Tag Archives: BC Civil LIberties Association

Indigenous Nations, Justice

Reasonable grounds that officers committed offences in killing of Indigenous man, IIO finds

Windspeaker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Jared (Jay) Lowndes, Wet’suwet’en of the Laksilyu clan, was killed by Campbell River RCMP in 2021. The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) opened an investigation into the officer-involved shooting and today, Thursday Dec. 1, the Chief Civilian Director shared IIO’s findings with Lowndes’ family.

The IIO has determined the actions of three of four subject officers, a dogmaster and two officers who fired shots, were not justified. Subject officers are persons who caused injury or may have caused injury.

Continue reading Reasonable grounds that officers committed offences in killing of Indigenous man, IIO finds →
Forests, Justice

Fairy Creek RCMP whistleblower’s concerns reflect a pattern of questionable enforcement at industry protests

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Concerns over questionable RCMP tactics raised by an officer involved in the crackdown at the Fairy Creek old-growth blockades in the summer of 2021 are not surprising, says a lawyer representing dozens of activists.

There’s been no shortage of legal proceedings or social media videos focused on the treatment of protesters, said lawyer Karen Mirsky, who is the president of the BC Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA).

But it is remarkable an officer was willing to risk voicing concerns about police behaviour to superiors, Mirsky said.

Continue reading Fairy Creek RCMP whistleblower’s concerns reflect a pattern of questionable enforcement at industry protests →
Justice

RCMP handling of Argenta arrests draws joint policy complaint

Editor’s note: There have been many complaints about the RCMP Community-Industry Response Group, particularly in regard to police brutality, racism, their use of exclusion zones and attempting to muzzle the press. According to the account in the Narwhal, a 75 year-old Argenta resident delivering eggs to the protesters was arrested as she attempted to leave. The camp’s legal observer was also among the 17 people arrested. 20 of the 35 protesters were residents of Argenta and Johnson’s Landing, a handful were veterans of the Fairy Creek protests.

By Timothy Schafer, The Nelson Daily, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A joint policy complaint has been filed by seven groups against the RCMP for the handling of the arrests made at the May 17 logging protest near Argenta.

The B.C. Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) and six other groups submitted the complaint on July 21 against the RMCP’s Community-Industry Response Group (C-IRG) for alleged “egregious behaviour and unlawful arrests” made at a protest area at Argenta-Johnson’s Landing.

Continue reading RCMP handling of Argenta arrests draws joint policy complaint →
Justice

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip: Why the RCMP must be accountable

It has been a week since the Federal Court of Canada condemned RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki for her failure to respond to the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission (CRCC). The case revolved around an interim report from 2017, but in her Judgement and Reasons Associate Chief Justice Jocelyne Gagné pointed to numerous other cases where the RCMP had acted in the same manner. 

“It is in the public interest to have a police oversight institution that functions properly and is unobstructed.” she wrote.

One of the organizations applauding the Court’s Decision to hold the police accountable is the Union of BC Indian Chiefs.

Continue reading Grand Chief Stewart Phillip: Why the RCMP must be accountable →
Forests, Justice

73 complaints against the RCMP at Fairy Creek

National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The federal agency that holds RCMP to account has received a total of 73 public complaints associated with enforcement measures at the Fairy Creek old-growth logging blockades in British Columbia, says the legal team representing the activist group.

Continue reading 73 complaints against the RCMP at Fairy Creek →