Vancouver mayor says city review underway, calls on province for mental health resources
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CTV News
17 hours ago
- CTV News
Media challenge publication ban on Lapu Lapu attack suspect's fitness hearing
A woman lays flowers at a memorial during a vigil in Vancouver, on Friday, May 2, 2025, on a provincial day of mourning for the victims of the vehicle-ramming attack at the Filipino community's Lapu Lapu Day festival. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck A media consortium has challenged a publication ban on evidence at a hearing to determine if the man accused of killing 11 people at Vancouver's Lapu Lapu Day festival is fit to stand trial. The ban, which is supported by both prosecutors and the defence, says evidence in the British Columbia provincial court hearing is not publishable until it's lifted or after the end of a criminal trial. Adam Kai-Ji Lo faces 11 second-degree murder charges over the ramming attack in April, when an SUV drove through a crowd at a Filipino community festival. Lawyer Daniel Coles, representing the consortium that includes The Canadian Press, argued that lifting the ban would be in the public interest, and the public is already aware of details including that Lo had 'significant interactions with police in connection with mental health issues.' Coles says it's essential to the public interest and the open-court principle to allow the media to report on the matter, as it is not often possible for members of the public to attend court and coverage 'fills that void.' Prosecutors and Lo's defence lawyer Mark Swartz oppose lifting or changing the ban, with Swartz arguing the ban safeguard's Lo's right to a fair trial, and there is risk that publishing details of the fitness hearing could taint a jury. Last month, Lo appeared in a Vancouver court as forensic psychiatrists Dr. Robert Lacroix and Dr. Rakesh Lamba testified as expert witnesses in the fitness hearing. Their evidence cannot be described due to the ban, but their names and roles are allowed to be reported. Lo, who attended Tuesday's hearing by video, is expected back in court to continue the fitness hearing on Friday. This report by Brieanna Charlebois, The Canadian Press, was first published Aug. 19, 2025.
The Province
a day ago
- The Province
Vancouver appoints Alberta lawyer to look into complaint about change of city manager
In a statement, the office of Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim denied there had been any inappropriate or closed-door meetings related to recent change of city manager, and "any suggestions otherwise are completely baseless." The City of Vancouver named Delta's Donny van Dyk as its new city manager last month. Photo by RICHARD PASCO CITY OF DELTA Responding to a complaint from the public, the City of Vancouver has appointed an Alberta-based lawyer to review the process through which Vancouver's former city manager abruptly left his role last month and was promptly replaced. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors The office of Mayor Ken Sim says the complaint is 'completely baseless'. But the complainant says he is happy that the city is taking the matter seriously enough to appoint a respected lawyer to review it. The complaint was filed earlier this month by Robert Renger, a retired senior planner with the City of Burnaby who now sometimes writes and comments on civic affairs for local media outlets. Renger said he became concerned when he read comments from non-ABC council members quoted in media reports, suggesting they were not involved in discussions involving the departure last month of former city manager Paul Mochrie, or the hiring of Mochrie's replacement, Delta city manager Donny van Dyk, the following week. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In his complaint, Renger wrote that based on the public statements of council members from outside the city's majority ABC party, 'the implication is that before council as a whole was asked to endorse (van Dyk's) hiring, it was discussed and agreed upon by the mayor and ABC councillors.' Further, Renger wrote, 'if the mayor obtained Mochrie's resignation by threatening firing as the alternative, or by offering a severance payout deal, that should previously have been approved by council.' The matter will be reviewed by Jamie Pytel, an Alberta-based lawyer who previously served as the City of Edmonton's integrity commissioner. Pytel will review the complaint instead of Vancouver's current integrity commissioner, Lisa Southern, who is in the final months of her time in the role. Southern, an outside lawyer working for the city on a contractual retainer basis, was appointed in January 2022 to a two-year term as Vancouver's first integrity commissioner, and she was re-appointed to a second term ending Dec. 31, 2025. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Reached Monday, Southern said she has the authority to ask for the appointment of an ad-hoc commissioner, and has been doing so in recent weeks so as to allow her office to finish its active files in the remaining months of her term and in anticipation of transition to a new integrity commissioner. Renger said his concerns are informed by an investigative report released earlier this year from Southern's office, which found that park board commissioners elected with ABC had engaged in what amounted to inappropriate closed-door decision-making, breaching the city's 'open-meeting principle.' After Southern's report into the ABC park board commissioners was released publicly in February, ABC president Stephen Molnar responded by telling The Vancouver Sun that the party has no intention to stop caucusing in private, despite the commissioner's findings. This prompted a statement from B.C. Ombudsperson Jay Chalke, who called Molnar's comments 'a disturbing repudiation of the rule of law' and said the situation highlighted the need for the province to ensure effective oversight of municipal officials' conduct. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Southern's investigation into the ABC park board commissioners was initiated by a complaint from their political rival, Green Coun. Pete Fry, who also filed a separate but similar complaint alleging the ABC councillors had violated open-meeting rules. That second investigation is still in progress. Reached Monday, Renger said he does not know whether any in appropriate closed-door meetings happened regarding the recent change of city manager, but he is glad the city agrees it's worth a look. 'It's possible the mayor made these decisions 100 per cent on his own, without talking to ABC,' Renger said. 'But it also seemed possible that there had been some sort of discussions with the rest of his caucus. So I thought it would be very good if the integrity commissioner could have a look at that.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In an emailed statement Monday, Sim's office said: 'There have been no inappropriate or closed door meetings related to the departure of Paul Mochrie or hiring of Donny van Dyk whatsoever. Any suggestions otherwise are completely baseless.' 'The complaint is based on second-hand rumours from what a resident heard in the media, not any sort of actual evidence,' said the statement, adding that Mochrie's departure was a mutual decision between him and the mayor, and van Dyk's hiring was 'made by a vote of Council and followed all established procedures for the hiring of a new city manager.' dfumano@ Read More Local News NHL News Vancouver Canucks Opinion
CTV News
25-07-2025
- CTV News
Fitness hearing for accused Lapu-Lapu killer
Fitness hearing for accused Lapu-Lapu killer Thursday marked the second day of the fitness hearing for accused Lapu-Lapu Day festival killer Adam Kai-Ji Lo.
