Access to information documents obtained by a C-SIS officer stationed in BC who alleged she was raped by a superior show the spy agency launched an investigation into her. The investigation found she breached the agency’s code of conduct for misusing the vehicles where the alleged assaults took place. The woman, who can’t be named, says she was never told about the investigation, but the access documents she obtained show it was launched just days after she made her rape allegations. The woman’s allegations revealed last year by The Canadian Press set off a series of promises of change by agency director David Vigneault, who said her assault claims left him deeply troubled.
The inquest jury looking into the police shootings that killed a man and the woman he was holding hostage has made seven recommendations aimed at preventing similar deaths in the future. The jury suggested events involving the emergency response team be recorded with both video and audio. They also recommended the Ministry of Public Safety offer extended training to probation officers in mental health disorders and addictions Randy Crosson and Nona McEwan died in Surrey following a nine-hour standoff in 2019.
BC’s Opposition leader has tabled a private member’s bill aimed at preventing people convicted of dangerous crimes from legally changing names. Kevin Falcon says he wanted to amend the BC Name Act after learning convicted child-killer Allan Schoenborn (SHOH’-en-born) was allowed to change his name. BC Premier David Eby has said he will look at current name-change legislation because people should not be able to evade responsibility for crimes by changing names. Falcon says his bill would automatically prevent those designated as dangerous offenders from filing name-change applications.
Yukon’s public safety division has issued an evacuation alert for the Klondike Valley and is urging residents to be prepared to leave on short notice. Yukon Protective Service says a flood watch is in place for Yukon’s Klondike River from the Confluence up to and including Dredge Pond. It says the next five days carry the highest flood risk for the region as river levels are rising and may exceed the banks. The service says a high streamflow advisory also remains in place for the Klondike River from Bear Creek up to the Dempster Bridge.
Yukon’s government says it has dedicated more than six-million-dollars in the latest round of funding aimed at creating affordable homes in the territory. The funding will go toward a number of proponents with shovel-ready housing projects including the Carcross/Tagish First Nation, the Carmacks Development Corporation, and four groups based in Whitehorse and Dawson City. The Yukon government says the money will support the construction of about 78 new affordable homes. The territory says it has committed almost 37-million-dollars since 2018 toward the development of 845 affordable homes.
British Columbians looking for a new furry family member can get a significant discount. From now until May 5th, the province’s SPCA is offering 50 per cent off adoption fees at all its locations. Some of the available cats were part of a group of nearly 300 taken from a property in Houston, B-C earlier this year. Adrienne McBride of the BC SPCA says taking in that many cats at one time means space for other animals in need is in short supply.