National

Premier Eby 'white-hot' angry over Chinatown stabbing suspect's release from hospital

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 12 Sep, 2023 10:34 AM

British Columbia Premier David Eby says he is "white-hot" angry over the day release of a man from a forensic psychiatric hospital before he was arrested for a triple stabbing in Vancouver's Chinatown.

Eby says the decision to release the man boggles the mind, and he wants to get to the bottom of how it occurred.

Blair Evan Donnelly, who's 64 years old, has been charged with three counts of aggravated assault and remains in custody after Sunday's attack at the Light Up Chinatown! festival.

Donnelly was found not criminally responsible on account of a mental disorder for fatally stabbing his teenage daughter in 2006 and was sent to a psychiatric hospital, but Eby says he was released in 2009 and "went out and stabbed somebody else."

The premier says he can't fathom how the man was released a second time before Sunday's attack, and he'll do everything he can to make sure it doesn't happen again.

A man and woman in their 60s and a woman in her 20s received severe but non-life-threatening injuries in Sunday's attack.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Hawaiian wildfires delay flight to British Columbia

A statement from the air carrier said the most recent scheduled flight from Maui to Vancouver was cancelled as access to the airport was closed. It also said a larger, and empty, plane lifted off from Vancouver Wednesday evening, bound for the island, to pick up the stranded passengers and those booked on the next regularly scheduled flight.

Hawaiian wildfires delay flight to British Columbia

Former Conservative senator, longtime politico Hugh Segal dead at 72

In 1962, then-prime minister John Diefenbaker visited Hugh Segal's school in Montreal to present the principal with a copy of the newly minted Canadian Bill of Rights. So impressed was Segal with Dief's description of Canada as a country that was open, free, democratic and based on the presumption of innocence that, at the tender age of 12, he became a lifelong Conservative.

Former Conservative senator, longtime politico Hugh Segal dead at 72

Province to update wildfire, drought in B.C., as new heat wave approaches

Wildfire crews across British Columbia are keeping a close eye on the backcountry after recent lightning storms raised the potential for smouldering fires to erupt as the next hot spell arrives this weekend.

Province to update wildfire, drought in B.C., as new heat wave approaches

Federal government releases new draft regulations on clean electricity

Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault released draft regulations Thursday that are designed to clean Canada's electricity grid in an affordable way by 2035. The regulations would drive up the cost of energy slightly, but federal officials say that would be offset by the savings expected to come from moving away from fossil fuels.

Federal government releases new draft regulations on clean electricity

Vancouver fire service cites butane torch lighters as fire incidents hit record high

The fire service says in a statement that the leading cause of fires remains discarded smoking materials including matches, lighters, candles, cigarettes, and drug paraphernalia, causing nearly 60 per cent of all incidents. The fire service says it's also worried about more fires occurring in single-room occupancy buildings, as well as a notable spike in outdoor fires.

Vancouver fire service cites butane torch lighters as fire incidents hit record high

Minister launches review of B.C. port strike case to uncover 'structural issues'

Federal Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan is launching an examination of the recently resolved British Columbia port dispute to see if "structural issues" in negotiations led to a 13-day work stoppage. In a written statement released through social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, O'Regan says officials will immediately begin by reviewing reports on previous, similar disputes.