A social agency that runs a supervised consumption service (SCS) in Toronto’s Kensington Market has launched a court challenge against new legislation that will see 10 such sites shuttered across the province, arguing that the law violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Bill 223, the Community Care and Recovery Act, was passed in the legislature on Dec. 4 without committee review, input from affected communities, or debate. Among other things, it prohibits SCSs from operating within 200 metres of schools and child-care centres. Ten sites across the province, five of which are in Toronto, fall within this radius and must close their doors by March 31, 2025. Kensington Market Overdose Prevention Site (KMOPS), run by The Neighbourhood Group (TNG) Community Services and kept open through financial donations, is one of those sites slated to be closed. The organization also runs a child-care centre next door to its SCS. The act also imposes limitations and restrictions on existing SCSs, bans municipalities and other organizations from seeking or supporting federal exemptions to open new ones without the province’s approval, and bars any local initiatives that aim to decriminalize small amounts of drugs for personal use. Further, it prevents municipalities from seeking federal money for safe supply programs, again without the province’s approval. On Tuesday, TNG held a news conference to announce the legal challenge. Sandra Ka Hon Chu, co-executive director of the HIV Legal Network, moderates a Dec. 10 news conference where a Charter challenge was launched against a new law that would shutter some supervised consumption sites. CEO Bill Sinclair says that for decades, the 110-year-old organization he leads has been “listening and adapting” to meet the most crucial needs of the community it serves. “Six years ago, in 2018, we were alarmed by the increasing overdoses in our community and we wanted to urgently learn how to prevent death and how to be part of the solution,” Sinclair said, adding KMOPS hasn’t recorded a single death since it opened five years ago. “We did learn how to make a difference and how to save lives and since then we’ve continued to make a difference and provide life saving health care and health services, housing, employment, and more in Kensington Market.” Sinclair says with this court challenge, filed this week, TNG, and its two co-applicants, are “demanding our right to continue to provide this care and save lives.” Bill Sinclair, TNG's CEO, speaks during a Dec. 10 news conference where a Charter challenge was launched against a new law that would shutter some supervised consumption sites. Rahool Agarwal, a lawyer from Lax O’Sullivan LLP, and Carlo Di Carlo, of Stockwoods LLP, are providing pro-bono services to this case. They said their goal is to get the application up as soon as possible and are prepared to seek an injunction to prevent the restrictions in the new legislation from going into effect until it is decided. During today’s news conference, Agarwal said they’re committed to scheduling a hearing in Superior Court before the end of March when the 10 SCS sites are set to close. He said they believe this new legislation violates sections 7, 12, and 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which guarantee every Canadian’s right to life, liberty, and security of the person; freedom from treatment and punishment by the state that are cruel and unusual; and thirdly, the right to equality before the law and freedom from discrimination by the Canadian government. Agarwal argued that people who depend on SCSs will no longer have access to the services they need and as a result will “face a dramatically increased risk of death by overdose.” “They’ll be forced to result to unhealthy and unsafe consumption, engaging their very lives on a daily basis,” he said, adding that people who use these sites will face an “enhanced risk and threat of criminal prosecution” without them. “And finally, the law will infringe clients’ right to security of the person, because without supervised consumption, the data is clear that there will be a dramatically increased risk of infectious diseases as well as harms to other aspects of their health, including their mental and psychological well being.” Lawyer Rahool Agarwal speaks during a Dec. 10 news conference where a Charter challenge was launched against a new law that would shutter some supervised consumption sites. Agarwal also says the new law discriminates on the basis of “immutable characteristics,” specifically for those who suffer from substance-use disorder, which he noted is a recognized illness under the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. “Denying them real and meaningful access to those types of services will exacerbate the disadvantages they already face in society, the exclusion they face from Canadian society as a whole,” Agarwal said. “Most service users are already marginalized and disadvantaged in many other ways, and this will only exacerbate those disadvantages.” He added the Community Care and Recovery Act also “intrudes upon the federal government’s powers over the criminal law.” “Only the federal government can try to suppress conduct that it deems to be socially undesirable, and that’s what Ontario is trying to do through the back door with this legislation, and that’s why this legislation is also unconstitutional,” he