Jon Thompson

Pretty much exactly... x.com/ColinDMello/st…

I got threats when I suggested a couple weeks ago that it looked like Doug Ford might be pivoting from “special economic zones” being for red tape reduction to them being for overriding local resistance. Turns out Billy Bishop, not the Ring of Fire, will be the first such zone.

@BurchatLouella Southern Ontarian impatience is fuel for the rush to massive development in a region untouched by development, where First Nations remain without basic rights & infrastructure, according to Ontario's ombudsman. ricochet.media/indigenous/bri… These historic negotiations are under duress.

@BurchatLouella EA for "community access road" from Greenstone to Marten Falls, likewise for "supply road" from Webequie to proposed mine site. There's a "northern link" road in between, where Neskantaga & Attawapiskat members are building a permanent village to block. ricochet.media/indigenous/lan…

To clarify, Ontario intends to pass new legislation that will seize the island. It will not use the "special economic zone" designation to enable the expropriation, but it will use it to override whatever restrictions exist to this type of development. news.ontario.ca/en/release/100…

"I think we're entering a climate revolution. I'm not trying to scare people, I'm trying to give them the language of striking, of shutting things down in order to get what we need."-Lakehead U professor Todd Dufresne, The Future Belongs To Those Who Fight cbc.ca/listen/live-ra…

But back to the complaints of inmates, the most frequent involved inadequate health care, cell overcrowding, solitary confinement, a high frequency of lockdowns, and staff violence. Efforts suggesting some organization demanded action on vermin infestations and feminine hygiene.

Here's that: Indigenous adults are 10x over-represented among Canada's incarcerated population. That amounts to 33 per cent of the 26,000 people whose fates take up a peculiarly large bandwidth in our public discourse. In Ontario, it's 8.3x. www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quoti…

I'm digging through Ontario's ombudsman's report on how complaints from correctional facilities are up 55% (to 6,870). I remain gobsmacked at how Canada's whole political spectrum has slid into inflicting suffering through jail when 4 in 5 behind bars are awaiting trial.

“Prosecutors should report Charter violations to Police Chiefs” share.google/Qw9MXMP5iylCpg…

@Fit4Duty_Ethics Someone has to take the lead on frontline accountability, especially because Plan A is to allow class polarization to accelerate. History teaches us to be skeptical but skepticism and cynicism are two different vehicles.

@JonSThompson I'm still skeptical that a civilian would hold one of the highest commissioners of policing in Canada to account. But, I would love to be proven wrong.

These cuts will weaken journalism as an institution and result in security costs that will dwarf investment in news. If this country continues to fail to understand the media's function in democratic order, we will pay exponentially in cultural insecurity. globalnews.ca/news/11737460/…

@Fit4Duty_Ethics You might be interested to hear the feds are increasing the Civilian Review and complaints Commission for the RCMP by 70% or almost $12M. CSIS is up 2.1%/$20.5M. CSE is up 21%/ $350M. Border is up 2%/ $60M.

@JonSThompson Where is our money going? An honest question.

If you want to do mining exploration up here, Ontario announced yesterday our tax base will adopt fully half of your risk, up to $215,000. Sixty-eight companies are taking our government up on that this year, alone. northernminer.com/news/ontario-f…

Special constables policing public housing in Thunder Bay lied to my source that they'd called me to cancel my visit to her building. They didn't contact me, there's obviously no policy that you can't host a reporter for tea, and my source isn't no one. ricochetmedia.substack.com/p/the-meeting-…

Still the best political moderator in Canada. You've got to love to see it.

“Police have a tough job, but they can still get the bad guys without breaching the Charter,” he said. “This is especially the case when officers deliberately violated the Charter or were negligent or where courts have flagged systemic issues.”

🧵: Ontario's proposed FOI changes will likely kill a court order relating to Doug Ford's personal cellphone. They'll also probably end a high-stakes battle involving a former chief of staff and their potential use of personal emails during the Greenbelt. #ONPoli