Latest news with #Abbotsford
CTV News
an hour ago
- General
- CTV News
‘It's alarming': 19 impaired drivers stopped in Abbotsford Friday night
Police highlighted a "particularly concerning" recent incident that wasn't part of Friday night's total, in which a 40-year-old woman was driving impaired on her way to pick up her child from school. (@AbbyPoliceDept / Police in Abbotsford say they stopped more than a dozen impaired drivers in the city Friday night. The Abbotsford Police Department said on social media Saturday that its Traffic Enforcement Unit and patrol officers had taken 19 impaired drivers off the streets in a single evening. 'It's alarming how many individuals continue to drive under the influence, despite the ease of finding a safe ride home,' police said in their post. They also highlighted a 'particularly concerning' recent incident that wasn't part of Friday night's total. On Thursday afternoon, a 40-year-old woman was arrested for impaired driving after crashing into a tree and getting stuck on a concrete median. 'She was found to be over three times the legal alcohol limit – and was on her way to pick up her child from school,' police said. Abbotsford police have been dealing with a surge in impaired driving this year. At the beginning of April, the department said traffic stops for alcohol and drug impairment had risen by 74 per cent in comparison to the same period last year. While some of that increase is due to more robust enforcement on the part of police, there also appears to be 'a significant rise' in impairment overall, said Sgt. Paul Walker, at the time. To raise public awareness, the APD has partnered with ICBC and Mothers Against Drunk Driving on a signage campaign to highlight the locations where officers have nabbed impaired drivers on a weekly basis. The bright red signs read 'Impaired driver caught here,' and include a prompt for witnesses to call 911. With files from CTV News Vancouver's Andrew Weichel
CTV News
a day ago
- General
- CTV News
Still no charges in Robert Pickton prison death, almost one year after fatal assault
A shoulder patch and epaulette of a corrections officer are seen at an institution in Abbotsford, B.C., Oct. 26, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck MONTREAL — Almost one year after serial killer Robert Pickton died following an assault by another inmate in a Quebec prison, there have been no charges against the alleged assailant and few answers about what happened. Pickton died in hospital on May 31, 2024, after being assaulted at the Port-Cartier maximum security prison 12 days prior. The 74-year-old was convicted in 2007 of six counts of second-degree murder but was suspected of killing dozens more women at his pig farm in Port Coquitlam, B.C. The Correctional Service of Canada first issued a release on May 20 last year about a 'major assault' on an inmate, adding that 'the assailant has been identified and the appropriate actions have been taken.' The agency later confirmed the injured inmate was Pickton, and that he had died. Quebec provincial police identified the suspect as a 51-year-old inmate, but did not release a name. Earlier this week, the force said its investigation remained open. 'Some expert reports are still ongoing. As this is an active file, we will not comment further,' the Sûreté du Québec wrote in an email. By phone, a spokesperson said the police file had not yet been handed over to the Quebec Crown prosecutor's office, who will decide whether charges will be laid. The spokesperson, Audrey-Anne Bilodeau, added that police sometimes take more time to investigate when a suspect is already behind bars because there is no risk to the public. Correctional Service Canada said it expects to publish the results of investigations into the death 'in the near future,' spokesman Kevin Antonucci wrote in an email. 'Time was required to ensure that they were fully translated and vetted in accordance with the Privacy Act.' Advocates for prisoners' rights expressed concern about the lack of answers into what happened, and said the death raises questions about inmate security. 'We're concerned about a number of deaths have occurred at the hands of other prisoners without any clear answers,' Catherine Latimer of the John Howard Society said in a phone interview. Latimer cited a fatality report published earlier this year by Alberta Justice Donna Groves into the death of a 21-year-old inmate who was knifed to death inside his cell by another inmate at the Edmonton Institution in 2011. The report raised a number of questions, including why the two inmates were allowed out of their cells at the same time, despite belonging to rival gangs and being under orders to not to be around other inmates. Groves called for a public inquiry into the death, saying it's the only way to get to the bottom of three guards' actions that day, including concerns they were running a prison 'fight club.' Latimer said the report shows there is a serious problem with 'incompatible or vulnerable prisoners' being exposed to others who want to kill them. 