10 British Columbia stories that made international headlines in 2022 | 24CA News
Whether it’s climate, wildlife, crime or politics, there’s little question British Columbia was a home and worldwide newsmaker in 2022.
The province made headlines around the globe repeatedly all year long, advancing discussions on reconciliation, local weather change, psychological well being and addictions, and extra.
Here are only a few of the B.C.-based tales that have been shared by international media shops.
1. Canada: Indigenous group finds 93 potential unmarked graves
The world watched in shock and horror when Tk’emlúps te Secwe̓pemc introduced the presence of greater than 200 suspected unmarked graves close to the previous Kamloops Indian Residential School final 12 months. Since then, worldwide media shops have stored a more in-depth watch on news from First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities, that are forcing Canada to confront the violence and racism of its colonization.
When Williams Lake First Nation introduced the presence of 93 suspected unmarked burial websites on Jan. 25, Al Jazeera was one among many international shops that unfold the news far and huge. At the time, the nation was within the first section of its geophysical search on the former St. Joseph’s Mission Residential School.
2. British Columbia to decriminalize small quantities of cocaine, heroin
On May 31, B.C. grew to become the primary province in Canada to take away felony penalties for possession of some arduous medicine for private use. The province was granted an exemption beneath the federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, making headlines in international publications like The Washington Post.
As of Jan. 31, 2023, The Post wrote, adults 18 and older in B.C. can be allowed to hold a cumulative whole of as much as 2.5 grams of sure illicit medicine, together with opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine and MDMA.
The exemption can be in impact till Jan. 31, 2026, all through the province, because it continues to grapple with an overdose disaster.
3. Lavish Money Laundering Schemes Exposed in Canada
When the long-awaited outcomes of the Cullen Commission have been launched in B.C., The New York Times picked up on it, kicking off its June 15 article with these compelling findings:
“Self-professed students were buying multimillion-dollar homes in the Vancouver area, with dubious sources of income, or none at all … Loan sharks cleaned their dirty money by giving garbage bags and hockey bags full of illicit Canadian 20 dollar bills to gamblers who took it onto casino floors.”
While it concluded the B.C. authorities, police and federal anti-money laundering company didn’t do sufficient to cease the crime, the 1,800-page report didn’t detect proof of corruption.
4. Cat chases bear away from proprietor’s driveway in British Columbia
Tigger made headlines in B.C. when he chased a black bear out of his house owners’ driveway in North Vancouver, however the story of the fearless feline additionally made worldwide news on June 27, when it was printed by the U.S.-based United Press International.
The article quotes straight from Global BC, which reported on the driveway standoff on the house of Gavin and Cameron Sturrock. They mentioned Tigger was recognized to discourage canines, spar along with his feline brother Taz — and even steal hen from the kitchen, however scary a bear was one thing new.
“I saw the cat just chase after the bear and I was like no way,” Cameron informed Global News on the time.
If you’re one among greater than 225,000 folks around the globe following IFLScience on Twitter, you could already know that British Columbia graced its timeline in 2022 for a quite uncommon cause.
The U.Okay.-based science publication helped debunk an American YouTuber and wildlife presenter’s declare that he had discovered a “non-human primate” cranium someplace in B.C. over the summer season. In a Facebook publish, Coyote Peterson mentioned he posted the photographs “before government/official try to cease our footage,” and that he had stored the cranium secret for weeks earlier than sharing it.
Peterson initially believed the cranium to belong to a bear, however later mentioned he may “100% guarantee” it didn’t, and titled his YouTube video, “Bigfoot Skull Found in Canada.” IFLScience picked up on the story on July 11, sharing feedback from vertebrate paleontologist Darren Naish, who mentioned it was “undoubtedly a gorilla skull,” based mostly on “numerous anatomical details, and as verified by a list of experts.”
6. Canada-based Ripudaman Singh Malik, acquitted in Air India Kanishka bombing case, shot lifeless
Ripudaman Singh Malik, who was acquitted within the 1985 Air India terrorist bombings, was killed in a focused taking pictures in a neighbourhood of Surrey, B.C., on July 14. That day, The Tribune of India wrote that Malik, 75, was a Sikh chief and businessman who had just lately “heaped praise” on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a “commendable gesture” towards the Sikh group.
Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri have been acquitted in 2005 of mass homicide and conspiracy costs associated to the pair of Air India bombings that killed 331 folks, principally from the Toronto and Vancouver areas. The assaults are the biggest mass killing in Canadian historical past and set off a global investigation that resulted in only one individual being convicted, and heaps of criticism for the RCMP and federal businesses.
Malik was also called a millionaire businessman, founding father of the Khalsa Credit Union and head of the non-public, Sikh-faith-based Khalsa colleges throughout the nation.
7. How Lytton, a Canadian village razed by wildfire, is wrestling with climate-proofing its future
Like many elements of British Columbia, Australia has been gravely impacted by wildfires. The nation’s bushfire season has grown by virtually a month over 40 years, in response to new analysis.
When Lytton was devastated by a lethal fireplace in June final 12 months, Australians took word. More than a 12 months later, because the southern B.C. village continues to rebuild, Reuters profiled its efforts to create a extra environmentally-friendly, local weather change-resilient and fireproof group.
“The wrangling over how to restore Lytton highlights the messy reality of climate adaptation, and what costs and delays people are willing to endure to cut carbon emissions and mitigate their fire risk,” reads the Aug. 8 article printed by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
8. Amanda Todd: Dutchman sentenced for deadly cyber-stalking
Fifteen-year-old B.C. teen Amanda Todd grew to become a global image within the battle in opposition to on-line harassment when she printed a YouTube video detailing her abuse, with assist from cue playing cards, within the weeks earlier than she took her personal life.
Almost precisely 10 years after the tragedy, her title made headlines around the globe when her tormenter, Dutch nationwide Aydin Coban, was sentenced to 13 years behind bars. As BBC News wrote on Oct. 15, Coban was convicted of kid luring, baby pornography, extortion and harassment.
“We need to talk about it,” Todd’s mom Carol mentioned on the time. “We need to make sure there is justice for Amanda.”
9. Severe drought torments British Columbia, a 12 months after devastating floods
Readers of The Guardian, a British every day publication, will know that the news outlet has paid shut consideration to B.C., notably on the subject of local weather change, wildlife, climate, and pure assets. This 12 months was no exception, with a chronic drought within the fall headlining a web based article on Oct. 19.
“Now, the area has the alternative drawback: months of drought have begun to take a toll on what was as soon as dubbed Canada’s ‘wet coast,’” wrote author Leyland Cecco.
“The impact of the prolonged dry spell was underlined by recent footage showing some 65,000 dead salmon clogging a dried-up creek.”
10. Runner casually completes ‘mountain marathon’ earlier than clocking on for shift at cocktail bar
When 27-year-old Ben Rowe of Whistler, B.C. ran a 42-kilometre mountain marathon to the height of Mount Overlord, all earlier than beginning his night bar shift, it was sufficient to make worldwide headlines on Nov. 16.
An article printed within the U.Okay. Edition of The Independent writes that Rowe enjoys arising with “ridiculous” issues to do earlier than going to work at his cocktail bar. He accomplished this newest feat in simply six hours and 45 minutes.
