...ARGUMENT ESSAY Gun Control in Canada The shooting at the National War Memorial and Parliament building in Ottawa, Canada, last month has led to considerable discussion of the country's gun laws. Unlike the U.S., Canada has some of the toughest gun regulations in the world and no equivalent to the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution, which protects U.S. citizens' right to bear arms. In 1977, Canadian Legislation of Gun Control was passed by the Canadian Parliament regulating long guns for the first time, restructuring the availability of firearms, and increasing a variety of penalties. Canadian firearms law is primarily federal, and therefore national in scope, while the bulk of the firearms regulation in the United States is at the state level; attempts to introduce stricter legislation at the federal level are often defeated. The importance of this issue is that not all North Americans are necessarily supportive of strict gun control as being a feasible alternative to controlling urban violence. There are concerns with the opponents of gun control, that the professional criminal who wants a gun can obtain one, and leaves the average law-abiding citizen helpless in defending themselves against the perils of urban life. Is it our right to bear arms as North Americans? Or is it privilege? When looking at the 1977 Canadian Legislation of gun control, it is easy to see that there is some bias and assumptions present. For one, it assumes that left to its own devices the legislation...
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...Operational Institutions Westminster Style Parliamentary Government: derives from the british parliament in Britain meaning that we have an adversarial government. This can be expressed in the parliamentary structure of the house of commons (adversarial and conflict). High expectations of accountability in the formal legalities. The government must retain the confidence of the house (budget proposals) -legislative process: see above -party discipline: is linked to the idea of confidence, it operates through out the system. The general expectation is that members will vote along party lines. Pros: Accountability meaning that you know who is power and responsible for certain parts of the government, higher level of efficiency, fiscal and budgetary concerns, Cons: Can not always vote according to beliefs and values, inefficiency Federalism: Important driver of politics within Canada. To what extent are the types of different conflicts between the different levels of conflicts. Another reason why federalism exists is due in large part to the question of Quebec and the allocation of powers between french canada and the rest of the country. The Canadian State: Sovereignty 1867: Constitution Act, 1867 (BNA) 1926: The King-Byng Thing 1926: Nadan v. The King: criminal cases could be heard by the JCPC still The Balfour Declaration 1931: The statue of Westminster (formalize the separation of British and Canadian Government) 1949 Abolition of appeals to JCPC 1982:...
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...Modelling the Counterfeiting of Bank Notes: A Literature Review Ben Fung and Enchuan Shao, Currency Department • Ensuring that the threat of counterfeiting remains low is critical to maintaining the public’s confidence in bank notes as a means of payment . In the past 50 years, Canada has experienced two major episodes of counterfeiting at levels that threatened public confidence . The Bank of Canada has since developed a comprehensive anti-counterfeiting strategy that has brought counterfeiting under control and that supports public confidence by staying ahead of counterfeiters . Research that models the behaviour of relevant parties—the counterfeiters, the merchants and the central bank—helps to improve our understanding of their respective decisions: whether or not to produce counterfeit notes, whether or not to verify and accept bank notes offered, and what level of security to apply to bank notes . This research also sheds light on the importance of policies against counterfeiting . • I n June 2011, the Bank of Canada unveiled its new $100 and $50 notes to the public. The Bank’s new series of polymer bank notes, which incorporates innovative security features that are not only easy to verify but also difficult to counterfeit, marks a significant advance in counterfeiting deterrence. Issuing new, more-secure bank notes is one of four components in the Bank’s comprehensive anticounterfeiting strategy, which was developed during the most recent episode of high levels...
