BS: 10,000 arrested in US today

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: Peace
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 12:13 PM

Back to you in a bit. Have a few things to do. However, I trust you are sharing out the 'burden of proof'. That is, it applies to your side of this, too.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: Peace
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 12:41 PM

Dave

See Executive Order 11921

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: Peace
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 01:08 PM

And ya better not talk about it, either.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: Peace
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 01:10 PM

Anyway, you no doubt know the expression about 'getting fixed'. "Took the dog to get it fixed." I think your people are getting fixed. Maybe it's about time y'all did some fixing back. Your government is out of control.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: CarolC
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 01:37 PM

Do you understand "CONTINGENCY"?

They are SUPPOSED to have plans to cover what might happen.

The problem is that the wording of that stuff indicates that they are anticipating civil unrest that is not connected in any way to a disaster such as a bio-weapon. The example of the Black Panthers proves beyond any shadow of a doubt that it is for the purpose of controling people whose rights have been violated, whose freedoms have been abridged, and who are sufficiently unhappy about it that they are actively working to (re)gain their freedoms and their rights.

On the subject of the oil. You are not seeing the bigger picture. It isn't about the people in the US getting oil. It isn't about people in other countries getting oil. It is entirely about oil companies having access to the profits that come with being the ones who get to extract and sell that oil. They don't give a shit about whom they sell it to. They just want to be the ones who get to make a profit on it. That's why, when they were able to use Saddam to help them get and keep that access, the US government considered him an ally, and even helped him wage war on Iran (another area where the oil companies want access). It wasn't until Saddam started defying orders from the US that he became enemy #1.

The reason they are using the US government to help them secure the oil profits for themselves is because, A. we have a huge military and we can do the job, B. our politicians are in their pockets and are willing to send our brave servicemen and women to die in order to help them maximize their profits, and C. because they can.

IMO, if you had half the concern for the actions that other governments have indicated they would do that you do for what you fear that ours might possibly do, you would think a little more about what you were objecting to the US actually doing.

I've seen enough of the damage done to human beings by what the government of this country has already done (sending our brave servicemen and women to kill and be killed in Vietnam) to be misled by this line of reasoning, beardedbruce. I already know, from personal experience, that the government of this country doesn't give a shit about the citizens of this country. As far as they are concerned, we exist only for the profit we help them generate. That's all.

Aren't you worried about the Canadians? ( **bg** )

Too late, beardedbruce. The Canadians' plan to invade and eventually take over the US is already well underway. They're everywhere now. There's even one of them living in my own home! But they're polite and they've got a lot more common sense than the US government, so I'm not too concerned.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: Peace
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 01:47 PM

Carol,

When are we invading? Ottawa leaves Shane and me out of the loop.

Bruce

PS Would the USA and its citizens be terribly offended if we brought our own beer?

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: CarolC
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 01:51 PM

brucie, I can only imagine that it is because you live in a very isolated place and you don't watch television that you are not already aware of the plan. JtS has been living here for more than six years. And he not only brought some damn fine beer, he also brought a bottle of Screech.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: Peace
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 02:19 PM

And for the kids.


Carol,

I had Screech few times. Please tell Jack not to be upset when I say to you, "DON'T DRINK IT!" It is good to keep in case you run out of turpentine or varsol. Do not store it near flame or sparks.

Bruce

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: Peace
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 02:26 PM

Also, if the FEMA people direct the military to your place, ya might not wanna be caught with that stuff in your possession. I have heard that it can be used to initiate the cold fusion process; also, it was the catalyst for the first thermnuclear device--the scientists felt its reliability to go boom was a few magnitudes higher than the fission bomb. One day when Canada had an energy crisis--basically, no one outside of Toronto felt like getting up and going to work--the federal government actually piped Screech through or taps. Production quadrupled for about seventeen days, and it only took a few months to correct the errors.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: Peace
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 02:29 PM

Incidentally, the children's site posted above is pretty good--at least for the part of the story it DOES tell. Note thia line from it:

"FEMA is part of the EXECUTIVE BRANCH, which means it reports to the President of the United States."

Y'all better not mess with FEMA.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: CarolC
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 02:53 PM

I have heard that it can be used to initiate the cold fusion process

No kidding, brucie. What do you think we've been using for our household energy supply all this time? It's got a really long half-life too. That one bottle alone ought to keep our computers running for at least the next fifty years. But I am going to have to drink some of it eventually. Right before I kiss the cod fish. Or right after... can't remember which. If I don't, they'll have to throw me in the harbour.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: DougR
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 02:57 PM

brucie: why the heck would we want Canada?

