NEWSLETTER: -BC involuntary care policy found unconstitutional -Police back at Vancouver Pride -Vic wants homelessness database -Lawsuits over Palestine protest coverage -Losing housing, risking homelessness www.defactomedia.ca/newsletter/b...

7) Toronto-headquartered Thompson Reuters to sign $125M deal with ICE It would share data to monitor for supposed voter & immigration fraud bsky.app/profile/nati...

Canada's National Observer@nationalobserver.com · 2w ago

One of the lesser-known services Thomson Reuters offers is Consolidated Lead Evaluation and Reporting, or CLEAR, a database that compiles individuals’ private information not normally accessible to law enforcement.

RCMP intentionally set home ablaze during wellness check

De Facto Journalism Co-op@defactomedia.ca · 6d ago

3) RCMP set Chilliwack home on fire during 2023 wellness check & standoff A court decision revealed officers chose to ignite the home to kill or capture an armed man in crisis — despite the ammo inside & proximity to 31 houses, a seniors’ community, & Skowkale reserve www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/ar...

10) City of Vancouver severance payouts skyrocketed to $6M in last year's public service cuts, new document shows vancouversun.com/news/an-extr...

'An extraordinary spike': Vancouver spent $6 million on severance agreements last year, newly obtained document reveals

The way city hall is now slashing jobs, through both voluntary buyouts and involuntary layoffs, is costly and reckless, ABC's political opponents say.

vancouversun.com

9) Winnipeg police criticized for “reconciliation” cruiser with Indigenous art It was launched a month ago amid anti-drug sweeps that disproportionately affected Indigenous locals indiginews.com/winnipeg/win...

Winnipeg police unveil a ‘reconciliation’ police cruiser — but critics are unimpressed

Force says the police car emblazoned with Indigenous art not for enforcement but education. Advocates say the gesture is ‘uncomfortable’ and ‘unsettling’ — especially amidst a drug-use crackdown they ...

indiginews.com

5) Reform towards wards thwarts restored board SD61's board was fired over reluctance to add police liaisons, & a BC-appointed trustee took over The board was reinstated after scandalous texts emerged, but can't stop the trustee's swap to ward-based elections www.timescolonist.com/local-news/g...

Greater Victoria school trustees say they can’t overturn move to ward-style system

The change was approved by Education Minister Lisa Beare in January, before the trustees were reinstated.

timescolonist.com

3) RCMP set Chilliwack home on fire during 2023 wellness check & standoff A court decision revealed officers chose to ignite the home to kill or capture an armed man in crisis — despite the ammo inside & proximity to 31 houses, a seniors’ community, & Skowkale reserve www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/ar...

RCMP officers ‘intentionally’ set home ablaze during tense standoff, court documents reveal

A house fire that erupted during an armed standoff in B.C.’s Lower Mainland three years ago was “intentionally” ignited by RCMP officers on scene, court documents have revealed.

ctvnews.ca

2. BC Supreme Court halts eviction of Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club for 6 months, as it waits on judicial review The province raided the 30-year-old club this spring & has pursued civil forfeiture against its landlord, while seeking $3.2M in past fines www.timescolonist.com/local-news/v...

Victoria Cannabis Club can stay in storefront for six months

On Monday, the club won a court injunction pressing pause on the landlord’s eviction notice. The province is seeking an order that the property be forfeited.

timescolonist.com

10 Canadian stories from last week on policing, legal battles, & transparency 1. Drug User Liberation Front trial closes, but no decision likely until 2027 DULF co-founders are constitutionally challenging their possession-for-trafficking charges www.defactomedia.ca/newsletter/d... More in thread:

10 Canadian stories from last week on policing, legal battles, & transparency 1. Drug User Liberation Front trial closes, but no decision likely until 2027 DULF co-founders are constitutionally challenging their possession-for-trafficking charges www.defactomedia.ca/newsletter/d... More in thread:

🚨 Oh my God we're back again! 🚨 Sam & Garth share good news about the future of the show! Then we discuss Elanore Sturko, Vaughn Palmer and Tristin Hopper’s claims that fewer people died from ODs in Canada because BC abandoned harm reduction. Are they right? (No). www.patreon.com/crackdownpod...

