Politics on TV: Mark Adler mansplains the job numbers
By Dale Smith - Friday, April 5, 2013 - 0 Comments
Here are the three things you should not have missed:
With the Statistics Canada numbers showing that the economy shed some 54,500 jobs in March, and unemployment going up 1.2 per cent, Power & Politics spoke with an MP panel of Mark Adler, Peggy Nash, and Scott Brison to get some insight. Adler, however, was looking only to obfuscate and deliver his prepared lines about how great the overall trend was thanks to the government’s efforts, to the point that he appeared to be mansplaining it to Hannah Thibedeau, to her frustration. “These are very ugly economic numbers,” Nash said, and said that the government can’t take credit when things go well if they also don’t take the blame when they go badly. Brison noted the continued plight of youth unemployment, and said that the budget freezes training dollars at 2007 levels when they should be investing in a robust training strategy, lest they lose the potential of an entire generation of Canadians.
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Tax havens vs. iPod taxes
By Dale Smith - Thursday, April 4, 2013 at 7:44 PM - 0 Comments
Here are the three things you should not have missed:
- Reactions to the story on offshore tax haven leaks
- Does the budget implement an iPod tax?
- John Baird on his trip to the Middle East
In the wake of the CBC’s major story on the leak of offshore tax haven information, Power & Politics spoke with Liberal Senator Percy Downe, who has been on the tax haven crusade for several years. Downe said that the CRA’s $4.6 billion figure of lost revenue is a low figure, and criticised their refusal to disclose what the tax gap in Canada is. Downe wondered how the government could identify what kinds of resources they need to fight offshore havens if they won’t identify the scope of the problem, and noted that of the 106 Canadians found to be hiding revenue in Lichtenstein six years ago, no charges were ever laid and the cases are considered closed. On Power Play, Don Martin spoke with the director of the International Consortium of Journalists, Gerard Ryle, about the leak that they received, to which Ryle replied that what surprised him the most was that the secretive world of tax havens was not the exclusive domain of the super-rich, but had plenty of doctors and dentists from every country in the world.
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Politics on TV: Pathogens and tax evasion
By Dale Smith - Wednesday, April 3, 2013 at 7:57 PM - 0 Comments
Here are the three things you should not have missed:
Power Play got a briefing from reporter Daniele Hamamdijan about the charges laid against two former CFIA scientists – Dr. Klaus Nielsen and Wei Ling Yu. Nielsen was arrested at the Ottawa airport carrying 17 vials of brucella, while there is a warrant out for Yu’s arrest, though she is believed to be in China. Both are charged with breach of trust. Don Martin then spoke with Keith Warriner of the University of Guelph, who said that brucella is a rather nasty pathogen, more common in the days before pasteurizing milk, which is highly contagious and can cause flu-like symptoms for months. Warriner said he suspects the pair were not trying to sell it to Chinese agents, but were likely trying to get samples to someone doing research on the pathogen there. On Power & Politics, it was noted that China has seen rampant brucella outbreaks, and that Nielsen helped to develop a test for the pathogen that can save whole herds from being culled.
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Politics on TV: Radicalization and pipelines
By Dale Smith - Tuesday, April 2, 2013 at 7:55 PM - 0 Comments
Here are the three things you should not have missed:
- Radicalized Canadians in Algeria
- Joe Oliver on Pipelines
- Jason Kenney on the new “Welcome to Canada” guide
After the revelation of the identities of those Canadians killed in Algeria during the assault on the gas plant there, Power & Politics spoke with immigration minister Jason Kenney, who said that radicalization was hardly a new phenomenon, and pointed to the Toronto 18. Kenney said police and intelligence agencies have been effective with early interventions against radicalization, which are not publicized. Evan Solomon then spoke with MPs Paul Dewar and Francis Scarpaleggia, where Dewar said that Baird’s previous diplomatic blunders made him question how much the government was coordinating with intelligence agencies, and Scarpaleggia noted that they supported the requests for new measures by CSIS as part of the anti-terrorism bill that just passed. Power Play spoke with security analyst Robert Barrett, who said it wasn’t fair to say that CSIS dropped the ball with these two given the challenges of finding intelligence that would allow agencies to intervene.
