LOL, I watched this story as well and had a good laugh ...

Great post BSB.

 

This one is my baby and it kills me that I won't get to partake this year but I know it will as much fun and as huge as ever. It was originally inspired by a friend of mine who some may know ... Ridley Scott. Anyway come on Canada take a shot (pun intended lol) ...

Check out the next post as well for a list of this years Ambassadors ... I can't add the link because it includes one ankle biter lol.

TORONTO, Sept. 1, 2016

– Leading up to the day when Canadians will film their lives, Greg Middleton, Director of Photography for HBO Canada's GAME OF THRONES, shares some tips to create the best videos –
– Footage filmed and submitted by Canadians across the country and around the world, in any language, will be used to create a two-hour film to air in 2017 on CTV in celebration of Canada's 150th anniversary of Confederation –
– CANADA IN A DAY's Filming Day to follow the international premiere of India In A Day, directed by Canadian Richie Mehta, on September 9 at TIFF® –

To tweet this release: http://bmpr.ca/2bFvRQp

TORONTO, Sept. 1, 2016 /CNW/ - With the countdown on to the CANADA IN A DAY Filming Day on Saturday, September 10 – when Canadians from across the country and around the world are encouraged to grab their cameras or smartphones and film their lives – CTV is sharing some key filming tips to help people capture their day in the best way possible. With some help from Greg Middleton, Director of Photography for HBO Canada's GAME OF THRONES, Canadians are encouraged to visit CanadaInADay.ca for FAQs as well as instructional videos from Middleton and CANADA IN A DAY Ambassadors including Tricia Helfer (LUCIFER, SUITS) and Kevin Zegers (NOTORIOUS, GRACEPOINT).

From the countless individual moments and stories Canadians will capture on Saturday, September 10, one film will be crafted by Director Trish Dolman which will air on CTV as part of Canada's 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017. Inspired by the original award-winning Ridley Scott and Kevin Macdonald film Life In A Day, CANADA IN A DAY's Filming Day follows the Friday, September 9 international premiere at TIFF® of another In A Day success, India In A Day, directed by Canadian Richie Mehta.

From the ordinary to the extraordinary, here are some key tips Canadians should keep in mind while filming their lives on Saturday, September 10:

1. Use Any Camera – Footage will be accepted from any device, including mobile phones, and can include time-lapse and drone footage, as well as content shot with special lenses.
2. Film Horizontally – To avoid black bars on TV screens when the film airs next year, people should be sure to hold cameras or smartphones horizontally.
3. Film Anywhere – Canadians can film anywhere. At home, at work, or out in their communities. From a favourite getaway or spot to hike, to a park or time spent in a backyard, to moments swimming or up in the air. Proper permission should be secured to film on private property.
4. Film Anyone – People can film themselves, family, friends, or strangers they encounter during the day. Permission should be secured from anyone who appears in submitted footage.
5. Think About Light – Avoid filming in front of windows or other sources of bright light, unless the goal is to have the subject appear in silhouette.
6. Get Good Sound – To hear everyone included in videos, people should try to avoid loud areas. If possible, use a microphone to capture the best sound.
7. Keep Your Camera Rolling – Be sure to film for at least 3–5 seconds, and try to avoid too much zooming and panning.
8. Film In Any Language – Canadians can film their day in any language.
9. Think About the Four Main Questions:
   • What do you love?
   • What do you hope or dream of?
   • What do you fear?
   • What does Canada mean to you?
10. Don't Worry – There is no right or wrong way for people to tell their story. Filming the simplest moments can lead to the most compelling footage.

From the top of the CN Tower in Toronto, the banks of Rideau Canal in Ottawa, and the historic streets of Old Montréal, to Stanley Park in Vancouver, the West Edmonton Mall, and exploring tunnels in Moose Jaw, to a backyard in Halifax, a home in Iqaluit, and a stroll through Terra Nova National Park in Gander, there's no right or wrong place to film on September 10.

The Specifics:

• CANADA IN A DAY is open to Canadian citizens and permanent residents across the country as well as Canadians living abroad or visiting other countries.
• Participants can film as much or as little footage as they want during the 24-hour period in their time zone on Saturday, September 10.
• Canadians have until midnight on Monday, October 10 to submit their original uncompressed, unedited videos at CanadaInADay.ca.

CANADA IN A DAY is inspired by the original award-winning Ridley Scott and Kevin Macdonald film, Life in a Day. Shot in 2010 and released in 2011, Life in a Day was the remarkable story of one day on Earth. The project garnered more than 80,000 submissions from around the world, and contained more than 4,500 hours of deeply personal, powerful moments shot by contributors from Australia to Zambia – from the heart of bustling major cities to some of the most remote places on Earth. Since then, several countries have launched their own In a Day films, including Britain, Italy, Germany, Spain, India, and Japan.

