[sunnykerr]

Canadian Elections Discussion Thread #1

[sunnykerr]

Dad of Girls Who Froze to Death Handed 3 Years Jail A Saskatchewan father who drunkenly lost his two young daughters outside in a snowstorm has been handed a three-year jail sentence for their deaths. Christopher Pauchay, 25, pleaded guilty to criminal negligence causing death after his daughters -- three-year-old Kaydance and one-year-old Santana -- were found buried in snowdrifts in January of last year. The prison term comes despite calls from an aboriginal sentencing circle that Pauchay be spared jail time and be allowed to heal in his community. But in handing out the sentence, Judge Barry Morgan said that Pauchay hadn't taken responsibility for the deaths and didn't seem to understand how his actions had led to the tragedy. Pauchay, who had been drinking heavily on the night of the deaths, had taken the girls out of his home on the Yellow Quill First Nation reserve in the early hours of Jan. 28. They became separated in the -50 C weather, and the girls froze to death. Pauchay also suffered severe frostbite and hypothermia but survived after being found by a neighbour. The Crown noted that Pauchay already has a long criminal record, with more than 50 convictions. The three-year jail term lands on the lower end on the Crown's request, who were seeking a maximum sentence of five years in jail. Pauchay's lawyer had argued that sending the father to prison would only hurt his family. On Thursday in the Rose Valley, Sask., courtroom, Pauchay told Judge Barry Morgan that his new infant daughter has kept him sober and given him a new lease on life. After the girls' deaths, Yellow Quill First Nation Chief Robert Whitehead announced plans to establish an addiction treatment centre on the reserve, which has been plagued by alcohol abuse. The Saskatoon Tribal Council is still reviewing the plans for the treatment centre. Elders in a 24-member sentencing circle recommended that Pauchay not be sent to prison. Pauchay's stepmother Jo Anne Machiskinic earlier told a sentencing circle she was angry that it took such a tragedy for the reserve to own up to the drinking problems it faces. "I felt at the time, why does it always take something this bad to make people open their eyes?" Machiskinic said last month. She said she is concerned about the depression Pauchay faced in the months following his daughters' deaths, and she is not mad at him about their deaths because he did not intend to hurt them.

CTV.ca | Dad of girls who froze to death handed 3 years jail

I agree that the sentence was the very least that the court systems could do. The very least. Clearly a lifelong alcoholic, I'm rather shocked that Pauchay would consider it a good argument in favour of his newfound sobriety that he has a newborn daughter. I don't think he has taken responsibility either. Fifty prior convictions? Ridiculous...

Hopefully, this time in jail will give him the opportunity to reflect on making permanent changes in his life so that this new life may fare better than his late daughters.

[sunnykerr]

RCMP Officer Apologizes to Skier's Husband An RCMP officer has apologized to the widower of a skier who died while stranded in the B.C. back country after the force failed to launch a search when it learned of an SOS message in the snow. Gilles Blackburn and his wife, Marie-Josee Fortin, skied out of bounds at the Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in B.C. on February 15. Blackburn, 50, was rescued on Feb. 24 after he and his wife spent days in the wilderness without food or shelter. Fortin, 44, died on Feb. 22 of hypothermia. At least three times after the pair went missing, helicopters spotted SOS signals that the couple had written in the snow. However, a rescue operation was not launched until Feb. 24, when a helicopter pilot spotted Blackburn waving his arms for help. At a town council meeting in Golden, B.C. on Tuesday night, Staff Sgt. Marko Shehovac explained the sequence of events that led him to put off authorizing a search for the couple after learning of SOS signals on Feb. 21. In his statement to council, Shehovac said an RCMP constable who received the report of the SOS markings notified both Golden Search and Rescue and the ski resort, who both said they had already heard the news and they had followed their missing skier protocols. When the constable told this to Shehovac, he believed the "information was already reported and dealt with," and required no further action. Shehovac also said that the ski guide who reported seeing an SOS signal on Feb. 17 to the resort may have assumed that they were going to call police, while the resort may have assumed the guide would contact police. "Having had the advantage of 20/20 hindsight and investigating further into this for the last week, I have come to the realization I had put blind faith in the information that was provided and that I failed to ask probing questions to satisfy myself that the matter was adequately addressed," Shehovac told the council meeting. "Had I done so, a search of the area would have been initiated on the 21st. For this I am truly sorry to Mr. Blackburn, his family and friends. I am accountable for this error in judgment on Feb. 21st and will accept the consequences." Shehovac went on to say that an independent review of the events that led to Fortin's death is underway to determine what happened and how such communication breakdowns may be prevented in the future. He also praised the work of the Golden Search and Rescue team, who have also been criticized for their decisions. "I have worked with this team for the last 13 years and they are the most dedicated volunteers that I have had the pleasure to work with," Shehovac said.

