Judge rules Ottawa police tactics amount to ‘serious misconduct’
Local
Ottawa Citizen: A case against a local drug dealer has revealed evidence of serious misconduct by the Ottawa police’s tactical unit.
Superior Court Justice Sally Gomery ruled on Feb. 11 that the example of the 2016 dynamic entry of Tamara Bahlawan’s home was reflective of the Ottawa police’s typical entry tactics. Bahlawan, 26, who was arrested for drug and firearms trafficking was a key factor in exposing the tactical unit’s blanket practice of dynamic entry.
“The use of dynamic entry amounts to serious misconduct,” Gomery said. “The knock-and-announce principle has been part of Canadian law for decades.”
The search of Bahlawan’s home did not turn up any of the expected evidence, however the raid revealed a handgun.
National
CBC: More than 69,000 public servants involved in the Phoenix pay scandal have now had their personal information compromised.
Phoenix is an electronic payroll system responsible for underpaying tens of thousands of employees in the private sector since 2016.
According to a report posted on Public Services and Procurement Canada’s website Monday, emails containing the employees’ full names, their personal record identifier numbers, home addresses and overpayment amounts were sent in error. They were received by more than 161 chief financial officers and 62 heads of HR in 62 departments.
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada has been notified, says Public Services and Procurement Canada, and they are taking steps to find a solution.
International
Global News: Former New York City mayor and current billionaire Michael Bloomberg has qualified for the first presidential debate.
A new poll published on Tuesday reports 19 per cent support for Bloomberg nation-wide.
The Democratic National Committee recently changed its rules for qualification. Prior to the rule change, candidates had to receive a quota of donations to qualify. Bloomberg is funding his own campaign, which has won the resentment of candidates who previously couldn’t make the cut.
Bloomberg will stand alongside fellow democratic candidates former Vice-President Joe Biden, Sens. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar and former mayor Pete Buttigieg on stage in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
