Does the Federal Youth Criminal Justice Act need to be reformed? My take on it

FYI, this post is a copy of the same post that I put up on the Official NL First Party Blog (authored by me), which can be viewed at http://www.nlfirstpartyblog.blogspot.com

Hello everyone, while listening to VOCM Night Line on Sunday, September 30th, I noticed that 5-6 people called in saying that it's time that we reform the Federal Youth Criminal Justice Act. Among some of the suggestions, it was mentioned that due to the amount of technology available to teenagers these days, youth criminals can get a large gathering of people together almost spontaneously.

Also, it was mentioned that if restitution/rehabilitation made up a greater part of the act, that would help curve crime. For example, one caller mentioned (and VOCM Night Line Linda Swain) mentioned that if someone was caught spraying graffiti on property, part of their punishment should be not only to own up to their mistake, but also to have to re-pay the victim of the graffiti for the damages and to clean it up themselves. Once again, as the Student Rep for the NL First Party and the Director of Youth Organizations within the Party, I know that when I went to my 1st/2nd session of the SJRYP (St.John's Regional Youth Parliament, a voluntary non-partisan way for young people to pass resolutions to be sent to government to pressure them to act on issues affecting young people), a proposal was put forward to abolish the Youth Criminal Justice Act, thereby treating young criminals like adults. However, as a member of the SJRYP, I amended it to say that instead of abolishing it, it should be replacd by another Bill to be written at a future date by the Federal Government. I also added an amendment to state that instead of treating young criminals as adults in the presence of other adults, they should be treated as adults in an institution that'd treat them as adults, but away from reoffenders who are adults. This is because a friend of mine who was a Pastor had told me that too many young people who've committed their offences (who are 18 years of age or older) end up getting even more criminalized by being around repeat offenders and becoming more criminalized when they leave prison.

So ya, anyone have any comments you want to make?

Also, NL First Party Leader Tom Hickey will be speaking with me shortly to better inform me not only about the Federal Youth Criminal Justice Act, but also the Provincial Young Offenders Act, what he did about it while in Cabinet under Former PC Premier Brian Peckford,etc... (more details to come)

Just as on a personal note, I do apologize for neglecting this personal blog of mine: maintaining 'The Official NL First Party Blog' has diverted much of the time I would've spent on this time to that one. But ya, for the last while, i've been going to MUN Christian Fellowship regularly on Friday Nights at 7:30p.m at the 4th Floor of the Engineering Building at MUN (so ya, feel free to check it out!) Also, I went to 'Pathway Community Church' (that hosts church services in the Mt. Pearl Square movie theatre on Sundays at 11am) 2 Sundays ago.

Other than that, i'm just trying to figure out whether i'm fit for Social Work and the degree program, trying to hammer our my back-up plan (a B.A. in Polsc. if I can't get into the very competitive ScWrk faculty right away and/or learn ScWrk isn't for me), trying to arrange to do some testing at MUN to learn what i'm good at and what i'm not good at,etc... So ya, may God be my guide on such matters!

Anyways, i'd appreciate some questions and comments on these 2 articles!

My First Time Speaking on VOCM Night Line: got to speak from 9:35/40 pm to almost 9:50/55 pm

FYI, this post is a copy of the same post that I put up on the Official NL First Party Blog (authored by me), which can be viewed at http://www.nlfirstpartyblog.blogspot.com

Hello everyone, this is Jordan Lester here again. I do apologize for being slow to update this blog (i've been pretty busy with MUN). Anyways, i've been serving as the Student Rep. on the Executive Council and the Director of Youth Organizations since the last Executive Council meeting. In addition, i've begun to fill out an application for the Newfoundland and Labrador First Party to establish a Youth Wing Association on the St.John's MUN Campus. And ya, do check out http://www.nlfirst.ca and notice that the Facebook group I created called 'The NL First Party Supporters Site' is up and running.

Also, i'm looking for people to sign up either as a member of this Youth Association. Also, we're looking for people to put them forward to serve as the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer of the MUN Youth Wing association. Also, we're having an on-going debate about the new logo for the NLFP, working on hammering out some preliminary policies to put up on the website, a statement on the provincial wing of the party and why we're not running candidates in the October 9th 2007 Provincial Election.

Other than that, NL First Party Leader Tom Hickey appreciated that I told him this Friday (2 days ago) that he should call into open line to say that the NL First Party supports the Danny Williams administration in NL's promise to look for joint management of the fisheries should he be re-elected. As you'll see on the NLFP website, joint management of the fisheries and developing a plan to rebuild the cod fishery are two major pillars of the founding of the NLFP in late 2004.

