In the news today: Barber defence to make final arguments

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed…

Barber defence to make final arguments

The criminal mischief trial of two prominent “Freedom Convoy” organizers is prepared to hear final arguments from the defence today.

The Crown alleges Tamara Lich and Chris Barber worked in concert to cause weeks of criminal disruptions in Ottawa to put pressure on government to change pandemic policy.

They were among several organizers of the protest who sought to fight vaccine mandates by demonstrating in the capital in 2022.

Lich and Barber are facing charges of mischief, intimidation and counselling others to break the law for their role in the three-week demonstration.

The court is expected to hear from Barber’s legal team next.

Here’s what else we’re watching…

Former Slave Lake mayor offers advice for Jasper

The former mayor of a northern Alberta town ravaged by wildfire more than a decade ago says community ties will be key as Jasper, Alta., recovers from the blaze that swept through last month.

Wildfires destroyed 358 homes and businesses in the Rocky Mountain tourist hot spot three weeks ago, totalling an estimated $283 million in lost property value.

Dr. Karina Pillay, who was Slave Lake’s mayor from 2004 until 2013, says there’s a strong sense of community in Jasper and the residents should learn into that.

In 2011, the toll on Slave Lake, Alta., about 250 kilometres northwest of Edmonton, was of a similar scale. A recklessly or deliberately set wildfire wiped out more than 500 homes and businesses, as well as the town hall, library and two churches.

Pillay advises Jasper’s elected officials and administrators to bring in external support staff and mental health resources — an essential part of the day-to-day recovery in the aftermath of the Slave Lake fire.

For example, Pillay said she had two trauma-trained professionals who would check on her throughout the rebuilding process.

Tree known as dangerous before firefighter’s death

A report from British Columbia’s worker safety agency says the potential dangers of a burning cedar tree were identified but not acted upon before it fell, killing a young wildland firefighter and injuring two others last summer.

WorkSafeBC’s 21-page incident investigation report highlighted ineffective hazard management, inadequate supervision, training and orientation of young workers, unsafe work procedures and normalization of risk.

Nineteen-year-old Devyn Gale was killed when a burning tree struck her while she was fighting a wildfire northeast of Revelstoke last July.

“Even though the hazard of the burning cedar was reported, no actions were taken to eliminate or mitigate the risks,” said the report dated July 2, 2024. “This contravenes regulatory requirements, as well as the procedures outlined in the Wildlife/Dangerous Tree Assessor Course, the fire crew training standard and (BC Wildfire Service’s) safe work procedures.”

Premier David Eby said Wednesday that he directed the BC Wildfire Service to enact reforms identified in the WorkSafeBC report as safety failures in Gale’s death on July 13, 2023.

Family suing province, town for flooding response

The mother of a boy who died during flash flooding in Nova Scotia is suing the province for negligence, in the latest instance of a citizen trying to hold government accountable for alleged failures during a climate disaster.

Tera Sisco, the mother of six-year-old Colton Sisco — who was swept into floodwaters on July 22, 2023 — is the plaintiff in a notice of action filed against the provincial government and West Hants Regional Municipality on July 17.

The lawsuit, which also names Sisco’s father and grandparents as beneficiaries of the action, doesn’t specify the amount of financial compensation sought.

In a written statement on Tuesday, the mother said she hoped the legal action would allow her to “pursue answers” about what happened. “This next step is hopefully one way to openly learn, educate and better protect those within our province,” she wrote.

How Listeria cases in Ontario revealed a bigger outbreak

The Public Health Agency of Canada says it was only after multiple Listeria cases emerged in Ontario in June that it recognized a broader outbreak that had started back in August 2023.

Questions have swirled around why it took nearly a year for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to announce a national recall of several Silk and Great Value plant-based milk products on July 8.

The federal agency says it became aware of two genetically related listeriosis cases — the illness caused by Listeria bacteria — in September 2023, but knew of no common food exposure.

PHAC spokesperson Anna Maddison says it was only when several cases in Ontario were reported in June 2024 and a provincial investigation was launched that the connection was made.

There have been three deaths in Ontario linked to the outbreak, which has also infected individuals in Quebec, Nova Scotia and Alberta.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published August 14, 2024.

The Canadian Press