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Lawyer calls for expanded SIU mandate after video shows Toronto officer firing at man who was walking away

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A lawyer is calling for the province’s Special Investigations Unit to look into incidents where police fire at — but don’t injure — individuals after his client’s impaired driving charges were dismissed in part because a Toronto police officer fired a shot in the direction of the unarmed man as he was walking away.

Const. Anita Watton is facing disciplinary charges under the Police Services Act for excessive use of force and failing to comply with police training standards for firearm use, following an investigation by the Toronto police Professional Standards Unit. According to the disciplinary tribunal documents, it is alleged that she fired in the direction of Sanchayan Rajasingam, though he posed no imminent threat to her or the public. A tribunal hearing is scheduled for next year. No criminal charges were laid.

When reached by the Star, Watton’s lawyer, Gary Clewley, refused to comment.

Surveillance video obtained by the Star shows the shooting, which took place shortly before 11 a.m. on March 29, 2017. In it, Watton can be seen to fire in the direction of Rajasingam as he had his back to her.

Before Watton could testify at Rajasingam’s trial, which began Monday at the Scarborough courthouse, the impaired driving charges were dismissed by Ontario Court Justice Frank Crewe at the request of the Crown.

Rajasingam’s defence lawyer, Aghi Balachandran, told the court that there should be an external investigation into the case and measures taken to prevent such a thing from happening again. He added that while Watton received medical attention following the shooting — a police witness testified she was “rattled, shaken up from the whole incident” — his client did not.

“The psychological effect of this whole experience has been great on him,” Balachandran told the court.

The SIU is an independent body which investigates incidents involving police where there is serious injury or death — a near miss from a gunshot does not qualify. However, an extensive review of policing oversight conducted by Ontario Court of Appeal Justice Michael Tulloch recommended that the SIU mandate be expanded to include all firearm discharges at a person by police.

Tulloch specifically noted discharging a firearm is the most serious use of force an officer can use and the “unjustified discharge of a firearm, regardless of the severity of any resulting injury, could constitute a serious criminal offence. For instance, even if a police officer shoots at a person and misses, it could constitute attempted murder.”

The recommendation was included in Liberal legislation that would have overhauled and strengthened police oversight mechanisms in the province. The portion of the legislation that would have expanded the SIU’s mandate was put on hold by Premier Doug Ford in July, the day before it would have gone into effect.

“If the reason the individual was not hit is a matter of (the officer’s) arm moving to the right or to the left one or two inches, then that’s a matter of luck,” Balachandran said in an interview. “Luck should not be the factor that stops an (SIU) investigation from occurring.”

Balachandran said trust between the public and the police remains a problem, but independent, thorough investigations that are “not limited to only the most serious transgressions against the public would do a lot to mend those fences.”

Rajasingam allegedly fled on foot from a “party bus” after a traffic stop conducted by Watton in Scarborough near Markham Rd. and Eglinton Ave. E.

The video obtained by the Star, which does not include audio, shows what happens immediately before and after the shooting.

It shows Rajasingam enter into the frame, running into a parking lot at 140 Adanac Dr. Watton chases him holding her gun in her left hand. He stops, she catches up to him and they stand a few metres apart. He takes five steps toward her and she takes two steps back.

Rajasingam then turns away from her and begins to walk away. She walks after him and fires the gun as he takes his fourth step, still holding it in her left hand with her right hand near her left shoulder, appearing to operate a radio.

It is impossible to tell from the video where the shot goes or how close it came to Rajasingam.

After Watton fires, she takes another step toward Rajasingam. He turns to face her, takes a step forward then stops and turns around to lie on the ground. About forty seconds later, another police car arrives and a different officer appears to handcuff Rajasingam.

“There are a lot of issues in this case,” said Crown James Dunda in court, requesting the charges be dismissed. “It is a unique case, one I’ve never seen in my years here … It is my evaluation that this case is bound not to succeed.” He cited “too many gaps in evidence because of the nature of the way events unfolded.”

Retired Toronto Police officer and use of force expert Mark Valois viewed the video at the request of the Star. His first thought was “wow, what the hell are you doing,” he said.

