Politics on TV: Inmates, the budget, and protests

Here are the three things you should not have missed:

1. MPs on problems with prisoner releases
2. Looking ahead to the budget
3. Jim Chu on policing protests

Inmate releases:

After Correctional Services’ internal audit revealed problems with victims not being notified with inmate releases, or cases where information wasn’t shared with parole officers, Power & Politics spoke with an MP panel of Candice Bergen, Randall Garrison and Wayne Easter. Bergen was concerns about the lack of victim notification, and that the right processes weren’t being adhered to, and said that they would accept the audit’s recommendations. Garrison said the audit shows that the system is overstressed with more inmates and fewer resources, and it was only going to get worse with more cutbacks on the way. Easter said that it all goes back to how the Conservatives handle justice issues, that they’re not incorporating rehabilitation and doing cost-benefit analyses of their policies.

Budget previews:

Power Play spoke with Ontario finance minister Charles Sousa about the hints that the federal budget will look at closing tax loopholes. Sousa said that they have been tackling these kinds of measures provincially, and that they need to identify where the interpretations in the tax codes can be changed in order to maintain a level playing field for all investors. Sousa also said that skills training and infrastructure are critical issues. Don Martin also spoke to Barbara Kirby of the Mining Industry Human Resources Council, and Jayson Myers of the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters. Kirby said that the geographic challenges of getting the right people for labour shortages can be serious, which is why industry needs to engage with First Nations. Myers said that industry needs to be able to identify their skills needs and communicate those to schools in order to train workers.

Policing protests:

Don Martin spoke with Vancouver police chief Jim Chu on the promised return of Idle No More protests. Chu said that police are used to dealing with protests across the country, and have done a fairly good job of enforcing injunctions, but they need to ensure that democratic protest goes ahead. Chu said that police are often active behind the scenes to end protests peacefully and non-violently, while ensuring that they disrupt public as little as possible.

Worth Noting:

• NWT Environment and Natural Resources minister Michael Miltenberger likened the devolution deal to taking the shackles off of Northerners.