Alex Luna, a 20-year-old missionary, saw the sky turn from a cherry red to black in about 90 minutes as an explosive wildfire raced toward the Southern California mountain community of Wrightwood and authorities implored residents to leave their belongings behind and get out of town.

"It was very, I would say, hellish-like," Luna said Tuesday night. "It was very just dark. Not a good place to be at that moment.... Ash was falling from the sky like if it was snowing."

Luna was among those who heeded the evacuation order that was issued for the community of about 4,500 in the San Gabriel Mountains east of Los Angeles. The Bridge Fire, which had burned 189 square kilometres as of late Tuesday with no containment, is one of three major wildfires burning in Southern California and endangering tens of thousands of homes and other structures. 

The fires sprung to life during a triple-digit heat wave that finally broke Wednesday. The cooler temperatures brought the prospect of firefighters finally making headway against the flames. 

Other major fires were burning across the West, including in Idaho, Oregon and Nevada, where about 20,000 people had to flee a blaze outside Reno.

In Northern California, a fire that started Sunday burned at least 30 homes and commercial buildings and destroyed 40 to 50 vehicles in Clearlake City, 117 kilometres north of San Francisco. Roughly 4,000 people were forced to evacuate.

California is only now heading into the teeth of the wildfire season but already has seen nearly three times as much acreage burn than during all of 2023.

Arrest made in Line Fire

Evacuation orders were expanded Tuesday night in Southern California as the fires grew and included parts of the popular ski town of Big Bear. Some 65,600 homes and buildings were under threat by the Line Fire, including those under mandatory evacuations and those under evacuation warnings, nearly double the number from the previous day. 

The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department announced Tuesday that a Norco man suspected of starting the Line Fire in Highland on Sept. 5 had been arrested and charged with arson. He was held in lieu of $80,000 US bail.

Residents along the southern edge of Big Bear Lake were told to leave the area, which is a popular destination for anglers, bikers and hikers. As of late Tuesday, the blaze had charred more than 140 square kilometres of grass and brush with 14 per cent containment, according to CalFire. It blanketed the area with a thick cloud of dark smoke.

The fire impacted key radio towers, including communication channels for those responding to the fire. Cooler weather could moderate fire activity toward the end of the week, CalFire said in an update. Public safety power shutoffs were anticipated in parts of the Big Bear and Bear Valley areas.

The acrid air prompted several districts in the area to close schools through the end of the week because of safety concerns. Three firefighters have been injured since the blaze was reported Thursday, state fire managers said.

'Never seen anything like this'

For Wrightwood, a picturesque town 97 kilometres east of Los Angeles known for its 1930s cabins, threatening wildfires have become a regular part of life. Authorities expressed frustration in 2016 when only half the residents heeded orders to leave. 

Janice Quick, the president of the Wrightwood Chamber of Commerce, lives a few miles outside town. Late Tuesday afternoon she was eating lunch outside with friends and they were rained on by embers the size of her thumbnail that hit the table and made a clinking sound.

A friend texted to tell her that the friend's home had been consumed by fire, while another friend was watching through her ring camera as embers rained down on her home. 

"I've never seen anything like this and I've been through fires before," said Quick, who has lived in Wrightwood for 45 years.

WATCH | What the Jasper wildfire did to its campgrounds: 

What remains of Wabasso campground after Jasper wildfire

4 days ago

Duration 1:38

At this time of year, campsites in Jasper National Park would usually be packed with campers. Instead, Parks Canada is now focusing its efforts on cleanup and infrastructure restoration. Many of the park's campsites were heavily damaged by the wildfire that tore through the area in July. The west side of Wabasso campground was hit the heaviest. This is the media's first look at what was left of the area for the first time.

In neighbouring Orange County, firefighters used bulldozers, helicopters and planes to control a rapidly spreading blaze called the Airport Fire that started Monday and spread to about eight square kilometres in only a few hours. The blaze was ignited by a spark from heavy equipment being used by public workers, officials said.

By Tuesday night, it had charred more than 78 square kilometres and was heading over mountainous terrain into neighbouring Riverside County with no containment, said Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi. It burned some communications towers on top of a peak, though so far officials said they did not have reports of the damage disrupting police or fire communication signals in the area.

'Getting a little scarier now'

Concialdi said the fire was burning away from homes in Orange County, but there are 36 recreational cabins in the area. He said authorities don't yet know if the cabins were damaged or destroyed by the blaze.

Two firefighters who suffered heat-related injuries and a resident who suffered from smoke inhalation were treated at a hospital and released. 

Sherri Fankhauser, her husband and her daughter set up lawn chairs and were watching helicopters make water drops on a flaming hillside a few hundred yards away from their Trabuco Canyon home on Tuesday. 

They didn't evacuate even though their street had been under a mandatory evacuation order since Monday. A neighbour did help Fankhauser's 89-year-old mother-in-law evacuate, Fankhauser said. The flames died down last night but flared up again in the morning. 

"You can see fire coming over the ridge now," Fankhauser said Tuesday afternoon. "It's getting a little scarier now."

TD Bank was ordered by a U.S. regulator on Wednesday to pay nearly $28 million US ($38 million Cdn) for repeatedly sharing inaccurate, negative information about its customers with credit reporting agencies, potentially tarnishing customers' credit scores.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said that for several years, TD repeatedly provided inaccurate account information, including errors about personal bankruptcies and credit card delinquencies, and accounts that the bank knew or suspected were fraudulently opened.

The bank also took "far too long" to correct many mistakes, and did not investigate and resolve some consumer disputes because it had diverted resources to other parts of its business, the CFPB said.

"TD Bank illegally threatened the consumer reports of its customers with fraudulent information and then barely lifted a finger to fix it," CFPB director Rohit Chopra said in a statement.

The payout includes a $20 million US civil fine, plus $7.76 million US of restitution to tens of thousands of customers.

TD did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

WATCH | TD Bank admits failure on money laundering in U.S.: 

TD admits failure to stop money laundering at U.S. branches

4 months ago

Duration 2:08

After a major U.S. investigation, TD admitted it failed to stop criminals from using its branches to launder money. The Canadian-owned bank is one of several under investigation by the U.S. government and financial regulators.

Pierre Poilievre says the Conservatives will put forward a non-confidence motion "at the earliest possible opportunity" when Parliament resumes this fall in an effort to trigger a federal election.

The Conservative leader is calling on Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh to commit to joining his party in bringing down the Trudeau government.

"It's put up or shut up time for the NDP," Poilievre told reporters outside Parliament Hill's West Block on Wednesday.

Last week, Singh announced he was ending the NDP's supply-and-confidence agreement that had ensured the Liberal minority government's survival for more than two years. Poilievre dismissed it as a stunt.

"Jagmeet Singh claims that he's torn up the supply-and-confidence agreement," Poilievre said. "That means he has to vote non-confidence."

Poilievre claimed Singh's timing was politically motivated with two federal byelections on Monday. The House of Commons is scheduled to return from its summer break that day.

More to come.

This story is a collaboration between the Investigative Journalism Foundation (IJF) and CBC Vancouver.

An online lobbying campaign against a North Vancouver chemical plant is secretly funded by one of that company's competitors. 

For months, the anonymous directors of the website "Keep North Vancouver Safe" have spent thousands of dollars trying to convince local elected officials to stop chlorine production at a facility run by Chemtrade Logistics Inc. in the District of North Vancouver. 

The group's Facebook page describes it as a local "environmental conservation organization" concerned about the environmental and safety risks posed by a hypothetical chlorine spill. 

But an IJF and CBC Vancouver investigation has found the campaign was created by a Toronto-based lobbying firm working for K2 Pure Solutions, a company co-founded by a former owner of the Toronto Argonauts. Chemtrade considers K2 to be a top competitor. 

The campaign appears designed to foil Chemtrade's bid to renew a lease that would allow it to keep producing chlorine.

In June, social media users in the Lower Mainland began seeing advertisements from Keep North Vancouver Safe suggesting a chlorine disaster related to Chemtrade's North Vancouver plant is imminent. 

One advertisement features a skull and crossbones and warns that "chlorine gas is invisible and can have severe health implications." Another, titled "Chlorine: A History of Danger," lists dates of chlorine disasters in North America and finishes with: "Vancouver, 20??." 

Elected officials targeted by the campaign say it is an example of big money trying to covertly influence local politics. 

"It's awful. It's a horrible feeling. It really is not fair," said District of North Vancouver Coun. Lisa Muri. She said K2 should have been transparent about its identity and intentions. 

"It's not honest. And certainly, in this day of division and divisiveness in society and in politics, why do we want to perpetuate dishonesty?" Muri said. 

K2 did not make a spokesperson available for an interview. Neither did Crestview Strategies, the public relations agency that created the website. 

Senior Crestview consultant Jason Craik,  a former staffer for ex-B.C. premier John Horgan, said in a written statement that the anonymous campaign was meant to "provide information to the residents of the District of North Vancouver" in response to Chemtrade's own public lobbying efforts. 

K2 Pure Solutions co-founder David Cynamon, the former Argonauts owner, wrote in his own statement that the campaign was meant to "shed light on the behind-the-scenes activities by Chemtrade, and provide residents of North Vancouver with the facts, and let them decide whether they want to support the continued production and transport of chlorine in their community." 

Cynamon did not directly answer a question about whether running the anonymous campaign was ethical. 

A quiet campaign 

Crestview's campaign came at a decisive moment for Chemtrade.

The company's chemical plant in North Vancouver sits partially on land leased from the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. 

That plant, which employs roughly 120 people, has produced chlorine for more than 60 years under various owners. 

The facility's current lease with the port authority, though, expires in 2030, when it will be required to stop making chlorine on port land. 

Chemtrade is negotiating with the port authority to extend that lease and has lobbied all levels of government to secure their support. 

Alan Robinson, the company's group vice-president, commercial, said the company plans to submit an application for safety upgrades to the District of North Vancouver council. 

As of Sept. 6, the Meta Ad library estimates Keep North Vancouver Safe spent more than $18,400 on 11 advertisements on Facebook and Instagram, most of them garnering tens of thousands of impressions. 

Keep North Vancouver Safe has just a few dozen followers on those platforms, and the website — which contains multiple references to "the safety of our community" — contains no details about who runs it. 

The website encourages users to contact elected officials using an embedded email feature. Listed recipients include the District of North Vancouver mayor and councillors, two MLAs and Premier David Eby. 

District of North Vancouver Coun. Catherine Pope said in an August interview that she was receiving between 10 and 20 emails a day. She said that is the most correspondence she has received on any given issue since she was elected in 2022. 

Pope said she was suspicious of those emails. She could not confirm the writers were residents, she said, and didn't like that the site's operators were anonymous. 

"There is nothing on that website that identifies who is behind it. That concerns me. It is not transparent," Pope said.

The office of Susie Chant, the NDP MLA for North Vancouver–Seymour, confirmed she was also receiving those emails — and raised questions about their authenticity. 

"From the around 30 emails they've received stemming from this website, only three seem to be possibly linked to real people, and of those three, it's unclear if they're even in her riding," B.C. NDP spokeswoman Julia Witte wrote in an email. 

Witte did not respond to multiple emails and calls seeking clarification about why the party believed those messages were fake. 

Robert Neubauer, a professor at the University of Winnipeg's Department of Rhetoric, Writing and Communications, said the campaign has the hallmarks of "astroturfing," when an interest group tries to imitate an organic, grassroots community campaign. 

Neubauer said such strategies are perfectly legal but morally dubious. 

"If you're transparent about [lobbying], that's just part of democracy. When you get into the astroturfing hiding who is behind the organization, then it becomes a problem," he said. 

'It's not going to sway my decision' 

Robinson, the Chemtrade vice-president, said his company noticed the advertisements but did not know who bought them. 

"Usually, when there is lobbying or anything, you'd be open about who you are or what you represent," Robinson said. 

Indeed, lobbyists at the provincial and federal levels typically have to publicly register who they work for, what they are lobbying for and the officials they have contacted. 

But the Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists for B.C. says that rule doesn't apply to "grassroots lobbying efforts" wherein an organization encourages members of the public to contact officials about a given issue. That means it likely wouldn't apply to the emails sent to MLAs through the Keep North Vancouver Safe website. 

"Lobbying legislation in some other jurisdictions does apply to grassroots lobbying, but the [provincial Lobbyists Transparency Act] does not," wrote Michelle Mitchell, a spokeswoman for the office. 

The IJF and CBC Vancouver were able to identify Crestview's role in creating the website thanks to code on the website that included Crestview's name. 

The IJF and CBC also found an older version of the website's email embed feature that listed a Crestview lobbyist as a recipient. 

Craik, the Crestview lobbyist, had also directly approached officials at the municipal level.

On April 1, he wrote an email to District of North Vancouver Mayor Mike Little asking to speak with him about Chemtrade's lease on behalf of "a group of concerned stakeholders," according to a copy of those messages the IJF obtained through Freedom of Information legislation.

The IJF and CBC Vancouver have confirmed Craik also contacted Pope and Muri with a similar message. 

In his written response, Craik said K2 Pure Solutions had lobbied officials across North America to end the practice of transporting chlorine by rail. 

Craik said K2 aims to produce "exceptionally pure" bleach, which he argues can replace chlorine for water purification. 

"We hope that by shining a light on what has been happening behind closed doors in their community, residents of the District of North Vancouver can now start asking their elected councillors the right questions and, frankly, whether they have their constituents or Chemtrade's best interests in mind," Craik said. 

Robinson, though, said it would not be feasible for Chemtrade to switch wholesale to bleach production, in part because the product could not be transported long distances. 

"You can't ship it far enough to really do the ecological approach that they're really suggesting," Robinson said. 

Cynamon, Crestview's co-founder, argued in his statement that K2 Pure Solutions was not a direct competitor to Chemtrade because it does not transport chlorine and is located in a different region. But Chemtrade's latest quarterly reports do list K2 as a "key competitor" in the production of various chemicals, including chlorine. 

"It's a competitor, so you can kind of assume what the benefits would be for a competitor if we had to close down our facility," Robinson said. 

Robinson said he is not concerned about the lobbying affecting a potential deal with the port authority and the district. Nor were district councillors convinced. 

'It's not going to sway my decision," Muri said. 

