CANADA

Demonstrators wouldn't leave as police moved in on 'Freedom Convoy,' court hears




OTTAWA — A member of the Quebec provincial police force says protesters were resistant to clearing the street along Parliament Hill during a large operation to dislodge the "Freedom Convoy" last year.

Capt. Etienne Martel with Sûreté du Québec took the stand through a French interpreter in the criminal trial of Tamara Lich and Chris Barber, who are facing charges related to their role in the 2022 protest.

The demonstration blockaded streets and intersections around Ottawa for three weeks in protest against COVID-19 public-health restrictions, vaccine mandates and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government.

Martel says his officers were part of a line of police that moved slowly down Wellington Street in crowd control gear on Feb. 18 to try to disperse demonstrators.

He says they barely managed to move 150 meters over the course of many hours because the crowds would not leave, though they were not violent.

The Crown hopes to prove that Lich and Barber encouraged crowds to "hold the line" as police ordered protesters to leave the area around Parliament Hill.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2023.

Convoy trial as contentious as trucker protests themselves


CBC
Mon, September 18, 2023 

Freedom Convoy organizers Tamara Lich and Chris Barber wait for the Public Order Emergency Commission to begin Nov. 1, 2022 in Ottawa. 

(Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press - image credit)

A fruit-fly-infested courtroom with shoddy technology, a nagging fluorescent light blinking in the corner and a fluctuating crowd of "Freedom Convoy" supporters have been part of the setting of the first eight days of the highly-anticipated trial of protest leaders Tamara Lich and Chris Barber.

Outside the courthouse, a dedicated group of supporters for the two leaders of protests that blockaded large swaths of downtown Ottawa in February 2022 gathers each day with signs saying things like, "Free Tamara."

As expected there hasn't been much debating what happened, or the roles the two played in organizing what came to be known as the "Freedom Convoy" — their actions were well-documented, often by themselves on their own social media feeds that exploded in popularity as the protests grew.

But that hasn't made the trial any less contentious.

Like the convoy itself, there is a significant wedge between how the protest was and is perceived and whether the actions of Lich and Barber are criminal.

Lich, Barber 'crossed the line': Crown

During opening statements at the Ontario Court of Justice in Ottawa, Crown lawyer Tim Radcliffe said the case is not about Lich and Barber's political views, but instead how they "crossed the line" in committing the crimes they're accused of.

Crown lawyers are arguing the protest was anything but peaceful and have spent the first two weeks of trial introducing evidence showing as much: videos and posts from the convoy with police witnesses guiding the court through that material.

Insp. Russell Lucas, the incident commander managing the convoy's impacts, told the court the number of people and vehicles in the downtown core "exceeded expectations."

Protesters were approved to park on Wellington Street in front of Parliament, he said, because "that's where they wanted to be, that's the epicentre."

But he said police soon realized protesters weren't going to leave.

Resources were "stretched so thin" and crowds were becoming more "volatile" as the convoy lingered with officers more likely to be "swarmed" in attempts to take any enforcement action.

Chris Barber, third from right in plaid, walks into the Ottawa Courthouse Sept. 5, 2023, the day his trial began.

Chris Barber, third from right in plaid, walks into the Ottawa Courthouse Sept. 5, 2023, the day his trial began. (Francis Ferland/CBC)

In a Feb. 14 press conference shown to the court, Lich promised the protest would stay peaceful even as the federal government was preparing to use the Emergencies Act to clear the streets.

"No matter what you do, we will hold the line," Lich said in the video.

Crown prosecutors are relying on the videos to help them demonstrate Lich and Barber had control and influence over the protest in their capacity as leaders.

The videos are being used as examples of instances where Lich appears to be encouraging supporters to stay in Ottawa despite being told by police to leave.

That includes when Lich again told protesters to "hold the line" as she was being led away in police handcuffs on Feb. 17, three days after the Emergencies Act had been invoked.

A major police operation to clear the streets of protestors entirely began the following morning.

A video filmed on the eve of her being taken into custody shows a tearful Lich predicting her pending arrest as she describes an expectation of being sent somewhere with "three squares a day."

In the video she tells her supporters to "keep fighting the good fight" and encourages them to come to Ottawa and "stand with us."

In another video taken from Barber's TikTok account, he told truckers to "grab that horn switch" and "let it roll as long as possible" if police tried to dislodge them.

In another TikTok video posted on Feb. 9, he tells supporters that if a trucker is arrested and ordered to leave the city, they will be replaced "with three new truckers."

A court sketch of Ottawa truck convoy organizers Chris Barber, left, and Tamara Lich, right, from their appearance Sept. 5, 2023.

A court sketch of Ottawa truck convoy organizers Chris Barber, left, and Tamara Lich, right, from their appearance Sept. 5, 2023. (Lauren Foster-MacLeod/CBC)

Defence showing 'other side' of Freedom Convoy

Lich and Barber maintain the protests were organized to end COVID-19 mandates, and defence lawyers are introducing their own videos showing a more peaceful side of the convoy.