'Pickton really raises that,' she said. Pickton, she added, would likely have been considered 'vulnerable' because the nature of his offences would have made him a potential target. Tom Engel, the former president of the Canadian Prison Law Association, agreed that Pickton's reputation would have meant he was at high risk of being assaulted by other inmates. 'The question has to be asked, well, how could this happen when when he's at high risk,' he said in a phone interview, adding 'that would normally point the finger at correctional staff.' Engel said he wasn't surprised that there have not yet been charges. He said investigations can be lengthy, in part because correctional staff and inmates can be reluctant to fully co-operate with police. The announcement of Pickton's death last year was met with public expressions of satisfaction and joy rather than concern. Families of victims used words such as 'healing,' 'overjoyed' and 'justice' to describe the death of a man who preyed upon vulnerable women in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, many of them Indigenous. But Engel believes the fate of prison inmates should be a concern. 'Members of the public who believe in human rights, who believe in the rule of law, who believe that the Criminal Code of Canada applies to everybody should care about this, because you can't have this kind of lawlessness going on in a prison,' he said. He also noted that the vast majority of inmates will eventually be released, and it's in the interest of public safety to ensure they don't come out angrier and more dangerous than before. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2025. Morgan Lowrie, The Canadian Press
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
2025 Calder Cup Conference Final Preview: 2) Abbotsford Canucks Versus 5) Texas Stars
The Abbotsford Canucks (8–4–0) keep on making franchise history. They won their five-game Division Final series against the Colorado Eagles, placing them in the final four of the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs. To win the Western Conference, they'll need to defeat the Texas Stars (6–2–0) in a best-of-seven that starts on Thursday. Latest From THN's Vancouver Canucks Site: Canucks Prospect Basile Sansonnens' 2025 Memorial Cup Run Comes To An End Advertisement Abbotsford Canucks Will Face A Former Vancouver Prospect In The 2025 Calder Cup Western Conference Final Vancouver Canucks 2025 NHL Draft Target: Brandon Gorzynski The Stars currently have three of the Calder Cup Playoffs' top scorers in Justin Hryckowian (15), Cameron Hughes (14), and former Canuck Kole Lind (11). As well, Matěj Blümel, Kyle Capobianco, and Curtis McKenzie round out the team's top-six in scoring. After this, the Stars face a significant drop-off in scoring, as no other player on the team has more than four points. This could make cracking Artūrs Šilovs, arguably the top goalie of the postseason, difficult for Texas. With that being said, Texas has the second-highest goals-for of all remaining teams, trailing the AHL Canucks by only five despite playing in four less games. Something Abbotsford will want to keep an eye out for during this series is their work on special teams. The AHL Canucks' penalty kill has been discussed at length, as they are currently operating at a stellar 97.1% and previously killed 30 straight. Texas currently has the second-highest power play percentage of the final four playoff teams with a rate of 23.1%. On the flip side, the Stars have a penalty killing efficiency of 85.7%, which only barely falls in the top-half of all the teams who participated in the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs. While Abbotsford's power play scored in their 5–0 win against the Eagles on Monday, prior to that, they hadn't scored in their past five opportunities. It will be difficult for them to nab more power plays, as Texas is the least-penalized team remaining in the playoffs with 61 PIMs and 21 times being shorthanded. Team Stats Abbotsford: Goals-for: 36 (1st) Goals against: 24 (4th) PIMs: 172 (2nd) PP%: 21.6% (3rd) PK%: 97.1% (1st) Advertisement Texas: Goals-for: 31 (2nd) Goals against: 19 (3rd) PIMs: 61 (4th) PP%: 23.1% (2nd) PK%: 85.7% (3rd) Abbotsford Canucks Playoff Stat Leaders After Round 3 Abbotsford Canucks Playoff Stat Leaders After Round 3 The Abbotsford Canucks are continuing to make franchise history. With their 5–0 win against the Colorado Eagles on Monday, Abbotsford has officially punched their ticket to the 2025 Calder Cup Western Conference Final. They begin their best-of-seven series