She and Pope said they were frustrated Crestview and K2 Pure Solutions conducted their campaign secretly. 

Muri compared it to the 2022 local election in Squamish, B.C., where an anonymous Facebook campaign spent more than $78,000 on advertisements targeting specific candidates, according to reporting from The Breach and The Tyee.

Muri's message to companies: "Honesty is the best policy." 

"Why wouldn't they just come clean and present who they were and be honest about it?" Muri said. 

A Canadian court has cleared the reorganization plan of Red Lobster that will see the seafood chain exit bankruptcy.

Justice Peter Cavanagh of the Superior Court of Justice in Toronto on Tuesday granted an order that recognizes and gives force to the plan approved by a U.S. bankruptcy judge last week.

The future of the chain, best known for its expansive seafood offerings, Cheddar Bay biscuits and family-friendly atmosphere, was thrown into question when its Florida-based parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S. in May and shuttered dozens of restaurants.

The restaurant had been confronted with unfavourable real estate transactions, as well as pandemic disruptions including supply chain issues, cost inflation, and reduced demand that lingered after restrictions lifted. A much-ballyhooed endless shrimp promotion was priced too low, the company has since said, and lost Red Lobster $20 million US by some estimates.

The restructuring is expected to allow all 27 restaurants in Canada to remain open as part of the roughly 544 total locations that will stay in operation. That's down from 578 as of May.

LISTEN | Emily Stewart of Business Insider on Red Lobster's woes (May 23):

Front Burner23:56Was Red Lobster's fall caused by more than endless shrimp?

The restaurant chain is being acquired by RL Investor Holdings LLC. The new entity is comprised of investors Fortress Investment Group LLC, TCW Private Credit and Blue Torch.

"The plan, when implemented, will continue the operation of Red Lobster's restaurants in Canada, preserve the employment of the RL Canada's employees and maintain the value of RL Canada's business for the benefit of all stakeholders, including landlords, suppliers and customers," the company said in a Sept. 9 report ahead of the hearing.

Around 2,000 Canadian employees

Red Lobster was founded in 1968 in the U.S. and expanded into Canada in 1983. The chain employs about 2,000 people in Canada, mostly across Ontario, with restaurant locations also in Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon and Winnipeg.

U.S. approval of the restructuring plan was, among other conditions, contingent on the plan's approval by the Canadian court.

The restructuring will see the lender group led by Fortress pour more than $60 million in new funding into operations. It was previously announced the new CEO of RL Investor Holdings will be Damola Adamolekun, 35, a Nigerian-born American who most recently was CEO of restaurant chain P.F. Chang's.

Under terms of the acquisition, which is expected to close by the end of September, the chain will continue to operate as an independent company.

The plan to exit bankruptcy includes setting up a fund where unsecured creditors and litigation claims can apply for compensation.

This year's hurricane season began ominously enough — with warnings from Canadian and U.S. forecasters that it was going to be rougher-than-normal season, and Hurricane Beryl plowing through the Caribbean as the earliest Category 5 storm in history.

But then, with the exception of Ernesto, the season's been quiet through July and August. In fact, the last time there was such a gap in named storms in August and September was 1968: over half a century ago.

That's about to end.

"By about a week from now, into the middle of the middle of September, the frequency of hurricane activity will increase quite significantly," said Chris Fogarty, manager of the Canadian Hurricane Centre. 

"We're starting to see the weather patterns shift now."

Hurricane Francine, currently at Category 1, is expected to keep strengthening as it heads to the Louisiana coast on Wednesday. Meanwhile, two other storms forming in the Atlantic, according to U.S. and Canadian trackers.

What caused the lull?

Those weather patterns, which kept hurricane activity down, could be due to several factors. Scientists are looking closely at the West African monsoon, which has travelled farther north than is normal. 

The monsoon interacts with a group of heavy clouds in the Atlantic Ocean called the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone, and these clouds have also been pushed farther north than they usually are, away from ideal conditions for forming hurricanes. Fogarty said it's still not clear why exactly this has happened, but it has impacted the hurricane season.

Dust from the Sahara desert in Africa could also be a factor, as it makes the air drier. That discourages storms from forming, and this year it has persisted into August.

But all these conditions are now slipping away, and the storms seem set to come roaring back.

"Getting to the middle of September, and we're starting to see the weather pattern shift to more typical hurricane season conditions," Fogarty said. 

"So once we get to the latter half of September, October is probably going to be pretty busy in the Atlantic region."

What does it mean for Canada?

Matt Rosencrans, lead hurricane season forecaster with the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, says the peak of the hurricane season is usually around now, in early September. 

This year, with the earlier lull in storms, that peak might get pushed later.

"Which means that October, November could be really active," he said.

And that means that those storms would come around the same time as winter-time low-pressure systems that could sweep the storms up to the Maritime provinces, he said.

Hurricane Fiona in 2022 formed in somewhat similar conditions, in mid-September, after a quiet August. Fiona was the one of the costliest storms in Canadian history, causing $800 million in insured damages across the Atlantic provinces, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada.

Right after Fiona, Hurricane Ian hit the Caribbean and southern U.S, and became one of the costliest disasters worldwide, causing damage worth $150 billion, according to NOAA.

"That's usually my concern when I see it really quiet for a while," Fogarty said. 

"The atmosphere and the ocean are probably ready to explode with storm activity."

Will the lull happen again?

Rosencrans is watching all the factors affecting storms this year for any clues about the role of climate change — and any longer-term changes in how hurricanes behave.

He says if climate change alters how the monsoon in West Africa behaves — moving permanently more north, for instance, it could change the hurricane season in the Caribbean. 

"Given climate-change scenarios, if the Sahara is going to get a degree or two warmer, is that going to continually pull the monsoon further north?" 

While the number of storms is not increasing, climate change is causing the storms to be stronger — and intensify rapidly. 

In fact, with storms getting more intense, scientists are even considering whether to add a Category 6 to better reflect the strength of these hurricanes (they currently max out at Category 5).

This year's season will add to scientists' understanding of how the storms are changing, and perhaps help improve storm prediction and the ability to prepare for them.

"It's just going to take time and effort, from myself and the other scientists around the world that are dedicated to this," Rosencrans said.

"I want to be able to tell people so that they can plan and get themselves in a safer position."

When you live without direct power and running water, everyday tasks take far longer than they need to, says Darlene Richards.

Washing her hair, for example, is a lengthy process that involves first heating up water in a kettle that is plugged into an outlet at her trailer, which in turn is plugged into an outlet at her mother's cabin.

"You're steady busy," said Richards, who lives in a trailer with a built-on addition in Conklin, Alta., a primarily Métis hamlet of about 150 people, located 155 kilometres southeast of Fort McMurray. "It's a struggle."

Richards isn't alone. Despite being a stone's throw from the oilsands-rich area of Christina Lake, which generates billions of dollars in annual revenue, many people in Conklin struggle to find suitable housing, according to a report from the region's resource development committee.

Many Indigenous communities face similar challenges. According to Statistics Canada, Indigenous people are almost twice as likely to live in crowded housing as non-Indigenous people and more than three times as likely to live in dwellings in need of major repairs.

Richards, however, said she expects her life will soon change after she moves into a new home built through an unusual partnership.

The oil and gas company Cenovus Energy has put up $50 million to build homes in six First Nations and Métis communities closest to its Christina Lake and Foster Creek oilsands operations.

The project, first announced in 2020, aims to build 200 homes by the end of 2025. As of last year, 121 houses had been built, and the hope is to finish 161 by the end of this year.

Experts say the initiative could be seen as the latest example of a broader shift in corporate culture, in which resource companies have become more concerned about providing benefits to Indigenous communities in their orbit. There's far more that needs to be done, they say, but it's a step in the right direction.

"These companies make a lot of money from their oilsands activities, and so returning some of it to the community is just an appropriate thing to have happen," said Ken Coates, an Indigenous affairs expert and professor emeritus in public policy at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon.

"For a company to sort of stand up as Cenovus has done and say, 'There's this massive crisis in indigenous housing In the middle of some of the wealthiest piece of land in the world, it just doesn't make any sense' ... it is really quite a brave and determined sort of step and overdue, to say the least."

How it works

The initiative began when Alex Pourbaix, the former CEO and current executive chair of Cenovus, toured communities near its Christina Lake and Foster Creek operations and heard from residents about their housing challenges.

"Fundamentally, Cenovus wants to be a good neighbour," said Dustin Meek, the company's manager of Indigenous business development and housing.

The six First Nations and Métis communities that have received funding are:

• Conklin Métis Local 193
• Beaver Lake Cree Nation
• Chard Métis Nation
• Chipewyan Prairie Dene First Nation
• Cold Lake First Nations
• Heart Lake First Nation 

"I think it was a surprise but much welcomed," said Valerie Quintal, a board director with the Conklin Resource Development Advisory Committee and president of Conklin Métis Local 193.

The homes being built for Conklin are ready-to-move properties built off-site and transported to the community.

A points system is in place to determine who is most in need of housing and should move in first, Quintal said. Factors that are considered include age and how many members are in a family.

WATCH | Residents of First Nations, Métis communities set to get new homes:

New homes built in First Nations and Métis communities

9 hours ago

Duration 2:00

Many residents in Conklin, Alta., struggle to find suitable housing. Some will soon move into homes with access to electricity and running water thanks to a new partnership.

Although the project has faced trouble with permitting delays, the hope is to have more than a dozen families move in this fall. The plan is to build 35 new homes in total by the end of next year.

Darlene Richards's sister, Grace, is also set to move into a new home this fall. She's also had to contend with a lack of basic amenities and looks forward to having more time for other pursuits.

"It's hard to think about having a job, a steady job, because of a lack of running water, no electricity," Grace Richards said. "I'm hoping now that, work-wise, I'll be able to look for a more permanent job."

Why do it? 

Daniel Sims, an associate professor of Indigenous studies at the University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George, B.C., said he hasn't heard before of an oilsands company investing in Indigenous housing, but he isn't surprised.

In recent decades, courts in Canada have found that Indigenous communities can slow or stop resource projects if they aren't on board, he said, prompting companies to invest time and money in hopes of building more positive relations.

"Providing direct benefits ... is an easy way for a lot of these companies to kind of deal with any sort of opposition that may arise or that potentially could arise," Sims said.

He said this type of investment could raise questions about whether a company's intentions are genuine or are simply a means of whitewashing past actions, adding he wasn't speaking specifically about the Cenovus project.

Coates, of the University of Saskatchewan, said this type of investment is an example of a broader shift in the private sector.

"It represents a realization on the part of the more progressive and innovative Canadian companies that their long-term viability relies on deep and profound connection with Indigenous communities," he said.

Resolving the housing crisis will take more than one-time investments. The Assembly of First Nations says that at a federal level, there's a need for $135 billion to build First Nations housing and address the current homelessness and overcrowding crisis.

As for the Richards sisters, they're hoping to move into their new homes in time for the holidays.

"Being able [to] cook a turkey dinner for Christmas — I haven't done that in 10 years," Grace Richards said.

"There's so much to look forward to."

An Ontario Superior Court justice has admitted he mistakenly imposed a prison sentence two years longer than he intended at the end of a high-profile manslaughter case in Hamilton because he read out the wrong decision in court.

Justice Andrew Goodman wrote a letter sent to the Court of Appeal last month that said he meant to sentence Peter Khill to six years in custody for the death of Jonathan Styres, but instead handed down eight years in June 2023. 

Goodman said he knew he'd made a mistake right away, but didn't take any corrective action until over a year later when he submitted his letter to the Court of Appeal.

"I acknowledge that the timing and scope of this letter to the Court of Appeal may be somewhat unprecedented, and is an extraordinary step in this criminal proceeding," Goodman wrote.

"Nevertheless, I feel strongly compelled and duty bound." 

The letter, dated Aug. 12, was filed with the Court of Appeal this week, after Khill had already begun the appeal process. 

Khill's lawyers argue he should be acquitted of manslaughter, get a new trial or that his sentence be reduced to four years — the minimum penalty for manslaughter — or six years given the revelations in Goodman's letter.

This mistake is embarrassing for the administration of justice.- Kent Roach, U of T criminal law professor

This sentencing error comes after an already lengthy and complicated criminal justice process spanning three trials, multiple appeals and a Supreme Court ruling.

University of Toronto criminal law Prof. Kent Roach said over his 35-year career, he's never seen a letter like the one Goodman wrote and it seems "unusual" it would take a judge more than a year to admit he read the wrong ruling. 

"This mistake is embarrassing for the administration of justice," Roach said. 

"If our courts make an error, particularly one that affects the liberty of the accused, they should be more willing to correct their mistakes."

Defence argued for 4 years in prison

The shooting took place in February 2016, after Khill, then 26, woke up to noises. He grabbed his shotgun and ammunition, and went outside. 

He found Styres breaking into his truck and fired two shots, killing the 29-year-old Cayuga father of two from Six Nations of the Grand River. 

Khill was charged with second-degree murder and pleaded not guilty. In 2018, he was acquitted by a jury. 

The Crown appealed and the Supreme Court ordered a new trial that began in late 2022. However, it ended in a mistrial when Goodman discovered a juror had a "potential bias."

The third, most recent trial — which Goodman also presided over — took place in December 2022. The jury found Khill not guilty of second-degree murder, but guilty of manslaughter. 

The Crown argued Khill should be sentenced to 10 years in prison, while the defence asked for four years.

Goodman wrote in his letter to the Court of Appeal that he prepared three rulings that were identical except for the amount of time in custody — which ranged from six to eight years. 

Goodman had decided on six years because of "substantial mitigating factors," his letter said. 

Khill didn't have a criminal record, and in court expressed remorse for taking Styres's life. He also provided 57 character references from family, friends, co-workers and others in the community — the most, Goodman said during the hearing, that he'd seen in his career. 

But Goodman had grabbed the wrong decision when he left his chambers, and when it came time to read the prison term, he said eight years instead of six.

Colleagues 'dissuaded' judge from correcting mistake

Rhonda Johns, Styres's aunt, told CBC Hamilton that his mother, Deborah Hill-Styres, was relieved when Khill was sentenced to eight years, and that she died shortly after. 

Khill appealing his conviction — and being out on bail in the meantime — and the prospect he could serve less than eight years for manslaughter would have been "devastating" to Hill-Styres, Johns said. 