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: Peace
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 02:58 PM

RESOURCES.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: Peace
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 03:04 PM

SPACE (Liebestraum).

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: Peace
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 03:04 PM

WATER.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: Peace
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 03:05 PM

OIL/GAS.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: Peace
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 03:05 PM

CBC.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: Peace
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 03:06 PM

GREED.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: CarolC
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 03:09 PM

Naw... the US doesn't want the CBC. That's probably the first thing the US would eliminate if it took control of Canada. The second thing would be the national health care system.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: Peace
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 04:23 PM

I expect that at least half of us will be exterminated--basically what isn't required for labour. So the health care system might be something we need less at that time. CBC? Well, they ain't what they used to be, but they do their part to keep culture alive anyway.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: Once Famous
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 04:27 PM

They are all criminals.

Great job arresting them all.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: Peace
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 04:32 PM

Yes, they were and are.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: Grab
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 05:05 PM

Thought. Let's suppose there is a terrorist attack involving CBW. Or maybe not terrorist, maybe something natural along the lines of Ebola.

Now the issue is not necessarily getting the terrorists in the camp, the issue is more likely to be getting civvies in there, to somewhere surrounded by lots of heavily-armed soldiers. In mediaeval terms, think bailey wall or curtain wall - sacrifice the surrounding area to the attackers and pull the civvies inside. If they decide not to do it this way, there still is a problem of transporting contaminated people (and corpses) to somewhere so everyone else isn't infected. Camps are equally valid for both.

And the issue is not how many spaces there are, the problem is getting people there *fast*. Hence you need many distributed around the country.

And as for secrecy, think of how the IRA ran its bombing campaigns in NI. The classic move (repeated often) was to plant one bomb somewhere, and then plant several more bombs in the surrounding area in places where civvies were likely to be evacuated to, so that they'd kill as many people as possible. So the last thing you want is to evacuate people to a camp, only to find your friendly neighbourhood terrorist has planted a nice big batch of chemicals in there.

Or suppose they aren't refugee camps at all. Armies need places to train, and special forces will likely be training in small groups somewhere that's similar to where they're going. It may be easier not to shout "Hey folks, the Marines are in town!", you think?

Re the mass arrests of criminals, it takes *manpower* to go round arresting people. Most of that manpower is usually pounding the streets or on traffic patrol. But for a day, you can afford to pull people off "regular" policing to blitz the outstanding cases that they haven't had time to deal with. If there were enough police, maybe they wouldn't *have* to make arresting criminals a special event! But too many police looks like Nazi Germany, and some paranoid people start rumours going, especially on the Internet... ;-)

If you're determined to quote Nazi Germany, I'll remind you what happened there. Jews, gypsies etc were rounded up, and none of their neighbours spoke out. These people had committed no crime, they just happened to be of the wrong race. Now this has already happened in the US, during WW2, to Japanese-Americans. But until the police start rounding up Muslims in your area, things don't seem to be anything like that. Guantanamo Bay is something else, of course - very very dodgy. But not Americans in there.

Graham.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: puck
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 05:12 PM

Well thats the States and Bush for you!

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: Peace
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 05:24 PM

I receive a letter from a good friend today. He lives in the US. I will quote a part of what he wrote.

"We haven't heard much about the mass arrest of 10,000 people that occurred while I was in ########, except that it
occurred. I find this disturbing no matter what the true
circumstances: either we are overwhelmed with bona-fide terrorists
or the Bushies have taken a page from the Nazi's guidebook.

Reminds me that a few months ago I saw some 2nd level administration
official (assistant hack) on the tube reassuring us viewers that the
Patriot Act should be renewed and not to worry because this is the
good old USA and we would not be holding innocent persons
incommunicado or anything like that. (Oh no? how about Brandon
Mayfield, the Portland attorney who was held without charges,
incommunicado, for two weeks when he was falsely accused of being
connected with the train bombings in Spain. When he was finally
released, a court put him under a gag order forbidding him to talk
about it and the FBI commented that he was still under investigation
even though the Spanish had positively established that the
fingerprints that the FBI said were his actually belonged to an
Algerian terrorist who they arrested. Mayfield, is a convert to
Islam-making him a very suspicious guy.)

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: beardedbruce
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 06:02 PM

brucie

As for your beer- PLEASE!

