Security trumps mental health care in Canadian prisons
Canada’s federal correctional investigator, Howard Sapers, has released a report detailing the Correctional Service of Canada’s ongoing dealings with mentally ill prisoners.
The investigator said that “security practices continue to trump clinical needs in the care and custody of offenders with mental health problems.” Mr. Sapers had earlier chronicled the systemic failures that led to the death, by suicide, of 19-year-old inmate Ashley Smith in a Kitchener, Ontario prison cell on October 19, 2007. (more…)
The Nanaimo Working Group on Homelessness recently made decisions regarding the use of federal funding for local homelessness initiatives. But there were too many applicants for the limited funding available. One program that will not receive an annual grant this year is Haven Society’s Willow Wai initiative—a program that helps sex workers and other homeless women off the streets.
Shawn Atleo, the hereditary chief of the Ahousaht nation on Vancouver Island, was elected July 23rd as National Chief of Canada’s Assembly of First Nations. The new chief campaigned on a four-pillar strategy with emphasis on families and communities, treaties and rights, the economy and environment, and First Nation governance. 
In the fall of 2007, outreach nurse Donna Kelly recognized that books had often become the common ground between her and her homeless patients. From her original idea, a book club was developed for residents at the 
Judy Graves, Coordinator for Vancouver’s Tenant Assistance Program, is a long-time, passionate advocate for the homeless. She began the Vancouver Homeless Outreach Project in 2005 that has successfully housed more than 2,000 people in B.C. She also co-authored the book A Room Somewhere: 101 Solutions to Homelessness.* 
Crime Stoppers began in 1976 when a detective in New Mexico appealed to the public with a video re-enactment of a murder crime and offered a reward for anonymous tips. Two men were arrested within 72 hours and charged with the murder. Since that time, Crime Stoppers has become a global phenomenon and is credited by its originator, former detective Greg MacAleese, with solving over one million major crimes. 