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Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders To Resign In July

Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders will be stepping down from his position on July 31. He made the announcement during a news conference this afternoon.

Saunders has been Chief of Police since 2015 and was expected to remain in the position until at least 2021. His resignation comes after more than 37 years with the Toronto Police Service and eight months before his contract is set to expire.

He did not give a reason for his decision, but said he plans to spend more time with his family. 

As for what’s next, he says he’s not retiring altogether and wants to work for the City of Toronto for free on issues that are “near and dear” to him.

“I see a lot of young black boys getting killed by young black boys” said Saunders “Law enforcement deals with those symptoms and I want to help the cure for the disease and I think I have a ton of knowledge that can help keep governments in-check and do the right thing to make sure that we get it right.”

Watch the police chief’s comments below:

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WATCH: Chika Oriuwa Valedictorian Speech, U of T Faculty of Medicine

Congratulations to Dr. Chika Oriuwa who made history as the second Black female valedictorian at the University of Toronto (U of T) Faculty of Medicine. 

The first generation Nigerian Canadian was the only Black medical student in her 2016 class of 259 people.

Check out her valedictorian speech from the virtual graduation ceremony below:

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Ottawa Police Officer Charged In Racist Meme Investigation

An Ottawa police officer has been charged in connection with one of two racist memes that were being circulated within the Ottawa Police Service.

Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly announced that the officer was charged under the Police Services Act in relation to the creation and distribution of the image, which pictured 13 racialized members of the service and the phrase: “Ottawa Police Service – We’re always hiring…anyone.”

He did not confirm if it was the same officer who was suspended earlier this month as part of an investigation into the meme.

Chief Sloly also revealed an administrative investigation is underway into the source of the leaks, saying it “further victimized the people depicted in the meme along with their families and it victimized other OPS members and their families.” He stated, “It further damaged the OPS reputation and it further undermined the trust and confidence that the public has in the OPS.”

As a result, he said they’d be overhauling their policies and their IT practices to prevent this from happening again.

Addressing the killing of George Floyd and ensuing protests, Sloly acknowledged that it is “impacting members of our local Black community,” including himself. 

The OPS chief says the entire organization “failed” and is going through “remediation.” 

Read the full statement HERE.

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Toronto Police Chief Addresses Death Of Regis Korchinski-Paquet

Police chief Mark Saunders is calling for calm amid allegations of foul play in the death of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, who fell to her death from a 24th-floor apartment balcony during an interaction with Toronto police.

He revealed that dispatch received three individual 911 calls regarding an assault at 100 High Park on Wednesday evening, two of which indicated that there was a knife present. The call sounded “rather frantic” and police presence was needed, he said. He also said he’s “very comfortable” with the number of officers that were at the scene.

He told reporters “there’s a whole lot I want to say” and wishes he could say more about what occurred, but can’t due to the SIU’s ongoing investigation. “It’s a lot of misinformation, it’s a lot of lies,” Saunders said.

The chief added, “I support my men and women based on the limited information that I have right now.” He said he’s “anxious” for the investigation to be completed and hopes the public gets to hear the “absolute truth.” He also called for the use of body cameras, saying this is a “textbook case” of why they should be provided.

He said people are “feeding into” the “outrageous lies” being spread on social media and is urging the public to “wait for the facts to come out.”

It still remains unclear as to exactly what happened in the moment’s leading up to Regis’ death.

Watch the news conference HERE.

 

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Statement On The Death of Regis From The Korchinski-Paquet Family

May 28, 2020

STATEMENT ON THE DEATH OF REGIS FROM THE KORCHINSKI-PAQUET FAMILY

On Wednesday May 27, 2020 at approximately 5:00 pm a 911 call was made by a concerned mother, Claudette Beals-Clayton, for the safety and well-being of her child Regis Korchinski-Paquet.

Regis was in distress over a family conflict and her mother sought police assistance to bring calm to the situation.

Once police arrived at the residence they met her mother Claudette, Regis and Reece Korchinski-Beals, her brother in the hallway of 100 High Park in Toronto.

