rob nicholson
Tories should take Jaffer lesson to heart, dump minimum sentences: experts
By Bruce Cheadle (CP)OTTAWA — Justice Minister Rob Nicholson should take a long, honest look at the Rahim Jaffer case and apply its lessons to the Conservative criminal justice agenda, the head of the John Howard Society said Tuesday.
"It's really easy to disparage discretion for judges - until you need it," Craig Jones told The Canadian Press in an interview.
Jaffer, a former senior Conservative MP in the government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, walked out of a courtroom in Orangeville, Ont., after drunk driving and cocaine possession charges were dropped in return for a plea bargain on a careless driving charge.
Ottawa calls for review of detainee documents
CBC NewsThe federal government has asked a former Supreme Court of Canada judge to review whether there would be "injurious" effects if some Afghan detainee documents were made public.
Justice Minister Rob Nicholson said Friday in the House of Commons he was appointing Frank Iacobucci to go over documents relating to the handing over of detainees to Afghan authorities by Canadian Forces.
"In the case of injurious information, he will report to me on whether the information or a summary of it can be disclosed and report on the form of disclosure or any conditions on disclosure," Nicholson said.
He called it "an independent, comprehensive review."
‘I am pleased to have this opportunity to respond’ - Rob Nicholson
Rob Nicholson, Published in MacleansA few weeks ago, Liberal Senator James Cowan wrote the Justice Minister requesting a correcting of the record. A few days ago, the Justice Minister wrote back and Rob Nicholson’s office has kindly passed along that reply.
Full text after the jump.
March 1, 2010
The Honourable James S. Cowan, Q.C.
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Room 375-S, Centre Block
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A4
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Room 375-S, Centre Block
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A4
Crime bills to be scrutinized, Liberals warn
Shannon Kari, National PostOne of the stated reasons for the prorogation of Parliament was that the resetting of Senate committees would better allow the Tories to pass their crime legislation, parts of which had been held up in the Upper Chamber in the past.
But the Liberal justice critic says his party is not going to approve speedy passage of all the crime legislation through the House of Commons -- even if that leads to accusations of being labeled "soft on crime" -- when Parliament resumes this week.
UN watchdog takes aim at Canada's medical marijuana program
By Steven Edwards, Canwest News Service Published: Montreal Gazette
UNITED NATIONS — Justice Minister Robert Nicholson said Wednesday the government’s medical marijuana regulations are under review after the UN’s drugs watchdog warned Canada needs to tighten up the system.
The Vienna-based International Narcotics Control Board said Canada is operating outside international treaty rules aimed at minimizing the risk criminals will get hold of cannabis grown under the program.
“The whole question of medical marijuana is being looked at by the minister of health with respect to the options that she has,” said Nicholson, whose ministry serves as the umbrella agency for the government’s anti-drug efforts.
Canada a 'primary' producer of ecstasy: UN report
By BRYN WEESE, Parliamentary Bureau, Toronto SunOTTAWA — Canada is still a “primary” producer of ecstasy for the U.S. and countries around the world, but the United Nations’ International Narcotics Control Board noted “with appreciation” the federal government’s anti-drug agenda that has clamped-down on traffickers and boosted treatment for abusers.
Justice Minister wants opposition to reinstate crime bills
By BRYN WEESE, Parliamentary Bureau Toronto SunOTTAWA - Justice Minister Rob Nicholson is “hopeful” the opposition parties will agree to reinstate 14 crime bills that died with Parliament's prorogation late last year.
“What would their motives be not to agree? If a piece of legislation is good for Canadians ... why wouldn’t they give us their complete support?” Nicholson said Tuesday.
When Parliament was suspended in December, all government bills died but they can be reinstated where they were in the legislative process before prorogation in various ways, including with a majority vote in the House.
PM's Senate plurality doesn't guarantee smooth sailing for Tories' justice agenda
By HARRIS MACLEOD, The Hill TimesThe mandatory minimums myth
Editorial: Globe and MailWhen it comes to mandatory minimum prison sentences, Federal Justice Minister Rob Nicholson is a true believer. He and his government see them as a valuable weapon in the fight to deter crime. Mr. Nicholson may have a secret cache of studies that bear out this contention, but most criminology research points in the opposite direction.
His opinion also runs counter to the conclusions of a parliamentary committee that Mr. Nicholson served on in 1988. Citing ineffectiveness and prohibitive costs, it recommended against creating new mandatory minimum sentences. What changed for Mr. Nicholson? It is to be hoped that it was not the easy electoral gain that comes from scaring the public into embracing tough-on-crime measures.
Harper government can't accept Insite's right to stay open
Jeremy Hainsworth, Xtra NewsThe federal Conservative government says it will appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada a ruling by the BC Court of Appeal that allowed Vancouver's safe-injection site for intravenous drug users to stay open.
The appeal court ruled Jan 15 that Insite is a health care facility and therefore falls under provincial jurisdiction.
But federal Justice Minister Rob Nicholson says "this case raises important questions regarding the doctrine of interjurisdictional immunity and the division of powers between the federal and provincial governments."
