I’ve had the privilege of consulting recently to three children and youth mental health services (two in Ontario and one in Saskatchewan) and becoming familiar with their accreditation by three different authorities: Council on Accreditation (COA). Canadian Centre for Accreditation (CCA). Accreditation Canada (AC). Mental health – and children and youth mental health in particular… Continue reading Switching Accreditors: Costs and Benefits
Working with the Ranch Ehrlo Society
Last Fall, I had the privilege of working with the senior leadership, management, and direct-service providers at the Ranch Ehrlo Society, in Saskatchewan. Ranch Ehrlo delivers a wide range of accredited mental health and developmental services on campuses located in Regina, Saskatoon, and Prince Albert, including outpatient assessment and psychotherapy, family therapy, early learning, day treatment… Continue reading Working with the Ranch Ehrlo Society
Locating children who died in Indian Residential Schools
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s “Missing Children and Unmarked Burials Project” was a systematic effort to record and analyze the deaths at the schools within the regulatory context in which the schools were intended to operate. The findings and conclusions included: The Commission identified 3,200 deaths… Continue reading Locating children who died in Indian Residential Schools
The future of the software freedom movement
On November 1, 2019, Eben Moglen spoke to the Software Freedom Law Center’s 15th Anniversary Fall Conference at Columbia Law School on the free software movement’s future as it turns a crucial page and begins another phase of its long march to freedom. The video is © 2019 Software Freedom Law Center and licensed under… Continue reading The future of the software freedom movement
FreedomBox turns ten
On November 16, 2019, Eben Moglen spoke at a hackathon, co-hosted by the FreedomBox Foundation and the Software Freedom Law Center, to commemorate the upcoming ten-year anniversary of the FreedomBox. The video is © 2019 FreedomBox Foundation and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC-BY-SA 4.0). The following transcription of Dr. Moglen’s speech… Continue reading FreedomBox turns ten
Over-representation of Indigenous, Black and other racialized children and youth in Ontario’s child welfare system
OHRC’s initial inquiry In December 2015, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) announced that it will use its mandate under the Ontario Human Right Code (Code) to examine the overrepresentation of Indigenous, Black and other racialized children and youth in the child welfare system. In February 2016, the OHRC wrote to Children’s Aid Societies in Ontario,… Continue reading Over-representation of Indigenous, Black and other racialized children and youth in Ontario’s child welfare system
Inequitable and insufficient funding for services for Indigenous children and youth
“We have a program called I Am a Witness, where we invite everyone to read and watch all of Canada’s documents, read and watch all of ours, and then make up your own mind.” – Cindy Blackstock, Keynote Address to Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness, November 4, 2019. Canadian Human Rights Tribunal The First Nations… Continue reading Inequitable and insufficient funding for services for Indigenous children and youth
Revera’s business is “privileged and confidential”
On Monday, Revera Inc. released “A Perfect Storm: The COVID-19 Experience for Revera and the Long-Term Care Sector.” CBC describes Revera’s report as “undertaken by an external advisory panel, made up mostly of doctors and experts in the medical field who volunteered their time.” The Public Service Alliance of Canada calls the report a “slick… Continue reading Revera’s business is “privileged and confidential”
“Christian Statesmanship”
The cover of the April 14, 1888 edition of the Toronto-based satirical magazine Grip displays “Christian Statesmanship” – a political cartoon of John A. Macdonald starving Indigenous People on the Prairies. The cartoon has been reproduced in many papers and books – including James Daschuk’s classic Clearing the Plains: Disease, Politics of Starvation, and the… Continue reading “Christian Statesmanship”
Protected: Sean Carlteton Deputation to the Macdonald Working Group, September 25, 2020
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Dishonouring Us All
Yesterday, The Times of Wellington, ON published my response to David Frum’s Letter to the Editor (The Times, September 16, 2020) regarding the legacy of John A. Macdonald. In my view, Mr. Frum stands in the way of Canadians finally accepting and beginning to reconcile ourselves to the awful truth that Canada committed genocide against… Continue reading Dishonouring Us All
Tainted Monuments: Additional Reading
What to do with tainted monuments? This collection introduces the ethics of cultural heritage and shares recent philosophical answers to the question, including essays by two young Canadian scholars, Brenda Macdougall and Daniel Abrahams. The Ethics of Cultural Heritage, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (2018) Is It Wrong to Topple Statues and Rename Schools?, Joanna Burch-Brown,… Continue reading Tainted Monuments: Additional Reading
Clearing the Plains: Additional Reading
“Happy is the country that has no history,” a proverb states, as history more often than not recounts acts of violence and greed and dishonesty. Happiness is but a dream for Canada, according to James Daschuk, because the malice that has marked so much of human history happened here, too. In Clearing the Plains he… Continue reading Clearing the Plains: Additional Reading