against the Texas Stars on May 29 at 7:00 pm PT. Let's take a look at the team's stats after their third-round series. Individual Stat Leaders Points: Abbotsford: Sammy Blais (11) Linus Karlsson (10) Phil Di Giuseppe (8) Arshdeep Bains (7) Texas: Justin Hryckowian (15) Cameron Hughes (14) Kole Lind (11) Matěj Blümel (10) Goals: Abbotsford: Linus Karlsson (7) Phil Di Giuseppe (5) Sammy Blais (3) Nate Smith (3) Max Sasson (3) Texas: Justin Hryckowian (7) Kole Lind (6) Curtis McKenzie (4) Cameron Hughes (3) Matěj Blümel (3) Assists: Abbotsford: Sammy Blais (8) Arshdeep Bains (7) Ty Mueller (5) Jonathan Lekkerimäki (4) Jujhar Khaira (4) Texas: Cameron Hughes (11) Justin Hryckowian (8) Matěj Blümel (7) Kyle Capobianco (7) Kole Lind (5) Goaltenders: Abbotsford: Artūrs Šilovs: 1.73 GAA, .936 SV% in 12GP Texas: Remi Poirier: 1.87 GAA, .926 SV% in 6GP Magnus Helberg: 2.85 GAA, 0.889 SV% in 3GP Abbotsford Canucks players Linus Karlsson (94), Phil Di Giuseppe (34), Christian Wolanin (86), and Ty Mueller (39) stand by the bench during a game. (Photo Credit: @AbbyCanucks/X) Conference Final Schedule: Game 1 at Abbotsford Centre – Thursday, May 29 at 7:00pm PT Advertisement Game 2 at Abbotsford Centre – Saturday, May 31 at 7:00pm PT Game 3 at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park – Monday, June 2 at 5:00pm PT Game 4 at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park – Wednesday, June 4 at 5:00pm PT *Game 5 at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park – Friday, June 6 at 5:00pm PT *Game 6 at Abbotsford Centre – Sunday, June 8 at 6:00pm PT *Game 7 at Abbotsford Centre – Monday, June 9 at 7:00pm PT Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.
Edmonton Journal
2 days ago
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
Abbotsford Canucks Live: All the details from Game 1 of the AHL semifinals
Article content Texas is the affiliate of the Dallas Stars. The winner between Abbotsford and Texas takes on either the Laval Rocket or the Charlotte Checkers for the AHL Calder Cup championships. This is the fourth season that Vancouver Canucks have had their farm team in Abbotsford. Coach Manny Malhotra's crew has won three playoff rounds already this year. The club won two rounds combined in the three years previous. Abbotsford (44-24-2-2) were three points better than Texas (42-26-3-0) in the regular season. The teams didn't meet at all in league play. For your reading pleasure, we took a look at: • How AHL success translates to NHL success; • Linus Karlsson answering the leadership challenge in Abbotsford; • What this could all mean for coach Manny Malhotra; • W what this could all mean for Artūrs Šilovs; • And, yes, even Chair Gate, where Abbotsford play-by-play man Brandon Astle was hassled by a Colorado fan.
National Post
2 days ago
- Business
- National Post
The Abbotsford Canucks' strong season and what it may mean in the long run
Article content He got a tasted of the NHL, but clearly that season back in the minors proved to be a finishing school for him. He's a best-case scenario here. Article content The 2021-22 Stockton Heat might prove a more useful example. That season they were +57 in goal differential. That year's roster was relatively young, but the top scorers — Matthew Phillips, Jakob Pelletier and Glenn Gawdin — have struggled to make an impact in the NHL. Article content You have to go down the list to the team's youngest players to find the guys who are now making an impact in the NHL for the Flames: You see Connor Zary and Martin Pospisil, as well as Dustin Wolf. Article content Both those forwards played important roles this season for the Flames: the team still hopes Zary will pan out as a top-six winger, though he's already a very competent third-line two way player. Pospisil has been a physical force on the wing, though his lack of scoring touch is notable. Still, he's exactly the kind of guy you hope your minor league program will graduate to the NHL. Article content Article content And in the end, with these Abbotsford Canucks, it's the Pospisil type that the NHL Canucks are most likely to get out of their current AHL crop. Article content The AHL team did help Elias Junior Pettersson progress into an NHL regular. He's probably this season's best-case development scenario. Jonathan Lekkerimäki has had an uneven season, but still showed with his scoring hands that he's going to be at least able to score in the show. Article content Article content But it's the trio of Arshdeep Bains, Linus Karlsson and Aatu Räty that are the most likely to come out of this year's AHL roster and make any difference in the AHL. Räty could very well become the NHL team's third-line centre, while both Karlsson and Bains showed flashes at time this season of being effective fourth liners. Article content Article content Article content
