B.C. premier to target abuse after talking to father of 12-year-old sextortion victim
CTV
Premier David Eby says he had a heartbreaking phone call with the father of a 12-year-old British Columbia boy who killed himself after falling prey to online sextortion, and he hopes to honour the boy by seeking more online protections for youth.
Warning: This story references a child who died by suicide, and may be disturbing to readers. A list of resources for anyone in crisis is included at the bottom of the article.
Premier David Eby says he had a heartbreaking phone call with the father of a 12-year-old British Columbia boy who killed himself after falling prey to online sextortion, and he hopes to honour the boy by seeking more online protections for youth.
He said the NDP government is planning changes in the new year in memory of Carson Cleland of Prince George, who police said died in October after being sexually victimized online.
The premier said he spoke with Carson's father, Ryan Cleland, who told him that parents of Carson's classmates said their children were also talking online with strangers.
“I talked to Carson's dad and the courage of him and his family to come forward, especially given the loss they faced over the holiday season, which has got to be just so awful, is remarkable,” Eby said.
“His dad said (they've) been contacted by three families from Carson's class where the kids were talking with strangers through their social apps online just like (Carson) was,” he said.
“I think having had that conversation with him that there's an opportunity for the province to make sure Carson's memory is honoured and we actually go after the real threats that kids are facing.”
A Toronto-area woman who was defrauded out of $158,000 in a roofing scam over the summer received about half her money back following a tip from a CTV News viewer.
It's official — Quebec has set a new record for the most stolen vehicles recovered in one year by Canadian border agents.
Facing criticism for requiring health care workers with two jobs within the public system to choose one to comply with labour laws, Santé Québec has announced a one-year extension to the transition period.
The consortium responsible for building Ottawa's new north-south line, TransitNext, says it is ready for the City of Ottawa to begin the final phase of approvals before opening the line to the public.
Former Saskatchewan Party MLA Greg Lawrence has been sentenced to 12 months probation – after pleading guilty to one count of assault.
Several thousand British Columbians remain in the dark Wednesday morning after a windstorm known as a bomb cyclone slammed coastal communities.
A man who plead guilty to a double stabbing in 2015 will soon be out on statutory release, but he'll have to follow some strict conditions set out by the parole board.
A school bus hit parked vehicles and pushed one into a Middle Sackville, N.S., home Wednesday afternoon.
A four-month-old baby is dead after what Toronto police are calling a “suspicious incident” at a Toronto Community Housing building in the city’s midtown area on Wednesday afternoon.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced embattled minister Randy Boissonnault is out of cabinet.
A London father and son they’re shocked and confused after their home was riddled with bullets while young children were sleeping inside.