In the news today, May 10

A report that estimates $5 billion was laundered through British Columbia’s real estate market last year also lifts the lid on the extent of illegal cash moving across Canada. Some $7.4 billion overall was laundered in B.C. in 2018, out of an estimated total of $47 billion in Canada, concluded the report by an expert panel led by former B.C. deputy attorney general Maureen Maloney. The report is one of two released Thursday and says B.C. ranks fourth for money laundering among a division of six regions in Canada, behind Alberta, Ontario and the Prairies — collectively Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The report says the higher estimates of money laundering in Alberta and the Prairies may be “surprising,” but crime rates are rising in those provinces and illegal cash finds homes in jurisdictions where real estate is more affordable than B.C.

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HIGH COURT TO RULE ON MIGRANT DETAINEES’ RIGHTS

The Supreme Court is to rule today on whether immigration detainees have the right to challenge their detentions in person before judges. Migrants who do not hold Canadian citizenship can now only challenge their detentions through an immigration tribunal, whose decisions are subject to only limited judicial review. The case centres on a Pakistani man, Tusif Ur Rehman Chhina, who was granted refugee protection in Canada in 2006, but was later detained after authorities learned he had a criminal record. He failed in 12 attempts to the Immigration and Review Board to be released and was eventually deported to Pakistan, but his lawyers have continued to pursue the case.

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ONTARIO AND SASKATCHEWAN PREMIERS MEET TODAY

The premiers of Ontario and Saskatchewan are set to meet in Toronto today. Doug Ford and Scott Moe will meet at the Ontario legislature to discuss a variety of issues including the federal carbon tax, interprovincial trade and an upcoming meeting of Canada’s premiers. The Conservative leaders have been vocal opponents of the federal carbon tax and both launched court challenges against it last year.

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FIRST NATION CALLS FOR CONSULTATION ON ARTIFACTS

Members of a northern British Columbia First Nation are arguing in court that they should have been consulted on an archaeological mitigation plan prepared by a natural gas company on their traditional territory. The Unist’ot’en house group of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation and hereditary chief Knedebeas filed an application for judicial review in B.C. Supreme Court on Tuesday. It challenges the decision of the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission and provincial Archaeology Branch to accept a mitigation plan prepared by Coastal GasLink that the First Nation members say did not involve consultation.

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KOI RETURN TO CHINESE GARDEN AFTER OTTER RAMPAGE

Koi are safe to swim again in the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden in Vancouver that was once a hunting ground for an elusive otter. Three adults and 344 juvenile ornamental koi were removed from the pond and kept at the Vancouver Aquarium last November after the otter began feasting on the expensive koi. It even killed a 50-year-old fish named Madonna, before it disappeared again, despite numerous attempts by staff to trap the animal. The koi that were removed were returned to the pond on Thursday, along with two other adults that had been donated.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS:

— Pre-trial appearance for Matthew Raymond, charged with four counts of murder in the shooting deaths of two police officers and two others.

— Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos discusses changes to the Canada Child Benefit program.

— Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets with Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson and delivers remarks on the Municipal Infrastructure Top-Up. Media availability to follow. Minister of Natural Resources Amarjeet Sohi will also be in attendance.

— April Dawn Irving, formerly of Milk River, is back in court facing charges including cruelty to animals and causing or permitting an animal to be in distress. Irving was arrested and charged in Jan. 2015, after more than 200 dogs were seized from her property, and another five dogs were found dead. She was found fit to stand trial in April.

— Fisheries Minister Jonathan Wilkinson makes an announcement on the protection and recovery of the endangered southern resident killer whale.

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The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

In the news today, May 10

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