FRIDAY, June 20, 2014 ❖ A21
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NATIONAL NEWS
150 arrested, five rescued
City of Kamloops
National investigation targets child pornography By Alison Auld CANADIAN PRESS
HALIFAX — Five children under the age of 10 were rescued by police following a national child pornography investigation that targeted alleged sex offenders and resulted in hundreds of charges, the RCMP said Thursday, June 19. Officers released the results of a four-month investigation into child exploitation that reached into every province, announcing in Halifax that more than 150 people have been arrested or are under investigation. Sgt. Michael Petrilli said almost two-million images and videos have been seized, with many involving infants and toddlers. “I cannot stress enough what these images are and what they are not,’’ he said at a new conference where he was flanked by about a dozen officers from 40 police agencies involved in the operation. “These images are not simply children having a bubble bath. “They are clearly children that are in a situation where they are
being sexually assaulted.’’ Investigators said two of the children who have been rescued are from British Columbia, and the other three are from Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. They released few details about them, but said they all knew their alleged abusers and only some of them were involved in cases of alleged pornography production. The 343 charges include sexual assault, luring, possession and distribution of child pornography, and voyeurism. Petrilli said 104 people have been charged, but more charges are pending. It’s possible the investigation could move beyond Canada if it’s found the material was sourced from or shared by people in other countries through Interpol or other police agencies. “I would be shocked if there are not some international investigations stemming from arrests here in Canada,’’ said Sgt. Darren Parisien, an RCMP member from Saskatoon who worked on the investigation. He said most of the investigations resulted from police identi-
fying possible offenders online, rather than receiving a complaint. That can involve an officer posing as a child or someone trying to acquire child porn. “We just go to public places on the Internet and see who’s there and very quickly we’re almost overwhelmed with how brazen people are in their possession and distribution of these images,’’ he said. Parisien said the force is always trying to keep pace with technological advances that can allow predators to skirt detection, adding that investigators are becoming more skilled at using technology to more quickly categorize images and get them before the court. “We’re certainly just trying to catch up and keep up,’’ he said. “We’re just trying to stop the bleeding for the most part.’’ The latest seizure of material and subsequent arrests comes after two similar operations in 2012 that focused on the Prairies and northern regions, and in Atlantic Canada in 2013. Those resulted in the rescue of five children, 54 arrests and the seizure of millions of images.
Healthy Landscapes, Healthy Living g Pest Treatment Options Have a landscape you can feel good about: Preventing pests initially is the best way to maintain plant health. However, pests and plant diseases do exist and sometimes need to be managed. Choose pest control methods that are least hazardous. Try the following strategies:
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Companion Planting Techniques to Manage Pests in Your Landscape Use host companion plants like Nasturtiums and small flowered plants to attract beneficial insects. Use companion plants as traps to distract or draw pests away. Rose gardeners use Geraniums. Use repellent companion plants like Marigolds to drive pests away.
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Other Alternatives Replace pest-prone plants with pest-resistant varieties. Prune out infestations. Install pest barriers and sticky traps. Wash aphids and spider mites off your plants with a strong stream of water. Try a Btk spray (natural occurring bacteria) for caterpillar pests. Buy ladybugs to prey on pests like aphids, spider mites, mealybugs and other pests. Try an acetic acid spray for weeds in patios, pathways, and sidewalks. Contact: Integrated Pest Management Coordinator 250-828-3888 healthylandscapes@kamloops.ca kamloops.ca/ipm
www.kamloops.ca/ipm
Russian warns against joining missile defence By Mike Blanchfield CANADIAN PRESS
OTTAWA — Russia would consider it provocative if Canada joined the U.S. ballistic missile-defence shield and the move would aggravate relations already strained by the Ukraine crisis, said Moscow’s departing ambassador. Ambassador Georgiy Mamedov said Canada would be wasting its money if it opted to participate in the defence shield — something a Senate committee recommended in a report this week. “We will consider it to be a politically provocative, though it won’t change any balance, it won’t be necessary for your security or American security. They don’t need you,’’ Mamedov said in an exclusive interview with the Canadian Press. “It will just be a waste of time and money and an unneces-
sary irritant in our relationship.’’ That was one of several political punches the often-outspoken Mamedov threw at the Conservative government in a wide-ranging departure interview. He leaves his Ottawa post after 11 years in the job. Mamedov also blasted the Harper government for its harsh and unrelenting criticism of his country’s actions in Ukraine following its annexation of Crimea in March and the unrest in eastern Ukraine. Harper has labelled Russian President Vladimir Putin a provocateur in eastern Ukraine, calling him a threat to world peace for violating the country’s borders and annexing Crimea. “On foreign policy, because of recent events, of course I can’t agree with what this government is doing, trying to paint everything white or black, including us and
Ukraine,’’ Mamedov said. He accused the Harper government of isolating itself from its allies over Ukraine and hinted broadly that the Conservatives are likely playing to a domestic audience of 1.2 million Ukrainian-Canadians. “My whole history as a diplomat, during Cold War, after Cold War was: the higher the risk, the more active the discussion,’’ he said. “The only exception to this rule is the last seven months I spent in Ottawa.’’ But, with a Senate committee weighing in on missile defence and a House of Commons committee also poised to do so, Mamedov said Canada will undermine already troubled relations with Russia if it joins the BMD program. “It’s not smart, but it’s your sovereign decision,’’ he said. “If it would be considered provocative during peaceful times,
imagine how it would look on top of all this hysteria over a confrontation about Ukraine.’’ The minority Liberal government of Paul Martin opted out of the missile shield in 2005 in the face of domestic political pressure. The shield’s main purpose is to down incoming nuclear warheads from North Korea or Iran. But, with U.S. shield installations in eastern Europe, Russia also considers it provocative. At the recent G7 meeting in Brussels, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Canada had no immediate plans to join the program, but added: “Obviously there are changes occurring in the world and we will continue to examine whether that does or does not serve Canadian interests and we will make whatever decision is in the best security and safety interest of Canadians.’’
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