"What's wrong with eight years?" Johns said. "I think eight should stick, regardless of whether the judge made a mistake or not."

The fact her family is still waiting for final word on Khill's fate close to eight years after Styres's death is "mind boggling," said Johns.

"We've had to relive it over and over again, seeing and hearing all what [Jonathan] went through prior, during and after," she said. 

Khill's wife, Milly, told CBC Hamilton in a statement that when she first read Goodman's letter, she felt "deeply unsettled."

She spoke on her own behalf, and not for Khill or his lawyers — all of whom declined to comment. 

"The sequence of events described struck me as alarming and raised significant questions," said Milly. 

"Judges carry immense responsibility and power, which should always be exercised with great care and respect. The letter reveals a behind-the-scenes process that I find troubling and difficult to overlook" 

Goodman said in his letter he didn't immediately correct himself "perhaps due to a variety of factors, including having just read out a lengthy 53-page ruling before a crowded and divergent audience, with substantial media presence, for this high-profile case." 

After the hearing, he did consult several "experienced, judicial colleagues" about rectifying his error, but was "dissuaded" from doing so because the eight-year prison term was still an acceptable sentence for manslaughter, Goodman said. 

Khill's appeal hearing will take place in October. His lawyers will request that Goodman's letter be entered as "fresh evidence." 

His lawyers will also argue Goodman made a number of other errors throughout the trial, including how he instructed the jury on their approach to considering evidence, among other issues, according to court documents. 

The bowl of free condoms in the student office might need to be dusted off.

A recent report based on surveys of 15-year-olds in 42 countries, including Canada, shows what the World Health Organization called a worrying decline in the use of condoms, which provide protection from unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

In Canada, roughly two-thirds of teens surveyed who said they had sex in the 2021-22 school year didn't use a condom the last time they had intercourse. That decline in condom use, down two percentage points for boys and four for girls since 2014, occurred as teens saw a gap in sex-ed lessons during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, health experts told CBC News.

In August, the Public Health Agency of Canada noted rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea and infectious syphilis have all been trending upward. Canada also saw a nearly 25 per cent increase in new HIV diagnoses in 2022 over 2021, with Saskatchewan and Manitoba leading with the highest rates.

While the federal reports don't provide an age breakdown, Canadians can gain some insight through the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey, the basis for the latest WHO report. The survey is an ongoing cross-national research study of youth aged 11 to 15 to gain insight into their well-being, health behaviours and social contexts.

Though condom use has dropped, the percentage of teens who are sexually active — one in five, according to the WHO report — has been pretty stable since 2014.   

Given the findings of the report, the founder of LetsStopAIDS said it's clear Canada needs to reform sexual education province by province. 

The youth-driven charity runs sexual health workshops for teens and young adults in Ontario and Saskatchewan. In those workshops, youth can play games, ask questions and openly talk about sexuality and their health.

"If our political parties are not interested to have discussions about our youth and their sexual journey, this will continue to be under the carpet," said Shamin Mohamed Jr., the group's founder and director.

Mohamed notes Canada now ranks at the bottom of G7 nations in preventing new HIV infections, which he said "makes no sense." He attributed it to a lack of accessible and affordable prevention and treatment, particularly in rural areas.

WATCH | Condoms rebranded:

Condom brand aims to modernize sexual health

1 year ago

Duration 2:26

Female entrepreneurs are behind two Canadian companies attempting to change how people think about sexual wellness with new brands of condoms. Sexually transmitted infections are on the rise and they want young people to take control of their sexual health.

Sex-ed has increasingly come under attack in recent years because of the false premise that it encourages sexual behaviour in youth, said Dr. Hans Kluge, WHO Europe regional director, who was involved in the report.

"Unfortunately, when you get that kind of political pushback about sexual health education, that means that young people who may be making decisions about being sexually active … are not given the information they need," said Elizabeth Saewyc, director of the School of Nursing at the University of British Columbia.

Saewyc said young people need culturally relevant and medically accurate information about safer sex and consent. Another key piece is making confidential health care more accessible — making sure youth can get affordable condoms or prescriptions for birth control pills and other forms of contraception.

"If you have income challenges or you need parents to provide funding or to help with that prescription, that's going to be a barrier," said Saewyc, who started her career as a nurse working with pregnant adolescents.

In the new report, Canada's rate on use of birth control pills was unchanged, she said, with 36 per cent of female respondents using it.

Ivano Decotiis, 18, of Mississauga, Ont., said the teens he knows don't view condoms in a positive light.

"STI prevention and pregnancy prevention now is seen as preventable through other means, through medication and through abortion access," Decotiis said. "Condom usage is never discussed or talked about. It's just not something that is in teenage consciousness."

More misconceptions online

During the pandemic, myths and misconceptions about sex flourished, said Jessica Wood, who conducts research about those aged 18 to 24 for the Sex Information and Education Council of Canada.

Youth turned to each other for information, Wood said, when classes stopped, sexual and reproductive health clinics closed and school nurses or social workers weren't available.

"I do think we are seeing more misinformation online about sexual health," she said. "We've seen over the years that the percentage of people who say they've used a condom the last time they had penis/vagina sex has dropped along with the percentage of people who say they are concerned about sexually transmitted infections."

Since not all sexually transmitted infections have symptoms, people may unknowingly pass the infection on to new or existing partners if they're not using a barrier form of protection. 

Barriers include condoms or dental dams which can be combined with medication like pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) pills, which prevent HIV, or doxyPEP, which prevents other sexually transmitted infections.

But prevention campaigns may not have kept up, the experts say.

Health professionals also need to "up our game" on providing better, more consistent information that's non-judgmental — and not just during school hours, Saewyc suggested.

Also critical is making protection accessible, experts told CBC — such as providing condoms in free vending machines in public washrooms.

"We cannot victimize and shame young people for having sex," Mohamed said. "I think understanding and listening is something that we, as a country, can do much more."

The Trudeau government is losing a key ally in its efforts to take hundreds of thousands of military-style firearms out of circulation, jeopardizing one of the top items in its public security agenda.

Launched in 2020, the federal government's plan to buy back and destroy firearms it has banned — such as AR-15s — has long been vilified by firearms industry groups and the Conservative Party of Canada.

But the project is now coming under friendly fire from PolyRemembers, a gun-control group that is threatening to withdraw its support for the buyback program unless Ottawa broadens its scope to include military-style firearms that remain legal.

The group warns that owners of banned firearms will be able to use their federal compensation cheques to obtain other guns that offer many of the same characteristics and mechanical functions as the banned firearms.

"It's a waste of Canadians' money. We are not reducing the risk level, we are just replacing the makes and models," said PolyRemembers spokesperson Nathalie Provost.

The cost of the program has not yet been made public but it's expected to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

The current version of the program is "a sieve," said Provost, who survived numerous bullet wounds in the massacre that took the lives of 14 women at the Polytechnique engineering school in Montreal nearly 35 years ago.

"If our safety is important to politicians, we have to do this buyback program. But if we do it, we have to do it efficiently, not just for appearances. And right now, it's just for appearances," she said.

The group points out that other semi-automatic, military-style firearms — such as the Crypto made by Crusader Arms and the Kodiak Defence WK180-C semi-automatic rifle — remain legal in Canada.

The criticism comes as Ottawa prepares to recover firearms that were banned in 2020 and that retailers have been forced to keep in their inventory.

The second phase of the program — which will aim to recover hundreds of thousands of firearms currently in the hands of individual owners — is planned for spring 2025.

In both cases, the government buyback will target 1,500 firearm models and components. It's a complex project, especially since Canada Post refused to participate earlier this year, citing safety concerns.

Much of the work will be overseen by the RCMP but Ottawa says it's banking on support from provincial police forces in Ontario and Quebec.

Despite PolyRemembers' opposition, the federal government is refusing to change its plans just prior to the launch of the program, which looks to recover and dispose of more than 150,000 prohibited firearms and components across the country.

"We have no intention of modifying the list at this point. Our efforts are focused on successfully launching the program. That is the most concrete way to reinforce public safety in Canada and respect the objectives that we have set," said Jean-Sébastien Comeau, spokesperson for Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc.

One expert said he wonders whether the program can survive rejection by a prominent gun control group, especially now that the Liberal minority government has lost the formal support of the NDP.

"All signs are negative in terms of the implementation of a program that is so complex and relies on the collaboration of provincial governments," said Frédéric Boily, professor of political science at the University of Alberta.

The firearms industry and PolyRemembers have clashed over gun control measures for decades, but they now agree on the gaps in the buyback program.

Wes Winkel, president of the Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association (CSAAA), said firearms owners can still buy many models of firearms that are similar to the ones that have been banned.

"Taxpayers should be so upset at this process because you're going to be taking money from taxpayers, buying and destroying firearms that are perfectly good. And those consumers that are licensed are going to take that same funds, turn around and buy the identical firearm with a different brand, make and model," said Winkel, who is also president of Ellwood Epps Sporting Goods in Orillia, Ont.

Winkel argued the government has adopted a nonsensical policy that is not based on an objective definition of a firearm's capabilities. He compared the buyback plan to an attempt to reduce speeding by banning Corvettes.

"Mustangs and Trans Ams and Ferraris are all still in circulation. Anybody that understands cars would say this makes no sense whatsoever," he said.

Tony Bernardo, president of the Canadian Shooting Sports Federation, said he believes the government has banned firearms based on "what they look like" and accuses groups like PolyRemembers of seeking to ban firearms because they are "black and ugly."

"If you ban all the AR-15s, what did you actually accomplish?" he said. "Nothing was accomplished, it's a dumb idea. Realistically, the Liberals probably know it's a dumb idea too. But it sells votes."

The firearms lobby predicts the buyback program will fail because of the strong opposition of both firearms owners and the governments of Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Many members of the firearms community are banking on a Conservative victory in the next federal election. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has promised to reverse what he's called a "gun grab."

In early 2021, the families of the Polytechnique victims informed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that he would not be welcome at activities commemorating the tragedy that year because the buyback program was still voluntary at that point.

In response, the Liberals strengthened their buyback program to make it mandatory.

Provost is now warning the Trudeau government that its participation in events marking the 35th anniversary of the  Polytechnique massacre is once again in doubt. No decision has been made, she said, adding it will be made by the broader community of victims' families and survivors.

"How can we commemorate with the prime minister, and with Minister LeBlanc, if he didn't fulfil his promises?" she said.

Provost said the fight continues on behalf of all those who were scarred by the events at Polytechnique and who are demanding an end to assault firearms in Canada.

"It's not a time for ideas, it's not a time for promises. It's time for actions and decisions," she said.

Guy Maisonneuve held back tears the day he dropped his 95-year-old mother, Aline Besner, off at a Gatineau, Que., care home on Feb. 26.

Her room smelled like urine, staff wouldn't make eye contact and no one would help transfer Besner into bed, he says. That was just within the first few days on the second floor of Villa des Brises.

Located in the private facility managed by Mandala Santé, the floor is partly run by the regional health authority, the Centre intégré de santé et des services sociaux de l'Outaouais (CISSSO).

The floor is designed as a temporary residence for post-acute care and a place for those who may need rehabilitation before returning home or getting transferred to a long-term placement.

"From the moment I stepped into the villa, I was filled with dread, absolute dread," said Maisonneuve, sitting at his kitchen table, steps away from the room where he hoped his mother would spend her final days, at home.

But after being diagnosed with advanced dementia at the Wakefield hospital, Besner moved into the Villa des Brises transitional unit while waiting for a permanent placement at a long-term care facility.

A bad first impression soon turned into major concern for Besner's safety when Maisonneuve was told by a neighbouring resident his mom was having falls, didn't have access to drinking water, wasn't being bathed regularly and that her emergency call button would either be out of reach or go unanswered for hours.

On April 14, Besner died in a hospital bed, surrounded by her family. Quebec's coroner's office is investigating her death.

More families and former residents are coming forward, some claiming abuse and "incompetence" on the transitional floor.

The care home would not comment on specific events. Mandala Santé and the regional health authority both declined repeated requests for an interview.

"Every fibre of our being was screaming, get her out of there. And that's what she would say: just get me out, take me out of here," said Maisonneuve's wife, Shelley Langlois.

"I will regret it for the rest of my life that I didn't take her out," added Maisonneuve.

Connecting with other residents, Maisonneuve and Langlois say they realized Besner wasn't the only one experiencing what they call neglect.

Cries for help

The night of April 11, Besner cried out for help for nearly six hours, says Sharon Nobert, her former neighbour at the facility.

No one answered, she says.

Placed in a room across the hall from Besner while she was recovering from a broken ankle and knee, Nobert says she "didn't sleep a wink."

"I was yelling, too, for somebody to come and help her," said Nobert. "Nobody did."

The next morning, as Nobert was taken out of her room for breakfast, she saw Besner on a stretcher, leaving with paramedics. That was the last time she saw her.

Langlois and Maisonneuve say Besner lost consciousness at the care home and never woke up when she was taken to the Hull hospital. The family decided to pursue end-of-life care.

Before Besner died, Langlois says she and Maisonneuve were approached by doctors who had made a discovery of "profound bed sores" on Besner's back.

The bruised open sores lined her back and tailbone. Her family had no idea.

They consented to Besner being photographed by doctors who filed a complaint against the residence — prompting a coroner's investigation into the circumstances surrounding Besner's death.

"It was a long, rich, beautiful life. And for the last six weeks of it to have been such a horrifying nightmare, we're stuck there," said Langlois.

'Every single day I found incompetence,' says former resident

Steve Connolly says he was "destroyed" by Besner's situation.

Connolly, a former resident who lived down the hall on the transitional floor, would write his daily observations — compiling nearly 40 pages of notes during his seven-week stay.

Since moving back home to Low, Que., he's been sounding the alarm about the emergency response time on the care home's transitional floor as well as staff and management issues he witnessed.

"Every single day I found incompetence, indifference, negligence and abuse," said Connolly.

He has been in contact with the office of Quebec's complaint commissioner and CBC News has seen his email exchanges. He says he feels unsupported by the commissioner's office.

Some staff 'couldn't care less,' says family of former resident

The problems in the home are likely systemic, says Steven Burgess.

He's been trying to understand what happened to his 80-year-old father during his final days in Villa des Brises.

