The father of a Prince George boy who died by suicide last October says he “has faith” in the province’s decision to put its online propose harms legislation on hold. 12-year-old Carson Cleland died after falling victim to online sextortion. His father Ryan says he believes getting social media giants to work with the province on a solution to online harms is a step in the right direction. Premier David Eby made the announcement Tuesday, saying the companies — which include Meta, TikTok, X and SnapChat — know the province could retable the bill if necessary.
Minister of Children and Family Development Grace Lore says she is reviewing findings of the BC Ombudsperson that criticized the ministry for failing to take action on youth held in solitary confinement while in custody. Lore says she’s told ministry staff no child in the province’s custody should be placed in prolonged isolation, and none have faced the punishment in the last five months. A report in 2021 found kids in custody, either awaiting trial or serving a sentence, faced long periods of separate confinement, isolation and exposure tto significant psychological harm. An update from the Ombudsperson’s office says the ministry has failed to make any progress on 15 of the report’s 26 recommendations.
Victoria police Chief Del Manak says he’s disappointed the city’s school board is refusing to reinstate the school police liaison program. Manak says many parents and other stakeholders wanted to see the program restarted. The chief says a statement put out by the school board underplayed the value the program plays in schools, and he says he questions whether the board recognizes the specialized training school liaison officers go through. He says the choice to remove officers last May sparked student safety concerns, and officers with the Victoria Police Department still are active in the city’s school in other ways.
The jury in the coroner’s inquest into the deaths of Randy Crosson and Nona McEwan is expected to get final instructions from the coroner this morning before retiring to deliberate on their recommendations. The inquest, which began last week, heard how the pair were both killed during a nine-hour standoff with Surrey Mounties in March 2019. The jury also heard how a police emergency response team stormed into a bedroom where Crosson was with McEwan, littering the pair with bullets, killing both. Juries in coroner’s inquests cannot find fault or place blame, but are tasked with making recommendations to prevent deaths in the future under similar circumstances.
The province says New Westminster is among 20 new priority communities it has identified for housing targets over the next five years. Johnstone says New Westminster has been a housing leader in the region for the last decade, and it’s the second-most dense city in the country. He says the city is meeting and also exceeding housing targets during what he calls a critical rental vacancy crisis in the region, and the province should be funding already approved rental projects instead of adding more work for city staff.
The Delta Police Department says it’s collaborating with Surrey RCMP to step up patrols during the Vancouver Canucks’ playoff run. The department says impromptu gatherings during games in the past have caused traffic troubles around 72nd and 120th street, and the two departments will monitor the intersection during this post-season’s matches. Delta police say the street may have to be closed, and Sergeant Tammy Lobb with Surrey RCMP says officers will focus on public safety and be on the lookout for dangerous drivers.