatives of Levi Schaeffer, another man fatally shot last year by police, went to Ontario Superior Court. They want the court to order an end to practices such as officers consulting with lawyers before drafting their notes in these types of cases. What is unusual is that the families have the support of the SIU. Its director, Ian Scott, agreed that the vetting of notes and the potential for collusion when several officers retain the same lawyer are preventing the agency from conducting independent and timely investigations.
It is the first time in the two decades since the SIU was created that its director has complained publicly about impediments to investigating police.
Standing on the other side of the court aisle were lawyers representing every major police organization in Ontario.
"We have a pretty good model," said Ron Bain, executive director of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, in an interview. "The SIU has evolved over time to be more operationally sound. I am not hearing anything out of the Atttorney-General's office that the SIU needs changing."
Resisting change, however, may be a futile pursuit. The call for better police oversight is growing.
The Alberta and Manitoba governments are moving to greater civilian oversight of incidents of serious injury or death to a civilian involving police. The Toronto Police Services Board has agreed to a review of the actions that led to the arrest of hundreds of people at the G20 summit in June.
Perhaps most prominent are the recommendations of Thomas Braidwood, who presided over the inquiry into the death of Robert Dziekanski, who died after being Tasered at Vancouver International Airport in 2007. He is calling for the creation of an oversight agency with the broadest powers in the country. "The debate is no longer whether British Columbians should have a civilian-based investigative body, but what it should look like," wrote the retired B.C. Court of Appeal judge in his report released last month.
One recommendation, which by Mr. Braidwood acknowledges is potentially controversial, is that the new agency would eventually be made up only of civilian investigators. This is not the case in Ontario, where most SIU investigators are retired officers.
This is not something police in B.C. would necessarily oppose. "Our concern is only that the investigators have the proper training and expertise," said Clayton Pecknold, president of the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police.
The association first said last fall that it supported a civilian oversight agency in B.C. "These investigations take up a lot of resources. We are happy to have an agency take this one on," said Mr. Pecknold, who also serves as deputy chief constable of the Central Saanich Police Service.
"While we have confidence in our past investigations, we need to deal with public perception. Let's get this up and running."
The B.C. Civil Liberties Association is also urging the province to move quickly to implement the Braidwood recommendations. "I am very optimistic. This is what the public wants," said Robert Holmes, president of the civil liberties group. "Oversight is not about criminal charges [against police], it is about public confidence."
For its part, the B.C. government indicated the new oversight agency would be up and running within a year. Attorney-General Michael de Jong declined a request for an interview.
Julian Falconer, who represents the Minty and Schaeffer families, said better oversight will increase public confidence in police. "It does police services no good to justify or conceal bad policing. Good police officers should not be left out of the equation of those who benefit from effective oversight," Mr. Falconer said.
In Ontario, there may also be political obstacles for the SIU, as well as the relatives of Mr. Minty and Mr. Schaeffer.
Superior Court Justice Wailan Low ruled recently that it was not for the courts to decide on whether the vetting of notes and one lawyer representing multiple officers violate Police Act regulations. While two provincial reports recommended an end to the practices, "whether the government adopts the suggestions in the reports and enacts laws to implement them is within its province alone," she concluded.
Lacking confidence that the Ontario government will act on those two reports, the families recently filed an appeal of Judge Low's ruling. That appeal is unlikely to be heard until the fall.
..
Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/toronto/Oversight+Force/3325967/story.html#ixzz0vQ742sEJ
Peter J. Thompson / National Post
John Minty (L) his mother Evelyn Minty (C) and sister Diane Minty (R) attend hearings at a Toronto courthouse on May 13, 2010 about family member Douglas Minty, who was shot and killed by officers of the OPP
Shannon Kari, National Post · Tuesday, Jul. 27, 2010
Standing on the front steps of the sandstone facade of the Osgoode Hall courthouse in downtown Toronto, Evelyn Minty grieved openly about the loss of her son, Douglas, who was fatally shot by an Ontario Provincial Police officer last year.
"I want answers. I want to know what happened with my son," she said outside a court hearing this spring. "I don't want mothers to go through what I have gone through. It's been a year. I can't forget it. I can't sleep nights."
