Latest news with #Desjarlais
Edmonton Journal
05-08-2025
- Edmonton Journal
Lorne Gunter: Edmonton crime spree another example of bad person out on bail
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Desjarlais had been released on bail just 13 days earlier, on July 4, while awaiting trial for another serious traffic accident. Police investigate an collision between two cars that occurred at 132 Avenue and 82 Street that saw one car ripped in half on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. Photo by Greg Southam / Postmedia An approximately 16-hour crime spree in north Edmonton in mid-July is yet one more example of why the federal Liberal government must undo the bail 'reforms' it implemented in 2019. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters. Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, 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 David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters. Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, 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 Late in the morning of July 16, police allege that Cody Slade Desjarlais stole a car and was ripping around the Parkdale, Elmwood Park and Delton neighbourhoods for several hours, perhaps stopping occasionally to steal more personal property. Around 7:45 p.m., Desjarlais, still driving the stolen car, struck a 59-year-old man on his bike. Desjarlais fled the scene before police and emergency crews arrived. The cyclist suffered serious, but not life-threatening-injuries and had to hospitalized. Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again About 15 minutes after that hit-and-run, Desjarlais is alleged to have stopped the stolen car, jumped out onto the sidewalk and randomly stabbed a stranger several times with a knife before fleeing in the same car. The man Desjarlais stabbed suffered severe, life-threatening wounds but, according to police, has since stabilized. Police were able to locate and arrest Desjarlais in the wee hours of July 17. What makes this particularly galling is that Desjarlais had been released on bail just 13 days earlier, on July 4, while awaiting trial for another serious traffic accident. Last October, Desjarlais is believed to have stolen a Toyota Prius and started tearing around the same area with a bottle of alcohol on the front seat next to him. Desjarlais ran a red light at the busy intersection of 132 Avenue and 82 Street, just one block east of where the stabbing of a random stranger happened last month. In the October 2024 collision, Desjarlais was driving the stolen Prius so fast that when it collided with a sedan carrying two women and a child, the stolen car tore the victim's car 'almost in half,' according to police. Desjarlais was charged with 13 counts for last October's drunken crash, which were the charges he was awaiting trial for when he got bail on July 4. Desjarlais was charged with 27 more counts when arrested in July, including attempted murder, aggravated assault, possession of stolen property, two counts of driving while prohibited, breach of a release order (i.e. violating his bail conditions), possession of a weapon dangerous to the public, assault causing bodily harm, assault with a weapon, failure to stop after an accident and theft of a motor vehicle. This advertisement has not loaded yet. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Thankfully no one was killed. They so easily could have been. That brings to 40 the number of outstanding charges against Desjarlais. But given the Liberal government's lenient bail laws, there is no guarantee this repeat dangerous offender, who is clearly a threat to reoffend and harm the public, will be kept behind bars while he awaits either his first or second trial. A national government serious about public safety would repeal the 2019 bail reforms and keep more people like Cody Desjarlais away from the public. I'm sure Desjarlais is a tragic story about an abusive childhood or fetal alcohol syndrome or a life complicated by early drug addiction. And we can, and should, care about helping him get better, if that's possible. But while he is on the inside, not while he's tooling around city streets putting the safety and lives of innocent Edmontonians at risk. The recent conviction of Jamal Wheeler for the unprovoked 2023 killing of Rukinisha Nkundabatware (Nkunda) is another glaring example. When Wheeler fatally attacked Nkunda outside the Belvedere LRT station, he was out on bail from earlier charges for violent crimes. And it's not just isolated, random attacks. Since the Liberals severely weakened Canada's bail laws, violent crime in this country has increased by nearly 40 per cent, much of it committed by people out on bail or early release. How many more Canadians are going to have to be injured — or heaven forbid, killed — before the Liberals admit their theory about rehabilitating violent offenders by integrating them into our communities has been a naïve failure?
