Latest news with #reform
CTV News
27 minutes ago
- CTV News
Victoria police misconduct case prompts calls to change oversight system
The conclusion of a years-long misconduct case against a Victoria police officer is resulting in appeals to reform B.C.'s police oversight system. The conclusion of a years-long misconduct case against a Victoria police officer is resulting in appeals to reform B.C.'s police oversight system. Last week, Victoria Police Department Sgt. Ron Kirkwood was handed a seven-day, unpaid suspension after a retired judge found he abused his authority during a call in 2019. Kirkwood fired an anti-riot weapon into a smoke-filled room, accidentally hitting 43-year-old Lisa Rauch in the head and killing her. 'It's been such a dragged-out process that it's excruciating,' Lisa's mother, Audrey Rauch, told CTV News. Audrey and her husband, Ron Rauch, met with B.C.'s Police Complaint Commissioner on Wednesday to share their concerns about the oversight process. They said it was riddled with delays and disinformation about what happened to their daughter. 'It's a joke,' Audrey said. While the Rauch family and police may feel differently about the outcome of the case, they're aligned in their calls for oversight reform. Victoria City Police Union president Sgt. Angela Van Eerd said it can take months for members to learn whether a complaint against them will be investigated or dismissed. 'I would characterize the current oversight process as a long, drawn-out process that needs to be changed and needs to have tighter timelines for the mental health of our officers,' Van Eerd said. 'This has just been torment for the family of Sgt. Kirkwood and Lisa Rauch's family.' The misconduct finding against Kirkwood followed a public hearing, where a retired judge reviewed evidence and heard from 20 witnesses. The Rauch family requested the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner (OPCC) order the hearing because they doubted the integrity of three other oversight investigations that found no wrongdoing. 'I believe fully in accountability for police,' Van Eerd said. 'But do I believe in accountability after three adjudications have been unsubstantiated and then we're going to call a fourth because we don't get the answer that we want? I don't believe in that.' 'Problems often lurk in the gaps' In B.C., there are several police watchdogs at play. For the RCMP, misconduct allegations are handled by the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission, an independent agency in Ottawa. The OPCC deals with misconduct cases against municipal officers. It does not conduct investigations, but oversees the probes it assigns to police departments. 'A lot of provinces are moving towards a model in which the actual oversight office body does at least some of the investigation, if not all of the investigation,' said Police Complaint Commissioner Prabhu Rajan. The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of B.C. has its own investigators, who are dedicated to cases involving serious injury or death where an officer could be criminally charged. 'An efficiency may well be… that we have a central, single point of intake,' said IIO Chief Civilian Director Jessica Berglund. In 2022, a legislative committee made a similar recommendation, calling for a single, civilian-led oversight agency. WATCH: The heads of the IIO and the OPCC share their thoughts on upgrading the police oversight system. Adam Olsen, the former B.C. Green Party MLA for Saanich North and the Islands, was one of 10 people appointed to the Committee on Reforming the Police Act. 'We have a lot of oversight bodies (and) not a lot of coherence between them,' Olsen said. 'When you see fragmented systems, the problems often lurk in the gaps between those systems.' The committee formed amid calls for systemic change, following the death of George Floyd, who was murdered by a Minnesota police officer in 2020. Recommendations include expediting minor misconduct complaints and establishing services to help victims and their loved ones navigate the system. The committee also called for additional resolution measures, such as mediation or direct conversations between complainants and officers. 'I lament the fact that we don't see the ministry doing this work in public,' Olsen said. 'Are they doing work? I can imagine that they are. Do we know what it is? No.' Surrey-Guildford MLA and former Mountie Garry Begg was also part of the committee. He has since become B.C.'s Public Safety Minister. CTV News requested an interview with Begg, but received a statement instead. 'Ministry staff are continuing to work with partners to address the recommendations from the Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act, so we can make sure that police can serve British Columbians in the best way possible,' Begg said. Signs of improvement Last year, the province made changes to the Police Act, granting the OPCC the ability to conduct investigations into systemic issues that prompt multiple complaints of a similar nature. The amendments also allow the OPCC to call public hearings earlier, which could have sped up the Kirkwood case. 