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Politics on TV: Iraq, muzzles, and Bill Vander Zalm
By Dale Smith - Monday, April 1, 2013 at 7:35 PM - 0 Comments
Here are the three things you should not have missed:
After Foreign Affairs minister John Baird made a surprise visit to Baghdad to announce expanding our diplomatic presence in the country, Power & Politics spoke with an MP panel of Chris Alexander, Paul Dewar and John McKay. Alexander said that the region is an important trading partner, and the government is focused on potential investment opportunities, as well as the need to be engaged because the country borders Iran, Syrian and Turkey. Dewar felt that the promotion of our diplomatic personnel from a part-time desk in the UK embassy to a full-time desk wasn’t newsworthy, while McKay said that it was better late than never, though he wasn’t sure what the presence would accomplish because the region is still too unstable to get to the point of meaningful trade and business opportunities. On Power Play, Don Martin spoke with Bessma Momani from the Centre for International Governance Innovation, who noted that while eyes and ears on the ground were a good thing, Baird’s real mission was about markets, and that the Middle East is a growing market.
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Politics on TV: UN conventions and robocall legislation
By Dale Smith - Thursday, March 28, 2013 at 7:48 PM - 0 Comments
Here are the three things you should not have missed:
- Pulling out of the UN convention on desertification
- The report on robocall rules
- The Liberal leadership numbers
Power Play spoke with former foreign affairs minister Lloyd Axworthy, who was also a former UN Special Envoy for Ethiopia-Eritrea, about the decision to pull out of the UN convention on drought. Axworthy called it a “quirky move” that didn’t make a lot of sense, especially considering that it is a treaty about getting countries and NGOs engaged on the issue and not a humanitarian aid project. Axworthy said that the “talk” that the Conservatives are criticizing is part of international diplomacy, and that the move to make Canada more of a hermit country is not plausible or reasonable. On Power & Politics, an MP panel of Chris Alexander, Paul Dewar and John McCallum looked at the issue, where Alexander rather petulantly said the move was about cost savings and achieving better results with other programs. Dewar noted that recently the Prime Minister said good things about the very same convention, and McCallum felt that the Conservatives were using this as a test case to gauge the reaction before they started pulling out of other things.
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Politics on TV: Robocalls, Warawa and drug seizures
By Dale Smith - Wednesday, March 27, 2013 at 7:51 PM - 0 Comments
Here are the three things you should not have missed:
- The Elections Canada report on misleading robocalls
- Mark Warawa updates the progress on his motion
- A new report on drug seizures at the border
Power Play spoke with PostMedia columnist Stephen Maher about the Elections Canada report on misleading robocalls that was tabled this afternoon. Maher said that the report doesn’t have any information on the ongoing investigations into the robocalls, but rather that it makes recommendations on how Parliament can change the Elections Act. Those recommendations include stiffer penalties – up to $250,000 in fines or five years in jail – and the ability to compel testimony from witnesses, as Maher noted that three people in the Guelph investigation have refused to testify. As well, the report calls for proper identification on the calls, and a registry for all robocalls being made.
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Warawa and Rathgeber take off their muzzles
By Dale Smith - Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 7:41 PM - 0 Comments
Here are the three things you should not have missed:
- The issue of muzzled backbenchers
- Robert Ghiz on skills training changes
- Leona Aglukkaq on the lessons of SARS
With the issue of MPs feeling muzzled around Private Members’ Business and Members’ Statements, Power & Politics spoke with Conservative MP Mark Warawa, whose motion on sex-selective abortions was deemed non-voteable and who was denied a chance to speak about it in the House. Warawa said that the expert from the Library of Parliament said the motion was voteable, and he plans to appeal the committee’s decision to the House as a whole if he has to. He also says that his motion is not about reopening the abortion debate, but is about discrimination against women and girls, and cited the UN figure of 200 million missing girls in the world before invoking the Montreal massacre and Malala. Evan Solomon also spoke with Conservative MP Brent Rathgeber, who said that he is concerned that members from all parties are being too controlled from their whips and leaders’ offices, and it is an issue about Parliament because it’s the role of MPs to hold the government to account. On Power Play, former Speaker Peter Milliken said there was a time when the Speaker controlled the speaking lists, and it may be worth returning to that system, as the content gets more partisan.
