Family of Canadian CEO Killed in Helicopter Crash Files $35 Million Lawsuit
The family of Stephane Roy, a Canadian entrepreneur killed in a helicopter accident in 2019, has filed a C$50 million ($35 million) lawsuit against manufacturer Robinson Helicopter Co.
Roy and his 15-year-old son Justin disappeared that summer while returning from a fishing trip on a Robinson R44 helicopter. After two weeks, authorities discovered the helicopter had crashed, killing them both.
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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Police Release New Images of Travis Decker, Dad Accused of Killing His 3 Daughters, as He Remains on the Run
Police have released new images of Travis Decker, the 32-year-old Washington man accused of killing his three young daughters Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, were last seen during "planned visitation" with their father on May 30, before their bodies were discovered days later The new images of Decker, shared by the Chelan County Sheriff's Office (CCSO), give the public a closer look at his tattoos and clothing around the time of his disappearanceAuthorities in Washington are continuing their search for Travis Decker, the man accused of murdering his three young daughters, and have released new images as they ask for the public's assistance as he remains on the run. On Saturday, June 7, the Chelan County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) released a wanted poster on Facebook that features multiple new photos, and a few previously released images, of the murder suspect, including some that highlight his tattoos and wardrobe. In the photos, Decker — who has been charged with one count of kidnapping and three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his daughters Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5 — can be seen with his hair pulled back and tattoos on his arm and ankles. The poster states that Decker, 32, was last seen wearing a tan or green T-shirt, which he was previously photographed in, with dark shorts. He is 5'8 with black hair and brown eyes, and the CCSO described him as "dangerous" and said he "may be armed." In the office's June 7 update, the CCSO wrote that hundreds of law enforcement personnel are searching "dozens of structures and the forests" in the area. "We continue these search efforts, acting upon gathered information and tips from the public, and leads developed through even more search warrants," the organization's statement continued, adding that a local road was reopened after authorities found "no credible threat." "However, we ask the public remain vigilant as they venture back out to the recreation areas of Chelan County. We have notified the USFS that they can reopen the recreation areas as well," the CCSO said. Authorities are encouraging locals to check their doorbell cameras, to contact authorities if they see something helpful to the search and to "not attempt or contact or approach" Decker if they see the suspect. Per a U.S. Marshals Service affidavit obtained by Fox 13 Seattle, the Independent and NBC Right Now, authorities said they were worried that Decker was attempting to flee the United States after allegedly looking up phrases including "how to relocate to Canada" and "how does a person move to Canada" on May 26. He also reportedly searched for information tied to a Canadian job site, the outlets said, citing the affidavit. Decker's daughters were last seen during "planned visitation" with their father on May 30. The Wenatchee Police Department (WPD) then issued an endangered missing persons alert the next day. On June 2, authorities canceled the alert and revealed they had discovered the three girls' remains. Fox 13 Seattle reported that Decker's pickup truck was found near the Rock Island Campground in Leavenworth, Wash., where the bodies were located. A preliminary report seen by the outlet lists their believed cause of death as "asphyxiation." Fox 13 also reported that investigators found a blanket, a wallet, food and car seats for the girls inside Decker's vehicle, which had two bloody handprints on it. The suspect "drove to and left the same campground a day prior to the kidnapping," court documents obtained by the outlet said. Police are now offering a $20,000 reward for any information leading to Decker's arrest, according to ABC News. Arianna Cozart, an attorney who represents the girls' mother, Whitney Decker, told PEOPLE on June 6 that "everybody cares that Travis is found for peace of mind if nothing else." Authorities are asking anyone who has seen Decker to call 911 immediately, or call the CCSO at 509-667-6845. A form can also be submitted to a tip line. If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. Read the original article on People
Hamilton Spectator
2 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
U.S. envoy closely eyes Canada defence spending; says NATO about collective defence
