Latest news with #Fraser
Ottawa Citizen
a day ago
- Politics
- Ottawa Citizen
Justice minister says he doesn't like 'soft on crime' slogans, but won't 'diminish' those concerns
OTTAWA — Justice Minister Sean Fraser says that while he does not believe in using labels like 'soft on crime,' which critics employ to describe the justice system, he says it is important not to dismiss the concerns of those who use them. Article content 'I don't necessarily agree with the sloganeering approach, but that doesn't mean someone who may agree with it doesn't have a point that deserves the government's attention,' he told National Post in a recent wide-ranging interview on Wednesday. Article content Article content Article content Fraser enters the justice and attorney general portfolio at a time when premiers and police chiefs are pressing the federal government to further restrict access to bail, particularly in Ontario, as a strategy to stem the rising tide of auto thefts and home invasions, which police across the Greater Toronto Area and other regions of the country have reported. Article content Article content Making bail more difficult for those accused of these crimes, particularly when violence is used and when they are connected to organized crime, was a promise made by Prime Minister Mark Carney in late April's federal election, which saw the Liberals elected to a fourth term. Article content The Liberals also campaigned on a pledge to make bail harder for those charged with certain human trafficking and drug smuggling offences, as well as bringing in tougher sentencing guidelines for courts to follow for repeat offenders convicted of a home invasion or auto theft. Article content Article content Crime was a major focus of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's campaign, with candidates handing out leaflets emblazoned with the percentages of how much car theft has increased in and around Toronto, where they flipped several seats from the Liberals. Article content Conservatives have continued to draw attention to crime rates by laying them squarely at the feet of what they describe as 'soft on crime' and 'catch-and-release' Liberal justice policies. Article content Fraser says the discussion around tightening bail is rooted in legal analysis and not 'exclusively on the increased scrutiny that you may see from the public or from another political party.' It is also a multi-jurisdictional matter, he points out, and touches on issues like training for judges and justices of the peace, as well as the shortage of Crown prosecutors, which the Liberals have pledged to tackle.
Calgary Herald
a day ago
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Justice minister says he doesn't like 'soft on crime' slogans, but won't 'diminish' those concerns
OTTAWA — Justice Minister Sean Fraser says that while he does not believe in using labels like 'soft on crime,' which critics employ to describe the justice system, he says it is important not to dismiss the concerns of those who use them. Article content 'I don't necessarily agree with the sloganeering approach, but that doesn't mean someone who may agree with it doesn't have a point that deserves the government's attention,' he told National Post in a recent wide-ranging interview on Wednesday. Article content Article content Article content Fraser enters the justice and attorney general portfolio at a time when premiers and police chiefs are pressing the federal government to further restrict access to bail, particularly in Ontario, as a strategy to stem the rising tide of auto thefts and home invasions, which police across the Greater Toronto Area and other regions of the country have reported. Article content Article content Making bail more difficult for those accused of these crimes, particularly when violence is used and when they are connected to organized crime, was a promise made by Prime Minister Mark Carney in late April's federal election, which saw the Liberals elected to a fourth term. Article content The Liberals also campaigned on a pledge to make bail harder for those charged with certain human trafficking and drug smuggling offences, as well as bringing in tougher sentencing guidelines for courts to follow for repeat offenders convicted of a home invasion or auto theft. Article content Article content Crime was a major focus of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's campaign, with candidates handing out leaflets emblazoned with the percentages of how much car theft has increased in and around Toronto, where they flipped several seats from the Liberals. Article content Conservatives have continued to draw attention to crime rates by laying them squarely at the feet of what they describe as 'soft on crime' and 'catch-and-release' Liberal justice policies. Article content Fraser says the discussion around tightening bail is rooted in legal analysis and not 'exclusively on the increased scrutiny that you may see from the public or from another political party.' It is also a multi-jurisdictional matter, he points out, and touches on issues like training for judges and justices of the peace, as well as the shortage of Crown prosecutors, which the Liberals have pledged to tackle.
