The territory of Nunavut has a serious problem with crime. To the editorial board at the Globe and Mail, this is evidence that the Conservative Party is not tough on crime (the column does not list an author, but we do know that Jane Taber sets the agenda). The proposed solution to the problem is hiring more judges and prosecutors, which makes sense if there is a shortfall. The question is does Nunavut's small population produce enough people with the knowledge and experience necessary to undertake the responsibility of enforcing Canada's criminal code? If they can't produce enough locals to reduce the strain on their legal system, does that mean that we have to relocate judges and prosecutors from the rest of Canada to the arctic? Are these people going to be willing to accept an assignment to a land where you rarely see the sun in the winter time?
Something needs to be done, so how do we solve the problem? I don't think it is fair to blame the current situation on the Conservatives. This history of violence is not a new phenomenon. The problem has existed for a while now, and is the reason it hasn't been solved yet because the government doesn't care, or because the solution is not as clear as people would think?
I remember the last time Nunavut voted in a territorial election; the CBC Arctic division was broadcasting election results across the country on CBC Newsworld. What blew my mind was how many male candidates running for office had been arrested or convicted of sexual assault, and that some of them were elected. Anywhere else in the country, it would be impossible to win a seat with a rape conviction; but these people were getting a substantial number of votes. That's as alarming as the crime rate, the complacency and acceptance of Nunavut's voting public of the criminal offenses of the candidates for which they are voting.
This is part of the agenda to push the "white man's guilt" to secure more funding.
ReplyDeleteIf they hire more judges, they will have to build prisons,
ReplyDeletebut Iffy wants to build schools.......
what - the sentencing circles aren't working?
ReplyDeleteThe rates of sexual assault and child sexual abuse are astronomical in the territories, but we can't talk about that without being called racist.
ReplyDeleteSo the suffering and abuse continues....
I work in the NWT and my brother has worked in the majority of the communities up there over the last 20 years.
He has stories that will curl your hair.
Lotsof the senior elected officials have been convicted of sexual assault and child abuse.
But if you try to talk about that and shed some light on the plight of the women and children that are assaulted you are a racist.
So it keeps on going.
Peter Mansbridge always like to portray himself as some kind of Articphile, why doesn't he stand up for the victims of these assaults and shed some light on the problem?
Stan