The Daily GRRR! - November 21st, 2014 - Waves Through Walls: Prison Radio

Welcome, I am your host Dan Kellar and you are listening to The Daily GRRR! Waves Through Walls: Prison Radio, on 100.3fm, CKMS in Waterloo, Ontario. Soundfm.ca on the web, today is Friday November 21st, 2014.

We are broadcasting from the centre of the Haldimand Tract, the occupied Grand River Territory of the Haudenosaunee (Six Nations).

The Daily GRRR! is a project of the Grand River Media Collective; and is supported by the Community Radio Fund of Canada and CKMS.

The clip that kicked off the show is from Mumia Abu-Jamal with his piece entitled The Not So Grand Jury. Check prisonradio.org for more of Mumia’s podcasts.

Today’s feature is the start of an interview from Aaron Lakoff of the mediacoop with Indigenous Land Defender Kanahus Manuel. They speak about ongoing resistance to mining and other damaging resource projects on unceded Indigenous territory in so-called British Columbia, including the aftermath of the Mount Polley Disaster and the proposed Red Chris mega-mine.

Now we will start with today’s headlines:

The Daily GRRR!
HEADLINES for November 21st, 2014 
1. Indigenous Women Dies in RCMP Custody
2. Federal Prison Guards Conspired To Run Illegal Auto-Shop
3. Thin Blue Line Breaking in Ottawa Jail Beating Case
4. Enough is Enough! Stop targeted policing of the Jane-Finch!
5. Suspended Timmins Cop Charged With Assaulting Lover
6. Maine’s Legendary Trooper Gets Plea Deal in Sexual Assault of 4 Year-Old
7. Montreal Gazette Releases Biting Editorial On Police Impunity
8. Petition to Remove Mexico From Canada’s Safe Country List
9. Rally in Solidarity With Migrant Detainees
10. CUPE National President Releases Video In Support of Deepan Budlakoti
11. American Pipeline Regulator Warns Against TarSands Repurposing Projects
12. Arrests Made At #NoPipeline Resistance on #BurnabyMountain

1. Indigenous Women Dies in RCMP Custody
As reported by APTN on Wednesday, Adelle Morin, a 39 year old Indigenous women from, Sandy Bay Saskatchewan, died in a jail cell after being arrested by the RCMP on October 6th.

After the RCMP blocked Adelle’s mother from identifying the body, it was sent away for autopsy, and the family did not see the body until after it was already prepared at a funeral home.

Adelle Morin, a mother of 5, was arrested at 4pm and was dead by 8pm, the RCMP have refused to give any details into the case and no video footage from the holding cells has been released.

2. Federal Prison Guards Conspired To Run Illegal Auto-Shop
A supervisor and a small group of subordinates from the Correctional Service of Canada committed a “serious breach of code of conduct” according to an internal report which has kept the names of the guards, and the location of their behaviour confidential.

The guards were operating a for profit auto-repair and car-wash business at federal facilities, using prison labour and prison vehicles.

The CSC will not disclose what disciplinary measures were taken against the guards but assures us that the "CSC does not tolerate any breach of its policies”.

3. Thin Blue Line Breaking in Ottawa Jail Beating Case
As his story continued to contradict and evolve from earlier testimony, ex-prison guard Tyler Roy of the Innes Road Jail now denies calling for back-up to assault Jean Paul Rheaume and denies accidently getting locked in a cell with Rheaume and another Guard, Melissa Schell, despite computer records indicating otherwise.

Schell is still a guard at the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre and she admitted to omitting information in her report on the incident. Including the massive injuries to prisoner Rheaume. Guard John Barbro is on trial for the the 2010 assault of Rheaume.

On Thursday, another guard Stacey Robertson admitted to falsifying his report to protect other guards. As Robertson was being cross-examined by the crown attorney, he said “We all know what happens to whistleblowers in any industry, let alone a place where the trust of fellow officers is all you got.”

Robertson also remembers as many as 30 guards rushing to the segregation cells where a handcuffed Rheaume had his face repeatedly boot-stomped into the concrete floor.

The trial resumes today in Ottawa.
4.Enough is Enough! Stop targeted policing of the Jane-Finch!
The grassroots Jane-Finch Action Against Poverty in Toronto has released a statement condemning the continuing racial policing in their neighbourhood saying “despite a revised carding policy designed to reign in police abuses, racially biased carding continues to be widespread in the Jane and Finch community.”

Armed with a recent study called the Community Assessment of Police Practices (CAPP), which says “The status quo with respect to policing in 31 Division is unacceptable by any measure,” JFAAP notes “the level of trust in the police is low and many community members believe that police regularly abuse their power. Moreover, there is a widespread belief among both racialized and non-racialized groups that police racially profile members of the community.”

Citing the criminalisation of poverty and ongoing austerity programs from all levels of government as base issues in the community JFAAP wrote “Governments need to start making real investments in our communities for meaningful employment with decent pay, quality education, affordable and comfortable housing, accessible public transit, and improved community-based programs and services in order to create lasting positive change.”