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...The practice of racial profiling by police officers has become a contentious issue between law enforcement and advocacy group supporting rights of citizens. An increasing number of reported incidents in which law enforcement professionals have been accused of targeting minority groups have heightened the debate about racial profiling and the legitimacy surrounding it. The practice of racial profiling by law enforcement is an attempt to identify potential criminals before they could commit serious crimes. Law enforcement officers who have used racial profiling are confident that the process helps them to detain criminals and therefore reduce crime. However, the use of racial profiling has become a debated issue across North America. The media has captured the public’s attention by identifying how law enforcement officials make the assumption that minority groups and people from ethnic backgrounds are more likely to commit crimes. This paper will reflect that the use of racial profiling by law enforcement is both wrong and ineffective in many ways. First, racial profiling is wrong because it tends to target people of color under the assumption and stereotype that they create more crime, which clearly is unconstitutional under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Secondly, through the Toronto Star newspaper analysis it will be obvious that the use of racial profiling in solving crimes is not effective but is damaging and harmful towards individuals under the Human Rights Code. And...
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...Introduction Would you ever admit to committing a crime that you didn’t actually commit? Of course not, says common sense. Naturally, it is difficult to understand why anyone would confess to a crime they didn’t commit. However, false confessions are one the leading causes of wrongful convictions.1 As the Supreme Court of Canada noted in R v. Oickle, innocent people are induced to make false confessions more frequently than those unacquainted with the phenomenon might expect.2 In North America, we can trace the existence of false confessions back to the Salem Witch Trials, where a number of women were persecuted for witchcraft on the basis of confessions that were obtained through torture and threats.3 More recent false confessions have been obtained under psychological duress and not with torture or threats of physical harm.4 Nevertheless, with the developments in law and policies in place to control interrogation methods, false confessions continue to persist.5 This begs the question, are interrogation methods solely responsible for false confessions, or does some of the responsibility fall on the confessor? Scholars and social scientists agree, that it is not solely harsh interrogation tactics that lead to false confessions but it is the combination of these tactics with psychological factors such as, intelligence and personality, which contribute to the likelihood of a suspect providing a false confession.6 While there are currently solutions for avoiding false confessions...
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...Public/Police Relations: An Intractable Conflict? David A. Mercury damercury1921@gmail.com (416) 333-7523 Public/Police Relations: An Intractable Conflict? Purpose of this Paper The purpose of this paper is to determine whether the conflicts described, between the police and the Afrikan Canadian diaspora [sometimes referred to as the Communities] and the Original Peoples communities and other racial minorities, can be defined as being intractable. If so, the exploration of possible approaches to resolve these conflicts is beyond the scope of this paper. It is my hope and intention to conduct this exploration in later works. What is an Intractable Conflict? The Oxford International Encyclopedia of Peace, defines intractable conflicts through a discussion the common features. First, [emphasis added] intractable conflicts are protracted, persisting for a long time. Second, [emphasis added] they are waged in ways that the adversaries or interested observers regard as destructive. Third, [emphasis added] partisans and intermediaries attempt, but fail to end or transform them. Conflict intractability, however, is not a fixed dichotomous feature; conflicts vary in their degree of intractability. The degree to which the three defining features are manifested varies and changes, and they are best treated as dimensions of conflict. . . . Even duration is not a fixed characteristic of a conflict. The beginning of a conflict is often contested, with one side pointing back...
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...Forty years later, it remains engraved in the Canadian consciousness. The Summit Series of September 1972 eight games that not only changed hockey but diverted a war. Team Canada was composed of the National Hockey League’s greatest stars, expected to easily defeat the Soviet team. In fact, on the eve of the ‘good will’ eight-game series. For Canadians, the series against the Soviet Union, which was the first time N.H.L. players skated against the Soviets. At the height of the cold war, two hockey styles clashed. The fast, precise game of the Soviets against the psychical, rugged, punishing game of the Canadians. The series played out before a rapt audience on both sides. As it moved across Canada and on to Moscow, the games became increasingly...