CANADA IN A DAY is produced by Screen Siren Pictures Inc. in association with CTV, with the financial participation of the Canada Media Fund, Bell Fund, Creative BC, FIBC, and the Government of Canada. Executive producers are Scott Free Films, Trish Dolman, and Christine Haebler, with Trish Dolman producing and Michael Ghent co-producing for Screen Siren Pictures Inc. Switch United is the web producer and Innovate by Day is the Social Media producer.

For Bell Media, Danielle Pearson is Manager, Factual and Reality, Independent Production; Robin Johnston is Director, Factual and Reality, Independent Production; and Corrie Coe is Senior Vice-President, Independent Production. Mike Cosentino is Senior Vice-President, CTV and Specialty. Randy Lennox is President, Broadcasting and Content.

 

Canada is only 150? Pffft, fucking youngsters, eh?

 

Ambassadors

Canada In A Day is a film made by Canadians, made by you. Our Ambassador team are Canadians who are proud to support this event. This only a partial list and includes many more proud Canadians, self included.

Each name includes a short invitation as well as a video introduction ... well worth a look.

• Claudio Aprile
  Chef and restaurateur
• Dan Mangan
  Musician
• Ben Mulroney
  Host of CTV’s Your Morning and Anchor of eTalk
• Adrian Holmes
  Actor
• Avan Jogia
  Actor
• Erica Durance
  Actress, producer, director
• Kevin Hanchard
  Actor
• Marie-Julie Gagnon
  Travel writer, reporter
• Melanie Mark
  MLA, British Columbia
• Andrew Huang
  New media artist
• Cabbie Richards
  Television host
• Jared Keeso
  Actor, writer
• Russell Peters
  Comedian
• Rick Hansen
  Paralympian
• Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir
  Olympic gold medalists
• Shawn Ashmore
  Actor
• Chan Hon Goh
  Prima ballerina
• Jon Montgomery
  TV host, Olympic medalist
• Jason Priestley
  Actor, director
• Karine Vanasse
  Actor
• Jacob Trembley
• Actor
  
• Patrice Bernier
  Professional soccer player
• Mary Walsh
  Actor, comedian
• Roger Frappier
  Filmmaker, producer
• Evan Adams
  Actor, doctor
• Jessica Matten
  Actor
• Michael Shanks
  Actor
• Brittlestar (AKA Stewart Reynolds)
  Brittlestar… you know, from the Internet
• Tru Wilson
  Transgender activist
• Jessica Lucas
  Actor
• Michael Bonacini
  Chef and restaurateur
• Giacomo Gianniotti
  Actor
• ALB
  Illustrator and content creator
• Geneviève Borne
  Television and radio personality
• Tessa Bonhomme
  Olympic athlete
• Rosanna Crawford
  Olympic biathlete

 

If you want to see "the next big thing", YouTube or Google Darcy Oake for some incredible footage of Canada's next great illusionist/magician ...

He is the son of CBC Sports personality Scott Oake (along with wife Anne Oake)

 

Free national park passes for all in 2017 to mark Canada's 150th anniversary


The federal government is making entry into the national parks and historic sites free in 2017 as a way to mark the 150th anniversary of Canada’s Confederation.

In an emailed statement, Parks Canada said it means any passes purchased this year are valid for two years.

“As a first step towards celebrating Canada150, Discovery Passes for 2016 will be valid for 24 months, rather than 12 months,” wrote Parks Canada’s Natalie Fay. “All Parks Canada Discovery Passes purchased in 2016 will be valid for 24 months from the date of purchase.

“The passes will incorporate the purchase of one year’s admission and free admission to Parks Canada places in 2017.”

It means an annual pass bought today would be valid until January 2018, rather than January 2017. Or visitors can just wait until January 2017 and get a free pass for that year.

Providing free entry into national parks in 2017 was first mentioned in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s mandate letter to Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna.

“Make admission for all visitors to national parks free in 2017, the 150th anniversary of Confederation,” it states.

The news came as a welcome bonus to social media users who’ve already bought their park passes for this year.

“Who knew?” wrote Cheri Macaulay on Twitter. “If you get a Parks Canada annual pass now, it’s good until 2018. Because we all get in free in 2017 for Canada’s 150th!”

Replied Calgarian Beth Allan: “I’m excited for my 2016 pass to expire in June now. Hahah!”

Starting in 2018, according to the same mandate letter, Parks Canada could also make admission for children under 18 free and provide any adult who has become a Canadian citizen in the previous 12 months with a year’s free admission to the national parks.

