B.C. man facing extradition to U.S. for alleged sex crimes against stepdaughter
B.C. man facing extradition to U.S. for alleged sex crimes against stepdaughter
A B.C. Supreme Court ordered the man into custody last week pending a decision by the federal justice minister on whether or not to surrender the accused to authorities south of the border. (CTV News)
A Vancouver Island man is awaiting possible extradition to the United States on charges of sexual assault against his 13-year-old stepdaughter.
A B.C. Supreme Court ordered the man into custody last week pending a decision by the federal justice minister on whether or not to surrender the accused to authorities south of the border.
The accused, who is identified in court documents as J.L., is sought by U.S. federal authorities on behalf of the state of Utah.
According to the judge's decision published Tuesday, J.L. is accused of sexually assaulting his stepdaughter continuously from June 2012 to June 2014.
The offences are alleged to have occurred in St. George, Utah, where J.L. lived with his stepdaughter and her mother, to whom he was married at the time.
According to court documents, the stepdaughter told her mother about the alleged abuse in June 2014, but the allegations were not reported to police until that November.
J.L. left Utah that same month and U.S. authorities charge that he "fled" to Canada, while J.L. told the court that he was planning to move back to Canada as his marriage had ended.
"He says his return to Canada had nothing to do with the fact that the complainant spoke to the police that same day," B.C. Supreme Court Justice Brian D. MacKenzie said.
J.L. was charged in June 2015, prompting Utah police to issue a warrant for his arrest.
During a 2021 extradition hearing, J.L. testified that he left Canada in May 2015, travelling and working in several countries before returning to Canada in October 2019.
He testified that upon his return he obtained a B.C. driver's licence under the Sooke, B.C., address where the RCMP later found and arrested him on June 16, 2020.
"J.L. emphasizes the fact that he travelled throughout many countries on his Canadian passport between 2015 and 2019 and was never arrested or detained," the judge said.
"He points out he returned to Canada with his valid Canadian passport without incident. It was only after approximately nine months during which time he lived with his parents in Sooke, did he or his family have any contact with a law enforcement agency."
J.L. argued the five-year delay in seeking his extradition to the U.S. is contrary to the principles of fundamental justice under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The judge ruled the delay was not sufficient to render the extradition hearing unfair.
"What the U.S. authorities may or may not have done in trying to locate J.L. and whether their efforts were 'continuous and considerable'… is not a circumstance that in my view renders the extradition process unfair or amounts to a denial of fundamental justice such that this is one of those exceptional cases where the extradition proceeding should be stayed," the judge said.
The judge ordered J.L. into custody to await an extradition decision by Justice Minister David Lametti.
Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, J.L. cannot be extradited to the U.S. until 30 days after the judge's commitment order. He has a right to appeal the order and apply for a judicial interim release from custody.
The federal Liberals are trending downward on three key measures while Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has surpassed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when it comes to the question of who Canadians would prefer now as their prime minister, according to Nanos Research.
The Vatican on Thursday responded to Indigenous demands and formally repudiated the 'Doctrine of Discovery,' the theories backed by 15th-century 'papal bulls' that legitimized the colonial-era seizure of Native lands and form the basis of some property law today.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, in a leaked cellphone call, commiserated with a COVID-19 protester about his trial while divulging to him there was an internal dispute over how Crown prosecutors were handling COVID-19 cases.
The Canada Revenue Agency will pilot a new automatic system next year to help vulnerable Canadians who don't file their taxes get their benefits. This week's federal budget says the Canada Revenue Agency will also present a plan in 2024 to expand the service, following consultations with stakeholders and community organizations.
Silicon Valley Bank's collapse earlier this month dealt a major blow to the wine and crypto firms that entrusted their money with and depended on the lender to stay afloat.
Months after Canada's ban on foreign homebuyers took effect on Jan. 1, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation has made several amendments to the legislation allowing non-Canadians to purchase residential properties in certain circumstances.
When the doors close at night at the administration office at Yukon's Carcross Tagish First Nation, a van hits the road and drives through the communities to offer naloxone to reverse overdoses, drug testing kits, food and even a friendly face to help those struggling because of the opioid crisis.
