Well...it's not like inmates are making $1000 a day working in there...so I'm not sure there is much of a comparison to him cutting their wages.
Obviously people are expected to be insured... and that is what would pay for the funeral expenses and the life insurance would pay for "loss of a bread winner" for a portion of time. And time would take care of it eventually as most people remarry.
Crime has no winners... but Harper is wasting tax dollars on plenty of other things that matter more than inmate wages.
January 30, 2014 - 6:41pm
#4
Anonymous
Most employers include life insurance in your provided benefits. Obviously this does not happen for everyone but it's pretty regular.
I'm not saying there is no disparity.
So... agreed... your statements are correct. I'm not sure if you're trying to have an argument but... I don't have any facts or information or a particularly strong opinion except my stance that Harper wastes billions on things that matter more to me than inmate wages.
I have no idea what victims rights are in Canada and I have no idea what prisoners get in Canada. I'm not a prison aficionado.
It's not really something the average Canadian thinks about.
As for gathering information regarding the US prison system, seeing as there is a much larger number of inmates in the United States, there is a much larger pool of information sources from which to glean information.
It is quite amazing what a google search can turn up.
January 30, 2014 - 7:45pm
#6
Anonymous
There aren't as many victims here I suppose.
Volume makes a difference.
You're less likely (much less) to be the victim of a violent crime in Canada so...that's likely why I don't know.
As for being Canadian and not knowing about inmates and victim services... I don't know any Canadian inmates and I don't know any victims so... it's not a situation I'm familiar with.
My knowledge of the US system stems from 1) I grew up close to the US border so I watched your news from the time I was a baby 2) the USA puts their court cases on TV so I have seen more 3) dateline/48 hours/ law and order have been around 3/4 of my life...so... I see plenty of crime/legal related stuff 4)my penpals are American so it seems rsponsible and logical to look into their circumstances, their rules, their prisons situations, the laws surrounding them.
As I said... Canadians don't know much about prison because it's not "promoted" here as much. Instead of TV movies, our more serious crimes have publication bans. The victims, I hope, use that privacy and the government services offered to deal with their pain and move on with their lives.
I can have facts and opinions on the US because I know about the US...because I have researched the US...my penpals are American... they are not Canadian...so my lack of knowledge of the Canadian prison system... is not a factor.
As I immediately pointed out here, I don't have the knowledge or facts about the Canadian system. So.... I don't leap into discussion for discussion sake...if i don't have any knowledge of something I'm certainly not going to pretend I do.
January 30, 2014 - 8:10pm
#7
Anonymous
I don't think that all Americans are victims or criminals or carrying guns in fear.
I've never said that... nor do I believe that.
As stated earlier, I grew up 15 minutes from the US. I have been to the USA more times than I can count. I know a ton of Americans. So... I have more of an idea than the average "outsider".
However, I'm sorry my lack of Americanness doesn't afford me an opinion in your mind...fortunately for me...this is an open forum on the interweb and....it DOES afford me an opinion :)
January 30, 2014 - 8:52pm
#8
Anonymous
Personally, Canada thanks you.
January 30, 2014 - 8:56pm
#9
Anonymous
Also, you live in Michigan...most of Canada is no colder than Michigan...especially the side of the continent you're on. So.... you didn't fact check that one very well.
Looking at those rates, it's absolutely true that the USA has more gun-based murders. However, expanding beyond murder is interesting because the rate of assault and rape are higher in Canada. It also claims that the total crime victims % is higher in Canada. Another looks at the same concept: Crime: US vs UK and Canada | REB Research Blog (These may be right wing lala types, but they do list sources.)
In some ways, victim's rights and prisoner's rights are two separate issues that intersect though. It certainly doesn't seem equally "fair" that one family has to deal with pain and struggle brought on by the inmate while s/he is alive and earning money. However, pretending that the prisoners really are spending money on their education and families, doesn't that help society as a whole as well? Give them a chance to make right? Allow them to value hard work? (Realistically, I'm guessing a lot goes toward junk food and the like, but hey!)
Sooooooo, then we'd have to look at whether a cut in spending is justified. Saving $4 million a year is a lot to those families of prisoners, but ends up not being a substantial amount to a government as a whole. I don't really have a good grasp on Canada's financials and how "balanced" their budget is to know whether it helps them to "nickle and dime". Are they planning to then use that money for victims? If not, then it's not a parallel situation in reality (only in ideology). If victims need more, groups should rally for that. It doesn't have to necessarily come from the amount the prisoner's would earn (though it certainly could, I guess).