'It would have shaved a year and a half to two years off the actual overall process,' Rajan said. 'We would all like things to happen much more quickly, but sometimes in complicated cases, you need some time to properly gather the information and analyze the information.' While Rajan sees opportunities for improvement, he believes in the system. 'I don't want anybody left with the sense that it's not a good process. In fact, it is quite good,' he said. At the IIO, year-over-year data show the average number of days to conclude a case has fallen from 103 to 52. 'A couple of years ago, my predecessor was successful in obtaining additional investigative resources for the IIO. So currently, I think timeliness is less of an issue than it was,' Berglund said. Still, Berglund said she appreciates the toll multiple prolonged investigations can take on people. 'The key in so much of this is good communication and being sensitive and empathetic to the needs of all the parties who are involved,' she said. The Rauch family said at the time of Lisa's death, they weren't even aware B.C.'s oversight bodies existed. 'How can we, as agencies, do better to support those families, to explain the processes, (and) explain that this may take several years to reach final resolution?' Berglund said. She expects the system will continue to evolve due to the collective desire to upgrade it. 'We are all working towards improved civilian oversight and keeping our focus on the bigger picture of why we have civilian oversight, which is to improve the accountability of the police and really improve the trust that the public has in the police forces in British Columbia,' she said.
The Independent
7 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Minister insists no major welfare rebellion on the horizon after whip quits
A Cabinet minister has insisted a major rebellion over welfare is not on the cards after a Government whip resigned over proposed cuts to disability benefits. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said Vicky Foxcroft was the only frontbencher who had spoken to her about resigning. MPs must 'look to their conscience' when deciding how to vote, Ms Nandy said, but added that the Government believes the Commons will back the reforms. Lewisham North MP Ms Foxcroft said she understood 'the need to address the ever-increasing welfare bill' but did not believe the proposed cuts 'should be part of the solution', in her resignation letter to the Prime Minister. Sir Keir Starmer has faced a backlash from some Labour MPs over proposals to reform the welfare system, which are expected to save up to £5 billion a year. Ms Nandy said a 'handful' of backbench MPs had expressed concerns to her about the 'detail' of the Bill, but added she was confident the Government had listened and the package of reforms was 'absolutely right'. 'It would be wrong to say that when you bring forward big reforms, there aren't concerns and there aren't dissenting voices, of course there are. But Vicky is the only frontbencher that I've had a conversation with about resigning,' she told BBC Breakfast. She told Times Radio that Ms Foxcroft 'did the honourable thing' by standing down. 'If you can't stick with collective responsibility in Government, you have to resign. 'She's done the honourable thing. It will enable her to have a voice, and she – as the former shadow disabilities minister – is very keen to use it. 'But I think most Labour MPs, including her, agree with the principle of the reforms that we're making.' She added: 'It's now up to every MP, as it always is at moments of major reform, to look to their conscience and vote the way that they believe is right. 'And we believe this package of reforms are right and will carry the confidence of the House.' Ms Foxcroft is the second Labour frontbencher to go in protest over policy issues after Anneliese Dodds quit as development minister over cuts to the aid budget. Rebel Labour MPs welcomed Ms Foxcroft's decision, with Hartlepool's Jonathan Brash saying he had the 'utmost respect' for her 'principled stand' and Crewe and Nantwich's Connor Naismith saying it 'must have been an incredibly difficult decision but she should be commended for standing by her principles'. She said she had wrestled with whether to resign or remain in the Government and 'fight from within'. 'Sadly it… now seems that we are not going to get the changes I desperately wanted to see. 