NEW NEWSLETTER: -DULF trial closes -RCMP set house on fire -Class action over AI in prisons -Canadian deals with ICE & Raytheon -Compassion club fights eviction -Reform towards wards thwarts restored board www.defactomedia.ca/newsletter/d...

DULF trial ends, but no decision expected soon

Post Facto: RCMP set home on fire. AI racism in prisons? ICE & Raytheon deals. Compassion club fights eviction. Reform towards wards thwarts restored board.

defactomedia.ca

NEW NEWSLETTER: -DULF trial closes -RCMP set house on fire -Class action over AI in prisons -Canadian deals with ICE & Raytheon -Compassion club fights eviction -Reform towards wards thwarts restored board www.defactomedia.ca/newsletter/d...

DULF trial ends, but no decision expected soon

Post Facto: RCMP set home on fire. AI racism in prisons? ICE & Raytheon deals. Compassion club fights eviction. Reform towards wards thwarts restored board.

defactomedia.ca

I've had the privilege of working with Emma over the last 2+ years in launching @defactomedia.ca both in an organizational capacity and in co-authoring two pieces in De Facto's first series. If you've got work that needs doing, I highly recommend working with Emma!

Emma Arkell@emmaarkell.bsky.social · last wk.

This is my last working week as the labour reporter at PressProgress. I received notice a little over a week ago that the labour reporter position is being terminated and I’m being laid off.

We spoke to 2 transparency experts about: -Police's “mandate of secrecy & confidentiality” -How group chats are used to evade FOI searches -The Christy Clark govt's “triple-delete” scandal -The state of transparency in BC, and whether penalties could improve it www.defactomedia.ca/interview-fi...

“You start wondering whether there was mal intent or just incompetence. Neither [one] is good from a public accountability perspective” Transparency experts weigh in on how public trust is eroded by “secrecy & information control” by police & other public bodies www.defactomedia.ca/interview-fi...

Transparency advocates on police ‘culture of confidentiality and secrecy’

A conversation with BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association's leaders about Vancouver top cops' claims to have no emails about Drug User Liberation Front before they raided — emails we later...

defactomedia.ca

“You start wondering whether there was mal intent or just incompetence. Neither [one] is good from a public accountability perspective” Transparency experts weigh in on how public trust is eroded by “secrecy & information control” by police & other public bodies www.defactomedia.ca/interview-fi...

Transparency advocates on police ‘culture of confidentiality and secrecy’

A conversation with BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association's leaders about Vancouver top cops' claims to have no emails about Drug User Liberation Front before they raided — emails we later...

defactomedia.ca

VPD claimed no emails went "to or from" senior cops about DULF ahead of their Oct 2023 raid But emails sent to 2 officers were included in evidence in the resulting trial How did police justify not revealing those emails? By saying the officers were only CC'd www.defactomedia.ca/vpd-emails-f...

VPD claimed no emails sent to or from senior cops about compassion club ahead of raid. That’s untrue

Freedom-of-information advocates say force's non-response likely broke BC’s transparency law — and ask if Vancouver police should undergo ‘greater scrutiny’ for public transparency

defactomedia.ca

VPD claimed no emails went "to or from" senior cops about DULF ahead of their Oct 2023 raid But emails sent to 2 officers were included in evidence in the resulting trial How did police justify not revealing those emails? By saying the officers were only CC'd www.defactomedia.ca/vpd-emails-f...

VPD claimed no emails sent to or from senior cops about compassion club ahead of raid. That’s untrue

Freedom-of-information advocates say force's non-response likely broke BC’s transparency law — and ask if Vancouver police should undergo ‘greater scrutiny’ for public transparency

defactomedia.ca

Good reporting on some of the types of hidden barriers put up by public bodies to limit access to records. VPD regularly engages in various FOI shenanigans, contrary to their legal responsibility to assist applicants. #cdnfoi

dustin@godfrey.work · 3w ago

as DULF dominated the news cycle, and as they planned their high profile raid, the VPD claimed in FOI responses that no emails about DULF were sent to or from several senior officers for two of those officers, that wasn't true @defactomedia.ca www.defactomedia.ca/vpd-emails-f...