CTV.ca | RCMP officer apologizes to skier's husband

Well, I do have to say that it is extremely refreshing to hear anyone from the RCMP apologize for anything, but this really was an appalling act of negligence on the Mounties' part. Mind you, I say that and I know how badly they are underfunded. Still, it's a rare case when you find a law-enforcement officer willing to publicly take responsibility for events of this kind of tragic nature.

I don't ski myself, but with all the news of avalanches and people getting lost and dying in such horrible ways, this story also probably serves as a good reminder that it's just not the best of ideas to ski outside of the known trails...

[*Catherine*]

Hope fades for 16 missing in Newfoundland helicopter crash A sombre 24-hour window of survival passed on Friday morning, as search crews nonetheless combed a stretch of the Atlantic Ocean to find any signs of the 16 people still missing in the wake of a helicopter crash east of Newfoundland. "We'll continue until there's no chance of locating any survivors," Maj. Denis McGuire told reporters late Friday morning while also confirming that searchers had not been able to find any new indications of survivors. One man was pulled alive from the ocean on Thursday, hours after the Cougar Helicopters craft went down with 18 aboard, after its crew reported mechanical problems. Searchers also recovered the body of a passenger aboard Cougar 911, which was ferrying workers to the White Rose and Hibernia offshore oil platforms when it ran into trouble. A mayday was issued at 9:48 a.m. NT Thursday as the helicopter crew reported mechanical problems, McGuire said. Until Friday morning, search and rescue officials had said the mayday was issued at 9:18 a.m. NT, with authorities mistakenly calculating Atlantic time as Newfoundland time. Authorities later said the crew indicated it was "ditching," implying that a controlled crash was planned. The chopper, which sank beneath the water, went down about eight minutes later. Time has been precious in the search, as officials reckoned that the 16 missing people could last about 24 hours in the mandatory survival suits they wore during the flight. Military aircraft, coast guard vessels and company ships have been on the scene since Thursday morning. "We will obviously hope for the best. We plan on searching at this time till the last light [Friday]," McGuire, who ordinarily works with the Halifax-based search and rescue co-ordination centre, told reporters in St. John's on Thursday night. Two Cormorants and a Hercules aircraft rejoined the search at dawn Friday, relieving an overnight aerial search aided by night-vision goggles. Indications, though, suggest no new signs that would lead to further rescues. "Right now [there are] no additional results. The search has come up with nothing at this point," Rick Burt, general manager of Cougar Helicopters, told CBC News on Friday morning. The cause of the crash is not known, although information posted to a Transport Canada online database indicated that a mayday at 9:18 a.m. NT was called because of a "main gear box oil pressure problem." Officials, however, maintain there is no definitive word on why the chopper — which was returning to St. John's after it encountered mechanical problems — went down. "We don't have any of that information right now and we can't confirm what may have happened — that would all be speculation," McGuire said Thursday night. Two empty life-rafts were recovered near debris scattered over at least six nautical miles, or about 11 kilometres. As well, searchers have found no sign of the emergency beacons that each person was carrying in a survival suit. The beacons immediately set themselves off when a "sea switch" comes into contact with water. Family members and friends were bracing for the worst. "Well, they're doing the best they can, but it doesn't look very promising right now," said Harold Mullowney, whose brother Derek was aboard the helicopter. "The search will continue, but it looks like that chopper went down hard and they're probably still in it. We hope they're not." Mullowney said his brother had had a brush with the Ocean Ranger disaster, which lingers prominently in the memories of most people in Newfoundland and Labrador. Derek Mullowney was off-duty when the oil rig, which was exploring for oil on the Grand Banks, sank during a vicious winter storm in 1982, killing all 84 aboard. The disaster prompted a royal commission of inquiry, which found weak safety measures and recommended a significant overhaul in training and security procedures.

