VPD claimed no emails went to senior cops about DULF ahead of raid. That’s untrue.
Plus: Nasal naloxone ramp-up. RCMP learn Israel's tactics. Nurses strike. BC vs. OpenAi?
The co-founders of the Drug User Liberation Front (DULF) are back in court this week for closing arguments in their constitutional challenge of their convictions on possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Those charges stemmed from a raid by Vancouver Police (VPD) in late 2023, after weeks of intense media and political fervour around the compassion club.
Yet when De Facto asked for communications from the entire month, VPD claimed no emails about DULF were sent to or from several top officers.
That wasn’t true — as shown by emails sent to two officers that were included as evidence in the trial itself.
And the claim to have received no emails may have violated BC’s freedom-of-information law, according to transparency experts.
How does VPD justify this claim?
By arguing that because the officers were cc’d, the emails did not count in our request’s criteria of “any and all communications … to or from” those officers.
Read our full article for more on a storied history of police skirting transparency — and why one expert is asking if VPD’s FOI practices need “greater scrutiny.”
EX FACTO
Stories we're reading about subjects we follow.
Pickets expand in Canada's first province-wide indefinite nursing strike of the century
De Facto's Brishti Basu and Emma Arkell are covering the BC nursing strike for PressProgress.
As of last Monday the union said it had gotten over 1,400 formal complaints alleging pressure by managers to do non-nursing duties during work-to-rule action. A tentative agreement from May was rejected by 67% of nurses; some cited the replacement of employer-paid benefits with a co-pay.
Rumneek Johal
RCMP look to apply Israel's tactics in Canada, FOI reveals
Last fall, 4 officers attended Israel’s International Land Force Conference — where they learned “lessons on intelligence fusion, rapid response, and civilian protection [that] can be adapted to Canadian law enforcement contexts.”
That's from a briefing by Canada’s defence attaché in Israel, obtained by The Maple’s Alex Cosh through a freedom-of-information request.
Several Canadian soldiers also attended the Israeli seminar, as did a Canadian Forces College assistant professor.
“Attendance at this conference is not an endorsement of the operations of foreign militaries,” a defence spokesperson insisted. But attaché office's docs say the Israeli course “offered structured insights into urban warfare” and that police's attendance builds “networks with foreign security forces, enhancing Canada’s ability to collaborate.”
Last fall, Edmonton's police chief visited Israel (and the illegally occupied West Bank) in a separate trip. The Edmonton Police Commission may now end public comments at meetings over speakers’ criticism of that trip.
BC's free nasal naloxone rollout moved forward after ministry's reaction to criticism
Ministry staff rushed to brief the health minister after scrutiny in the media and legislature in late 2025 (after pilot program evaluation ostensibly began in May), internal docs obtained by CBC's Emily Fagan show.
Expansion was announced in February 2026, and orders have just begun for 2,400 pharmacies, health centres, and others. The push for widespread free nasal naloxone ramped up after a UVic student's January 2024 death.
Lori Culbert
Carney’s cabinet is a house of (land)lords
No cabinet members rent their primary residence, and 38% are landlords (as are 30% of all MPs) per analysis by Global News. Advocates say the underrepresentation of renters and overrepresentation of landlords is reflected in the laws that get passed.
Police want $1.4M to keep a few Vancouver blocks car-free for 7 weeks
CBC’s Justin McElroy did the math, and it adds up to $200,000/week ($357/hour) per Granville Street block closed.
More news:
- BC readies suit against OpenAI over lack of warning about Tumbler Ridge shooter's concerning ChatGPT prompts. [CBC]
- US-based police weaponry / bodycam company lobbying in Canada federally and locally, from BC to PEI. [IJF]
- Canadian workers among most restricted by non-compete clauses, in new OECD survey of 15 countries. [Do Not Pass Go]
- Indigenous woman dies at Winnipeg's remand centre; the third death in the past 10 months in the large pre-trial holding facility. [APTN]
Happening this week:
- Monday to next Tuesday: DULF trial dates in Vancouver. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Wednesday: De Facto's Brishtu Basu moderates an online panel for PressProgress about provinces that “go rogue” on healthcare. [Zoom signup]
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