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.
O'Toole's lawyer has filed a letter with the court saying the leader of the official Opposition has a significant interest and distinct perspective on the underlying issues raised by the case.
Ottawa will require federal employees, workers in federally regulated industries and many travellers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, marking a shift in the federal government's position on vaccine mandates.
The 2018 arrest of Meng, who is the Chinese telecom company's chief financial officer, embroiled Canada in a bitter dispute between the United States and China.
The Canadian government on Monday, August 9th, amended the travel restrictions allowing all Americans who are fully vaccinated to enter Canada. The company expects to welcome American visitors at this time.
The area will be home to three future SkyTrain stations, including 152 Street, 160 Street and 166 Street. The plan will support the extension of the Expo Line SkyTrain to Langley and will better connect Fleetwood with the rest of Surrey and the Lower Mainland.
