Death in Custody

Still no decision from the Divisional Court in Braithwaite on whether inquests should be mandatory for the deaths of psychiatric inpatients. That means the friends and family of Ryan Coulter, who died a few weeks ago in the medium secure unit at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health will have to wait to see if the Office of the Chief Coroner acts according to its stated policy to call inquests into the deaths of those held in the forensic mental health system. A memorial is planned for Ryan at the Worship Centre of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health on November 26, 2007 at 2:00 p.m. All are welcome.

Goudge Commission Begins

The Inquiry into Pediatric Forensic Pathology began this week. I am there on behalf of Defence for Children - International (Canada). In response to the Commissioner's ruling granting DCI standing, Executive Director Les Horne and child advocate Les Horne said “We are pleased to have the opportunity to participate in this public inquiry ... Our child rights-based perspective will help to ensure that the Inquiry considers the best interests of the child, the child's right to be heard, the child's right to freedom from all forms of violence, and other rights contained in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.”