With the next two stories, let us remember, if it was just a few bad apples, the whole orchard would not be rotting.

5. Suspended Timmins Cop Charged With Assaulting Lover
The Timmins police force continues to pay a suspended cop who has now been charged with physically assaulting his lover following a verbal argument. The cop was already suspended following undisclosed criminal activity and is free on a promise to appear.

His court will be in December and his identity is being kept secret to protect the survivor of the assault, who is being terrorized in an intimate relationship with a cop.

6. Maine’s Legendary Trooper Gets Plea Deal in Sexual Assault of 4 Year-Old
A 74 year old retired cop from Maine, who was named a “Legendary Trooper” as the state’s most decorated officer is likely avoiding severe penalty as he is poised to accept a plea deal, according to the anti-media.

The ex-cop, Andrew Demers was charged in march for sexually assaulting a 4 year old relative. Demers has previously come “under fire… when it was alleged that he turned a blind eye to allegations of abuse against several boys by the founder of the Cole Farms Restaurant in Gray, who was a friend.” That friend, Warren Cole, would be sent to jail in 1992 for molesting a boy in the 80’s.

7. Montreal Gazette Releases Biting Editorial On Police Impunity
Here is the editorial from the November 19th edition of the Montreal Gazette entitled It Seems Police Can Do No Wrong.

“In February, a Longueuil father was driving his 5-year-old son to school when he made a left-hand turn and was rammed by a speeding car. After being extricated from the wreckage and rushed to hospital unconscious, the boy died later of his injuries.

The driver of the speeding vehicle was a Sûreté du Québec officer, who was on duty but not on a call, emergency or otherwise. The child’s parents found out recently from Montreal Police, who investigated the fatal event, that the officer had been driving 122 kilometres per hour in a 50 zone. At the same time, they were told no criminal charges would be laid.

The child’s parents are left with troubling questions about the circumstances that led to their son’s tragic death — as are we all.

Why wasn’t the officer charged for doing more than twice the speed limit? Isn’t it highly likely any civilian who killed a child going that fast would be charged with manslaughter, dangerous driving causing death or negligence? Did the driver’s status as a police officer influence the decision?

These are all important questions, but we are unlikely to get many answers now that the Directeur des poursuites criminelles et pénales has closed the case. There may well be strong justification for not pressing charges, some unknown mitigating factor. But the opaque process for holding police to account in Quebec leaves an impression of impunity that undermines public confidence in law enforcement.

In Quebec, police still investigate fellow police after shootings or fatal accidents — despite a law passed by the National Assembly in May 2013 to create a Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes. A year and a half later, we are still waiting for the top watchdog to be named and this bureau to start operating. We are now told by the Public Security Ministry this might happen by the end of 2015 or early 2016.

In the meantime, we are left to ponder what it takes for a police officer to be charged criminally — or even disciplined. The officer who fatally shot unarmed teen Fredy Villanueva and injured two others in a Montreal North park in 2008 was never charged or disciplined. Disciplinary action against eight police who botched the investigation in the Villanueva case was recently abandoned despite serious lapses flagged during a coroner’s inquiry.

None of the police involved in several fatal shootings of mentally ill homeless men in Montreal — including one case where a bystander was hit by a stray bullet — were ever charged. Perhaps there are good reasons for this, and many people would give police the benefit of the doubt, but some clear explanation would help.

The officers who have been charged with criminal offences were once who betrayed their colleagues, like organized crime investigator Benoît Roberge, who sold secrets to biker gangs, or embarrassed the force, like Stéfanie Trudeau, aka Agent 728, who was charged with assault after an aggressive takedown of two musicians was recorded on a cellphone. Four officers in Trois-Rivières were charged with assault and suspended for beating a subdued suspect after a video of the incident went viral.

It is still possible the officer whose speeding car killed the boy will face discipline — once the SQ is able to obtain the final investigative report.

But it often seems police can do no wrong.”

We are going to take a little break from headlines and be back after some music, here is a spanish language rendition of "Can You Hear The People Sing" from Les Miserables being performed as part of the demand for justice, and the return of the 43 disappeared student teachers from Ayotzinapa, in Guerrero state, Mexico.

That was El Teatro Musical Canta with a spanish language rendition of "Can You Hear The People Sing" from Les Miserables being performed as part of the demand for justice, and the return of the 43 disappeared student teachers from Ayotzinapa, in Guerrero state, Mexico.

You are listening to Waves Through Walls edition of The Daily GRRR! Today is November 21st, 2014, my name is Dan Kellar and we will now continue with more headlines.

8. Petition to Remove Mexico From Canada’s Safe Country List
As protests and vigils continue in Mexico and around the world for the 43 disappeared student teachers from Ayotzinapa in Guerrero state, in the south of the country, No One Is Illegal has started a petition to demand Harper’s canadian government remove mexico from the so-called “safe Country” list.

The list dictates which countries may produce”valid” refugee claimants - most of canada’s economic trading partners are on the safe list, seemingly regardless of the security situation in the country.