This is just tragic. I was in a state of panic for awhile yesterday because I know quite a few people who work on the rigs. Luckily, no one I personally know was aboard. My heart goes out to the family members affected though.

[sunnykerr]

Well, I am happy to hear everyone you know and love seems to be alright. Nevertheless, this is a horrible and terrible tragedy.

It's just such a hard thing to realize, especially for those of us who don't necessarily have easy lives but whose occupation is comparatively safe, that certain people have jobs where they more or less put their lives in danger daily. It's moments like these, sadly, that remind us how grateful we should all be for these honourable people who do the things most of us wouldn't do so that the rest of us may have the standard of living we're used to having.

[sunnykerr]

On that note:

Data, Cockpit Recorders Recovered From Helicopter The data recorder and cockpit voice recorder from the helicopter that crashed into the North Atlantic with 18 people on board last week, have been recovered. Mike Cunningham, the Transportation Safety Board's lead investigator in the crash, said the recorders are in good condition and are being taken to Ottawa for analysis. The two items are vital to piecing together what happened in the minutes leading up to the deadly crash that killed 17 people. The only survivor, Robert Decker, 30, is being treated in a St. John's hospital for fractures and lung injuries. Investigators will now turn their efforts to recovering the fuselage of the helicopter from the ocean floor, where it rests 178 metres below the surface. The first nine bodies were removed from the wreckage of the sunken helicopter on Sunday night and brought to St. John's, N.L. on Monday morning. Workers continued their efforts Monday, using remote operated vehicles to remove the remaining seven bodies from the wreckage, then placing them in a basket that was winched to the surface. Their bodies were brought into harbour early Tuesday aboard the Atlantic Osprey supply vessel, and unloaded at the Canadian Coast Guard base. "It certainly brings closure," RCMP Sgt. Wayne Newell said. "It's a tough time for everybody, but at least to have their loved ones repatriated . . . certainly is helpful." The ship was met by two hearses and police, who cordoned off the area while the bodies were transferred from the vessel. A similar process took place on Monday when the first group was brought to shore. The Sikorsky S-92 helicopter was ferrying workers between St. John's and an offshore oil platform when it reported mechanical troubles and turned back towards St. John's. About eight minutes later the helicopter went down. Family remembers One of the victims, Allison Maher, 26, was remembered Monday as a "loving soul" who could always make people laugh. Jim Maher said his niece was "extremely independent and hard working" and lived life to the fullest. "Those who knew Allison would agree that she was a soft, loving soul with a powerful and infectious sense of humour," Maher said in a statement issued at the funeral. "When she was back on shore, she spent every waking moment with the people she cared about -- living life to its fullest with her family, friends and her boyfriend. She did more in one year than most of us do in an entire lifetime." Maher's funeral in Fermeuse, about two hours from St. John's, was the first in a series of memorials, as the victims of the crash are laid to rest. The chopper is owned by Cougar Helicopters, which has grounded its fleet in St. John's until the TSB has complete the initial work into the investigation. Police will collect personal effects from the crash site and return them to the families.

CTV.ca | Data, cockpit recorders recovered from helicopter

Hopefully, this helps them figure out what happened so that we learn from this horrible tragedy and this never happened again.

[4N6 DNA]

Banner and related threads for the OP.

Canadian Elections Discussion Thread #1

[sunnykerr]