Despite the disdain felt by Ottawa residents and others who followed along, the reality is that for many, the protests invoke only positive memories: A downtown core filled with peace, love and unity — bouncy castles, pig roasts and street hockey included.

And while prosecutors are able to point to instances of Barber and Lich urging supporters on, the two were also consistent in telling their followers to remain peaceful.

In one video, recorded as Lich was making her way to Ottawa, she tells her supporters being violent or threatening is "not our mandate."

"This is about your rights and freedoms, and we're not here to be violent or anything like that," she said.

In another, she tells her viewers anyone caught breaking the law or promoting violence will be reported to the police.

Diane Magas, counsel for Barber, said presenting those videos was to show the judge circumstances and context.

The defence is also trying to demonstrate the popular refrain "hold the line" could be interpreted differently by different people, and didn't necessarily act as a call to supporters to continue protesting.

Magas showed a video of former Newfoundland premier Brian Peckford, who talks about the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Peckford is the only living first minister who was involved in the agreement to repatriate and update the Canadian Constitution in the early 1980s, and came to Ottawa supporting protesters.

He uses the phrase "hold the line" in a speech given during the trucker protests.

"We're going to be arguing that there's inferences of lawful protesting behind those words for the former premier," she said.

The trial for convoy protest organizers Tamara Lich, centre, and Chris Barber (not pictured, begins on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023 in Ottawa. The trial is expected to last about 16 days.

Tamara Lich, centre, and her lawyer outside court. (Francis Ferland/Radio-Canada)

Accused in court each day

Barber and Lich have sat in court each day behind their team of lawyers.

They are facing charges that include mischief, counselling others to commit mischief, intimidation and obstructing police for their role in the weeks-long protest.

Lich, dressed impeccably each day with a unique style, is more likely to directly engage her counsel and stand with her lawyers as they discuss strategy during breaks. She spends most of the breaks smoking cigarettes near her hired security, husband and occasionally a supporter. From Medicine Hat, Alta., Lich will turn 51 this week.

She's already spent 49 days in jail spread across two stints: the first when she was initially arrested, then again after she was picked up on a Canada-wide warrant for violating her bail conditions.

Barber, in an endless supply of plaid shirts, arrives each day with his wife and dutifully watches the proceedings, sometimes jotting notes into a notepad. A 48-year-old trucker, Barber was released shortly after his arrest and returned to his home in Swift Current, Sask.

Trial expecting further delays

The prosecution is expected to introduce around 22 witnesses and hours of video as part of its case. Originally scheduled to take 10 days, the Crown is still working its way through its first few witnesses after eight days of sitting and it's likely additional court dates will be needed.

More police officers, city leadership and people who lived and worked downtown during the protests could all end up testifying.

But at times the trial has ground to a near-halt as lawyers argue over things like the admissibility of evidence or whether certain witnesses will be able to testify.

The judge-alone trial was originally set to wrap in October after 16 days, but it is likely it will take longer.

The trial continues Monday for its ninth day.

'So many of us don't want to be here': Halifax man living in tent calls for housing solutions


CBC
Mon, September 18, 2023 

Roy Bussey is shown securing his new tent at a Halifax encampment after losing his last one to post-tropical storm Lee.

 (Gareth Hampshire/CBC - image credit)

After spending two nights at a shelter to avoid the wrath of post-tropical storm Lee, Roy Bussey returned to Victoria Park in Halifax on Sunday to find his tent and many of his belongings destroyed.

His time in the shelter at the Captain William Spry Centre in Spryfield, N.S., had provided some temporary relief.

"I didn't have to worry about stuff," he said. "There was food in there."

The province made three temporary shelters available to people living at homeless encampments in Halifax during Lee. Around 90 people stayed at those facilities during the storm, it said.

Bussey and others are calling for more permanent solutions to a growing homelessness crisis in Halifax and housing shortage.

Tents are shown at Victoria Park in Halifax.

Tents are shown at Victoria Park in Halifax on Monday, Sept. 18. (Dave Laughlin/CBC)

The 31-year-old said he has several medical conditions and served two tours of duty in Afghanistan. He said some nights at Victoria Park can be loud. He said there's lots of alcohol and drug use happening, and he's worried about the safety of he and his wife.

"So many of us don't want to be here," he said. "We want our own apartments. Income assistance don't got enough money to give us apartments."

It's a sentiment shared by Lucas Goltz, the program co-ordinator for the downtown Halifax navigator outreach program. He said he has more clients each passing week.

"We have so many people who are on income assistance, they're on disability, that are finding themselves out here because they can't afford anything else in the rental market," he said.

With winter around the corner and a growing homeless population in Halifax, he wants all levels of government to stop pointing fingers at each other and create more "deeply affordable housing."

In a statement, the Department of Community Services said it's working with municipalities and community partners to finalize shelter plans for the winter months.

"There is no question that having additional shelter space is critical to helping people who are unhoused during extreme and cold weather," it said.