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Politics on TV: Nishiyuu Walkers and panda diplomacy
By Dale Smith - Monday, March 25, 2013 at 7:35 PM - 0 Comments
Here are the three things you should not have missed:
After the young Cree walkers arrived on Parliament Hill after their trek from James Bay, Power & Politics spoke with an MP panel of Greg Rickford, Charlie Angus and Carolyn Bennett to discuss what it means. Rickford said that the government has common ground with those who aren’t content with how all levels of government aren’t working for them, and that they are taking steps in moving forward. Angus called the walkers “heroic” and said that their message was about creating a new relationship. Bennett noted that the government didn’t consult with First Nations or youth for the budget, and noted the oppositional language that the government employs when it comes to First Nations. Evan Solomon also spoke with Matthew Coon Come, Grand Chief of Northern Quebec, who said that this is about youth questioning the treatment of their people.
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Politics on TV: Budget fallout
By Dale Smith - Friday, March 22, 2013 at 7:29 PM - 0 Comments
Here are the three things you should not have missed:
Power & Politics spoke with Foreign Affairs minister John Baird, who said that bringing CIDA into the Foreign Affairs umbrella is a more streamlined approach to the conduct of foreign policy, as humanitarian assistance is part of foreign policy, and it brings all of the experts under one roof. Baird said that the move wasn’t too controversial, and that the department already has two parts and two ministers, the other being international trade, so a third won’t be a big change. In response, Chris Hall spoke with Julia Sanchez, President of the Canadian Council for International Development, and former Foreign Affairs minister Lloyd Axworthy. Sanchez said that they have been calling for a stronger CIDA, but that they are not convinced this is the right time for such a move because there is no clear policy direction in place. Axworthy said there needs to be a more integrated relationship between trade, development and diplomacy, as the world is not divided into silos. On Power Play, Anthony Scoggins, Director of International Programs at Oxfam, said that while he buys into the efficiencies argument, he fears that there will be less of a focus on the reduction of poverty.
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Why merging CIDA into Foreign Affairs strengthens Canada’s aid program
By Scott Gilmore - Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 6:33 PM - 0 Comments
Scott Gilmore explains why it makes good sense to put the team in the same locker room
The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), which provides humanitarian relief and fights poverty overseas, is being merged with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. While most Canadians would see this as a boring bureaucratic footnote, a precious few believe it to be the death of “Canada the Good.” Both views are wrong.
CIDA spends approximately $4 billion a year in some of the world’s poorest countries. This money has saved or changed the lives of millions, providing access to AIDS treatments, building schools, and strengthening emerging democracies. In many parts of the world, like rural Afghanistan, CIDA is Canada’s calling card. A significant change to this agency is not meaningless; it will affect a great number of people and the way we are viewed as a nation.
But this particular change is a good one, and marks a strengthening of our aid program, not its destruction. For years, people inside and outside the Canadian government have complained about the lack of co-ordination between the CIDA and other agencies. I remember listening to a CIDA staffer explain to me once: “It may be a government of Canada priority, but it is not a CIDA priority.” In some of our embassies, the development and diplomat staff would work in respectful ignorance of each other. In others, it was openly hostile.
This changed significantly in recent years, heralded by the successful “Whole of Government” or “3D” approach in Afghanistan, where defence, development and diplomatic staff lived and worked together. The results were sometimes mixed, but there was a consensus that everyone came out ahead. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), in its peer review of CIDA, applauded this approach and recommended that it be applied more broadly. If the teammates need to co-ordinate better, putting them in the same locker room is a logical step.
Diplomats won’t be the only other ones in that locker room. The new expanded department also includes International Trade. Right now, foreign direct investment into Africa is now larger than aid transfers. This increased trade, much of it coming from Canadian mining companies, is what is winning the war on poverty. The merger will allow CIDA to work with Trade Commissioners to ensure this investment does as much good as possible for those living at the base of the economic pyramid.
Critics are calling for CIDA to be left alone, or even to be moved out as an arms-length agency. They mistake the aid industry for a sacrosanct priesthood. While the bureaucrats in CIDA do good work, it’s not holy altruism. Their developmental goals can still be reached while also supporting Canadian foreign policy and trade objectives. It is not a zero-sum game.
This reality is being recognized by the British and other European aid agencies who have adopted similar approaches. Ironically, this idea has been kicking around Ottawa for more than 15 years and has been proposed to previous governments. In a typically Canadian way, we waited until someone else adopted our good ideas, before we found the courage to do the same.
Scott Gilmore is the Founder of the social enterprise Building Markets and is a frequent critic of the aid industry.
