Assault charge laid against Edmonton police officer
An Edmonton police officer has been charged with assault in connection with a 2024 traffic stop.
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CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
U.K. cops are going undercover as joggers. Will it stop women runners from being harassed?
Social Sharing Female runners are often told to run in groups, run with a dog, run in a well-lit area, run without earbuds, run with a whistle, run with tech, run varied routes, and — despite the fact all this advice might make them even more fearful — to also run assertively, standing tall and swinging their arms with purpose to not appear vulnerable. As experts have previously pointed out, there's a lot of onus on women to stay safe in public spaces. And that's likely part of why a new police campaign in the U.K., which is aimed at stopping people from harassing women runners in the first place, is getting so much attention. For the last month, undercover female police officers in Surrey, a county in southeastern England, have been posing as joggers in areas identified as high-risk. If they experience harassment, including cat-calling or sexually suggestive comments, a support team steps in. "The change I'd like to see is for people to recognize that it's not right. It's not just a small act. It's a thing that can make someone feel really quite uncomfortable," said Const. Abby Hayward, one of the officers who went undercover, in an Instagram video posted by Surrey Police. CBC News has contacted Surrey Police and has not heard back. But according to local news outlet LBC News, Surrey Police made 18 arrests in the last month in its operations, including the jogging patrols, to tackle violence against women and girls. "One of our officers was honked at within 10 minutes," Surrey Insp. Jon Vale, who runs the operation, told LBC News on Wednesday. "Then another vehicle slowed down, beeping and making gestures just 30 seconds later. That's how frequent it is." The initiative has made headlines around the world and elicited strong reactions online. But amid a wave of both praise and criticism, with the U.K.'s Free Speech Union reportedly calling it a "bizarre social-psychology experiment," some experts say the campaign misses the point and raises new concerns. "I don't want to downplay how unpleasant or scary these moments can be, especially for joggers who just want to stay in the zone without dealing with obnoxious men," Ummni Khan, an associate law professor at Carleton University in Ottawa who researches gender, sexuality and the law, told CBC News. "But I worry about directing resources this way ... [and] reinforcing stereotypes of who is 'dangerous.'" Women frequently engage in 'safety work' on runs Running is arguably one of the most rewarding physical activities, with time spent outdoors, a sense of personal accomplishment and a supportive community cheering you to push just a little faster or tiny bit further. But for many women, the rewards are tempered by the potential risks. An empirical study published in May in the British Journal of Criminology, for instance, found "high levels of abuse" reported by female runners, ranging from verbal comments to being physically and sexually assaulted. "Although women rarely report incidents to the police, their frequent experiences lead to the normalization of abuse, high levels of fear and women runners engaging in significant 'safety work' in order to avoid such intrusions," wrote the authors. WATCH | Many women report they're afraid to run on trails: New research finds some women afraid to run on forest trails 1 year ago Another recent U.K. survey found that 70 per cent of women said they experienced an intimidating incident while jogging, such as being followed or honked at. An Adidas survey in 2023 found that 92 per cent of 4,500 women in nine countries reported feeling concerned for their safety when they go for a run. According to Statistics Canada data released in 2019, one in three women reported experiencing unwanted sexual behaviour in public. And survey data released by the Canadian Women's Foundation (CWF) last summer found that just 32 per cent of women said they felt safe walking or running on or in a recreational trail, park or forest, compared to 61 per cent of men. It's a fact that women are disproportionately affected by gendered violence, said Jean Ketterling, an assistant professor in the women's and gender studies program at the University of Saskatchewan, and a runner herself. While the Surrey Police campaign doesn't put the onus on women to prevent violence against themselves by changing their behaviour, Ketterling also doesn't think it's going to be particularly effective. That's in part because it doesn't address the deeper issues, she said. "It focuses on individual perpetrators, not the structural conditions that make such violence quotidian, especially in intimate and family relationships," Ketterling said. "While I agree that education is an important part of the solution, I want to see resources go to quality, comprehensive sexual health education done in classrooms by trained and well-resourced educators." The problem with 'catching' harassers Surrey Police explained in a news release that harassment is significantly under-reported. Insp. Jon Vale said they'd already made a "number of interventions following reports of harassment of our plainclothes runners." "The next time you see a female jogger, just think, they could be a police officer with colleagues nearby ready to stop you. Your behaviour is not welcome in Surrey," he said. And many people online have expressed enthusiasm for the campaign. "We need this! I've had two catcalls this week while out," wrote a commenter on a recent Instagram post from Canadian Running Magazine.. "Police everywhere: make this a widespread practice, please. So much violent stranger crime against women originates in men following and harassing women in the wild," wrote Elle Kamihira, a women's rights podcast producer, on X. WATCH | Victoria's Queer running club aims to race past exclusion: Victoria Queer Run Club founder Leah Fulton says the group creates a welcoming space for runners at a time when there seems to be less inclusivity in events. Khan, with Carleton University, said catcalling or street interactions can be experienced as deeply invasive, frightening and unwelcome. But she has concerns about the approach of using undercover police to "catch harassers," explaining that these kinds of interventions risk disproportionately targeting lower-income and racialized men, as well as reinforcing "stranger danger" narratives. Plus, some people may come from places or contexts where greeting one another in public is considered friendly, she added, and women might interpret encounters in a variety of ways based on race, class, identity and past experiences.