8-{E

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: Peace
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 07:28 PM

Habeas Corpus. Been suspended in the US?

FBI: Gag orders?

Some vibrant and healthy democracy you have there.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: Peace
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 07:30 PM

"how about Brandon Mayfield, the Portland attorney who was held without charges, incommunicado, for two weeks when he was falsely accused of being connected with the train bombings in Spain."

Nothing to say about this (while I sip my beer)?

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: Peace
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 07:35 PM

Story here, BB. Refresh yer memory. Big OOPS from the FBI.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: beardedbruce
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 07:52 PM

brucie,

they are human, too...


from your last clicky-"One sign of how badly the case was handled: the FBI publicly apologized to Mayfield, something the bureau almost never does. Mayfield appreciates the mea culpa. "I commend them for stepping up to the plate ... and admitting they made a mistake," he says. "I'm from the Midwest, and an apology goes a long way."


And now you can tell me how often OTHER countries have admitted they had made mistakes. I think that there is a bias against the US, in that we are held to a set of standards that no other country is, yest criticised for not treating all the other countries as our equals. If we are MORE RESPONSIBLE, then perhaps we should get the rights that go along with responsibility.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: GUEST,brucie
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 07:57 PM

Does NOT take away the fact they held him for two weeks with NO charge and he was innocent.

They apologized because he was a lawyer. He'd likely have sued their arses off otherwise.

Don't white-wash the situation. You guys are kissin' your country goodbye.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: Peace
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 08:15 PM

"If we are MORE RESPONSIBLE, then perhaps we should get the rights that go along with responsibility."

Lotsa words that don't address the issue. You have not been responsible in many dealings with other countries, BB. The world is beginning to see that.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: beardedbruce
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 08:30 PM

brucie,

I meant that if we are held to a higher standard of responsibility....


Will you state that you would hold other countries to the same standards that you insist the US comply with? ANd get Canada to stop exporting asbestos to the third world? And hold the Chinese and other Asian prision systems to the same level so scrutiny that the US is held to?

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: Peace
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 08:58 PM

Canada is not trying to dominate the world. The US is.

The US exported WMDs to Saddam Hussein. Gave him weapons and cash--to act as a balance against Iran. Asbestos--WMDs.

Neither is right, but one is less wrong than the other.

Get something new to blame Canada for, BB. I have heard this one for many months. You are smarter than that.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: beardedbruce
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 09:32 PM

brucie,

I have heard Iraq for several years...

Which WMD did we send Saddam? Here I thought he got them from the French and Germans...

Canada has 1/10 the population- so multiply the effect of it's actions by 10 to get the equivilent US....

"Canada is not trying to dominate the world. The US is."

You make this statement without any validation. Should you care to provide proof, I might consider it- but it looks like Canada is busy telling the US what to do- not that we listen. So who is trying to dominate the world?

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: robomatic
Date: 17 Apr 05 - 11:47 PM

brucie:

We already tried to take Canada and were licked. I think we learned that lesson. If we get any of it it will probably be if Quebec takes themselves too seriously and accidentally votes themselves out of the Union. In that case I think the Maritimes would come begging.

I sure hope I'm wrong. I believe in a strong and united Canada. It would be better for the US that way. If we took you over it would be the end of good ginger beer and fish 'n chips. Not to mention fields full of sunflowers. And "Puppets Who Kill".

Nah, impossible.

You should rent yourself a hilarious little flower-power era movie with James Coburn called "The President's Analysit." The Canadian secret service plays a part in it.

hugs and kisses from your friends in the States and ......

CALM DOWN!!!!!!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: CarolC
Date: 18 Apr 05 - 12:35 AM

The CBC is great brucie. But the US government would probably consider them subversive. They sometimes actually report facts.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: beardedbruce
Date: 18 Apr 05 - 01:31 AM

Canadian Arab Federation Calls for
Due Process for All Detainees
In a news release dated October 7, the Canadian Arab Federation (CAF) expressed its happiness at the release of Maher Arar and called on the Canadian government to do more to ensure the protection of Canadian citizens domestically and abroad. "We extend our best wishes to the Arar family," CAF National President Raja Khouri said amongst other things.

"Mr. Arar is not the only person of Arab descent to be held in detention. Hassan Almrei, a 29-year old refugee from Syria has been held in a Canadian prison for two years in solitary confinement without charge or bail. He is being held on a security certificate that does not allow for any of the alleged evidence against him to be shared with either Almrei or his lawyer. Others being similarly detained in Canada are Mahmoud Jaballah (without charge since August 2001), Mohammad Mahjoub (held since June 2000), Adil Charkaoui (since May) and Mohamad Harkat (since Dec 2002)," the CAF said.