Vince Li Not Criminally Responsible for Beheading Vince Li has been found not criminally responsible for the gruesome murder and beheading of Tim McLean on a Greyhound bus last summer because he is mentally ill. "These grotesque acts are appalling," Justice John Scurfield said in Thursday's ruling. "However, the acts themselves and the context in which they were committed are strongly suggestive of a mental disorder. "He did not appreciate the act he committed was morally wrong. He believed he was acting in self defence and that he had been commanded by God to do so." Both the Crown and the defence agreed that Li is a schizophrenic who was suffering a psychotic episode when he killed the 22-year-old McLean. Li, 40, will now be remanded to a secure psychiatric facility where he will receive treatment. A review panel will decide in the next six weeks which facility he will be transferred to, depending on whether he is considered a risk to others or to himself. His case must also be reviewed on an annual basis by a mental health review board. "That doesn't sit well with McLean's family," reports CTV's Jill Macyshon, who says they want Li to spend his life in prison, demanding "a life for a life." The review board will look at police reports from the crime scene and review transcripts of previous hearings, while also listening to evidence from psychiatrists who will treat Li about his current mental condition, treatment plan and prognosis. "The public needs to know that when a person is found not criminally responsible, it does not automatically follow that a person will be released into the community," Scurfield said in his ruling "People who are found not criminally responsible but who continue to pose a danger to the community may be kept in a locked institution for the rest of their lives." Li's trial took only two days and heard from only two witnesses. Both were psychiatrists who testified Li suffers from schizophrenia. They testified Li heard what he thought was the voice of God last July, telling him to kill McLean or risk being killed himself. Dr. Jonathan Rootenberg said Li was psychotic and was in no state to tell the difference between right and wrong. "The attack was sudden and came as Li caught a glimpse of the sunlight and heard God's voice telling him that McLean was a threat," Rootenberg testified. "The voice said, `Do it now ... If you don't, he's going to kill you.'" Legal analyst and criminal lawyer Steven Skurka says the decision shows that the Canadian criminal justice system is humane and recognizes that those in psychotic states cannot distinguish right and wrong. "We can't simply look at the actions we have to look at his mental state. We don't punish people who don't appreciate the nature and quality of their actions. I think that's a very positive feature of our system," Skurka told CTV Newsnet after the decision was handed down. No criminal record With the NCR declaration, Li will not have a criminal record. But on the agreement of both the Crown and the defence, his DNA will be put into a registry so that it will be on file in the event Li is one day released and is suspected of another crime. "It's a responsible position for the defence to take because clearly, they're concerned about public safety," Slurka said. While the McLean family knew to expect Thursday's ruling, McLean's mother Carol deDelley says she will push forward with what she calls "Tim's Law." She wants those who are found to be not criminally responsible to have criminal records and to be treated in prison not in a mental facility. DeDelley told reporters outside the courthouse Thursday that NCR should be changed to what she calls "NPA." "That would be Not Psychologically Accountable but still criminally responsible. Because a crime was still committed her, a murder still occurred. And NCR seems to negate that fact. At least that's how it feels to us, "she said. She also wondered why Li, who was born in China, was granted citizenship even after he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. DeDelley added she doesn't hate Li; she thinks he's dangerous and should be "kept away from the public for the rest of his natural life." Spotlight on mental illness The Li case has brought mental illness, particularly schizophrenia, into the national headlines and some psychologists say the trial has reinforced the stigma attached to mental illness. Annette Osted of the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba told CTV Winnipeg that its time to stop blaming Li and start searching for answers about what went wrong in the health system. "His illness, left untreated, caused this horrific event. Now why was it left untreated?" she asked. "That's a factor . . . we have to look at as a society." Dr. Richard Shore says that schizophrenics have more to fear from society than vice versa. He said the majority of people with the illness do not act violently. "It's rare for schizophrenics to express outward aggression," he told CTV Winnipeg. "They are usually more isolated." Mary Alberti, of the Schizophrenia Society of Ontario said on CTV Newsnet Thursday that "With 'Tim's law', we understand why the family would take that viewpoint but we also know based on experience at the schizophrenia society . . . that the outcomes with treatment can be very good." "With proper treatment, Mr. Li, will have greater insight into his disease, but having said that we have to remember schizophrenia and psychosis are characterized by having a lack of insight that they are ill," she said. "But with proper treatment and support, we believe people can recover from schizophrenia."

CTV.ca | Vince Li not criminally responsible for beheading

I'm fine with having him hospitalized. As long as we're all clear that this is a forever kind of hospitalization. I do have to say that I'm not tremendously surprised at this outcome. It seemed clear to me from the onset that this was a severely ill man. Though I'm sure that's absolutely no comfort to Tim McLean's family. This country has to go get its act together when it comes to allowing such severely mentally ill people free and loose in society.

