Page 4 - DURHAM CITIZEN MAY 24TH 2021_Black

4 DurhamCitizen.ca May 24, 2021

Toronto PATH stabber denied conditional

discharge: Ontario Review Board

Five days after an annual Ontario needs of the accused. If things
Review Board (ORB) hearing to unravel or some kind of encounter
determine the future of Rohinie “ puts Ms. Bisesar in a stressed or
Bisesar, a Toronto woman found panicked state, there is a package
not criminally responsible (NCR) In its disposition from the May 19 in place to address that rapidly."
for stabbing a stranger to death in hearing, the ORB writes the person Denise Junor-Sagar, a cousin of the
Toronto's underground PATH in charge of Bisesar is ordered to stabbing victim -- 28-year-old
system in December 2015, Bisesar create a program for the detention Rosemarie "Kim" Junor -- wrote in
has had her detention order in custody and rehabilitation of an email to Global News that the
extended within the forensic Toronto police has supported the
the accused, but at his or her
service of the Centre for Addiction family over nearly six years of what
discretion, may allow Bisesar to
and Mental Health. it calls a "sickening ordeal" and is
attend within or outside of the
In its disposition from the May 19 still in disbelief that Bisesar was
hospital for necessary medical,
hearing, the ORB writes the person found NCR.
dental, legal or compassionate
in charge of Bisesar is ordered to "Kudos to them for rehabilitating
purposes.
create a program for the detention her. However, I cannot help
in custody and rehabilitation of the thinking 'what if she decides not to
accused, but at his or her take her medication?'" Junor-Sagar
discretion, may allow Bisesar to said.
attend within or outside of the The panel was told Bisesar, who is
hospital for necessary medical, accommodation approved by the But Bisesar's forensic psychiatrist, something she felt was necessary now 46-years-old, takes two anti-
dental, legal or compassionate person in charge," is that she is now Dr. Georgia Walton, told the five- for Bisesar's secure rehabilitation. psychotic medications given by
purposes. allowed to "live in the community person panel that there is a risk of "We don't know what's going to injection every four weeks and a
She is also allowed to enter the in accommodation approved by deterioration of her mental health happen in the community and this daily anti-psychotic tablet. Walton
community accompanied by staff the person in charge." on her first admission into the is one of the more high-profile told the panel the patient is stable
or a person approved by the person At the hearing last week, Bisesar's community and the detention cases we've seen in Ontario, where while taking medication, but if she
in charge, and to enter the lawyer Marcus Bornfreund argued order would allow the hospital to Ms. Bisesar's face has appeared stopped, her schizophrenic
community indirectly supervised. his client should be granted a quickly intervene should that multiple times in the media," symptoms would likely reappear.
The change from the 2020 conditional discharge because happen. Crown counsel Michael Feindel The Ontario Review Board will
disposition which stipulated that she's been an exemplary patient Walton also told the ORB that commented at the hearing. publish its reasons for its latest
Bisesar could only live in the who, when on her medication, has there are few supervised beds "I don't imagine that is a small disposition within a month.
community in "super vised a low risk to re-offend. available in the community -- factor at this stage. It speaks to the