Parks Canada could also expand the Learn to Camp program, which helps low- and middle-income families experience the national parks.

Fay’s statement said they are working closely with the federal government’s partners on other plans to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Canada’s Confederation.

“Exact details on any new initiatives are still being determined and will be announced in due course,” she added

 

Canada’s new passport requirements come into effect this month




Canada’s new passport requirements come into effect in late September, forcing Canadians with dual citizenship to carry a valid Canadian passport to enter the country when travelling by air.

Starting September 30, all air travellers must have the appropriate documents to travel to Canada before boarding their departing flight.

“A valid Canadian passport is the only reliable and universally accepted travel document that provides proof that you are a citizen and have the right to enter Canada without being subjected to immigration screening,” reads a statement posted on the Canadian government website.

READ MORE: Travelling to Europe? Canadians and Americans may require visas soon

The new requirement, known as an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), was introduced earlier this year but hasn’t been strictly enforced. However, the government had been encouraging dual citizens to obtain a valid Canadian passport.

“Leniency will be shown to travellers who are caught unaware until September 29, 2016,” reads a notice on the Government of Canada website.

Prior to the change, Canadians who hold dual citizenship were able to enter Canada with their foreign passports and use a driver’s licence or citizenship card to prove Canadian citizenship. Now, air travellers must have either a valid Canadian passport; a Canadian temporary passport; or a Canadian emergency travel document for proof of citizenship.

READ MORE: How easy is it to travel with a Canadian passport?

The new requirements only currently apply to air travel.

American citizens and American-Canadian citizens can still fly into Canada on a valid U.S. passport

 

Thanks for some good and interesting posts, JPT!

 

Canada's Sports Hall of Fame unveils new exhibit in honour of Terry Fox

Thirty-six years later, Darrell Fox is still surprised and touched by the effect his big brother had on successive generations of Canadians. He is honoured when he hears schoolchildren such as Muhammad Hussein explain why Terry Fox is important.

“He was good at accomplishing things; he’s good at making dreams come true,” said the eight-year-old student at Colonel Fred J. Scott School.

Darrell Fox met Hussein and his classmates Tuesday as they were guests at the unveiling of a new temporary exhibit at Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame at Canada Olympic Park. Terry Fox: Running to the Heart of Canada will be on display there until Dec. 31. It’s one of two travelling versions of a larger permanent exhibit at the Canadian Museum of History in Ottawa.

“For 36 years I’ve been pinching myself and I continue to pinch myself. The young generation knows it happened in the past, it’s a historical event. They maybe don’t see it as 36 years ago; they see it as last week or last month. It’s not something you get used to — the reaction,” Fox said at the event.

“As I was in 1980, I was a sponge to what Terry was accomplishing and witnessing it and seeing the reaction of everyday Canadians on the side of the road, and that’s what I continue to experience every day now from the next generation. People who are learning the story of Terry Fox, and not just learning it but embracing it.”


Darrell Fox, the younger brother of Terry Fox, speaks at Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in Calgary on Sept. 13, 2016. A travelling exhibit called Terry Fox: Running to the Heart of Canada opened to the public.

The exhibit includes a short video, personal stories and many items donated by the family and the Terry Fox Centre. The stunning centrepiece has to be a large bust of Terry’s head, with his signature curls and beads of dirt and sweat running down his face. There’s also a replica prosthetic leg similar to the one Terry used during his 1980 Marathon of Hope, and a pair of Terry’s running shoes that are signed by dozens of Olympians, including Calgary speedskater Catriona Le May Doan, who was just beginning her own athletic journey when Terry began his run.

“When I started to see images on TV of what he was doing, the word cancer came up. I didn’t know what it was. But I saw that look on his face, a look that was of determination and of pain. As a little girl, I thought why he didn’t just stop. As I got a little older, I got so inspired that Terry Fox never gave up,” Le May Doan told the school group.

“Every day when we hear his name, we think of hope and of courage.”

Another of the exhibit items is a signed Wayne Gretzky jersey given to Terry Fox before he began the epic cross-Canada run. That hockey jersey and the fact the exhibit is being displayed in Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame is significant for Darrel Fox, who said his brother was just an average kid with average skill.

“Terry would be so proud the Sports Hall of Fame recognized him. . . . He thought what he did, what he accomplished was an athletic feat,” said Fox, who drove alongside his brother as he ran 5,342 kilometres from St. John’s Nfld. to Thunder Bay, Ont., before he had to end it.

“But, again, there were no benchmarks, no standards. He wasn’t running against anyone and yet he was running the greatest race of all.”

