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BC  

Judge bars B.C. man from courthouses for poor behaviour

Banned from courthouses

A B.C. Supreme Court judge has barred a man from the province’s courthouses — including communicating with courthouse staff except with an appointment.

Justice Nitya Iyer said Kuldip Singh Randhawa has started about a dozen actions in the New Westminster and Vancouver registries in more than a decade.

Judges have declared him a vexatious litigant in 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2107 in four different court proceedings, according to the March 13 decision.

A vexatious litigant is considered to be someone who persistently and without reasonable grounds starts legal proceedings that are abusive, frivolous or harassing.

The request for such the barring order came from the Ministry of Attorney General.

Iyer said Randhawa filed a response to the request but said he would “not appear in this application because he characterizes this court as the ‘Crime House’ and does not feel safe inside it.”

Randhawa said if the ministry proceeded, he would file criminal charges against all sheriffs.

“He accuses counsel and justices of this court of being corrupt and characterizes the application and underlying claim as fraudulent,” Iyer said.

The judge said vexatious litigant orders arose in:

• a 2011 foreclosure proceeding against Randhawa and his spouse involving Vancouver City Savings Credit Union;

• a 2013 case arising out of oppression actions commenced by Randhawa and his brother against each other;

• a 2014 action commenced by Randhawa and his engineering firm against a number of defendants, all relating to discipline imposed on him by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists; and,

• a 2017 situation regarding litigation between Randhawa and his brother after a judge’s decision in the 2013 case.

Iyer said that, in the 2017 decision, Justice Catherine Murray described “Randhawa’s vexatious behaviour since the 2014 vexatious litigant order as having continued and warranting a further order with more specific restraints.”

Court letters to Randhawa

The court has addressed the behaviour as far back as 2013 when Associate Chief Justice Austin Cullen wrote to Randhawa.

“Over the last number of months, you have repeatedly attended at the courthouse in Vancouver and New Westminster on a number of related proceedings,” Cullen said in a May 6, 2013 letter.

“Your behaviour has been aggressive and threatening and it has alarmed the registry staff and members of the court. In addition, the language you use in your correspondence with the court and including its aggressive tone is of concern to me," Cullen said.

“You must understand, Mr. Randhawa, that your behaviour is unacceptable and that it will not be tolerated any longer.” 

Restrictions in the Cullen letter were framed as an agreement.

Randhawa did not sign the agreement.

Four years later, on July 4, 2017, Cullen again wrote to Randhawa, characterizing his behaviour as unacceptable and intolerable.

“It must stop,” Cullen said.

Iyer said Randhawa has not complied in his intermittent visits to courthouses.

“He makes frequent and confrontational visits to the registries, sends voluminous emails to courthouse staff containing conspiracy theories and threats, and refuses to be searched by sheriffs,” Iyer said.

And, she said. “Mr. Randhawa’s postings on his website and YouTube channel demonstrate his continuing animus to the justice system and those who work in it.”

Iyer said Randhawa has not met behavioural expectations from the 2017 letter.

In her order, Iyer set multiple conditions for Randhawa going to any courthouse.



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'Exercise caution in the area': Police investigating mid-morning attack on woman in Stanley Park

Woman attacked in park

Police are searching for a suspect after a woman reported being attacked on a Stanley Park path.

The incident happened around 10:45 a.m. on Monday, March 18, according to the Vancouver Police Department (VPD), who say the woman called 9-1-1 after she was attacked by a stranger.

The attack happened on Lees Trail, according to police, which runs east-west just north of North Lagoon Drive and Park Drive, connecting with Tatlow Walk, Bridle Path and Rawlings Trail.

“We are in the early stages of this investigation, and there is some detail we are unable to share. However, we are telling the public about this incident so everyone can exercise caution in the area,” says Sgt. Steve Addison in a press release.

Police officers, K9 units, and mounted patrols searched the area for the suspect but were unable to locate him.

"The suspect is described as a dark-skinned man in his 20s, about 5’7”. He was wearing a dark toque and a zip-up jacket with a checkered pattern on the front," say police.

Anyone with information on the attack or the suspect is asked to call police at 604-717-4021.



B.C. hair removal tech pleads guilty to sex assault, voyeurism

Hair removal tech guilty

A Vancouver laser hair removal worker pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault and one count of voyeurism in Vancouver Provincial Court on March 18.

Ali Aghasardar was initially charged with two counts of sexual assault and three counts of secretly observing and/or recording nudity in a private place.