Anyways, stay tuned from another update from myself and the party: we're but 40-45 members away from becoming a Federally Registered Political Party!

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My First Time Speaking on VOCM Open Line:

Hello everyone, after waiting from 8:32 p.m to 9:37 p.m to move up to Line 5 on VOCM Night Line, I addressed the following points:

1. Why many young people don't vote: the feeling that sometimes politicians put partisan affiliation first, rather than the interests of the province of NL and the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, the feeling that they agree with some points that every party addresses, but no party consistently puts Newfoundland and Labrador First in Ottawa. I also mentioned that many PC MHA candidates on their websites (such as Sheila Osbourne) have a list of the PC Party's accomplishments in government since taking office, but nothing about what she's accomplished since becoming an MHA. The VOCM Linda Swain's response, (and I paraphrase) 'Well, some candidates prefer to run on what they call "The Team Approach", whereas other candidates like to focus on their individual contributions since becoming from being re-elected in 2003 through 2007. Also, I highlighted PC Mount Pearl North Steve Kent's campaign as a great way of staying in touch with people: 1. he maintains his own personal blog,etc... I also mentioned that many young people today use blogs, Facebook,etc, which lead me to establish a Facebook group [forgot to mention it was called 'The NL First Party Supporters Site']. I did so to give people a way to communicate how they'd like to see NL get put first and to relay that information to the Executive Council. [Also, I forgot to mention that it's also to update people on what's been going on inside the party, upcoming events,etc..]

I also mentioned what I've discovered that most Political Parties set Youth Wing membership from 14-23/25 years of age.

2. How I came to join the NL First Party: an e-mail asking why the Party website hadn't been update from February 2006- January/ February 2007, a phone call from Tom Hickey, a meeting with James Upshall (the former Executive-Youth rep. on the Executive Council) and Ellsworth Penney (a former member of the Executive Council) and making the conversion from the Liberal Party of Canada to the Newfoundland and Labrador First Party in January 2007. I also mentioned that as Director of Youth Organizations and the Student Representative on the Executive Council and in the NL First Party, i'm trying to launch a MUN NL First Party Youth Wing association, mentioned that i've got 2 people signed up. (What I wanted to get to but ran out of time for: 1. that the NL First Party Youth Wing Association has been granted recognition status by the MUNSU, something I was informed for through an e-mail. Also, that we're looking for a President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer for the MUN Youth Wing Association.)

Also, I didn't have time to mention that we're looking to sign up members for the Youth Wing

3. I also mentioned that the NL First Party didn't [and isn't] running candidates in the Provincial Election because we agree with NL Premier Danny Williams' stance with Ottawa.

4. I also mentioned that the Newfoundland and Labrador First Party website has been updated and now has a new layout, a link to the Facebook group and the Official Party Blog.

And ya, they thanked me for calling in.....

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Anyways, any questions and comments on things I brought up? Also, does anyone else have any issues on their heart that I didn't have time to bring up?

The Next Executive Council Meeting and other events

Hello everybody, this is another Preliminary entry I posted first on my own personal blog and i'll leave it up here. However, the contents of the following entry are still subject to approval by the EC for clarity, conciseness and content, as to ensure that executive confidentiality on private matters isn't breached. Once again, this is why I focus on trying to wait a few weeks before disclosing details of events that happened previous: by waiting a week or two to post an entry on a particular time period, it helps me to focus more on reflecting on it and writing more clearly, rather than being the subject of my own personal opionion at that moment (that is what personal blogs are for!)

Anyways, take a read through this entry and take the time to provide myself (Director of Youth Organizations, Jordan Lester) some feedback on the comments of this entry versus what you'd like to know. By doing so, I can run your requests by the EC, attempt to strike a balance and update the entry if a balance can be struck between ensuring the grassroots nature of this blog with the certain amount of confidentiality necessary for any executive to function...
Monday, September 03, 2007
The Next Executive Council Meeting and other events

Having returned from my family trip to NBS, i've got some long-needed updates to make:

1. The NLFP's (short for the NL First Party's) Next Executive Council Meeting is set for Thursday, September 6th 2007 at 7pm (If you want more of the details than that, you'd best leave a comment or contact me at guardianshadowknight@hotmail.com to do so). On the Agenda is the adoption of a new Organizational Structure for not only the Executive Council, but for how the Entire Party will function, research, make policies,etc.. (we'll also be aiming to fill any vacancies, shuffle people around as needed and fill new positions: more details to come after the meeting)

2. Fundraising is underway for the Walk-a-thon (nicknamed the 'Walk-a-town' by some members of the party), which is set to take place this coming Sunday, September 9th 2007: exact time and place TBA, as i'll be certain to ask for Clarity about this at the upcoming EC meeting