Claudette pleaded with police to provide assistance to her daughter and take her to CAMH to provide mental health support, as Claudette did not want the problem to escalate where it became unsafe.

Words were exchanged between Regis and the police officers, and Regis stated she had to use the bathroom and went into her apartment.

Her brother who was present, witnessed multiple police officers enter the unit after Regis went in.

When her brother attempted to go in after his sister he was stopped by police from entering the unit.

After approximately 1-2 minutes her mother and brother heard commotion in the apartment and then heard Regis cry out “Mom help, Mom help, Mom help.”

After that Mother and Brother heard silence.

Eventually an officer came out of the unit, knocked on the neighbour’s door, and stated to the family that she is over at the neighbour’s house or in the unit below.

After a few moments the mother then asked the officers if she is on the ground.

An officer went into the unit, then came back out and told her mother yes she is on the ground.

The family is distraught over the senseless loss of life and wants Justice for Regis.

The family wants answers to what happened. How can a call for assistance turn into a loss of life?

The family wants to ensure camera footage from hallway is secured by the SIU.

The family is extremely concerned that in recent times people with mental health issues across North America are ending up dead after interactions with the police.

D’Andre Campbell called for assistance on April 6, 2020 in Peel region and ended up being shot dead.

There has been a large outpouring of support online in the community, which is a testament to Regis’ effect on people.

She was proud of her Ukrainian and Nova-Scotian heritage, she was a talented gymnast, and used her skills to teach children and give back. She volunteered selfishly at her church and was a well known pillar of the congregation.

She is loved and will be missed by her Father Peter Korchinski, Mother Claudette Clayton-Beals, sisters Shyna, Shantiga, Renee, brother Reece, and her 12 nieces and nephews.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to assist the family.

All inquiries can be directed to info@maatlegal.ca

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Toronto Police Accused Of Pushing Black Woman From 24th Floor Balcony

Toronto police are being accused of pushing a Black woman off an apartment balcony to her death in the city’s High Park neighbourhood. 

The incident took place on Wednesday, May 27, at around 5:15 pm. The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) said Toronto police responded to a “domestic incident” at an apartment building on High Park Avenue. While inside a unit on the 24th floor, police “observed” a woman on the balcony. “A short time later, the woman fell from the balcony to the ground,” according to a news release from the SIU. Police did not release the woman’s name but family members publicly identified her as Regis Korchinski-Paquet. 

In several videos posted on his @rocawrld Instagram account, her cousin alleges that police threw her off the building and left her body at the scene for hours. He says the police claimed she committed suicide. 

The family’s lawyer Knia Singh said the victim’s mother, Claudette Beals-Clayton, sought police assistance because Regis was experiencing a mental health crisis, and pleaded with them to take her daughter to CAMH (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health) for mental health support. 

Singh said words were exchanged between Regis and the police officers in the hallway before she went inside her apartment to use the bathroom. 

Multiple officers followed her in the unit while her brother was blocked from entering. About two minutes later, her mother and brother heard commotion inside and Regis crying out for help. Eventually an officer came out and told her mother that she was on the ground.

The family is demanding #JusticeforRegis and wants answers to how a call for assistance resulted in her death. Singh finds it suspicious suicide is being mentioned considering Regis asked building management for weeks to install a protective screen around the apartment balcony.

Police Chief Mark Saunders and Mayor John Tory offered condolences to his family, while the SIU is asking anyone with information to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529 or upload any video evidence on the SIU website.

A protest for Regis has been organized at Christie Pits on Saturday, May 30 at 2:00 pm.

Read the full statement HERE.

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Ontario Government Launches Investigation, Takes Over 5 Long-Term Care Homes

The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) released a disturbing report regarding five high-risk long-term care homes in Ontario: Orchard Villa in Pickering, Altamont Care Community in Scarborough, Eatonville in Etobicoke, Hawthorne Place in North York, and Holland Christian Homes Grace Manor in Brampton.
 