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Politics on TV: Budget Day extravaganza
By Dale Smith - Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 4:43 PM - 0 Comments
Highlights from Budget Day coverage:
In his reaction scrum, Mulcair decried that 240,000 young Canadians don’t have jobs, that the Conservatives have created a huge debt for the provinces, and that there was a proposed “workfare” program for First Nations, which he called a slap in the face and paternalistic. (Note: Evan Solomon and Amanda Lang couldn’t find reference to this in the budget documents). ”You cannot austere your way out of a crisis,” Mulcair said, and said it was wrong to put all of their eggs into the “extraction basket” while emptying out the “balanced economy.” He did like that FedNor is being made a ministerial-level institution, which he credited to the actions of his Northern Ontario caucus. He added that Flaherty’s growth projections were wrong last year, and that they’d be wrong again next year. In response to a question, he said that an NDP government would take a different approach by looking at the long-term social and economic effects of their policies.
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Politics on TV: Mortgage rates, Northern Gateway protests, and Page’s last report
By Dale Smith - Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at 7:44 PM - 0 Comments
Here are the three things you should not have missed:
- Comments on Flaherty calling banks about mortgage rates
- First Nations vowing protests against Northern Gateway
- Kevin Page’s last report
Power Play spoke with John Andrews of Queen’s University, who said that Flaherty’s calling Manulife Financial to persuade them from lowering their mortgage rate was “highly unusual” and said that there was a big difference between the Bank of Canada raising its rates or the minister setting mortgage policy, and calling up the lender. Andrews said that Flaherty crossed the line and that it was unacceptable interference in a free and competitive market. Don Martin then put it to an MP panel of Peggy Nash, Scott Brison and Stella Ambler, where Ambler said the concern was for affordable and stable rates in the long run, as interest rates will go up at some point. Nash said that the Conservatives used to want to deregulate banks, and won’t get involved with high credit card rates, while Brison noted that Flaherty helped to create the housing bubble, and that he would have been better off lowering the amortization period or raising the down payment levels.
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Politics on TV: Inmates, the budget, and protests
By Dale Smith - Tuesday, March 19, 2013 at 7:44 PM - 0 Comments
Here are the three things you should not have missed:
After Correctional Services’ internal audit revealed problems with victims not being notified with inmate releases, or cases where information wasn’t shared with parole officers, Power & Politics spoke with an MP panel of Candice Bergen, Randall Garrison and Wayne Easter. Bergen was concerns about the lack of victim notification, and that the right processes weren’t being adhered to, and said that they would accept the audit’s recommendations. Garrison said the audit shows that the system is overstressed with more inmates and fewer resources, and it was only going to get worse with more cutbacks on the way. Easter said that it all goes back to how the Conservatives handle justice issues, that they’re not incorporating rehabilitation and doing cost-benefit analyses of their policies.
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Politics on TV: Tankers, Redford, and pre-budget madness
By Dale Smith - Monday, March 18, 2013 at 7:48 PM - 0 Comments
Here are the three things you should not have missed:
- Joe Oliver on new rules for oil tankers
- Alison Redford on Mulcair and Keystone XL
- MPs on pre-budget positioning
Power Play spoke with Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver about his announcement of new “world class” rules for oil tankers. Oliver said that there hasn’t been a major spill from a tanker on the west coast, but they need to keep up with technology, and that the bill would mandate improvements to navigational system, tanker surveillance, aerial surveillance, money for science and technology, and the creation of an appointment of expert panel to look at oil and gas transport. In reaction, Megan Leslie said that Oliver just admitted that all of the government’s environmental legislation has to do with resource development and not protecting the environment. Elizabeth May noted that there haven’t been super-tankers on the northern coast of BC thanks to the existing moratorium, while these new rules open that up by stealth.
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Noted on Twitter: Don Cherry, the leprechaun pimp
By macleans.ca - Saturday, March 16, 2013 at 11:03 PM - 0 Comments
Happy St. Patrick’s Day — or whatever
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Politics on TV: Keystone XL fallout and Kingsley talks Penashue
By Dale Smith - Friday, March 15, 2013 at 7:29 PM - 0 Comments
Here are the three things you should not have missed:
- American concerns about Keystone XL
- Jean-Pierre Kingsley on Penashue’s electoral violations
- IRPP’s report on robocall regulations
After US Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi expressed doubts about the Keystone XL Pipeline, Power & Politics spoke with Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver, who said that most US legislators believe the project is important. Oliver said that Mulcair’s visit was not helpful and may have undermined the project, regardless of what he explicitly said to Pelosi. Hannah Thibedeau then spoke with MPs Peter Julian and Massimo Pacetti for their reactions. Julian said that Mulcair’s visit was about opening doors and meeting with stakeholders, and that the Harper government’s own inaction on climate change was undermining their case for Keystone XL. Macetti noted that the press clippings show that Mulcair did a good job of ruining Canada’s reputation in Washington, and that the question for Liberals is how many jobs Keystone XL will create, as the numbers diverge wildly. Over on Power Play, Don Martin spoke with US Republican Senator John Hoeven, who is sponsoring a bill to approve the project with bi-partisan support, feeling that it has taken too long for approval.
