Social Justice Archives - Page 5 of 6

Why do we think alimony is no longer necessary?

I just read about the Supreme Court of Canada decision on alimony. Here is how I interpret it (this is not a legal opinion!). If you get married in a church or a civil ceremony and you later get divorced, the courts will split all your family assets, caregivers will receive child support, and in some cases one partner (usually

Morrocco is finally outlawing forced marriages

It just shows how far women have to go. A year ago a 16 year old Moroccan girl was forced to marry a man who raped her. Jut recently the government of Morocco decided to change the law so women could not be forced into marriage. This traditional practice is still found across the Middle East, sadly.

The Conscious Parent talk on Feb 28

Dr Shefali Tsabary speaking at the Dalia Lama Center on Februaury 28 at 7pm. Location: SFU Woodwards. Cost: $40. Visit www.dalailamacenter.com

Alfie Kohn is right about bullying in schools not this man

I just read an upsetting Op Ed by Michael Zwaagstra, a so-called expert on school and discipline from Manitoba. Sadly he suggests that the Sandy Hook school massacre could have been prevented from a “common sense” approach (e.g. more rules and order). He rejects a zero-tolerance lock-down approach (I agree) but also rejects restorative approaches promoted by Alfie

Status Quo? is a new film on the status of women in Canada

The Whistler Film festival launched two new films of interest to women. The first is “Status Quo?” about the status of women in Canada, directed by Karen Cho. Needless to say, it was an emotional event since so many Canadian women are still being held back (e.g. limited access to medical help and no national child care

Sad 1500 page report on Pickton does not heal

Two years of investigationg. This demonstrates how a legal-type process can actually cause more harm than good. I wonder if there will ever be more restorative processes eventually where accountability and honesty prevail? http://www.vancouversun.com/news/should+have+caught+Pickton+sooner+Vancouver+police+chief/7716616/story.html

3 elderly women attacked when hospital sent sick man away

Thanks to Tracey Young who wrote a letter to the editor of the Vacncouver Sun last week. As a social worker she explained how mentally ill people fall bewteen the cracks and end up harming themselves or others. In this case 3 Vancouver women over 65 ended up in the hospital after being attacked

Today we remember the Quebec Massacre

Today is the Day of Action and Rememberance on Violence Against Women and Children. There will be candlelight vigils accross Canada remembering the 14 women who were murdeed at Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal. It is embarassing to admit that still almost 60,000 women experience sexual and physical assualts each year in BC. The safe houses

Pivot report shows how faulty process can harm women

A new report by PivotLegal.org suggests that the process used to look into the police mishandling of the Pickton serial murders and Vancouver Missing Women was flawed. As a result the inquiry lost a real opportunity to allow those impacted to heal. The report includes several “process” recommendations (such as not having 25 lawyers defending

We need workplaces that don’t make parents lie about being sick

It no surprise that recent research shows that on school PD days, many people call in sick and cancel work. In fact 700 people from an 18,000 person organisation (Vancouver Island Health Authority) called in on November 21 – a non-instruction day in BC. This apparently costs billions in terms of lost work and replacements. If