2023-08-21

Advocates blast Barrie city council for greenlighting ban on donations to people experiencing homelessness – CBC News [2023-05-21]

Advocates are blasting the City of Barrie for approving a slew of policies that, if put in place, could outlaw giving food or money to people in the city who are experiencing homelessness.

In a city council meeting Wednesday, councillors approved a range of policies that staff can consider and use to address rising homelessness, including changes to city bylaws that will prohibit the use and distribution of tents and tarps on public land, and giving out food and groceries without a permit.

Staff were also directed to consider methods that would ban donations to panhandlers on city streets, intersections and highway ramps, opting to place signs discouraging the practice in favour of donating to service agencies instead.

Former councillor Keenan Aylwin says their approach will have the opposite effect of what’s intended.

Read more here:

May 21, 2023
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Ontario government, Bell won’t say how much money they made from inmate phone calls – Global News [2023-05-16]

Neither Bell Canada nor the Ontario government will say how much money they made from a jail phone system that charged what lawyers describe as “exorbitant” rates for inmate calls over eight years.

Bell operated the Offender Telephone Management System from 2013 to 2021 — which allowed inmates to only place collect calls — at a flat rate of $1 for local calls, but about $1 per minute plus a $2.50 connection fee for long-distance calls, according to a recent Appeal Court decision.

The rates were four times higher than those charged to inmates in other provinces, a lower court judge found. The new phone system now in place under a different company includes long-distance rates of a few cents a minute.

As well, the province took a commission on the money Bell made from those calls — which the court said numbered about 15,000 a day. The government declined to provide the amount collected or explain why it collected a commission, in response to queries from The Canadian Press.

Read more here:

May 16, 2023
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Officers’ focus should be policing, not social work: New St. Thomas chief – London Free Press [2023-05-15]

Prioritizing the health and well-being of police officers is fundamental to improving the way police serve the community and build trust with the public, says the incoming St. Thomas police chief.

Acting Chief Marc Roskamp, who will be sworn in Tuesday, outlined his vision.

The 25-year veteran spoke about the pressure his officers face handling problems from addiction and homelessness to repeat offenders and petty crime.

“If we are healthy in the inside, we will be healthy on the outside to deliver services,” he said, describing the force’s 82 officers and 47 civilian workers as “the most valuable asset.

“We need to find ways to ensure that our members feel valued when they come to work,” he said.

Roskamp, who started with the St. Thomas force as a cadet in 1988, said collaboration with community partners is crucial.

Read more here:

May 15, 2023
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Owning houseplants can boost your mental health – here’s how to pick the right one – PsyPost [2023-05-13]

In both Europe and the US, people spend up to 90% of their time indoors. But spending so much time inside can have consequences for your mental health.

The World Health Organization estimates that 5% of adults globally suffer from depression. Stress, depression and anxiety also accounted for 55% of all working days lost in the UK during the year 2021-22. Small improvements in our mental health can bring significant personal and financial rewards.

For those of us who are stuck inside all day, houseplants are an easy way of connecting with nature. This is particularly true for young people, many of whom may lack access to a garden.

Indoor plants have several mental and physical health benefits. Research has linked houseplants to reduced stress, lower blood pressure and an improved state of mind. And office environments with plants have been associated with higher job satisfaction and reduced health complaints.

Houseplants make us feel good due to our inherent desire to connect with nature, and because we consider the green colours of most houseplants to be calming. Adding just a single plant can brighten up a dull space and boost your mood. But which should you choose?

Read more here:

PsyPost
May 13, 2023

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6 Reasons You Shouldn’t Blindly Trust Artificial Intelligence – Make Use Of [May 13, 2023]

AI is transforming the world as we know it, with its impact felt across every industry. However, not all of these changes are necessarily positive. While AI offers exciting new opportunities in many areas, we cannot ignore the fact that it lacks an inherent moral compass or fact-checking system to guide its decision-making.

This is why you should always fact-check everything you’re being told as the world becomes more AI-centric. Certain AI tools can manipulate information, misunderstand context completely, and be confidently wrong at the same time, which is why blindly trusting AI is a bad idea.

