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Mental illness problems common among homeless
By MICHAEL LIGHTSTONE, The Chronicle HeraldVic Toews blames media for Rahim Jaffer 'smear job'
Jane Taber, Globe and MailFormer Harper aide says Jaffer should apologize
Tonda MacCharles, The StarKey Senate post up for grabs, but Tories take a pass
By Jennifer Ditchburn, CPJaffer case draws fire from John Howard Society
The head of the John Howard Society says Justice Minister Rob Nicholson should take a long, honest look at the Rahim Jaffer case.
Craig Jones says Nicholson should apply lessons from the case to the Conservative criminal justice agenda.
Jones says the Jaffer case shows how mandatory minimum sentences don't work, because they take away discretion from judges to find proportionality in the justice system.
Jaffer is a former senior Conservative MP in the government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper. He walked out of an Ontario courtroom yesterday after drunk driving and cocaine possession charges were dropped against him. In return, Jaffer pleaded guilty to a careless driving charge.
Harper Government Borrowing, Increasing Taxes, to Build Prisons - Crime at 30 year low
By Janice Tibbetts, Canwest News Service
OTTAWA — The head of Canada's prison system says there will be "major construction initiatives" in the coming years to cope with federal legislation to imprison more offenders longer — an assertion backed by new spending estimates showing a 43 per cent increase in penitentiary capital costs next year.
Don Head, commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada, set the stage for prison expansion in a recent e-mail, obtained by Canwest News Service.
Tories bristle when asked to explain Rahim Jaffer's 'slap on the wrist'
By. Jane Taber, Globe and Mail
Stephen Harper’s tough-on-crime Conservatives were accused of being not-so-tough when it comes to one of their own today during a particularly nasty Question Period today.
Winnipeg Liberal MP Anita Neville raised the issue of the $500 fine given to former Tory MP Rahim Jaffer after he pleaded guilty to a charge of careless driving earlier today. Her questions – and accusations – touched off a firestorm in the Commons.
Harper tough on crime? Not at all
By John Hutton, Winnipeg SunDespite having spent most of last year arguing that his “tough on crime” agenda was urgently needed, Stephen Harper killed off most of it when he prorogued Parliament.
This means the legislation will have to be re-introduced and debated all over again over the next few months.
It is also a second chance for Canadians to see that his initiatives aren’t going to accomplish much, but they are going to cost taxpayers a lot of money.
Harper’s agenda involves increasing the amount of time people have to serve in jail or prison (at taxpayer expense) by imposing more minimum sentences, and making it harder for inmates to get parole.
Ontario School Board Fails in Attempt to Expell Student for At Home Marijuana Use
Posted By KENNEDY GORDON, Peterburough Examiner
Jean Grant says her son was a test case for a new school rule -- and her battle with the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board was a test case for parents who refuse to back down.
"I want other parents to know what school boards can do, what principals and vice-principals have the power to do," Grant said Monday.
In what Grant calls the first case of its kind, the Superior Court of Justice rejected an appeal filed by the board, which wanted to keep her son out of high school and was fighting a Child and Family Services Review Board decision to keep him in class.


Canadian activist and legalization advocate Marc Emery needs your help! He is facing extradition to the United States for sale of cannabis seeds to American customers, although he conducted all of his activities in Canada. Call Minister of Justice Rob Nicholson to tell him not to extradite Marc Emery.
43% increase in prison construction is wrong approach to keep communities safe
The Vancouver Province