Noonish update: event organizers are gone already! No, wait — they’re at lunch.Do you think they’ll go back to Standard Location Number One this afternoon, or will they opt for variety and go to Standard Location Number Two?

(From Gabriolan.ca.)

(Previous discussion on this topic is in this blog post: Another traffic stop day for Gabriola.)

(From Gabriolan.ca.)

Nanaimo RCMP Forensics are presently examining the scene at Harrison Way, where Elaine Schwartz, age 50 and her 18 year old son Trevor Schwartz were found. Trevor was airlifted to Victoria General hospital and is recovering from his injuries. He regained consciousness earlier this morning. Armstrong said she could not say whether he had given any statements to RCMP as of yet. His medical condition is our first priority. Elaine was confirmed deceased last night by RCMP.

(The Sounder article is no longer available on their website.)

We offer our deepest sympathies to the Schwartz family, and hope that Trevor will recover quickly.

(Often when this kind of information is released, people pop in to share stories about the victims, how they know/knew the victims, and so forth. We won’t be doing that here – it’s not needed, and I’m sure the family would appreciate as much privacy as possible. With that in mind, I’ve turned comments off for this post.)

(From Gabriolan.ca.)

So I liked the opening part of this National Post editorial quite a bit:

Imagine if you opened your front door to find a police officer demanding to search your home without either a warrant or any specific reason. He just wanted to know if you happened to be doing anything illegal. Got any dead bodies in your basement, sir? Is that marijuana I smell?

You’d send him packing, and rightly so.

We object to the idea of allowing police officers to pull over any motorist they please and administer a breathalyzer test — an idea floated in a recent Justice Department report and supported by Justice Minister Rob Nicholson — on the same basic principle. Civil liberties advocates are justifiably worried that random roadside tests could lead to racial or socioeconomic profiling.

The writer of the editorial is fussed about random breathalyzers; I’m fussed about stops and checks of any sort, unless they are justified by evidence. Remember evidence? Quaint idea, that.

The editorial continues:

Canadians have a fundamental right to conduct themselves lawfully without interference from agents of the state, and we’ve already given up plenty against that basic entitlement.

Yeah, we have. It does seem to me that I should be able to proceed along my lawful occasion without having to deal with police checks. Getting stopped by the RCMP for no reason whatsoever should not be part of life on Gabriola, or life anywhere else in Canada.

[National Post article URL: sorry, article no longer available.]

–

Edited to add: isn’t this practice against section 9 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms? That is supposed to guarantee freedom from arbitrary detention. Hmmm. Perhaps a legal challenge is in order.

Update/related:

Ruling on a case in Newfoundland, Justice William Goodridge said We do not live in a police state where police can randomly stop and interrogate or search people in the hope of eventually catching a criminal.

For further discussion on this topic, see the Stop Everybody day post.

(From Gabriolan.ca.)

Now Mothers Against Drunk Drivers wants Canada to introduce random breathalyzer tests for all drivers. The Toronto Sun responds: Have they gone MADD?

What was once a maternal grassroots movement to warn of the perils and tragedies associated with drinking and driving, Mothers Against Drunk Driving has sadly devolved into the WCTU.

Which is a terrible pity.

I hope Canada doesn’t go for the random breathalyzer test thing. Road checks are annoying enough as it is.

(From Gabriolan.ca.)

Nanaimo RCMP seized a replica handgun from a costumed 15-year-old boy as he got off the Gabriola Island ferry on Halloween.

Police swarmed the MV Quinsam as it docked in Nanaimo shortly after 3 p.m. on Sunday following a passenger report of a man with a handgun tucked into his pants. [continue]

Well. It’s a good thing the RCMP were there to save us all from a Hallowe’en costume. I feel safer.

(From Gabriolan.ca.)

Gabriola RCMP want the public to help them crack down on drug activity on the Island, but one officer says that some people in the tight-knit community might be reluctant to turn in their neighbours.(…)

You think?

Gabriola RCMP say enforcement and education surrounding drug activity on the island is a focus for the three-person detachment this year. But with just a few officers stationed on the island, it’s important for the public to provide the RCMP with information, said Const. Mike Reid.

I believe the RCMP wants you to tell them about the three pot plants in your neighbour’s garden.

[The article quoted above is no longer available on the newspaper's website.]

(From Gabriolan.ca.)

Rocky Mountain Marketing representatives in bright yellow jackets will go door-to-door in Nanaimo, Gabriola Island and Ladysmith selling coupon books packed with savings on products and services from local businesses.

Well, there you go. Coming soon to a door near you! If they come to our house, they’ll meet our very own Crimestopper, the formidable dog.

(From Gabriolan.ca.)

The Islands Trust has just published a letter (.pdf here) that Sheila Malcolmson sent to Attorney General Michael de Jong about this issue. She says, in part:

The Islands Trust understands the need for policies that protect RCMP officer safety and understands that other small communities are likely experiencing similar situations. We would just ask that in your contract negotiations with the RCMP, you take into account the difficulty of access to Gulf Islands communities when an urgent police response is needed, particularly in inclement weather.

If the RCMP does re-organize things, will it affect Gabriola? One wonders. The issue seems to be backup, at least according to this Times Colonist article from March 2008: Some Island RCMP detachments too small to comply with national policy.

(From Gabriolan.ca.)

Here’s some Gabriola news from the RCMP: Gabriola – Search Warrant Executed – 691 Marijuana Plants Seized.

On Wednesday March 25, 2009 the Gabriola RCMP, assisted by members of the Nanaimo RCMP, executed a search warrant on a residence in the 300 block of Berry Point Rd., Gabriola Island, B.C. in relation to an indoor marijuana grow operation investigation.

Upon entry to the residence police found a large indoor marijuana grow operation. A total of 691 marijuana plants and a large amount of equipment used to grow these plants were seized by police. No one appeared to be living in the residence and the entire building was used solely for the purpose of growing marijuana. [continue]

300 block, hmmm? I’m trying to visualize it. Here’s a Google map showing the location of 300 Berry Point Road.

Update: A Nanaimo Daily News article published on April 2nd adds:

Police are concerned because the B.C. Hydro crew that attended the scene to disconnect power to the house told them the grow-op had tremendously overloaded circuits and power lines.

Update: July, 2010 – Gabriola RCMP raided two more grow-ops, according to an article in the Gabriola Sounder:

Thursday, July 8th, Gabriola RCMP served two warrants on two different homes on Gabriola. The first was on Gallagher Way. The occupants have been charged with production of an illegal substance (marijuana), and possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Inside the house RCMP found six guns and a crossbow. Charges of careless storage of firearms are being sought.

In the second home, located on Dunshire, Gabriola RCMP found another grow-op, no connection to the one on Gallagher Way.

(Link to Sounder article removed, as it is no longer on their website.)

Related posts

• Look what else grows in our woods!

(From Gabriolan.ca.)