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...In the Pursuit of Happiness RaMonica L. Whitfield Kaplan University In the Pursuit of Happiness All citizens have the unalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but what happens when a citizen commits a heinous act such as murder? Should the pursuit of their happiness be granted even though they took the life of another? Are we as a society to take their feelings into consideration and grant them the right to live their life as they wish? A major issue within the United States is the healthcare programs for inmates. One of the largest disputes when it comes to medical treatments/surgeries within the penal system is the sexual reassignment of inmates with gender dysphoria. It is reported that as of 2007 there are 750 inmates that are requesting gender reassignment surgeries (Brotheim, 2013). If polled today, some would say that a gender reassignment surgery at the tax payer’s expense is a frivolous waste of money. Some might even become infuriated at the thought of a non-law abiding citizen, one that has been deemed by society as someone who should be removed from the general public, most definitely does not deserve to receive this surgery. The states should not be liable to conduct gender reassignment surgeries for inmates with gender dysphoria, because of cost, the uncertainty that of the curability of this disorder, safety of the incarcerated offender and the moral dilemma of punishment versus privilege. Gender Dysphoria-...
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...Whole Foods Market’s Position on “Organic” Personal Care Products November 20, 2009 The subject of “organic” label claims on personal care and cosmetic products has been a controversial one, and certain manufacturers and groups have accused some products of “cheating” by using the “organic” claim deceptively. This document clarifies the issues, the USDA’s role in regulating organic personal care products, and articulates Whole Foods Market’s position on the issue. We strongly support the development of Federal regulations for organic personal care products. The development of Federal organic standards for food has directly enabled increased consumer trust, substantial growth of the organic market, and integrity throughout the supply chain, and we believe that regulation of organic personal care products will result in the same benefits for consumers and the industry. What’s going on with organic personal care products? At its November meeting, the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) passed a recommendation on “Solving the Problem of Mislabeled Personal Care Products,” which recommended that the USDA’s National Organic Standards explicitly recognize personal care products and allow them to be regulated just like food and agricultural products under the same standard. Whole Foods Market supports this recommendation, and delivered written and oral testimony to the board expressing our position on the issue (see comments below). Does this mean that personal care products now must be certified...
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...Cause and Outcome of War 1754-1815 Abstract This paper will compare and contrast the French and Indian War, American Revolution, and the War of 1812. All three wars were fought over land or expansion in one form or another. The French and Indian War was fought because both countries believed they had the right to the Ohio River Valley. This caused Britain to tax the colonist and place restrictions that led to the American Revolution. The American Revolution gave the colonies their freedom from British rule and the ability to form their nation and laws. Great Britain never respected the United States as a sovereign nation. Due to the conflict with France both France and Britain restricted U.S. imports because of the belief that the U.S. was supplying the enemy. The embargoes on American shipments along with the Native American attacks on colonist caused the War of 1812. The greatest accomplishment of the War of 1812 was the era of good feelings. Cause and Outcome of War 1754-1815 The cause and outcome of the French and Indian War, American Revolution, and the War of 1812 had many similarities. The wars started with the French and Indian war that was fought over the Ohio River Valley, which began in 1754 ending with the Treaty of Paris in 1763. The American Revolutionary War was fought over the colonist not given the same rights as Englishmen along with the taxation of the colonist that began 1775 and ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1783. The War of 1812 was fought because...
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...ISSUES IN CANADAS MORTGAGE MARKET What is the applicable law? Under the adjusted mortgage rules: * Reduce the maximum amortization period to 30 years from 35 years for new government-backed insured mortgages with loan-to-value ratios of more than 80 per cent. This will significantly reduce the total interest payments Canadian families make on their mortgages, allow Canadian families to build up equity in their homes more quickly, and help Canadians pay off their mortgages before they retire. * Lower the maximum amount Canadians can borrow in refinancing their mortgages to 85 per cent from 90 per cent of the value of their homes. This will promote saving through home ownership and limit the repackaging of consumer debt into mortgages guaranteed by taxpayers. * Withdraw government insurance backing on lines of credit secured by homes, such as home equity lines of credit, or HELOCs. This will ensure that risks associated with consumer debt products used to borrow funds unrelated to house purchases are managed by the financial institutions and not borne by taxpayers. What are the relevant regulatory agencies or bodies? Describe their roles. The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) regulates federally licensed banks, trust companies, insurance companies, credit unions and some provincial financial institutions. It was created in 1987 to supervise the financial institutions and to build consumer confidence in the Canadian financial system...