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May 13, 2023
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As Pride flags are once again targeted, LGBTQ advocates say it’s as important as ever to fly them – CBC News [2023-05-11]

After the southwestern Ontario township of Norwich made a controversial decision last month to no longer fly the Progress Pride flag on municipal property, it didn’t take long after for people to start emailing Kim Huffman, a councillor in neighbouring Norfolk county, calling for a similar move.

It may have only been a small number of messages, but she’s making it clear she has no intention of following Norwich’s lead.

“Don’t bother wasting your time asking me to put any kind of motion forward or to have any kind of discussion regarding the Pride flag in Norfolk County,” she told CBC News. In her first term, Huffman said, she was the councillor responsible for getting the county to raise the Pride flag at its administrative building in the first place.

Huffman says she wants her community and others, especially in rural areas, to show they are inclusive — especially for younger people who may not see the same degree of LGBTQ visibility and allyship that exists in large cities.

Read more here:

May 11, 2023
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Barenaked Ladies – Lovers in a Dangerous Time (cover)


 

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Ontario law federation raises alarm over dwindling number of lawyers in remote areas – CBC News [2023-05-10]

The Federation of Ontario Law Associations (FOLA) is raising concerns over access to justice as the number of practising law professionals in rural and remote areas of the province dwindles.

FOLA, which represents 46 district and county associations in Ontario, put forward a motion last week that calls on the Law Society of Ontario to develop a strategy for attracting and retaining law professionals in underserved communities.

“We hear from communities all across Ontario about the lack of lawyers that are moving to fill gaps in service in smaller communities, and these are predominantly northern communities and rural communities,” said Douglas Judson, FOLA’s chair.

FOLA says it’s seeing people leave the profession without succession plans in place, often creating gaps in smaller communities.

Judson, a lawyer in a more rural area of northwestern Ontario, said the shrinking of the bar can also be attributed to a general shrinking of population in some communities and the emerging trend of people practising law virtually.

Read more here:

May 10, 2023
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Prescribed alcohol program in Halifax to add social activities after finding surprising side effect – CBC News [2023-05-09]

An evaluation of a Halifax program that prescribes alcohol to people who have struggled with homelessness and alcohol dependency is showing positive results — but it’s had a surprising side effect.

Participants were bored.

“They didn’t need to spend so much time during the day — like mental energy, physical energy — just trying to make money to purchase the alcohol,” Candis Lepage, a Dalhousie University medical student who conducted the evaluation, told CBC Radio’s Information Morning Nova Scotia.

“So their day wasn’t really revolving around sourcing it anymore, and that kind of creates a really big gap when you’ve been doing that for so long.”

The Managed Alcohol Program out of the North End Community Health Centre started in June 2020. It administers pre-set daily doses of beer or wine to clients who are homeless and also dependent on alcohol.

The program aims to reduce harm and move people onto a path to stability and away from the cycle of homelessness.

Read more here:

CBC News
May 9, 2023

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Northern Ontario’s 5 largest cities continue to have highest opioid death rates in province – CBC News [2023-05-10]

Dallas Kosy says he isn’t surprised to hear that northern Ontario continues to have the highest rate of opioid overdose deaths in the province.

Last week, the Office of the Chief Coroner released preliminary figures showing five cities in the region —Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Greater Sudbury, Timmins and North Bay — had the highest opioid mortality rates per 100,000 population last year.

Kosy recently lost his brother-in-law to an overdose and has seen first hand the toll the opioid crisis has had in Sudbury.

“All those crosses that signify how large the issue is, I’m sure that’s not even half of the crosses that could be put up,” he said.

“There’s definitely more than what’s shown. I’m sure of it.”

Read more here:


CBC News
May 10, 2023

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Inside lobbying efforts to fund London’s new homelessness strategy – CTV News [2023-05-08]

Almost three months after it was announced, London’s long-term strategy for addressing homelessness is coming into focus.

In a letter to his council colleagues, Mayor Josh Morgan provides an update on lobbying the federal and provincial governments to financially support the Whole of Community Response to Homelessness.

“The feedback received thus far has been overwhelmingly positive,” Morgan’s update reads.

On Monday, the mayor told CTV News that his pitch for senior government funding has two components.