Hamilton Spectator
28-07-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Wet weather proves no damper on West Mo Days 2025
MOBERLY LAKE, B.C. — Despite some wet conditions which hampered its beginning, West Moberly First Nations' (WMFN) annual Indigenous culture event went off without delay this weekend. West Mo Days celebrated its 37th annual event, showcasing different aspects of Indigenous culture during the last weekend of July. After months of preparation, WMFN events coordinator Daniel Desjarlais told he was exhausted after all the work to put on the event. 'I'm tired but ready to go,' said Desjarlais. 'It's not as good [a crowd] as we might normally have, but there's actually still quite a few people here. I threw up as [many] tents as I could to fight the rain and laid tarps everywhere.' To the north of the West Mo Days grounds, there were hand games tournaments and volleyball tournaments underway, and a kids' section with bouncy castles and amusement rides. It also featured helicopter flights for attendees. To the south, varied events included athletic competitions such as horseshoe, bow and arrow, axe throwing as well as non-athletic events, including tea boiling, bannock making over an open fire and dry meat contests. WMFN band councillor Clarence Willson oversaw the double-elimination horseshoe tournament, which featured 16 teams competing for cash prizes. The game is played by throwing the equine footwear at a peg marked in a sandpit in the ground, with three points going for landing it around the peg, called a ringer; two points for leaning against the peg; and one point for it being closest to the peg. 'They have got to throw it underhand,' said Willson. 'Some people get it so their horseshoe just spins enough so that when it comes in, it's flat and hits the peg. 'When guys are really good at it, they get it to a point where they can do it so it spins twice and hits.' The event welcomed First Nations families and non-Indigenous residents, some experiencing the First Nations culture for the first time. Elizabeth Adeyemi, a youth worker from Dawson Creek, 'had fun,' enjoying what West Mo Days had to offer. 'This my first time here,' said Adeyemi. 'It's fun seeing people happy and having fun together as a family.' For the first time, the beading competition was voted on by attendees using a QR code to cast their votes for best beaded necklace, moccasins hair piece and medallion. Overseer Brittany Knott said: 'Last year, we just had the pieces up and numbered. Voting was done by hand, and we took until midnight for the final tally.' Saturday evening featured the talents of Hadlen, a magician, musician and comedian, and a talent show. Sunday featured canoe racing, leg wrestling and more to finish off the three-day event. West Mo Days took place from Friday, July 25th to Sunday, July 27th. 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 .
National Observer
22-05-2025
- Politics
- National Observer
BC considered the 'final frontier' for federal NDP as leadership question looms
Kelowna resident and former federal NDP candidate Cade Desjarlais sees the party in "disarray." Desjarlais, who ran for the NDP in Kelowna-Lake Country in 2021 but voted for the successful Liberal candidate in the redrawn riding of Kelowna last month, said the NDP needed a working-class reset, a leader in that mould and a focus on British Columbia. "It's almost like the final frontier for the NDP out here," he said. "I think that realistically, that BC will play an extremely important role in forming the future of the party." Not only is BC home to three of the party's meagre parliamentary caucus of seven, including interim leader Don Davies, it is also one of just two provinces governed by a New Democrat, Premier David Eby, with the other being Manitoba under Wab Kinew, Desjarlais said. "It's not that people are opposed to putting an X beside the NDP on their ballots," Desjarlais said. Other NDP members and former political staffers agree that despite the devastating outcome of last month's election — which saw the party's parliamentary ranks reduced by 18 from the 25 seats won in 2021, and its popular vote collapse by 59 per cent — a renewal is not beyond reach, if the right leader is found. Geoff Meggs, former chief of staff to Eby's predecessor, the late John Horgan, said while the situation for the federal NDP was "very, very worrisome" and required "a lot of action," millions of Canadians have routinely voted for the party. "We have a very strong record of success and a big, big pool of voters in Canada, when you consider the provincial scene," he said. "We are Opposition or government in Western Canada, Opposition in Ontario, Opposition in Nova Scotia. But we formed government in most of those provinces at some point." Canadians who voted for the NDP in the past may do so again "if the right leader comes along," Meggs said. "I think really it starts with leader," Desjarlais said. Jagmeet Singh lost his riding and resigned as leader, but the "damage was done," Desjarlais said. "You can't really be seen as a symbol of the working class when you are walking around the airport with a Versace bag or a Gucci bag, whatever the case may be," Desjarlais said, referring to a sighting of Singh with a designer tote outside a Toronto hotel in 2023. Kareem Allam, a member of the BC NDP and founding partner of Richardson Strategy Group, said the party had done "extremely well" when it positioned itself as the voice of workers. "We saw that with John Horgan, we saw it with (former federal NDP leader) Jack Layton and as they start to drift away from that labour vote, that working person … the worse they do," he said. Allam said New Democrats are only now realizing that they can no longer count on the working-class vote. "I think that is going to be the defining feature of the next leadership race," Allam said, adding that "a lot of working-class people" have found a comfortable home with the federal Conservatives. Both the federal Liberals and Conservatives have been targeting working-class voters, Meggs said. So who should be the next federal NDP leader? Meggs said they should have prior experience in elected politics, be "ideally" proficient in French and familiar with national issues. He said "there is no doubt" that former Alberta premier Rachel Notley"would be a really formidable leader" for the federal party. "I don't know if she's interested in doing it, but she is exactly the kind of person who I think could bring new energy and new eyes to the job." Meggs also pointed to Heather McPherson — Alberta's lone New Democratic MP. Eby has already ruled himself out, but has said he hopes the future leader will look to his administration and that of Kinew for inspiration about how