OTTAWA - The American ambassador to Canada is closely watching as Ottawa shapes its defence budget, but says the U.S. will not dictate what the Canadian government must spend. 'We're not expecting anything; that's not our job to make those expectations,' Ambassador Pete Hoekstra said in an interview with The Canadian Press this past Friday, a day after NATO defence ministers endorsed new spending targets. Hoekstra also said the point of the NATO military alliance is to defend each other when under attack. He noted Americans haven't forgotten the 'investment and the sacrifice' Canadian troops made in Afghanistan when the U.S. invoked the NATO treaty's article on collective defence. 'They were fulfilling the commitment that they made to NATO — that when one of us is attacked we are all attacked, and we will defend each other,' Hoekstra said of Canadian soldiers. Hoekstra was not directly commenting on U.S. President Donald Trump's statement in March that Washington would not necessarily come to the aid of countries that don't pay their fair share on defence and that Canada has been freeloading on American defence of the continent. He did acknowledge Canada's defence spending has been an 'irritant' in the relationship with the U.S. This past week, defence ministers from NATO countries met in Brussels to discuss raising the member spending target on defence to as much as five per cent of GDP. Canada has never met NATO's existing spending target of two per cent since it was established in 2006. Trump and Prime Minister Mark Carney are engaged in what both sides have characterized as 'intensive' discussions toward the new economic and security deal the two leaders agreed to work on once the Canadian election concluded in April. NATO figures suggest Canada's defence spending rose from about one per cent in 2014 to 1.33 per cent in 2023. The NATO secretary-general's annual report, released in April, said Canada's defence spending would hit 1.45 per cent for 2024. In terms of absolute dollars, a Canadian Global Affairs Institute analysis last year said Canada ranks as the seventh largest spender in NATO, and the 14th largest in the world. Carney promised during the recent election campaign to move up Canada's deadline for meeting the 2 per cent threshold from 2032 to 2030 or sooner but has not yet shown a plan for how to do that. It will require Canada to add billions of new dollars annually. The prime minister is set to join other heads of government from NATO countries for an annual summit starting June 24 in the Netherlands. They are expected to approve a new defence investment plan that defence ministers hammered out this week, which would have member nations invest 3.5 per cent of GDP on core defence spending, and 1.5 per cent on defence and security-related investment such as infrastructure and resilience. That proposal is coming amid waning American commitments and a revanchist Russia. In recent years, both Democrats and Republicans have urged Canada to boost its Arctic defence, and the previous Biden administration praised much of what Ottawa outlined in an Arctic foreign policy last year. Trump has suggested defence of the Arctic is part of his 'Golden Dome' plan for a continental missile-defence shield. On May 27, the president said he told Ottawa it would cost US$61 billion to be part of the project. Hoekstra said he hasn't seen a breakdown of the costs, but said the 'really awesome technology' is likely estimated at 'proportionally what we think the Canadian share should be.' Defence Minister David McGuinty said Canada was reviewing its defence spending from 'top to bottom' and would have more to say about its plans soon, though the government isn't planning to table a budget until the fall. Hoekstra framed NATO as part of the wide partnership the U.S. has with Canada in security, which also includes secure energy flows and stopping illicit drugs. 'We need to do the things that will keep our citizens safe,' Hoekstra said. 'There are a lot of things that Americans and Canadians have in common, and we're looking forward to great days.' Hoekstra said Trump is trying to take the U.S. off an unsustainable trajectory, which he framed as millions of people crossing the U.S. border undocumented, spending way beyond government revenue and large trade deficits. 'The president is transforming that, because we need to,' he said. Trump's discussions with Carney will likely include the sweeping reform of border security that the Liberals tabled in Parliament last week. Hoekstra had yet to go through the legislation as of Friday. The ambassador said he's focused on win-win policies for both countries and not the prospect of Canada becoming an American state, despite Trump raising the notion as a way for Canadians to save on the cost of joining his Golden Dome project. Former Canadian diplomat Colin Robertson has said Hoekstra is limited in how much he can diverge from Trump's comments. But he said the ambassador has great access to the president, and his public messaging likely reveals how he has been advising Trump. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2025.