In the petition, hosted on change.org NOII notes that “The most glaring hypocrisy of the Canadian government is that it frequently advises its own citizens to not travel to parts of Mexico, but believes that Mexicans fleeing persecution and violence can safely be deported!”

To sign the petition visit the link found in today’s show on grandrivermc.ca:
https://www.change.org/p/conservative-government-remove-mexico-from-the-...

9. Rally in Solidarity With Migrant Detainees
This Sunday, November 23rd, a rally in solidarity with migrant detainees and united against raids and detentions will take place at the Toronto Immigration Holding Centre on Rexdale Boulevard. The Event calls for “A day of joyful protest in solidarity with migrants jailed at the Toronto Immigration Holding Centre, demanding justice for migrants, refugees, and migrant workers.”

With 11 deaths in detention of migrants in the past 13 years, including that of Lucia Jimenez Vega, who killed herself rather than be deported to the violence which awaited her in Mexico, it is clear that immigration detention and the deportation system is not working.

Reading now from the callout for the event:

“The Canadian immigration system is a pipeline of exclusion. Many are forced to leave their homes around the world, then are denied permanent residency and dignity here. Those of us who stay without papers are denied services. Our families are racially profiled, as we saw in the August raids enabled by the Ontario government -- adding to the 100,000 people who have been deported by this government….

So on November 23rd, we gather to show our solidarity with people imprisoned and deported, with their families and our communities. We raise our voices and fists as one: No One Is Illegal! Dignity over Deportation! Worker Control Not Immigration Controls! Access Without Fear! Status for All! Struggle and Solidarity Not War and Austerity!”

10. CUPE National President Releases Video In Support of Deepan Budlakoti
The Justice for Deepan Coalition has released another video in support of the Canadian born man the Harper government has rendered stateless in a shocking case of double punishment. This time, the video is from CUPE national president Paul Moist, giving support to Deepan’s struggle and condemning the government for their actions. Here is that message.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh953BxWSUc&feature=youtu.be

11. American Pipeline Regulator Warns Against TarSands Repurposing Projects
In an article from insideclimatenews.org, Elizabeth Douglass writes that an american regulator responsible for pipelines “has officially cautioned the industry about potential safety threats from restarting, reversing or reworking pipelines to handle Canadian tar sands oil and the surge in U.S. oil and natural gas supplies. If not handled properly, those changes can increase the risk of pipeline leaks and ruptures, the Sept. 12 notice said.”

The Pipeline and hazardous materials safety administration notes in particular “last year's oil spills involving two reversed pipelines, ExxonMobil's Pegasus tar sands line in Arkansas and the Tesoro Logistics line in North Dakota. Those accidents, as well as "other information PHMSA has become aware of" led the agency to issue the alert, the bulletin said.”

This first of its kind memo should be noticed in canada as well, as pipeline companies rush to reverse the flow of pipelines in their desperate attempts to get tar sands oil to market. The Line 9 project in Ontario and Quebec and the line 3 project in Manitoba and Saskatchewan are two such projects which would be impacted were the NEB to take their American counterparts warnings seriously.

12. Arrests Made At #NoPipeline Resistance on #BurnabyMountain 
As the pipeline surveying work blockade continued on Thursday on Burnaby mountain in Coast Salish Territory, the RCMP moved in to enforce a court injunction, arresting 23 people and apparently one of their own swine who acting as an undercover. Several of the arrests saw police use violence on the land protectors.

The actions, stopping forest clearing ahead of survey work for a proposed pipeline from the Kinder Morgan company, have been met with wide ranging support with the battle against the pipeline including the Mayor of Burnaby and most of the council. Most of those arrested have been released with the facebook page for the protest stating that “Caretakers call for ongoing solidarity presence, saying "This pipeline will not be built, we love these lands"”

The message went on "We are sending a clear message that the pipeline will not be built on unceded lands without the consent of Indigenous nations and the approval of all those who love these lands," the group gathered has declared.”

And now we will play a message to Kinder Morgan CEO Rich Kinder from 16 year old Jacqueline Lee Tam, who was present at the blockade site on Thursday.

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You are listening to Waves Through Walls edition of The Daily GRRR! and we are now moving into the feature portion of our broadcast.

Today’s feature is the start of an interview from Aaron Lakoff of the mediacoop with Indigenous Land Defender Kanahus Manuel. They speak about ongoing resistance to mining and other damaging resource projects on unceded Indigenous territory in so-called British Columbia, including the aftermath of the Mount Polley Disaster and the proposed Red Chris mega-mine.

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That was part of an Interview with Indigenous Land Defender Kanahus Manuel from Aaron Lakoff of CKUT. To hear then whole interview check: http://www.mediacoop.ca/audio/interview-kanahus-manuel/32154

This has been the The Daily GRRR! for November 21st, 2014. We are on weekdays from 9-10am on 100.3fm CKMS in Waterloo region, and http://soundfm.ca on the web. Check out all our past shows and other Grand River Media Collective work on our webpage http://grandrivermc.ca

The Daily GRRR! is supported by the Community Radio Fund of Canada and CKMS.

Stay tuned in for more Grand River Radical Radio after we close the podcast
Thanks for Listening.