BCJul 22, 2020
Off-duty Abbotsford, B.C. police officer dies after trying to stop disturbance
The 55 year old Abbotsford police officer critically injured when he intervened in a dispute while visiting in Nelson last week, has now died. Constable Allan Young had been on life support since the assault last Thursday and the Abbotsford Police Department says he died last night, surrounded by family. A statement from the department says the smile and character of the Scottish-born officer who immigrated to Canada in 1997 ``can never be replaced.'' A 26 year old was arrested in Nelson after Young was injured and Nelson police say the man remains in custody, currently charged with aggravate
CanadaJul 22, 2020
Criminal investigation in the murder of two young sisters by their father complete :Quebec Police
Quebec provincial police say the criminal investigation into the murder of two young sisters by their father earlier this month is complete. Police have provided an update on the investigation into the deaths of 6 year old Romy and 11 year old Norah Carpentier and the discovery of the body of Martin Carpentier, who took his own life. Authorities say Carpentier used a blunt object to kill the girls before an Amber Alert was triggered on July 9th -- two days before their bodies were found. Carpentier's body was found this week, following an intense manhunt.
BCJul 22, 2020
5.4 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Vancouver Island
A 5.4 magnitude earthquake shook an area about 200 kilometres off the west coast of Vancouver Island early this morning but did not generate a tsunami. It happened at 4:33 and seismologist John Cassidy says in a social media post that it was not strong enough to be felt on the Island. It occurred in the Cascadia subduction zone which Cassidy says is one of the most seismically active areas in Canada, ``with earthquakes every day.'' About five hours earlier an unrelated quake measuring 7.8 struck off the Alaska Peninsula and was strongly felt across the state but no damage has been reported an
CanadaJul 22, 2020
Finance Minister testifies, PM Trudeau to appear before the House of Commons finance committee
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will appear before the House of Commons finance committee at a date and time yet to be arranged. The committee is investigating his government's decision to give the WE Charity a contract to run a 900-million student-volunteer program. Both Trudeau's family, and that of Finance Minister Bill Morneau have ties to the organization. Morneau testified today he unknowingly failed to repay the costs of a trip to Ecuador in 2017 to see some of WE's humanitarian work. Morneau says he sent the charity a cheque today for more than 41,000 dollars to cover the travel expense
CanadaJul 22, 2020
Funding for long-term care needed before second wave of COVID-19: advocates
With an uptick in new cases of COVID-19 in Canada sparking concerns about a second wave of the illness, advocates for seniors in long-term care say more federal support must start flowing immediately to ensure elders do not again become the primary casualties.The Canadian Association for Long Term Care says the sector has long fallen through the cracks and that this lack of support helped create the conditions that led to widespread outbreaks and deaths from COVID-19 in nursing homes across Canada.Now that the pandemic has laid bare the fragility of the long-term care system, association chai
CanadaJul 22, 2020
Information czar finds numerous shortcomings at National Defence
The federal information watchdog has identified several shortcomings — from inadequate training to cumbersome paper-based processes — that hamper National Defence's ability to answer formal requests from the public.In a special report tabled in Parliament today, information commissioner Caroline Maynard says her systemic investigation found Defence did not meet its obligations under the Access to Information Act because of dated or inefficient practices.The access law allows people who pay $5 to request an array of federal files but it has been widely criticized as outdated, clumsy and of
CanadaJul 22, 2020
Judge strikes down Safe Third Country Agreement
Federal Court Justice Ann Marie McDonald has struck down a key agreement on refugees between Canada and the United States.She says elements of the law underpinning the Safe Third Country Agreement violate constitutional guarantees of life, liberty and security.Canada and the U-S have recognized each other as safe places to seek protection, but Canadian refugee advocates have argued America is not always a safe country for people fleeing persecution.They told the court that Canada is exposing ineligible refugee claimants to detention and other rights violations in returning them to the U-S.
CanadaJul 22, 2020
Trudeau must look into complaints about Governor General, Singh says
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has an obligation to look into allegations that Gov. Gen. Julie Payette mistreated staff members.Singh says workplaces need to be safe, and employees must feel they are heard when they raise concerns.Singh was responding to questions today about a CBC News report that quoted anonymous sources as saying Payette has created a toxic environment at Rideau Hall.The CBC reported Tuesday that Payette had yelled at, belittled and publicly humiliated employees, reducing some to tears or prompting them to quit.In a statement Tuesday, the Gover
BCJul 22, 2020
B.C. provincial court to get six more judges to help with pandemic backlog
Six more judges have been appointed to British Columbia's provincial court in an effort to clear away the backlog stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. The province says in an information bulletin that it has reappointed three senior judges and appointed three new judges. The bulletin says the appointments will increase the capacity of the provincial court and reduce court delays around the province. It says the senior judges will help address the backlog of cases and support the response to the impacts of COVID-19 on the judicial system. Jane Cartwright, Thomas Gove and Richard Miller are bac
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