'I therefore tender my resignation as I know I will not be able to do the job that is required of me and whip – or indeed vote – for reforms which include cuts to disabled people's finances.' Legislation introduced into Parliament on Wednesday includes a tightening of the criteria for the main disability payment in England, the personal independence payment (Pip). Ministers also want to cut the sickness-related element of universal credit (UC), and delay access to it so only those aged 22 and over can claim it. The package of reforms is aimed at encouraging more people off sickness benefits and into work, but dozens of Labour rebels said last month that the proposals were 'impossible to support'. Pip is aimed at helping with extra living costs if someone has a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability and difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around because of their condition. Data published on Tuesday showed 3.7 million people in England and Wales claimed Pip, up from 2.05 million in 2019, with teenagers and young adults making up a growing proportion of claimants. Around 800,000 people are set to lose out on the benefit under the Government's proposals, according to an impact assessment published alongside Wednesday's legislation. The assessment also confirmed a previous estimate that 250,000 more people, including 50,000 children, are likely to fall into relative poverty after housing costs in 2029/30, although the Government repeated that this does not take into account the potentially positive impact of £1 billion annual funding by then for measures to support people into work. Responding to Ms Foxcroft's resignation, a Government spokesperson said: 'This Labour Government was elected to deliver change. The broken welfare system we inherited is failing the sick and most vulnerable and holding too many young people back. It is fair and responsible to fix it. 'Our principled reforms will ensure those who can work should, that those who want to work are properly supported, and that those with most severe disabilities and health conditions are protected.'
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Minister insists no major welfare rebellion on the horizon after whip quits
A Cabinet minister has insisted a major rebellion over welfare is not on the cards after a Government whip resigned over proposed cuts to disability benefits. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said Vicky Foxcroft was the only frontbencher who had spoken to her about resigning. MPs must 'look to their conscience' when deciding how to vote, Ms Nandy said, but added that the Government believes the Commons will back the reforms. Lewisham North MP Ms Foxcroft said she understood 'the need to address the ever-increasing welfare bill' but did not believe the proposed cuts 'should be part of the solution', in her resignation letter to the Prime Minister. Sir Keir Starmer has faced a backlash from some Labour MPs over proposals to reform the welfare system, which are expected to save up to £5 billion a year. Ms Nandy said a 'handful' of backbench MPs had expressed concerns to her about the 'detail' of the Bill, but added she was confident the Government had listened and the package of reforms was 'absolutely right'. 'It would be wrong to say that when you bring forward big reforms, there aren't concerns and there aren't dissenting voices, of course there are. But Vicky is the only frontbencher that I've had a conversation with about resigning,' she told BBC Breakfast. She told Times Radio that Ms Foxcroft 'did the honourable thing' by standing down. 'If you can't stick with collective responsibility in Government, you have to resign. 'She's done the honourable thing. It will enable her to have a voice, and she – as the former shadow disabilities minister – is very keen to use it. 'But I think most Labour MPs, including her, agree with the principle of the reforms that we're making.' She added: 'It's now up to every MP, as it always is at moments of major reform, to look to their conscience and vote the way that they believe is right. 'And we believe this package of reforms are right and will carry the confidence of the House.' Ms Foxcroft is the second Labour frontbencher to go in protest over policy issues after Anneliese Dodds quit as development minister over cuts to the aid budget. Rebel Labour MPs welcomed Ms Foxcroft's decision, with Hartlepool's Jonathan Brash saying he had the 'utmost respect' for her 'principled stand' and Crewe and Nantwich's Connor Naismith saying it 'must have been an incredibly difficult decision but she should be commended for standing by her principles'. She said she had wrestled with whether to resign or remain in the Government and 'fight from within'. 'Sadly it… now seems that we are not going to get the changes I desperately wanted to see. 