RCMP

North Shuswap firestorm 2023

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North Shuswap firestorm 2023

By Jim Cooperman

Our home the night of the fire, photo by Angie Laryea

During the firestorm, a brave neighbour drove up the road to check on our place and took an amazing photo above of the hillside behind our home ablaze, yet the fire never went past the area that had been watered. This successful protection of our home should serve as a prime example of why everyone who lives in rural areas needs to do fire proofing to protect their homes.

A photo of our house the day after the fire

August 21, 2023

A fire caused by lightning started above the west side of Adams Lake on July 12th, grew slowly then initially exploded on July 20th due to a windstorm. Early in August, it moved down the hillside and if not for a huge effort by firefighters it would have destroyed homes and cabins along the lake. The fire continued to grow due to the winds and edged further southeast towards the North Shuswap community of Lee Creek, in the North Shuswap. By the third week of August it was about 6 km away from properties. When the weather report indicated that a strong northerly windstorm would hit on the evening of August 17th, the BC Wildfire Service made the extremely risky decision to use a controlled burn (a backburn) to reduce the fuel load in front of the fire.

They lit the backburn using a helicopter and ping-pong balls filled with sodium nitrate and anti-freeze. It was a massive fire that produced a giant mushroom cloud of smoke above the hills above our home. The next day the strong winds blew the combined fire down to Lee Creek, Scotch Creek and Celista, destroying approximately 100 homes, cabins, and businesses.

A view from our house of the initial smoke from the backburn moments after it was lit, photo by Kathi Cooperman

Another photo of the backburn minutes after it was lit, photo by Jim Cooperman

The fire also combined with another fire on east side of Adams Lake below the lake creating a firestorm that blew into Squilax, forcing the evacuation of the fire camp in a field and then destroying a gas station, homes and many cabins. It jumped across the Little Shuswap River and then destroyed homes north and south of the Squilax Bridge before moving up Squilax Mountain, east to the hills above Sorrento and south into Turtle Valley. This end of the fire continues to threaten the South Shuswap, Skimikin, Sorrento and as far away as Tappen.

This fire remains an ongoing disaster as there are spot fires everywhere and the fire is continuing to advance slowly eastward. Here are my notes for a number of recent media interviews:

1. BCWS is ultimately responsible for the mess.

2. Did not adequately respond to the fire when it began.

3. Response waited until it grew and nearly burned houses at Adams Lake.

4. In a drought, fires are nearly impossible to put out or stop.

5. The backburn backfired – it was lit too far from the fire and too late as the northerly windstorm was only hours away – it increased the fire size and then it blew across Scotch Creek and into the hills above Celista – plus the fire creeped through the Lee Creek canyon underneath the powerline.

6. The evacuation order came too late. We could see the fire creeping over the ridge behind us and were told the fire was at Scotch Creek so we left one hour before the order was given. As a result, people were trapped in east of the Scotch Creek bridge because the fire was on both sides of the road to the west. Some escaped by boat or drove east for 40 km on a logging road to Seymour Arm and then some drove in a convoy for another 50 km on a rough road to Malakwa. There were at least 500 people in Seymour Arm that night.

7. Currently, it is primarily locals that are fighting the spot fires. Nonetheless, one of our friend’s homes burned down yesterday from a spot fire that no one was able to get to. The local firefighters are loggers and contractors with trucks, water tanks and shovels, working day and night to protect their homes and their neighbour’s homes. They are the real heroes. In addition, there are some fire trucks from all over the province lending a hand. There were three fire trucks in our yard helping –  from Vancouver Island, Big White and Scotch Creek.

8. Despite the heroic efforts of the locals, the authorities are doing everything they can to stop them. They have brought police up from Vancouver to man checkpoints and stop people from driving in or driving through the community.

9. Our Regional District director is one of the local heroes, as he has also defied the rules and remained to help, even working to fight a fire in his community. Yesterday, he was stopped by the police for trying to transport food from a boat to a restaurant where it was to be distributed for free to the locals.

10. Due to the roadblocks, locals have been using boats to get in and out and to bring in supplies. Our resilient community has come together in this emergency and will emerge stronger when it is over. Currently, because the police are blocking efforts to bring in supplies, residents are sharing the food from their thawing freezers. Two local restaurants are providing free meals.