CTV News
4 hours ago
- CTV News
‘It's a start of healing': Ashlee Shingoose's jacket returned to family
Albert and Theresa Shingoose (right) with the jacket believed to have been worn by their daughter Ashlee on Aug. 13, 2025. (Melissa Robinson) Warning: This article contains content that may be disturbing to readers. Discretion is advised. The jacket believed to have been worn by Ashlee Shingoose prior to her murder was returned to her parents on Wednesday afternoon. 'It's very overwhelming,' said Albert Shingoose, Ashlee's father, to CTV News. Ashlee, a 30-year-old from St. Theresa Point Anisininew Nation, is believed to have been killed in March 2022 while in Winnipeg at the hands of convicted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki. For years, her identity remained unknown, and she was gifted the name Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe, which means Buffalo Woman, by members of the Indigenous community. Ashlee Shingoose Ashlee Shingoose is pictured in an undated photo. (WPS handout) The black-and-white Baby Phat brand jacket was seized by the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) in the summer of 2022 and images of the jacket were made public to help identify her. In March, police made a positive identification using DNA located on evidence seized during the investigation into Jeremy Skibicki. 'It's very nice to have something of hers, to get her jacket back,' said Albert, 'but still, we are still looking forward to (bringing) Ashlee home.' The jacket was returned to Ashlee's parents by WPS Chief Gene Bowers after being requested, according to Albert. He said the exchange happened in a park with supporters. 'For me, it's a start of healing,' said Theresa Shingoose, Ashlee's mother. Albert and Theresa Shingoose (right) said the death of their daughter Ashlee has left them heartbroken. (Danton Unger/CTV News Winnipeg) Albert and Theresa Shingoose (right) said the death of their daughter Ashlee has left them heartbroken. (Danton Unger/CTV News Winnipeg) 'We're starting to go on a healing journey, and I'm very thankful to have met the people that I know that were there. They were a big support for us, and we were able to go through what we went through yesterday.' Chief Raymond Flett of St. Theresa Point Anisininew Nation said the moment he saw the jacket returned to Ashlee's parents, it felt like 'some sort of closure is starting.' 'The disappearance and the circumstances surrounding (the) late Ashlee Shingoose has deeply affected not just family, not just our nation, St. Theresa Point, but also for our region,' said Flett. Kinew confirms landfill search underway Police believe that Ashlee's body was placed in a garbage bin behind a commercial business in the 1300 block of Henderson Highway, which was taken to the Brady Road landfill, according to the March news release identifying Ashlee. On Wednesday, Premier Wab Kinew confirmed that workers have started excavating a section of the landfill in Winnipeg where they plan to search for her remains later this year. 'I can tell you that in addition to the excavation tests being underway this week, we've also done ground-penetrating radar testing, and then we're going to be using a few other sampling approaches to try and see whether they might bring anything else to the table,' said Kinew. 'Manitoba is a place where if somebody goes missing, we go looking,' he said. 'We just want them to know that we can't guarantee the outcome, but we're going to try.' Contois Harris Myran Rebecca Contois (left), Morgan Beatrice Harris (centre), and Marcedes Myran (right) are among the other victims of Jeremy Skibicki. (CTV News photo) In July 2024, Skibicki was convicted in the killings of Ashlee (whose identity was then unknown), Morgan Harris, 39, Marcedes Myran, 26, and Rebecca Contois, 24. All four victims were First Nations women. Police first became aware of Skibicki's crimes after the partial remains of Contois were found in a garbage bin in May 2022. The remains of Harris and Myran were discovered this year at the Prairie Green landfill north of Winnipeg. Court hearing set for impact statements On Friday, the Manitoba Court of King's Bench is holding a hearing to receive victim and community impact statements from Ashlee's family and community members, at the request of the Crown. In a statement, the court said the hearing is appropriate and necessary to give Ashlee's family the same opportunity as relatives of the other victims and to 'acknowledge the dignity of the victim and make real the suffering of, and impact on, the victim's family.' As Skibicki's trial has ended, the court said the special hearing will not impact his 'legal jeopardy' and that it can't order him to attend. The court's statement said it has been advised that Skibicki will not be present at the hearing, but that his lawyers will be there. 'I'll be needing lots of support,' said Albert, speaking about heading into Friday's hearing. 'I wanted to talk to that Skibicki in person and tell him how it feels, what he put my family into, and how it's very, very hurting.' Theresa described all the support they have received throughout the ordeal as a 'blessing.' 'To have known this feeling, that gives us hope,' she said. -With files from CTV's Danton Unger
CTV News
5 hours ago
- CTV News
Police investigating fatal crash in Waterloo
A vehicle is taken away on a flatbed after a collision in the Albert Street and Seagram Drive of Waterloo, Ont. on Aug. 14, 2025. (Dave Pettitt/CTV News) A driver has died after police were called to a serious crash in Waterloo. The Waterloo Regional Police Service said emergency services were called to the area of Albert Street and Seagram Drive on Thursday around 3:40 p.m. after a vehicle hit a utility pole. Police said the driver, a 24-year-old man from Waterloo, was taken to hospital and pronounced dead. The intersection is expected to be closed for an extended period of time while police investigate the crash and crews repair the pole. Seagram and Albert collision Waterloo Aug. 14, 2025 Emergency responders were called to a collision in the Albert Street and Seagram Drive of Waterloo, Ont. on Aug. 14, 2025. (Dave Pettitt/CTV News) The cause of the collision is still under investigation. Any witnesses are asked to contact the Waterloo Regional Police Service.