I got the scoop on new media coop @defactomedia.ca from two of the founders! open.substack.com/pub/pluckywi...

Meet a new Canadian media co-op

De Facto, a B.C. based online outlet, has already racked up impressive audience support

open.substack.com

as DULF dominated the news cycle, and as they planned their high profile raid, the VPD claimed in FOI responses that no emails about DULF were sent to or from several senior officers for two of those officers, that wasn't true @defactomedia.ca www.defactomedia.ca/vpd-emails-f...

VPD claimed no emails sent to or from senior cops about compassion club ahead of raid. That’s untrue

Freedom-of-information advocates say force's non-response likely broke BC’s transparency law — and ask if Vancouver police should undergo ‘greater scrutiny’ for public transparency

defactomedia.ca

We have new reporting ready for you! Subscribe now to get tomorrow's exclusive on police transparency www.defactomedia.ca/donate/#/por...

The first indefinite union-led nursing strike in Canada in 27 years is officially expanding picket lines to Vancouver Island. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday: nurses will be picketing at Vic General, Nanaimo Regional General, and Royal Jubilee hospitals. #yyj Article re: how job action is going so far:

PressProgress@pressprogress.ca · 4w ago

‘I’m Not Optimistic’: First Canadian Nursing Strike in Nearly Three Decades Under Way in BC After first week of job action, union considers expanding picket lines to more hospitals pressprogress.ca/im-not-optim...

9) BC Supreme Court rejects reopening Cowichan case The justice said it would harm judicial finality & efficiency to let Montrose Properties join defendants now that the trial has ended, after declining to join originally cheknews.ca/b-c-supreme-...

B.C. Supreme Court rejects company's bid to reopen landmark Cowichan title case

The B.C. Supreme Court has dismissed an application seeking to reopen the landmark Aboriginal title case that recognized Cowichan Nation's title to a large area of land along the south arm of the Fras...

cheknews.ca

3) The Tyee filed FOIs with 7 BC health authorities asking how many patients in each hospital had a fatal or non-fatal overdose over the last 5 years Only Fraser Health gave the proper info The privacy commissioner rejected Tyee’s appeals for more from the others bsky.app/profile/thet...

The Tyee@thetyee.ca · last mo.

The Tyee was often given conflicting reasons why hospital overdose data from six B.C. health authorities couldn’t be accessible to the public. thetyee.ca/News/2026/07...

2) Project South investigators believed an attempted hit at a prison official's home was tied to an ex-Olympian's alleged drug ring—and that a cop provided the address That comes from warrant docs still partly under a publication ban, which media outlets are fighting bsky.app/profile/thes...

Toronto Star@thestar.com · last mo.

#Breaking New documents link ‘horrendous’ Toronto police corruption allegations to Ryan Wedding cocaine case

5) Victoria police gave 13,040 hours (6+ years) of pay to 6 suspended officers in 2024 + 2025 That cost the public an estimated $800,000 VicPD’s yearly paid suspension hours have quintupled since 2018-2023, per Stephen's FOIs ↓ bsky.app/profile/step...

Stephen Harrison@stephenharrison.bsky.social · last mo.

VicPD is currently paying about $2,500 a day to support five officers who are under investigation, including one officer charged with sexual assault. www.needsmorespikes.com/blog/vicpd-s...

4) Hamilton's first-ever civilian appointee has resigned from its police board She cited “persistent mistreatment” & said board acted as a “rubber stamp” rather than oversight body The vice-chair's son is a local cop bsky.app/profile/brea...

The Breach@breachmedia.ca · last mo.

Physician Anjali Menezes resigned from Hamilton’s police board, and she’s calling for it to be dismantled. As @desmondcole.bsky.social reports, Menezes says her colleagues acted as cheerleaders for police instead of holding them to account—a problem with police boards across Canada.

1) Victoria city council voted 7-1 not to close the city’s only official supervised consumption site This was one councillor’s second attempt to shut The Harbour The prior weekend, a toxic drug advisory had gone out due to a local ER being flooded with overdoses www.defactomedia.ca/newsletter/p...