Her developmentally disabled 59-year-old son had a knife and was allegedly approaching an officer in the small community of Elmvale, about 120 kilometres northwest of Toronto, when he was killed.
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU), the civilian agency in Ontario that probes incidents of serious harm or death involving police, ultimately decided not to charge the officers involved. It was not an unexpected decision: No criminal charges have been laid against a police officer in Ontario in any of the 45 fatal shootings of civilians over the past decade.
Frustrated by the lack of information about the case, the Minty family and relatives of Levi Schaeffer, another man fatally shot last year by police, went to Ontario Superior Court. They want the court to order an end to practices such as officers consulting with lawyers before drafting their notes in these types of cases. What is unusual is that the families have the support of the SIU. Its director, Ian Scott, agreed that the vetting of notes and the potential for collusion when several officers retain the same lawyer are preventing the agency from conducting independent and timely investigations.
It is the first time in the two decades since the SIU was created that its director has complained publicly about impediments to investigating police.
Standing on the other side of the court aisle were lawyers representing every major police organization in Ontario.
"We have a pretty good model," said Ron Bain, executive director of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, in an interview. "The SIU has evolved over time to be more operationally sound. I am not hearing anything out of the Atttorney-General's office that the SIU needs changing."
Resisting change, however, may be a futile pursuit. The call for better police oversight is growing.
The Alberta and Manitoba governments are moving to greater civilian oversight of incidents of serious injury or death to a civilian involving police. The Toronto Police Services Board has agreed to a review of the actions that led to the arrest of hundreds of people at the G20 summit in June.
Perhaps most prominent are the recommendations of Thomas Braidwood, who presided over the inquiry into the death of Robert Dziekanski, who died after being Tasered at Vancouver International Airport in 2007. He is calling for the creation of an oversight agency with the broadest powers in the country. "The debate is no longer whether British Columbians should have a civilian-based investigative body, but what it should look like," wrote the retired B.C. Court of Appeal judge in his report released last month.
One recommendation, which by Mr. Braidwood acknowledges is potentially controversial, is that the new agency would eventually be made up only of civilian investigators. This is not the case in Ontario, where most SIU investigators are retired officers.
This is not something police in B.C. would necessarily oppose. "Our concern is only that the investigators have the proper training and expertise," said Clayton Pecknold, president of the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police.
The association first said last fall that it supported a civilian oversight agency in B.C. "These investigations take up a lot of resources. We are happy to have an agency take this one on," said Mr. Pecknold, who also serves as deputy chief constable of the Central Saanich Police Service.
"While we have confidence in our past investigations, we need to deal with public perception. Let's get this up and running."
The B.C. Civil Liberties Association is also urging the province to move quickly to implement the Braidwood recommendations. "I am very optimistic. This is what the public wants," said Robert Holmes, president of the civil liberties group. "Oversight is not about criminal charges [against police], it is about public confidence."
For its part, the B.C. government indicated the new oversight agency would be up and running within a year. Attorney-General Michael de Jong declined a request for an interview.
Julian Falconer, who represents the Minty and Schaeffer families, said better oversight will increase public confidence in police. "It does police services no good to justify or conceal bad policing. Good police officers should not be left out of the equation of those who benefit from effective oversight," Mr. Falconer said.
In Ontario, there may also be political obstacles for the SIU, as well as the relatives of Mr. Minty and Mr. Schaeffer.
Superior Court Justice Wailan Low ruled recently that it was not for the courts to decide on whether the vetting of notes and one lawyer representing multiple officers violate Police Act regulations. While two provincial reports recommended an end to the practices, "whether the government adopts the suggestions in the reports and enacts laws to implement them is within its province alone," she concluded.
Lacking confidence that the Ontario government will act on those two reports, the families recently filed an appeal of Judge Low's ruling. That appeal is unlikely to be heard until the fall.
..
Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/toronto/Oversight+Force/3325967/story.html#ixzz0vQ742sEJ
Sunday, August 1, 2010
HEALTH HAZARD ALERT Food Safety Investigation - G. Brandt Meat Products Ltd. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
HEALTH HAZARD ALERT
CERTAIN READY-TO-EAT COOKED MEAT PRODUCTS FROM G. BRANDT MEAT PACKERS (EST. 164) MAY CONTAIN FOODBORNE PATHOGENS
Food Safety Investigation - G. Brandt Meat Products Ltd.