According to the original website, the top earners would have been able to make $207 per month with the average being $90. My USA federal guy makes around $8 PER MONTH. I'm not going to lie, a 30% pay cut for the prisoners still gives them a decent amount of money so it's hard to feel TOO sorry for them. I guess you have to really extend compassion toward their futures and their families.
January 30, 2014 - 10:11pm
#14
Anonymous
I think you also need to take into consideration costs, to a certain extent. Products in Canada (and presumably the prisons) cost 30% to 120% more than they do in the USA (on average).
So...it's not a straight across comparison to compare spending power on dollar value alone...even if they are buying junk...our junk costs more than your junk.
Obviously I'm not saying that $90 is the same as $8. But... I don't think the USA is doing it wrong... is any reason for Canada to justify reducing their wages.
I also think rape is a hard stat to compare because it's based on being reported... so ... it's possible that rapes are just more widely reported in Canada than they are in the USA. Or... perhaps it's possible there are more.
I live in one of the crimiest cities in Canada so I definitely would not say that we're perfection but...I don't know about crime and criminals here because it's not on the forefront of people's minds. We assume the government will take care of it...and for the most part...they do.
January 30, 2014 - 10:34pm
#15
tasha111
Sask - True about rape for sure. A comparison is only relevant to show that crime happens everywhere. I know everyone knows that, but it seems that sometimes the USA is perceived as far, far worse than other places. In some aspects and in some areas, it is - in others, not much.
I also agree that the USA prison system shouldn't be the model for any other country. (I think it should be far more humane and focused on allowing individuals to better themselves, with less people actually IN prison. I'm not really for extra free money or loftiness though. I sincerely think prison should suck a bit, even if it makes me sad for the people I care about who are in the system.)
Your trust in the government may be the biggest difference. I would never trust any government wholeheartedly with anything. :D (Right now I'm even a little mad at the Canadian government with how they treat teachers because it's impacting one of my dearest friends. :) I'm not really an USA vs Canada person though.)
January 30, 2014 - 10:43pm
#16
Anonymous
I don't trust my government completely...so we're all on the same team there :)
Teachers have a pretty sweet set up ... they start out making 50K fresh out of university...they get a guaranteed raise every year...they only work 198 days a year... they get an AMAZING pension after 30 years and amazingly good benefits. There are worse careers. (my sympathies for teachers are limited...haha!)
So much of Canada's identity is anti USA so... most Canadians are somewhat Canada vs USA but only in a "we're not like you" kind of way. It's just how our country came about. It's nothing personal. And... it's macro scale not microscale. If I was truly prejudiced, as some think, I wouldn't be in love with an American and willing to live in the USA.
May 5, 2014 - 8:32pm
#17
Anonymous
I certainly didn't vote for Harper...nor did most Canadians if you look at total votes that elected them.
May 5, 2014 - 9:08pm
#18
JoshA
Only a quarter of Canadians voted Conservative in the last election.
May 17, 2014 - 6:42am
#19
Medusa03
Mind me asking, what is the current political climate in Canada.
The country is practically non existent on Dutch news broadcasting.
It was by chance that I read something on my news app about not enough support with the people for an independant Quebec.
I didn't even realize that was still such a current issue in Canada.
Sorry for coming across as uninformed but that's what we get here.
May 17, 2014 - 9:50am
#20
Anonymous
Quebec loves to pull that BS every 5 to 10 years...they think they've gained enough support and they try to get a referendum going.
It's not really a current issue so much as one that has been going on for decades. I think this is the 3rd or 4th time in my lifetime that it's become an issue in the forefront for a little while.
Many French Quebecers believe they're a cut above than average Canadians (and don't consider themselves Canadian at all) and they want their own country BUT they want to keep all of the perks of Canada.
They wouldn't last 3 months as their own country before they were begging to come back.
As you can see by the tone of this post... I speak for the rest of Canada (or at least those in the West)... we're all fed up with Quebec threatening to leave. It's never going to happen (if it did it wouldn't be in the way french qubecers think because First Nations don't want to separate andthey have treaties on most of the land) and it's pretty much impossible that they could be successful without the billions in transfer payments they get now...which *gasp* would stop the minute they were no longer Canadians :)
Last post
I hadn't realized you were waiting patiently for a response from October.