The Vancouver Police Department launched an investigation in 2019 after one person reported being sexually assaulted during laser hair removal appointments at Dermabella Clinic near Howe and Smithe streets.

During that investigation, detectives identified a second victim who had allegedly been photographed while naked and receiving treatment at the clinic.

The charge information was amended by Judge Andrea Brownstone to include three complaints on a single voyeurism charge.

Brownstone read each of the two charges to Aghasardar which were translated by a Farsi interpreter.

Each time, Aghasardar said, “Yes, I plead guilty.”

The incidents for the counts to which Aghasardar pleaded guilty occurred between Aug. 19 and Oct. 9, 2019 and Aug. 20 and Oct. 9, 2019, respectively, the court heard.

The case now goes to setting dates for sentencing.

Civil lawsuits

Aghasardar is also facing civil lawsuits from eight women relating to allegations around his practice, a number that has risen since the case began.

All have filed B.C. Supreme Court notices of civil claim.

Glacier Media has chosen not the name the complainants in order not to violate criminal court rules on anonymity in sexual assault-related cases.

January notices of civil claim name Aghasardar, Dermabella Clinic and Seven Sky Wellness, as defendants. The latter two businesses are registered in West Vancouver, court documents said.

Aghasardar was suspended in October 2020 by the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of BC. 

One claim said the defendants did not terminate Aghasardar or implement patient-safety protocols. Some allege the defendants were wilfully blind to Aghasardar’s misconduct.

“The opportunity afforded to Aghasardar to abuse his power in his employment by Dermabella Clinic and Seven Sky, was extremely high,” a Jan. 16 claim said.

“The defendants Dermabella Clinic and Seven Sky continued to employ Aghaardar for the provision of highly personal services to clients under circumstances of high vulnerability, power imbalance, and intimacy that created the conditions for Aghasardar to perpetrate the abuse of the plaintiff," that claim said.

One woman said she had appointments with him to remove pubic region hair between March 2020 and October 2021. Another woman said her appointments were between October 2020 and January 2022. 

The women alleged Aghasardar used a heavy eye mask to blindfold them and then to “voyeuristic video and/or photographs . . . while she was unaware.”

One of the women allegedly saw a social media post warning about Aghasardar. She contacted police, who confirmed there were issues.

“The plaintiff was horrified at the recognition that she would likely have been the subject of Aghasardar’s 'voyeuristic video and/or photographs,'" the claim said.

The women are claiming multiple forms of damages.

None of the civil suit allegations have been proven in court.

Aghasardar has yet to file responses to the January claims.

Older lawsuits and responses

The two women’s cases come on the heels of earlier cases.

In a claim filed Jan. 21, 2022, a woman said she booked hair removal sessions between May and July 2019. She then booked further sessions.

She alleged on Aug. 20 and Oct. 9, 2019, Aghasardar engaged in sexual touching of intimate areas on the first occasion and went significantly further on the second.

In his April 8, 2022 response to the civil claim, Aghasardar denied any touching of a sexual nature.

“Any physical touching of the plaintiff that occurred during these sessions was incidental to, and a necessary part of, such treatment,” the response said.

“At no time, did the plaintiff directly complain to Dr. Aghasardar or to the clinic staff about her treatments at the clinic,” the response said. “Rather, after each of her treatments (including the two sessions which involved the alleged sexual assaults), the plaintiff booked a further appointment with Dr. Aghasardar, despite having the option to book the same treatment with a female hair removal technician.”

In a notice of civil claim filed Feb. 7, 2022, a woman said she purchased hair removal treatments in December 2020 for hair in the public region.

She said her eyes were covered, and that “Aghasardar then took surreptitious voyeuristic video and/or photographs of (her) pubic region while she was unaware.”

That case, however, sought certification of the claim as a class-action suit against Aghasardar.

In an Aug. 19, 2022 notice of civil claim response, the defendants said clients consent to having targeted hair removal regions photographed for “tracking progress, and measuring the effectiveness of the laser hair removal services provided.”

The response said Aghasardar’s cellphone is used to take client photos and, “within a reasonable time after a client concluded treatment with the clinic.”

The college suspension

After the 2022 charges Aghasardar was given a court-imposed condition not to be alone with any patient or client without another adult present for the duration of any treatment, police said.

Aghasardar was the subject of a complaint to the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of BC. The college received a complaint from a female patient alleging professional misconduct on Sept. 28, 2020.

The same day, the college received notification from police regarding the same conduct and that a criminal investigation was underway.

On Oct. 8, 2020, the college said Aghasardar consented to a registration suspension to remain in place until its inquiry committee has made a disposition decision.