to form government and approach key policy questions. Meggs doubted Kinew would jump to federal politics and said that the next federal leader must be in it for the long haul, given the challenges facing the party. He said a leader from Western Canada could help the party reconnect with voters, but "may lack an understanding of some of the specific issues facing people in Quebec and in Eastern Canada." Allam, meanwhile, said the leader should ideally be from Quebec or Western Canada, and not Ontario. Meggs and Allam agree that renewal requires reconnecting the party to its working roots. Looming over the future of the party is US President Donald Trump, and the challenge of dealing with him and his tariffs. Meggs said the party must learn how to speak to recent immigrants, a task which becomes even more urgent with the threat of Trump. "What does it take to forge a stronger country, a more effective national response to the challenge of Trump?" he said. "It won't be the decision or action of a single person. They are going to have to consult and draw in a lot of people into that work as well." Desjarlais said it was precisely the threat of Trump that contributed to his vote for Liberal Stephen Fuhr, whom he considered a strong MP from a previous stint. "But the major piece as well was, who was going to deal with Donald Trump? It was really a question of leadership." This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 22, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
B.C. seen as ‘final frontier' for federal NDP as leadership question looms
VICTORIA – Kelowna resident and former federal NDP candidate Cade Desjarlais sees the party in 'disarray.' Desjarlais, who ran for the NDP in Kelowna-Lake Country in 2021 but voted for the successful Liberal candidate in the redrawn riding of Kelowna last month, said the NDP needed a working-class reset, a leader in that mould and a focus on British Columbia. 'It's almost like the final frontier for the NDP out here,' he said. 'I think that realistically, that B.C. will play an extremely important role in forming the future of the party.' Not only is B.C. home to three of the party's meagre parliamentary caucus of seven, including interim leader Don Davies, it is also one of just two provinces governed by a New Democrat, Premier David Eby, with the other being Manitoba under Wab Kinew, Desjarlais said. 'It's not that people are opposed to putting an X beside the NDP on their ballots,' Desjarlais said. Other NDP members and former political staffers agree that despite the devastating outcome of last month's election — which saw the party's parliamentary ranks reduced by 18 from the 25 seats won in 2021, and its popular vote collapse by 59 per cent — a renewal is not beyond reach, if the right leader is found. Geoff Meggs, former chief of staff to Eby's predecessor, the late John Horgan, said while the situation for the federal NDP was 'very, very worrisome' and required 'a lot of action,' millions of Canadians have routinely voted for the party. 'We have a very strong record of success and a big, big pool of voters in Canada, when you consider the provincial scene,' he said. 'We are Opposition or government in Western Canada, Opposition in Ontario, Opposition in Nova Scotia. But we formed government in most of those provinces at some point.' Canadians who voted for the NDP in the past may do so again 'if the right leader comes along,' Meggs said. 'I think really it starts with leader,' Desjarlais said. Jagmeet Singh lost his riding and resigned as leader, but the 'damage was done,' Desjarlais said. 'You can't really be seen as a symbol of the working class when you are walking around the airport with a Versace bag or a Gucci bag, whatever the case may be,' Desjarlais said, referring to a sighting of Singh with a designer tote outside a Toronto hotel in 2023. Kareem Allam, a member of the B.C. NDP and founding partner of Richardson Strategy Group, said the party had done 'extremely well' when it positioned itself as the voice of workers. 'We saw that with John Horgan, we saw it with (former federal NDP leader) Jack Layton and as they start to drift away from that labour vote, that working person … the worse they do,' he said. Allam said New Democrats are only now realizing that they can no longer count on the working-class vote. 'I think that is going to be the defining feature of the next leadership race,' Allam said, adding that 'a lot of working-class people' have found a comfortable home with the federal Conservatives. Both the federal Liberals and Conservatives have been targeting working-class voters, Meggs said. So who should be the next federal NDP leader? Meggs said they should have prior experience in elected politics, be 'ideally' proficient in French and familiar with national issues. He said 'there is no doubt' that former Alberta premier Rachel Notley 'would be a really formidable leader' for the federal party. 'I don't know if she's interested in doing it, but she is exactly the kind of person who I think could bring new energy and new eyes to the job.' Meggs also pointed to Heather McPherson — Alberta's lone New Democratic MP. Eby has already ruled himself out, but has said he hopes the future leader will look to his administration and that of Kinew for inspiration about how to form government and approach key policy questions. Meggs doubted Kinew would jump to federal politics and said that the next federal leader must be in it for the long haul, given the challenges facing the party. He said a leader from Western Canada could help the party reconnect with voters, but 'may lack an understanding of some of the specific issues facing people in Quebec and in Eastern Canada.' Allam, meanwhile, said the leader should ideally be from Quebec or Western Canada, and not Ontario. Meggs and Allam agree that renewal requires reconnecting the party to its working roots. Looming over the future of the party is U.S. President Donald Trump, and the challenge of dealing with him and his tariffs. Meggs said the party must learn how to speak to recent immigrants, a task which becomes even more urgent with the threat of Trump. 'What does it take to forge a stronger country, a more effective national response to the challenge of Trump?' he said. 'It won't be the decision or action of a single person. They are going to have to consult and draw in a lot of people into that work as well.' Desjarlais said it was precisely the threat of Trump that contributed to his vote for Liberal Stephen Fuhr, whom he considered a strong MP from a previous stint. 'But the major piece as well was, who was going to deal with Donald Trump? It was really a question of leadership.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 22, 2025.
