To accommodate "Vanier's Got Talent" lunch has been extended to one hour 11:45 – 12:45. C and B Blocks have been shortened by 5 minutes each.
D Block Law - Today we will be looking at the Criminal Code of Canada and we will focus our attention on violent crimes - specifically the categories of homicide in Canada. We'll learn the difference between culpable and non-culpable homicide and examine the levels of murder (first and second degree) as well as manslaughter (voluntary and involuntary)...all done through an interpretive play involving my swivel chair, the floor and a garbage can. We'll look at R. v. Nette (2001) and answer questions 1-4 on the case together and to end the class.
The Nette case deals with "causation" and murder which helps with questions 3-4-5 on p. 221 which I'll have you work on as well. In terms of the Nette case and causation the citation states:
A 95-year-old widow who lived alone was robbed and left bound with electrical wire on her bed with a garment around her head and neck. Sometime during the next 48 hours, she died from asphyxiation. During an RCMP undercover operation, the accused told a police officer that he had been involved in the robbery and death. The accused was charged with first degree murder under s. 231(5) of the Criminal Code -- murder while committing the offence of unlawful confinement -- and tried before a judge and jury. At trial, he claimed that he had fabricated the admission. He testified that he had gone alone to the victim’s house only with intent to break and enter, that the back door to the house was open as though someone already had broken into the home, and that he left after finding the victim already dead in her bedroom. The trial judge charged the jury on manslaughter, second degree murder and first degree murder under s. 231(5) of the Code. In response to a request from the jury that he clarify the elements of first degree murder and the “substantial cause” test, the trial judge essentially reiterated his charge. Overall, he charged that the standard of causation for manslaughter and second degree murder was that the accused’s actions must have been “more than a trivial cause” of the victim’s death while, for first degree murder under s. 231(5), the accused’s actions also must have been a “substantial cause” of her death. On two occasions, however, once in the main charge and once in the re-charge, he described the standard of causation for second degree murder as “the slight or trivial cause necessary to find second degree murder” instead of “more than a trivial cause”. The jury found the accused guilty of second degree murder and the Court of Appeal upheld that verdict. The only ground of appeal both before the Court of Appeal and this Court concerned the test of causation applicable to second degree murder.
C Block Criminology - Seeing as we spent the whole day yesterday on checking your background knowledge on terrorism and then doing a history class on Ethnic Cleansing and Genocide...
Today we'll look at terrorism. The 2016 GTI (Global Terrorism Index) report reinforces the fact terrorism is a highly concentrated form of violence, mostly committed in a small number of countries and by a small number of groups. The five countries suffering the highest impact from terrorism as measured by the GTI; Iraq, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Pakistan and Syria, accounted for 72 per cent of all deaths from terrorism in 2015. Similarly, only four groups were responsible for 74 per cent of all these deaths; ISIL, Boko Haram, the Taliban and al-Qa’ida. While terrorism as a form of violence has a major psychological impact on the societies it touches, there are other forms of violence which are more devastating. Major armed conflicts resulted in more deaths in 2015 as well as the wholesale destruction of economies. The global homicide rate is 15 times the death rate from terrorism.
Fact-Check: Terrorism from Wolfram Friele on Vimeo.
Global Terrorism Index 2014 from Vision of Humanity on Vimeo.
Statistical analysis of the drivers of terrorist activity show there are two distinct sets of factors associated with terrorism, depending on whether the country is developed or developing.
The first set of factors which are closely linked to terrorist activity are political violence committed by the state and the presence of a conflict. The research finds that 93 per cent of all terrorist attacks between 1989 and 2014 occurred in countries with high levels of state sponsored terror, involving extrajudicial killing, torture, and imprisonment without trial. Similarly, over 90 per cent of all terrorist deaths occurred in countries already engaged in some form of conflict whether internal or international. This means only 0.5 per cent of terrorist attacks occurred in countries that did not suffer from conflict or political terror. This underlines the close link between existing conflicts, grievances and political violence with terrorist activity.
When analyzing the correlates of terrorism there are different factors that are statistically significant depending on the level of development. In the OECD countries, socio-economic factors such as youth unemployment, militarization, levels of criminality, access to weapons and distrust in the electoral process are the most statistically significant factors correlating with terrorism. This reinforces some of the well-known drivers of radicalization and extremism. In developing countries, the history of conflict, levels of corruption, acceptance of the rights of others and group based inequalities are more significantly related to terrorist activity. Some stuff to help with your questions:
What Motivates Terrorists?
Public Safety Canada Counter Terrorism
Terrorism threatens Canada
It’s time to talk about terror in Canada
I'll have you work on the following questions:
- Despite cultural awareness and various initiatives in schools and in the media, hate crimes continue to happen in significant numbers in Canada. Discuss the types of hate crimes most prevalent in Canada and the current responses to them.
- Governments have tried numerous responses to terrorism. Discuss some of these responses.
- It is unlikely that the threat of punishment can deter robbery; most robbers refuse to think about apprehension and punishment. Wright and Decker suggest that eliminating cash and relying on debit and credit cards may be the most productive method to reduce the incidence of robbery. Although this seems far-fetched, society is becoming progressively more cashless; it is now possible to buy both gas and groceries with credit cards. Would a cashless society end the threat of robbery, or would innovative robbers find new targets?
- Based on what you know about how robbers target victims, how can you better protect yourself from robbery?
B Block Human Geography - Today you have your first test in the course and it will be on weeks 1-5 (Geography Fundamentals, Population, Development and Migration). There are 30 Multiple-Selection questions, 15 True/False questions and 1 short answer question (worth 10 marks) for a total of 55 possible marks (with a bonus drawing question). Your first order of business is to relax and read each question carefully. Make sure you understand what is being asked of you and if you don't know ask. Don't leave any question blank...try to answer everything. Don't forget you may use your weeks 1-5 note packages for this test and you have as much time of the block as you need. When you finish you may work on your week 7 package (or you know that week 6 one that was due this past Wednesday).
A Block Physical Geography - Today is your Tectonics Unit Final Test. I hope you come prepared and if you did study (you did have all week) then I'm sure you'll do fine. You'll need the entire block for the test. Your first order of business is to relax; I'm certain you'll do fine. Make sure you understand what is being asked of you and if you don't know ask. Don't leave any question blank...try to answer everything. Dazzle me with what you know. Good Luck!
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