John A. Macdonald was the real architect of residential schools
Sean Carleton, Toronto Star, July 9, 2017 On June 21, National Aboriginal Day, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the federal government will change the name of Langevin Block, the building across from Parliament Hill, to the Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council. The building was named after Father of Confederation Sir Hector-Louis… Continue reading John A. Macdonald was the real architect of residential schools
Open statement to Council re: public consultation about Holding Court
It’s been a tough weekend for us in the County, so I hesitated to publish this open statement to Council re: the stalled public consultation on the statue of Macdonald Holding Court. I ended up thinking that Council needed to hear it was time to get on with it and stop procrastinating: Mayor Ferguson and… Continue reading Open statement to Council re: public consultation about Holding Court
Membership has its privileges: The Macdonald Project in Prince Edward County
Introduction It’s only fair that supporters of Macdonald Holding Court have been seeking the most favourable terms for their side’s participation in Council’s review of their statue’s future in Prince Edward County. I’d say, they’re faring fairly well. David Warrick, who founded The Macdonald Project to promote and raise funds for the statute, has been… Continue reading Membership has its privileges: The Macdonald Project in Prince Edward County
Macdonald’s Leading Apologist in Prince Edward County
Two days ago, David Warrick (The Macdonald Project) invited friends and acquaintances by email to sign his petition to “support the continued presence of the statue of Sir John A. Macdonald and plaque in front of the Picton Library.” I’m neither Warrick’s friend nor acquaintaince yet, so I didn’t learn of his invitation until someone… Continue reading Macdonald’s Leading Apologist in Prince Edward County
Upcoming Public Discussion re: Macdonald Holding Court on Picton Main Street
Prince Edward County’s municipal council (Council) has announced that the Prince Edward Heritage Advisory Committee (PEHAC) is expected to lead a public discussion about the Macdonald statue’s future in Picton. The Agenda Package for the PEHAC’s next meeting on July 2, 2020 includes Draft Terms of Reference and Membership of for a Heritage Advisory Committee… Continue reading Upcoming Public Discussion re: Macdonald Holding Court on Picton Main Street
Sen. Murray Sinclair: Macdonald’s genocidal views
On November 16, 2016, Senator Murray Sinclair spoke about Indigenous perspectives on racism to the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Public Affairs. In this video recording of his address (beginning at 00:18:00), Senator Sinclair confronts Sir John A. Macdonald’s clearly genocidal views and their lasting damage on generations of Indigenous children and their families. Here’s… Continue reading Sen. Murray Sinclair: Macdonald’s genocidal views
Time for Truth and Reconsideration in Prince Edward County
Canada Day 2020 marks the fifth anniversary of the unveiling of a bronze statue of John A. Macdonald Holding Court (MHC) on Picton Main Street. Supporters and critics of MHC disagree strongly about Macdonald’s legacy and what honouring him with public memorials says about us. After learning that there’s no evidence for the truth of… Continue reading Time for Truth and Reconsideration in Prince Edward County
Presentations re: Macdonald Holding Court to PEC Council
On November 26, 2019, PEC Council received a deputation from Paul Allen and comments from four members of the audience requesting that the County defer the re-installation of the statue of Macdonald “Holding Court” on Picton Main Street until there’s been an opportunity for residents to learn of this pending change in our common space… Continue reading Presentations re: Macdonald Holding Court to PEC Council
Long-Term Care Homes in Ontario: Accreditation Status
To date, we’ve published four resources to assist researchers interested in studying Long-Term Care (LTC) Homes and Retirement Homes in Ontario: Consolidated Dataset of LTC Homes (May 9, 2020) Consolidated Dataset of Retirement Homes (May 14, 2020) Index to Reports of Inspections Issued to LTC Homes (May 18, 2020) Index to Reports of Inspections Issued… Continue reading Long-Term Care Homes in Ontario: Accreditation Status
Wrapping-Up My Work on LTC Homes and Retirement Homes in Ontario
For the foreseeable future, I’m wrapping-up my work on Long-Term Care (LTC) Homes and Retirement Homes in Ontario. I’ve published four resources that I hope will prove helpful for researchers: Consolidated dataset of LTC Homes (May 9, 2020) Consolidated dataset of Retirement Homes (May 14, 2020) Index to Reports of Inspections Issued to LTC Homes… Continue reading Wrapping-Up My Work on LTC Homes and Retirement Homes in Ontario
An Index of Reports of Inspections Issued to Retirement Homes in Ontario (2012-2020)
On May 14, 2020, we released a consolidated database of 766 Retirement Homes in Ontario. Today we’re supplementing this database with an Index to Inspection Reports issued for these Retirement Homes between September 2012 and April 2020. Primary Source Our primary source was the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority website. Methods As noted in our May… Continue reading An Index of Reports of Inspections Issued to Retirement Homes in Ontario (2012-2020)
An Index to Inspection Reports Issued for LTC Homes in Ontario (2010-2020)