CAF's Executive Director Audrey Jamal said: "As a country we cannot be selective in condemning these human rights violations internationally while remaining silent about events that happen within our own borders." "The same Canadian officials, who found the detention of Mr. Arar without trial or charge unacceptable, should also take action against the lack of due process for detainees that is happening right here in Canada," Jamal said.

CAF urged the Canadian government to either charge these individuals and present those charges in a court of law with transparent and public proceedings, or release them.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: beardedbruce
Date: 18 Apr 05 - 01:31 AM

Citizenship and Immigration Canada Must Clear Allegations Against "Project Thread" Victims
- Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations, November 11, 2003 -
The Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN) today called on the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Denis Coderre to immediately offer a public apology to the individuals arrested under "Project Thread" and to issue a public declaration that there is no evidence to connect the men to terrorism.

"Project Thread" refers to the RCMP investigation that culminated in the arrest and detention of 20 Pakistani men and one south Indian man in August 2003. Of the 21 arrested, nine have been deported, one remains in jail while the rest are out on bail, facing deportation.

In his call to the Minister, CAIR-CAN Executive Director Riad Saloojee stated:

"Three months after the men were arrested under 'Project Thread,' there continues to be no clear evidence tying the men to terrorism. On the contrary, it is clear that the public allegation issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) tying the men to terrorism were baseless.

"The initial allegations were gravely irresponsible and have subjected many of the men to unwarranted scrutiny and harassment. The last wave of deportations to Pakistan, for example, saw the men detained by federal officials and interrogated for 16 hours. Authorities in Pakistan have commenced further investigations into the lives of the men and their families.

"We call on the Minister to offer an immediately public apology to the men who were arrested and smeared under 'Project Thread' and to state unequivocally that Citizenship and Immigration Canada withdraws any suggestion that they are linked to terrorism."

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: beardedbruce
Date: 18 Apr 05 - 01:32 AM

Ligue des droits et libertés Demands End to Deportation of Palestinian Refugees
In a press release issued November 6 demanding that the Canadian government stop the deportation of Palestinian refugees, Quebec's Ligue des droits et libertés writes: "It is hard to understand how persons having lived a large part of their lives in refugee camps in Lebanon, in conditions where they are prevented from and denied the possibility of exercising their rights, can be refused as refugees by the Immigration and Refugee Board. It is also difficult to understand how Canada can deport stateless people, who hold no citizenship to a country they can be returned to.

"It is also unacceptable that Palestinians are being deported to the U.S. where they probably face a long detention. We have seen how foreign nationals are being treated there, especially Arabs and Muslims, since September 11, 2001, which has been met with condemnation by all U.S. and international rights and civil liberties organizations.

"The deportation of Palestinian refugees demonstrates a lack of comprehension towards the Middle East problem as well as the reality of Palestinian refugee camps. It is recognized that with regard to international law, because Palestinian refugees come under the protection of the UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) rather than the HCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), thousands of persons from the Occupied Territories as well as from refugee camps in the area are left in a major legal void, especially in Lebanon. These refugees live a life of persecution and because they are without protection in the Middle East, deportation orders issued against them are unacceptable.

"The Ligue des droits et libertés demands that the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration take action as quickly as possible to put an end to the deportation of Palestinian refugees."

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: beardedbruce
Date: 18 Apr 05 - 01:33 AM

Most Recent Canadian Immigration
Detention Statistics
- Action Réfugiés Montréal, November 11, 2003 -
Canada's Citizenship and Immigration (CIC) produces a weekly "detention snapshot," which shows how many people were in immigration detention during a particular week. In 2003, they have shared figures starting from June 15 to October 11.

From these statistics, we can see that during any one week, over the period covered:

- an average of 681 people were in immigration detention in Canada.
- of these, an average of 341 people were in provincial jails and the rest (339) were in immigration holding centres.
- 67 per cent of detainees were in Ontario, 18 per cent in Quebec, 3 per cent in the Prairies and Territories, 11 per cent in B.C./Yukon and less than 1 per cent in the Atlantic.
- despite its immigration detention centre, Ontario specializes in detention in provincial jails, with an average of 253 in jail, compared to 201 in the immigration centre.
- by contrast, in Québec, there is an average of 24 in jails, compared to 101 in the immigration centre.
- there is some significant variation in the numbers detained over the period covered: the lowest was the week of July 27 to August 2 (574 people detained) and the highest was the week of September 14-20 (753 people detained).