Hamilton Spectator
9 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Nova Scotia's ambitious ‘Wind West' offshore energy plan wins support with conditions
HALIFAX - Two leading environmental groups are giving a thumbs up to Nova Scotia's ambitious plan to dramatically expand its fledgling offshore wind energy industry. But both groups were quick to add caveats. On Monday, Premier Tim Houston said the province's plan to license enough offshore wind farms to produce five megawatts of electricity would be increased eightfold to 40 megawatts, well beyond the 2.4 megawatts Nova Scotia needs. He called on Ottawa to help cover the costs of his new Wind West project, saying the excess electricity could be used to supply 27 per cent of Canada's total demand. 'Nova Scotia is on the edge of a clean energy breakthrough,' the Progressive Conservative premier said in an online video, adding the province is poised to become an 'energy superpower.' Gretchen Fitzgerald, executive director of Sierra Club Canada, said the premier's bold plan, which includes building transmission lines across the country, represents an exciting opportunity for the province. 'It could be a game-changer for the region and for Canada,' she said in an interview from Ottawa. 'But it needs to be done correctly and with consultations.' Fitzgerald said the Nova Scotia and Canadian governments must focus on securing long-term benefits from the nascent offshore wind industry because they did a poor job on that front when dealing with the offshore oil and gas sector. 'We have to make sure that we are not selling out what is a massive resource for less benefit than communities should have,' Fitzgerald said, adding that Nova Scotia continues to suffer from a high rate of energy poverty. In May of this year, utility affordability expert Roger Colton produced a report showing that 43 per cent of Nova Scotians were struggling to pay their energy bills — the highest proportion in Canada. While Fitzgerald applauded Houston's clean energy plan, she criticized what she described as the premier's populist penchant for taking decisive action before consulting with experts and the public. 'Moving from a couple hundred turbines to thousands in the next decade needs to be done in a staged way so we learn how to do this right,' she said, adding Houston appears to have adopted a ''move-fast-and-break-things mentality.' '(That) can lead to unacceptable harm to sensitive ocean life,' she said. 'From a community benefits and acceptance point of view, breaking trust can be the biggest barrier to getting to good climate solutions.' In October 2023, the Public Policy Forum released a study saying Sable Island Bank, an ocean area about 180 kilometres south of Nova Scotia, is among the world's best locations for wind energy generation. 'It and several other similarly endowed areas off the coast of Atlantic Canada hold the potential to place the region among the leading global hubs of offshore wind-powered energy development,' says the report from the independent non-profit think tank. It goes on to say that as the world shifts from a dependence on fossil fuels to forms of energy that do not emit climate-changing greenhouse gases, Atlantic Canada is facing 'a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity ... to recover an economic vitality comparable to the Age of Sail — fittingly built again on the power of wind at sea.' The report says the installation of 15 gigawatts of offshore wind generation would create about 30,000 direct jobs annually. Despite the hype, the industry must also earn acceptance from Nova Scotia's fishing industry, which in 2023 contributed $2.5 billion to the province's economy and employed 19,000 people. In Halifax, a spokesman for the Ecology Action Centre called on the provincial government to build public trust, especially with coastal communities. 'There really needs to be a priority on stakeholder engagement for all ocean users,' said senior energy co-ordinator Thomas Arnason McNeil. 'We're going to need to prioritize ecological safeguards and preserve the existing livelihoods that we have. That includes the fishing industry. That's half the economy in Nova Scotia.' Still, he said the province's big push for clean energy is on the right track, especially when it comes to building out its electricity grid to better connect with the rest of the country. If done right, the payoff would be enormous, Arnason McNeil said. 'We're talking serious job creation here and a lot of revenue potentially,' he said. 'The bottom line is that you have to do this right. (But) the prize at the end of the road is monumental in terms of the benefits.' A call for bids to build enough offshore turbines to generate five gigawatts of electricity is expected as early as this year. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