11. The overall problem is that both the provincial and federal government has misplaced priorities, as it continues to fund oil and gas infrastructure to the tune of billions of dollars, rather than investing in the tools and manpower the country needs to respond to the climate boiling emergency we are faced with. We need fleets of water bombers instead of 30-billion-dollar pipeline.

A photo of me working on the spot fire near our home

I was able to return to my property the day after the fire swept through and with the help of a young WWOOFer from Germany, we began working on a spot fire that could have burned down our pump house and/or lit the remaining forest on fire and burned down a neighbour’s house. We used buckets from our pond initially, until a fire department truck arrived. It was doused multiple times and it kept coming back, because it was burning underground in tree roots. One of the many locals with a truck and water tank also came to help. When we finally left near dark, there was another fire truck dousing it. Then late that night it blew up again and the local returned to water it down. This example shows how difficult it is to deal with spot fires, that could continue for months.

A fire department crew from Vancouver Island again working on our spot fire at the end of the day. This fire continue to flare up for days afterwards and was again doused by both local and fire department fire fighters.

The main news story yesterday that continues today is that equipment used to keep a key bridge watered down was either stolen or “borrowed.” They use this story continuously to justify the heavy police lockdown, yet there many doubts about this story, because no one ever saw the equipment missing. The fire had swept by the area during the Friday night firestorm and there was no longer any threat to the bridge as there were no nearby spot fires and yet they continued to water the bridge. As well, the equipment being used is extremely heavy and would not be easy to take away.

“Because of the road blockades and spike belts, the only way in and out is by boat. Many dozens  of boat owners have been volunteering their time to ferry people and supplies back and forth from the south shore to the north shore from marinas in Blind Bay and Sorrento and from private docks. Yet now police and conservation officers are out on the lake halting and chasing these boats, with the aid of police on shore using binoculars. As well, police have shown up at the marinas to block this effort.”

Because of the road blockades and spike belts, the only way in and out is by boat. Many dozens  of boat owners have been volunteering their time to ferry people and supplies back and forth from the south shore to the north shore from marinas in Blind Bay and Sorrento and from private docks. Yet now police and conservation officers are out on the lake halting and chasing these boats, with the aid of police on shore using binoculars. As well, police have shown up at the marinas to block this effort.

The reason our home was saved is due to the fire smart work we have done over the past few years. We selectively logged our property, leaving most of the largest trees and near our home we removed most of the conifer trees. Knowing how dangerous decorative junipers are, we removed all the ones that posed a threat. On the day before the firestorm, we thoroughly watered the hillside behind our house, as that is where the fire would come from as lawns cover the yard in front of our house.

Here is a CBC Kamloops Daybreak interview from August 21 and 22:

Interview with me – Listen and watch

IMAGES OF THE DESTRUCTION IN THE COMMUNITY OF SCOTCH CREEK:

A BC Wildfire Service map of the fire showing the evacuation order and alert zones as of August 20, 2023:

About The Author

Jim Cooperman

Author of the local best seller, Everything Shuswap, Jim Cooperman moved to the Shuswap in 1969 as a war resister and a back-to-the-lander, after receiving his BA from the University of California at Berkeley. Over the succeeding years, Jim taught school, worked in construction and log building, operated a sawmill, and edited a provincial environmental journal, the BC Environmental Report. His local environmental work led to the protection of over 25,000 hectares of new parks in the Shuswap, which is documented in the book, Big Trees Saved, by Deanna Kawatski. He has researched and written about local history and helped initiate and edit the local history journal, Shuswap Chronicles I and II. In 1993, he wrote the Chapter on Canada in Clearcut – The Tragedy of Industrial Forestry. And in 1998, he wrote Keeping the Special in Special Management Zones, A Citizens’ Guide, published by BC Spaces for Nature. Jim lives with his wife, Kathleen, in a log home they built on 40 acres above Shuswap Lake, where they raised five children. His column, “Shuswap Passion,” appears every two weeks in either the Shuswap Market News or the Salmon Arm Observer. Additionally, his YouTube channel has over 100 videos, including many that showcase live music, skiing and Shuswap geography.

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Alberta Firearms Act to Oppose Feds’ Gun Confiscation Passes Third Reading

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[EDITOR’S NOTE: All graphics are those contributed by the editor.]

By Isaac Teo
March 25, 2023

A bill introduced by the Alberta government to protect its lawful firearms owners from the federal government’s gun confiscation program has passed third reading.

In a 28–7 vote on March 22, Bill 8, the Alberta Firearms Act, passed third reading on division, with seven NDP MLAs voting against it.