Persons released and removed (statistics available starting July 13):

- each week an average of 202 people were released or removed.
- an average of 144 (71 per cent) of them were released and an average of 58 (29 per cent) were removed.

Minors:

- there were on average 17 minors in detention, most of them accompanied (13), but on any day there may have been one unaccompanied minor in detention.
- the highest number of minors in detention was found between September 14-20 (35 minors) and the lowest between July 27-August 2 (4 minors).

Gender:

- on average, 83 per cent of the detainees are male. This gender ratio remains fairly constant.

Source:

- an average of 57 per cent of detainees originate from inland claims. 42 per cent are detained at a port of entry. This ratio remains fairly constant.

Refugee claimants:

- of those detained, an average of 44 per cent are refugee claimants. An average of 46 per cent of detainees are not refugee claimants. An average of 10 per cent are failed refugee claimants.

Grounds for detention (statistics available starting June 22):

- a detainee may be detained for multiple reasons.
- during any given week, an average of 8.5 per cent are held for identity reasons.
- an average of 55.1 per cent are believed to be unlikely to appear for removal.
- an average of 5.8 per cent are believed to be unlikely to appear for minister's proceedings.
- an average of 14.3 per cent are believed to be unlikely to appear for admissibility hearings.
- an average of 16.5 per cent are believed to be unlikely to appear for continuation of examination.
- an average of 15 per cent are considered a danger to the public.
- an average of 9 people (1.4 per cent) are detained for security concerns or on a security certificate.
- these percentages can vary widely.

Criminality (statistics available starting July 6):

- a detainee may qualify to be classified under more than one category of criminality.
- an average of 12.1 per cent of detainees are classified under "criminality"
- an average of 20.5 per cent of detainees are classified under "serious criminality"
- an average of 6 people are classified under "human/international rights violations"
- an average of 3 people are classified under "organized crime"
- an average of 2 people are classified under "smuggling/trafficking"

CIC warns us that that these statistics are manually tabulated and may contain inaccuracies.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: beardedbruce
Date: 18 Apr 05 - 01:34 AM

Canada: 75 Fujianese women facing deportation need your help

Between July to September, 1999, four ships holding a total of 599 Chinese people arrived on Canada's west coast: 96 minors, 90 women and 403 men.
The Canadian government's response was to detain most of them, try to issue exclusion orders (one of which was recently overturned), and push them through an accelerated (fastrack) refugee claim process, which was already stacked against them given the corporate media's extremely hostile and racist portrayals of these unfortunate people.

To date, 6 people have been granted refugee status, 251 people have had negative decisions, 14 people have withdrawn their request for refuge, and 67 have abandoned their claims. Some more hearings will take place in April,

but the government has been sending a strong message that it intends to deport many people soon.

The punishments for people who are returned to China have reportedly become harsher lately--they potentially face more than a year's imprisonment for leaving China, depending on their local situation.

While there were initially 96 minors, many of them have run away. The rest are under the care of the Ministry of Families and Children--kept in Dogwood Lodge (a group home), a Youth Detention Centre, and a few may be in foster care.

Most of the children were unaccompanied, but four mothers who came with their children on the ships have been kept in prison for almost eight months, and are only allowed to see their children once every two weeks.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: beardedbruce
Date: 18 Apr 05 - 01:37 AM

While we are sceptical about there being any redeeming value in
incarceration, we are particularly concerned about the following facts:

    * At 123 per 100,000 of the population, Canada's incarceration rate
      is higher than most "western democracies". While still far below
      the United States (682), it is above countries such as Austria
      (86), France (88), and Scotland (119). Germany's rate is 96, and
      Norway's is only 57 out of every 100,000 citizens. On any given
      day there are 30,000 prisoners in Canadian jails.

    * Of the approximately 13,000 prisoners held in federal prisons in
      1998, about 2,100 (or 16%) were Native. In 1999-2000, this figure
      rose to over 17%. First Nations women, who were 18% of the total
      number of woman prisoners in the federal system in 1981, were 27%
      of the total by 2002. First Nations people only comprise 2.8
      percent of the general population. In Manitoba, Saskatchewan and
      Alberta, Native people make up approximately 45% of the federal
      prison population; accounting for over 50% of the prison
      population in some penitentiaries. In Saskatchewan, for example,
      Native people are incarcerated at a rate 35 times higher than
      non-Native people. (Source: Correctional Services Canada website)

    * A very high rate of women are in prison for protecting themselves
      against their abusers. This makes it obvious that the legal system
      does not protect women who suffer violence at the hands of their
      partners.