His father had moved to the transitional floor in February after having several falls. During a visit, Burgess says he noticed a handful of staff who seemed like "they couldn't care less."

He says he saw some staff using their phones and ignoring alarms.

"Doesn't that bother you? Doesn't the noise get annoying?" he recalled asking one staff member.

"And [they] said, 'No.'"

Burgess says his father died suddenly on April 10, leaving his family with many questions over his rapid decline. He says he received conflicting information from staff on the transitional floor about the events which led to his father's death.

"It was the suddenness of it, and it's the lack of answers that I think hurt the most," said Burgess.

In an attempt to get answers, he also brought his concerns to the complaint commissioner.

'Bureaucratic labyrinth'

In an emailed statement, the CISSSO confirmed it has 76 beds in Villa des Brises, with 33 beds on the transitional floor.

It says the residence offers personal assistance services while the CISSSO provides professional services — including nurses, occupational therapists, social workers and physiotherapists — for its beds on the floor.

"Users and their loved ones are invited to contact their intervention worker if they have any concerns," read a statement from the health authority.

"Quality of care and service is a priority for us."

The CISSSO says it is following a quality improvement plan.

Besner's family filed a report with the complaint commissioner, but Langlois says they have been waiting months for a response.

She says they've been trying to grieve while also navigating a "bureaucratic labyrinth."

The complaint commissioner told CBC News that all files are confidential. The coroner's office confirmed its investigation is ongoing.

In an email, a public relations firm responding on behalf of Mandala Santé said every report of neglect or abuse is treated with "meticulous attention."

"In the event of laxity among our employees, we do not hesitate to take disciplinary action, including dismissal if necessary, despite the labour shortage in the region," read the email.

It says the home is co-operating with ongoing investigations and that no complaints have been received "recently" — adding that residents have expressed "their sense of security and the friendliness of the staff."

Connolly says addressing all the concerns brought up from residents who lived on the transitional floor in the spring is bound to take more than a couple months.

During his stay, he says he had to threaten to call 911 at least twice to get staff to respond to emergency call buttons in neighbouring rooms.

He recalls hearing Besner's faint cries from down the hall early in the evening on April 11. On another occasion he said he responded to an emergency call from a neighbour who had fallen on her back. He says the staff "did nothing."

More than once, Connolly says his room was not properly cleaned — forcing him to do it himself.

"I wanted to get out of there so fast," said Connolly, breaking down.

Nobert says the problem lies in training — or the absence of it.

"It's undisciplined," she said.

Nobert says she had to call for help one night to use the toilet in her room due to her full leg cast. She says a staff member came in, on a FaceTime "work call" and proceeded to rest the phone on Nobert's bedside — where she was in full view of the camera.

"I could see him and he could see me in all my glory. So I was not pleased with that at all," said Nobert. "It's not the right thing to do."

Nobert never complained because she said she worried about reprisals.

In an emailed response, the office of Sonia Bélanger, Quebec's minister responsible for seniors, said she is following the situation closely and is aware of an ongoing coroner's investigation.

"I can also assure you that there is zero tolerance for any form of abuse or neglect, whether physical or psychological," read the statement.

But Maisonneuve and Langlois say they've received little meaningful response from politicians, the regional health authority's complaint commissioner or Mandala Santé — which runs four other homes in the province.

The family decided to file a complaint with Quebec's ombudsman, the Protecteur du citoyen du Québec, citing an "unacceptable delay" in the treatment of their file submitted to the complaint commissioner.

"We really feel like we're screaming into a void. We have no idea whether there's anyone on the other end," said Maisonneuve.

"We don't want anyone else to have to go through this."

WARNING: This article may affect those who have experienced sexual violence or know someone affected by it.

The trial surrounding Gisèle Pélicot — the French woman whose husband is accused of inviting more than 50 men to secretly rape her while she was drugged unconscious — has horrified the public, making headlines around the world. 

But the case isn't significant only because of the nature of the crimes, which her husband filmed and has confessed to, but because we know Gisèle Pélicot's name at all.

The media doesn't typically identify survivors of sexual abuse. Usually, publication bans prevent the media from doing so in order to protect the privacy of survivors and encourage them to report the crimes in the first place. But Pélicot, now aged 72, waived her legal right to anonymity.

She said she wanted the trial to be held publicly to alert the public to sexual abuse and drug-induced blackouts.

"So when other women, if they wake up with no memory, they might remember the testimony of Ms. Pélicot," she told the court in the southern French city of Avignon on Thursday, according to the New York Times. "No woman should suffer from being drugged and victimized."

Lawyer Stephane Babonneau, who represents Pélicot, told French media she wanted to show "that shame must change sides."

The case is "horrifying," but choosing to speak out publicly sends a powerful message, said Bailey Reid, CEO of the Ottawa-based sexual violence prevention program The Spark Strategy.

"That she chose to be public with it shows an important value that women should not be ashamed when they're sexually assaulted. It's never their fault, and they shouldn't feel that it is," Reid told CBC News.

"It's actually quite different than a lot of the victim-blaming and shaming that we see in a lot of media, and sexual violence tropes in television and movies."

'This really happened'

Dominique Pélicot, now 71, and 50 other men are standing trial on charges of aggravated rape and face up to 20 years in prison. The trial started Sept. 2 and is expected to run until December. 

Beatrice Zavarro, a lawyer for Dominique Pélicot, has told French media that he admits to his crimes.

News website Vox reports that a psychologist told the court that Dominique Pélicot's reasoning for the assaults is that his wife rejected swinging. He was supposed to testify Tuesday, but was instead hospitalized for medical checks and treatments for a possible bladder infection, his lawyer told reporters.

Last Thursday, Gisèle Pélicot said she pushed for the trial in open court in solidarity with other women who go unrecognized as victims of sexual crimes.

"I no longer have an identity.... I don't know if I'll ever rebuild myself," Pélicot told the court.

Tanya Couch, a co-founder of advocacy group Survivor Safety Matters and a survivor herself, told CBC News that's exactly how she felt when she reported her own high-profile military sexual assault case.

"You don't know who you are anymore, and that takes a long time to heal from," Couch said. "I'm so thankful that she's willing to do this publicly."

Couch, who lives in the Greater Toronto Area, noted that sometimes when a survivor's name isn't published, the attacker's identity is then also protected if it would identify them.

But that's not the case in this trial, where Dominique Pélicot's name is also front and centre.

"Kudos on her to be willing to use her story as an example to show the public that this really happened, and her own husband gathered evidence for her," Couch said.

"The amount of strength it takes to be public, and come across as credible, and manage your own pain throughout all of it? It's an extreme act of courage in my opinion."

While both Couch and Reid applaud Gisèle Pélicot for going public, they add it's important to recognize that not everyone might make the same decision or even have the choice under a publication ban. Couch, for instance, was identified by a pseudonym in media stories about her case.

"Survivors always know what's best for themselves," Reid said.

WATCH | Dispelling myths about sexual assaults: 

'What were you wearing?' Exhibit confronts sexual assault myths

5 months ago

Duration 2:03

An exhibit at the Nova Scotia Community College in Lunenburg looks to dispel a myth around sexual assault. On display are outfits representing what survivors were wearing at the time they were assaulted.

Alleged rapists had to follow a protocol

The court learned that Gisèle Pélicot and her husband of 50 years lived in a house in Mazan, a small town in Provence. In 2020, a security agent caught Dominique Pélicot taking photos of women's crotches in a supermarket, leading investigators to search his phone and computer.

They found thousands of photographs and videos of men appearing to rape Gisèle Pélicot in their home while she appeared to be unconscious. Police investigators found communications Dominique Pélicot allegedly sent on a messaging website commonly used by criminals, in which he invited men to sexually abuse his wife. 

The alleged abuses began in 2011. Dominique Pélicot told investigators that men invited to the couple's home had to follow certain rules — they could not talk loudly, had to remove their clothes in the kitchen and could not wear perfume or smell of tobacco.

They sometimes had to wait up to an hour and a half in a nearby parking lot for the drugs he secretly administered to her — a mixture of Temesta and Zolpidem, hypnotic and anxiolytic drugs, according to a toxicologist — to take full effect.

Because Dominique Pélicot videotaped the alleged rapes, police were able to track down — over a period of two years — a majority of the 72 suspects they were seeking.

Besides Pélicot, 50 other men, aged 22 to 70, are standing trial. Several defendants are denying some of the accusations against them, alleging they were manipulated by Pélicot.

Questioned in court, Gisèle Pélicot rejected the argument that any of these men were manipulated or trapped.

"These men entered my home, respected the imposed protocol. They did not rape me with a gun to the head. They raped me in all conscience," she said. "Why didn't they go to the police station? Even an anonymous phone call could have saved my life."

Couch said the case is important because it details the "excuses" of the alleged attackers.

"It's always women who are the ones accused of lying, but it's not us lying," Couch said.

She added the case also highlights how common it is for sexual assaults to occur in the home, and how — without the video proof of the assaults on Gisèle Pélicot — "there wouldn't have been any evidence that she wasn't just crazy." 

According to People magazine, Gisèle Pélicot told the court that until police told her of the assaults, she had been convinced that her drug-induced memory lapses and blackouts could be due to Alzheimer's disease, and that Dominique Pélicot drove her to the doctor.

For anyone who has been sexually assaulted, there is support available through crisis lines and local support services via the Ending Violence Association of Canada database.

For anyone affected by family or intimate partner violence, there is support available through crisis lines and local support services.

If you're in immediate danger or fear for your safety or that of others around you, please call 911. 

Kamala Harris exorcised the ghosts of June. After needling Donald Trump in their televised debate, nudging him off topic, she finally stuck the landing that famously eluded her boss.

It was a catastrophic cognitive blip in June's debate that ultimately curtailed President Joe Biden's career when he lost his train of thought and erroneously boasted that he'd crushed a public health-insurance system cherished by seniors: "I beat Medicare."

Coming from the vice-president, on Tuesday, the same message sounded more coherent: "We have allowed Medicare to negotiate drug prices — on behalf of you, the American people." 

By this point, it was already late in the debate, and Democrats were giddy, Republicans were fuming about biased moderators, and Harris was enjoying a little bump from different online betting markets in her chances of becoming president.

At a basement watch party in North Carolina, her supporters expressed relief over a late-summer debate that bookended the early-summer disaster.

"It was so disheartening. A horrible, sinking feeling," Yana Whitman of Asheville said of the June Biden debate. Now? "She's doing a great job," she said of Harris. "She's embarrassing [Trump]."

She was referring, specifically, to Harris dropping little ego land mines for Trump – references to supporters leaving his rallies, or world leaders mocking him – right at moments of the debate where he could have done damage to her, like a discussion about the porous southern border.

'First, let me respond to the rallies'

Trump couldn't resist diving right in to rescue his pride. Instead of discussing the border he said: "First, let me respond to the rallies." Trump added: "We have the biggest rallies, the most incredible rallies in the history of politics." 

He then pivoted to the possibility of another world war, spread a conspiracy theory about immigrants eating people's pets, and, finally, wound up back where he started: Talking again about his rallies.

The border was supposed to be his winning topic. Instead, he played into hers: the notion, raised repeatedly by Harris, that Trump cares about himself, not ordinary people. She even got Trump to complain again about the 2020 election being stolen, and to defend his supporters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Donnie Jones didn't bother watching the first debate: the North Carolina graphic designer says he's an independent, tends to vote Democratic, and isn't a political junkie. 

But he said he started getting excited about the campaign a few weeks ago, and there he was Tuesday, at a watch party in the basement of a wooden house on a dead end on the outskirts of Asheville, at the Democratic Party's county headquarters.

"I'm feeling good now," he said.

Trump fans say he won debate

Some Republicans insisted they also felt good Tuesday. Trump, for his part, posted a string of unscientific polls where his fans declared he'd won. 

"I thought that was my best Debate, EVER, especially since it was THREE ON ONE!" Trump wrote on his social-media site, Truth Social.

That was a reference to the moderators correcting him several times. Such as when he accused Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, of eating pets: "They're eating the dogs. They're eating the cats," Trump said.

This was based on flimsily-sourced social media posts involving a town that has, indeed, seen an influx in undocumented migration.

WATCH | Moderator corrects Trump on 'eating the pets' comment:  

Moderator fact-checks Trump’s claim that illegal immigrants are ‘eating the pets’

8 hours ago

Duration 0:54

After Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump claimed that illegal immigrants were eating dogs and cats in Springfield, Ohio, ABC News Presidential Debate moderator David Muir said the city manager told ABC News ‘there have been no credible reports’ of such incidents.

Republicans fume at moderators

ABC's moderator said the network had checked with the mayor and he said there were no reports of pets being kidnapped for food. Trump replied that he'd seen it on TV.

It is true that the moderators only corrected Trump. They did not intervene to challenge Harris different times when she quoted Trump out of context, including his recent prediction of a bloodbath in the auto sector because of Democrats' trade policy on electric cars.

Harris suggested he was threatening political violence. 

"Unfortunately we had moderators who were clearly biased. Who were constantly fact-checking Donald Trump but none of these kind of whoppers the vice-president was saying," Trump's new campaign ally, Robert Kennedy Jr., said on Newsmax.

But as two Republican panellists on CNN conceded afterward: Trump had a poor night. One used a basketball metaphor, saying it's no use complaining about the ref if you don't make the shot.

Trump pressed Harris briefly over several left-wing policies from her failed 2020 campaign, which she now repudiates; he questioned why she should be trusted to achieve anything the current administration hasn't. 

And he complained about being described as a menace to democracy, when he's the one facing myriad criminal charges, and was just shot.

"I probably took a bullet to the head because of the things they say about me," Trump said. "They talk about democracy. That I'm a threat to democracy. They're the threat." 

But when Harris got a chance to address her own chosen topics she charged ahead.

On abortion, for instance. Trump has waffled on how he would handle it in a second term: he's said he wouldn't, then said he could, restrict access to abortion pills, and it's unclear whether a Trump-led postal service would halt interstate shipments of the medication. 

Trump took credit for appointing judges who ended Roe v. Wade, saying he'd given the country what it wanted: a chance to settle the issue on a state-by-state basis.

