Canada’s Highest Court Takes Up Plastics Case

The Supreme Court of Canada has agreed to review an appeal concerning the federal government’s restrictions on single-use plastics.

Previous Appellate Ruling

The move follows a decision made in January by the Federal Court of Appeal, which set aside an earlier lower court ruling. That January appellate outcome had permitted the federal government to keep its single-use plastics ban in place.

Third Victim Passes Away Following Collision

A tragic incident outside the Tsawwassen Mills mall on Sept. 30 has now claimed a third life. Delta police confirmed that 64-year-old Gwenyth Brigit Dwyn, a resident of South Delta, B.C., has passed away from injuries sustained when a pickup truck collided with pedestrians.

The crash initially killed two Tsawwassen First Nation elders at the scene, identified in social media statements by the nation as Virginia Splockton and wilapiya, also known as Barb Joe. A fourth victim injured during the incident has since been discharged from the hospital.

Investigation Into Driver and Cause Ongoing

The deadly collision occurred as the Tsawwassen First Nation was hosting a Truth and Reconciliation Day community walk, where attendees were gathering near the mall entrance for the unveiling of four traditional carvings. Authorities are still examining what caused the vehicle to strike the crowd.

Investigators are assessing whether the truck driver suffered a medical emergency prior to the crash. Delta police noted there is currently no evidence indicating the collision was intentional or motivated by ideology. Potential criminal charges will be submitted to prosecutors for evaluation if supported by evidence.

“We understand that the community has questions and wants answers about what occurred,” said Delta police Staff Sgt. Mike Whiteley in a statement. “Our responsibility is to ensure those answers are based on a complete and objective examination of the evidence. Investigators are working through a significant amount of information, and it is important that we not reach conclusions before that work is complete.”

Exploitation Risks Identified Across New Brunswick

Victims of human trafficking are being targeted as young as 13 years old, with perpetrators frequently waiting outside government group homes to groom vulnerable teenagers during their free time. According to testimony from a Saint John Police Department officer delivered in the Court of King’s Bench earlier this year, human trafficking operates as a form of modern-day slavery that is currently under active police investigation across New Brunswick.

Sgt. Holly Erb, sexual violence co-ordinator for the New Brunswick RCMP, confirmed that young people in care often fail to recognize the danger until circumstances escalate beyond their control. Statements from police forces across the province indicate that investigators have looked into multiple reports of youth in these care settings suffering sexual exploitation or being drawn into trafficking networks that take them to other cities.

How Grooming Tactics Manipulate Vulnerable Youth

Support workers note that the process rarely begins with overt violence. Maggie, a support worker with Moncton’s Community of Hope service for human trafficking victims, explained that perpetrators monitor home schedules and offer gifts like cigarettes, clothing, or trips to the shopping mall. Over time, these gestures fulfill survival and emotional needs for youth who may be living far from their families or home communities.

Ashley MacDonald of YWCA Brave in Moncton highlighted that perpetrators frequently act as a “Romeo pimp,” convincing young people they are in a romantic relationship. Liz Hawkes, a community ambassador at Community of Hope, noted that older traffickers use these tactics because younger victims yield higher financial returns. Once emotional ties or forced tattoos bind the youth, traffickers demand repayment for earlier gifts and establish control through fear.

Prevention and Recovery Efforts

Mel Kennah, executive director of Youth Impact Jeunesse, emphasized that young people who have suffered fractured relationships with adults are particularly susceptible to online and in-person recruitment. To counter this, advocates urge caregivers and community agencies to build consistent, stable connections with youth in care.

Addressing the issue requires greater collaboration and public education among police, social development workers, educators, health professionals, and community organizations, according to Sgt. Erb. For survivors, MacDonald emphasized that regaining personal autonomy is critical, as victims often require between five and 20 attempts before successfully escaping a trafficking situation.