To help offset rising living expenses, the Government of Canada has introduced a one-time grocery rebate for low- and modest-income Canadians. Here is what we know about the rebate.
The Riverview Hospital itself has been closed for more than a decade, but 289 people are currently receiving treatment for mental health, addictions or both at the old site.
Vancouver city council has asked staff to shape a policy that would require grant recipients to engage with officials in a "respectful manner," a move that one political scientist says suggests an attempt to prevent or punish criticism.
After a man was fatally stabbed outside of a Vancouver Starbucks in front of dozens of witnesses, video of the attack is circulating on social media, raising questions about why nobody stepped in to help.
The Vatican on Thursday responded to Indigenous demands and formally repudiated the 'Doctrine of Discovery,' the theories backed by 15th-century 'papal bulls' that legitimized the colonial-era seizure of Native lands and form the basis of some property law today.
Alberta's energy regulator has defended its finding that the province's largest recorded earthquake was caused by oilpatch activity, saying the pattern of temblors since last fall clearly points to a water disposal well even though there's no suggestion rules were flouted.
Cloudy skies in the Edmonton area this morning. But, after a bit of light snow overnight, it looks like the city and surrounding areas are pretty much done with the precipitation for today.
The Canadian Press has learned that Ontario has granted a three-month funding extension for doctors to provide care through virtual emergency departments.
A 15-year-old girl shot to death in the community of Martindale early Tuesday morning, has now been identified by friends and police as Sarah Alexis Jorquera.
Calgary police say they've arrested a woman in connection with a stabbing at the Lions Park LRT station that stemmed from a fight between several people.
A United Conservative Party candidate in Lethbridge claims teachers are exposing students to pornography and gender reassignment without parental knowledge.
It's been two weeks since a major fire ripped through a heritage building in the heart of Old Montreal, killing seven people and forever altering the lives of families across the globe. For the families of those who died, the grieving process is only starting.
The CAQ government has unveiled its long-promised plan to improve Quebec's public health network. Tabled at the Quebec legislature Wednesday by Health Minister Christian Dubé, Bill 15 promises a major shakeup.
A young man found wounded late Wednesday night in the parking lot of a shopping centre in northeast Montreal is believed to be the victim of an earlier shooting in the same area. Montreal police (SPVM) reported Thursday morning that the 18-year-old man's life was no longer in danger.
The eve of the release of the final report from the inquiry into Nova Scotia’s 2020 mass shooting is a reminder for residents of Portapique of their small community’s traumatic past.
After British Columbia singled out a Nova Scotia practitioner for writing thousands of Ozempic prescriptions to Americans through pharmacies in metro Vancouver, officials in Nova Scotia began looking into the matter.
A Manitoba family has launched a lawsuit alleging their 23-year-old son had a stroke days after receiving a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, leaving him legally blind.
A Winnipeg judge is set to make a court ruling on Thursday in the trial of a retired priest accused of assaulting a woman while she was a student at a residential school more than 50 years ago
The Vatican on Thursday responded to Indigenous demands and formally repudiated the 'Doctrine of Discovery,' the theories backed by 15th-century 'papal bulls' that legitimized the colonial-era seizure of Native lands and form the basis of some property law today.
To help offset rising living expenses, the Government of Canada has introduced a one-time grocery rebate for low- and modest-income Canadians. Here is what we know about the rebate.
A Saskatoon murder trial is being adjourned to allow police to follow-up on "significant information" that just came to the Crown prosecutor's attention Wednesday.
CTV News has learned a dog that attacked a five-year-old boy last week had been declared dangerous in February 2022, but the city had lost track of the owner a year ago.
A 34-year-old man who used to live in Sudbury is sharing his side of the story after a criminal harassment charge involving former Mayor Brian Bigger in 2021 was dropper earlier this year.
A B.C. Supreme Court ordered the man into custody last week pending a decision by the federal justice minister on whether or not to surrender the accused to authorities south of the border. (CTV News)