said, adding they’ll be looking to the “strong precedent” set in the Supreme Court’s decision regarding the country’s first supervised injection site in B.C. for this case. In 2011, the country’s top court ruled that the federal health minister’s decision to not to exempt Vancouver’s Insite facility from the application of criminal drug laws breached the Charter right to life, liberty, and security of the person. New law plays on ‘heinous’ stereotypes, lawyer says Di Carlo said this case is “about the Ontario government favouring politics over people’s lives,” and “partnership over data.” “There’s no science-based evidence to support the idea that closing supervised consumption sites will make anyone safer,” he said, pointing to two Ontario government-commissioned reports that recommended keeping existing drug consumption sites open across the province, increasing funding to stabilize staffing and hiring permanent security guards to boost safety. Di Carlo said they also found SCSs reduce overdose deaths, improve access to health care services for marginalized community and referrals for addiction treatment, and minimize social disorder. “This is the science. It’s uncontroverted and overwhelming in support of supervised consumption services,” he said. Agarwal added that this data shows SCSs “save lives in a way that other forms of medical care and treatment simply do not.” “We know that if this law is permitted to take effect, the most vulnerable members of our society will be denied a medical service they need to survive, and people will die. And how the Ontario government can simply not only condone that behaviour, but to compel it. That is beyond me,” he said. “Ontario knew that when it passed this law, it had reports that itself commissioned in its possession that told it that these types of services help people, they save lives, they reduce the risk of death and disease. And despite that information, they decided to pass that legislation, and therefore knowingly increased the risk of death and grievous bodily harm.” DiCarlo went on to say that this new legislation simply “plays on heinous and pernicious stereotypes about a community that’s marginalized and unable to push back when a government acts capriciously, when it passes laws that have no rational basis and will harm lives.” “It’s impractical to expect that the vast majority of the individuals that are currently receiving services at one of the sites that’s about to shut down will be able to walk to a clinic that’s kilometers away that might remain open. And for the ones that do remain open, they will undoubtedly become overrun, making it even harder for people to access those services,” he said. Former Toronto mayor John Sewell speaks during a Dec. 10 news conference where a Charter challenge was launched against a new law that would shutter some supervised consumption sites. Former Toronto mayors Barbara Hall and John Sewell are also lending their support to the Charter challenge. Hall said that years ago she, Sewell and many others supported the Toronto Board of Health in opening supervised consumption and they continue to do so. “We knew there was a need then and we’ve seen incredible results. We heard about the fewer losses of life, but we know that one, aren’t enough (SCS), and two, there aren’t enough treatment spots for those who want them, so we need to help,” she said. In a statement provided to CTV News Toronto, a spokesperson for Ontario Minister of Health Sylvia Jones reiterated that the legislation is precipitated by “serious concerns” due to the “presence of drug consumption sites near schools and daycares.” “We’ve heard from families of the harassment, verbal and physical assault they have experienced walking their child to daycare or school. We have also heard about the phone calls parents have received that their child has picked up a dirty needle, or bag of toxic drugs in the school yard,” Hannah Jensen from the health minister’s office said in a written statement. “Enough is enough and our government is taking action to protect children and their families while taking the next step to create a system of care that prioritizes community safety, treatment, and recovery by investing $378 million to create (19) Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hubs. Each drug consumption site closing will have the opportunity to turn into a HART Hub.” These hubs are expected to be up ad running before the end of March. Jensen added that these sites are “similar to existing hub models in Ontario that have successfully provided people with care, will reflect regional priorities by connecting people to more comprehensive care than the support services previously offered at Consumption and Treatment Services. These enhanced services include primary care, addiction care, support, supportive housing, and other social services.” Solicitor General Michael Kerzner told The Canadian Press he could not comment on the legal action, but added the province has made it clear it wants parks to be safe for children and families. With files from The Canadian PressFive more people are facing charges as part of an investigation into extortion attempts made against South Asian businesses in Brampton and Mississauga, police say. The five accused — four men and one woman — were arrested and charged recently and have been released from custody with conditions, Peel