Just a couple of days after the official decision from the City Council to rename Trump Avenue in the city’s Central Park neighbourhood, one of the existing street signs experienced quite the journey. It was first discovered to have gone missing sometime between last Thursday and Friday, before resurfacing on Monday as a listing on Facebook Marketplace, advertised as a “rare find” priced at $700, which appeared to have sold later in the day. The City of Ottawa has a formal process for the decommissioning of discontinued signs, thus making this a case of theft. A formal report with the Ottawa Police Service was filed, and a work order is underway for the replacement sign, although it is yet to be determined if it will bear the old name or the new one pending public consultation.
Two officers under the Ottawa Police Service are under investigation for misconduct following a poorly handled scene response from earlier this year. They were called to the scene of a crashed vehicle operated by a man twice over the legal limit for blood alcohol, who was ejected from the vehicle and critically injured. However, these attending officers prematurely left the scene to tend to another call, leaving the critically-injured driver to succumb to his injuries. Although no error was found on procedural adherence, the two officers were found to have performed inadequate work on locating the driver’s body and filing the necessary reports prior to taking on their next call.
Wednesday, September 30 marks the end of the month, but above all, the nationally-observed Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Though treated in Ontario and Quebec as a holiday with an approach similar to Remembrance Day, the day of observation impacts banks and federal services. Some public establishments may be closed, but many will be offering activities relating to education and discovery, including the commemorative gathering on Parliament Hill starting at noon. This year’s observance of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation will be in its 5th year, with emphasis remaining on wearing orange in solidarity with the Indigenous communities.