This is who helps victims and their families.
Types of victim services
Well...it's not like inmates are making $1000 a day working in there...so I'm not sure there is much of a comparison to him cutting their wages.
Obviously people are expected to be insured... and that is what would pay for the funeral expenses and the life insurance would pay for "loss of a bread winner" for a portion of time. And time would take care of it eventually as most people remarry.
Crime has no winners... but Harper is wasting tax dollars on plenty of other things that matter more than inmate wages.
Most employers include life insurance in your provided benefits. Obviously this does not happen for everyone but it's pretty regular.
I'm not saying there is no disparity.
So... agreed... your statements are correct. I'm not sure if you're trying to have an argument but... I don't have any facts or information or a particularly strong opinion except my stance that Harper wastes billions on things that matter more to me than inmate wages.
I have no idea what victims rights are in Canada and I have no idea what prisoners get in Canada. I'm not a prison aficionado.
It's not really something the average Canadian thinks about.
Victims of crime in Canada: Financial Assistance | Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime
Victims' rights in Canada
As for gathering information regarding the US prison system, seeing as there is a much larger number of inmates in the United States, there is a much larger pool of information sources from which to glean information.
It is quite amazing what a google search can turn up.
There aren't as many victims here I suppose.
Volume makes a difference.
You're less likely (much less) to be the victim of a violent crime in Canada so...that's likely why I don't know.
As for being Canadian and not knowing about inmates and victim services... I don't know any Canadian inmates and I don't know any victims so... it's not a situation I'm familiar with.
My knowledge of the US system stems from 1) I grew up close to the US border so I watched your news from the time I was a baby 2) the USA puts their court cases on TV so I have seen more 3) dateline/48 hours/ law and order have been around 3/4 of my life...so... I see plenty of crime/legal related stuff 4)my penpals are American so it seems rsponsible and logical to look into their circumstances, their rules, their prisons situations, the laws surrounding them.
As I said... Canadians don't know much about prison because it's not "promoted" here as much. Instead of TV movies, our more serious crimes have publication bans. The victims, I hope, use that privacy and the government services offered to deal with their pain and move on with their lives.
I can have facts and opinions on the US because I know about the US...because I have researched the US...my penpals are American... they are not Canadian...so my lack of knowledge of the Canadian prison system... is not a factor.
As I immediately pointed out here, I don't have the knowledge or facts about the Canadian system. So.... I don't leap into discussion for discussion sake...if i don't have any knowledge of something I'm certainly not going to pretend I do.
I don't think that all Americans are victims or criminals or carrying guns in fear.
I've never said that... nor do I believe that.
As stated earlier, I grew up 15 minutes from the US. I have been to the USA more times than I can count. I know a ton of Americans. So... I have more of an idea than the average "outsider".
However, I'm sorry my lack of Americanness doesn't afford me an opinion in your mind...fortunately for me...this is an open forum on the interweb and....it DOES afford me an opinion :)
Personally, Canada thanks you.
Also, you live in Michigan...most of Canada is no colder than Michigan...especially the side of the continent you're on. So.... you didn't fact check that one very well.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]4831[/ATTACH]
Munches slowly.....
[QUOTE=NorthernLight;1126495][ATTACH=CONFIG]4831[/ATTACH]
Munches slowly.....[/QUOTE]
Sharesies? Lol
Aww whatever she said must have been good. I blocked her so... I will have to miss out on this one...and any future ones.:cheer_icoon:
I found this, which I find really interesting: NationMaster - Crime stats: Canada vs United States
Looking at those rates, it's absolutely true that the USA has more gun-based murders. However, expanding beyond murder is interesting because the rate of assault and rape are higher in Canada. It also claims that the total crime victims % is higher in Canada. Another looks at the same concept: Crime: US vs UK and Canada | REB Research Blog (These may be right wing lala types, but they do list sources.)
In some ways, victim's rights and prisoner's rights are two separate issues that intersect though. It certainly doesn't seem equally "fair" that one family has to deal with pain and struggle brought on by the inmate while s/he is alive and earning money. However, pretending that the prisoners really are spending money on their education and families, doesn't that help society as a whole as well? Give them a chance to make right? Allow them to value hard work? (Realistically, I'm guessing a lot goes toward junk food and the like, but hey!)