WATCH | Harris speaks on abortion rights: 

‘Bleeding out in a car’ due to abortion restrictions is not what America wants, Harris says

9 hours ago

Duration 0:53

‘The government, and Donald Trump certainly, should not be telling a woman what to do with her body,’ Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris said during the ABC News Presidential Debate on Tuesday in Philadelphia.

Confrontation on abortion

Harris tore into him. She described cases of women who have suffered the consequences, like a miscarriage and doctors too afraid to intervene.

"She's bleeding out in a car in a parking lot. She didn't want that. Her husband didn't want that. A 12- or 13-year-old survivor of incest being forced to carry a pregnancy to term? They don't want that," Harris said.

While discussing the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, Harris spoke directly to moderate Republican voters disgusted by the events of that day.

She joked that Trump was fired by 81 million voters and he's having a difficult time processing that. And she invited Republican voters to support her: "There is a place for you. To stand for country. To stand for democracy. To stand for rule of law. … Let's not go back." 

It was part of an unambiguous pitch to centre- and some centre-right voters. Harris described herself as a gun owner, and promised not to confiscate firearms.

She touted recent record oil production. This was the only moment that drew a boo from someone at the Democratic watch party. 

Debates don't always mean much

She boasted about having the support of Dick Cheney, the former Republican vice-president, and referred to the Republicans' 2008 presidential nominee as, "The late, great John McCain," while discussing his 2017 Senate vote to save Barack Obama's health-care law.  

Now, a brief reality check for those giddy Democrats.

Debate performances aren't necessarily predictive of electoral success. Hillary Clinton won her first, second and third debates against Trump, according to polls in 2016. She then enjoyed a small bump in support. 

These contests tend to budge the polls a point or two in the direction of the perceived winner. It's sometimes an ephemeral mirage, as supporters of the so-called winning debater are briefly more enthusiastic about talking to pollsters. 

Case in point, Mitt Romney in 2012 who, like Clinton in 2016, was believed to have dominated his first debate with Obama, then lost the election.

That's what makes the Biden disaster in June such an anomaly. That bumbling performance was easily the most consequential televised debate in U.S. history, leading to the end of his campaign. 

After Tuesday, it feels like more distant history.

The world sales rights to a Canadian feature film shot in Sudbury, Ont., have been sold on the heels of its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), but it also faces claims by two unions and many vendors that there are outstanding payment debts, nearly a year after production ended.

In a joint letter to TIFF dated Tuesday, Sept. 10, ACTRA and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) say they're "profoundly disappointed" that the festival is showcasing 40 Acres "while there are significant outstanding payments to employees and vendors." 

It's estimated members of the unions are owed "thousands of dollars" while "vendors are owed substantially more," the statement says. 

Shot in and around Sudbury last autumn, 40 Acres is a post-apocalyptic feature film by 4T Productions Inc. about a mixed Black-Indigenous family fighting to protect their land against an organized militia. In the lead-up to its filming, there were prospects for jobs, economic spinoffs and a chance for those in the northern Ontario film industry to shine, with help from a taxpayer-funded budget in the millions. 

But 40 Acres later faced cost overruns, and some businesses and people — from international companies to small local vendors  — say they have yet to be compensated.  

'Never would I rent again, never'

Among those saying they haven't been paid is Sudbury auctioneer Jean-Marc Lacasse. He said he's owed almost $3,000 for the rental of antique furniture and other items the company used to dress the set and establish a tone during filming in September and October 2023.

Everything from leaded glass to antique quilts, butter boxes, a child's wicker rocker, a cherrywood cupboard and more were handpicked to illustrate the film's fictional world in convincing detail.

It was Lacasse's first time dealing with a film production. Eleven months later, left holding an unpaid invoice, he said he's soured on the experience. 

"Never would I rent again, never," he said. "That's crazy. I think things came back broken. Some things went missing. And, 'Don't worry, we'll take care of you.' Well, yeah, it's easy to say that, but then you don't get taken care of."

Lacasse said he and his wife Brenda sent followup emails requesting payment. After the first, in November 2023, they received a response from Jennifer Holness, the film's producer and president of 4T Productions Inc., indicating the film had gone $2,000,000 over budget, which she said was "beyond our control."  

The email indicated the production company was looking for additional funding, which could take a year.  

"I am deeply sorry this has happened and thank you for your kind patience," wrote Holness.

In January 2024, Lacasse inquired again. The production email address was no longer "being checked" and he was told, "'We regret to inform you that at this time we have to put a hold on any payments until further notice.'"

"Being retired now, is even worse," Lacasse told CBC. "I mean, I don't have a regular paycheque, so it hurts even more — even if it's just $3,000 or whatever, you feel used."

'Sorry — we have no money'

A variety of entities and individuals contacted by CBC spoke of their struggles to be paid.

A confidential source who worked on the production said they're still owed thousands despite having been in contact regularly with the producer. CBC is protecting the source's identity because of potential risk to their livelihood on future film projects for speaking out.

The source said everything was fine until the filming wrapped last autumn, when the producer issued cheques for production staff that had rented out their own kits and equipment, which is common in the industry, and they were told not to cash those cheques right away.

"And then shortly after that, I don't know, a week or so later, whatever, those cheques were no longer good," said the source. "They had no money anymore. 'Sorry — we have no money. You'll have to wait until we can pay you.'"

The source and others say they're still waiting.

'Biggest movie I've done': film's producer

Holness and 4T Productions have sold the world sales rights to 40 Acres to Visit Films for an undisclosed amount.

"I have to say this movie was the biggest movie I have done in my career," Holness said during the 40 Acres premiere at TIFF last weekend.

Holness is an award-winning Canadian producer with 17 past projects under her belt, according to her website, Hungry Eyes Media. In 2003, she won Best Canadian Feature at TIFF, and recently has been included in industry lists such as The Most Powerful Women in Canadian Entertainment, The 40 Most Influential Women in International Film and The Globe and Mail's most influential people in Canadian film.

"We would not be here if not for Telefilm," said Holness to applause at the TIFF premiere. "This is almost entirely financed out of Canada, which is really really hard.

"And in fact, we almost didn't do it because we went over budget," Holness said. "But it was a real challenge to get here." 

WATCH | Jennifer Holness talks at TIFF premiere about financing for 40 Days:

40 Acres premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival

56 minutes ago

Duration 2:28

Producer Jennifer Holness at the Toronto International Film Festival addressing an audience question about financing of the film '40 Acres'.

In a statement to CBC on Tuesday, Sept. 10, Holness acknowledged, "We absolutely had cost overruns. But we made payroll every week and in a timely manner. That said, there is a small amount owed regarding kit fees and expendables, and unfortunately some vendors remain unpaid.

"We take this matter seriously and have been working tirelessly with independent accountants to address all approved costs, and we have kept vendors informed. Also, over the past months, we have been paying down costs as we have been able to. It has been difficult, but through sheer hard work, passion and many sleepless nights, we are ready to launch our excellent film with the goal to sell the movie and resolve the situation for our vendors." 

$8M budget puts 40 Acres in top tier of Canadian film

CBC News has confirmed the initial budget for 40 Acres was $8 million before filming started. According to industry statistics, fewer than 20 per cent of Canadian films have a budget of more than $5 million, putting 40 Acres in the top tier of Canadian productions.

Telefilm says it gave $3.2 million to 4T Productions. A host of other agencies also came on board: 

• Canada Media Fund, a public-private partnership, contributed $750,000 through its pilot program for racialized communities, a program committed to telling BIPOC stories. 
• CBC Films sponsored the film's premiere at TIFF and contributed financially to the making of 40 Acres, but would not reveal the figure "for competitive reasons," according to CBC spokesperson Chuck Thompson.  
• At time of publication, the details of financing by Crave (Bell Media) are not known.

Ontario's Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade contributed through the Northern Ontario Heritage, (NOHFC), although when contacted, the ministry declined to provide an amount.

The non-payment issues surrounding 4T Productions Inc. and 40 Acres have affected a range of businesses, from small ones to international corporations.

For example, some accommodation providers in the city told CBC News they are still waiting to be paid for amounts ranging from $5,000 to $9,000.

At least two accommodation providers have changed their policies to require film companies to provide up-front payment or pre-authorized credit cards.

One hotel general manager said he was forced to take that step.

"I make sure I do a pre-authorization for each and every crew member no matter how much it is," he said, "so that even if they check out, I will be secure with the money — I can charge them."

Unions say 40 Acres 'left town with unpaid invoices'

Tuesday's joint statement from ACTRA and IATSE says they initially were "thrilled" about the filming happening in Sudbury and bringing "much needed work" to northern Ontario. 

"Unfortunately, the producers of 40 Acres left town with unpaid invoices and unpaid wages," it says. "All of the unions had to take various measures to pursue payment for their members' wages and kit rentals, some of which are still unpaid to date."

CBC called and emailed TIFF for comment about the unions' statement on unpaid wages, but had not heard back by publication time. The festival, which began Sept. 5, wraps up on Sept. 15.

Earlier this year, ACTRA labelled 4T Productions and Holness as "unfair engagers" on its website. A spokesperson clarified to CBC that the company had not met payroll obligations.

On Tuesday, Sept. 10, Holness shared documents with CBC indicating she's addressing that issue. 

All IATSE crew were paid for their work on the film, Local 634 president Tiffany Boivin-Brawley said. However, she added, about five in northern Ontario who also rented equipment for the production were not compensated for their kit rentals, while other IATSE members from southern Ontario were not paid for their kit rentals.

Boivin-Brawley said the union was speaking up to support non-members — including catering companies, supply rental houses, people who provided equipment or props for use on set — who say they were not paid.

Film 'an amazing piece of work' despite payment issues

In an email obtained by CBC that was sent to vendors in early September from 4T Productions, Holness promised payment.

"We have done everything in our power to complete the movie, including contributing significant personal funds," she wrote. "To this end, we want you to know that 4T Productions remains committed to paying all vendors with rental contracts, authorized purchase orders or cheque requisitions with full approval. We thank you for your patience and will update you at the end of September to the middle of October on the status of the movie."

The confidential source who worked on production for 40 Acres said that despite issues getting money owed, "it's a great example of everyone's talent" and a "great calling card and example of craftsmanship of northern filmmakers."

"I'm very proud of it," said the source. "I think it's an amazing piece of work. I'm super happy for the director. I'm hoping that the silver lining of all this is that the film sells and does really well, and becomes a smash hit and everyone gets paid, and this becomes like a bad memory and we move forward."

With TIFF behind it, the film continues on the festival circuit. Screenings are set for Sudbury on Sept. 21 and Vancouver at the end of the month.

If you have more information on this story, please contact kate.rutherford@cbc.ca

Francine has strengthened into a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico and is advancing toward Louisiana.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Tuesday night that the storm powered up its maximum sustained winds to 120 km/h and gained Category 1 hurricane status about 563 kilometres southwest of Morgan City, La.

A hurricane warning is in effect along the Louisiana coast from the border with Texas eastward to Grand Isle, nearly 130 kilometres south of New Orleans.

The Miami-based NHC further said that the life-threatening storm surge and hurricane-force winds expected to begin in Louisiana on Wednesday.

Storm surge warnings also are in effect in Texas and Louisiana.

Francine is the sixth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.

Evacuation orders have been issued in some coastal Louisiana communities and residents have begun filling sandbags in preparation for heavy rains and widespread flooding.

A Michigan inmate who accused Sean (Diddy) Combs of drugging and sexually assaulting him at a party almost 30 years ago has been awarded a $100-million US judgment against the rapper and record producer.

Derrick Lee Smith, 51, won the multimillion-dollar judgment by default in Lenawee County Circuit Court during a virtual hearing on Monday after Combs, 54, failed to show up.

A lawyer for Combs said the rapper would move to have the judgment dismissed.

"This man [Smith] is a convicted felon and sexual predator, who has been sentenced on 14 counts of sexual assault and kidnapping over the last 26 years," lawyer Marc Agnifilo said in a statement.

"His resumé now includes committing a fraud on the court from prison, as Mr. Combs has never heard of him let alone been served with any lawsuit. Mr. Combs looks forward to having this judgment swiftly dismissed."

Smith, who was sentenced to prison for 75 years on sexual misconduct and kidnapping charges, filed complaints against Combs in June and August. He was given a temporary restraining order against Combs, who has several other sexual assault cases still pending.

Homeland Security Investigations agents and other federal law enforcement raided two of his properties, in Los Angeles and Miami, on March 25 as part of an ongoing sex trafficking investigation by federal authorities in New York.

A week earlier, Combs admitted that he beat his ex-girlfriend Cassie in a hotel hallway in 2016 after CNN released video of the attack, saying in a video apology he was "truly sorry" and his actions were "inexcusable."

"I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I was disgusted then when I did it. I'm disgusted now," the music mogul said in a video statement posted Sunday to Instagram and Facebook.

Combs, founder of the landmark label Bad Boy Records, is one of the most influential producers and executives in hip-hop and a hugely successful performer, as well as the impresario of his own Sean John clothing line.

WATCH | Lawyer Gloria Allred explains legal implication of accusations against Combs:

Sean (Diddy) Combs's legal troubles not over yet despite statute of limitations, Gloria Allred says

4 months ago

Duration 7:13

Gloria Allred, an attorney who has represented women in cases alleging sexual assault against high-profile celebrities, says despite the statute of limitations expiring regarding 2016 video showing Sean (Diddy) Combs beating his ex-girlfriend Cassie, he could still face federal charges after authorities recovered electronic devices during raids on his homes.

Liberal MPs are calling for a committee investigation of Canadian connections to U.S. allegations that Russia has used state-run media, unwitting influencers and websites to spread disinformation.

Last week, the U.S. Justice Department unsealed an indictment against two Russian nationals accusing them of setting up a conservative media outlet as a front for pro-Kremlin propaganda.

While the indictment doesn't name the Tennessee-based outlet, details in the court document match those of Tenet Media — a company founded by Canadian far-right commentator Lauren Chen and her husband Liam Donovan.

On Tuesday, a number of Liberal MPs called for an emergency meeting of the House public safety and national security committee to launch an investigation.

"The allegations of Russian foreign interference by the U.S. Department of Justice are more than a cause for concern — they are a serious threat to Canadian national security and democratic integrity," says a letter signed by all five Liberal members of the committee.

"This calls for an immediate and forceful response to safeguard the integrity of our democracy."