In a speech prior to the vote, Brad Rutherford, government whip said Bill 8 puts the interest of law-abiding firearms owners first.

“It accomplishes three main goals: one, it supports the firearms community in the face of Ottawa’s attacks on lawful firearm owners; it reduces confusion and increases accountability regarding the Chief Firearms Officer’s role; and three, it creates tools that enable Alberta to protect its jurisdiction over firearms,” he said at the assembly.

The Alberta Firearms Act was introduced by Justice Minister Tyler Shandro on March 7 in response to Ottawa’s plan to confiscate certain types of guns that it regarded as “assault-style” weapons, including AR-15s.

In May 2020, the Liberal government issued a ban on over 1,500 models of previously legal firearms. Last October, it put a freeze on the purchase, sale, transfer, and import of handguns, which effectively bans handgun ownership in the country.

Then in November 2022, the minority government tabled sweeping last-minute amendments to Bill C-21, which was being debated by the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security before the session ended for the holidays.If passed, the federal bill will ban most semi-automatic shotguns and rifles—including many ordinary hunting shotguns and rifles purchased legally. The proposed amendments would also ban any gun that can hold a detachable magazine.

‘Criminalizing Thousands of Canadians’

The federal government had originally planned to start its firearms buyback program on Prince Edward Island, according to a memo issued late last December. However, the pilot project was quickly cancelled, as first reported by Maritimes media group Saltwire Network on Jan. 12 and commented on by Shandro

“Just two days after [Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino’s] plans to use PEI as a training ground for their firearms confiscation program were exposed – the federal Liberals have already backed down,” Shandro tweeted on Jan. 12.

“Now its time to push the feds to back down from going after all Canadian firearms owners.”

It was on Dec. 29, 2022, that Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) released the memo proposing to begin in the country’s smallest province the “transition” of how firearms will be confiscated from gun owners.

“Prince Edward Island (PE) will be used as a pilot and will be the first point of collection based on the smaller number of firearms,” said the memo. “As a result, lessons learned, gaps analysis and risk assessment would inform the phase 2 national roll-out.”

The memo said phase 2 is planned for spring 2023 once an information technology case management system is in place.

“It will be implemented in collaboration with other government departments, provincial, municipal and territorial governments and potential Industry partners,” PSPC staff wrote.

At a March 15 media roundtable, Shandro criticized the Liberals’ confiscation program for potentially “criminalizing thousands of Canadians.”

“If they are going to have a confiscation program, we have to ensure the province is involved in licensing and we will be advocating for sensible legislative changes rather than ones, like C21 and order of council, that are targeting law-abiding Canadians and criminalizing thousands of Canadians over night for being in possession of legally acquired property,” he said.

According to Alberta’s government, the province has over 340,000 licensed firearm owners, and over 650 firearms-related businesses.

‘Patently False’

Shandro said the federal government doesn’t know whom it will use for the confiscation program—municipal employees, RCMP, police forces or a private contractor.

The province, however, is aware that some municipalities want to enter into an agreement with the feds and receive funding to have municipal employees be involved in the program.“We do not want police resources taken off the streets and being wasted and distracted by being involved with the confiscation program,” said Shandro. “If a municipality is going to have municipal employees involved, they are going to have to work with us.”

The province’s official site said Bill 8, if gained royal assent, will give Alberta “more tools” to protect areas of provincial jurisdiction over firearms, including “limiting municipalities and municipal police services from entering into firearms-related funding agreements with the federal government.”

Rutherford said suggestions that the act is unnecessary or creates a less safe environment for Albertans are “patently false.”

On Oct. 2, 2022, Mendicino accused Shandro of “insinuating that the RCMP will not be enforcing federal law” and that his resistance to the gun confiscation program was “reckless” and amounting to a “political stunt.”

In a March 7 video posted on Twitter, Shandro said the Liberals’ gun confiscation program won’t work.

“None of these federal policies will make our communities safer,” he said. “They are targeting law-abiding, responsible Canadians.

To date, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and New Brunswick have joined forces to oppose  using “scarce RCMP and municipal police resources to confiscate more than 100,000 legally acquired firearms from Canadians.”

The Yukon legislature also passed a motion against diverting territorial policing resources to assist in the Liberals’ plan.

Marnie Cathcart and The Canadian Press contributed to this report.


