B.C. court blocks new law against public drug use warning of 'irreparable harm'
CTV
The British Columbia Supreme Court has blocked new provincial laws against public consumption of illegal substances.
The British Columbia Supreme Court has blocked new provincial laws against public consumption of illegal substances.
The ruling in favour of the Harm Reduction Nurses Association imposes a temporary injunction until March 31, with the judge saying “irreparable harm will be caused” if the laws come into force.
The Restricting Public Consumption of Illegal Substances Act was passed by the legislature in November, allowing fines and imprisonment for people who refuse to comply with police orders not to consume drugs in certain public places.
The nurses association argued the act, which has yet to come into effect, would violate the Canadian Charter in various ways if enforced.
But Chief Justice Christopher Hinkson said in his ruling issued Friday that it was unnecessary to turn to those arguments, since the “balance of convenience” and the risk of irreparable harm weighed in the plaintiff's favour.
“I accept that lone drug use may be particularly dangerous due to an absence or a diminished degree of support in the event of an overdose,” Hinkson's ruling says.
“When people are isolated and out of sight, they are at a much higher risk of dying from an unreversed overdose.”
Ontario chief justice rejects calls for judge to apologize to Toronto cops accused of lying at trial
The head of the Ontario Superior Court says it would be “inappropriate and unethical” for a judge to apologize after she accused three Toronto cops of lying during a 2024 high-profile murder trial, despite calls from the premier and head of the police union to do so.
St. Thomas police were on scene as part of an active fraud-related criminal investigation.
Ontario is moving to outlaw the resale of tickets for more than their original value, following through on legislation hat was promised after a string of in-demand events in Toronto saw ticket resale prices skyrocket out of reach for many.
The City of Montreal has announced a series of measures to address bad road conditions and “adopt a new approach to prevent future potholes.”
Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for Ottawa, calling for snow to be “heavy at times.” Ottawa could see 5-10 cm of snow today.
Residents in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia are on high alert this morning as rising floodwaters threaten to force them from their homes while officials warn of landslides and power outages.
March 20th marks the first official day of spring, bringing more hours of daylight and warmer weather.
March 20th marks the first official day of spring, bringing more hours of daylight and warmer weather.
Ontario is moving to outlaw the resale of tickets for more than their original value, following through on legislation hat was promised after a string of in-demand events in Toronto saw ticket resale prices skyrocket out of reach for many.
A former executive director of the Manitoba Lacrosse Association is suing the organization, alleging wrongful dismissal, repeated harassment, and discrimination tied to his mental health.
It doesn’t matter how their own season has gone this year, the Florida Panthers weren’t going to miss out on a chance to cause the Edmonton Oilers further misery.
Calgary police say they’ve been pursuing charges connected with a series of extortion attempts and border officials are close to ordering several suspects out of Canada.
Londoners will want to keep an umbrella handy for the first day of spring as a mix of rain, gusty winds and cooler temperatures move through the region.