ONTARIO INVESTING $12 MILLION TO HELP THOSE WITH CRIMINAL RECORDS FIND A JOB

TORONTO — The Ontario government is investing $12 million to support nine innovative projects designed to help up to 2,000 people leaving the justice system or with prior criminal records find meaningful jobs with local businesses, helping them create connections and a sense of belonging within their communities. More than one million people in Ontario live with a criminal record, which can decrease the chances of a second interview by 50 per cent and drastically increases the likelihood of long-term poverty. Stable employment has been shown to help address the root causes of crime and reduce the likelihood of someone re-offending.

“Across Ontario, tens of thousands of people have paid their dues and just want to roll up their sleeves and give back,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government believes in the power of second chances. I urge business leaders to join us as we smash through the stigma of a criminal record.”

Led by various organizations across multiple sectors, the programs announced today will prepare jobseekers for well-paying careers in construction, manufacturing, hospitality, food and beverage processing, and other industries. They will provide a range of employment and training needs through apprenticeship and technical training, on-the-job learning, and improving job readiness and interview skills. The projects include wrap-around support like mentorship, job placement, and mental health resources to ensure a smooth transition to the job market. "We believe in second chances and in the inherent potential of each person,” said Michael Kerzner, Solicitor General. “Building a strong Ontario means that no one gets left behind, including those with previous criminal records. By connecting those with criminal records to skills training, we are creating brighter futures and better tomorrows.” The government will be unveiling additional programs to help people with prior involvement in the criminal justice system over the coming months. These projects are funded through the Skills Development Fund, a $700 million initiative, which supports groundbreaking programs that connect jobseekers with the skills and training they need to find well-paying careers close to home. "Minister McNaughton and his team have done incredible work to support training and skills development in the hospitality sector,” said Terry Tsianos, Chairman of Scale Hospitality. “The ongoing funding received through the provincial SDF program has allowed us to provide second chance training to at-risk youth across the GTA and provide them with valuable training to transform their lives. The support this year will, once again, position the hospitality sector as a viable option for individuals who want meaningful, well-paying employment. We are thankful for the leadership of Premier Ford, Minister McNaughton, and Minister Kerzner for their continued support for skills development and second chance programs."

CANADIANS DONATE OVER $8 MILLION TO THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY IN QUARTER 1 OF 2023

OTTAWA- Pierre Poilievre's first Q1 as Leader of the Conservative Party brought in $8,306,535 from 45,659 contributors.

The $8,306,535 raised in Q1 speaks to the growing movement of Canadians who are putting their hard-earned dollars behind a Leader who is listening to them and speaking to their concerns.

"Everywhere you look, Canadians are fighting just to live a decent life. We had a deal in this country, if you followed the rules, went to school, got a job, and worked hard, you could by a home, afford to go on a vacation, and have enough left over to put money away for a rainy day. That deal is broken. Justin Trudeau's inflationary spending and reckless tax and spend policies have broken this country and have made Canadians broke," said Conservative Party Leader, Pierre Poilievre.

"A Poilievre government will remove the gatekeepers, axe the costly carbon tax, cut wasteful spending, restore powerful paycheques, and put Canadians back in control of their lives." "Our team will continue to honour and respect Canadians by fighting to put them back in charge of their lives and making this nation the freest on earth. We are going to turn the hurt Justin Trudeau has caused into hope for a people and a country so full of potential," said Poilievre. The full fundraising report can be found online at elections.ca.

Ontario Getting More Boots On The Ground By Making It Easier To Recruit And Train Police Officers

TORONTO — The Ontario government is making it easier for police services across the province to recruit and train more police officers by removing tuition fees for the Basic Constable Training program at the Ontario Police College (OPC) and immediately expanding the number of recruits that can be trained each year.

“Ontario is grateful to the thousands of brave women and men who serve as police officers across the province, keeping our communities safe,” said Premier Doug Ford. “To push back the growing tide of crime in our communities, we’re urgently getting more boots on the ground. That’s why our government is making the path to becoming a police officer as open as possible, expanding enrollment at the Ontario Police College and covering 100 per cent of the tuition cost for Basic Constable Training.” To get more boots on the ground, the Basic Constable Training program at the Ontario Police College will be expanded immediately to accommodate an additional 70 recruits per cohort, from 480 to 550. Starting in 2024, the Basic Constable Training program will also be expanded to four cohorts per year instead of three. Additionally, to support recruitment efforts at a time when local police officers have signaled challenges in doing so, the province is introducing legislation that, if passed, will eliminate the postsecondary education requirement to become a police officer, as set out in

Tdsb To Develop Islamophobia Strategy

Trustees with the Toronto District School Board have unanimously voted to develop and implement a system-wide comprehensive strategy to address Islamophobia.