“I don’t understand why she did what she did,” he said. However, he stressed that there may be many variables that are not evident in the video and that he does not know what was going on in her mind. He said it is unclear what information the officer had about the suspect at the time, what happened before the video starts, and whether it could have justified her actions. It is also not possible to know what they are saying to each other from this video.

It is also unclear whether Watton had a Taser with her.

Officers are trained to fire their guns one-handed and to fire at “centre mass” — the largest area of the body the officer can see, Valois said.

Retired Moose Jaw police chief and long-time Calgary police officer Terry Coleman, who is now a public safety consultant, would not comment on the specific case. However, he noted that in general officers tend to pull out their guns far too soon. “I understand officer safety but once a gun is drawn it tends to be fired even inadvertently,” he said.

Police officers are not trained to fire warning shots or shots to wound a suspect, he said.

Watton was previously investigated by the SIU for the fatal 2013 shooting of Malcolm Jackman outside the same building at 140 Adanac Dr. Then SIU-director Ian Scott found that Watton’s use of lethal force was justified in that case because Jackman was using a knife to hold a person hostage and had refused to drop the knife despite multiple commands.

Alyshah Hasham is a Toronto-based reporter covering crime and court. Follow her on Twitter: @alysanmati

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Nostalgia and much more with Starburst XXXtreme

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Get a taste of adventure with Starburst XXXtreme based on the legendary NetEnt Game. The nostalgic themes are sure to capture fans of the classic version as they get treated to higher intensity, better visuals, and features. The most significant element of the game is its volatility. Patience will not be an essential virtue considering the insane gameplay, and there is a lot of win potential involved. It retains the original makeup of the previous game while adding a healthy dose of adrenaline. 

Starburst Visuals and Symbols

The game is definitely more conspicuous than before. The setting happens over a 5-reel, 3-row game grid with nine fixed win lines, which function if a succession from the left to the right reel is present. Only those players that that attain the highest win per bet line are paid. From a visual standpoint, the Starburst XXXtreme slots illustrates lightning effects behind the reels, which is not surprising as it is inherited from the original version. Available themes include Classic, Jewels, and Space. The game is also available in both desktop and mobile versions, which is advantageous for players considering the global pandemic. According to Techguide, American gamers are increasingly having more engaging gaming experiences to socialize to fill the gap of in-person interaction. Starburst XXXtreme allows them to fill the social void at a time when there is so much time to be had indoors. 

Starburst XXXTreme Features

Players get to alternate on three features which are Starburst Wilds, XXXtreme Spins, and Random Wilds. The first appears on reels 2,3, or 4. When these land, they expand to cover all positions while also calculating the wins. They are also locked for a respin. If a new one hits, it also becomes locked while awarding another respin. Starburst XXXtreme offers a choice between two scenarios for a higher stake. In one scenario with a ten times stake, the Starburst Wild is set on random on reels 2,3, or 4, and a multiplier starts the respin. The second scenario, which has a 95 times stake, starts with two guaranteed starburst wilds on reels 2,3, or 4. it also plays out using respin game sequence and features. The game also increases the potential with the Random Wilds feature to add Starburst Wilds to a vacant reel at the end of a spin. Every Starburst Wild gives a random multiplier with potential wins of x2, x3, x5, x10, x25, x50, x100, or even x150.

The new feature is sure to be a big hit with the gaming market as online gambling has shown significant growth during the lockdown. AdAge indicates the current casino customer base is an estimated one in five Americans, so Starburst XXXtreme’s additional features will achieve considerable popularity. 

What We Think About The Game

The gambling market has continued to diversify post-pandemic, so it is one of the most opportune times to release an online casino-based game. Thankfully Starburst XXXtreme features eye-catching visuals, including the jewels and space themes. These attract audience participation and make the gameplay inviting. The game also has a nostalgic edge. The previous NetEnt iteration featured similar visuals and gameplay, so the audience has some familiarity with it. The producers have revamped this version by tweaking the features to improve the volatility and engagement. 

That is characterized by the potential win cap of 200,000 times the bet. Starburst XXXtreme does not just give betting alternatives for players that want to go big. The increase of multipliers also provides a great experience. If the respins in the previous version were great, knowing that multipliers can go hundreds of times overtakes the game to a new level. 