The indictment said the company in question describes itself as "a network of heterodox commentators that focus on Western political and cultural issues," which matches word-for-word the description on Tenet Media's homepage. The indictment also said the company was incorporated on Jan. 19, 2022, which matches publicly available records with the Tennessee Secretary of State.

Among the people the company hired last year was Chen's longtime friend and occasional collaborator Lauren Southern, another Canadian far-right influencer with a massive social media following.

The MPs' letter requests that Chen, Donovan and Southern be called to testify before the committee.

The U.S. indictment also includes more than a dozen references to another Canadian company owned by Chen and Donovan that was used as a vehicle to receive payment from RT, the Russian state-run news outlet.

WATCH | Russia accused of using influencers to meddle in the 2024 U.S. election: 

Russia accused of using influencers to meddle in the 2024 U.S. election

5 days ago

Duration 2:03

Washington has accused Moscow of running a covert propaganda campaign to meddle in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, with documents revealing a connection to Canadian far-right influencers Lauren Chen and her husband, Liam Donovan.

Research by CBC News found a federally registered corporation linked to Chen and Donovan called Roaming Millennial Inc., which had an address in Montreal until last November.

Roaming Millennial was Chen's username on YouTube and Instagram in her earlier days as a content creator. 

Roaming USA Corp. is the corporate name for the entity that operates Tenet Media.   

Chen, Donovan and Southern are not the subject of criminal charges and are not named in the indictment.

Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, the two Russians named in the U.S. indictment, remain at large.

Last week, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said the government was working with the U.S. "on this serious matter."

"Any Canadians who illegally assist in Russia's persistent attempts to use disinformation, criminal and covert activities, and corruption to undermine our sovereignty and democratic processes will face the full force of Canadian law," he said in a media statement.

A man from the Toronto area says he feared for his life when police officers in Laval, Que., wrestled him to the ground, pepper-sprayed him, used a stun gun on him and placed a spit mask over his face.

Gulaid Mahdi, 31, said the incident left him concussed and shaken, but he says he did nothing wrong. No charges have been laid against him. After the incident, the police gave him two tickets for failing to provide identification, his driver's license and insurance to an officer.

Mahdi said he was in the Montreal area celebrating getting a new job with his family on Sept. 1, when, after parking a rental car near a lounge in Laval, two police officers approached him and told him to get back in the car. 

Mahdi said he was confused, and said he didn't know why the officers approached him, or if they were arresting him. He said there was also a language barrier: the officers were speaking French, which he doesn't speak. 

"I asked them 'what am I being detained for?'" he said in an interview. But the officers didn't say, and instead, one of them pushed him, Mahdi recalled, prompting him to say, "Don't touch me, 'I know my rights.'"

Then, he said, the officers hauled him to the ground and began punching him and kneeling on him.

"I thought I was going to die," he said.

Videos shot by bystanders and shared on social media show two police officers detaining Mahdi on the ground and hitting him repeatedly in the lower body and crotch.

In the first four-minute video, officers yell at bystanders to stay back as the person recording says that Mahdi, who is contorted on the ground, is not resisting. The videos begin after the initial arrest and do not show the moments leading up to it.

At one point, one of the officers yells at Mahdi to give him his hand, even while each officer is gripping one of his wrists. 

Mahdi says "take my hand, here" before he's slammed onto his stomach. At that point, he can be heard repeatedly saying "I can't breathe."

His friends, who recorded the video from inside the vehicle, yell at officers that Mahdi cannot breathe, with one of the officers replying, "[If] he talks, he can [breathe]." 

WARNING: This video contains graphic footage of a police arrest: 

Witness videos show violent arrest by Laval police

4 hours ago

Duration 6:04

Graphic video shot by bystanders and shared on social media shows two police officers roughly detaining Gulaid Mahdi on the ground and hitting him repeatedly in the lower body. The videos begin after the initial arrest and do not show the moments leading up to it.

In a second four-minute video shot by bystanders on the sidewalk, two more officers can be seen pulling up and hopping out of a police cruiser, one immediately pulling out a stun gun and rushing to Mahdi while the other brings one of the men recording in the vehicle to the ground.

Mahdi said when the officers called in backup, they pepper-sprayed him and placed a spit mask over his face.

The whole incident lasted approximately 15 to 20 minutes, he said. He was not arrested, but the officers called an ambulance and he was transported to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with a concussion and gave him painkillers for various scrapes and injuries sustained while the officers were trying to handcuff him.

Ethics complaint filed

In a statement to CBC News, Laval police said a pair of police officers intercepted a running vehicle with three occupants inside near a licensed establishment in the Pont-Viau neighbourhood on the night of Sept. 1.

"Given the late hour and the vehicle's location, the officers intercepted it to check the driver's ability to operate the vehicle," the statement reads.

Police said an individual refused to co-operate with the police and "resisted, forcing them to use a continuum of force." 

The service said an analysis into the video of the altercation, and a statement published by the anti-racism advocacy group Red Coalition, is underway.

"We want to remind the public that the Laval police service does not tolerate any form of discrimination," the service said. 

Mahdi said he passed a breathalyzer test and said he thinks the officers racially profiled him. 

Joel DeBellefeuille, executive director and founder of the Red Coalition, said the footage was "deeply disturbing."

The Red Coalition published the videos to the social media platform X on Monday. DeBellefeuille said they drew parallels to the 2020 murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.

"This is the most shocking and upsetting instances of racial profiling I have ever seen. Mr. Mahdi was clearly in compliance, and yet officers continued to use excessive force."

The Red Coalition has filed a police ethics complaint on Mahdi's behalf. 

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.

A woman who died of a drug overdose in an RCMP jail cell had asked officers twice if she could be taken to hospital, a report from B.C.'s police watchdog says.

The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) report says Burnaby RCMP responded to a call on March 6 that a woman who appeared to be intoxicated was bothering people in a restaurant. Officers arrested the woman, who is not named in the report, and took her to police cells.

She was released the next morning, about 12 hours after her arrest. But about half an hour later, police received reports the woman was asking students for drugs at a local high school. 

She was again arrested and taken to RCMP cells, where she died about seven hours later, according to the report.

The IIO says RCMP did not commit any offence in this case but acknowledged that looking after intoxicated people is a health care issue that "should not fall solely to police."

Woman said she was 'dope sick'

The woman was never charged with a criminal offence but was held in custody "because she was intoxicated and unable to care for herself," according to the report. 

When she was transported to the cells for a second time, she "begged" an officer to take her home instead. When he refused, she asked to be taken to hospital instead but her request was again denied, the report said.

The officer believed the woman did not require medical assistance "and only wanted to go to the hospital to avoid going to jail," the report said.

The officer did not inform the jail supervisor about his conversation with the woman, according to the report.

The woman was removed from her cells nearly four hours after she was apprehended for an interview. The officer noticed there was feces on the floor of her cell, the report said.

The woman once again asked to be taken to hospital. The officer asked if she was "dope sick," slang for opiate withdrawal symptoms.

She said yes.

Her request again wasn't communicated to the jail supervisor, according to the report.

Checks every 15 minutes

A guard checked on the woman three times from 3:31 p.m. to 4 p.m. and reported she was breathing each time, according to the report.

RCMP policy requires prisoners are checked on at least every 15 minutes, the report said.

The guard's checkups lasted about three, 11 and 10 seconds, respectively, according to the report.

He couldn't get a response from the woman at 4:15 p.m. when he kicked the door of her cell, the report said.

She was pronounced dead later that hour. An autopsy determined drug toxicity to be the cause of death, according to the report.

"With the benefit of knowledge and hindsight, one wonders whether the checks could have been more fulsome," wrote IIO's interim chief civilian director Sandra Hentzen in the report.

She added that the RCMP officer wasn't able to recognize that the woman was experiencing a reaction to drug toxicity and not withdrawal symptoms.

'Not trained medical personnel'

Hentzen questions whether this information would have resulted in more careful monitoring of the woman or whether medical treatment would have been provided.

"This case continues to raise concerns about how intoxicated prisoners are housed generally in British Columbia," Hentzen said.

"Officers and jail guards are not trained medical personnel, and jail cells are not the best place for such prisoners," adding that sobering centres and having health professionals on site are alternative solutions.

The IIO said it won't refer this case to Crown counsel for consideration of charges, but the results of the investigation have been forwarded to the RCMP's Civilian Complaints Commission.

In a statement to CBC News, RCMP said it's limited in what it can say as the incident may still be subject to a coroner's inquest.

"However, we would like to express condolences and acknowledge the ongoing impact this tragic death continues to have, including on her loved ones," spokesperson Staff Sgt. Kris Clark said.

A man who was arrested last week for allegedly attempting to enter the U.S. illegally to carry out a mass shooting came to Canada on a student visa, Canada's immigration minister says.

Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, was arrested in Ormstown, Que. and is facing terror charges in both Canada and the United States.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Tuesday that Khan, a Pakistani national, obtained a student visa in May 2023 and arrived in Canada in June of that same year. He said he wouldn't be providing any further details about the suspect.

"Obviously there are criminal charges pending. As politicians, as elected officials, in order to make sure the judicial process is not compromised … it's very important that we don't comment," Miller told reporters at the Liberal caucus retreat in Nanaimo, B.C.

U.S. authorities allege Khan intended to use automatic and semi-automatic weapons to carry out a mass shooting in support of ISIS at a Jewish centre in Brooklyn, New York — information police say they gleaned from conversations between the accused and two undercover officers.

Khan is facing three charges in Canada:

• Attempting to leave Canada to commit an offence for a terrorist group.
• Participating in the activities of a terrorist group.
• Conspiracy to commit an offence by violating U.S. immigration law – entering or attempting to enter the U.S. unlawfully.

Khan also faces a charge in the U.S. of attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, namely ISIS.

With a potential pilot strike looming, Air Canada is preparing to suspend its operations in a shutdown that could impact tens of thousands of passengers.

Canada's largest airline and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents more than 5,000 Air Canada pilots, are negotiating over the union's wage demands. Air Canada pilots are seeking compensation in line with what their U.S. counterparts make.

"What the airline can do is to diminish the impact on the travellers and that's what Air Canada is trying to do now," said Frederic Dimanche, a professor at Toronto Metropolitan University and the director of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.

WATCH | How a shutdown could leave passengers scrambling: 

Air Canada strike could leave passengers scrambling

14 hours ago

Duration 2:47

Air Canada is preparing to start cancelling flights ahead of a potential pilots’ strike next week, leaving passengers looking for other travel options.

He said that giving travellers an opportunity to reschedule their flight or offering them credits — as Air Canada is doing — is "the very minimum" the airline can do.

"I think it's important for people to be aware that a strike is potentially coming and that they need to make some arrangements."

Here's how a potential strike could impact your travel plans, and what you can do about it.

What to know about a potential strike

A strike or lockout can't take place before the 21-day cooling period that began on Aug. 27, after the pilot union voted overwhelmingly in favour of authorizing a strike.

While Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights would be impacted by a potential strike, Air Canada Express (which includes the Jazz and PAL carriers), are not involved in the negotiations. Their flights will continue to operate normally.

Sunday, Sept. 15: Air Canada could start suspending its operations.

Sept. 15-18: If an agreement isn't reached, the airline or the union will likely issue a 72-hour strike notice or lockout notice, triggering a three-day wind down plan. 

Both Air Canada and its low-cost subsidiary Air Canada Rouge will prepare to suspend flights over the course of three days, starting on Sunday.

If a traveller's flight is cancelled once a strike or lockout notice is issued, Air Canada will notify the passenger, who will be eligible for a full refund. But they won't be entitled to any additional compensation under the Airline Passenger Protection Regulations.

Wednesday, Sept. 18: Following the three-day wind down, a total shutdown of Air Canada's operations would start at 12:01 a.m. on this day.

After Sept. 18: Once a complete shutdown has occurred, Air Canada anticipates it will take seven to 10 days for normal operations to resume.

Making changes to your booking

Customers who booked a ticket or redeemed points for an Aeroplan flight reward on Sept. 9 or earlier — for travel scheduled between Sept. 15 and 23 — can make changes to their bookings now for free, according to Air Canada's goodwill policy.

You can rebook your flight with an Air Canada carrier (including Rouge and Express) to another date between Sept. 9 and 14, and/or between Sept. 24 and Nov. 30, 2024.

If you booked your travel through a third-party service, the airline is advising passengers to contact the travel agent or company directly.

WATCH | Strike will have 'disproportionate' impact on travellers, says ex-COO: 

Possible Air Canada pilot strike will disproportionately affect travellers, former COO says

15 hours ago

Duration 9:04

Air Canada is finalizing plans to suspend most of its operations, likely beginning Sunday, as talks with the pilot union near an impasse over ‘inflexible’ wage demands, the country's largest airline said on Monday. Duncan Dee, the former chief operating officer of Air Canada, says this will have a ‘disproportionate impact,’ particularly impacting travellers east of Toronto to Atlantic Canada.

If you cancel your flight

Customers who choose to cancel their flights will get a full refund if they purchased a refundable fare. A cancellation fee could apply depending on the type of ticket purchased.

If you bought your ticket using Aeroplan points, you can cancel and have your points redeposited into your account.

If you bought a non-refundable ticket, you can get a one-time credit for future travel the next time you book with Air Canada, but there is an expiry date attached to the credit and it's non-transferable.

If Air Canada cancels your flight

The airline will notify you if your flight gets cancelled, and you'll be eligible for a full refund regardless of the fare you purchased. No cancellation fees will apply.

The airline will also try to rebook you on a different flight, though it cautions that space is limited.

The Air Canada website notes: "If you are contacted by someone claiming to represent Air Canada offering to change your booking, please be aware we will never ask for your booking reference or locator number, as we already have that information."

Robin McQueen has been collecting licence plates since he was a teenager, but he'd never come across a trove of plates like the one he found this summer. 

On the outskirts of Fredericton's south side, thousands of New Brunswick plates dating back to the 1950s, are strewn across the forest floor, covering the ground like leaves.

"Walking in there is like Disneyland for licence-plate people," McQueen said about the site in the woods near the city's industrial park. 

"You'd never know it's there, but it's absolutely polluted with licence plates all over the ground," he said. 

Some display an embossed provincial crest. Others have a line that says "Picture Province," a slogan from the mid-20th century that lasted until the officially bilingual New Brunswick added "Nouveau Brunswick" to its licence plates.