It was in 1977 that an 18-year-old Fox was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma (bone cancer) after ignoring pain in his leg for some time. The shocking amputation of his leg and 16 months of chemotherapy did little to dampen the stubborn spirit of the teen. After reading about an amputee runner and witnessing the pain endured by young children in the cancer ward, Terry hatched the plan to run across the country to raise money and awareness. With a small support team in an old Ford van, he began his journey on April 12, 1980. He ran the equivalent of a marathon (42 km) every day and persevered through enormous pain, fatigue and bad weather before he was forced to stop 143 days later. The cancer had spread to his lungs. Terry died June 28, 1981.

So much has changed since then. Terry was given a 20 to 30 per cent chance of survival whereas patients diagnosed with bone cancer now have an 80 per cent survival rate and would likely never lose a limb like Terry did.

Following the 1980 Marathon of Hope, schools and communities across Canada have participated in annual Terry Fox Runs to raise funds for research. Calgary’s event this year is Sept. 18. To date, $700 million has been raised in his name.

“With every loonie and toonie, we’re saving lives,” said Darrel Fox.

 

Iguanas on a plane: WestJet flight grounded in Toronto after reptiles lost aboard the aircraft

The Canadian Press 09.18.2016



TORONTO — A WestJet flight was grounded in Toronto after customs officers determined there were iguanas loose in the aircraft.

WestJet spokesperson Lauren Stewart says a passenger on a flight from Cuba to Toronto was discovered to be carrying iguanas in his checked luggage.

Stewart says the passenger had hidden four iguanas in his luggage but when they were discovered by customs officers in Toronto, only two of the lizards were in the suitcase.

The flight crews were notified and the plane was stopped in order to have the cargo hold fumigated to prevent the escaped lizards from chewing through wires or damaging the aircraft.

Stewart says the aircraft couldn’t fly on to Vancouver due to the delay, but passengers were transferred to another plane that left 50 minutes later.

Stewart says this type of incident is uncommon but reminds customers to always book their pets with the airline ahead of time and bring them in proper carrying cases to ensure they are safe and comfortable.

 

This one pisses me off and ya I get it that he could have endangered the public but this chase was on a secondary highway and in the middle of nowhere ...

Man who chased vehicle stolen from his property charged with manslaughter

Innisfail RCMP have laid manslaughter charges on a man who allegedly chased a vehicle that had been stolen from his property, leading to a fatal collision.

Late on Aug. 14, a property owner near Delburne, about 180 km northwest of Calgary, was following a Dodge Dakota truck described as suspicious. The Dodge became stuck on the rural property, and its driver left it and took a Ford F150 truck on the property belonging to the owner.

The property owner continued to follow the Ford. The two vehicles later collided near Highway 42 and Range Road 240. The Ford was involved in a rollover and its driver, Stanley Dick, 32, was seriously injured, and later pronounced deceased.

Daniel Wayne Newsham, 45, is charged with manslaughter. He has been released from custody with conditions. His court date at Red Deer Provincial Court is set for Oct. 14, 2016.

 

Alberta housing market still sluggish, CMHC report says

Alberta housing sales have continued to slump this year after falling sharply in 2015 because of the drop in oil and gas prices, a new Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. report shows.

Sales through the Multiple Listing Service were down 11 per cent in the first seven months of this year, following a decline of 21 per cent, to 56,477 units in 2015, according to a report released Thursday.

This weakness contributed to a 0.7-per-cent price drop last July compared to July 2015, building on a 2.1-per-cent slump the previous year.

Prices in Edmonton and Calgary in July followed the provincial pattern and were down by less than one per cent.

“Low energy prices have reduced employment and this has contributed to lower housing market activity,” the report says.

“Most of Alberta’s major urban centres are exhibiting market conditions that favour the buyer.”

Lower housing demand has hurt new home construction. There were 12,590 housing starts in Alberta urban centres by the end of July 2016, down by more than 40 per cent from a year earlier, and inventories continued to grow.

While provincial spending is stimulating pockets of the economy, the government sector is too small by itself to overcome the impact of the oil price shock, the report says.

“In other words, Alberta’s substantial government debt-financed spending will not be enough to offset the contraction experienced in the consumer, business investment and export sectors.”

The situation is even worse in Saskatchewan, where home prices were down 1.6 per cent for the first seven months of the year and sales declined more than six per cent.

But Manitoba, which has a much smaller oil and gas industry, has a healthier housing market, with sales and prices higher in 2016.

A separate report by the Canadian Real Estate Association found that national home sales dropped 3.1 per cent between July and August, the fourth month in a row they were down.

However, actual sales activity in August was up 10.2 per cent compared to a year earlier, with increases seen in about three-quarters of Canadian markets.