Players should get excited about this offering. All of the features can be triggered within a single spin. Whether one plays the standard game or takes the XXXtreme spin route, it is possible to activate all of the features. Of course, the potential 200,000 times potential is a huge carrot. However, the bet size is probably going to be restricted and vary depending on the casino. It is also worth pointing out that a malfunction during the gameplay will void all of the payouts and progress. Overall, the game itself has been designed to provide a capped win of 200,000 times the original bet. 

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Anglais

‘We’re back’: Montreal festival promoters happy to return but looking to next year

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In downtown Montreal, it’s festival season.

In the city’s entertainment district, a musical act was conducting a sound check on stage Friday evening — the second day of the French-language version of the renowned Just For Laughs comedy festival. Tickets for many of the festival’s free outdoor shows — limited by COVID-19 regulations — were sold out.

Two blocks away, more than 100 people were watching an acoustic performance by the Isaac Neto Trio — part of the last weekend of the Festival International Nuits d’Afrique, a celebration of music from the African continent and the African diaspora.

With COVID-19 restrictions continuing to limit capacity, festival organizers say they’re glad to be back but looking forward to next year when they hope border restrictions and capacity limits won’t affect their plans.

Charles Décarie, Just For Laughs’ CEO and president, said this is a “transition year.”

“Even though we have major constraints from the public health group in Montreal, we’ve managed to design a festival that can navigate through those constraints,” Décarie said.

The French-language Juste pour rire festival began on July 15 and is followed by the English-language festival until July 31.

When planning began in February and March, Décarie said, organizers came up with a variety of scenarios for different crowd sizes, ranging from no spectators to 50 per cent of usual capacity.

“You’ve got to build scenarios,” he said. “You do have to plan a little bit more than usual because you have to have alternatives.”

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MELS new major movie studio to be built in Montreal

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MONTREAL — MELS Studios will build a new film studio in Montreal, filling some of the gap in supply to meet the demand of Hollywood productions.

MELS president Martin Carrier said on Friday that MELS 4 studio construction will begin « as soon as possible », either in the fall or winter of next year. The studio could host productions as early as spring 2023.

The total investment for the project is $76 million, with the Quebec government contributing a $25 million loan. The project will create 110 jobs, according to the company.

The TVA Group subsidiary’s project will enable it to stand out « even more » internationally, according to Quebecor president and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau. In the past, MELS Studios has hosted several major productions, including chapters of the X-Men franchise. The next Transformers movie is shooting this summer in Montreal.

Péladeau insisted that local cultural productions would also benefit from the new facility, adding that the studio ensures foreign revenues and to showcase talent and maintain an industry of Quebec producers.

STUDIO SHORTAGE

The film industry is cramped in Montreal.

According to a report published last May by the Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision du Québec (BCTQ), there is a shortage of nearly 400,000 square feet of studio space.

With the addition of MELS 4, which will be 160,000 square feet, the company is filling part of the gap.

Carrier admitted that he has had to turn down contracts because of the lack of space, representing missed opportunities of « tens of millions of dollars, not only for MELS, but also for the Quebec economy. »

« Montreal’s expertise is in high demand, » said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, who was present at the announcement.

She said she received great testimonials from « Netflix, Disney, HBO and company » during an economic mission to Los Angeles in 2019.

« What stands out is that they love Montreal because of its expertise, knowledge and beauty. We need more space, like MELS 4, » she said.

There is still not enough capacity in Quebec, acknowledged Minister of Finance, the Economy and Innovation Eric Girard.

« It is certain that the government is concerned about fairness and balance, so if other requests come in, we will study them with the same seriousness as we have studied this one, » he said.

Grandé Studios is the second-largest player in the industry. Last May, the company said it had expansion plans that should begin in 2022. Investissement Québec and Bell are minority shareholders in the company.

For its part, MELS will have 400,000 square feet of production space once MELS 4 is completed. The company employs 450 people in Quebec and offers a range of services including studio and equipment rentals, image and sound postproduction, visual effects and a virtual production platform.

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