OTTAWA, July 31, 2010 - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and G. Brandt Meat Packers Ltd. are warning the public not to consume the ready-to-eat cooked meat products described below because they may be contaminated with foodborne pathogens.
All codes of the following products, bearing Establishment number 164, are affected by this alert:
Brand Product
Borges Smoked Black Forest Style Ham
Brandt All Veal Bologna
All Veal Lyoner Sausage
All Veal Wiener
Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin
Bavarian Meat Loaf
Beerwurst Sausage
Black Forest Style Salami
Black Forest Style Turkey Breast
Blood Sausage
Blood Sausage Rings
Bologna Rings
Boris Sausage
Chef Style Roast Beef
Chicken, smoked (whole)
Classic Pannonia Ham Hungarian Style
Cooked All-Beef Salami
Cooked German Bratwurst
Cooked Ham (round)
Cooked Jellied Pork Tongue
Cooked Roast Beef
Csabai Sausage (mild)
Dutch Meat Loaf
Estonian Cooked Salami
Flat Smoked Turkey Breast
Gaenseleberwurst (Goose Meat and Pork Liver Pate)
Gammon Ham
Garlic Bologna
Glazed Cognac Pate
Glazed Liver Pate
Gourmet Liversausage with Herbs
Ham Kolbassa
Homemade Style Liversausage
Honey Maple Smoked Ham
Hot Pepperoni
Jagdwurst Sausage
Jalapeno Meat Pate
Jalapeno Sausage with Cheese
Jellied Beef Tongue
Kabanossa Sausage
Knackwurst
Kolbassa Meat Loaf
Kolbassa Sausage
Kosher Style Corned Beef
Krakovska Sausage
Landjaeger Sausage
Liversausage, coarse
Liversausage, fine
Meat Macaroni and Cheese Loaf
Meat Olive and Pimento Loaf
Mini Black Forest Style Ham
Mini Cheesewurst Sausage
Mini Cheesewurst Sausage (Farmer Style)
Mini Farmer Sausage
Montreal Style Smoked Meat
Muenchner Weisswurst Sausage
New York Style Pastrami
Oven Baked Glazed Liver Pate with Peppercorns
Pepper and Garlic Ham
Pepperoni
Pizza Meat Loaf with Cheese and Diced Peppers
Pizza Pepperoni
Polish Sausage
Polish Style Ham
Premium Garlic Roast Beef
Premium Kolbassa Sausage
Premium Oven Roast Chicken Breast
Premium Oven Roast Turkey Breast
Premium Smoked Boneless Pork Loin
Proscuitto Cotto Ham
Ruegenwalder Teewurst Sausage, fine
Sliced Turkey Pepperoni
Smoked Beef Tongues
Smoked Black Forest Style Ham
Smoked Chicken Breast
Smoked Chicken Legs
Smoked Farmer Sausage
Smoked Hungarian Csabai
Smoked Hungarian Farmer Sausage
Smoked Mini Farmer Sausages
Smoked Pig Ears
Smoked Pig Feet
Smoked Pig Tails
Smoked Pork Butt
Smoked Pork Hocks
Smoked Pork Jowls
Smoked Pork Loin, Bone-in
Smoked Pork Tongues
Smoked Side Bacon
Smoked Turkey Breast (rolls)
Smoked Veal Ribs
Spiced Ham Sausage
Summer Sausage
Summer Sausage (cooked)
Swiss Lyoner Sausage
Swiss Style Veal Bratwurst
Thueringer Sausage
Thueringer Sausage Homemade Style
Tongue and Blood Sausage
Turkey and Veal Sausage with Olives and Peppers
Turkey Drumsticks, smoked
Turkey Knackwurst
Turkey Kolbassa
Turkey Kolbassa Loaf
Turkey Pepperoni
Turkey Thighs, smoked
Vienna Cooked Salami Sausage
Westfalian Mettwurst Sausage
Wiener
Longo’s Black Forest Ham
Black Forest Style Turkey Breast
Mini Black Forest Style Ham
Montreal Style Smoked Meat
Our Premium Smoked Chicken Breast
Oven Roasted Chicken Breast (nitrite free)
Oven Roasted Turkey Breast (nitrite free)
Premium Honey Maple Black Forest Ham
Sirloin Tip Roast Beef
Smoked Chicken Breast (nitrite free)
The Smoke Master Chicken, smoked (whole)
Turkey Thighs, smoked
The affected products have been distributed nationally.
