Tag Archives: RCMP

Indigenous Nations History

RCMP ordered to pay damages for failing to investigate Catholic school abuse claims

By Bob Mackin, Prince George Citizen Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT) decided March 2 that the RCMP discriminated against Indigenous people who accused the Mounties of failing to properly investigate claims they were abused at Catholic-run Immaculata Elementary School in Burns Lake and Prince George College in the 1960s and 1970s.

“Accommodating the Indigenous crime complainants by ensuring they were told that they could report allegations of abuse, be given an update about the outcome of the investigation into their allegations of abuse, and not be repeatedly offered a polygraph would not have interfered with the RCMP’s duty to conduct its investigations in the public interest,” CHRT member Colleen Harrington wrote in the 145-page decision, which was originally expected in early 2025.

Harrington ruled, on a balance of probabilities, that race and national or ethnic origin were factors in “some of the adverse differential treatment or denial of service that was experienced by some of the complainants and their witnesses in relation to the RCMP’s investigations.”

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Youth

Spectre of School Shootings Comes To Campbell River

While no one was hurt, the spectre of school shootings came to Campbell River on March 1, 2026. It was merely a threat: arguments escalating to the point that a youth posted a picture of himself holding a BB gun and ‘threatening others who had threatened a friend.’ 

Being shot by a BB gun is rarely fatal, but often hurts.  

The Campbell River RCMP took the threat seriously. Their press release states: 

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Community

Decrease in Street Crime Reported in Campbell River

 As of the end of 2025, Campbell River, RCMP reported a significant decline in crime within their jurisdiction. Roy Hales interviewed Inspector Jeff Preston of the RCMP and Campbell River’s Director of Community Safety, Jeff Fort, to find out what they think about these statistics, whether there really is a decrease in crime and what may have caused this.

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Forests

High-stakes fight over old growth trees intensifies as police make seven arrests

By Nora O’Malley, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The 15-foot wooden cougar sculpture erected this summer to block forestry workers from accessing the Upper Walbran Valley in Pacheedaht First Nations territory is a pile of cold ashes on the dirt road. 

Pacheedaht elder Bill Jones, 85, has been a constant advocate for the old growth forest within Pacheedaht lands. He says his prayer hut and guest cabin were also torched during enforcement of the court-ordered injunction that was granted to C̕awak ʔqin Forestry (Tsawak-qin), which is 35 per cent co-owned by Huu-ay-aht First Nation and 65 per cent co-owned Western Forest Products (WFP), began on Nov. 25.

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Communications

The day pipeline security followed me — and what I learned later about Canada’s spy agency

Matt Simmons – The Narwhal, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

The truck slowly pulled alongside as I idled at the side of a remote dirt road in northern B.C. No cell service, the nearest town half an  hour away. I’d pulled off to let industrial traffic heading the other  direction pass. It was 2022 and I was on my way to meet with Indigenous  land defenders embroiled in a years-long fight against a major pipeline  being built through Wet’suwet’en lands and waters without the permission  of Hereditary Chiefs. 

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