The college website has not been updated information on the case.



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BCWS warns of expected early start to fire season as drought, dry conditions persist

Early start to fire season?

UPDATE: 3:35 p.m.

BC Wildfire Service says it's expecting an early start to the spring fire season given persistent drought conditions and a lower than average snowpack across the province.

The B.C. government held a news conference Monday where representatives from a number of provincial ministries and agencies provided an outlook on drought, the snowpack and expected spring melt, and the upcoming wildfire season.

Neal McLoughlin, superintendent of predictive services for BC Wildfire Service, said underlying drought conditions will remain as spring begins. He said while El Niño is fading, there is still residual heat in the atmosphere — and warmer conditions and an earlier snowmelt are expected.

“The rainfall that's required to alleviate the drought conditions we have is unlikely, but possible,” McLoughlin said

“Given the antecedent conditions, an early start to our spring fire season is expected, along with some increased wildfire activity — and certainly up in the northeast, where we've seen some holdover fires from last year.”

McLoughlin said there are 90 active holdover fires from last season, predominantly in the northeast part of the province. In late December, satellites detected fire heat at the massive, 619,000-hectare Donnie Creek wildfire and the 42,838-hectare Klua Lakes blaze north of Fort St. John.

He noted it’s unusual to see hotspots showing up on satellite detection in the middle of winter, adding BCWS will be monitoring the holdover fires which pose a risk of spreading beyond last year’s boundaries.

Dry conditions persist

McLoughlin said a prolonged fire season like last year’s is a result of a few factors — drought, a low snowpack, strong ridges bringing hot, dry temperatures in the summer months, and an absence of spring rain.

Drought and a low snowpack are already in play.

“As of March 1, the snowpack is quite low in most regions and that low snowpack is going to further limit what kind of fuel moisture recharge we see going into the spring season,” McLoughlin said.

“But perhaps one of the greatest benefits of a healthy snowpack is just delaying the onset of the spring fire season by sheltering the forest floor from drying — and so unfortunately, we're not going to see that in the spring of 2024 either.”

He said it’s likely the snow will melt earlier than normal, with valley bottoms and mid-slopes already exposed to drying throughout the province.

McLoughlin said typically, the spring months are the wettest for the B.C. Interior, and while an “active spring fire season” is expected, there is potential that conditions will improve. He noted upwards of 40 millimetres of rain over a two-week period — at minimum — is needed to reduce drought conditions.

“While it's possible while we've seen that in our climatology, it’s less likely to occur," he said.

"We’ll have to wait and see, but that is something that everyone can watch for as we go through the months of May and June. If we're starting to see some significant rainfall events, that’s a really good thing, and it can really set the stage for maybe a different outcome for the longer fire season ahead.”

McLoughlin said it’s important to prepare for a prolonged fire season even if it doesn’t occur, urging extra vigilance when working in and recreating outdoors to alleviate human-caused fires.

Ministers say preparations are underway

Bowinn Ma, minister of emergency management and climate readiness, said the province is preparing for what could be a challenging season ahead.

“We are taking action earlier than ever, and preparations for this year as wildfire and drought seasons are already well underway,” Ma said.

She said the province is implementing streamlined training for Emergency Support Services responders to ensure people are supported in the event of an evacuation.

Bruce Ralston, minister of forests, said the province has worked to secure more equipment and aircraft to bolster its wildfire capabilities, and expanding the use of wildfire predictive technology to better pinpoint where fires move and how they will grow.

The province has reported received double the number of applications for BCWS crews when compared to the 2023 season.

“We are taking action on all fronts to prepare for whatever this wildfire season brings,” Ralston said.

Ma encouraged B.C. residents to take some time to plan for an emergency and gather grab-and-go bags to ensure they are prepared.

“Set aside some time in the next couple of weeks to meet as a family and discuss your evacuation plan. And yes, I realize that this is earlier than you might typically do this, that’s because this upcoming season has the potential to be a tough one,” Ma said.


ORIGINAL: 1 p.m.

The provincial government is holding a news conference on the freshet, wildfire and drought outlook across B.C.

The event is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m., and will include Bowinn Ma, minister of emergency management and climate readiness, Bruce Ralston, minister of forests, and Nathan Cullen, minister of water, land and resource stewardship.

The ministers will be joined virtually by representatives from the River Forecast Centre, BC Wildfire Service and Environment and Climate Change Canada.



