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.
The statements for Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Howe Sound and the Sunshine Coast say rainfall amounts of 75 to 120 millimetres is on the way Saturday evening and will continue through to Monday.
Canada's environment minister says he thinks fossil fuel subsidies should be eliminated as United Nations negotiators wrestle over a final text in the closing hours of the Glasgow climate talks. Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault says the subsidies should be phased out with a timeline.
Surrey RCMP has arrested a 28-year old man, who is alleged to have robbed the same Whalley bank twice, only weeks apart. On October 16, 2021, Surrey RCMP received a report of a bank robbery in 10200-block of King George Boulevard. The suspect fled with cash prior to police arrival.
Police believe there may have been other customers in the restaurant who witnessed the theft. Witnesses were unable to get a description of the suspect but believe he was wearing a hooded sweatshirt.
There are currently 4,321 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 203,909 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 404 individuals are currently in hospital and 117 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.
Brar, who was first elected in 2004 and was re-elected in 2005, 2009, 2017 and 2020, will begin serving in this leadership role at the end of the fall legislative sitting.
