Latest news with #second chance
CTV News
30-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Employment agency offers second chances to people with criminal records with new program
Fanshawe College works with an employment agency to help people with criminal records find jobs. Jenn Basa reports. Approximately 3.83 million Canadians have a criminal record, which can make finding a job all that much more difficult. But one employment agency is trying to change that by giving people a second chance. Calibre Recruitment, an employment agency in London, Ont., is trying to help people with criminal records find a job placement through their new Bridging the Skills Gap project. After receiving $590,000 from the Skills Development Fund, the agency created a job training and career-coaching program for those with criminal records who've committed non-violent offences. 'For many years we've experienced candidates with criminal backgrounds and they haven't been able to secure employment and on the same token we've had employers with openings that they haven't been able to fill,' said Bonnie Macklin, president & director of recruitment solutions. 'We wanted to be a solution to that particular issue.' Calibre has since partnered with Fanshawe College's corporate training solutions division to offer job training to people with criminal records. Calibre plans to help place candidates in industries involving food and beverage processing, hospitality, and manufacturing. 'We understand that every case is different and unique,' said Tracy Bolton, vice-president of Calibre. 'We want to help connect with people that have minor offences, or a blip on their record.' Throughout their work at the agency, Tolton and Macklin have found the majority of people with a criminal record won't apply to jobs due to fear of being turned away. 'We also want to work with employers and help to change their mindset to start looking at these candidates because it shouldn't define them,' Tolton added. According to Public Safety Canada, nearly one-million people in Ontario have a criminal record, leaving even non-violent offenders at a higher risk for poverty and barriers to employment. While Canada faces a serious labour shortage, Calibre is encouraging businesses to not overlook these candidates. The recruitment for this program begins June 15 and the first training cohort will begin in September, Macklin said.
National Post
15-05-2025
- National Post
Ontario police force loses bid to fire officer who assaulted handcuffed man
Article content Sinclair argued Bosch posed no threat to Dopf and was in custody at the time of the assault. Article content Elbers ruled Dopf would be demoted from a first-class constable to a third-class constable for one year and ordered him to attend arrest and use-of-force training. Article content Dopf abused his authority and his unprofessional actions hurt the force's reputation, said Elbers, who criticized the officer for making the 'free pass' comment and also making light of Bosch's death. Article content 'Detective Constable Dopf, I hope you realize by virtue of this disposition you are being given a second chance. Numerous candidates are denied the opportunity to wear the uniform of a Woodstock police officer,' Elbers wrote in his decision. 'Not often officers are given a second chance. I urge you to make the best of this situation and opportunity.' Article content But Bosch-Garland said Dopf shouldn't get a second chance. Article content 'Because it's not a second chance, it's a third chance and . . . I don't believe he deserves it,' said Bosch-Garland, who questioned why her family wasn't notified of Dopf's professional misconduct hearing. Article content 'The victim's family should have been there to voice their opinions and their concerns. We were not informed or given the opportunity to speak . . . Che is no longer here,' she said. Article content Article content Bosch-Garland, who grew up in Woodstock but now lives in Muskoka, said she learned Dopf was back on the job after a friend saw him in uniform and contacted her. Article content Article content Professional misconduct hearings for police officers are open to the media and the public, just like criminal and provincial court proceedings, but it's unclear whether Woodstock police released the details of Dopf's upcoming hearing. The force has a section on its website where it posts hearing decisions, but police didn't respond to an inquiry about how information about upcoming hearings is shared publicly. Article content Bosch's daughter, Kayle-Ann Howe-Bosch, 26, said her family wasn't notified about the Police Services Act hearing or the penalty decision. Article content 'We wanted to be at every hearing . . . Because my dad's not here to represent himself anymore so we have to be there to do it,' she said, adding relatives from outside Woodstock had planned to attend the proceedings. Article content 'I feel like they were trying to hide stuff,' she said of police. Article content Article content For Howe-Bosch, who is still struggling to come to terms with her father's death, watching the video of Dopf assaulting him was especially difficult. Article content 'I have nightmares from it,' she said. 'It's been really hard.' Article content Bosch's family has filed a $3-million lawsuit against the Woodstock police board, Dopf and a second unidentified officer. Article content The two officers displayed 'shocking, contemptuous' and 'abhorrent' behaviour, and the police department should have done a better job training and supervising them, according to a statement of claim. Article content The lawsuit alleges Dopf's blows to Bosch's kidney increased his vulnerability to kidney failure and sepsis and were a 'significant contributing cause of (his) death.' Article content Statements of claim and statements of defence include allegations not yet tested in court. No statements of defence have been filed. Article content The lawsuit alleges the unnamed officer didn't prevent the attack on Bosch and put his knee against Bosch's back to keep it upright and 'facilitate the assault.' Article content