~Ω~

Thanks to The Epoch Times for this story.

Kelowna, B.C. CLEAR Mega Rally and Ottawa Trucker’s Report

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Ottawa Trucker’s Rally Report

It was a long trip to Ottawa, fraught with hours of snow, treacherous roads, and slow moving vehicles…but make it we did. Winnipeg has huge volumes of snow everywhere!


You can see our pix and videos at: https://t.me/+CvMdvLvR6kU4YjQ5


On Friday morning we attempted to get in via the Rideau Centre bridge, over the Rideau Canal. Hundreds of police from Toronto, Ottawa, RCMP, Quebec were present. Drones, snipers everywhere. Tow truck drivers who gave up their morals and ethics for a paycheque, were seen to bust into a camper, breaking windows and hauling out the person and arresting him. A woman attempted to stand in front of a semi-truck, as visible thrown to the ground by at least six cops and was clearly seen to be assaulted.


They then towed the camper and proceeded to haul out the semi-trucks.


Cops barricaded the bridge preventing anyone from crossing. All exits to downtown from the 417 were simultaneously blocked by police. By this time, we began to walk back to the car and try and get downtown from another entrance point. We had to drive later to Quebec and enter from one of the bridges there. And was it cold…-15 with strong winds blowing in from the Ottawa River. I think we have been acclimatized to the Okanagan too long for this type of weather!


Prior to leaving, Bettina from the World Wide Rally was scheduled to speak at a special meeting in Vernon on Sunday. Thank you to supporters at this meeting for their generous donations which we distributed to the truckers. Some of them were even locally from B.C. (Keremeos and Abbotsford). A couple of them actually looked like they were going to cry when I told them the donation was from our Vernon BC freedom activists. CLEAR and the WWR further helped out some additional truckers. There was so much appreciation from them it was hard for us not to cry. The emotional energy was amazing and inspiring, not just from the truckers, but everyone present. Several truckers told me that they were in tears driving at the support they got along the way. An insight many of us were not privy to because each driver was in his/her own truck. Those are people with true feelings.


It was amazing to talk to the truck drivers and people present – thousands. The media reports are not exaggerated – they are falsified. There is no violence of any kind anywhere. Just love – everyone says hi to each other whether stranger or not. Where else do you see that in Canada today?


We were grateful to be able to go into the heated tent area and meet more people and I witnessed actual homeless people be allowed in to eat as well. These people are not the terrorists that Trudeau and the media portrayed them to be – but we all knew that to begin with, didn’t we?


On our way back later that night, the Quebec police had set up gates and were letting people out but refusing entry. Same with Saturday morning. At this time as we were going to try and get across again, I noticed that the wood on one of the bridge sidewalks had been removed from one side of the bridge. Interesting.


So, we traveled until we got to the Confederation Bridge and were able to get across there and park about a 30 minute walk away – again in bitterly cold weather and sustained 40-50 KPH winds.


It was wonderful to see Kyle, Sarah (from the Resistance), Marcus Ray, Dan Dicks, Laura Lynn, and others, as well as local friends.


Things had changed significantly overnight and in the early morning. Almost all trucks were gone and the police had pushed everyone from the Rideau Bridge all the way to the Confederation Building, at Wellington and Bank St.


Cops would push with their batons and then stop. People tried to set up a chain but were pushed back by the brute force of these terrorist “law enforcement” officers – a difference I have said for years is much different than a peace officer.


A tank of some sort was behind the front-line cops, (these aren’t cops – they are glorified military officers in times of peace) who all had pepper spray and used it profusely on innocent people.


At some point, a large number of officers left only to cross over and come back down Sparks St., with another tank. Horses then followed up behind on Wellington St., however they too left after about 45 minutes or so. The crowd by this time, had they desired to so do, could have pushed the remaining police back – there were many more of us at this time than the police. But as a testament again to the peace loving nature of the protesters, no such attempt was made of any offensive action.


We stayed for hours again in this bitterly cold weather and wind. Many people were having to leave by this time, many with icicles on them. It is difficult to describe this cold wind – and unfortunately though we were prepared for cold, we were not prepared for this wind. Finally, after hours of a stand off, we were simply too frigidly cold to be of much use and had to leave. Shortly after, long time B.C. freedom supporter Kyle Cardinal was hit with rubber bullets which destroyed his camera.


The new Ottawa Police Chief fill in, held press conferences lying to the press that we were assaulting them. I witnessed no such assaults other than the police pepper spraying innocent protesters. Nor did anyone else.