[sunnykerr]

Manitoba Braces for Flooding as Water Levels Rise Communities in southern Manitoba are bracing for washed-out roads and flooded farmland as the banks of the Red River swell with a torrent of melting ice and snow. But as the water rises, so does the threat that flooding could reach levels not seen since 1997's "flood of the century," which forced nearly 30,000 people from their homes and caused $500 million in damage. "Right now, the probability of reaching a 1997 magnitude flood is a little less than 10 per cent, but it's going up fast," said Alf Warkentin, a senior flood forecaster with Manitoba government. After heavy snow and recent rain in the region, officials south of the border are also preparing for heavy flooding. In Grand Forks, N.D., which is about 230 kilometres south of Winnipeg, a state of emergency has been declared ahead of the flooding. While Grand Forks, which was ravaged by flood waters 12 years ago, now has dikes and permanent barriers designed to offset any water damage, forecasters are still concerned about the weather. "We are looking at a situation with all the ingredients for near-record flooding in the upper Midwest," said Jack Hayes, director of the U.S. National Weather Service. "Sudden snow pack melts due to warm temperatures or a heavy rain could further complicate the flooding on the northern plains." Likewise, Winnipeg increased the size of the flood channel which diverts waters around the city and many surrounding towns have built dikes and barriers since 1997. Still, in a pre-emptive strike, workers have been breaking up ice on the Red River to avoid a sudden torrent of flood waters over the next few weeks. "I'm feeling confident - as long as we don't get a major storm," said Bill Solar, a southern Manitoba resident who lived through the 1997 flood.

CTV.ca | Manitoba braces for flooding as water levels rise

I hope everyone is alright.

[4N6 DNA]

The article on Vince Li is astonishing. On one hand I am appalled that he was only charged with second degree murder. But on the other hand, hopefully we can all take schizophrenia a little more seriously and stop stigmatizing it.

I am also surprised he was able to immigrate into the country.

[sunnykerr]

I don't really know how immigration happens. I think, scary though the thought is, that people can come in pretty easily. I think that, if there is ever a closer look given to immigrants, it happens somewhere between becoming a "permanent resident" and a full-on citizen.

And all of that assumes that Mr Li had been diagnosed previously. I've never been anywhere, so I'm not one to judge or to be able to talk with any kind of authority on this issue, but it seems to me that mental illness is something that often goes undiagnosed even in the best of circumstances... so there might be areas of the world where such diagnoses are quite unrealistic at this point in time.

Again, I may be speaking entirely through my hat here, I don't know.

[sunnykerr]

Flood Evacuations Begin North of Winnipeg Massive ice jams bottlenecking Manitoba's Red River have prompted evacuations Wednesday in communities north of Winnipeg. Flooding is causing nightmares in and around St. Andrews and Lockport, and it has prompted the municipality of St. Clements to declare a state of emergency. At least four families have left their homes as of Wednesday evening. Overland flooding is closing more roads and highways everyday. Roads in St. Andrews, which drivers were navigating just a day ago, were completely washed out on Wednesday as crews closed them to pump out the rising water. Huge shards of ice on the Red River jammed up near Lockport, as water has been flooding parts of St. Andrews since Wednesday morning. Meanwhile, a winter storm is bearing down on Manitoba, causing more concern for already worried residents. In the town of Landmark, councilor Robert Koop told CTV Winnipeg that 50 homes are already in danger of being flooded, and the added precipitation could make things worse. The storm is causing other problems as well, making it difficult for workers tasked with unblocking the hundreds of culverts in the town that need to be re-opened. In the municipality of Ritchot, Mayor Bob Stefaniuk said the flood forecast anticipated a "certain amount of precipitation" -- so the expected 25 centimetres of snow has already largely been accounted for in the town's preparations. Dykes were built in Ritchot following the flood of 1997, said Stefaniuk -- but the concern now is inland flooding. Up to 1,000 homes could be at risk, and many roads are already underwater. "We're prepared as much as we can be," Stefaniuk told CTV Winnipeg. Meanwhile, Manitoba's chief officer of health is warning residents who use well water to boil it before using it. Well-water systems can become contaminated with bacteria when it floods. Water should be brought to a rolling boil for one minute before drinking or making ice, making drinks such as infant formula, preparing food and brushing your teeth.

CTV.ca | Flood evacuations begin north of Winnipeg

I hope everyone is okay.

In case our friends south of the border happen to read this, this is the same flood that's had North Dakota declared an emergency situation.