On May 9, 2020, we released a consolidated database of 626 Long-Term Care (LTC) Homes in Ontario, derived from information published by the provincial government. Today we’re supplementing this database with an Index to Inspection Reports issued for LTC Homes in the province between April 2010 and March 2020. Primary Source Our primary source was… Continue reading An Index to Inspection Reports Issued for LTC Homes in Ontario (2010-2020)
Consolidated Dataset of Retirement Homes in Ontario
On May 9, 2020, we released a consolidated dataset of Long-Term Care (LTC) Homes in Ontario, derived from information published by the provincial government. We wanted to update the database and describe our primary sources, methods, and final results. Primary Sources Our first primary source was the Ontario government’s Ministry of Health Service Provider Locations… Continue reading Consolidated Dataset of Retirement Homes in Ontario
Consolidated Dataset of LTC Homes in Ontario
On May 7, 2020, we released a database of Long-Term Care (LTC) Homes in Ontario, derived from information published by the provincial government. We wanted to update the database and describe our primary sources, methods, and final results. Primary Sources Our first primary source was the Ontario government’s Ministry of Health Service Provider Locations (MOHSERLO)… Continue reading Consolidated Dataset of LTC Homes in Ontario
Long-Term Care Homes in Ontario – UPDATE
UPDATE: In the course of documenting my methodology for creating the database of licensed Long-Term Care (LTC) Homes in Ontario, I discovered that one of my software scripts had inadvertently skipped over entries for about 20 LTC Homes. I’ll post my methodology and the corrected database later today (May 11, 2020). I apologize for any… Continue reading Long-Term Care Homes in Ontario – UPDATE
COVID-19 in Long Term Care: Pursuing Transparency *and* Preserving Privacy
Yesterday I credited the Ontario government with starting to include more detailed summaries of COVID-19 cases in Long Term Care homes in its daily updates. I also raised concerns about remaining gaps in the government’s reporting. I’ve been asked to explain one concern in particular: When the number of deaths among residents in a particular… Continue reading COVID-19 in Long Term Care: Pursuing Transparency *and* Preserving Privacy
Finally, a glimpse of COVID-19 Cases in Long Term Care Homes in Ontario
Today, the Ontario government began publishing summaries of COVID-19 cases in Long Term Care (LTC) homes in the province, based upon Daily Reports submitted by LTCs to the Ministry of Long Term Care (MoLTC). Sharing this information is a significant step in the right direction – and starts to address some concerns that we’ve raised… Continue reading Finally, a glimpse of COVID-19 Cases in Long Term Care Homes in Ontario
Using Clusterpie Markers to Map COVID-19 Fatal Cases in Southern Ontario
On March 30, 2020, the Ontario government enhanced its daily reporting of COVID-19 cases in the province. We summarized how these enhancements – especially the daily epidemiological summary – might address our critique of the government’s earlier reporting. Shortly after introducing its daily epidemiological summary, the Ontario government also began publishing daily updates of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases in the province.… Continue reading Using Clusterpie Markers to Map COVID-19 Fatal Cases in Southern Ontario
Using Clusterpie Markers to Map COVID-19 Cases in Southern Ontario
On March 30, 2020, the Ontario government enhanced its daily reporting of COVID-19 cases in the province. We summarized how these enhancements – especially the daily epidemiological summary – might address our critique of the government’s earlier reporting. Shortly after introducing its daily epidemiological summary, the Ontario government also began publishing daily updates of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases in the province.… Continue reading Using Clusterpie Markers to Map COVID-19 Cases in Southern Ontario
Spread of COVID-19 across Public Health Units in Southern Ontario (Feb 22 – Apr 6, 2020)
On March 30, 2020, the Ontario government enhanced its daily reporting of COVID-19 cases in the province. We summarized how these enhancements – especially the daily epidemiological summary – might address our critique of the government’s earlier reporting. Shortly after introducing its daily epidemiological summary, the Ontario government also began publishing case data of confirmed… Continue reading Spread of COVID-19 across Public Health Units in Southern Ontario (Feb 22 – Apr 6, 2020)
Share Your Internet Access with Neighbours
Some of our neighbours haven’t been able to afford Internet access at home for a long time. Their kids have had to make do with free, open WiFi connections to the Internet that’s been made available at their school or local library, coffee shops and fast food restaurants, friends’ and relations’ houses, and so forth.… Continue reading Share Your Internet Access with Neighbours
Information on COVID-19 Cases: Ontario Government Begins Moving Again
Yesterday I shared some concerns about Ontario’s Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (MOHLTC) efforts to inform the public about confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the province. Today the MOHLTC began to address those concerns. The MOHLTC is now committing to provide a more detailed epidemiological summary of COVID-19 cases in the province every… Continue reading Information on COVID-19 Cases: Ontario Government Begins Moving Again
Information on COVID-19 Cases: Ontario Government is Falling Behind