 

Two officer involved shootings in one day 'unusual,' says Calgary police union boss

Two officer involved shootings in one day 'unusual,' says Calgary police union boss

Published on: September 17, 2016 | Last Updated: September 17, 2016 9:45 PM MDT
A police officer's belt is held by a colleague outside of Sears in Marlborough Mall in Calgary, Alta., on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016. A police officer was seen being wheeled out of the store on a stretcher, and there were rumours of a man wielding a machete, but official details on the incident were not immediately made known.

It wasn’t the kind of day any officer wanted to see, Calgary’s police union boss says of a Saturday in which cops opened fire in two separate incidents only about an hour apart.

Howard Burns called it “horrible.”

“Everyone would sooner not have days like today, but it certainly illustrates the danger of being a police officer in the city of Calgary,” he said.

“To have multiple situations happen in short order was unusual, but you never know what you’re dealing with.”

In one incident, an officer got in an altercation with a man allegedly wielding a large bladed weapon in the middle of a mall department store.

That officer ended up in hospital suffering severe injuries, as did the suspect who was shot by the officer.

In another, an officer opened fire on a vehicle that was allegedly being driven erratically in a truck stop parking lot while trying to flee a traffic stop, though in that case the officer didn’t hit anyone.

Burns said this is what policing is, and the chance a situation might change from mundane to life-threatening in the blink of an eye is why officers are so cautious.

He said he hopes Saturday demonstrates that to the public, if nothing else.

“Sometimes that can come across as being hyper-vigilant,” he said.

“These things can happen. The general public can’t understand and we don’t expect them to understand but this is the reality of being a police officer.

“You have to be ready for anything, and sometimes you only get a matter of seconds to make decisions.”

Burns called the mall incident unfortunate and avoidable.

“You have to wonder what motivates people,” he added.

“This entire situation was caused by one person, and all they had to do was cooperate.”

 

And here is one from the "Are You Fucking Kidding Me" file ...

‘I had no idea that anything like this could even happen’: Arcane law strips unwitting Canadians of citizenship

VANCOUVER — Byrdie Funk had what some would call a quintessential, small-town Canadian upbringing.

At two months old, she moved from Mexico with her Canadian parents to a farming community in southern Manitoba. She learned to skate on a backyard pond and trudged between snowdrifts to school, where she would stand with fellow students to sing the national anthem before class.

She used her Canadian passport to travel to South Africa, toting a suitcase sporting the maple leaf, and was later married at a historic trading post on the banks of Winnipeg’s Red River.

But earlier this year the 36-year-old woman’s life was upended when she received a letter from Citizenship and Immigration Canada informing her she was no longer a Canadian citizen.

“It took my breath away,” Funk said in an interview from her home in Squamish, B.C.

“I had no idea that anything like this could even happen.”

She is one of an unknown number of people ensnared in an arcane law that automatically revokes the citizenship of certain Canadians who fail to officially apply to retain their nationality before the age of 28.

The little-known policy applies to anyone born abroad between Feb. 15, 1977, and April 16, 1981, to Canadian parents who were also born outside the country.

The rule was abolished by the Conservative government in 2009, but the change wasn’t retroactive, so it didn’t include anyone who had already turned 28 by then.

Funk said she only learned about the law this spring after trying to renew her passport.

The law was drafted in the 1970s out of concern that citizenship could be passed along indefinitely to generations abroad who were less and less connected to Canada, said Audrey Macklin, a law professor at the University of Toronto.

Macklin said it wasn’t necessarily unfair, at least in theory, to require someone twice removed from being born in Canada to prove a connection to the country.

The problem, though, was rooted in the government’s inability to identify and inform those people that their citizenship would “evaporate” if they didn’t take specific steps to retain it, she said.

Lindsay Wemp, a spokeswoman with Citizenship and Immigration Canada, said in an email that the immigration minister can offer discretionary citizenship in extraordinary circumstances on a case-by-case basis.

Funk said she contacted Minister John McCallum’s office in July and has yet to receive a response.

Donald Galloway, a University of Victoria law professor, said he didn’t think the government has taken the necessary steps to let people know “the narrow hinge” their status was hanging on.

“I think it’s quite shocking to live in a country where the government creates these byzantine rules and says ’Well, it’s up to you to know the details,”’ he said.

Funk isn’t alone. Eva Friesen of Steinbach, Man., became stateless after losing her citizenship at the age of 28. She had to officially immigrate to Canada after living as a Canadian since she was six.

The now-37-year-old woman heard about the rule by word of mouth when she was 27, but she said that didn’t give her enough time to arrange the necessary paperwork before the deadline.

“I think that’s totally unfair, especially if you grew up here and you know nothing else,” she said.

Another unrelated Manitoba resident, Monica Friesen, discovered at 30 that she had let her citizenship lapse decades after arriving to Canada.