[sunnykerr]

Canada Brokers Afghanistan-Pakistan Border Deal Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon announced Tuesday that the Canadian government has helped negotiate an agreement to fortify the often-violent Afghanistan-Pakistan border. According to Cannon, who was attending a one-day conference on Afghanistan in The Hague, Netherlands, the two countries have set a timeline for establishing order along the border, which has in recent years become a thoroughfare for insurgents. "Ultimately what we want is a functional border between two countries," Cannon said in a teleconference from The Hague, site of the Afghanistan conference. The two countries identified customs, movement of people, counter-narcotics plans and law enforcement as top priorities that will be dealt with, Cannon said. Earlier Tuesday, Cannon had indicated that success in Afghanistan will only come if Canada and the international community support local initiatives. "Canada sees its regional role as that of a facilitator and we welcome a widened international participation for projects identified," Cannon said. "However we recognize our contributions will be effective only if they support solutions, initiatives and institutions that are locally led and locally owned." Earlier Tuesday, a NATO spokesperson says it's vital that the war in Afghanistan -- which is about to experience a major upsurge in U.S. troops -- doesn't become solely an American effort. Canada's mission in Afghanistan is scheduled to end in 2011, while other NATO countries have expressed their desire to withdraw their troops as soon as possible. Meanwhile, U.S. President Barack Obama has pledged 21,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, 4,000 of those to help train Afghan soldiers. NATO spokesperson James Appathurai said there is a role for all member countries to play. "We want to avoid a situation and I think the whole international community wants to avoid a situation where this is seen as Obama's war, Obama's effort. It isn't. It's a UN effort that we're doing for the Afghan people," Appathurai told CTV's Canada AM. "Our concern in NATO is that all the other allies step up their efforts so it's not just the U.S. doing it all and the rest of us looking on and telling them how they did." Canada has roughly 2,500 troops in Afghanistan, and has lost 116 soldiers have been killed. Appathurai suggested NATO would like to see Canada and other member countries shift towards providing greater support for Afghan security forces. He said a strong Afghan police force is the "big piece of the puzzle that's missing" in the effort to stabilize and rebuild Afghanistan. "I know Canada has devoted not only soldiers and everything they do, but millions of dollars to the overall development effort and the police training. This is one area we as NATO would certainly like to see a lot more of -- yes, forces on the ground but police are going to be the area where a lot needs to be invested," he said. "We're able to clear territory with our soldiers. We have a lot of development money and development people on the ground but until we can hold, and 'we' meaning first and foremost the Afghans, can hold the territory our soldiers have cleared, the development people can't do their work." Outreach to Insurgents U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also spoke at the NATO meeting on Tuesday morning and said that Taliban members who abandon extremism should be granted an honourable form of reconciliation -- something Obama has also signalled his support for. She also said there should be a separation between Taliban and al Qaeda members who joined out of conviction, and those who joined out of desperation. Clinton told delegates from more than 70 countries at the meeting, including Iran and Pakistan, that most insurgents joined out of desperation rather than a belief in the cause. "They should be offered an honorable form of reconciliation and re-integration into a peaceful society, if they are willing to abandon violence, break with al Qaeda, and support the constitution," Clinton said. Clinton also called for integrity and honesty in the top ranks of the Afghan government and urged an "open, free and fair" election in August. Clinton also announced US$40 million in U.S. funding to help the United Nations prepare for the election and called on other nations to do the same. The Obama administration has embraced a more regional approach to the war in Afghanistan, signalling its intention to bring regional players such as Pakistan and even Iran, into the discussion. In total 73 countries had representatives at the Tuesday meeting, designed to reinvigorate international commitment to Afghanistan and stabilize the lawless border region with Pakistan. All the countries bordering Afghanistan, and all those contributing troops to the NATO-led forces in Afghanistan, were at the meeting. It was opened by UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon and Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

CTV.ca | Canada brokers Afghanistan-Pakistan border deal

I like what I hear from the Americans, but it may be too little too late. We're exhausted. We're all exhausted.

And, seriously, it would be a good idea to have a secure border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, but it's all gonna depend on whatever headway made by the Taliban in the region, isn't it?