Vancouver Sun
a day ago
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
Justice minister says he doesn't like 'soft on crime' slogans, but won't 'diminish' those concerns
OTTAWA — Justice Minister Sean Fraser says that while he does not believe in using labels like 'soft on crime,' which critics employ to describe the justice system, he says it is important not to dismiss the concerns of those who use them. 'I don't necessarily agree with the sloganeering approach, but that doesn't mean someone who may agree with it doesn't have a point that deserves the government's attention,' he told National Post in a recent wide-ranging interview on Wednesday. Fraser enters the justice and attorney general portfolio at a time when premiers and police chiefs are pressing the federal government to further restrict access to bail, particularly in Ontario, as a strategy to stem the rising tide of auto thefts and home invasions, which police across the Greater Toronto Area and other regions of the country have reported. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Making bail more difficult for those accused of these crimes, particularly when violence is used and when they are connected to organized crime, was a promise made by Prime Minister Mark Carney in late April's federal election, which saw the Liberals elected to a fourth term. The Liberals also campaigned on a pledge to make bail harder for those charged with certain human trafficking and drug smuggling offences, as well as bringing in tougher sentencing guidelines for courts to follow for repeat offenders convicted of a home invasion or auto theft. Crime was a major focus of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's campaign, with candidates handing out leaflets emblazoned with the percentages of how much car theft has increased in and around Toronto, where they flipped several seats from the Liberals. Conservatives have continued to draw attention to crime rates by laying them squarely at the feet of what they describe as 'soft on crime' and 'catch-and-release' Liberal justice policies. Fraser says the discussion around tightening bail is rooted in legal analysis and not 'exclusively on the increased scrutiny that you may see from the public or from another political party.' It is also a multi-jurisdictional matter, he points out, and touches on issues like training for judges and justices of the peace, as well as the shortage of Crown prosecutors, which the Liberals have pledged to tackle. 'When we hear the scrutiny that may come from the public on an issue that's an early warning system that you should be looking into, has there been a change? What is underlying that change?' The involvement of organized crime has increased the number of car thefts in areas like Ontario, said Fraser, who on Wednesday met with the chief of Peel Regional Police to discuss the matter. Asked whether Canadians have a point when they say the country is 'soft on crime,' Fraser says he sees the issue differently. 'I think it's important that we don't operate in the space of slogans and sound bites, but that we don't diminish concerns that are raised when it comes to the very real issues that underlie those distinct issues that come forward.' 'So when I hear that kind of language, sometimes it reflects a desire to get something in the news because it's easy to communicate. But just because someone uses a slogan doesn't mean you should ignore a social fact that may underlie it.' With the House of Commons preparing to break for summer, Fraser says the government will be taking the next few months to hear from police and other stakeholders about other measures that may help address public safety, but said a bill ushering in some of the Liberals' platform commitments is expected to be tabled this fall. He is also still settling into his new role. Fraser has yet to have his first sit-down with Supreme Court Justice Richard Wagner, outside of an introductory call. Framed photos, which have yet to be hung, also sit around parts of Fraser's office, which is the same one the country's justice ministers have traditionally used. The weight of the role is not lost on Fraser, who graduated with a law degree from Dalhousie University and had a legal career before entering politics in 2015. 'You almost treat the attorney general role as an institution,' he said. The Liberals' upcoming bail reform measures represent the second time in the same number of years that the Liberals have enacted tougher measures. The last time was in 2023, when former justice minister Arif Virani shepherded through legislation aimed at repeat violent offenders and those accused of intimate partner violence, a move that followed calls from premiers and police chiefs, as well as the high-profile shooting death of a 28-year-old Ontario Provincial Police officer, where the accused had been released on bail. At the time, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and other advocacy groups warned that toughening bail access would lead to an increase in the number of individuals who were legally innocent finding themselves in pre-trial detention and exacerbate the country's already high population of Indigenous and Black people in provincial jails. Fraser told National Post that while public scrutiny is part of what has put the issue around car theft and home invasions on the government's 'radar,' he said it is not the driving force. 'Public attention on an issue is one of many factors, but the public attention is not in and of itself what drives it. It's the public attention that reflects a problem that people see in their communities,' he said. He added the government would be 'remiss' to ignore what it has heard from parts of Ontario, even if he says 'that may not be the same level of noise' emanating from Pictou County, N.S., where he hails from. Fraser says the proposed Criminal Code changes do not reflect how 'the country is more dangerous today than it was yesterday,' given there has been a mix of certain types of crimes increasing, while other parts of the country have shown a more 'encouraging trend.' 'Law is very much responsive to social changes that take place in communities, he said. 'And that's a strength of a democracy, is that you have the opportunity to take feedback, not from just the people who administer the system, but the people for whom it is administered.' National Post staylor@ Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our newsletters here .
