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 report released by Defence Minister Anita Anand this morning also takes the military to task for not doing enough to address racism and discrimination over the past two decades.
Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services says in a news release that the body was located during demolition of the low-income hotel, destroyed by a blaze on April 11. In the days after the fire, the property manager had said it was believed all residents had escaped.
Karanveer Sahota, a Grade 10 student at McNally High School, was waiting for a bus on the afternoon of April 8 when he was assaulted at around 2:44pm. According to Edmonton police, Sahota and the 7 accused were known to each other.
More electric vehicles will be eligible for rebates as the federal government raises the maximum qualifying price starting next week. Transport Minister Omar Alghabra says as of Monday, cars with a base price of $55,000 and maximum price with options of $65,000 can get the rebate.
Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said Friday that beginning this summer, graduates with work permits that expire in 2022 will qualify for an extension of up to 18 months.
A flatbed truck was attempting to cross the train tracks when the back of the flatbed was struck by an Eastbound train. The impact of the train colliding with the truck resulted the truck striking the SUV that was attempting to cross the tracks in the opposite direction, trapping the driver inside the SUV.