The plate designations show they were intended for all types of vehicles, including heavy trucks, motorcycles, tractors and taxis.

WATCH | Some piles of licence plates are so deep, it's hard to find the bottom:

A Disneyland for licence plate collectors is hiding in a New Brunswick forest

45 minutes ago

Duration 5:06

Robin McQueen had been collecting licence plates since he was a teenager, but he’d never come across anything like the treasure trove he found this summer in the woods near Fredericton.

Many are still piled up in the sequence they were produced, separated by decaying strips of wax paper. 

Some are in decent enough shape that McQueen has taken them home to clean up and display for his own collection. Others fall apart upon touch — victims of rust, exposure and time.

It's impossible to gauge how many are there. McQueen has tried to dig his way to the bottom of the pile, but after going through several layers, he said there's no end. Just more rusting plates.

"There's so many that you could spend all day, every day, for a long time, trying to pick them up and you would not be able to," said McQueen. 

The plates are in piles according to date, from 1957 to 1960. Rusted-out vehicles are also abandoned there, many with the words "Dept. Of Public Works Province of New Brunswick" stenciled on their doors. There are dozens of old washing machines and water heaters. 

McQueen was shown this place by a friend who said he'd been going there for 30 to 40 years.

But how did all these plates end up here in the first place?

One man's trash

Gary Doherty has been an avid licence plate collector since 1976. It started when he was a young teenager. He recalled seeing old licence plates on his grandfather's and uncle's barn walls. At the time he assumed that if he had plates, he could drive a car.

"Because I thought if I could drive a car, I could get a girlfriend," said Doherty. 

Since then both of his passions have flourished. He and his wife, Gale, have been married for nearly 55 years. He's also come to own between 35,000 and 40,000 licence plates from all over the world. 

Licence-plate graveyards like the one in Fredericton aren't new to a seasoned collector like Doherty.

He said while he's never been to this specific location, he has been to others. They're not uncommon throughout the province, if you know where to look. That's because decades ago, vehicles were issued a new plate every year, something Doherty calls "replating."

"Back in the days when New Brunswick and most places used to re-plate every year, they had to order enough plates so that they could restock all of the motor vehicle branches," said Doherty. "When they re-plated, there was always lots of leftovers." 

Doherty says those extras were always kept at the motor vehicle offices until they were audited. After that, they were disposed of in a variety of ways. 

"Someone would use them to roof over a shed or siding on a house," he said. 

But that wax paper in between each of plates often kept the boxes out of junkyards and scrap yards. That paper was designed to keep plates from scratching and chipping during shipping. But one junkyard owner told him it made recycling them too expensive. 

"'It [would] cost more money to hire somebody to separate them, so they can be scrap, than I'd get out of them,'" said Doherty. 

"So when that happens, somebody takes a half-ton truckload of boxes of plates out in the middle of the woods where nobody can see them and dumps them." 

He said he's heard of at least six other plate graveyards across the province, including near Woodstock, St. Stephen and another one on Fredericton's north side, although he's unable to pinpoint that exact location.

"Most people were not as concerned about the environment ...  as we are today," he said.  

Complete surprise, say property owners

The piles of licence plates in the woods near the industrial park are on private property. When CBC News contacted the landowners, who have owned the land for nearly 30 years, they said they had no idea the plates were there.

They declined to be interviewed and said they worried about being responsible for cleaning up a mess they did not contribute to and were unaware existed.

CBC News requested an interview with the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure about the possible origins of the licence plates and whether the department is aware of the site. The request was acknowledged but no other response came, even after a follow-up was made.

Jeff Carr is the PC MLA for the riding of New Maryland-Sunbury, where the plates are located. He's also a former minister of transportation and Infrastructure. He said he's "not surprised that there's scrap in the woods."

"Back in the day, in rural New Brunswick, old homesteads had their own piles of scrap."

"But to hear that there's thousands and thousands of provincial licence plates stockpiled in the woods is a little surprising," said Carr. "I've never heard of government material being dumped like that."

While McQueen has been happy to comb through the piles for interesting plates, he suspects it's been picked over for decades. He's taken a few for his own collection but admits that given the amount of other garbage with New Brunswick's title printed on it, that it might be time to take out the trash.

"I'd love to see the province go in there and clean the place up, that would be ideal," said McQueen.

A Halifax mother says she was left feeling terrified after her eight-year-old twin daughters were more than 4½ hours late returning home from school on the bus, prompting her to call police amid a lack of communication from school and transportation officials.

Chloe Daigle's children attend École Mer et Monde in Halifax's south end and are due to arrive home at their bus stop — roughly five kilometres from the school — around 3:05 p.m. AT daily. 

Daigle said she received an email Monday informing her the bus would be 25 minutes late. Soon after, she received a voicemail message saying the bus would be over an hour late.

She waited patiently at the stop. When the bus did not show up after 4 p.m., she began to worry. 

"It was a terrifying, crazy moment of not knowing where my kids are," Daigle told CBC Radio's Information Morning Nova Scotia. 

Daigle said she tried calling the bus company, Transco, and the school, but was not getting any answers.

Desperate to find her daughters, she called police at 6:20 p.m. The person who answered said she wasn't the first concerned parent to call about the missing bus.

"Meanwhile, some parents from my kids' class, they started driving to find the bus," said Daigle.

About 20 minutes later, a woman from the police department called Daigle back saying they had found the bus, and that police officials had spoken to her kids. They were safe and on their way home.

Daigle said she was waiting at her kids' regular bus stop when a woman came up to her and told her the bus was parked about a block away. She said she started running and could see her girls standing with a bus driver.

"I was just so happy to hug my girls at the end of this horrible situation," she said of their reunion around 7:40 p.m., four hours and 35 minutes after their bus was due to arrive.

She said her daughter told her the children were shouting at the driver that they were going the wrong way. One of her daughters told her she was crying because she needed to pee but wasn't allowed off the bus.

Daigle said the police explained that the original bus driver got lost, and another bus driver had to come take over.

But she never heard directly from Transco or École Mer et Monde during the ordeal, calling the lack of communication "unacceptable" and "unbelievable."

"I had to call the police to find my kids. That doesn't make sense," said Daigle. 

Conseil scolaire acadien provincial (CSAP), Nova Scotia's Francophone school board, issued an apology on Tuesday, saying it cannot imagine the worry and stress the situation caused.

Michel Collette, head of the school board, wrote that its communication with Transco did not meet its expectations.

Collette said the board would be taking a number of steps to review the situation, including identifying gaps in communication between Transco, CSAP, and the families of École Mer et Monde.

The board said it will also work with Transco to review the emergency communication protocol, inform all CSAP families of this protocol, and also ask Transco to directly contact the families of students that were on the bus to provide feedback on the incident.

The statement did not elaborate on what exactly happened.

Bus company to examine communication

Transco — a subsidiary of First Student, which operates more than 900 vehicles in Quebec — declined an interview request Tuesday, but issued a statement saying it regrets the "inconvenience and concern" the situation has caused.

"We are working in partnership with CSAP to review what led to the delay and how to ensure it does not happen again," spokesperson Jen Biddinger wrote.

"As part of this process, we will also examine communication protocols. We recognize the importance of providing timely information to families about their bus service."

Biddinger added: "Transco values our relationship with CSAP. We fully appreciate the trust placed in us and remain committed to delivering on our promise to provide reliable and safe transportation every school day."

Conseil scolaire acadien provincial announced in May 2022 it had selected the company to provide transportation to and from its schools.

Daigle said she planned to drive her kids to school on Tuesday morning.

"I cannot rely on the bus anymore," she said.

After his traffic stop in Miami on Sunday, Tyreek Hill talked about "the talk" — instructions passed down in Black families for generations about what to do when pulled over by police.

Keep your hands in sight, preferably on the steering wheel. Avoid any sudden movements. Don't talk back to the officer. And above all, follow instructions without error or delay.

Heeding that advice in the heat of the moment can be hard, as Hill's own experience showed when the star wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins was stopped for speeding and reckless driving before the team's first game of the season.

His interaction with police, captured in a now-viral cellphone video and body camera footage, escalated and is yet again prompting a larger discussion about the realities of "driving while Black." According to a national law enforcement survey, traffic stops of Black drivers are more likely to include the threat or use of force.

Body camera video shows Hill rolled down the driver's side window and handed his licence to a Miami-Dade County officer knocking on the window. Hill then told the officer repeatedly to stop knocking, before he rolled the darkly tinted window back up.

After a back and forth about the window, the body camera video shows an officer pulled Hill out of his car by his arm and head and then forced him face first onto the ground on a street outside the team's stadium.

The officers handcuffed Hill and one put a knee in the middle of his back.

"It happened so fast that it caught me off guard," Hill said in a post-game interview on Sunday. Later, he said he was "embarrassed" and "shell-shocked" by the situation.

WATCH | Hill speaks about detainment after game:

'What if I wasn't Tyreek Hill?'

1 day ago

Duration 1:08

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill says he has 'no idea' why police put him in handcuffs after a traffic stop outside the team's home stadium. 'I'm still trying to figure it out.'

'If I wasn't Tyreek Hill'

For many, Hill's encounter with police drives home a reality that Black men in particular disproportionately experience what he did. Even if the encounter doesn't end in tragedy, it confirms an ongoing need for the talk.

Hill wondered what would have happened if he wasn't a celebrity.

"If I wasn't Tyreek Hill, worst-case scenario, we would have had a different article — 'Tyreek Hill got shot in front of Hard Rock Stadium.' That's worst-case scenario," his said in a CNN on Monday.

Other Black Dolphins players said they were used to seeing the kind of police conduct that Hill experienced.

"I won't say it was scary. It's something I'm used to seeing," linebacker David Long Jr. said.

Dolphins safety Jevon Holland said it was "not unnatural" to see police conduct the traffic stop that way, including what the footage appeared to show: one officer striking his handcuffed teammate. One of at least three officers involved in detaining Hill was placed on leave pending an internal investigation.

The Miami-Dade Police Department's top officer, Director Stephanie Daniels, told the Miami Herald on Monday the decision to place the officer on leave came after a review of the body camera footage, which she later said would not normally be released during an ongoing investigation but was, in this case, to maintain "public trust."

"Excessive force on a Black man, that's not uncommon. It's a very common thing in America," Holland said. "So I think that needs to be addressed at a countrywide level."

No guarantee against discrimination

Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith, who was at the scene to support Hill, echoed Holland's sentiments.

"Obviously we all see the police brutality that goes on in this country, and when you see your teammate possibly being part of that, you're doing everything in your power to help him," he said.

Doing exactly as you're told is no guarantee against discrimination or excessive use of force, said Andrew Grant-Thomas, co-founder of EmbraceRace, a nonprofit that provides resources for parents and educators.

Furthermore, he said, perfectly, subserviently obeying law-enforcement commands "shouldn't be the standard for any of us in dealing with police," said Grant-Thomas, who is Black. "There are things like rights."

Still, it often feels like white parents can talk to their children about how to maintain their rights with the police, he said, but for Black kids, it's not about rights but "about survival."

According to a Bureau of Justice Statistics' special report released in 2022, Black people and Hispanic people were more likely than white people to experience the threat or use of force in 2020. Black people were also more likely to be shouted at by police than white people.

Black drivers were more likely than white drivers to experience no enforcement action during their most recent traffic stop, according to the report. But among those who did experience an enforcement action, white drivers were more likely to be let off with a warning than drivers of any other race or Hispanic origin.

Just like Hill, Grant-Thomas was taught at a young age to tread carefully when it comes to police.

Trying to justify excessive use of force

"I'm not going to talk back, I'm going to put my hands at 10 and two o'clock and all those things because the reality is that this person can kill me. It doesn't matter then whether my rights were observed," he said.

Grant-Thomas also noticed how quickly people used Hill's past allegations of violence to justify any excessive use of force.

"What's astonishing to me, although it shouldn't be, is how many people immediately began to speculate in ways that were really in terms that were unfavourable to him," Grant-Thomas said. "Because of who he was or who they supposed him to be, that for many people seems to justify the police treatment in a way that actually doesn't make any sense."

Hill's end-zone victory dance on Sunday that included mimicking being cuffed made many people feel validated in their opinion that the wide receiver had been wronged.

Many Black NFL players have long used their platforms, on and off the field, to draw attention to racial disparities in law enforcement.

In 2014, five St. Louis Rams players stood with their arms raised in an apparent show of solidarity with protesters in Ferguson, Mo., before trotting onto the field for pregame introductions. The "hands up, don't shoot" gesture referred to a debunked claim that Michael Brown, a Black teenager, had his hands raised in surrender when he was shot by a white officer.

And perhaps the most famous on-field anti-brutality gesture was sparked by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who took a knee during the national anthem, in the wake of fatal police shootings in 2016.

"Unless there's a conversation actually about this, if it's simply floating out there and people are talking in their echo chambers," Grant-Thomas said. "I think the point really will have been lost."

Ukraine struck the Moscow region on Tuesday in its biggest drone attack so far on the Russian capital, killing at least one woman, wrecking dozens of homes and forcing around 50 flights to be diverted from airports around Moscow.

Russia said it had destroyed at least 20 Ukrainian attack drones as they swarmed over the Moscow region, which has a population of more than 21 million.

At least one person was killed near Moscow, Russian authorities said. Three of Moscow's four airports were closed for more than six hours and almost 50 flights were diverted.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the drone attack was another reminder of the real nature of Ukraine's political leadership, which he said was made up of Russia's enemies.

"There is no way that nighttime strikes on residential neighbourhoods can be associated with military action," said Peskov.

"The Kyiv regime continues to demonstrate its nature. They are our enemies and we must continue the special military operation to protect ourselves from such actions," he said, using the expression Moscow uses to describe its war in Ukraine.

Ukraine said Russia had attacked it overnight with 46 drones, of which 38 were destroyed.

The drone attacks on Russia damaged highrise apartment buildings in the Ramenskoye district of the Moscow region, setting flats on fire, residents told Reuters.

Drones increasingly used by both sides

A 46-year-old woman was killed and three people were wounded in Ramenskoye, Moscow regional Gov. Andrei Vorobyov said.

Residents said they awoke to blasts and fire.