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Politics on TV: Dissecting Peter Penashue’s resignation
By Dale Smith - Thursday, March 14, 2013 at 7:44 PM - 0 Comments
Here are the three things you should not have missed:
After Intergovernmental Affairs minister Peter Penashue announced his resignation over elections spending violations, Power & Politics first heard from senior correspondent Terry Milewski, who said that Penashue had no choice because there was no defence against the violations. Milewski said that while Penashue blamed his official agent, Reg Bowers, calling him inexperienced, Bowers was an accountant with many years’ experience who later got a government patronage appointment – which he resigned from as well today. The three main violations Penashue is accused of include accepting free flights, an interest-free loan, and improper corporate donations. Evan Solomon then spoke with MPs Jack Harris and Dominic LeBlanc – but no one from the government was made available. Harris said the allegations were serious, but ultimately went back to the party’s ethical standards. LeBlanc noted that the candidate also signs the papers the official agent prepares, and is responsible, and that it was surprising that Harper would sign the nomination papers of a candidate that demonstrates either gross incompetence or who broke the rules, but he apparently will as Penashue will run in a by-election. Later in the show, Laura Payton revealed that Penashue repaid $30,000 – more than they have calculated the donations to be, and added that she’s not sure where the money comes from because the campaign was broke and needed that questionable loan to pay the bills.
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Murray and Hall Findlay insist they’ll see Liberal race to the finish
By Dale Smith - Wednesday, March 13, 2013 at 7:36 PM - 0 Comments
Here are the three things you should not have missed:
- Marc Garneau’s exit from the Liberal leadership
- Thomas Mulcair on his trip to Washington
- The French PM’s visit to Canada
With the announcement that Marc Garneau has dropped out of the Liberal leadership race, Power Play spoke first with Joyce Murray, who affirmed she is in it for the duration. “Even though the spaceman has bowed out, the down-to-earth businesswoman is going on all cylinders,” she quipped. Murray cast doubt on the poll numbers that Garneau cited, saying they were from a robocall. Don Martin also spoke to Martha Hall Findlay, who also confirmed she is staying in because the race needs a substantive, experienced alternative who understands economics, before she listed the problems with Murray’s dead letter co-operation proposal. Hall Findlay also noted the real math to contend with in the race is the equal weighting of each riding’s votes, as opposed to sheer numbers.
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What Joe Oliver said about Mulcair’s trip to Washington
By Dale Smith - Tuesday, March 12, 2013 at 7:55 PM - 0 Comments
Here are the three things you should not have missed:
- Joe Oliver on Thomas Mulcair’s trip
- MPs on RCMP changes
- “Elected” senators Bert Brown and Scott Tannas
Power & Politics spoke with Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver about Thomas Mulcair’s trip to Washington during which he adopted an ostensibly neutral position on Keystone XL except to claim it will cost 40,000 Canadian jobs. Oliver called it a “bizarre kind of a trip.” The minister reiterated that the pipeline will create jobs in Canada — that there will be greater economic benefit by getting Canada’s oil to tidewater. “First of all,” Oliver said, “it’s not going to cost jobs, it’s going to create jobs in the tens of thousands. So he’s simply wrong. The fact that there will be some jobs in the United States does not mean there are not going to be jobs in Canada.” Oliver said that because Canada doesn’t have a command-and-control economy, energy projects must be economically viable, and Canada needs market diversity. He said Mulcair is on very shaky ground. “I find it a bit odd that he does not have the courage of his convictions.”
In response, Peter Julian said the NDP’s real concern is the export of jobs, but they won’t tell the Americans what decision to make. Megan Leslie told Power Play that Canada has unmet refining capacity and the US is outspending us 18-to-1 on renewable energy.