“I don’t understand how the government can’t inform people,” she said. “I hope (my story) opens up the eyes of the government that maybe something should be done.”

I think that’s totally unfair, especially if you grew up here and you know nothing else

She eventually received a discretionary grant.

Galloway estimates there are hundreds affected by the law, many of whom are likely unaware. An Immigration Canada spokeswoman said the exact figure is unknown, but small.

The policy is another chapter in the story of the “lost Canadians,” made up of residents whose citizenship was either revoked or never granted in the first place due to kinks in Canada’s laws.

Over the years, the government has legislated corrections for the oversights, normally by retroactively offering citizenship to affected groups, from war brides to the children of soldiers born overseas. But recourse was never offered to those affected by the 28-year rule.
Don Chapman, the self-styled leader of the lost Canadians, has been lobbying on behalf of these groups for years.

“The laws are a dog’s breakfast,” Chapman said in an email, adding that Canada’s reputation as being fair and compassionate is not always deserved.

While not caught by the 28-year rule, Jim McLellan of Wolfville, N.S., has experienced firsthand the sometimes tragic fallout of Canada’s idiosyncratic citizenship laws.

McLellan was born in the United States in 1945 to a Canadian mother and an American father. Prior to 1947, Canadian law denied citizenship to any child born abroad to a Canadian woman who was married to a foreigner.

He said he entered Canada in 2005 to care for his ailing mother and didn’t visit a hospital about his own deteriorating health in order to avoid the risk of deportation.

Legal changes in 2015 paved the long road to citizenship, after which McLellan learned he had terminal lung cancer, which had metastisized to his brain. Eight months ago, he was given four months to live.

“I’ll be dead in a few weeks,” McLellan said in a recent interview, his voice slurring slightly. “I had to live all of that time without health care.”

McLellan said he hopes his story inspires Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to make good on his word that “A Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian.”

“We’re ready to shout it from the rooftops,” McLellan said.

 

Mint employee accused of smuggling $180K of gold up rectum
Gold stolen from Mint
Graham Slaughter, CTVNews.ca Writer
Published Wednesday, September 21, 2016 7:47PM EDT
Last Updated Wednesday, September 21, 2016 10:08PM EDT

An unusual Canadian news story is getting plenty of attention from international press, and the headlines pretty much sum up the story.

From Russia Today: “Laying the Golden Eggs.”

From CNN: “Canadian Mint employee may have smuggled gold where the sun don’t shine.”

And, as German broadcaster Deutsche Welle delicately put it: “Canadian Mint employee accused of stealing gold hidden up his bum.”

Indeed, Barrhaven, Ont. resident Leston Lawrence, 38, is a hot topic at water coolers this week as he stands trial for allegedly stealing $180,000 of gold pucks from the Royal Canadian Mint and trading them for cash at an Ottawa mall.

Court documents allege that Lawrence carried out the inside job by smuggling the gold in a hiding place few security guards would think to check.

The Crown alleges that Lawrence tried to leave the mint with stolen gold hidden up his rectum on several occasions. Alarms sounded each time he attempted to pass through a security checkpoint, the Crown alleges, but a subsequent pat-down by security guards was unable get to the bottom of the security breach.

CTV News has obtained exclusive security camera footage showing the suspect pass through a security checkpoint inside the Royal Canadian Mint. In two separate instances, he removes his shoes, walks through a metal detector and a security guard uses a handheld metal detector to search him.

The Crown alleges that Lawrence then sold the gold at a cash-for-gold store in an Ottawa mall and cashed the cheques at a nearby bank.

A crack emerged in the alleged plot when a bank teller reported the unusual transactions to police, the Crown told the court.

Lawrence was later charged with five criminal offences, including possession of property obtained by crime and theft over $5,000. He was also fired from the Mint.

But Justice Peter Doody heard a different set of events from defense lawyers, who say there is no direct link between the gold pucks and the Mint.

The Crown has argued that the gold matches a dipping spoon, a special mould unique to the Mint, which they say confirms the alleged theft.

The Mint says it has installed new high-definition security cameras and upgraded its security checkpoint system in recent months.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/mint-employee-accused-of-smuggling-180k-of-gold-up-rectum-1.3082843
With a report from CTV's Kevin Gallagher in Ottawa

 

I read that story too. Doesn't say much for the security at the Mint ...

What I don't get is how fucking stupid this guy is thinking he wouldn't eventually be found out.

There was a case of a bus driver in Alberta that was robbing the fare boxes of buses for years and living high on the hog ... until the day he threw himself under the bus figuratively speaking.