BBC News
a day ago
- Sport
- BBC News
'Thelin will double down on his playing style'
We asked for your views on a potential change of approach from Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin next season after his tactical masterstroke in the Scottish Cup what some of you said:Malky: I don't think we're signing the personnel to adopt that new style. Thelin will double down on his style with said personnel and hopefully have more joy with it. Topi Keskinen can't play through the middle, he isn't remotely effective there, but out wide he can really be effective. Add Shayden Morris, Nicolas Milanovic etc. and we should be more productive. My concern is the lack of fight and aggression against teams like St Mirren and Dundee United, whose sole game plan revolves around winning throw-ins, corners, free-kicks and long balls over the top. This is what we need to focus on to give ourselves the best chance of finishing as high up as possible. Hopefully Thelin's naivety with this will be gone come the new This isn't Football Manager. Real matches demand adaptability. A good coach should have two or three tactical set-ups that can be switched between, not just one rigid system. Having a philosophy is important, but blindly sticking to it when it's not working isn't tactical discipline, it's stubbornness. The best managers evolve based on the opponent and match context. As the saying goes, doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is Due to inferior budgets and fixture demands, uncommon sense dictates the tactics and formation changes required across all Thelin's change of shape was incredibly unexpected and also remarkably effective. He has shown himself to be an astute tactician with his half-time and second-half improvements and it will be fascinating to see whether this can be extended into first-half performances with his new team next season.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Dad, 41, Diagnosed with Alzheimer's: 'You Feel Guilty That You're Doing That to the Kids'
Fraser, a 41-year-old dad, opened up about his experience with early-onset Alzheimer's after being diagnosed with the disease in 2024 On a YouTube channel, he tracks the symptoms that he experiences and how the illness is impacting his family 'You feel guilty that you're doing that to the kids,' he admitted, 'even though it's not your fault'A father with early-onset Alzheimer's disease is sharing how his symptoms began manifesting before his diagnosis — and when his family noticed something was wrong. Fraser, a researcher from Australia, shares an honest look at his journey on his YouTube channel — I (don't) have dementia. The symptoms, he explained, began nearly two and a half years before his diagnosis in 2024. 'I remember I was having some pretty big memory flaws,' Fraser, 41, said in a video, sharing that one incident came when he sat down to watch a movie with his partner, who told him, ''We watched that, like, a month ago.' " He continued, recalling, "Anyway I watched the whole movie and the ending was still a complete surprise — I had no memory of watching it, whatsoever.' Another time, the dad to teenage girls shared that one daughter told him she was going to the movies with friends and would be out late. 'It came to nighttime and I started freaking out thinking, 'Where's my daughter?' Like, I was genuinely freaking out,' Fraser said. Obviously, his kids noticed; he explained in another video: 'I asked my kids, just sort of casually, and they said, like, 'Everyone has memory issues that they have, they forget stuff in everyday life … we just noticed that you were just doing them more often, more frequently.' ' He shared that these days, he writes everything down in a diary as he struggles through 'every day scheduling,' explaining that if plans change, he can recall the original plan but not the revision. Alzheimer's, the most commonly diagnosed form of dementia, is generally diagnosed in older adults, according to John Hopkins Medicine. Treatment can help slow the progression of the disease, but it's not known why some people, like Fraser, develop it early. The ebb and flow of the symptoms, Fraser said in a recent video, can make you 'certain you have it and certain you do not have it.' 'It will change your identity,' he admitted, confessing that he can be 'selfish' and 'not follow through with [his] word.' Fraser shared that when he's in later stages, 'I can largely be off with the fairies, thinking I'm hanging out with my kid friend in primary school.' He said he'd rather his loved ones 'just [go] along with it as opposed to trying to correct me all the time.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. But the hardest part, he added, is knowing how it's impacting his children. 'They're already having to make accommodations,' Fraser said in a video while on a retreat with other people who've been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's. 'Being the parent, who's the one who's supposed to be supportive and the one who's supposed to be there for the kids … that whole issue of that sort of feeling like it's flipping a little bit.' 'You feel guilty that you're doing that to the kids,' he said, 'even though it's not your fault.' Read the original article on People