Lucas Goltz, the program co-ordinator for Downtown Halifax's navigator outreach program, says he's seeing more and more homeless people each week.

Lucas Goltz, the program co-ordinator for Halifax's downtown navigator outreach program, says he's seeing more homeless people each week. (Dave Laughlin/CBC)

Goltz said that with many people's tents and belongings destroyed because of Lee, he expected he'd be giving out around 30 replacements. As people rebuild, he said there's a feeling of hopelessness and despair.

"'How am I going to dig myself out of this hole that I'm currently in here in an encampment?'" he said.

With a provincewide housing shortage and expensive rents, Bussey said he can't find affordable housing.

For now, he said his plans for winter are to get a 10-person tent and a smaller one to set up inside of it, with the hope it keeps he and his wife warm.

"That's the best way I can do right now," he said.

Norfolk Southern announces details of plan to pay for lost home values because of Ohio derailment

Mon, September 18, 2023 


Norfolk Southern announced new details Monday about its plan to compensate East Palestine residents for lost home values since the fiery derailment disrupted life in the eastern Ohio town in February.

The railroad's program will no doubt be welcomed by some people who want to sell their homes and move away from the town rather than deal with the lingering health worries. But some critics say the railroad should be doing more to address those health concerns instead of worrying so much about economic recovery in the area.

And the details are still tentative because the Ohio Attorney General's office is still negotiating an agreement that will create a long-term fund to compensate homeowners along with two other funds to pay for any health problems or water contamination issues that crop up down the road. The Attorney General's office said it's not clear when those funds will be finalized because of all the unanswered questions at this stage.

Already, the railroad estimates that the cleanup will cost more than $800 million, which includes $74 million that Norfolk Southern has pledged to East Palestine to help the town recover. That total will continue to grow as the cleanup continues, the funds are finalized and various lawsuits move forward. The railroad will also get compensation from its insurers and likely other companies involved in the derailment.

“This is another step in fulfilling our promise to East Palestine to make it right. Norfolk Southern is steadfast in keeping our commitments, including protecting the home values of the community,” said CEO Alan Shaw, who is working to improve safety on the railroad. “This program aims to give homeowners the reassurance they need.”

The new program will pay homeowners in East Palestine and the surrounding area about five miles around the derailment the difference between the appraised market value of their homes and the sale price. But accepting compensation through the program will require homeowners to forego property damage claims they might eventually collect as part of one of the lawsuits against the railroad.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican, praised the railroad for following through on the commitment it made in the spring. “I intend to keep the pressure on Norfolk Southern to make things right for the community,” he said.

JD Vance, one of Ohio's U.S. Senators who proposed a package of railroad safety reforms after the derailment that is still awaiting a vote, said he remains skeptical of Norfolk Southern.

“My expectations that they will deliver on their promises are low,” said Vance, a Republican. “I will continue to hold the railroad and its backers in Congress accountable for the promises they made to Ohioans."

Longtime East Palestine resident Jami Wallace, who still hasn't moved back home since the derailment, said she and the Unity Council group she helps lead are much more focused on residents' health instead of things like home values, even though the government and railroad continue to insist that ongoing tests of the air and water in the area don't show concerning levels of chemicals.

Plus, she said “a lot of our most vulnerable are the people that rent,” so this program to help homeowners won't do much for them.

“Human health should just come first,” Wallace said.

And getting answers to the community's questions about potential health problems is the priority for Wallace, who is frustrated that she has been unable to persuade the EPA to conduct detailed testing inside her home's basement.

Besides, people who have lived in town for generations aren't eager to sell their homes anyway. They just want to know if their homes are safe.

“It’s not just about selling the house and being able to move to another house. We don’t want to move," Wallace said.

Josh Funk, The Associated Press

Canadian seismologists monitoring swarm of earthquakes off British Columbia coast


Robert Mittendorf
Mon, September 18, 2023 

Four moderate earthquakes shook the Pacific Ocean floor off Vancouver Island on Sunday, part of a “swarm” of nearly three dozen tremors over the past week that Canadian seismologists are watching.

No injuries were reported and no tsunami warning was issued for the four largest quakes, which ranged between magnitude 4.1 and 5.6 over a period of five hours early Sunday.

“We are currently monitoring a swarm of earthquakes far off the coast of northern Vancouver Island. There have been more than 30 events since (Thursday), though none have been felt and currently the largest reported magnitude is (5.6),” Earthquakes Canada said online.

Four of the largest quakes were centered about 350 miles northwest of Bellingham.

Seven people filed reports saying that they felt the 5.6 magnitude quake at the U.S. Geological Survey’s website.

A quake of magnitude 5.5 to 6.0 can cause slight damage to buildings, according to the Michigan Technological University Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences.

Only about 350 quakes of that magnitude are recorded worldwide every year, according to Michigan Tech.

Even though the tremors have caught the eye of Canadian seismologists, the head of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network wasn’t too concerned.