 

Actor Richard Hong found dead at George Stroumboulopoulos's L.A. home




The body of Canadian actor Richard Hong was found early Friday morning at a Los Angeles home rented by George Stroumboulopoulos.

Los Angeles police said Hong, 41, died of blunt force trauma. He was a Los Angeles resident.

The broadcaster and former CBC TV host, who still has a radio show with CBC, confirmed in a Facebook post early Friday evening that the victim, who he referred to only as a "dear friend," was staying at his place while he was away in New York.

"I am heartbroken," he wrote.

The death appears to be tied to a break-in, said Stroumboulopoulos.


Investigators stand by the Los Angeles County coroner's van outside the home in the Hollywood Hills section of Los Angeles where Hong's body was found. (Nick Ut/Associated Press)

Officer Aareon Jefferson of the LAPD told The Canadian Press that witnesses directed police to the body of an "apparent homicide'' victim and told them that a man in a black jacket had been seen fleeing the area.

A search of the neighbourhood, supported by a police helicopter and a canine unit, was unable to locate the man.

Police are investigating, but have left the crime scene in Los Angeles.


Broadcaster and former CBC host George Stroumboulopoulos says the death appears to be tied to a break-in. (Darren Calabrese/Canadian Press/File)

Global Affairs Canada said officials at the Consulate General of Canada in Los Angeles have reached out to police to obtain additional information about the death of Hong.

Josh Curtis, who said he was a longtime friend of Hong's, told CBC News from Los Angeles that he and other friends are in shock.

"We see this guy every day and all of a sudden he's been killed," said Curtis. "So we don't know what happened, we don't understand it, we're all very confused, we're in shock."

He said Hong, whose nickname was 'Honger,' was from Montreal.


Josh Curtis, who said he was a longtime friend of Hong's, described his friend as someone who loved to surf and who loved music. He said Hong "was an all-around good dude." (Facebook)

Curtis said he and other friends were gathering at the Venice Pier in Los Angeles at sunset to honour their friend.

"He was a huge fan of music and love and life and travel and surfing, and was an all-around good dude," said Curtis.

Stroumboulopoulos said Friday evening that he was flying to Los Angeles from New York to be with friends, whom he said were devastated at the news.

 

Sister says video of police berating her brother in wheelchair makes her 'sick'


I get the cops frustration since the man didn't follow his instructions but there is a right way to handle it and this is not that way ...


Video of a police officer swearing at a man in a wheelchair is unsettling to the man's sister, but she is grateful that it has exposed inappropriate police behaviour.

The video, which was filmed on Wednesday morning, shows a Montreal police officer searching through the bag of a man using a wheelchair.

The man had crossed McGill College Avenue on a red light, just outside the university's Roddick Gates on Sherbrooke Street.


Katherine-Marie Albisi filmed the incident on her smart phone. She was on a coffee break Wednesday morning when she witnessed the altercation. (CBC)

In the video captured by a witness, the officer says "I'm going to give you a f--king ticket. You asked for it."

The witnesses never caught the man's name, but they were concerned about him and decided to post the video on Facebook. It's been shared over 11,000 times.

One of the witnesses also filed a complaint with the police ethics commission.

'Let the public see how police treat people'
CBC News learned the man's name is Leon Shand. His sister, Patricia Henry, said it was upsetting for her to watch the video.

"It makes me feel so sick to see how they treat my brother," Henry said. "Maybe if he wasn't in a wheelchair, who's to tell you what they would have done to him?"

The incident culminated with Shand being given $800 worth of tickets, she said. She found the language the officer used while handing out the ticket inappropriate.

"That was very, very rude," Henry said. "It doesn't matter what colour or race you are. It's not appropriate for an officer of the law to be speaking to someone like that."

But despite the feelings that accompany the video, Henry is thankful the incident was captured on camera.

"It's very good to let the public see how police treat people," she said. "We are all living here and we are human beings. We are citizens."

Henry said her brother was shaken up after the altercation. Later that day, he fell out of his wheelchair and was taken to hospital to be treated for a concussion.

"He's resting, recovering from the trauma that he went through," she said.

Shand wasn't available for an interview because of the concussion.

Police admit language not appropriate
Cmdr. Danik Guerrero, who is in charge of Montreal police station 20, confirmed Thursday afternoon that he had seen the video and spoken with the officer involved.

"I personally met my police officer and I told him that for us, this is language that I don't approve," Guerrero said. "This is language the Montreal police service doesn't approve."

Guerrero also said the video needs to be put into context — the incident happened at a wide intersection with heavy vehicle and pedestrian traffic as well as construction.

He said the officer was concerned for Shand's safety, and had ordered him to stay on the median when the light turned red. But Shand kept going.

