Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 28 Feb, 2022 01:15 PM
An Ontario court has extended to March 9 a freezing order on funds donated to the recent Ottawa convoy protest, as a class-action civil suit against protest organizers continues.
Parties in the case have agreed to move some donated funds and cryptocurrency into escrow, which could be redistributed to affected Ottawa residents and business owners should the class action succeed.
Norman Groot, a lawyer representing some convoy protest leaders, says ChristopherGarrah, Benjamin Dichter and Nicholas St. Louis have agreed in principle to moving donated funds within their control to an escrow account.
Groot notes the funds that Garrah, Dichter and St. Louis have agreed to move to escrow might not account for all the cryptocurrency that was donated, and he proposed parties meet next week to take stock of what has been transferred.
An escrow agent will oversee the transferred funds, and will be permitted to change the passwords for cryptocurrency.
The class-action lawsuit seeks a total of $306 million in damages related to the three-week anti-government convoy protest near Parliament Hill that snarled traffic, shut businesses and plagued residents with near-constant honking.
There are 33,997 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 269,137 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 924 COVID-positive individuals are in hospital and 130 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.
Trial commenced in October of 2021. On January 20, 2022, Robert Tomljenovic was found guilty of Manslaughter and Robbery with a firearm. The next court appearance is for sentencing.
Schools in British Columbia will soon get rapid antigen tests as a way to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 among staff, including teachers and administrators. The Education Ministry says 200,000 test kits are being shipped to elementary and high schools in an effort to keep them open.
"If you get a 'bail money' scam call, don't share your personal information and don't be afraid to say no. Hang up and call your local police," said Cst. Kelly McIntyre of the North Vancouver RCMP. "If you find yourself in the middle of the 'bail money' scam - you have given out your address and someone is on their way to your home - call 911."
While nearly three-quarters of kids in the Atlantic province have had their first shot, Health Canada says the national average is less than half — a shortfall that in-school vaccination programs could help address, says pediatric infectious disease physician Karina Top.
A Florida man has been charged with human smuggling after the bodies of four people, including a baby and a teen, were found in Manitoba near the United States border. The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Minnesota said Steve Shand, 47, appeared in court earlier Thursday.