Durham's Catholic schools Federal government launches

will fly the Pride flag loan program for Black-owned

businesses

believe that representation and celebration of my
personhood as a queer kid would have saved me OTTAWA — The federal government is opening the doors to a loan
from years of internalized shame, hatred and program that will provide financing to Black-owned businesses that
suffering.” often face a steep hill to access capital.
Trustee Damianopoulos, who voted against the The Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund will provide loans of up to
motion, suggested the Pride flag has an "activist $250,000 for businesses that are majority Black-owned, or
dimension" and said the cross is a better symbol of entrepreneurs for their startups or existing for-profit small businesses.
All Durham Catholic schools acceptance to use in schools. Social enterprises, partnerships and co-operative businesses are also
will fly the Pride flag this June “Any ambiguity concerning Catholic doctrine must eligible for the financing.
- and every year in June going be avoided or we fail in our obligation towards The government says applicants must have a business number, a
forward. In a 6-2 vote on May 25, parents who entrust us with the spiritual guidance business plan and financial statements, or project plans in the case of
Durham Catholic District School Board trustees of their children," he said. " If what a student startups.
approved a recommendation to fly the flag at all learns in religion class is contradicted by the The Liberal government seeded the loan fund with $33.3 million, while
schools as well as the Catholic education centre rainbow Pride flag at the same school, the message the remainder of the $291.3 million program comes from a $130-million
from June 1 to 30 each year. to students becomes one of confusion, of infusion from Business Development Bank of Canada, a Crown
The board's two student trustees also voted in dissonance.” corporation, and $128 million split between the country's biggest banks
favour of the motion, while north Durham trustee Other voices speaking in favour of flying the Pride and two credit unions.
Richard Damianopoulos and Pickering Trustee Jim flag included the student Alliance for Compassion The Federation of African Canadian Economics will administer the
McCafferty voted against. team at St. Mary Catholic Secondary School; Paul loans, which will initially flow through BDC, and credit unions Alterna
Tracy Barill, director of education for the DCDSB, Collicutt and Melissa Cowen, presidents of the Savings and Vancity.
called the issue “perhaps the most complex and Durham local of the Ontario English Catholic The latter two institutions will also take part in a pilot project in
also potentially the most impactful decision that I Teachers Association; and Kelly Stephen, the Ontario and British Columbia to provide microloans of between
have ever placed before you" and spoke about the chaplain for Monsignor John Pereyma Catholic $10,000 and $25,000 to help those Black businesses that need some
tensions that exist within the Catholic church on Secondary School who noted “the Gospel of Jesus support to start or grow to address what the government calls a critical
sexual orientation and gender identity. Christ calls us to love our neighbour, not to gap in the marketplace.
"I am a person of faith, I have been raised in this conditionally love them." The launch of the loan program comes months after the Liberals first
very Catholic school system. My faith and my life Whitby Trustee John Rinella said he wrestled with laid out the plan last September, and days after the one-year
experience has ingrained in me deep the issue and was feeling emotional as he spoke at anniversary of the death of George Floyd at the hands of a white
understanding of the importance of love and Tuesday's board meeting. Minneapolis police officer, which sparked a worldwide reckoning with
belonging," Barill told trustees, saying a sense of "I’ve talked to many people over the weekend racial inequality.
belonging comes after food, water and shelter on about my own faith and what this means. Am I In its wake, the Black parliamentary caucus, backed by multiple
Maslow's hierarchy of needs. "All of our students doing the right thing? Am I doing the wrong cabinet ministers, outlined a series of recommendations for the
deserve to feel loved and welcomed in our thing? As a trustee my job is the safety of our government to address, including financing aid.
Catholic schools.” youth, the protection of our youth, through policy. "This is a meaningful historic step to correct a historic wrong: the
The board received feedback on the issue from If this small gesture is what I can do to make these systemic barriers in accessing financing faced by people of African
more than 150 members of the public. kids feel more welcome…100 per cent, my full descent," Greg Fergus, chair of the Black parliamentary caucus, said in
In one letter, former DCDSB student Rae Paul, support," he said. a statement.
who graduated in 2015, talked about their Several Catholic school boards in Ontario have "This loan fund partnership unlocks our extraordinary potential and
experiences as an a member of the 2SLGBTQIA made a public commitment to recognize Pride creates economic prosperity for all Canadians."
community attending a Catholic high school. month by flying the rainbow flag including the A recent survey of 342 Black entrepreneurs, commissioned by the
“I had internalized many horrific meanings of Toronto Catholic District School Board and the African Canadian Senate Group, found three-quarters of respondents
what it meant to be queer, and gender non- Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board. said their race makes it harder to succeed in business, with systemic
conforming. I truly believed that the reason I did After significant controversy and media attention, racism, access to capital and the lack of a business network all cited as
not see people like me represented in my school trustees with the Halton Catholic District School barriers to growth. -The Canadian Press
was because I was not welcome,” Paul says. “I Board voted April 26 not to fly the flag.