    * Roughly 48 percent of federal inmates and 83 percent of provincial
      inmates are incarcerated for non-violent offences. One-fifth (20%)
      of admissions to provincial jails are for not paying fines.
      (Source: Correctional Services Canada website)

    * Canada imprisons hundreds of refugees and immigrants, including
      minors, in prisons, jails and detention centers, simply because
      they lack the proper identity papers. This situation has been
      aggravated by the racist and repressive hysteria that followed the
      September 11th attacks two years ago, and it's getting worst: so
      far, an average of over 20% more refugees and immigrants have been
      incarcerated for these reasons in 2003 than in 2002. (Source:
      Citizenship and Immigration Canada)


Although obvious, some statistics regarding life behind bars bear repeating:

    * Attempted suicide rates inside prisons are four times as high as
      on the outside.

    * Older prisoners generally have health problems characteristic for
      individuals ten years older on the outside.

    * Fewer than one in ten women in prison describe their interactions
      with prison health services as positive.

    * Double bunking, putting two prisoners in a cell that was designed
      for one was introduced as a temporary measure in 1984 - today, 25%
      of prisoners are double bunked and that number is projected to
      raise to 30% by the turn of the century.

    * Statistics Canada figures on adult corrections for 1999-2000 show
      that a total of 189 prisoners died in that one year period.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: beardedbruce
Date: 18 Apr 05 - 01:39 AM

The Government of Canada had acknowledged particular responsibilities for tragic physical and sexual abuse of Aboriginal children in many residential schools, the delegation said; it had committed $350 million to develop the independently run Aboriginal Healing Foundation to support healing initiatives for individuals, families, and communities dealing with the legacy of abuse in residential schools. The Government was committed to resolving liabilities for claims of those who suffered abuse; its preference was to resolve these claims outside the courtroom; the Government did not consider it useful at this point to carry out a public inquiry, and thought it would be very difficult to ensure that survivors were not re-victimized or traumatized by such a process.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: beardedbruce
Date: 18 Apr 05 - 01:43 AM

But first a new report that says Canada is lagging behind other countries in dealing with prison drug addiction. The report is being released today and its findings are endorsed by the Ontario Medical Association. Ralf Jurgens is the lead author of the report and the Executive Director of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network. He was in our Ottawa studio today.

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: beardedbruce
Date: 18 Apr 05 - 01:53 AM

http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/rel/icps/worldbrief/north_america_records.php?code=188



and ... from Highlights of the Youth Criminal Justice Act

"Youth courts are empowered to impose an adult sentence after a youth is found guilty, thereby eliminating the need to transfer cases to adult court.
The age for the presumption of an adult sentence for the most serious offences is lowered to 14. However, provinces will have increased flexibility on the age at which this presumption will apply within their own jurisdictions.
Offences that carry a presumption of an adult sentence are extended to include a pattern of serious and repeated violent offences.
Publication of the identity of an offender is permitted if an adult sentence is imposed, or if a youth sentence is imposed for an offence that carries a presumption of adult sentence (unless the judge decides publication is inappropriate). Publication is permitted only after a young person has been found guilty. "

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: beardedbruce
Date: 18 Apr 05 - 01:56 AM

http://www.wsws.org/articles/1999/mar1999/can-m24.shtml

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: beardedbruce
Date: 18 Apr 05 - 01:59 AM

brucie-

"Some vibrant and healthy democracy you have there. "

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: beardedbruce
Date: 18 Apr 05 - 02:07 AM

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2004/10/03/amnestyreport041003.html

and of course, Canada is working to ban asbestos exposure for it's own citizens...

"Asbestos is sectioned into two groups according to its crystalline structure. The amphibole group includes: amosite, crocidolite, anthophyllite, tremolite, and actinolite. The serpentine group includes: chrysotile. Chrysotile is still mined and manufactured in Canada. 95% of Canadian chrysotile is exported to developing countries."

Subject: RE: BS: 10,000 arrested in US today
From: dianavan
Date: 18 Apr 05 - 03:31 AM

bb - all of your posts pale in comparison to the fact that the U.S. is using Napalm and other chemical weapons in Iraq.

Canada is not perfect but at least it values transparency.