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...are prepared. This means the accounting standards Canada had been using generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) will no longer apply. What will this mean for PAEs and their investors? Will there be more or less decision useful information and will securities markets become more efficient with Canada’s adoption of IFRS or is it the same business, just different accounting? Executive Summary Comparing financial statements internationally has become difficult as accounting rules and standards have evolved differently depending on the country due to history, culture, political influence and economics. That is why the IFRS have been created and currently there is almost 100 countries that adhere to IFRS standards. Canada too has decided it must join and in 2011 all Canadian PAE’s will report under IFRS. There are both pros and cons for investors who will be relying on financial information from companies that are using IFRS’s foundation. The adoptions of IFRS will likely cause recognition, measurement and presentation differences in a company’s financial statements. Although IFRS’s mandate is to provide a single set of high quality, understandable and enforceable global accounting standards there will be challenges that must be understood otherwise investor confidence will be eroded due to differences is various countries that have adopted IFRS. International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) versus Canada Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) IFRS...
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...Comprehensive Analysis Outline Inthiravanh Amphonephong, Linda Thibodeaux Barras, Rachelle Hollier and Marcella Horne MGT 448 November 9, 2011 Thailund Porter Green Comprehensive Analysis Outline Region Analysis * Regional alliances and economic integration * United States, Mexico, and Canada (North America) * Strengthened significantly through the NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement since implemented in 1994 * Mexico is the United States 3rd largest trading partner (Villarreal, 2010) * Physical environment and its affect on trade * Middle class citizens live in fear of kidnapping for ransom * Loss of investor confidence in 2008 * Political stability * President, mayor, police chief to keep the peace in Mexico City * Police not readily trusted by citizens (Grillo, 2008) * Economic conditions * Gross Domestic Product is $875 billion which is 6% of America’s GDP (Grillo, 2008) * Mexico is viewed as a manufacturing for export nation (Villarreal, 2010) * Finance options available * Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) as a result of Mexico’s liberation in the mid-1980’s (Villarreal, 2010) * Social, health, and environmental conditions * Infrastructure is poor, but plans to improve (Grillo, 2008) * Terrorism threats * Drug dealing since 1995 when the economy crashed * $2 billion trade in bodyguards, alarm systems and bulletproof cars (Grillo, 2008) ...
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...In light of recent events, tensions amongst American citizens and police officers have risen due to the alleged use of excessive force and the unjust shootings of African Americans. In the aftermath of such incidents, the integrity of police officers has been called into question, raising the issue of whether or not police should wear body cameras. With increasingly widespread reports of such incidents, it is clear that body cameras do need to be implemented into police forces in order to restore public confidence in police officers. On the 17th of July 2014, Eric Garner was approached by NYPD police officers, on the suspicion of selling cigarettes without tax stamps. Garner responded by saying that he would not be harassed and that he...
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...ASSIGNMENT 2 CMNS 261 - Documentary Research in Communication Course Authour: Donald Gutstein Course Tutor Marker: Vincent Andrisani Policy document Research and Analysis Canada. Access to Information Review Task Force. (2002, June). Access to Information: Making it Work for Canadians. Page 2 Policy document Research and Analysis Canada. Access to Information Review Task Force. Overview: The decision to implement an Access to Information Act (ATIA) in Canada was a process initiated in the early 1970s and only in 1982 was a workable law established in this country. Through many years, the preliminary actions were taken by a few and only after the government officially decided to develop the law, was a real concerted effort expended on the Access To Information Act (ATIA). Heralded as an example to be followed, it has been many years since the law was amended to keep up with the times of the changing face of information access. As a result the Canadian act has languished for many years with a constant whittling away at the right to access culminating with the current outcry that the law must be made more workable. This is a brief search of the actions that have been taken and their results. Historical aspects of Access to Information in Canada: The existing Access to Information Act (ATIA) as passed by the Federal Parliament in 1982, and was enacted in1983 after years of attempts at implementation Page 3 of an information...
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