The police meanwhile were filming everyone in attendance and the police chief fill in has warned their investigation will continue for months and more charges will be laid. For what? This Emergencies Act Order will go down in history as the largest unlawful and unconstitutional use of power in the history of Canada.


MSM of course was there, to cover only those parts to support the gov’t narrative.


No doubt Trudeau has been on his knees to Jagmeet Singh of the NDP to get his support for the passage of this Emergencies Act. If Trudeau fails on Monday in either the House or the Senate, it will be a non-confidence vote and an election will have to be called. Trudeau knows full well he will never get re-elected right now, as does Singh, and thus is likely offering Singh anything he wants.


The truckers have relocated to a location to be kept silent for the time being. But they will be back – and so will we!!!


You can see our pix and videos at: https://t.me/+CvMdvLvR6kU4YjQ5

Ex post facto

Now the Gov’t and police propaganda wheels begin. They are now personally attacking the leaders. False allegations will be made, including criminal charges, in order to convince the gullible MSM public that people who love and organize for freedom, are terrorists.


Watch in the media, especially from the Ottawa police, as they begin to attack everyone attending these rallies in the public MSM, on the direct instructions from the PMO and Freeland.


Speaking of Freeland, she is using this protest as a basis to immediately give FINTRAC more powers to steal your property. The Emergencies Act Order will continue the Gov’t says, but refuses to say for how long. This is frightening as now, the alleged reasons for the Order, ie: the protests, are over in Ottawa, and the ability of the police anywhere in Canada to now steal your property and arrest and beat you without cause, still remains.

@albertawitch

♬ original sound – Belina

Freeland – you need to be in the jail cell next to Trudeau!

Special Thanks:

To all those people involved in the border protests throughout BC over the past few weeks. Thousands more amazing freedom loving people who refuse to believe the gov’t narrative.


Here are just a couple of pictures from the incredible Osoyoos border protest on Saturday, with an estimated 2000 in attendance. Combined with Kelowna, Penticton and Vernon, we are approaching 4000 people now publicly objecting to these lockdowns just in the Okanagan! And there are tens of thousands more who are simply unable or fearful to attend. We are the majority!

From 176th St. border crossing.

Rallies

February 26, 2022 12:00 noon Stuart Park

Kelowna – CLEAR MEGA RALLY & MEGA MARCH!

Featuring some of Canada’s leading advocates for freedom:

Tanya Gaw Action4Canada
Ted Kuntz Vaccine Choice Canada
Beatrice Weir Vernon Activist
Jennifer Vaccine injured speaker

Immediately after our rally at Stuart Park, we will begin the CLEAR MEGA MARCH through downtown Kelowna onto Harvey St. (Hwy 97)! This MARCH is incredibly exciting and inspiring and brings out the best in freedom supporters. It demonstrates to the entire City, Province, and to the world that we continue to be one of the largest anti-lockdown areas of B.C., and with the lowest vaccination rate!

With the longest Freedom marches in the BC Interior, you can participate in our ongoing historical opposition to gov’t tyranny. Support in the public is higher now than ever! So too is the need to public visibility.


With the Trudeau Gov’t now planning increased FINTRAC powers and ongoing rights and freedoms deprivations, and Bonnie the Commie clearly not quitting in her attempts to impose Communism under the guise of concern for your health, “it ain’t over” and we need your ongoing peaceful participation to these rallies/protests and refusal to comply with all Gov’t COVID-29 mandates.


We will return to Stuart Park after the highway for socializing and greetings!


NOTE: BC Gov’t attempts to infiltrate and ruin our Freedom Rally – and FAILS!!!


Despite recent attempts by a Provincial Interior Health official, Elliot Penner, to organize a counter rally, only about 10 people showed up, compared to 1000 in support for freedom! Attempts have been made previously at counter protests which have all failed miserably, confirming that our support for freedom remains the dominant force. Even those advocated by the Provincial Government, are wretchedly failing. Clearly Elliot Penner was not acting on his own but in his capacity as an IH official.

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February 26, 2022 Vernon Freedom Rally

12:00 Noon Polson Park
Join Darren for the Largest rally in the Northern Okanagan, and growing weekly!

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February 26, 2022 Oliver Freedom Rally

1:00 p.m. Town Hall
Join the Oliver freedom activists who are now just beginning their local Freedom Rallies!