"I looked at the window and saw a ball of fire," Alexander Li, a resident of the district, told Reuters. "The window got blown out by the shockwave."

Georgy, a resident who declined to give his surname, said he heard a drone buzzing outside his building in the early hours.

"I drew back the curtain and it hit the building right before my eyes. I saw it all," he said. "I took my family and we ran outside."

The Ramenskoye district, some 50 kilometres southeast of the Kremlin, has a population of around a quarter of a million people.

More than 70 drones were also downed over Russia's Bryansk region and tens more over other regions, Russia's Defence Ministry said. There were no damage or casualties reported there.

As Russia advances in eastern Ukraine, Kyiv has taken the war to Russia with a cross-border attack into Russia's western Kursk region that began on Aug. 6 and by carrying out increasingly large drone attacks deep into Russian territory.

The war has largely been a grinding artillery and drone war along the 1,000-km heavily fortified front line in southern and eastern Ukraine involving hundreds of thousands of soldiers.

Moscow and Kyiv have both sought to buy and develop new drones, deploy them in innovative ways and seek new ways to destroy them — from using shotguns to advanced electronic jamming systems.

Both sides have turned cheap commercial drones into deadly weapons while ramping up their own production and assembly to attack targets including tanks and energy infrastructure such as refineries and airfields.

WATCH | Breaking down Canada's latest contribution to Ukraine war effort:

Canada sending Ukraine rocket motors, spare parts in latest aid package

4 days ago

Duration 4:25

Canada is donating tens of thousands of rocket motors, a handful of surplus warheads and the decommissioned chassis of nearly 100 armoured vehicles to Ukraine as part of its latest military support package.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has sought to insulate Moscow from the grinding rigours of the war, has called Ukrainian drone attacks that target civilian infrastructure such as nuclear power plants "terrorism" and has vowed a response.

Moscow and other big Russian cities have largely been insulated from the war.

Russia itself has hit Ukraine with thousands of missiles and drones in the last two-and-a-half years, killing thousands of civilians, wrecking much of the country's energy system, and damaging commercial and residential properties across the country.

Ukraine says it has a right to strike back deep into Russia, though Kyiv's Western backers have said they do not want a direct confrontation between Russia and the U.S.-led NATO military alliance.

There was no immediate comment from Ukraine about Tuesday's attacks. Both sides deny targeting civilians.

Crystal Tommy stopped to get a coffee at a 7-Eleven in Smithers, B.C., one early spring morning in 2018.

As she walked across the the convenience store's parking lot she tripped on a pothole, twisting her ankle and breaking it in three places — leading to years of health issues, according to a B.C. Supreme Court decision.

That decision ordered 7-Eleven Canada to pay Tommy, 37, about $907,000 in damages, with a judge finding the company liable for causing her injuries and the consequences of those injuries.

"Ms. Tommy is likely my bravest client," her lawyer Tyler Dennis wrote in a statement to CBC News. "This decision reinforces the principle that corporations, including major retailers like 7-Eleven, must be diligent in maintaining safe premises."

7-Eleven has denied liability for the incident and disputed Tommy's claims for damages. The company and its lawyer did not respond to requests for comment from CBC News.

The incident

Before the incident, Tommy had an active lifestyle and worked at a plant nursery, a physically demanding job that required lifting, planting and organizing 20 to 50 pounds of seedling trees for reforestation projects, according to B.C. Supreme Court Justice Emily Burke.

The ruling said on the morning the incident occurred, Tommy and her co-workers stopped in at 7-Eleven on their way to work in Smithers, a town about 670 kilometres north of Vancouver. 

After her fall, Tommy was taken to hospital where her foot was placed in a cast, before she began using an air boot for several weeks. 

But when the air boot was removed her ankle was swollen and she was unable to return to normal activity for months after the incident, according to Burke.

Tommy missed several months from work but returned in late 2018, according to the ruling. 

2nd fall

But on Christmas Day that year she had another fall, it said: After Christmas dinner at her mother's home, Tommy slipped down the outside stairs of the home and hit her back on the corner of the porch.

White Tommy testified that there was fresh snow, she said she was still limping from her earlier injury and her hips had become painful, which made it difficult to walk. Tommy said the pain started in the two to three months after her ankle injury.

Then in 2021, Tommy was in a car accident, according to the ruling. 

As she was driving one of her dogs to the vet, her vehicle slipped on black ice. She lost control and the car went into a ditch, the decision said. 

Tommy testified that she had gained weight after the 2018 incident due to her initial immobility and inability to resume her previous activities.

"Her stomach hit the steering wheel leading to a hernia. This required an operation in 2023. In addition, she had another surgery in 2023 to deal with an ovarian cyst, all of which created healing complications," Burke said.

Tommy had stopped working by late 2022 and in doing so lost her social connections there, which has taken a toll on her mental health, according to the ruling.

She sued 7-Eleven for future damages as she's expected to heal from surgical issues some time in the spring of 2026.

7-Eleven denies liability

7-Eleven Canada denied liability for the parking lot incident and the Christmas Day fall. The company maintained during the civil trial that Tommy didn't establish either injury was caused by or contributed to by 7-Eleven.

The company first argued it wasn't liable because the vehicle Tommy was riding in was parked over the pothole, but the judge found that it was not. 7-Eleven also argued the pothole wasn't deep and that the property "was reasonably safe for use."

But Burke said Tommy was "clear in her evidence that she fell down after tripping and twisting her ankle in a pothole that she had not seen," noting that Tommy's "testimony was not shaken on cross-examination."

To show it wasn't negligent, 7-Eleven had to provide evidence it had a "reasonable system of inspection and maintenance in place and evidence that the system was being followed at the time of the accident," Burke said.

7-Eleven's asset protection specialist, who is responsible for 300 7-Eleven stories in B.C., testified that each employee must take an online safety course and complete a five-question questionnaire, which included a section on "slips, trips and falls: exterior hazards."

But Burke found the company did not have any consequences for employees who don't complete the course. The company said it now asks employees to take the course, according to Burke.

Taking into consideration Tommy's health issues, Burke awarded her, among other damages, $494,000 for future loss of income, $175,000 for pain and suffering, $171,863 for future loss of housekeeping and $39,000 for past housekeeping.

Nancy Le, 25, has been using facial sunscreens since she was a teenager. But unlike people who buy sunscreen from stores, the Vancouver nursing student is one of many who use online retailers.

That's because the sunscreen she uses, which is made in Asia, contains ingredients that aren't approved by Health Canada.

"The other sunscreens that I tend to like that are available here in Canada, they tend to be a little bit more expensive. So I find even drugstore brands ... it's going to be at least $30," she said.

These days, she uses a Korean-based brand that works as a moisturizer and sunscreen.

"When it's on sale, it costs me $10 a bottle," Le said. "And with sunscreen, you are recommended to reapply it every two hours, especially if you're in the sun. And with the amount that you're using, it can really add up."

She's not alone.

Asian sunscreens have become all the rage online — particularly among those interested in skin care — but Health Canada has not approved them, leaving consumers looking for those products to purchase them online or overseas.

"I first learned more about [sunscreens from Asia when] I was more into the beauty [YouTube] channels ... And a lot of the influencers that I was watching at the time were based in Asia. So these were a lot more accessible to them," Le said.

Korean-based skin care company Beauty of Joseon, which is known for its Relief Sun sunscreen, had a nearly 825 per cent increase in Google searches in 2023 compared to the year before in the U.S., according to consumer trend reporting company Spate.

Influencers, dermatologists help drive demand

Korean beauty, or K-beauty, has become a global phenomenon. Products from neighbouring countries such as Japan are also popular overseas. 

South Korea's cosmetics exports to Canada have been steadily rising over the last few years, totalling more than $76 million in 2022, compared to $54 million in 2021, according to data from the United Nations Comtrade database on international trade.

Beauty product stores across North America, such as Sephora, have sections dedicated to K-beauty products. Even some smaller retailers, such as Sukoshi Mart in Toronto, have dedicated sections of skin care and cosmetics imported mostly from East Asia. 

Social media platforms such as TikTok may also be contributing to the hype.

TikTok growth data from Spate shows top K-beauty skin care brands such as SKIN1004, with the related hashtag #koreansunscreen, garnering nearly four million views weekly in March alone this year.

There have also been millions of views of videos with dermatologists talking about sunscreens from Asia.

"The last I would say probably five [to] six years, especially with the popularity of social media platforms like TikTok, it's really given an avenue for … the average individual in society to be able to share their thoughts and perspectives on products that they can buy either locally or abroad when they're travelling," said Dr. Monica Li, founder of Vancouver Skin MD clinic and a clinical assistant professor with the department of dermatology and skin science at the University of British Columbia.

Why are these products so popular?

Changing demographics in North America are also contributing to the rise in popularity here of sunscreens from Asia, according to Li.

"We see it in our practices and medical practices where we're now caring for patients really of the entire skin spectrum of different skin tones, different racial ethnic backgrounds."

The rise of e-commerce also plays a factor in driving the buzz, Li said.

WATCH | Why anti-sunscreen messages are concerning: 

N.S. dermatologist finds growing anti-sunscreen claims concerning

3 months ago

Duration 3:16

Some TikTok users have recently been advocating for people to avoid using sunscreen. Watch Amy Smith's interview with Halifax dermatologist Dr. Kerri Purdy about the worrisome trend.

Le has tried facial sunscreen products from the drugstore and found them uncomfortable and too thick on her skin. 

"Sometimes, it had a white cast. So when I first tried Asian sunscreens, I actually received it through a sample when I was purchasing other things. And I found the texture was really comfortable, and it was something I could realistically see myself wearing every day."

Others on social media have also noted the hydrating texture and lack of white cast when using some sunscreens from Asia.

Why aren't they available on Canadian store shelves?

In Canada, sunscreens are classified as either a non-prescription drug or natural health product — depending on the ingredients they contain.

Most sunscreens from Asia would be considered under the non-prescription drug category because of their ingredients.

Health Canada follows what's called primary and secondary sunscreen monographs, which include a list of what ingredients are allowed and their concentrations.

If a product complies with the list of ingredients entirely, no additional safety or efficacy information is needed, but if there are ingredients that aren't on the monograph, companies must apply for market authorization.

"Health Canada has developed these monographs after an in-depth review of the available evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of various ingredients," said Marie-Pier Burelle, a media relations adviser at Health Canada.

The federal department said that it hasn't evaluated a submission supporting the safety and efficacy of several of the ingredients found internationally, and as a result, there aren't any products approved with these ingredients.

Some ingredients that are used in the most popular sunscreen products from Asia include ethylhexyl triazone, which some say provides a high amount of protection from the sun's UVB rays. In other international markets, it can be used, but it's not approved for sunscreens in the U.S. and Canada.

Health Canada advises consumers to only purchase health products that are approved for sale within the country because they have deemed to be safe, effective and high quality. 

It says a product containing an ingredient not approved by c is considered an unauthorized health product and that selling them is illegal in the country.

Site visits and seizures

Some steps the department said it takes when it finds an unauthorized product being sold include compliance letters, site visits and seizures. 

In the absence of that authorization, many Canadian consumers have turned elsewhere for their sunscreen products, seeking them out on specialized sites dedicated to Asian beauty products and skin care or e-commerce marketplaces such as Amazon or eBay.

"Of course, there's lots of different layers when it comes to sunscreen ingredient regulation and approval," Li said.

"We actually have a lot more [sun] filters, both chemical and mineral, compared to what our neighbours in the south have."

In North America, sunscreens show SPF (or sun protection factor) levels. 

SPF levels indicate protection against UVB rays, but the sun also emits UVA rays, which can penetrate fully through windows of a car or a house and are also implicated in skin cancer development, said Li.

In Asia, sunscreens are described through the PA system (Protection Grade of UVA), which includes the + symbol as an indication of protection against UVA rays. For example, PA+ would indicate some UVA protection and PA++++ would indicate extremely high UVA protection.

Outside the U.S., sunscreens that target protection against UVA rays include ingredients Mexoryl SX , Mexoryl XL, Tinosorb M or Tinosorb S (also known as bemotrizinol), Ohio-based dermatologist Dr. Angela Casey said in an online blog.

Casey said those ingredients provide superior UVA protection for the skin but not all of them are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

"[Bemotrizinol] is something that has been safe and hence why it's been used in the European market and in the Asian market to some extent for many years without any reported post-marketing or consumer reports of any issues," Li said.

Online forums such as r/CanSkincare on Reddit contain many posts of people asking where in Canada to purchase sunscreens from Asia.

Le said she uses a trusted website that originally started as a seller on EBay back when Asian sunscreen products weren't as accessible online.

"A lot of my friends use Asian sunscreens as well. So, I just get their opinion when it comes to authenticity," Le said. "I know the websites I use are authorized sellers of the brands that I like."

So, what's the best sunscreen for you?

Sunscreen products are not a one-size-fits-all situation, Li said.

"Maybe the texture, maybe it's the feel, maybe it's the smell. There's different characteristics of a product that from a sensorial standpoint may not be the one that works for everyone."

But one thing she does recommend is talking to a family doctor or dermatologist if you have questions.

LISTEN | A dermatologist shares facts about SPF: 

The Current14:59Dermatologist dispels dangerous myths about sunscreen

Dangerous misinformation about sunscreen is spreading on social media, even as rates of skin cancer continue to rise. Dermatologist Dr. Sunil Kalia applies the facts about SPF.

And, according to Li, the best sunscreen at the end of the day is the one that you would use on a daily basis with adequate amounts.

Health Canada says it has no plans to update the sunscreen monographs.

It says ingredients submitted for approval of use would need to include information that demonstrates their safe use on humans. 

Some skin care retailers have expressed their frustration on TikTok with not being able to sell sunscreens from Asia.

While Health Canada didn't clarify when the monograph has been last updated, a document on its website indicates the monograph was last modified in 2012.

Le said she would love to see more filters being approved here and Asian sunscreens to be more accessible.

"I know for a lot of people, the reason that they refuse to wear sunscreen is because they don't find it comfortable and doesn't fit into their lifestyle." 

She thinks having more options would promote the use of sunscreens among the general public.

"I believe if those filters are available for them to formulate, then not only are we going to have Asian sunscreens, but we're going to have a much wider variety of sunscreens even among Western brands."