Independent investigation launched after police-involved shooting in Surrey

Police watchdog called in

B.C.’s police watchdog is investigating a police-involved shooting in Surrey that resulted in a man being seriously injured. 

On Sunday, police officers received a report of a man with a gun and conducted foot patrols in Guilford near 152 Street and 104 Avenue.

Officers found the man but he fled when police approached him. A short while after, two officers with the Surrey Police Service located him.

RCMP Cpl. Alex Berube says one of the officers shot the man. 

"Medical assistance was provided and he was transported to hospital with serious injuries. Nobody else was injured,” says Berube. 

A nearby resident walked by the scene at 10:50 p.m. Sunday and shared an image with Glacier Media. Police tape surrounded the area.

The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. (IIO) is now investigating the incident. 

The IIO is asking anyone with relevant information or video footage to call 1-855-446-8477 or fill out the form on the iiobc.ca website.

A subsequent investigation into the report of the weapon is being done by Surrey RCMP. Mounties are asking anyone with information to contact the Surrey detachment at 604-599-0502.

The IIO investigates all officer-related incidents that result in serious harm or death, whether or not there is any allegation of wrongdoing.



Former Prince Rupert pastor sentenced for possession of child pornography

Former pastor sentenced

A Prince Rupert man who was a pastor has been given a conditional sentence of two years less a day followed by three years of probation for possessing child pornography.

Nathan Legault pleaded guilty to two charges in May 2022 — one for creating child pornography and one for possessing child pornography. He was sentenced by provincial court judge David Patterson in January, with the written decision only recently released.

The court learned that Legault began contacting minors he had met as a pastoral intern at baptist churches in Saskatchewan and Windsor, Ontario. Legault sent nude photos and videos of himself masturbating to two early teens — referred to as A.A.A. and B.B.B. in court documents — and their friends. He used fake social media accounts pretending to be a boy their age.

Legault also sent deepfake photos with A.A.A. and B.B.B.’s faces cropped onto nude images to the victims and their friends. A Windsor police investigation found that Legault had been sending the photos from Prince Rupert, where he was an associate pastor after moving to the area in 2018.

Crown and defence made a joint submission for the conditional sentence, which Patterson “reluctantly” accepted, fearing that the decision could “bring the administration of justice into disrepute and be contrary to the public interest.”

It took three sentencing hearings throughout 2023 during which the defence, then the Crown defended the sentencing recommendation to convince Patterson to accept it.

Patterson read a powerful victim impact statement from B.B.B., who detailed how Legault’s actions led her to consider suicide. B.B.B. also said Legault’s crimes led her to believe he would kidnap her.

“This has destroyed my physical and mental well-being. I am disgusted by the actions. I constantly ask myself, why me? This is something that can’t be erased and it will and has hurt me forever,” the young victim said.

Before sentencing, Legault requested a Gladue report after he began self-identifying as Métis through his great-great-grandmother.

Gladue reports are presented to judges to consider the “systemic and background factors of the offender, and the types of sentencing procedures and sanctions that are appropriate in the circumstances,” for Indigenous offenders, according to the Canadian Justice Department. Factors that may affect Indigenous offenders such as residential schools and family history of substance abuse are taken into account by sentencing judges in Gladue reports.

While Patterson ordered the Gladue report he ultimately dismissed it, deeming Legault’s self-identification as Métis had nothing to do with the charges he pled guilty to.

“I have not been presented with any evidence that suggests the horrific experience of Indigenous peoples with the Canadian residential school system played any role whatsoever in Mr. Legault’s life,” Patterson said.

“There is no evidence that Mr. Legault having a paternal great-great-grandmother who was a member of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy in any way, shape, or form … contributed to his child pornography addiction.”

Patterson also warned his fellow judges that other non-Indigenous offenders could try to dupe the justice system and get the perceived benefits of lighter sentencing through Gladue reports.

“A tsunami is coming; driven by the desire of non-Indigenous people to get what they perceive to be the benefits of identifying as Indigenous,” Patterson said.

Legault’s sentence means he is on curfew from 5 p.m. until 6 a.m. on weekdays and house arrest 24 hours a day on weekends. He will be able to seek permission for up to four hours a week to attend personal errands, significant events and church.

Patterson considered aggravating circumstances such as the power imbalance between Legault and the young people.

“Mr. Legault abused a position of trust or authority in relation to his victims,” he said.

But the judge also noted mitigating factors such as Legault’s willingness to address his sexual addiction, his lack of a previous criminal record and the support he has received from family and friends. Legault married his wife in Prince Rupert in July 2020.