 

Province-wide gun amnesty will run through October
More than 1,800 guns were turned in during the last amnesty in 2013



Police from across B.C. are offering a door-to-door collection service during a month long gun amnesty that will run through October.

Anyone with a gun, replica firearm or ammunition will be able to hand it over to police without fear of prosecution as long as the weapon has not been used in a criminal offence.

"The fact is, in Canada, 60 percent of weapons used in a crime are sourced domestically," said B.C. RCMP Commanding Officer Craig Callens.

"Last year alone, 954 firearms were stolen in break and enters in British Columbia. We know that gun amnesties work. We've had a strong response in the past."

Callens says people are not allowed to drop off weapons at their local police detachments.

Instead, they can call ahead and arrange a time for an officer to pick up the guns.

Past amnesties
The last time the province had a gun amnesty in 2013, more than 1,800 firearms were collected and destroyed.

Police also took in 155 other weapons and more than 30,000 rounds of ammunition.

B.C. Solicitor General Mike Morris said the last two amnesties have been successful.

"In our 2006 and 2013 amnesties, we yielded more than 5,000 firearms including 900 handguns and two machines, plus about 128-thousand rounds of ammunition," Morris said.

"People turned in everything from a rocket launcher to vintage rifles and bayonets, and they did so knowing that their weapons would be destroyed."

Police say they have had several months to prepare for the amnesty, so they have adjusted their staffing levels to accommodate pick-up service.

 

Panhandler arrested, charged with impersonating Canadian soldier
Police say they acted on a tip from former Canadian Armed Forces member
Updated: Oct 07, 2016 7:46 PM ET



A panhandler wearing a Canadian Armed Forces uniform was arrested this week for allegedly wearing service medals he didn't earn.

Daniel Roy, 49, was sitting at the corner of Bloor Street West and St. George Street on Tuesday morning when police charged him under a section of the Criminal Code that deals with unlawful use of military uniforms or certificates.

Police say they were acting on a tip from a former Canadian Armed Forces member who saw the panhandler and thought he wasn't a veteran. He was taken into custody and later released.

Roy was wearing a standard-duty uniform, bearing double stripes on the sleeves indicating the rank of an Armed Forces captain. He also had a burgundy beret given to members of an airborne regiment, and his jacket was adorned with a number of medals and ribbons.

Service unclear
"He was wearing some medals or ribbons that it doesn't appear he was awarded, some medals that he wasn't allowed to wear he was wearing," Toronto Police Const. Jeffrey Riel said just after he put Roy in the back of his cruiser. "It appeared to be an American Airborne badge and some other British Special Forces badges."

Riel, who himself served in the military, told CBC News he believed Roy is a veteran because of the detailed information he provided, including his service number, dates and service in Somalia.

The Department of National Defence was unable to confirm or deny Roy's service, but the items Roy was wearing could be bought at almost any army surplus store. Spokesperson Ashley Lemire did confirm that the name Daniel Roy is common, with 17 former service members listed, many of them from Quebec.

Roy isn't the only person to make headlines for allegedly impersonating a Canadian soldier. Franck Gervais was charged after he was interviewed by CBC News on Parliament Hill during Remembrance Day ceremonies in 2014. Gervais eventually pleaded guilty.



If found guilty, Roy faces either a fine or a jail term of up to six months. Riel also confiscated the military jacket.
Tearful encounter
One Toronto couple remembered giving money to Roy after seeing him in the Bloor and St. George area.

On Sept. 19, Lynda Lemberg and her husband, Jeffrey Russel, and gave him $20.

Lemberg, a former high school teacher and self-described activist for social justice and peace, said she stopped to talk to Roy because of her concerns about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder among veterans.

"I said, 'why are you on the street?' and he said he was very ill, that he had stomach cancer that has gone to his liver," she said. Lemberg added she smelled alcohol on his breath and that "he was very tremulous."

Roy told her he had served in Somalia, Afghanistan and his last placement was in Morocco before he was pulled from service. The man also mentioned he was having trouble getting a veteran's pension.

Lemberg said Roy spoke with a Quebecois accent and told her he joined the military when he was 16, following in the footsteps of his grandfather who had also served in the army.

"I do know people struggling with mental health issues can create stories or narratives that they believe but he was so precise." - Lynda Lemberg, talked to Daniel Roy
"I do know people struggling with mental health issues can create stories or narratives that they believe, but he was so precise," Lemberg said. "He might have heard this from somebody else but any disbelief I had I was willing to suspend it."

Riel said he didn't think Roy was mentally ill, but didn't doubt his service. The officer said he believed the man was panhandling to buy drugs.

Veterans Affairs says it has a campaign for veterans in crisis with a toll-free number: 1-800-268-7708.