Read more here:

May 8, 2023
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70-year-old Ontario biker makes it her mission to protect people at drag queen storytimes – CBC News [2023-05-08]

If public libraries have become the battleground for LGBTQ rights, Patricia Ginn of Strathroy, Ont., is on the front line.

At 70, Ginn, who regularly sports a black leather vest, says she doesn’t scare easily. She rides a 2023 Indian Dark Horse motorcycle and makes it her mission to support drag queen storytime events across southern Ontario.

Last month, amid dozens of protesters, Ginn, along with three other members of the motorcycle group WindSisters, stood outside the Parkhill, Ont., branch of the Middlesex County Library to support performers at a drag queen storytime, and escort participating families and supporters into the building.

About 100 people from the town, which has a population of fewer than 2,000, were in attendance.

While some of the protesters prayed, others were more aggressive, said Ginn, who came out in her 20s and describes herself as a masculine-presenting lesbian.

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May 8, 2023
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B.C. family who lost brother challenges hospital procedures for discharging patients under Mental Health Act – CBC News [2023-05-08]

James Zimmer will always be remembered as a kind-hearted carpenter who dreamt of supporting people like himself who were struggling with mental illness, his family says.

“He wanted to start out with being a peer supporter,” said sister Cindy Zimmer.

But the dream never came to fruition. On Feb. 9, James, 50, took his own life after being discharged from Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, his family unaware of his whereabouts.

The family is the latest in B.C. to protest hospitals’ lack of compliance with the part of the Mental Health Act that requires loved ones to be notified of a patient’s admission or discharge from hospitals — something advocates claim health facilities often fail to do.

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May 8, 2023
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A care revolution: Inside Canada’s first dementia village – Global News [2023-05-06]

In Langley, British Columbia, there’s a village that may remind you of your own: you can go for a stroll, pick up a couple of items from the grocery store or even pop by the salon. But, this particular community was purposefully built to allow for freedom and quality of life. Because every resident in this village has something in common: they’re all living with dementia.

Alan Meggy, 75, has lived at the Village Langley since August 2021. Before moving in, Alan was an avid traveller and adventurer who climbed some of the highest peaks in the world, including in Peru, Nepal and Tanzania. He also raced cars.

“Alan has the most adventurous life of anybody I know,” said his friend of over 20 years, Carole Chesham. “He has climbed several very difficult mountains. … He’s cycled all over, fully loaded. That means with tents, sleeping bags, stove, food, everything.”

Meggy was even living on a boat he called the “Pirasea” until it became too difficult for him.

“He couldn’t remember how to work the washing machine. It was just little things that he’d never had trouble with before that became a problem,” Chesham said.

By coincidence, at the same time, Chesham read about the Village Langley, Canada’s very first dementia village — and the assisted living care community was having an open house. She says she remembers being impressed by her visit and asked Meggy and his sister-in-law if they wanted to take a look at The Village as well, so they did. Then, Meggy put down a deposit.

Read more here:

May 6, 2023
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Resident dog Scout helps heal patients and staff at Hamilton mental health hospital – CBC News [2023-05-07]

Six months on the job and the “bestest boy” at St. Joseph’s hospital is already unleashing a sense of hope and inspiration among patients and staff.

His name is Scout — a gentle 125-pound Leonberger who spends his weekdays visiting about 30 forensic unit patients at the St. Joe’s West 5th campus, which offers mental health and addictions services.

Scout is the first resident therapy dog at any hospital in the country, to his coworkers’ knowledge, and a long overdue addition to the team, said Dr. Glen Chaimowitz, Scout’s boss and head of forensic psychiatry. It’s also a first for a forensic unit.

“Many of our patients are here for an extended amount of time and they’ve lost contact with people who are meaningful in their lives,” Chaimowitz said.

“Bringing somebody as warm and enduring and inspiring as our staff member Scout is just an absolute asset for us.”

Read more here:

May 7, 2023
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The number of medically-assisted deaths in Canada’s prisons a concern for some experts – CTV News [2023-05-03]

Canada has performed nine medically-assisted deaths among prisoners in the last seven years, more than any other country which tracks and records such data.

The number of federal prisoners requesting medically-assisted death (MAID) in Canada has also increased, with 27 asking for permission to die between June 2016, when the legislation came into effect, and March 31 this year, according to information provided by Correctional Services of Canada (CSC) following an Access to Information Act request.