The creation of this new strategy will further build on the work of the broader TDSB Anti-Hate and Anti-Racism Strategy, which addresses all forms of racism, hate and discrimination.

With tonight’s approval, staff will now prepare a report to be presented to the TDSB’s Planning and Priorities Committee at a fall meeting, where they will update Trustees on the development of the new strategy. In March 2022, the TDSB launched a formal plan to ensure students and staff move beyond performative responses to hate and racism. The Combatting Hate and Racism – Student Learning Strategy became part of a multi-faceted approach to better understand and address the impact of hate and racism within the TDSB.

DHRUBO HASAN, 29 OF TORONTO FACING MORE THAN 40 CHARGES AFTER WOMAN FORCIBLY CONFINED, SEXUALLY ASSAULTED

The Toronto Police Service is alerting the public to an arrest made in a Sexual Assault investigation.

It is alleged that: a man assaulted, forcibly confined and sexually assaulted a woman on several occasions over the period of a year and a half

On Friday, April 21, 2023, Dhrubo Hasan, 29, of Toronto was arrested. He has been charged with:

Three counts of Sexual Assault

Two counts of Fail to Comply Release Order

Six counts of Assault

Six counts of Assault by Choking

Three counts of Mischief Under $5000

Two counts of Publish intimate image without consent

Nine counts of Fail to Comply

Assault with a Weapon

Administer noxious substance

Aggravated assault

Threaten Death

Three counts of Forcible confinement the Community Safety and Policing Act (CSPA). If passed, the act would amend the CSPA to provide that a secondary school diploma or equivalent is sufficient education for the purposes of being appointed as a police officer. “These changes are good news for police services across the province, as well as for Ontarians considering a career as a police officer,” said Solicitor General Michael Kerzner. “We listened to the concerns about recruitment shortfalls and training limitations and have taken steps to remove barriers and expand the possibilities for those considering a career as a police officer.” Ontario’s new measures compliment other recent enhancements in Basic Constable Training at the OPC. Earlier this year, the duration of the training program was expanded from 60 to 66 days to accommodate immediate rapid deployment and active attacker and mental health response training for individuals in crisis. The college’s mental health response training for individuals in crisis provides police officers with the skills they need to work with on-the-ground supports such as mobile crisis response teams. The elimination of the tuition fee for the Basic Constable Training program at the Ontario Police College will be retroactive to January 1, 2023. Recruits who paid for their twelve-week Basic Constable Training earlier this year will be reimbursed.

He was scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at Toronto East Courts located at 1911 Eglinton Avenue East. Police are concerned there may be more victims. Images of the accused have been released.

Furthermore, police would like to encourage all affected individuals to come forward and report human trafficking occurrences to the police. We want to ensure everyone has access to support services and an exit strategy, regardless of their decision to proceed criminally.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-8087474, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at www.222tips.com.

CANCEL COUNCIL’S IRRESPONSIBLE REQUEST TO DECRIMINALIZE DRUGS IN TORONTO FOR YOUTH AND ADULTS

TORONTO – Mark Saunders is immediately calling on Council to cancel their request to the federal government to decriminalize drugs for personal use for both adults and youth in the City of Toronto. As a police officer for almost four decades, Saunders had a front row seat to the carnage caused by illicit drugs. Heroin, crack cocaine, MDMA, methamphetamines, crystal meth, fentanyl – the list is extensive and growing as new drugs are showing up on streets, including Tranq.

For years, City Hall has failed to do anything about the safety impacts that supervised injection sites have on residents, families and businesses who live, play and work near them. In fact, some of their status quo policies have hurt, more than helped, those struggling with addiction, and the communities most impacted. As Mayor, Saunders will put in place a compassionate plan to make the number of overdose deaths go down, not up and up and up as the city has seen for years. His plan will help those struggling with addiction by:

Revisiting the Toronto Overdose Action Plan to focus more on treatment as a key priority for the City’s response, as opposed to continuing to expand the facilitation of drug use.

Establishing a formal working group with key service providers and experts to understand how to best lead drug users to treatment, as opposed to continuing a cycle of addiction.

Working closely with the province to identify and explore the creation of additional in-patient treatment options and resources that are urgently needed for users of supervised injection sites.

Working with the federal and provincial governments to right-size the available treatment beds and resources to reflect the state of urgency in the City of Toronto; right now, mental health and addiction funding is not keeping pace with the share of healthcare resources that are used for treatment. “We can’t normalize illicit drug use - especially for youth aged 12 - 17. As a police officer, I’ve seen how the lives of those suffering from addiction and their loved ones have been destroyed by pain, loss and grief,” said Saunders.

A sexual assault is any form of unwanted sexual contact. It includes, but is not limited to, kissing, grabbing, oral sex and penetration. To learn more about sexual assault, including how to report a sexual assault, please visit our Sex Crimes website.

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