Legault was arrested by the Prince Rupert RCMP in 2021. The investigation unearthed a substantial amount of child pornography on his electronic devices.



Insurance Bureau urges B.C. residents to get their homes ready for wildfire season

Is your home wildfire ready?

Small wildfires that popped up over the weekend in the Okanagan are a reminder that fire season is coming. The Insurance Bureau of Canada is advising B.C. residents to check their home insurance policies to make sure they have adequate coverage.

“As reported by the BC Wildfire Service, there are more than 90 active wildfires across the province, with many still burning from last year’s record-breaking season,” said Rob de Pruis, national director, Consumer and Industry Relations, IBC. “The 2023 wildfire season was the most destructive in British Columbia’s history, and 2024 has the potential to be another intense wildfire year.”

IBC is offering 10 tips to protect your home before and during wildfire season.

Ways to be prepared year-round:

  • Install and regularly maintain smoke and CO alarms in your home. Remove dust from your alarms, replace batteries when the clocks change in spring and fall, test alarms regularly and replace them at least every 10 years.
  • Create an emergency preparedness plan and a disaster safety kit for your family. Develop a fire evacuation plan, practise it and stick to it in an emergency. Also, prepare a basic kit of food, water and other necessities in case of evacuation
  • Keep your insurance policy number and insurance company claims department phone number with you. If your home is damaged or you are evacuated, you will be able to contact your insurer more easily to start the claims process. Review and understand what coverage you have, and how your policy will respond if a wildfire affects you.

Actions you can take now, particularly if you live near a forest or wooded area:

  • Prepare your home. Check that your home’s roof and exterior walls and the undersides of balconies are treated with flame-resistant materials.
  • Properly store flammable materials. Store gasoline, solvents or other materials that may ignite, at least 10 metres away from your home.
  • Remove dry leaves and debris. Keep leaves, other dry materials and potentially flammable garbage away from the exterior of the house, especially if you have wood or vinyl siding.
  • Manage space around your home. Remove combustible material such as shrubs, trees and woodpiles within 10 metres of your home.
  • Read these valuable resources from FireSmart Canada for in-depth information about wildfire resilience and steps you can take to minimize wildfire risk

During the wildfire season:

  • Stay informed about the weather. Be sure to monitor local and provincial information sources for fire bans and warnings.
  • Pay attention to fire danger ratings. Take note of and obey fire bans and restrictions to know the likelihood of, and prevent, wildfire igniting in your region. Check your local government's website for more information.

“IBC is urging BC residents to stay alert and follow the advice of local authorities when it comes to fire bans,” added de Pruis. “In the event that you are evacuated, make sure you plan as you could be out of your home for more than one or two days. Last year, many individuals and families were displaced for several days or longer.”

Severe weather in 2023 caused over $3.1 billion in insured damage across Canada, including $720 million from the Okanagan and Shuswap wildfires. Insured losses related to severe weather now routinely exceed $2 billion annually. Between 2001 and 2010, Canadian insurers averaged $675 million a year in losses related to severe weather.

IBC is in discussion with the federal and provincial governments on ways to improve the climate resilience of communities across the country.



Ex-lawyer facing US$52.9M fine from SEC 'in a pickle,' judge notes

Ex-lawyer 'in a pickle'

Former Vancouver lawyer turned offshore company facilitator Fred Sharp is fighting the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s efforts to freeze his assets, but finds himself “in a pickle,” as put by B.C. Supreme Court Justice Neena Sharma.

Sharp’s criminal defence lawyer Joven Narwal contested in court March 15 that Sharp was never properly served by the commission (SEC), in his argument to have the SEC's injunction application against his client dismissed.

Sharma asked what Sharp’s evidence was, as she said she had not received an affidavit from Sharp for the summary trial, which depends on written submissions for a judge to assess.

Sharp, said Narwal, “can’t provide an affidavit because he’s under indictment in the U.S.”

“Right, so he’s in a pickle,” noted Sharma, who nevertheless proceeded to hear from both sides as to what exactly transpired in attempts to serve Sharp after the commission’s August 2021 civil claim of securities fraud against him.

Sharma questioned why Sharp “has not bothered to come in front of me to say” he hasn’t been served.

Narwal said he can’t.

“He can’t? He’s chosen not to. I don’t even know why he can’t; I can surmise…” the judge stated.

Representing the commission, lawyer Malcolm Ruby told Sharma that the SEC attempted to serve Sharp by courier and by email. Ruby said Sharp’s wife Teresa Sharp responded to the email, stating the email address did not belong to Sharp.

