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Canada has not done enough

July 8th, 2010 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Canada has not done enough)

Amnesty International report states Canada has not adequately protected Aboriginal rights

Amnesty International’s recent report on The State of the World’s Human Rights  mentions, among several issues, the prevalence of violence against aboriginal women in Canada and the lack of a plan to address it, and says the government is making “baseless claims” that the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples does not apply to Canada [source: CBC].

Growing support for the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is mentioned as a positive international development, but the Canadian government has not yet endorsed the declaration. (more…)

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Electroshock redux raises alarm

July 8th, 2010 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Electroshock redux raises alarm)

Anti-psychiatry activists respond to media reports that use of ECT is increasing

The Canadian Psychiatric Association recently issued its first position paper on electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) since 1992, saying that ECT “should remain readily available as a treatment option.” The position paper was followed by a major article carried by Canwest newspapers across Canada, suggesting that electroshock therapy is experiencing a comeback. Activists and groups, such as Mind Freedom International, are alarmed by the position paper. Canadian anti-psychiatry activist Bonnie Burstow says that, at a minimum, ECT should be phased out [source: The Ottawa Citizen] due to its documented harms. (more…)

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A history of mistreatment

July 8th, 2010 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on A history of mistreatment)

Robert Whitaker updates Mad in America, the revealing history of psychiatric treatment

In Robert Whitaker’s Mad In America: Bad Science, Bad Medicine and the Enduring Mistreatment of the Mentally Ill, “one lone author bears moral witness to the suffering of hundreds of thousands of people abused, tortured and damaged by the psychiatric establishment.” The book is a history of the treatment of the severely mentally ill in the United States from colonial times until today, and it may surprise many readers who assume that the modern psychopharmacology era has “revolutionized” the care of the severely mentally ill. The second edition of Mad in America has just recently been published. (more…)

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You can’t measure your heart

July 1st, 2010 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on You can’t measure your heart)

Simon Walls’ continues his cross-Canada pilgrimage of self-discovery and sharing

Singer-songwriter Simon Walls’ travels began shortly after the loss of a friend to suicide. He spent seven months in the Katimavik program and then walked across Spain, accompanied by the book “The Pilgrimage”, by Paulo Coelho.

In April 2010 he left Victoria on what will be a cross-Canada walk—to share his music and experiences. (more…)

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StEps for students

July 1st, 2010 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on StEps for students)

Tulani Ackerman increases discussion about the needs of children, youth, and education

On July 1st, 2010, the StEps movement will hit the road to walk and bike throughout British Columbia in an effort to gather stories and ideas about challenges faced by the provincial education system. The  goal is to promote communication between  students, parents, teachers, administrators, community members, and the provincial government. (more…)

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