Flyers condemning interracial marriage have been circulating in Ontario's Waterloo Region, and police say their hate crime unit is getting involved.
A photo of one of the flyers surfaced on social media earlier this week after they were reportedly mailed to people living around Wilfrid Laurier University. They show a photo at the top of a white woman and a Black man smiling for the camera, but the text below alleges "negative consequences" of interracial marriage.
"Investigators and analysts with our General Detectives and Hate Crime units are investigating to determine the circumstances surrounding this incident, including identifying those responsible for disseminating the flyers," a spokesperson for Waterloo regional police told CTV in an email.
In a follow-up statement, police said they aren't yet sure how many of the flyers have been circulated. They're asking anyone who has received one to contact them and to "limit their handling of the flyer to preserve any possible forensic evidence such as fingerprints."
Mask enforcement won't be responsibility of businesses, Region of Waterloo says
Businesses won't be responsible for enforcing a masking by-law if it comes into effect in Waterloo Region, according to officials. Regional staff are drafting a by-law that's expected to be presented to Regional Council on July 6 or 7.
If approved, the order would take the form of a municipal by-law enacted by council, rather than a public health order like the one in the Guelph area. Regional councillors decided earlier this week to change their tune on a masking by-law, putting the onus on residents to follow the order.
Four new cases of COVID-19 reported in staff at hard-hit Kitchener long-term care home
Waterloo Region's hardest-hit long-term care home has tallied another four cases of COVID-19 as its outbreak stretches towards its third month. Public health officials reported another four cases of the virus in staff at Forest Heights Revera.
Since the outbreak was declared on April 1, there have been 178 cases in residents there and 73 cases in staff. To date, 51 people have died.
As of Friday, there are total of 1,280 cases of COVID-19 in Waterloo Region, including 1,069 resolved ones and 115 deaths. It's been more than three weeks since the region's last COVID-19-related death.
There are now 96 active cases in Waterloo Region, one less than the number reported on Thursday. Of those cases, 12 people are in hospital. The region also reported that another 773 tests had been done, bringing the total number of tests done since the pandemic began to 31,925.
By the numbers: (as of June 27):
- Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph: 470 cases, 37 deaths, 374 resolved
- Brant County: 121 cases, 4 deaths, 115 resolved
- Haldimand-Norfolk: 445 cases, 32 deaths, 190 resolved
- Huron County: 57 cases, 5 deaths, 51 recovered
The Sir John A. Macdonald statue in Baden was covered in red paint for a third time in a week on Friday.
The statue of Canada’s first prime minister was first targeted over the previous weekend. That paint was removed and vandals struck again early this week. Wilmot Township covered the statue in a tarp, then decided to remove it and leave the paint.
A resident washed it off, but left some at Macdonald's feet as a reminder of the role he played in Canada’s residential school system. Another group came to complete the cleaning job on Wednesday evening, clashing with protesters who were calling for the statue's removal.
On Saturday, a peaceful sit in took place to call for the removal of the statue.
Cambridge man gets six year sentence for death of former Laurier dean of students
A Cambridge man has been sentenced for his role in the death of the former dean of students at Wilfrid Laurier University.
Leanne Holland Brown was walking on the sidewalk near MacGregor Public School in Waterloo on April 24, 2019, when a vehicle jumped the curb and struck her. Ronald Rees, 57,had pleaded guilty in March to impaired driving causing death and dangerous driving causing death in the crash.
He was sentenced Wednesday to a concurrent six year sentence, of which he will serve four years and seven months after credit for time served.