“Alleged wife,” Narwal interjected.

As to the nature of his relationship with Teresa Sharp, Narwal asserted “there’s no evidence they are residing together at the time, nor is there any evidence they were communicating at the time.”

But Ruby said, “there is more than adequate evidence he was notified,” noting a process server found someone to be occupying the Sharp home on Keith Road in West Vancouver; however, no one responded.

Ruby said Sharp is an officer or director of various corporate entities listing Keith Road as his residence, where the courier issued receipts of delivery.

“There is an extensive body of evidence that that was where Mr. Sharp lived,” said Ruby.

The commission submitted in its injunction application (to freeze assets) it took steps to serve Sharp formally through the Hague Convention but he was still not served in person with the complaint, summons and temporary orders against him.

“Sharp was ‘not served’ because after ‘multiple attempts, lights on in residence, car in driveway, window open, no one came to the door,’” noted a deputy sheriff’s certificate filed in a Boston court in November 2021.

However, Narwal said there was another prospective address for service for Sharp — in Summerland.

Nawal argued the attempts at service were invalid under U.S. law while the commission has stated they were accepted by a federal judge in the District of Massachusetts, who ultimately found Sharp liable for securities fraud, as alleged by the commission, while imposing a US$52.9-million judgment against him, in May 2022.

The SEC had alleged “Sharp masterminded a complex scheme” from 2011 to 2019 in which he and his associates — including several B.C. residents — enabled control persons of penny stock companies, whose stock was publicly traded in the U.S. securities markets, to conceal their control and ownership of huge amounts of shares and then surreptitiously sell those shares into the U.S. markets, in violation of federal securities laws. 

The commission claimed multiple groups took part in the scheme that had involved over $1 billion in transactions with hundreds of penny stock companies.

The original injunction application against Sharp also included six other co-defendants, on Aug. 11, 2022.

On March 21, 2023, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Amy D. Francis granted the commission the Mareva injunction to prevent five of those B.C. defendants from dispersing their assets.

The injunction was granted against Zhiying Yvonne Gasarch, Courtney Kelln, Mike K. Veldhuis, Paul Sexton and Jackson T. Friesen.

Those five were subsequently found to have committed securities fraud in civil judgments, with the commission demanding US$68.1 million total from them

Co-defendants Graham R. Taylor and Sharp were not part of that injunction ruling due to scheduling conflicts.

In 2021, the Department of Justice issued an arrest warrant for Sharp and froze assets, including numerous bank and brokerage accounts in the U.S.

In January, the U.S. Attorney’s Office issued a new criminal indictment against Sharp. Kelln, 43, of Surrey; Sexton, 55, of Anmore; and Veldhuis, 43, of Vancouver are also criminally charged.

Sharp is litigating on multiple fronts.

He is also engaged in a complex and longstanding constitutional challenge against the Canada Revenue Agency, which is investigating his offshore tax arrangements. The CRA made a criminal referral in 2013, alleging Sharp’s business, Corporate House Group of Companies (Corporate House), was involved in a complex tax evasion scheme. In 2016, Corporate House arrangements were revealed in the Panama Papers leak. None of those allegations have been tested in court.

Last November, Sharp lost a challenge in Supreme Court of Canada over jurisdictional rights of provincial securities regulators.

In February 2023, the B.C. Securities Commission (BCSC) permanently banned Sharp from the province’s public investment market.

“Sharp's misconduct was extremely egregious, and we find there to be no mitigating factors,” stated a BCSC panel ruling on a reciprocal order application.



B.C. to provide $80 million to help farmers cope with drought

Drought funding for farmers

Unprecedented drought in British Columbia last year has prompted the provincial government to invest $80 million to help manage, collect and store water for crops and livestock. 

Premier David Eby made the announcement while inside a bell pepper greenhouse in Delta, B.C., saying says this summer's drought may be even worse than last year as snow levels remain "remarkably" low.

He says climate change-related events, particularly drought, make it tough for farmers to secure enough water for animals, feed and crops, which makes grocery prices soar. 

The funding will be distributed through the Agricultural Water Infrastructure Program to help make irrigation more efficient and to build infrastructure to improve water availability and storage. 

The program was launched last year with a $20-million contribution for 108 water storage projects, including building agricultural dams and dugouts to improve water-supply systems for irrigation and livestock.

The province says the funding expansion should benefit hundreds more farmers as they prepare for another potential drought, while it improves stream flows and fish populations. 

Eby says the cost of failing to act to counter climate change to support farmers is huge and accumulating. 