Sooooooo, then we'd have to look at whether a cut in spending is justified. Saving $4 million a year is a lot to those families of prisoners, but ends up not being a substantial amount to a government as a whole. I don't really have a good grasp on Canada's financials and how "balanced" their budget is to know whether it helps them to "nickle and dime". Are they planning to then use that money for victims? If not, then it's not a parallel situation in reality (only in ideology). If victims need more, groups should rally for that. It doesn't have to necessarily come from the amount the prisoner's would earn (though it certainly could, I guess).
According to the original website, the top earners would have been able to make $207 per month with the average being $90. My USA federal guy makes around $8 PER MONTH. I'm not going to lie, a 30% pay cut for the prisoners still gives them a decent amount of money so it's hard to feel TOO sorry for them. I guess you have to really extend compassion toward their futures and their families.
I think you also need to take into consideration costs, to a certain extent. Products in Canada (and presumably the prisons) cost 30% to 120% more than they do in the USA (on average).
So...it's not a straight across comparison to compare spending power on dollar value alone...even if they are buying junk...our junk costs more than your junk.
Obviously I'm not saying that $90 is the same as $8. But... I don't think the USA is doing it wrong... is any reason for Canada to justify reducing their wages.
I also think rape is a hard stat to compare because it's based on being reported... so ... it's possible that rapes are just more widely reported in Canada than they are in the USA. Or... perhaps it's possible there are more.
I live in one of the crimiest cities in Canada so I definitely would not say that we're perfection but...I don't know about crime and criminals here because it's not on the forefront of people's minds. We assume the government will take care of it...and for the most part...they do.
Sask - True about rape for sure. A comparison is only relevant to show that crime happens everywhere. I know everyone knows that, but it seems that sometimes the USA is perceived as far, far worse than other places. In some aspects and in some areas, it is - in others, not much.
I also agree that the USA prison system shouldn't be the model for any other country. (I think it should be far more humane and focused on allowing individuals to better themselves, with less people actually IN prison. I'm not really for extra free money or loftiness though. I sincerely think prison should suck a bit, even if it makes me sad for the people I care about who are in the system.)
Your trust in the government may be the biggest difference. I would never trust any government wholeheartedly with anything. :D (Right now I'm even a little mad at the Canadian government with how they treat teachers because it's impacting one of my dearest friends. :) I'm not really an USA vs Canada person though.)
I don't trust my government completely...so we're all on the same team there :)
Teachers have a pretty sweet set up ... they start out making 50K fresh out of university...they get a guaranteed raise every year...they only work 198 days a year... they get an AMAZING pension after 30 years and amazingly good benefits. There are worse careers. (my sympathies for teachers are limited...haha!)
So much of Canada's identity is anti USA so... most Canadians are somewhat Canada vs USA but only in a "we're not like you" kind of way. It's just how our country came about. It's nothing personal. And... it's macro scale not microscale. If I was truly prejudiced, as some think, I wouldn't be in love with an American and willing to live in the USA.
I certainly didn't vote for Harper...nor did most Canadians if you look at total votes that elected them.
Only a quarter of Canadians voted Conservative in the last election.
Mind me asking, what is the current political climate in Canada.
The country is practically non existent on Dutch news broadcasting.
It was by chance that I read something on my news app about not enough support with the people for an independant Quebec.
I didn't even realize that was still such a current issue in Canada.
Sorry for coming across as uninformed but that's what we get here.
Quebec loves to pull that BS every 5 to 10 years...they think they've gained enough support and they try to get a referendum going.
It's not really a current issue so much as one that has been going on for decades. I think this is the 3rd or 4th time in my lifetime that it's become an issue in the forefront for a little while.
Many French Quebecers believe they're a cut above than average Canadians (and don't consider themselves Canadian at all) and they want their own country BUT they want to keep all of the perks of Canada.
They wouldn't last 3 months as their own country before they were begging to come back.
As you can see by the tone of this post... I speak for the rest of Canada (or at least those in the West)... we're all fed up with Quebec threatening to leave. It's never going to happen (if it did it wouldn't be in the way french qubecers think because First Nations don't want to separate andthey have treaties on most of the land) and it's pretty much impossible that they could be successful without the billions in transfer payments they get now...which *gasp* would stop the minute they were no longer Canadians :)
And now he's out of there.