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Federal prison service ‘ill-equipped’ to deliver long-term mental health care, watchdog says

Insufficient training for staff on how to work effectively and humanely with individuals with mental health issues has contributed to poor quality of care in corrections.

Weak policies, insufficient training and a lack of specialized treatment are hindering the Correctional Service of Canada’s efforts to deliver mental health care, the federal prison ombudsman says in his latest annual report.

Correctional investigator Ivan Zinger says it’s “abundantly clear” the prison service is fundamentally ill-equipped to provide long-term mental health care to people experiencing acute psychiatric distress, suicidal thoughts or chronic self-injury.

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Supreme Court strikes down mandatory minimum sentence for child pornography

The Supreme Court has ruled that mandatory sentences for accessing or possessing child pornography remove judges’ discretion to impose sentences other than imprisonment when appropriate.

The one-year mandatory minimum jail sentences for accessing or possessing child pornography are unconstitutional, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled on Friday.

In a 5-4 decision, the top court said although the sentences contribute to the objectives of denunciation and deterrence, they also remove judges’ discretion to impose sentences other than imprisonment when appropriate.

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Auditor finds gaps in federal cybersecurity protections amid growing threats

Communication Security Establishment Canada headquarters in Ottawa in 2022. CSE is one of three agencies that protect federal information technology systems and operations.

The federal auditor found “significant gaps” in the government’s cybersecurity services, monitoring efforts and responses to active attacks on information systems.

In a report released on Tuesday, Auditor-General Karen Hogan said the federal government must continually bolster its defences as cyberattacks become more sophisticated, pervasive and harmful.

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