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February 26, 2022 Osoyoos Freedom Rally

1:00 p.m. Hwy 97 – both sides – South of Hwy 97 and Hwy 3 intersection
Join the Osoyoos freedom activists who are now just beginning their local Freedom Rallies!

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February 27, 2022 Penticton Freedom Rally

1:00 p.m. Warren & Main St. in N.E. lot
Join Mary Lou for the largest rally in the Southern Okanagan, and growing weekly!

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With over 740 members now and growing, join us in our C.L.E.A.R. Telegram group! Please remember: no foul language or vulgarity for any posts, keep posts relevant to today’s freedom issues, humour is fine, be respectful at all times. Government officials, agents or their posts are not accepted. Please ensure as best you can, that material you post is accurate and correct. Posting false or incorrect information is not acceptable. Help us ensure all posts are verified for correctness. This is a private group for trusted people and friends only.

https://t.me/+SWxndPh1I9F2Iu-q

~Ω~

Emergencies Act passes crucial House of Commons vote with NDP support

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Darren Major · CBC News · Posted: Feb 21, 2022 10:45 AM ET

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Monday. He said the decision to trigger the Emergencies Act was not one he and his government took lightly. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

A motion affirming the Liberal government’s decision to invoke the Emergencies Act passed a crucial House of Commons vote Monday, ensuring the expansive powers contained in the act remain in use by authorities thanks to parliamentary support from the New Democrats. 


While the powers contained in the Emergency Act took effect immediately, the Liberal government needed to seek approval for its decision to invoke the act from the House of Commons within seven days. If that vote had failed, the emergency declaration would have been revoked. 


Conservative MPs in the House booed and shouted “shame” when the first NDP MPs stood up to vote in favour of the motion. The Conservatives, however, applauded Bloc Québécois MPs when they stood to support the Conservatives.


The Liberals cheered loudly, drowning out heckles from the Conservatives when Green MP Elizabeth May voted in favour of the motion, which passed by a vote of 185 to 151.


Immediately after the vote passed, interim Conservative Leader Candice Bergen stood up and tried to enter a motion recalling the use of the Emergencies Act, but that motion was ruled out of order. 

Earlier in the day Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended his government’s decision to invoke the Emergencies Act in response to protesters occupying some streets in downtown Ottawa, saying the decision to trigger the act was not one he and his government took lightly.


“It became clear that local and provincial authorities needed more tools to restore order and keep people safe,” he said.


Trudeau was asked if the deployment of the act is still necessary, now that police have cleared the area in front of Parliament Hill. He said his government wouldn’t keep the enhanced powers provided for under the act in place “a single day longer than necessary.”

WATCH | Emergency Act extended with support from NDP:

https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2005377091809/

The Liberal government was able to extend the Emergencies Act after receiving the “reluctant” support of the NDP. But anger over Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s decision to invoke it remains, with Conservatives and Bloc members calling it unnecessary. 4:27


“Even though things seem to be resolving very well in Ottawa, this state of emergency is not over,” he said.


Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino, who was with Trudeau at his news conference, said a number of people affiliated with the protests remain in the city.


“We have to remain vigilant, and not only in Ottawa but at our ports of entry,” he said, referring to a number of blockades at Canada-U.S. border crossings, including Coutts, Alta., and Windsor, Ont.

WATCH | Mendicino says state of emergency won’t last ‘single moment’ longer than needed: 

https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2005224003945/

Mendicino says state of emergency won’t last ‘single moment’ longer than needed.

Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino says the state of emergency is not ready to be lifted, but all of government agrees it will not stay in place any longer than necessary. 2:30

Last week, the federal Liberals invoked the Emergencies Act for the first time since its passage in 1988 to deal with an anti-vaccine mandate protest that had been occupying downtown Ottawa for weeks. The measures set out in the act have been in effect ever since.

The New Democrats indicated early on that they would support the government’s use of the act but urged the Liberals to tread carefully, and said they are reserving the right to pull support at any time.


“We share the concern of many Canadians that the government may misuse the powers in the Emergencies Act, so I want to be very clear: We will be watching. We will withdraw our support if, at any point, we feel these powers are being misused,” NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh told the House at the start of the debate on Thursday. 