3. The Web Design Committee (of which I am a part) has been working diligently in not only changing the official party logo to be more inclusive of the entire province, but have been diligently looking through upwards of 20-30 different logo proposals, narrowing it down to 6 or 7, choosing the logo we like the most and in changing the layout of the website. (As of right now, the proposals are being stored in HTML format on a 'Under Construction' Site, which only those in the Web Design Committee knowing the address to it. This is because the committee consists of myself (Director of Youth Organizations, Jordan Lester), Steve Penney (Director of Communciations, who's considering becoming Assistant Director of Communications in favour of Wayne taking over the Dir. of Comm. role. But once again, this change is pending approval from the EC), two of his 'techy friends' (whom I won't name) and some of their close friends.

From what i've seen so far, the NLFP website is about to get a much needed facelift which is not only in touch with the origins of the NLFP, but I believe better reflects the NLFP. But once again, this is something for the EC to discuss in the coming days.

So ya, once i've attended the EC Meeting and verified what further details of these development can or cannot be public knowledge, i'll be updating this blog shortly. In the meantime, do take the time to view the Facebook Group "The NL First Party Supporters Site", as although it was founded by myself (a member of the party and the EC), it also allows for the discussion of how best to put NL First, current issues,etc.. This way even though we have yet to iron out policies on many issues, it allows people an opportunity to have their opionions seen, read and critiqued. This way when it comes time for Policy Formulation, we'll be able to draw on some of the insights that people give on this group, through links or documents they posted links to or otherwise. But more importantly, it also allows for a degree of online networking: helping to 'put a face' (if you will) to some of the names of the members of the EC, to get to chat with them in a 'down-to-earth' matter, to show people the NLFP is still alive, while allowing for a means of communications that far surpasses the telephone or e-mail in terms of response time to quick questions or requests!

Anyways, there's more to come shortly!

The Next Executive Council Meeting and other events

Having returned from my family trip to NBS, i've got some long-needed updates to make:

1. The NLFP's (short for the NL First Party's) Next Executive Council Meeting is set for Thursday, September 6th 2007 at 7pm (If you want more of the details than that, you'd best leave a comment or contact me at guardianshadowknight@hotmail.com to do so). On the Agenda is the adoption of a new Organizational Structure for not only the Executive Council, but for how the Entire Party will function, research, make policies,etc.. (we'll also be aiming to fill any vacancies, shuffle people around as needed and fill new positions: more details to come after the meeting)

2. Fundraising is underway for the Walk-a-thon (nicknamed the 'Walk-a-town' by some members of the party), which is set to take place this coming Sunday, September 9th 2007: exact time and place TBA, as i'll be certain to ask for Clarity about this at the upcoming EC meeting

3. The Web Design Committee (of which I am a part) has been working diligently in not only changing the official party logo to be more inclusive of the entire province, but have been diligently looking through upwards of 20-30 different logo proposals, narrowing it down to 6 or 7, choosing the logo we like the most and in changing the layout of the website. (As of right now, the proposals are being stored in HTML format on a 'Under Construction' Site, which only those in the Web Design Committee knowing the address to it. This is because the committee consists of myself (Director of Youth Organizations, Jordan Lester), Steve Penney (Director of Communciations, who's considering becoming Assistant Director of Communications in favour of Wayne taking over the Dir. of Comm. role. But once again, this change is pending approval from the EC), two of his 'techy friends' (whom I won't name) and some of their close friends.

From what i've seen so far, the NLFP website is about to get a much needed facelift which is not only in touch with the origins of the NLFP, but I believe better reflects the NLFP. But once again, this is something for the EC to discuss in the coming days.

So ya, once i've attended the EC Meeting and verified what further details of these development can or cannot be public knowledge, i'll be updating this blog shortly. In the meantime, do take the time to view the Facebook Group "The NL First Party Supporters Site", as although it was founded by myself (a member of the party and the EC), it also allows for the discussion of how best to put NL First, current issues,etc.. This way even though we have yet to iron out policies on many issues, it allows people an opportunity to have their opionions seen, read and critiqued. This way when it comes time for Policy Formulation, we'll be able to draw on some of the insights that people give on this group, through links or documents they posted links to or otherwise. But more importantly, it also allows for a degree of online networking: helping to 'put a face' (if you will) to some of the names of the members of the EC, to get to chat with them in a 'down-to-earth' matter, to show people the NLFP is still alive, while allowing for a means of communications that far surpasses the telephone or e-mail in terms of response time to quick questions or requests!

Anyways, there's more to come shortly!