The Ontario government’s Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (MOHLTC) has been posting twice daily (at 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.) updates on the status of COVID-19 cases in the province. The updates have included (1) a statistical summary of province-wide COVID-19 testing to date and (2) some basic information about new confirmed positive… Continue reading Information on COVID-19 Cases: Ontario Government is Falling Behind
Choose Life
An agreement struck in 2017 between Indigenous Services Canada and the Nishnawbe Aski Nation on faster funding for suicide prevention projects is “making a huge impact,” says NAN Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler. What’s known as the Choose Life initiative created a streamlined and quick turn-around process for First Nations that are part of the Nishnawbe Aski… Continue reading Choose Life
Disinfo – Friday, December 6, 2019
A guide to fighting lies, fake news, and chaos online, The Verge, December 2019. Inside the hate factory: How Facebook fuels far-right profit, The Guardian, December 2019. UK trade leaks: Operators keen to hide their identities leaked UK/US trade documents in a similar fashion to Russian operation “Secondary Infektion” exposed in June 2019, Graphika Report,… Continue reading Disinfo – Friday, December 6, 2019
OHRC News Centre
Annual Reports (Excerpts) A Bold Voice: Annual Report 2016-2017 Starting in a “good way”: towards trusting relationships with Indigenous peoples Our strategic focus: The OHRC will embody human rights by engaging in and sustaining trusting relationships with First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities and groups. These relationships will be built on dignity and respect, and… Continue reading OHRC News Centre
Lies, damned lies, and waitlist statistics
The Government of Ontario is rightly in the soup for having justified (if not designed) its utter disruption of the province’s services for children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder on the basis of a single, apparently known-to-be-inflated statistic (23,000 kids sitting on a waitlist). The sad irony is that service providers have long been exaggerating… Continue reading Lies, damned lies, and waitlist statistics
What young people can do to look after their own mental health
Today the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families launched its self-care web page containing eighty-five mental health self-care activities for young people. The self-care resource was developed by the Common Room and young people from the mental health support group Hearts & Minds. Young people report that when they are struggling with their mental health they are usually… Continue reading What young people can do to look after their own mental health
Ontario’s “super health agency” must be open
Yesterday, The Star reported that the Ontario government is considering a plan to consolidate more than twenty healthcare agencies into one “super agency”. The goal would be improving the integration of health services while trimming a bloated bureaucracy. One of the agencies under review is Health Quality Ontario (HQO). Recently, I expressed concern about HQO’s… Continue reading Ontario’s “super health agency” must be open
Open Innovation in Children’s Mental Health: A Call for Collective Investment in Shared Success
It’s fashionable – almost de rigueur – these days for public services to outfit themselves as innovators. A case in point: the 2018 Annual Conference of Children’s Mental Health Ontario (CMHO) advertised over fourty keynote addresses and workshops on “Innovations in Service Delivery.” That’s a lot of innovation! In the private sector, innovation is a… Continue reading Open Innovation in Children’s Mental Health: A Call for Collective Investment in Shared Success
A young person’s guide to inpatient mental health care
Young people sometimes go into hospital for their mental health, to help them get the right level of care and support to help them on their way to recovery. A thoughtful guide – published today by Young Minds (UK) – explains what happens in a mental health unit, who you might meet, and how they… Continue reading A young person’s guide to inpatient mental health care
“Wise Interventions”: Economical alternatives to EBPs in Youth Mental Health?
Wise interventions (WIs) are precise, theory- and research-based techniques that address specific psychological processes to help people flourish across diverse life domains. WIs emphasize subjective meaning-making: how people make sense of themselves and social worlds. In turn, they can spur changes in beliefs and behavior in ways that accrue over time. In controlled studies and field… Continue reading “Wise Interventions”: Economical alternatives to EBPs in Youth Mental Health?
Children and Youth Mental Health Services: The NHS’s Five Year Plan
Introduction Last week the NHS published its Long Term Plan for health services in England. The plan recognizes the significance of mental health challenges among children and youth (0 to 18 years), including: Mental health problems often develop early and, between the ages of 5-15, one in every nine children has a mental disorder. Half… Continue reading Children and Youth Mental Health Services: The NHS’s Five Year Plan
Health Quality Ontario: Access Denied
Ontario’s Open Data Directive is intended to maximize access to government data by requiring all data to be made public, unless it is exempt for legal, privacy, security, confidentiality or commercially-sensitive reasons. From time to time, I’ve collaborated with officials in Ontario’s Treasury Board Secretariat, (e.g. Visualizing the Ontario Government’s Open Data Initiative). I’ve also… Continue reading Health Quality Ontario: Access Denied