Trudeau walks across an empty Wellington Street to a news conference in Ottawa Monday. The Emergencies Act passed by a vote of 185 to 151 on Monday night in a rare weekend sitting of the House of Commons. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

Singh again promised his party’s “reluctant support” for triggering the Emergencies Act early Monday, saying New Democrats are prepared to trigger a second vote if they decide that the measures provided for under the act are no longer necessary.


“It’s not a blank cheque. We are prepared to pull our support as soon as … the act is no longer needed,” he said Monday.


The act states that it cannot be in force for more than 30 days from the date it was invoked, in this case Feb. 14.


Singh said New Democrats would not support its use for that long and called on the government to provide regular updates to MPs.

WATCH | Jagmeet Singh says NDP will ‘reluctantly’ support use of Emergencies Act in vote:

https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2005252163946/

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says his party will ‘reluctantly’ support use of Emergencies Act in Commons vote

Singh says his party reserves the right to pull its support on the use of the Emergencies Act if certain criteria are no longer met. 2:19


At least two Liberal MPs expressed doubts about the continued use of the act in the lead up to the vote. 


Ontario MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith said that despite reservations he would support the motion because the vote was a question of confidence — one that would trigger a general election if the government loses.


“I’m not convinced that the emergency measures should continue to exist beyond today,” he said during the House of Commons debate on Monday.


“The disagreement I’ve expressed here does not amount to non-confidence, and I have no interest in an election at this time.”


Quebec MP Joël Lightbound echoed Erskine-Smith, saying he would vote against the use of the act if it wasn’t a confidence vote.

Conservatives, Bloc oppose use of act

The at-times tense and personal debate over the Emergencies Act has pitted the Liberal government against the Conservatives and Bloc Québécois, a combination Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux referred to as an “unholy alliance.”


Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, who is seeking his party’s leadership, accused Prime Minister Trudeau of engineering the crisis for political gain.


“They have attempted to amplify and take advantage of every pain, every fear, every tragedy that has struck throughout this pandemic in order to divide one person against another and replace the people’s freedom with the government’s power,” he said Saturday.

The Conservatives argued that the protests did not rise to the level of an emergency and did not warrant the use of extraordinary powers.


Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet said the government didn’t need to invoke the Emergencies Act — that what it needed to do was to provide Ottawa police with additional officers to remove the protesters.


“The police did its job, and it’s a wonderful job which has been done here in the last few days, and by itself it is a proof that this law never had to be used in anyway,” he said outside of Parliament Hill on Monday.

RCMP says it’s not going after small donors

Some Conservative MPs have suggested that police could freeze the bank accounts of small donors who may have given money to the protest early on.


In a statement released Monday, the RCMP said it has provided banks only with the names of organizers and owners of trucks who had refused to leave the protest area.


“At no time did we provide a list of donors to financial institutions,” the statement said.


Police have succeeded in dislodging protesters from their main encampment near Parliament Hill and have established a secure perimeter with fencing. Authorities have towed the vehicles that have occupied much of the city’s downtown core for more than three weeks.


In defending their decision, Liberals have pointed repeatedly to comments made by interim Ottawa police Chief Steve Bell on Friday. Bell said the Emergencies Act allowed police to set up barriers and secure an area in the city’s downtown.


The Senate must also vote on the act’s use but debate has not started yet in that chamber.

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With files from the CBC’s Peter Zimonjic

Source

Police respond to acts of destruction on the Marten Forest Service Road near Houston, B.C.

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Police respond to acts of destruction on the Marten Forest Service Road near Houston, B.C.
2022-02-17 15:14 PST
File # 2022-310

Houston RCMP is presently investigating an incident where individuals allegedly engaged in a violent confrontation with employees of Coastal GasLink, and with attending police officers along the Morice River Forest Service Road near Houston, BC.

On Thursday, February 17, 2022, shortly after midnight, Houston RCMP was called to the Marten Forest Service Road (FSR) after Coastal Gas Link (CGL) security reported acts of violence at their work site.

It was reported approximately 20 people, some armed with axes, were attacking security guards and smashing their vehicle windows. It was initially reported that some CGL employees were trapped, but all had managed to safely leave the area.

Upon police attendance at the 41 km mark, the roadway had been blocked with downed trees, tar covered stumps, wire, boards with spikes in them, and fires had been lit throughout the debris. As police worked their way through the debris and traps, several people threw smoke bombs and fire lit sticks at the police, injuring one officer.

At the 43 km mark, an old school bus blocked the road. No one was located in this area and with the assistance of CGL, the bus was cleared from the road and police continued on.