[sunnykerr]

Quebec Mother Arrested in Deaths of Daughters A 43-year-old mother has been taken into police custody after her two young daughters were found dead inside a home in Laval, Que. The eight- and nine-year-old girls were found inside the home by family members around 4 p.m. Tuesday. The girls, whom media have identified as eight-year-old Sabrina and nine-year-old Amanda De Vito, were pronounced dead at the scene and police believe they were dead for some time before they were found. Autopsies are forthcoming, though it could take several days for results to be finalized. Police say there were no signs of violence in the house. After the girls were found dead, police went looking for their mother, Adele Sorella, who was reported to be "depressed." She was found around 3 a.m. on Wednesday morning after her SUV collided with a utility pole near the family home. Sorella was not injured in the crash. Investigators are now looking into whether Sorella crashed her car deliberately. Police spokesperson Nathalie Lorrain said Sorella's family indicated that she had been feeling depressed in recent weeks. "The family members that were here on the scene told us that for a few weeks she had been feeling a bit depressed, but nothing major, of course, that could lead them to think she would do something like that," Lorrain told reporters on Wednesday morning. Sorella is now being evaluated by psychiatrists and remains the prime suspect in the death of her daughters. As of noon on Wednesday, police were still evaluating what charges may be laid in connection with the deaths, as well as when Sorella may attend court. The whereabouts of the girls' father, Giuseppe De Vito, is unknown, though police say he is not considered a suspect in his daughters' deaths. De Vito has not been seen since November 2006, since he was wanted by police for drug offences as part of Project Colisée -- a police project that targeted members of the Quebec and Ontario underworld.

CTV.ca | Quebec mother arrested in deaths of daughters

This has been all over the news over here. It is so sad. Think about it: The father may not be a suspect, but they can't find him. Horrible.

[sunnykerr]

Boxing Day Murderer 'Cavalier' About Creba's Death A psychiatrist told a Toronto court that J.S.R., the first person convicted in the Boxing Day 2005 shooting of teenager Jane Creba, has a "cavalier" attitude towards her death. Lindley Bassarath interviewed J.S.R. in February and said Monday that the now-21-year-old made several statements that caused him concern. Of Creba's death by a bullet fired in a reckless shootout between thugs on Yonge Street, J.S.R. told her, "'How do they know she wouldn't have been hit by a car or something?'" he said. J.S.R. said he is staying in contact with the mother of his two children, aged four and seven, so he can "grab" them when he is released from prison, the psychiatrist said. Bassarath said he found J.S.R.'s statement about Creba to be "cavalier and callous." He raised a flag about J.S.R.'s statement with respects to his children. "It does concern me that he's capable of that, of that level of manipulation," Bassarath said. The 21-year-old man, who can only be publicly identified as J.S.R. because he was a youth at the time of the shooting, was convicted in December of second-degree murder, two counts of aggravated assault and five weapons charges. A jury believed he was an active participant in a violent shoot-out that killed Creba and wounded six other innocent bystanders. (...) Both the Crown and the defence agreed that J.S.R. didn't fire the shot that killed Creba. But under Canadian law, J.S.R. was still able to be convicted of murder because the jury believed he took part in the gunfight. The Crown is arguing to have the man sentenced as an adult. If J.S.R. is sentenced as an adult, he will get life in prison for the murder conviction with no parole eligibility for seven years. If he is sentenced as a youth, he will receive a maximum sentence of seven years for the murder conviction. Only four of those years would likely be served in custody. Bassarath conducted various tests on J.S.R. He deems J.S.R. to be a high risk to reoffend. Although the number of "behavioural incidents" behind bars has dropped since J.S.R. was first incarcerated on Dec. 26, 2005, Bassarath said, ""I'd be surprised if there were no incidents at all (in a year)."

CTV Toronto - Boxing Day murderer 'cavalier' about Creba's death - CTV News, Shows and Sports -- Canadian Television

I think to expect anything but callous remarks from an individual who willingly engaged in a gun fight in a crowded area would have been a bit naive. Just my personal opinion.

But here's an excellent case that goes to the discussion we were having about sentencing youth offenders. This guy was a minor at the time. And even though he didn't fire the shot that killed Jane Creba, you see how he feels about it. That would give me pause. Normally, I'd be all for separating youth offenders from the adult prison population... but this guy seems to really need to be made to feel the full consequences of his actions...

I don't know. What do you all think?