A professor from U of T Law, Simon Stern, passed my name on to a National Post reporter who was looking for perspective on victim impact statements. This was the topic of a substantial independent research project I completed in my recent studies. The result was my input into this news story.
The issue is, of course, considerably more nuanced than a newspaper is prepared to cover. On a technical level Steeves v. R was decided on more narrow grounds and was not really a question of victims’ rights at all. The trial court rejected a joint submission on sentencing (something the Crown and defence had agreed on) and there are some criteria that must be met before a court can legitimately do this. So the decision by the Court of Appeals, overturning that sentence, is not necessarily news at all. On a broader level, however, the decision does shine a spotlight once again on an area of law that has a serious contradiction smack dab in the middle of it. And the National Post is correct to identify it as such. The article is worth reading, with this much in mind.
Anyway, not my usual shtick at all. But nice to be cited in connection with a legal issue.
Here’s a new article up concerning my book and (I think) my wider work in post-secondary education in L’Express – a French language newspaper based in Toronto. Of course I can’t read it very well, so I’m forced to rely on the promise that it’s a pretty positive take on my writing.
Nathalie Prézeau was kind enough to write the article, and it’s especially nice to have the support of a fellow writer, as she is the author of Toronto Fun Places.
This June, between the 23rd and 26th, I’ll be attending a student leadership conference in Calgary where I’ll be delivering one of the keynotes. The Leaders Hall conference is being organized by Gallivan but I have to say, I’ve been really impressed at how Gallivan is willing to just do the work and keep in the background of things. This is corporate sponsorship at its best – where the good work speaks on behalf of the sponsor and they leave it at that.
I should have some time around the conference events, so if you happen to be in Calgary at that time let me know. And if there’s anything I should check out while I’m there I wouldn’t mind the tip. The last time I was in Calgary (also for a post-secondary speaking gig) I found the city quite nice but a bit boring. Am I missing something? If there’s more to the city that I’m not seeing please let me know!
This is a reboot of my website, at least the third new version that’s been hosted here and the second that’s been designed by Tim Fernihough. Thanks Tim! On the main page (here) you’ll find updates of my recent activities, any relevant news coverage (especially as relates to post-secondary issues), and copies of any blogging that I happen to do elsewhere such as Macleans Oncampus. You’ll also be able to leave comments here. On the rest of the site you’ll find more static content, as you’d expect on any other website.
At this time I’d like to thank my friends and supporters and everyone else who’s been interested in what I’ve been doing over the years. My first major website revolved around student politics at UTSC and it was, in hindsight, extraordinarily presumptuous to go dumping my thoughts out there like that. Now it seems as though everyone has a blog or a myspace page of some sort, so I guess times have changed. And with my book and professional activities to promote it’s more reasonable to have a website. Still, the support means a lot to me.
I hope you like the new design and will check back once in a while. Very shortly, if you are interested, I imagine I’ll get a RSS feed and other plugins going, in case you find it more convenient to keep up with things that way.
Cheers.