“We can’t sit by and let our farmers struggle with a lack of water or a lack of money to replant those fruit trees and those fruit plants and those vines that drive so many critical infrastructures with varieties that can survive rapid temperature swings that we’ve seen," Eby told the conference.

“So we have to take action for our farmers. If we don’t, we are going to be very hungry in British Columbia."

Farmers can apply for funding starting next month. 



'Every second counts': BC Wildfire Service expands use of predictive tech

Using tech to fight wildfires

As warm weather records are set in the Thompson-Okanagan, the BC Wildfire Service is announcing the expansion of the use of wildfire predictive technologies.

"During a wildfire, every second counts as wildfire professionals deploy aircraft and firefighters to tackle blazes," said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Forests.

"By adding more technology to the BC Wildfire Service's tool kit, our talented firefighters will be able to make critical decisions faster when it matters most."

The province is introducing technology that can produce real-time wildfire behaviour predictions in advance of the 2024 wildfire season.

The wildfire predictive technology will be used first in the Coastal and Kamloops Fire Centres, where it has already been trialled to ensure compatibility with forest and fuel conditions.

Following continued trials, refinements and staff training, B.C.'s remaining four regional fire centres will phase in the new wildfire predictive technology throughout 2024.

The new technology will provide decision-makers with more intelligence and more time to plan their operations.

"With this expanded level of intelligence, the BC Wildfire Service can even more proactively respond to wildfires, giving people more time to act during an emergency," says Ralston.

Wildfire growth modelling works by using data from weather models, topography and fuel maps. The technology being implemented by the BC Wildfire Service includes the ability to use existing geospatial data and fuel maps but also uses an app-based interface to allow for on-the-ground inputs in real-time.

"The availability of a common operating picture when facing rapidly evolving emergencies can be the difference between life and death," said Thom Porter, task force member and former director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

"I've experienced first-hand the power of technology to transform the way response organizations work together to reduce impacts on communities and natural values. British Columbia's investment in predictive technologies and sharing information among responders is an investment that will save lives, property and the environment in 2024 and beyond."

Other technology trials underway include using drones for aerial ignitions, infrared scanning for hazard assessments, and 5G technology for more sensor networks used to monitor forest conditions. The BC Wildfire Service is also taking action to improve firefighter safety, including better testing of carbon monoxide exposure and respiratory protective equipment.



Gold underfoot? B.C. could hold vast reserves of natural hydrogen

BC's vast hydrogen reserves?

It has been suggested there can be no net-zero energy transition without hydrogen, and federal and provincial governments in Canada have been trying to position Canada as a potential clean-hydrogen producer.

But as British Columbians recently learned, if the plan is to produce “green” hydrogen in B.C., production could require a lot more electricity than it would ultimately generate.

Green hydrogen is made by splitting apart water molecules with renewable electricity to produce hydrogen and oxygen.

A single green hydrogen and ammonia plant pitched by Fortescue in Prince George would require 1,000 megawatts (MW) of power, according to an initial project description, which is equal to 90 per cent of the Site C dam’s generating capacity (1,100 MW), or 5.5 per cent of B.C.’s current total generating capacity (18,250 MW).

Hydrogen can be made from natural gas, and B.C. has an abundance of that, but to secure hydrogen in a way that produces next to no emissions would require adding carbon capture and storage, which adds to the cost of producing so-called “blue” hydrogen.

But what if you could simply tap into the earth’s crust—where hydrogen is produced naturally—and capture it?

A number of exploration companies in the U.S., Australia and Canada are looking to do just that. It’s the latest trend in geological exploration—the hunt for geologic or “gold” hydrogen in sufficient quantities and purity to warrant commercial exploitation.

One of these companies, Denver-based Koloma, is backed by Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures and the Vancouver clean-tech venture capital firm Evok Innovations. Koloma recently raised $330 million in a Series B raise this February.

In Alberta, Chapman Hydrogen and Petroleum is exploring for hydrogen in Ontario and plans to start searching for it in B.C. as well.

And in Australia, Gold Hydrogen (ASX:GHY) has done drill tests in South Australia, where the company claims to have tapped resources with high hydrogen purity levels and “strong levels” of helium.

Geologists have been aware of geologic hydrogen for decades. With the demand for hydrogen expected to soar, only recently has anyone thought it might be cheaper to tap naturally occurring hydrogen than to produce it through electrolysis.

“For decades it went unnoticed, as it was assumed it would be formed in too small amounts or diffuse away too quickly,” notes a study published in Earth-Sciences Review in 2020.

