Ottawa, June 24 (IANS) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has denied meddling in an investigation into the 2020 mass shooting, the worst the country's history.
Brenda Lucki, head of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), has been accused of pressuring local officers to help advance Trudeau's gun control plans, the BBC quoted the Halifax Examiner as saying, which was the first to report on the development.
According to the Halifax Examiner, the accusation stemmed from notes made by a local RCMP officer, released as part of a public investigation into the mass shooting on April 18-19, 2020, during which a gunman posing as a police officer killed 22 people in Nova Scotia.
The suspect died in a stand-off with police.
Addressing reporters on Thursday, Trudeau said that his government "did not put any undo influence or pressure" on police.
"It is extremely important to highlight that it is only the RCMP, it is only police that determine what and when to release information," the BBC quoted the Prime Minister as saying.
Denying the accusations, Commissioner Lucki said in a statement released on Tuesday that information sharing between the federal government and police is normal during a high-profile event such as a mass shooting.
The RCMP chief however acknowledged that she "should have been more sensitive" in her approach.
Canada's opposition Conservative Party has called for a debate in the House of Commons, and a parliamentary committee voted on Thursday to hold a hearing into the matter.
In the wake of the deadliest rampage in Canadian history, Prime Minister Trudeau in May 2020 announced an immediate ban on the sale, transportation, importation, or use of some 1,500 makes and models of "military-grade assault-style" weapons.
A barge that had been the subject of jokes and the star of many photos after becoming stuck on a popular Vancouver beach during a severe storm in November is on its way out. The City of Vancouver says a process is underway to remove the grounded barge from English Bay by taking it apart in pieces.
Municipal Affairs Minister Josie Osborne says all of village's records and backup servers were lost in last summer's wildfire and the content of many of its bylaws are unknown. The government also announced $8.3 million in funding to support ongoing operations and recovery for the village.
Upon attendance, Surrey Fire Service quickly extinguished a fire located in the hallway of the building. Thankfully no injuries were reported, however it appears these fires were intentionally lit.
Nine contracts have been awarded for technical and engineering expertise to support the Province’s delivery of the Highway 99 Tunnel Program to replace the Massey Tunnel, which will improve mobility along the corridor between Richmond and Delta.
Gov. Gen. Mary Simon says in a statement on Twitter that she tested positive Wednesday morning and is experiencing mild symptoms. Simon says she will continue to self-isolate and take some time to rest in the coming days.
Lisa Lapointe said 2,224 suspected overdose deaths were recorded in the province in 2021, a 26 per cent rise over the previous year. There were 215 deaths in December, five more than in November.