These ready-to-eat cooked meat products may have been sold pre-packaged under the brands listed above. They may also have been sold at deli counters and the original brand or exact product name may not have been transferred to the consumer packages. Persons who may have purchased these products and do not know the original brand and/or product name are advised to check with their retailer or supplier to determine if they have the affected product.
There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.
To avoid illness, consumers are advised not to eat these recalled ready-to-eat meat products. Throw them out instead.
Food contaminated with foodborne pathogens may not look or smell spoiled. Consumption of food contaminated with these organisms may cause foodborne illness, sometimes called food poisoning. Symptoms vary by organism, but can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fever, headache, dizziness and neck stiffness. Young children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems may be more at risk.
The manufacturer, G. Brandt Meat Packers Ltd, Brampton, ON, is voluntarily recalling the affected products from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.
For more information, consumers and industry can call one of the following numbers:
G. Brandt Meat Packers at 905-279-4469 ext. 227; or
CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday).
For information on the common causes of foodborne illness, visit the Food Facts web page at: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/causee.shtml.
For information on all food recalls, visit the CFIA’s Food Recall Report at: http://active.inspection.gc.ca/eng/corp/recarapp_dbe.asp.
To find out more about receiving recalls by e-mail, and other food safety facts, visit: www.foodsafety.gc.ca. Food and consumer product recalls are also available at http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca.
– 30 –
Media enquiries:
G. Brandt Meat Packers Ltd.
Caroline Spivak
Media Relations
416-371-9740
CFIA Media Relations
613-773-6600
CERTAIN READY-TO-EAT COOKED MEAT PRODUCTS FROM G. BRANDT MEAT PACKERS (EST. 164) MAY CONTAIN FOODBORNE PATHOGENS
Food Safety Investigation - G. Brandt Meat Products Ltd.
OTTAWA, July 31, 2010 - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and G. Brandt Meat Packers Ltd. are warning the public not to consume the ready-to-eat cooked meat products described below because they may be contaminated with foodborne pathogens.
All codes of the following products, bearing Establishment number 164, are affected by this alert:
Brand Product
Borges Smoked Black Forest Style Ham
Brandt All Veal Bologna
All Veal Lyoner Sausage
All Veal Wiener
Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin
Bavarian Meat Loaf
Beerwurst Sausage
Black Forest Style Salami
Black Forest Style Turkey Breast
Blood Sausage
Blood Sausage Rings
Bologna Rings
Boris Sausage
Chef Style Roast Beef
Chicken, smoked (whole)
Classic Pannonia Ham Hungarian Style
Cooked All-Beef Salami
Cooked German Bratwurst
Cooked Ham (round)
Cooked Jellied Pork Tongue
Cooked Roast Beef
Csabai Sausage (mild)
Dutch Meat Loaf
Estonian Cooked Salami
Flat Smoked Turkey Breast
Gaenseleberwurst (Goose Meat and Pork Liver Pate)
Gammon Ham
Garlic Bologna
Glazed Cognac Pate
Glazed Liver Pate
Gourmet Liversausage with Herbs
Ham Kolbassa
Homemade Style Liversausage
Honey Maple Smoked Ham
Hot Pepperoni
Jagdwurst Sausage
Jalapeno Meat Pate
Jalapeno Sausage with Cheese
Jellied Beef Tongue
Kabanossa Sausage
Knackwurst
Kolbassa Meat Loaf
Kolbassa Sausage
Kosher Style Corned Beef
Krakovska Sausage
Landjaeger Sausage
Liversausage, coarse
Liversausage, fine
Meat Macaroni and Cheese Loaf
Meat Olive and Pimento Loaf
Mini Black Forest Style Ham
Mini Cheesewurst Sausage
Mini Cheesewurst Sausage (Farmer Style)
Mini Farmer Sausage
Montreal Style Smoked Meat