When police arrived at the drill pad at the 63 km mark, they found significant damage had been done to heavy machinery, fencing, and portable buildings. Police did not encounter any further blockades or protestors as they made their way to the drill pad nor did they locate anyone at the site. The cost of damage done is extensive as seen in the photos.

“This is a very troubling escalation in violent criminal activity that could have resulted in serious injury or death. This was a calculated and organized violent attack that left its victims shaken and a multimillion dollar path of destruction,” says Chief Superintendent Warren Brown, North District Commander. “While we respect everyone’s right to peacefully protest in Canada, we cannot tolerate this type of extreme violence and intimidation. Our investigators will work tirelessly to identify the culprits and hold them accountable for their actions.”The RCMP is appealing to the public for assistance about the incident. This type of criminal activity and level of violence impacts the entire community, so we are urging anyone that has any information about the individuals involved to contact the Houston RCMP at 250-845-2204.


Released by:
BC RCMP Communication Services778-290-2929 

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Man arrested after three fires set at separate B.C. Masonic lodges

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PRATYUSH DAYAL

VANCOUVER

PUBLISHED 14 HOURS AGO

UPDATED MARCH 30, 2021

Fire fighters tend to a fire at a Masonic Temple in North Vancouver on March 30, 2021.

JONATHAN HAYWARD/THE CANADIAN PRESS

Vancouver Police have arrested a man on arson charges after three Masonic lodges were set ablaze Tuesday, but why the facilities for the 300-year-old international service fraternity were targeted is not clear.

Constable Tania Visintin said the 42-year-old suspect is known to police, but not for anything related to arson. The three fires were set within an hour of each other, two in North Vancouver and one in east Vancouver. The police declined to identify the suspect.

“Officers were able to swiftly arrest the alleged suspect and we’re thankful that no one was injured,” Constable Visintin said. “Our investigators are looking to see if they all are connected … We are not too sure what his plan was.”

North Vancouver RCMP were notified of a fire at the Lynn Valley Lodge just before 6:45 a.m. and the fire was put out around 7 a.m.

“There’s heavy fire damage on the exterior of the front entrance,” said Jeremy Duncan, assistant fire chief at the District of North Vancouver. “It happened very early in the morning and we’re very fortunate that the neighbours saw it early and called 911.”

Shortly after, North Vancouver RCMP were notified of a second fire at Duke of Connaught Lodge No. 64 in Lonsdale, a 10-minute drive away. The lodge was part of a building that was heavily damaged in the blaze.

“Huge plume of smoke, it was quite dramatic. There were at least four fire trucks there placing water on the fire,” said Sergeant Peter DeVries of the North Vancouver RCMP.

“Certainly alarming.”

Just before 7:30 a.m., a third fire was reported to first responders at the Masonic Temple near Rupert Street and East 29th Avenue in Vancouver.

The fire was extinguished quickly and didn’t cause extensive damage. The building dates back to the early 1900s and housed a library of old books, art and photographs.

Venessa Stonehouse is the owner of a restaurant in the same unit as the Masonic hall in Lonsdale. She said she was notified about the blaze at 7 a.m. She rushed to her business and sat in a nearby parking lot as she watched the “devastating” flames.

“My business is gone. The whole building is decapitated. It’s gone,” she said.

“I watched the last six years of my life burn to the ground. I’m shocked.”

Cole Harvey, a Masonic member, said he had no idea why his group was targeted.

“We’ve never heard any negative words or negative intents directed towards us,” he said in an interview as fire crews blasted water at the smouldering North Vancouver Masonic Centre

“I’m just absolutely shocked and quite heartbroken.”

Constable Visintin said an off-duty police officer witnessed a man exit the third building.

“The building was partially on fire. He confronted this man, a physical fight ensued between the man and the off-duty police officer and then that suspect did leave,” Constable Visintin said, but she declined to answer whether the man confronted by the officer is the same one who has been arrested.

Masonic lodges are the meeting quarters of the Freemasons. The group was founded more than 300 years ago as a trade organization and continues today as a social group for men that operates around the world.

The police aren’t aware of any past threats to these centres and wouldn’t speculate on why they were attacked now.

“We’re still in the early stages of this investigation, so we don’t have the answers as to the motive,” Sgt. DeVries said.

“A review of any history involving the locations that were targeted would be part of that investigative process, but at this time we don’t know, we would like to know and we hope we will find out.”

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