A Toronto criminal defence lawyer who admitted to professional misconduct for engaging in inappropriate behaviour with a client in custody on a terrorism charge is back in full unrestricted practice.Back in 2018, lawyer Rishma Gupta was seen violating jail policies around physical touch as she interacted with her client Pamir Hakimzadah at Toronto South Detention…
Politics
- Politics
Bird feeders are OK but keep wild birds from backyard chickens as avian flu spreads in Ontario: experts
by Sue JonesWith 11 confirmed cases of avian influenza in Ontario poultry flocks, according to the CFIA, experts warn anyone with backyard chickens to be on the alert for flu signs and also recommend precautions for bird watchers.File photo shows healthy backyard chickens owned by a family in Toronto, where a pilot project allows residents to have…
- Politics
Queen’s review of policies on Indigenous identity claims rife with issues, say critics
by Sue JonesWhile the university in Kingston, Ont., has refused to publicly disclose all involved in the review process, CBC News has learned that the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation was among those consulted, despite its role in the centre of the controversy.Queen’s University has refused to publicly disclose all the individuals and groups involved in the review…
- Politics
How Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is sending shock waves through the chess world
by Sue JonesTournaments have been relocated. A top player has been suspended for supporting the war. Others have called for the head of the game’s organizing body to step down.Ottawa’s Svitlana Demchenko plays chess in Mykolayiv, Ukraine in the summer of 2021. The Ukrainian-born Demchenko, one of Canada’s top players, says the Russian invasion will have serious…
- Politics
Stars of Kim’s Convenience hope the show leads to diversity in front of — and behind — the camera
by Sue JonesThe end of the CBC award-winning comedy Kim’s Convenience last year may have silenced the voices of its characters, but the actors who played Appa and Umma still have a lot to say about the legacy of the beloved series — and how they hope it will change the course of Canadian productions in the…
- Politics
N.B. tenants facing eviction after landlord pivots to Airbnb due to province’s new cap on rent hikes
by Sue JonesTwo families living in a duplex in Hampton now have fewer than 30 days to get out, according to eviction notices stuck in their doors on March 31. Jennifer Taylor got an eviction notice on March 31, informing her that her new landlord is converting her Hampton apartment into Airbnb accommodations effective May 1. (Submitted/Jennifer…
- Politics
Rancid hotdogs, urine puddles among complaints at St. John’s for-profit homeless shelters
by Sue JonesDocuments obtained by CBC News show shelter clients have repeatedly complained about lack of food, safety and sanitation in for-profit rooming houses across St. John’s.Six rooming houses in St. John’s operate as a last resort shelter for people experiencing homelessness. At this one, on Cookstown Road, a tenant was allegedly killed by a man staying…
- Politics
Staff shortages leading to bed closures, long waiting lists for psychiatric care in Sask.
by Sue JonesSaskatchewan people have been unable to access several different types of psychiatric care because of staffing shortages leading to long wait-lists and closed beds.Saskatchewan Hospital North Battleford was officially opened in March 2019, boasting 188 psychiatric rehabilitation beds and a 96-room secure wing for offenders living with mental health issues. However, not all of the…
- Politics
Only 1 in 3 people with autism are employed. Amid a labour shortage, this is an untapped market
by Sue JonesOrganizers of a job fair for people with autism question why all employers aren’t looking at this neurodiverse talent pool to help solve the labour shortages so many companies are experiencing. The Spectrum Works Job Fair, organized by Xavier Pinto, left, and Neil Forester, right, has grown over the last 6 years from 150 attendees to…
- Politics
Ontario lakeside towns are fed up with the ‘party house next door’ and want to regulate rentals
by Sue JonesThere’s a growing movement among southwestern Ontario communities to regulate online short-term rental services, such as Airbnb, that critics say put pressure on tight housing markets and dilute the social fabric of communities.Port Stanley, Ont., sees an influx of tourists each summer to its beaches. The lakeside town is considering a licensing scheme for short-term…