Some of the key findings include:
  • Residents being left in bed in soiled diapers
  • Unsafe nursing medication administration errors
  • Cockroach infestations
  • Improper use of PPE by staff and doctors
  • COVID-19 patients being housed with residents who have not tested positive
  • Residents crying for help with no response from staff for 30 mins to over 2 hours
  • Residents not bathed for several weeks
  • Residents forcefully fed
  • COVID-19 positive patients allowed to wander around freely
Premier Doug Ford said it was the “most heart-wrenching report I’ve ever read in my entire life.” One of the homes – Orchard Villa – has been named in a $40-million class action lawsuit on behalf of all the residents and their family members. Many Canadians are also calling for the resignation of Merrilee Fullerton, the Minister of Long-Term Care.
 
The Ontario government has already launched an active investigation into the five privately-owned homes and has started the process of taking over management at four of the facilities. The fifth, not included in the report, is Camilla Care Community in Mississauga. An independent commission into Ontario’s LTC system is scheduled to begin this July.
 
You can read the full report here 👉🏾 https://tinyurl.com/yb8gc395
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Ontario Government Gives Police Access To COVID-19 Patient Database

A Canadian Human Rights organization is sounding the alarm after Ontario quietly gave police services access to a new database with the names, date of birth, and address of everyone in the province who has tested positive for COVID-19.

The emergency order, issued by the Ministry of Health back in April, allows the personal information of COVID-19 patients to be shared with police, firefighters and paramedics. The government said the data would provide first responders with the “tools they need to do their jobs and keep Ontarians safe.”

In a statement posted on their Twitter account, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) said, “Providing personal health information directly to law enforcement is an extraordinary invasion of privacy. Such a measure should only be taken when clearly authorized by law and absolutely necessary given the particular circumstances.”

Toronto-based lawyer Abby Deshman, Director of the Criminal Justice Program at the CCLA, said the province “needs to be extremely clear what the use for the information is, why it’s necessary and how this is legal.” She told CTV News Toronto police officers are going to get incomplete information because testing is limited, adding, “It’s hard for us to see how police will use this information to protect themselves or the public.”

Deshman emphasized that health information is usually “tightly controlled and disclosed only to health providers” and finds it worrisome it is being shared with law enforcement. 

Officials say the database will be inaccessible to first responders once the state of emergency is lifted, but have not disclosed any more details.

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Ontario To Start Collecting Race-Based Data From COVID-19 Patients

After months of pressure from Black community advocates and health experts, Ontario announced it will soon begin collecting race-based and socioeconomic data on COVID-19. Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Williams said the province is consulting with health equity experts to determine what information to collect. So far, no further details have been provided. However, Ontario health official Dr. Barbara Yaffe revealed they are in the process of updating the questionnaire distributed to patients by public health units. 

Just last month, community leaders issued a joint statement on COVID-19’s devastating impact on Black communities in Ontario, and urged public health officials to collect race-based data to better inform the government’s pandemic response. Ottawa’s first Black councillor Rawlson King also authored a letter of support, noting the importance of using the data to design a more equitable healthcare system, as well as improve resource allocations for Black communities. 

Citing long-standing structural and systemic inequities rooted in anti-Black racism, they outlined concerns the pandemic has amplified existing health and socioeconomic disparities, including poorer health outcomes; poverty; low income; unaffordable housing; and incarceration, which research has shown affects the Black population at disproportionately higher rates.

Black workers, particularly Black women, are overrepresented among essential workers in frontline jobs like PSWs or RPNs; and in service jobs that require close contact with the public. Many of them are providing essential services – such as grocery store clerks, cleaners, and warehouse workers – yet unable to access social and financial relief for their families. 

Black families are more likely to live in multi-generational households and may find it difficult to practice physical distancing or self-isolation. Black Canadians are also more likely to have pre-existing health conditions (i.e. diabetes, hypertension, etc.), and lack access to healthcare, putting them at increased risk for severe illness or death from COVID-19.

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Province Appoints Arleen Huggins to Investigate Peel District School Board’s Compliance

Arlene Huggins was handpicked by Education Minister Stephen Lecce to investigate the PDSB’s compliance after its failure to adhere to 27 Ministerial Directions it received.  The former president of the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers (CABL) earned a law degree from the University of Toronto in 1989. She was also on the founding Board of […]

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