Regional Police said in a news release on Thursday. The woman and three of the men were charged with extortion. Police said they have also recovered four firearms. According to police, the arrests and charges follow incidents in September 2023 and January, May, June and July of this year. The recent arrests, charges and seizures of guns are all part of an investigation into extortion-related incidents by the Peel Regional Police Extortion Investigative Task Force (EITF), a team made up of investigative and intelligence units supported by tactical teams. Police alleged in the release that extortion-related incidents in Peel Region have involved demands for large sums of money under the threat of violence. The incidents have also involved property damage and weapons offences. "Victims of these incidents are often contacted through social media platforms, such as WhatsApp and Facebook, which allow online chat groups," police said in the release. Peel police Chief Nishan Duraiappah said in a video statement that police noticed a "disturbing" trend in late 2023 in which business owners were becoming the victims of extortion attempts for large sums of money under the threat of violence. "These incidents deeply impacted victims and their families and were felt throughout our community and communities right across this country," he said. In response, police set up the task force. Since it was launched, Duraiappah said police have investigated more than 60 extortion-related incidents, made 23 arrests and laid 154 charges. Duraiappah said police have also seized 20 firearms, several rounds of ammunition, several high capacity gun magazines, more than 11 kilograms of methamphetamines and more than $10,000 in proceeds of crime. He added that police have recovered six stolen vehicles. "The EITF continues to work closely with law enforcement partners across Canada and the U.S. to investigate these incidents, and we anticipate our efforts will lead to further arrests and charges," Duraiappah said. "Anyone who receives a demand for money under the threat of violence is urged not to make any form of payment and to call the police immediately." According to police, the five accused are a 27-year-old man from B.C., a 25-year-old man from Brampton, a 44-year-old man from Brampton, a 24-year-old man from Hamilton and a 21-year-old woman from Brampton.
7xm movies
。
Tweet Facebook Mail The Kremlin fired a new intermediate-range ballistic missile at Ukraine overnight in response to Kyiv's use this week of US and British missiles capable of striking deeper into Russia, President Vladimir Putin said. In a televised address to the country, the Russian president warned that US air defence systems would be powerless to stop the new missile, which he said flies at ten times the speed of sound and which he called the Oreshnik — Russian for hazelnut tree. He also said it could be used to attack any Ukrainian ally whose missiles are used to attack Russia. READ MORE: Gaetz withdraws as Trump's pick for attorney general Russian President Vladimir Putin has boasted that the country's new missile cannot be stopped by US defence systems. (AP) "We believe that we have the right to use our weapons against military facilities of the countries that allow to use their weapons against our facilities," Putin said in his first comments since US President Joe Biden gave Ukraine the green light this month to use US ATACMS missiles to strike at limited targets inside Russia. Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh confirmed that Russia's missile was a new, experimental type of intermediate-range missile based on its RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile. "This was new type of lethal capability that was deployed on the battlefield, so that was certainly of concern," Singh said, noting that the missile could carry either conventional or nuclear warheads. The US was notified ahead of the launch through nuclear risk reduction channels, she said. The attack on the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro came in response to Kyiv's use of longer-range US and British missiles in strikes Tuesday and Wednesday on southern Russia, Putin said. Those strikes caused a fire at an ammunition depot in Russia's Bryansk region and killed and wounded some security services personnel in the Kursk region, he said. READ MORE: ICC issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Hamas officials In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Services, rescue workers battle a fire after a missile strike on Dnipro. (AP) "In the event of an escalation of aggressive actions, we will respond decisively and in kind," the Russian president said, adding that Western leaders who are hatching plans to use their forces against Moscow should "seriously think about this". "Modern air defence systems that exist in the world and anti-missile defences created by the Americans in Europe can't intercept such missiles," he said. Putin said the Oreshnik fired overnight struck a well-known missile factory in Dnipro. He also said Russia would issue advance warnings if it launches more strikes with the Oreshnik against Ukraine to allow civilians to evacuate to safety – something Moscow hasn't done before previous aerial attacks. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov initially said Russia hadn't warned the US about the coming launch of the new missile, noting that it wasn't obligated to do so. But he later changed tack and said Moscow did issue a warning 30 minutes before the launch. READ MORE: Ukraine fires UK-made missiles into Russia for first time, reports say Ukraine initially claimed the missile was an ICBM. (AP) Putin's announcement came hours after Ukraine claimed that Russia had used an intercontinental ballistic missile in the Dnipro attack, which wounded two people and damaged an industrial facility and rehabilitation centre for people with disabilities, according to local officials. But American officials said an initial US assessment indicated the strike was carried out with an intermediate-range ballistic missile. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post that the use of the missile was an "obvious and serious escalation in the scale and brutality of this war, a cynical violation of the UN Charter". He also said there had been "no strong global reaction" to the use of the missile, which he said could threaten other countries. "Putin is very sensitive to this. He is testing you, dear partners," Zelenskyy wrote. "If there is no tough response to Russia's actions, it means they see that such actions are possible." Recent missile exchanges signal a further escalation of the war. (AP) The attack comes during a week of escalating tensions, as the US eased restrictions on Ukraine's use of American-made longer-range missiles inside Russia and Putin lowered the threshold for launching nuclear weapons. The Ukrainian Air Force said in a statement that the Dnipro attack was launched from Russia's Astrakhan region, on the Caspian Sea. "Today, our crazy neighbour once again showed what he really is," Zelenskyy said hours before Putin's address. "And how afraid he is." Russia was sending a message by attacking Ukraine with an intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of releasing multiple warheads at extremely high speeds, even if they are less accurate than cruise missiles or short-range ballistic missiles, said Matthew Savill, director of military sciences at the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based think tank. Joe Biden gave permission recently for Ukraine to use US-made missiles to strike Russia. (AP) "Why might you use it therefore?" Savill said. "Signalling — signalling to the Ukrainians. We've got stuff that outrages you. But really signaling to the West 'We're happy to enter into a competition around intermediate-range ballistic missiles. PS: These could be nuclear-tipped. Do you really want to take that risk?'" Military experts say that modern ICBMs and IRBMs are extremely difficult to intercept, although Ukraine has previously claimed to have stopped some other weapons that Russia described as "unstoppable", including the air-launched Kinzhal hypersonic missile. David Albright, of the Washington-based think tank the Institute for Science and International Security, said he was "sceptical" of Putin's claim, adding that Russian technology sometimes "falls short". He suggested Putin was "taunting the West to try to shoot it down... like a braggart boasting, taunting his enemy". Ukraine defenders 'bending but not breaking' in fierce fighting View Gallery Earlier this week, the Biden administration authorised Ukraine to use the US-supplied, longer-range missiles to strike deeper inside Russia — a move that drew an angry response from Moscow. Days later, Ukraine fired several of the missiles into Russia, according to the Kremlin. The same day, Putin signed a new doctrine that allows for a potential nuclear response even to a conventional attack on Russia by any nation that is supported by a nuclear power. The doctrine is formulated broadly to avoid a firm commitment to use nuclear weapons. In response, Western countries, including the US, said Russia has used irresponsible nuclear rhetoric and behaviour throughout the war to intimidate Ukraine and other nations. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday that Russia's formal lowering of the threshold for nuclear weapons use did not prompt any changes in US doctrine. She pushed back on concerns that the decision to allow Ukraine to use Western missiles to strike deeper inside Russia might escalate the war. ′′They're the ones who are escalating this," she said of the Kremlin – in part because of a flood of North Korean troops sent to the region. More than 1000 days into war, Russia has the upper hand, with its larger army advancing in Donetsk and Ukrainian civilians suffering from relentless drone and missile strikes. Analysts and observers say the loosening of restrictions on Ukraine's use of Western missiles is unlikely to change the course of the war, but it puts the Russian army in a more vulnerable position and could complicate the logistics that are crucial in warfare. Putin has also warned that the move would mean that Russia and NATO are at war. "It is an important move and it pulls against, undermines the narrative that Putin had been trying to establish that it was fine for Russia to rain down Iranian drones and North Korean missiles on Ukraine but a reckless escalation for Ukraine to use Western-supplied weapons at legitimate targets in Russia," said Peter Ricketts, a former UK national security adviser who now sits in the House of Lords. DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP : Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play .