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Best-known Canadian around the world right now? Marc Ouellet
By Brian Bethune - Tuesday, March 12, 2013 at 7:32 AM - 0 Comments
Brian Bethune reports from Rome as the conclave begins
Photograph by Ian Bethune
There are only so many ways Canadians get internationally famous.
There’s hockey, of course, and that guy up in space, and a teenage pop star. But the best-known Canadian name around the world right now may belong to a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.
In St Peter’s Square the night before the conclave to choose a successor to Pope Benedict XVI was to begin, there were three sorts of people milling around, and the ordinary faithful were the fewest in number. The police presence was massive, large enough to be the group most at risk from nuns—easily the most aggressive drivers in Vatican City if not in Rome—flying around in tiny cars.
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Politics on TV: Devolution, dismissal, and a trip to Washington
By Dale Smith - Monday, March 11, 2013 at 7:45 PM - 0 Comments
Here are the three things you should not have missed:
- Former NWT premier on devolution deal
- MPs on Howard Sapers’ report
- Thomas Mulcair’s trip to Washington
Power Play spoke with former NWT Premier Stephen Kakfwi about the devolution deal that was signed today by Stephen Harper in Yellowknife. Kakfwi said that devolution is still in a work in progress, but not all First Nations groups are on side, and there is time before the deal is finalized to get them on side. Kakfwi said that he hopes that with the new powers the territorial government will ensure it can take a balanced and mature approach to the issues they will now be dealing with, but noted that they have taken some curiously contrary positions on certain land use agreements. Jerald Sabin, founding editor of Northern Pubic Affairs magazine, pointed out that devolution has been a process for the past 45 years, and that the NWT’s growth has been stagnant, and it is hoped the devolution of these powers will help kick-start their economic development.
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Politics on TV: Manitoba Métis, Kevin Page, and economists
By Dale Smith - Friday, March 8, 2013 at 7:40 PM - 0 Comments
Here are the three things you should not have missed:
- The Supreme Court decision on Manitoba Métis
- Kevin Page on his interim successor
- Jim Flaherty’s meeting with private sector economists
Power & Politics spoke with the president of Manitoba Métis Federation, David Chartrand, about the court’s decision. Chartrand called it a vindication of history for his people and for Louis Riel, who paid the ultimate price. Chartrand said that this was a story not being taught, but all of the documents came from the government’s own archives. While the land claim would encompass Winnipeg and the surrounding area, they are not asking for it back, but hope to use this declaration to get the Prime Minister to the table to resolve their unfinished claims. Chartrand spent 17 years, and over $5 million in costs on the challenge.
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Politics on TV: Howard Sapers, wireless spectrum, and the Ring of Fire
By Dale Smith - Thursday, March 7, 2013 at 7:46 PM - 0 Comments
Here are the three things you should not have missed:
- Correctional Investigator Howard Sapers
- Christian Paradis on wireless spectrum
- Tony Clement handling the Ring of Fire
Power Play spoke with Correctional Investigator Howard Sapers, whose report says that under every measure, Aboriginal offenders fare worse than non-Aboriginal offenders, and that this is a sustained difference. Sapers spoke about the legislative mandate for alternative sentencing for Aboriginals and ways in which the communities should be allowed to participate in planning for parole, however the programmes are not implemented, even though funds were earmarked for them. On Power & Politics, AFN Regional Chief for Alberta Cameron Alexis noted that out of 19000 employees at Corrections Canada, only 12 are Aboriginals working on programming, and that the problems in their communities have to do with a lack of adequate funds for education, health and child welfare.
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Politics on TV: Aboriginals in prison, Venezuela, and Keystone XL
By Dale Smith - Wednesday, March 6, 2013 at 7:46 PM - 0 Comments
Here are the three things you should not have missed:
- Report on Aboriginals in prison
- Venezuela condemns Harper’s condolence letter
- Selling the benefits of Keystone XL to the States
Power Play had a preview of a Correctional Investigator report on how the Aboriginal prison population in prisons soared to 23 per cent when they represent only four per cent of population, as well as only modest progress on providing alternative forms of Aboriginal justice. Don Martin spoke with Christa Big Canoe, legal director of Aboriginal Legal Services, who said that the figures should shock the population but are not surprising. Big Canoe said that crime isn’t necessarily higher among Aboriginals than non-Aboriginals, but that they have been over-incarcerated historically, and that Corrections Canada should be providing more culturally appropriate services like healing circles as they have a legislative mandate to.