A screenshot from the U.S. Geological Survey website show the location of a 5.6 magnitude earthquake with a yellow star, along with dozens of smaller quakes marked with white dots on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023.

“There is no special reason to anticipate that the quakes offshore Vancouver Island are foreshocks to anything, any more than any earthquake has a small chance (about 1 in 20) of being a foreshock to a larger event,” seismologist Harold Tobin told The Bellingham Herald in an email.

“Even if that did transpire in this case, these earthquakes are too far from the Bellingham region to be relevant to (that) area specifically,” Tobin said.

Tobin, a University of Washington seismologist, told The Herald that he’s far more concerned about the chance for a devastating earthquake on the Cascadia subduction zone, an event that would be catastrophic for the Northwest,

“The potential for a giant Cascadia subduction earthquake remains unchanged, in my view — meaning that we always have a chance of one of those and should always be prepared for that possibility. But that’s no different today or in the near future than it was before the most recent moderate quakes,” he said.

CANADA
Backlog of air passenger complaints tops 57,000, hitting new peak




MONTREAL — The backlog of air passenger complaints at Canada’s transport regulator has hit a new high topping 57,000, as dissatisfaction over cancellations and compensation persist three and a half years after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The numbers reveal that an average of more than 3,000 complaints per month have piled up at the Canadian Transportation Agency over the past year, with the current tally well over three times the total from September 2022.

Vancouver residents Chad Kerychuk and Melissa Oei say they are mulling a complaint after they arrived in Halifax six hours later than planned on a flight from their hometown in August 2021 and found themselves separated on board despite buying pricier tickets to select side-by-side spots in advance.

The couple said WestJet has rejected their request for a partial refund.

"More than a year has lapsed since the departure date and the claim period has expired. As such, your claim cannot be approved," WestJet told them in an email.

Kerychuk said the response "feels like a wrong way to treat loyal customers" after years of opting for that carrier over competitors.

"There was no effort made to support us, because we supported them during the pandemic. And I thought that was completely unfair," he said in a phone interview.

The couple's flight was cancelled due to crew delays from an earlier connecting flight and thus "deemed outside of WestJet's control and therefore not eligible for refund," the company said in a statement to The Canadian Press.

"In such circumstances, WestJet will prioritize providing impacted guests with a re-accommodation option to get them to their final destination as fast as possible and unfortunately this can result in an inability to seat guests together."

However, on the scheduled day of departure, WestJet notified customers the disruption was caused by "unplanned maintenance," an exclusion from compensation rules that the federal government says will soon be unavailable to carriers.

In June, the government passed legislation to overhaul Canada’s passenger rights charter, laying out measures to toughen penalties and tighten loopholes around traveller compensation as well as streamline the complaints process.

"There will be no more loopholes where airlines can claim a disruption is caused by something outside of their control for a security reason when it's not," then-transport minister Omar Alghabra told reporters in April.

While most reforms aren’t slated to take effect until Sept. 30, Air Passenger Rights advocacy group president Gabor Lukacs claims the transportation agency could take steps immediately to up the maximum fine for airline violations and kick off consultations on who bears the administrative cost of complaints.

Their rising tally comes as no surprise to him.

"Those soaring numbers show the failure of the government to design regulations which are actually practically enforceable and provide meaningful protection to passengers," Lukacs said.

He pointed to the Air Passenger Protection Regulations, also known as the passenger rights charter, that the government introduced in 2019 — a legal milestone for Canadian travellers, but one that failed to live up to its promise due to loopholes and lack of simplicity, Lukacs said.

"The government adopted a regime which is so complicated, so complex ... that it takes inordinate resources to actually verify eligibility (for compensation)," he said.

He also called out a "dismal record" of enforcement.

"The few fines which are being issued are for low-hanging fruit ... and the CTA has not actually laid the groundwork to issue higher fines."

The transportation agency did not respond to a request for comment Monday.

The amendments to the passenger rights charter allow the regulator to ratchet up the maximum penalty for airline violations to $250,000 — a tenfold increase — and put the regulatory cost of complaints on carriers. In theory, that measure gives airlines an incentive to brush up their service and thus reduce the number of grievances against them.

Since April 1, 2022, WestJet has received nine fines from the Canadian Transportation Agency amounting to $280,580 for various breaches, according to data on the quasi-judicial body's website.

Of that amount, nearly $124,000 stems from failing to "provide the prescribed compensation requested by passenger or an explanation as to why compensation is not payable, within 30 days after the day on which it received the request," the contravention notices state.

The agency has slapped Air Canada with six penalties — only one pertaining directly to compensation — totalling $82,650 since April 1, 2022. Its revenue in the 15 months after that date totalled $24.3 billion.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2023.

Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press

Canadian Grocery CEOs meet with federal ministers, agree to work to stabilize food prices

OTTAWA — Top executives from Canada's major grocery chains have agreed to work with the federal government on stabilizing prices, Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said on Monday, but few details have been divulged about how that will be achieved.

Champagne and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland met with executives from Loblaw, Metro, Empire, Walmart and Costco on Monday morning.