Some exploration companies now think they may be able to tap natural hydrogen seeps with high-enough concentrations to make capturing it commercially viable.

Unlike fossil fuels such as oil or natural gas, natural hydrogen is continuously produced when water dissolves iron-rich rock in the earth’s crust. So, in a sense, it’s a renewable resource that the earth just keeps producing.

So, might hydrogen be present in B.C.?

Randy Hughes, manager of energy and water for Geoscience BC, notes that the Natural Gas Atlas that Geoscience BC developed does show hydrogen and helium occurring in B.C.

“Both elements can be present, in association with existing natural gas pools, but usually as very small percentages,” Hughes said. “Geoscience BC is considering initiating research projects to assess for hydrogen and-or helium potential, but we are in the very early stages.”

“Natural hydrogen is a bit of a hot topic in exploration circles these days,” said Brad Hayes, president of Petrel Robertson Consulting and director for the Canadian Society for Evolving Energy.

For a natural hydrogen well to be worth developing, it would need to have both high flows and high concentrations of hydrogen.

“A little bit of hydrogen, even at high concentrations, is useless,” Hayes said. “If it’s going to be an economic venture, it has to compete with natural gas, so you need wells that will produce millions of cubic feet per day for long periods of time from well-characterized reservoirs.”

The only hydrogen seep in the world that is actually producing gold hydrogen for capture and use is in Mali, where the concentrations are 98 per cent.

“Those purities have not been found elsewhere,” said Denis Briere, vice-president of engineering for Chapman Hydrogen and Petroleum. The Alberta-based company provided engineering services that helped Montreal’s Hydroma to develop a hydrogen power plant that provides power to the village of Bourakébougou in Mali.

Chapman is now preparing to do exploratory work in Ontario near Timmins, where studies have suggested hydrogen in concentrations of 23 per cent may be found.

Through a process called serpentinization, hydrogen can be produced when water reacts with iron-rich rock, such as olivine. Briere said B.C. has the type of geology that might produce hydrogen—mafic rock bands that occur in the Rocky Mountains.

“It’s our intention, after we explore Ontario, to do the little ones in Alberta and then the massive ones in B.C., so it’s certainly a target area on our schedule,” Briere said.

“All through the Rocky Mountains, in the heart of B.C., you have mafic rocks that are targeted to have— in my opinion—natural hydrogen accumulations. Where you have those kind of rock types and rainwater and fractures and faults, that’s a good recipe for the chemical reactions that will produce hydrogen.”

A challenge is finding hydrogen in high-enough concentrations to make its capture commercially viable.

“Depending on how deep it is and how much pressure you have, you might have to drill a lot of wells in order to get a volume that’s commercial,” Briere said.

The U.S. Geological Survey recently estimated that about 23 million tonnes of naturally occurring hydrogen are produced each year.

The bad news is that, even if all of it could be captured, that would represent only five per cent of the 500 million tonnes of hydrogen that may be needed annually by 2050, according to an estimate by BloombergNEF.

The good news for would-be hydrogen explorers is that helium is often found alongside hydrogen. Helium is used in many high-tech applications—magnetic resonance imaging, semiconductors and quantum computing, to name a few. And the demand and price for helium has been soaring.

 “If you’re searching for hydrogen and you happen to get helium, that’s added value,” said Briere.



Split opposition gives BC NDP 'comfortable' lead in election year: poll

NDP has 'comfortable' lead

A split right-of-centre vote in B.C. is poised to benefit the NDP in a big way, according to a new poll from the Angus Reid Institute.

With a provincial election expected in October, the survey finds the BC NDP with 43% of intended voters while the BC Conservative party and BC United are locked at 22% each.

“A fractured opposition and a muddled political picture has the BC NDP coasting, at least for now,” said the survey results.

While the NDP has a commanding lead, the same poll found at least seven-in-ten residents say the government is doing a poor job managing the issues facing the province.

Cost of living and inflation was picked as a top issue for 60% of respondents, followed by health care (50%), housing affordability (40%) and public safety (26%).

Despite the dissatisfaction amongst voters with the government’s handling of big issues, there is pessimism about the alternatives.

Roughly 30% of respondents said “none of them will do a good job” when asked what party and leader would best handle the next four years.

Fifty-one per cent of respondents said they felt it is time for a change in government, but a divided opposition gives the NDP a comfortable lead.

“If this is, indeed, the slate of parties and leaders to run in an expected October election, the BC NDP appears in a comfortable position,” said the Angus Reid survey results.



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