George Mason defeats Ferrum 100-55
Labour minister slams Canada Post union and management for being 'highly disrespectful' of Canadians
The cult of the ‘Spoons’: Inside the spartan, cavernous pubs that divide Britain
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Once Iowa's running game started rolling, it never really stopped. That meant a bigger workload than ever for Kaleb Johnson. Johnson rushed for 164 yards and a touchdown on a career-high 35 carries, and Kamari Moulton scored on a 68-yard run in the fourth quarter to help Iowa outlast Maryland 29-13 on Saturday. “Doesn't take a Knute Rockne to figure this one out,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. "Coming in we wanted to be able to run the football. That's what we do best." Johnson scored from 2 yards out in the second quarter for his 21st rushing touchdown of the season, and the Hawkeyes (7-4, 5-3 Big Ten) rebounded from their loss to UCLA in their previous game. Maryland (4-7, 1-7) needed to win its final two regular-season games to reach six wins and bowl eligibility, but the Terrapins were dominated in the first half and eventually fell behind 16-0. Drew Stevens made five field goals for Iowa, including kicks from 54 yards in the second quarter, then 50 and 49 in the third. Iowa, which does not exactly push the tempo, ran 46 offensive plays in the first half. The Hawkeyes had the ball for over six minutes on each of their first three possessions, which resulted in a fumble, a field goal and then Johnson's TD. “I thought the first half really played out about as well as we could outside the turnover,” said Ferentz, whose son Brian is an offensive assistant at Maryland. “Controlling the ball, keeping it on the ground and trying to keep their quarterback off the field.” Maryland replaced quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. with backup MJ Morris after two fruitless possessions, but the Terps still trailed 13-0 at halftime. Edwards went back in and led Maryland all the way to the Iowa 3 in the third quarter, but he was injured in a collision with defensive back Xavier Nwankpa. “The kid's a warrior. He's been banged up all year,” Terps coach Mike Locksley said. “I very rarely come in and talk about injuries because those are excuses and I'm not about that. Billy came to me and said, ‘Coach, I want to try to go.’ And he really gave us a chance." Morris came in and capped that drive with an 8-yard scoring pass to Tai Felton that made it 16-6, but a 2-point conversion was unsuccessful. A 12-yard touchdown strike from Morris to Felton made it 19-13 with 11:05 to play, but Iowa answered with Moulton's big run less than two minutes later. Iowa: Quarterback Jackson Stratton, a walk-on transfer from Colorado State, wasn't asked to do much as the Hawkeyes were able to lean on the running game. And credit Iowa's defense for an excellent first half that helped build a big enough lead. Maryland: No matter how obvious Iowa's plan was, the Terps couldn't do much to stop it. Iowa finished with 268 yards rushing on 58 attempts. Ferentz now has 203 career victories as Iowa's head coach. Only Woody Hayes (205) has more in Big Ten history. Johnson looked plenty motivated after he produced just 49 yards rushing against UCLA. He also had extra time to rest since Iowa was off last weekend. “That 49 yards. I was mad at myself a little bit," he said. "I was being too soft. I wasn’t running as hard as I could.” Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara hasn't played since entering concussion protocol after a game late last month. Ferentz urged fans to support McNamara, who since 2022 has dealt with leg, quad and knee problems in addition to his latest issue. “Sometimes you've got to step back and have some compassion for the people that are out competing,” Ferentz said. "You think about the last three years for this guy. He has had a rough go." Iowa: Hosts Nebraska on Friday. Maryland: At Penn State on Saturday. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
Chance of direct attack by Russia ‘remote’, says UK armed forces chiefFormer Broncos coach makes switch to rival Queensland team after leaving Brisbane in 2024
Yes, it’s safe to use Login.gov to access Social Security accounts onlineNoneSports betting odds suggest that the AFC North race between the Ravens and Steelers is far from over.