Only three other countries — Switzerland, Belgium, and Spain — have publicly acknowledged one euthanasia death each for a prisoner. Two of them were performed in February this year, the other in 2022.

Jessica Shaw, an associate professor of social work at the University of Calgary who has been studying assisted death in prisons and submitted the access to information request, said she is worried about the lack of transparency in reporting cases and how decisions are made.

Read more here:

May 3, 2023
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Loneliness is the new silent killer, and as deadly as smoking: US surgeon-general – Global News [2023-05-02]

Widespread loneliness in the U.S. poses health risks as deadly as smoking a dozen cigarettes daily, costing the health industry billions of dollars annually, the U.S. surgeon general said Tuesday in declaring the latest public health epidemic.

About half of U.S. adults say they’ve experienced loneliness, Dr. Vivek Murthy said in a report from his office.

“We now know that loneliness is a common feeling that many people experience. It’s like hunger or thirst. It’s a feeling the body sends us when something we need for survival is missing,” Murthy told The Associated Press in an interview. “Millions of people in America are struggling in the shadows, and that’s not right. That’s why I issued this advisory to pull back the curtain on a struggle that too many people are experiencing.”

The declaration is intended to raise awareness around loneliness but won’t unlock federal funding or programming devoted to combatting the issue.

Read more here:

May 2, 2023
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How to Stop Being Lonely, According to the Surgeon General – Lifehacker [2023-05-02]

The Surgeon General of the United States is sounding the alarm about the growing epidemic of loneliness in this country. Vivek Hallegere Murthy’s just released public health advisory compiles a ton of research that indicates that social isolation is more than a philosophical problem; it has tangible, measurable effects on both mental and physical health, and it’s deadly.

According to the report, loneliness leads to a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death. The effect of isolation on mortality is similar to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, and it’s actually worse for your health than being obese or physically inactive. In other words, if you want to be a fat smoker, you’d better have a ton of friends.

Not only is friendlessness leading to adverse health condition, it’s turning us into loners and weirdoes. Social connection is a basic human need, and as we eschew it in favor of Instagram and Candy Crush, our trust in institutions and one another decreases, leading to further polarization and discontent.

Overall, this is not a cheery report, but it lays out a bulletproof case that we should be taking this issue more seriously and taking steps as a society to stem the damage that’s been done. While an individual can’t do much about broad historical and cultural trend, you can take action to combat loneliness in your own life and the lives of those around you.

Read more here:

Lifehacker
May 2, 2023

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Why mass shooting inquiry said Canada should look to Finland for its policing model – CBC News [2023-05-02]

The inquiry into one of the worst mass shootings in modern Canadian history says police training across Canada needs to be overhauled, and points to Finland as a potential model.

The Mass Casualty Commission, the inquiry that investigated a 2020 mass shooting in Nova Scotia that left 22 dead, recommended the overhaul in its final report released in March.

It suggested all of Canada’s police forces — not just the RCMP — look to Finland, which requires a three-year degree for police officers.

Under the current RCMP model, recruits spend six months at Depot, the force’s training facility in Saskatchewan. That is followed by six months of on-the-job training.

The commission’s report called this model “inadequate to prepare RCMP members for the complex demands of contemporary policing.”

It also said the RCMP’s operational effectiveness has been impaired by its “failure to embrace a research-based approach to program development and police education and its lack of openness to independent research.”

Read more here:

May 2, 2023
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Most Canadians want universal mental health care. What would that look like? – Global News [2023-05-01]

As Canada continues to grapple with a mental health issue exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, a new poll shows that a vast majority of Canadians want the government to provide universal access to systems such as therapy, medication and support groups.

The survey released Monday by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) based on an online survey of 1,626 adult Canadians conducted between April 6 and April 10, found that 87 per cent of Canadians want universal mental health care and 69 per cent believe the country is in a mental health crisis.

“If you break your leg, you know that you can go anywhere in the country and you’re going to get the same level of treatment and care. But we can’t say that about mental health,” Margaret Eaton, national CEO for the CMHA told Global News.

The idea of universal mental health care is that services are funded through public health insurance and are free to all Canadians, Eaton said.