"They have agreed to support the government of Canada in our efforts to stabilize food prices in Canada," Champagnetold reporters after the meeting.

Calling the meetings historic and constructive, the industry ministersaid he told the grocery CEOs "in no uncertain terms" that Canadians expect them to take action.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced last week that Ottawa is asking major Canadian grocers to come up with a plan by Thanksgiving to stabilize prices. Trudeau warned that if the plan is not good enough, the federal government will take further action — and it is not ruling anything out, including tax measures.

Speaking to reporters Monday afternoon, Trudeau reiterated the federal government is going to make sure the major grocers have a plan.

"Food is too expensive for too many families and (grocers are) making record profits," Trudeau said.

However, the Liberals haven't indicated what they would like to see the grocers do or how these chains could bring stability to grocery prices.

Instead, Champagne said in French that he wants the grocers to come up with their own individual plans, so as to protect competition.

"Now you want to let them compete against each other so Canadians can see the benefits of competition," he said.

Champagne is expected to meet with other segments of the food industry as well to talk about rapidly rising prices.

Canada's largest grocers have been under intense scrutiny as prices continue to skyrocket while some of them reap ballooning profits.

Grocery prices rose 8.5 per cent year-over-year in July, showing a slight easing of price growth but still running much hotter than overall inflation at 3.3 per cent.

But the industry has pushed back on the idea that they're to blame for high grocery prices.

The Retail Council of Canada said in a statement last week that grocer prices profits have nothing to do with the rising cost of food, pointing instead to higher costs being passed on from food manufacturers and producers.

Empire CEO Michael Medline told reporters on Monday afternoon the meeting was "very productive," but did not answer questions about whether it will actually lead to lower prices.

Nor would Metro CEO Eric La Flèche.

"We're all committed to finding solutions to stabilize prices and bring down the (consumer price index) on the food side," he said, calling high prices an "industry issue."

When pressed by reporters about whether prices will come down, La Flèche said "prices fluctuate every week in our industry," and noted that the discussions were about consumer packaged goods rather than fresh foods such as produce, dairy and meat.

The other three executives in attendance did not stop to speak with reporters after the meeting.

With affordability concerns top-of-mind for Canadians, the Liberals are looking outside the border for potential solutions to rising grocery prices.

During his news conference, Champagne noted that food inflation is a global issue, and that the government is speaking with its French and British counterparts about how to respond.

The French government reached a three-month agreement with supermarket chains for them to cut prices on hundreds of staples and other foods, which is expected to be extended through the summer. Britain — where food inflation has reached 45-year highs — is discussing a similar move.

Other European countries have mandated price controls for staple foods.

"We've been following what Carrefour has been doing in France, and even shaming in public those who don't want to be part of the solution," said Champagne, adding that if CEOs don't want to co-operate, he will take his message to the grocers' boards.

The federal government is also pursuing changes to the Competition Act that would strengthen the Competition Bureau and give it the power to take action on corporations that work together to stifle consumer choice — specifically citing large grocery stores that have prevented competitors from setting up shop nearby.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh introduced his own private member's bill Monday, which seeks to give more powers to the Competition Bureau to crack down on price gouging by grocery stores while giving them more tools to protect consumers.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2023.

— With files from The Associated Press.

Nojoud Al Mallees and Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press

CANADA

Unifor extends Ford negotiations for 24 hours after receiving "substantive offer"



TORONTO — Unifor and Ford Motor Co. are continuing to negotiate after the union extended a strike deadline by 24 hours.

The union pushed back the deadline that had been set to expire late Monday night after it says it received a "substantive offer" from Ford.

However, the union says its members should continue to maintain strike readiness.

Unifor is negotiating with Ford in hopes of reaching a pattern agreement that serves as the basis for contracts at General Motors and Stellantis.

Ford says it will continue to work collaboratively with the union to create a blueprint for the automotive industry that supports a vibrant and sustainable future in Canada.

Unifor has said it is focused on increasing wages, improving pensions, and securing good jobs in a future set to be dominated by electric vehicles.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2023.

Unifor says likelihood of strike at Ford increasing as deadline approaches



TORONTO — Unifor says the likelihood of a strike at Ford Motor Co. is increasing as the expiry of the current contract approaches without a deal in place.

In a late afternoon Monday update, the union said it was telling its 5,600 members at Ford to be ready for all scenarios, including strike action, when the contract expires at the end of the day.

“Unifor bargaining committees continue to negotiate with Ford Motor Company ahead of the union’s midnight strike deadline," said Unifor national president Lana Payne in a statement.

"While we remain at the table, the likelihood of a strike increases with each passing hour."

Unifor has said it is focused on increasing wages, improving pensions, and securing good jobs in a future set to be dominated by electric vehicles.

The union is negotiating with Ford in hopes of reaching an agreement that can then be used as a blueprint for workers at General Motors and Stellantis.

Unifor members at Ford have voted 98.9 per cent in favour of a strike if the bargaining committee fails to secure a new collective agreement.