Hamilton Spectator
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
First Nations unity displayed at rally against separatism at Legislature
(ANNews) – Hundreds of people attended a rally that First Nations leaders from across Alberta organized at the Legislature in Edmonton to protest the premier's ongoing separatist threats, which every speaker agreed would run roughshod over Treaty rights. The May 15 event opened with drumming and a grand entry while Elders burned sacred herbs for smudging, followed by remarks from leaders representing Treaty 6, 7 and 8. The protest was a way for Treaty First Nations in Alberta to present a united front in the face of Bill 54, which lowers the threshold for bringing forward a referendum. Premier Danielle Smith has said that she will hold a referendum on independence in 2026 if a petition in support of one gets enough signatures. 'Let us stand loud and clear and concise that no provincial government can hold a referendum to overturn our treaty,' Confederacy of Treaty 6 First Nations Grand Chief Greg Desjarlais told attendees. 'We do not answer to the provincial government.' Desjarlais, who is also the elected chief of Frog Lake First Nation, said he 'took many arrows and many bullets, many from my own people' for meeting with Premier Smith about Bill 54, which he said was part of the confederacy's 'diplomatic' and 'patient' approach to the separatist threat. The meeting resulted in Justice Minister Mickey Amery amending the bill to say that no separation referendum question can threaten First Nations Treaty rights, which First Nations leaders dismissed as meaningless. 'Let me be clear, this push for Alberta separation is not just dangerous, it's a violation of Treaty, natural law and the land itself,' said Desjarlais. Treaties 6, 7 and 8 were signed in 1876, 1877 and 1899, respectively, all before Alberta was established as a province in 1905. Treaty 8 Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi commented that the day's display of unity 'is what we've needed for a long time.' 'When our nations and our Treaty are threatened, we need to come together,' he added. 'There's no separation between the chiefs and the councils and our people. We are all Treaty people when it comes to our Treaty. Each and every meeting that we are attending is to protect our children.' Grand Chief Mercredi emphasized that this includes non-Indigenous people as well. 'If you're in Alberta, in Canada, you are recognized as [part of the] Treaty,' he said. Representing Treaty 7 was Tsuut'ina Minor Chief Regena Crowchild, who spoke on behalf of Chief Roy Whitney. 'Any attempt to undermine or infringe on our Treaty rights will be met with unwavering resistance,' said Crowchild, who emphasized that she hasn't had any discussion 'whatsoever' with the premier on Bill 54. 'Defending our Treaty rights has always been a priority for me, and there are numerous examples of Tsuut'ina taking a strong stand against both federal and provincial actions that threaten those rights.' Saddle Lake Cree Nation Chief Jason Whiskeyjack said it's important to take the message 'that we are stronger together' to the Legislature. 'We have to celebrate who we are as a people, and when we do that the people are going to hear, not only here in this building but every Albertan in this Treaty 6, 7 and 8 territory. They need to be reminded that this is Treaty land. Everywhere they go is Treaty land,' he said. 'There's a lot of people wanting to separate. That's fine. They could just leave.' Chief Wilfred Hooka-Nooza of Dene Tha' First Nation in Treaty 8 said that attendees were gathered 'not as protesters, but as guardians of a promise older than the province of Alberta itself.' 'Our Treaties are not relics. They are not documents to be shelved and forgotten,' Chief Hooka-Nooza added. 'They are living, breathing commitments. They are a promise of coexistence, mutual respect and shared responsibility to this land we call home.' In addition to band leaders, Indigenous NDP MLAs Brooks Arcand-Paul of Alexander First Nation and Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse of Michel First Nation were at the event, as was independent MLA Scott Sinclair, who is non-status First Nation. Also in attendance were Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi and several other NDP MLAs, Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi, and former deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk, as well as Alberta Federation of Labour president Gil McGowan and secretary treasurer Cori Longo.