Muenchner Weisswurst Sausage
New York Style Pastrami
Oven Baked Glazed Liver Pate with Peppercorns
Pepper and Garlic Ham
Pepperoni
Pizza Meat Loaf with Cheese and Diced Peppers
Pizza Pepperoni
Polish Sausage
Polish Style Ham
Premium Garlic Roast Beef
Premium Kolbassa Sausage
Premium Oven Roast Chicken Breast
Premium Oven Roast Turkey Breast
Premium Smoked Boneless Pork Loin
Proscuitto Cotto Ham
Ruegenwalder Teewurst Sausage, fine
Sliced Turkey Pepperoni
Smoked Beef Tongues
Smoked Black Forest Style Ham
Smoked Chicken Breast
Smoked Chicken Legs
Smoked Farmer Sausage
Smoked Hungarian Csabai
Smoked Hungarian Farmer Sausage
Smoked Mini Farmer Sausages
Smoked Pig Ears
Smoked Pig Feet
Smoked Pig Tails
Smoked Pork Butt
Smoked Pork Hocks
Smoked Pork Jowls
Smoked Pork Loin, Bone-in
Smoked Pork Tongues
Smoked Side Bacon
Smoked Turkey Breast (rolls)
Smoked Veal Ribs
Spiced Ham Sausage
Summer Sausage
Summer Sausage (cooked)
Swiss Lyoner Sausage
Swiss Style Veal Bratwurst
Thueringer Sausage
Thueringer Sausage Homemade Style
Tongue and Blood Sausage
Turkey and Veal Sausage with Olives and Peppers
Turkey Drumsticks, smoked
Turkey Knackwurst
Turkey Kolbassa
Turkey Kolbassa Loaf
Turkey Pepperoni
Turkey Thighs, smoked
Vienna Cooked Salami Sausage
Westfalian Mettwurst Sausage
Wiener
Longo’s Black Forest Ham
Black Forest Style Turkey Breast
Mini Black Forest Style Ham
Montreal Style Smoked Meat
Our Premium Smoked Chicken Breast
Oven Roasted Chicken Breast (nitrite free)
Oven Roasted Turkey Breast (nitrite free)
Premium Honey Maple Black Forest Ham
Sirloin Tip Roast Beef
Smoked Chicken Breast (nitrite free)
The Smoke Master Chicken, smoked (whole)
Turkey Thighs, smoked
The affected products have been distributed nationally.
These ready-to-eat cooked meat products may have been sold pre-packaged under the brands listed above. They may also have been sold at deli counters and the original brand or exact product name may not have been transferred to the consumer packages. Persons who may have purchased these products and do not know the original brand and/or product name are advised to check with their retailer or supplier to determine if they have the affected product.
There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.
To avoid illness, consumers are advised not to eat these recalled ready-to-eat meat products. Throw them out instead.
Food contaminated with foodborne pathogens may not look or smell spoiled. Consumption of food contaminated with these organisms may cause foodborne illness, sometimes called food poisoning. Symptoms vary by organism, but can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fever, headache, dizziness and neck stiffness. Young children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems may be more at risk.
The manufacturer, G. Brandt Meat Packers Ltd, Brampton, ON, is voluntarily recalling the affected products from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.
For more information, consumers and industry can call one of the following numbers:
G. Brandt Meat Packers at 905-279-4469 ext. 227; or
CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday).
For information on the common causes of foodborne illness, visit the Food Facts web page at: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/causee.shtml.
For information on all food recalls, visit the CFIA’s Food Recall Report at: http://active.inspection.gc.ca/eng/corp/recarapp_dbe.asp.
To find out more about receiving recalls by e-mail, and other food safety facts, visit: www.foodsafety.gc.ca. Food and consumer product recalls are also available at http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca.
– 30 –
Media enquiries:
G. Brandt Meat Packers Ltd.
Caroline Spivak
Media Relations
416-371-9740
CFIA Media Relations
613-773-6600
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