The talks continue as autoworkers represented by the United Auto Workers in the United States are on the picket line.

Some 13,000 U.S. autoworkers started striking last week, targeting a plant at each of the Detroit Three automakers.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2023.

Opinion

On Canada Project: '$11,000 is the going rate for a South Asian woman in U.S.'

Our thoughts on the body cam footage of a police officer laughing about the death of a 23 year old woman in Seattle


Samanta Krishnapillai
Mon, September 18, 2023 

Let's talk about Jaahnavi Kandula

On Canada Project is a social advocacy group made up of neighbourhood nerds who are here to dismantle the status quo and champion change in our lives.

—

Let’s talk about what happened to Jaahnavi Kandula

Let’s talk about what happened to Jaahnavi Kandula

Our thoughts about the body cam footage of a police officer laughing about the death of a 23 year old woman in Seattle

ICYMI - Here's what happened and how Canadians are reacting

If you’re Asian, specifically South Asian, you’ve likely seen the chilling and disgusting footage circulating this week. Nearly every major South Asian influencer, organization, and account has talked about this because the video and story depict a horrific blow and callous disregard for human life by police officers.

The Context

There are no words to convey the devastation

As you might know, OCP was founded by Samanta Krishnapillai, a Tamil-Canadian, and is led by both Krishnapillai and Panjabi-Canadian Gina Uppal.

Our team is a diverse group of people, many of whom identify similarly to Kandula.

So our organization is feeling every single moment of that video with deep, full-body grief.

But this is a moment to have an important conversation, so we are going to take a moment to divide this moment in two.

The first is what most people are talking about - the senseless and random death of Jaahnavi Kandula. It’s devastating, unacceptable, and horrific.

The second is the reaction to her death (in the previous clip) by a Police Officer, who is in a leadership role as VP of his union, Officer Daniel Auderer. This reaction and its larger systemic issues is what we’re going to take the time to unpack in this post.

$11,000 is the going rate for a South Asian woman*

To us, as an organization led by two South Asian women, what this incident illustrates is the value of a South Asian woman’s life to a police union in one of America’s most progressive cities.

So what we want people, particularly South Asians born and raised in North America, to sit with is the fact that $11,000 - which isn’t even the cost of a graduate program tuition in Seattle - is the value Officer Auderer and his police buddy on the phone put as the going rate of a South Asian Woman.

It doesn’t matter if Auderer and the union president on the phone were joking or not. That is the value that came to mind for someone who looks like us.

(**according to these Seattle police union leaders)

We are all Jaahnavi

There may be an unconscious urge to separate yourself from Jaahnavi depending on your own power and privilege. “It’s sad, but I’m not - [an international student, in America, a woman, South Asian, etc.,]” - the truth is if you are BIPOC, we are interchangeable in the eyes of power, so you are Jaahnavi.

And the police union's treatment of Jaahnavi’s death isn’t the exception - it’s the rule.

•••

⏩ A reminder ⏬️

The "Me Too" movement seeks to tackle the deep-rooted, systemic problems of sexual harassment and assault. When the response is "Not All Men," it shifts the focus from these larger systemic issues to individual behaviour, effectively sidestepping the core problem. Similarly, knowing or being a 'good' police officer doesn't negate the systemic flaws within the policing system that need addressing.

•••

Our world is upheld by systems of oppression, such as white supremacy, and people who are systemically neglected by these systems can often unwittingly side with the very forces that marginalize them. This is often an unconscious attempt to be perceived as an exception to the societal norms that disadvantage them. Some examples:

• Social Class: Often, middle-class individuals distance themselves from working-class struggles, preferring to align with the wealthier elite. This division weakens the collective power that could be used to challenge injustices, such as labour exploitation.

• Proximity to Privilege: Those who are marginally closer to societal norms of power — like white women, racialised cis-men, or gay white men — sometimes opt to align with the dominant group rather than advocating for broader systemic change. This can also be seen in so-called “model minorities” aligning themselves with ‘whiteness’ rather than Black and Indigenous peoples.

•••

Dear South Asian and other (non-Black and non-Indigenous) people of colour:

Our timelines are covered with people— largely South Asians — who don’t usually talk about police violence, amplifying what happened to Jaahnavi Kandula.

If you’re talking about police violence for the first time, thank you. Thank you for engaging in a discourse that is often incorrectly labeled as ‘too political.’ It’s always scary the first time you do something new, so we want to thank you for taking this first step.

Our invitation to you is to take another step, and another after that. Because this may be your first time, but this has been a conversation that Black and Indigenous people have been leading for decades.

And the uncomfortable truth is that, too often, us “model minority” types use our relative privilege to align with whiteness/white supremacy/proximity-to-power rather than showing up in solidarity with Black and Indigenous peoples — and if we want incidents like what happened to Kandula to stop, we have to support Black and Indigenous peoples.

We are stronger together.