Read more here:

May 1, 2023
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Ontario introducing mental health education for students – CBC News [2023-05-01]

The Ontario government announced Monday it will introduce a new mandatory education curriculum for elementary and high school students that aims to increase mental health literacy, in the wake of continued challenges that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new curriculum will be introduced for the next school year, and will involve updates to the career studies course that is required for Grade 10 students, as well as mandatory resources for teachers and students on mental health literacy for Grades 7 and 8.

The program was ushered in due to the advocacy of Progressive Conservative MPP Natalie Pierre, who put forward a motion in December around mental health literacy.

At the news conference Monday, she said that her 17-year-old son dying by suicide six years ago is what propelled her to pursue the initiative.

Read more here:

May 1, 2023
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New London police chief named, first with a racially diverse background – Global News [2023-05-01]

For the first time in the city’s history, the next police chief will come from a racially diverse background.

Thai Truong was introduced Monday morning at London police headquarters as the next chief of police for the city. He is set to assume the position officially on June 1.

Speaking at his introduction, Truong says a key goal while in the position is to make London a safer city.

“The vision that I have right now encompasses community safety,” said Truong. “That is what we signed up for when we become police officers.”

Truong, whose selection as police chief was finalized on Friday, said that during the interview process, he took the opportunity to walk the streets of London a few times to get a feel for the city.

Read more here:

May 1, 2023
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Southern Manitoba libraries battle defunding attempts over sex-ed content in children’s books – CBC News [2023-05-01]

It’s been a long year at the South Central Regional Library.

A push that began last summer to remove a few children’s sexual education books from the southern Manitoba library system has since bubbled up into accusations its staff are pedophiles, as well as a campaign to defund the library — leaving some of its exhausted librarians considering quitting, the library’s director says.

“The far-reaching effects [are] not that visible to the public — you know, we still function and we still open doors,” said Cathy Ching, who heads South Central Regional Library — a network of five libraries in southern Manitoba communities.

“My staff are tired, my council members are tired. Staff sometimes don’t know who’s going to walk in the door and give them a hard time.”

Last fall, the library ruled it would not pull three kids’ books from its shelves following complaints they were explicit and encouraged children to engage in sexual activity.

Read more here:

May 1, 2023
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Study sheds light on features of psychopathy related to treatment engagement among incarcerated youths – PsyPost [2023-04-26]

The criminal justice system has been under critique in recent years for prioritizing punishment over treatment, but how can we be confident in who is open to benefiting from treatment? A study published in Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology explores how psychopathy traits may be related to treatment engagement for adolescents.

Adolescents who are involved in the criminal justice system due to antisocial behavior are often encouraged or mandated to have mental health treatment. This could potentially be very beneficial and could even prevent future antisocial behavior in adulthood. A key component of treatment planning is knowing who is open to engaging in treatment in order for it to have the desired effects.

Being engaged in treatment is more than just attending sessions and can be characterized by having a commitment to change and taking an active role in healing. Psychopathy is a trait that has a complicated relationship with treatment engagement, with the body of literature not drawing a firm conclusion as of now. This new study seeks to understand the specific aspects of psychopathy associated with treatment engagement for adolescents.

Read more here:

April 26, 2023
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Violence in libraries is on the rise across Canada. How London, Ont. is responding – Global News [2023-04-25]

As libraries across Canada see an uptick in violence, the London Public Library is taking a compassion-first approach through a dedicated social worker for the downtown branch.

The random acts of violence happening on our streets and in our transit systems in cities across Canada are also making their way into public libraries, with branches of all sizes reporting a rise in verbal and physical violence, Global News’ The New Reality reported earlier this week.

In London, a social worker has been brought in full-time at the LPL’s Central branch in the city’s core. When Elizabeth Sutter began working at the library in 2021, community wellness workers were scheduled at the library on a weekly basis. As of June 2022, a social worker has been working full-time.

Sutter, manager of customer services and branch operations, said since a social worker began full-time in June 2022, she has “definitely” seen an impact.

Read more here:

April 25, 2023
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Happy Birthday, Celsius! Canada’s use of metric system turning 50 - Global News [2024-12-31]

Happy Birthday, Celsius! Environment Canada’s use of Celsius turns 50 years old in 2025. It was the catalyst of a lengthy national metric co...