Ontario Update – CP
Source: The Canadian Press – Broadcast wire
Jun 14, 2017
(Highway-Truck-Rollover)
One lane of the Queen Elizabeth Way in the St. Catharines remains closed following a truck crash yesterday afternoon that involved a cargo of phosphine — a flammable and toxic gas.
The crash happened at about 3:20 p-m and prompted an initial evacuation of the surrounding area as a precaution, followed by a shelter-in-place order in a two-kilometre radius around the scene.
Residents were asked to keep their windows and chimneys closed and their air conditioners turned off.
There were no injuries reported and no leakage of the hazardous material. (The Canadian Press)
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(Police-Shooting-Toronto-Appeal)
A Toronto police officer who gunned down a troubled teen on an empty streetcar four years ago is appealing his conviction.
Recently filed documents show that Constable James Forcillo plans to argue that the judge was wrong to exclude cellphone and expert evidence about the possibility of “suicide by cop” — where a person behaves threateningly in order to trigger a lethal response from law enforcement.
Forcillo’s lawyers also say the judge was wrong to deny an application for a mistrial once the evidence was deemed inadmissible, since that prevented the defence from countering the narrative put forward by prosecutors.
Since the Crown painted Sammy Yatim as a young man in crisis, Forcillo’s lawyers say they intended to argue the crisis was such that it could not be de-escalated.
Forcillo was found guilty last year of attempted murder but was acquitted of the more serious charge of second-degree murder. He was sentenced to six years behind bars. (The Canadian Press)
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(60s-Scoop)
Survivors of the 60’s Scoop accuse the Liberal government of opting for further hard-ball litigation as a way to avoid paying compensation to thousands who were taken from reserves in Ontario as children and placed with non-native families.
Documents obtained by The Canadian Press indicate federal lawyers are fighting an attempt to move into a damages phase after Superior Court Justice Edward Belobaba ruled in February that Canada had breached its “duty of care” to the children.
Those present at a meeting last month to start hammering out settlement details say a government lawyer argued that the judge had not found the government liable for the harm suffered by thousands of indigenous children.
The government also insists in a memo to the judge that there’s no evidence of how many people are involved and deciding on a total amount of damages is impossible. (The Canadian Press)
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(Autism-Police)
An Ontario-based study says that roughly one in six people with autism had at least one interaction with police over an 18-month period.
And while criminal charges were laid in only two incidents involving study participants, police intervention was reported to increase distress in about one third of the cases.
Researchers are noting that the study may be limited in that its sample may not be representative of all individuals with autism and their families.
But say it suggests there is a need for police training on the range of behaviours people with autism can exhibit.
The executive director for Autism Ontario expressed concerns about the number of negative experiences reported by participants. (The Canadian Press)
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(School-Pride-Flag)
A little-known federal rule is causing an Ontario high school to remove a Pride flag from its campus.
The flag at Wellington Heights Secondary School in Mount Forest — about 65 kilometres north of Guelph — was raised outside at the request of the school’s social equity committee.
Shortly after the school board received a complaint from a community member — since the flag was hung on the same flagpole as the Canadian one, the school was in violation of the “Dignity of the Flag” subsection.
Although the rules aren’t governed by any legislation and mainly serve as guidelines, the school decided to remove the flag.
Some students say the flag coming down was crushing to those at the school who have worked hard to create an atmosphere of equality and acceptance. (Toronto Star)
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(Downgraded-Murder-Conviction)
A Barrie man convicted and sentenced for first-degree murder will be re-sentenced after his conviction was downgraded.
In 2010, a jury found Joseph Nicholson guilty of first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Joey Tanner.
The court of appeal downgraded that to second-degree murder, ruling the trial judge didn’t properly instruct the jury specifically on planning and deliberation.
A judge will sentence Nicolson on August 11th. (CTV Barrie)
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(Ontario Update by The Canadian Press)
(The Canadian Press)
INDEX: ONTARIO
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