Disrupt the Status Quo (in the family WhatsApp group) Anti-Black and Anti-Indigenous sentiments run rampant in so many of our communities. Disrupt the casual racism and stigma.

If you're like us, and feel a valid sense of urgency to disrupt hate immediately, then join the counterforce against hate and division now by signing up for our Fall cohort of How to Ally at howtoally.ca

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PIGS

'Disgusted beyond words': Canadians react after body cam reveals cop laughed at death of Indian woman

“What happened to #JaahnaviKandula is brutal, inhumane, pathetic. And Seattle PD should be ashamed," one user said.


Imani Walker
·Writer
Mon, September 18, 2023 

A photo of Jaahnavi Kandula is displayed with flowers, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023 in Seattle, at the intersection where she was killed by a Seattle Police officer driving north while responding to a nearby medical incident. A city watchdog agency is investigating after a body-worn camera captured one Seattle Police Department union leader joking with another following the death of a Kandula, who was struck and killed by a police cruiser as she was crossing a street. 

(Ken Lambert/The Seattle Times via AP) 

Canadians are reacting to the death of Jaahnavi Kandula after a Seattle police officer’s body cam revealed the cop laughed and made inappropriate comments about the 23-year-old student who was killed after being hit by another officer’s patrol car.

The incident happened on Jan. 23 but police released the footage last Monday as the city’s police watchdog, the Office of Police Accountability (OPA), investigate.

In the video, officer Daniel Auderer, who is also the vice president of the city’s police union, can be heard confirming Kandula’s death, laughing and saying, “Yeah, just write a check — $11,000. She had limited value.”

According to The Seattle Times, Kevin Dave, the officer who struck and killed Kandula was responding to a call about an overdose. He was driving about 120 km/h when he collided with Kandula, whose body flung over 100 feet (30 metres).

As a drug-recognition officer, Auderer was called to the scene to determine if Dave was under the influence when he crashed into Kandula. It was on a phone call with Mike Solan, the president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild (SPOG), that Auderer can be heard making the controversial comments that some Canadians call “disgusting.”

“Who laughs and makes sick jokes after killing someone?” wrote one Twitter user.

Kandula was expecting to graduate in December with a master’s degree in information systems from the Seattle campus of Northeastern University.

She came to Seattle from Andhra Pradesh, a state in India’s southern coastal region. Relatives told The Seattle Times that Kandula was in the U.S. so she could one day support her mother back home in India.

In Canada, the news of Kandula’s death has shaken South Asian communities, including the South Asian Women’s Centre (SAWC) in Toronto.

In an email to Yahoo News Canada, Kripa Sekhar, SAWC’s executive director wrote, “Jaahnavi Kandula’s death by a policeman is a tragedy, particularly because a cop who is supposed to protect people, we believe has become a perpetrator of the crime. His disdain for Jaahnavi indicates that the lives of racialized women is dispensable. Our deepest sympathies are with the mother of this international student from India. She died in a strange country with no family support. We feel there must be very deep systemic changes to law enforcement that includes behavioural change, attitude and discipline.”

It’s a sentiment that even influencers and some celebrities are echoing. Online, comedian and television host Lilly Singh asked her social media followers to educate themselves about Kandula’s story. Singh explains that the story hits close to home as someone who has witnessed just how hard Indian women work and study in their homeland and even abroad just to make ends meet.

“India has the biggest population in the world. Indian women make up a big population of the world. If we continue to ignore Indian women, we are screwed and at a loss because of this. Too often, South Asian women are dismissed. Whether it’s tragic situations like this or smaller situations.”

As the news circulates, people across the world are expressing their outrage and are demanding justice for Kandula. The hashtags #JusticeforJaahnaviKandula and #IndianLivesMatter are currently making their rounds on social media.

Since Monday, thousands of people around the globe have signed Change.org and Move On petitions addressed to Seattle and Washington elected officials, Washington Governor Jay Inslee, President Joe Biden, White House administration, as well as the Seattle Police Department.

“The Indian community in the entire country and world demand justice for Jaahnavi Kandula, and is asking for the officers to be held accountable. Not only was she mowed down like nothing, but the conversation of the officers after the event are utterly disgraceful and a shame to humanity. We demand that those officers be discharged from their duties, with no pension, and this incident be treated as manslaughter, and prosecuted,” reads the petitions.

“Jaahnavi Kandula is a daughter, a sister, a cousin, a friend and a human being, in addition to being Indian. Unlike what the officer said, Jaahnavi had VALUE, and an UNLIMITED VALUE. Let us stand and raise a voice against such abhorrent thinking, that Brown people have limited value. Despite the professional, social, and financial role played by Indians in the United States, we have not been able to escape racism and inequality many times, and our entire community has still quietly moved on,” the petition page continues.

Since the news broke, Auderer has not made public comments about the incident. The Seattle Police Department said it would not comment until the OPA concludes its investigation.

Seattle mayor aplogises to Indian community over video of policeman laughing after student’s death


Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Sun, September 17, 2023 

Seattle mayor Bruce Harrell reportedly apologised to the members of the Indian community amid outrage over a police officer joking about the death of a university student.