'I therefore tender my resignation as I know I will not be able to do the job that is required of me and whip – or indeed vote – for reforms which include cuts to disabled people's finances.' Legislation introduced into Parliament on Wednesday includes a tightening of the criteria for the main disability payment in England, the personal independence payment (Pip). Ministers also want to cut the sickness-related element of universal credit (UC), and delay access to it so only those aged 22 and over can claim it. The package of reforms is aimed at encouraging more people off sickness benefits and into work, but dozens of Labour rebels said last month that the proposals were 'impossible to support'. Pip is aimed at helping with extra living costs if someone has a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability and difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around because of their condition. Data published on Tuesday showed 3.7 million people in England and Wales claimed Pip, up from 2.05 million in 2019, with teenagers and young adults making up a growing proportion of claimants. Around 800,000 people are set to lose out on the benefit under the Government's proposals, according to an impact assessment published alongside Wednesday's legislation. The assessment also confirmed a previous estimate that 250,000 more people, including 50,000 children, are likely to fall into relative poverty after housing costs in 2029/30, although the Government repeated that this does not take into account the potentially positive impact of £1 billion annual funding by then for measures to support people into work. Responding to Ms Foxcroft's resignation, a Government spokesperson said: 'This Labour Government was elected to deliver change. The broken welfare system we inherited is failing the sick and most vulnerable and holding too many young people back. It is fair and responsible to fix it. 'Our principled reforms will ensure those who can work should, that those who want to work are properly supported, and that those with most severe disabilities and health conditions are protected.'
Free Malaysia Today
10 hours ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Reforms not mere rhetoric to unity govt, says PMO
The Prime Minister's Office said the unity government remains open to feedback and sees it as a chance for further improvements. PETALING JAYA : The Prime Minister's Office has dismissed claims that the government's reform agenda has stalled, saying they are actively under way and not just mere rhetoric. Senior press secretary Tunku Nashrul Abaidah said the government views every criticism as an opportunity for improvement and that its current achievements are a reflection of this approach. 'The government's reform agenda is proceeding consistently – not just in a day, not merely through statements, but through structured action,' he said in a broadcast on Facebook this afternoon. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has repeatedly defended the pace of reforms under his administration, saying that meaningful change takes time and requires consensus from other coalition partners. Earlier this month, the likes of former minister Khairy Jamaluddin and Subang MP Wong Chen had expressed concern over the lack of reforms. Tunku Nashrul also said recent economic indicators were proof of investors' confidence in the government's reform agenda. 'Malaysia successfully recorded RM89.8 billion in approved investments in the first quarter of 2025 – an increase of 3.7% compared to last year, despite a challenging global landscape. 'These investments are expected to generate 1,600 new projects nationwide and create more than 33,000 jobs.' He also said in the microelectronics and semiconductor sectors, Malaysia secured RM4.6 billion in potential investments and RM507 million in potential exports following its participation in Semicon Southeast Asia 2025. 'All these announcements are proof of investors' confidence in our reform policies,' he said.
BBC News
10 hours ago
- Politics
- BBC News
SEND: Oxfordshire County Council says funding 'unsustainable'
A £100m black hole in the budget for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in Oxfordshire has been highlighted in a written contribution to the Education Select Committee, Oxfordshire County Council said the current SEND system is "unsustainable".It called for immediate and comprehensive government previously allocated £1bn to SEND services in its first budget. Oxfordshire County Council has been criticised for its SEND services - with an Ofsted report in 2023 saying there was a "tangible sense of helplessness" among its submission to the committee, it pointed out that despite rapidly rising expenditure, official reports show that outcomes are not improving nationally for children with Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet member for children and young people, said there was a "national crisis" impacting families and children in Oxfordshire."The situation is unsustainable," he said."The SEND high needs block deficit is expected to hit £100million in Oxfordshire by March 2026, with many other councils across the country in similar situations. "The whole system is in urgent need of extensive reform."We're calling for clarity on funding and long-term sustainable reforms to ensure we have a system fit for purpose that will meet the needs of every SEND child and young person wherever they live, and whatever their individual needs."The Education Select Committee's "Solving the SEND Crisis" inquiry is looking at how to achieve stability in the SEND system and improve experiences and outcomes for children and young government has been contacted for a comment. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