Jaahnavi Kandula, 23, was thrown 100 feet after being hit by the vehicle while on a crosswalk at the Northeastern University Seattle campus in January.

Kevin Dave, the officer responsible, was driving at 74mph in a 25mph zone. The student from India later died that night from her injuries.

"As a Mayor of Seattle, I want you to know that our community is heartbroken and mourns alongside your families, friends and everyone who shared the privilege of knowing Jaahnavi," the mayor wrote in a letter addressed to the student's parents.

"I want to be clear that the comments made by one person does not reflect the feelings of our city or the communities that call it home," he added.

The police force faced backlash after a bodycam video made public earlier this week showed officer Daniel Auderer, who was dispatched to the crash scene, describing the incident and laughing.

“No, it’s a regular person – yeah, yeah, just write a check. $11,000. She was 26 [sic] anyway. She had limited value,” he says on the video.

The video has been referred to the Seattle Office of Police Accountability “for investigation into the context in which those statements were made and any policy violation that might be implicated”, a statement confirmed.

A memorial for Jaahnavi Kandula (AP)

About 20 people representing the Indian community met mayor Harrell and police chief Adrian Diaz on Saturday, seeking more respect and a cultural change in the city.

"Members of the Indian community have come together because of the unfortunate and insensitive remarks I believe were made," the mayor said, according to NDTV.

"We are making sure that our apology as city officials is felt to your community and family, my condolences for your loss."

Members of the South Asian community marched on Saturday evening to the site where Kandula was struck by the police officer, demanding an investigation into the student's death.

The protesters held signs that said “Jaahnavi had more value than SPD” and “Justice for Jaahnavi, jail killer cops".

"I think this has galvanized people because it’s so blatant and disrespectful to put a value on a human's life at $11,000," Patricia Hunter, co-chair of the Community Police Commission, said in an interview Friday.

"And it galvanizes people to see that the culture at Seattle Police Department has some issues that need to be immediately addressed.”

The Consulate General of India in San Francisco tweeted that it has taken the “deeply troubling” matter up with authorities in Seattle and in Washington, DC, and that it wants a thorough investigation and action against those involved.

The US State Department in a statement called the situation disturbing.

“We are aware of, and are disturbed by, what was said about Ms. Kandula’s death in the bodycam footage recently released by the Seattle Police Department,” the State Department said.

“We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere condolence to Ms. Kandula’s family and loved ones.”

The Seattle Police Officers Guild said that it understands the outrage caused by the “highly insensitive comments".

“It sullens the profession of law enforcement, the reputation of all Seattle Police officers and paints Seattle in a terrible light,” the union said.

“We feel deep sorrow and grief for the family of Jaahnavi Kandula as this video has revictimized them in an already tragic situation as they continue to mourn her death. We are truly sorry.”

But the union noted that the bodycam footage captures only Auderer's side of the conversation: “There is much more detail and nuance that has not been made public yet.”

UK

'Tent city' grows on seafront despite council threats

Zac Sherratt
Mon, 18 September 2023 

Tents and bikes on Brighton beach on Monday (Image: The Argus)

Yet more tents have pitched near to a controversial beach encampment despite officials pledging to remove them.

It is now more than a month since the “tent city” first appeared near the bandstand on Brighton beach, with the first said to have arrived in early August.

A spokesman for Brighton and Hove City Council said on August 29 they were working to remove the encampment "as soon as possible”.

Last Wednesday (September 13), council officers gave occupants two days to leave the site but on Monday morning (September 18), not only were the tents still in place, a new one was seen on the nearby pétanque pitch and another on Hove Lawns.

The Argus: A tent on Hove Lawns and another on the petanque pitch (right)

A tent on Hove Lawns and another on the petanque pitch (right) (Image: The Argus)

But officials say it is not a straightforward process to remove the tents and their occupants from the beach and surrounding areas.

“We are aware of the new tents on the beach and are working with the police to arrange for their removal as soon as due legal process allows,” said a spokesman for the city council.

“In legal terms the timescales for us taking action on encampments is dependent on the individual circumstances of the camp dwellers.

“We cannot legally take action without taking into account these individual circumstances.

The Argus: Tents on Brighton beach on Monday morning (September 18).

Tents on Brighton beach on Monday morning (September 18). (Image: The Argus)

“We are disappointed that the two beach encampments that have been there for longer have not moved on as we have requested.”

The spokesman said a community protection notice has now been served on the encampment.

“This gives us the legal power to force the removal of the tents if necessary if the tent dwellers do not move on,” he said.

“Faced with this we very much hope that the occupants will choose to engage with the support we have offered them and remove their tents voluntarily.”

Beachgoers previously raised concerns about antisocial behaviour on the beach, with one saying their favourite spot was "ruined".

They say people have been seen injecting drugs in broad daylight, defecating on a beach groyne and fist fighting next to families and children in the area.

Sussex Police were contacted for comment.