De Facto Journalism Co-op

De Facto Journalism Co-op

@defactomedia.ca

Interrogate power. Highlight truth. A non-profit co-operative of investigative journalists shining a light on power. https://www.defactomedia.ca Newsletter: https://www.defactomedia.ca/newsletters Latest stories & more: https://linktr.ee/defactocoop

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De Facto Journalism Co-op
@defactomedia.ca

New episode of De Facto Radio podcast is out! This BC election day, we hear from @pivotlegalsociety.bsky.social lawyer Laura Macintyre—on court battles for the Charter rights of unhoused people facing displacement and the confiscation of their valued belongings www.defactomedia.ca/podcast-e06-...

defactomedia.caPodcast: Pivot lawyer on unhoused people's Charter rights (E06: Oct 24, 2026)Available on major podcast platforms & 11am Saturday on 100.5fm in Vancouver
De Facto Journalism Co-op
@defactomedia.ca

The housing crisis has permeated both BC & civic elections—especially so-called "public safety," homelessness & the war on drugs De Facto journalists @brishti.bsky.social & @mikegraeme.bsky.social take you behind-the-scenes of their 8-month AirTag investigation www.defactomedia.ca/interview-in...

defactomedia.caHow De Facto investigated what happens to unhoused people’s confiscated belongingsReporters Brishti Basu and Mike Graeme reveal how they hid tracking devices in resident’s tents and other valued items

De Facto Journalism Co-op reposted

De Facto Journalism Co-op
@defactomedia.ca

NEW: Naloxone kits, medications, memorials, board games all end up in the trash, unhoused people and advocates say. Read Part 2 of our series on bylaw enforcement and unhoused residents' possessions in Victoria. www.defactomedia.ca/unhoused-peo...

defactomedia.ca'All I have left’: As election cycle spotlights homeless crisis, bylaw seizures ‘devastating’ for Victoria’s unhousedMany cities are seeing bylaw enforcement ramp up. BC’s capital is a case study — and it’s hurting those already most vulnerable

De Facto Journalism Co-op reposted

De Facto Journalism Co-op
@defactomedia.ca

INVESTIGATION: Victoria denies that its bylaw officers put unhoused people’s new, perfectly good tents in the trash. So we tracked them with AirTags. www.defactomedia.ca/bylaw-office...

defactomedia.caVictoria bylaw officers trashed newly donated tents within days — contrary to city claimsThe city has disputed years of claims that it discards unhoused people's belongings. De Facto reporters tracked new tents and carts to see where they ended up.
De Facto Journalism Co-op
@defactomedia.ca

NEW: Naloxone kits, medications, memorials, board games all end up in the trash, unhoused people and advocates say. Read Part 2 of our series on bylaw enforcement and unhoused residents' possessions in Victoria. www.defactomedia.ca/unhoused-peo...

defactomedia.ca'All I have left’: As election cycle spotlights homeless crisis, bylaw seizures ‘devastating’ for Victoria’s unhousedMany cities are seeing bylaw enforcement ramp up. BC’s capital is a case study — and it’s hurting those already most vulnerable
De Facto Journalism Co-op
@defactomedia.ca

INVESTIGATION: Victoria denies that its bylaw officers put unhoused people’s new, perfectly good tents in the trash. So we tracked them with AirTags. www.defactomedia.ca/bylaw-office...

defactomedia.caVictoria bylaw officers trashed newly donated tents within days — contrary to city claimsThe city has disputed years of claims that it discards unhoused people's belongings. De Facto reporters tracked new tents and carts to see where they ended up.

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Brishti Basu
@brishti.bsky.social

The first of a major 2-part investigation coming out tomorrow morning at @defactomedia.ca. We've been working on this for most of 2026. If you live in Victoria (and anywhere in BC really) you won't want to miss it. Subscribe to get it in your inbox: www.defactomedia.ca/newsletters/ #yyj #bcnews

defactomedia.caNewslettersCheck out De Facto's newsletter archive — featuring behind-the-scenes scoops, photo essays, exclusive updates, and what we're reading on issues we cover.

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Stephen Harrison
@stephenharrison.bsky.social

Replying to @stephenharrison.bsky.social

This officer is also in trouble for seizing and losing the victim's phone, and not filing use of force reports when they arrested them a second time, evidence that VicPD is underreporting its use of force. More information about VicPD's use of force is here. www.needsmorespikes.com/blog/use-of-...

needsmorespikes.comVicPD and province try to stop release of police “use of force” data — Needs More SpikesVicPD asked the government not to release data showing how its officers used force between 2022 and 2024. The government agreed, but they were overruled by the privacy commissioner. The data shows Vic...

De Facto Journalism Co-op reposted

Stephen Harrison
@stephenharrison.bsky.social

Replying to @stephenharrison.bsky.social

VicPD has suspended lots of officers with pay over the past two years. The details mostly aren't public. www.needsmorespikes.com/blog/vicpd-s...

needsmorespikes.comVicPD pays six years in salary to suspended officers — Needs More SpikesBetween 2024 and 2025, VicPD suspended six officers with pay for a total of 13,040 hours. That works out to more than a year for each of those six officers. Payments to those suspended officers may ha...

De Facto Journalism Co-op reposted

Stephen Harrison
@stephenharrison.bsky.social

VicPD officer suspended with pay for two years so far for lying about punching someone "about eight times." Their lies only came to light because someone was filming. And the officer only stopped the beating after the person filming yelled at them to stop. www.timescolonist.com/local-news/v... #yyj

timescolonist.comVicPD officer gets review of discipline for lying about using excessive forceThe Office of the Police Complaint Comissioner will consider whether Victoria Const. Denis Belkin should face dismissal after lying to an investigator, as VicPD had concluded.

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godless dustbin 👻
@godfrey.work

Replying to @godfrey.work

and @emmaarkell.bsky.social's story on it for @pressprogress.ca here: pressprogress.ca/key-parts-of...

pressprogress.caKey Parts of Canada’s Drug Laws Found Unconstitutional as Judge throws out Charges Against Founders of Vancouver ‘Compassion Club’Drug User Liberation Front (DULF) co-founders won’t go to jail as BC Supreme Court judge rules CSDA violates members’ “right to life and security”

De Facto Journalism Co-op reposted

De Facto Journalism Co-op
@defactomedia.ca

Canada’s drug policy violates its Charter, BC Supreme Court Justice Catherine Murray ruled on Tuesday, by making it de facto illegal to run a compassion club providing tested illicit drugs. Read the full breakdown of her decision, by @godfrey.work: www.defactomedia.ca/breaking-dul...

defactomedia.caBREAKING: DULF founders’ trafficking charges thrown out in BC Supreme Court ruling on constitutional challengeJustice Catherine Murray applauds Eris Nyx and Jeremy Kalicum, declares a section of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act unconstitutional
De Facto Journalism Co-op
@defactomedia.ca

Canada’s drug policy violates its Charter, BC Supreme Court Justice Catherine Murray ruled on Tuesday, by making it de facto illegal to run a compassion club providing tested illicit drugs. Read the full breakdown of her decision, by @godfrey.work: www.defactomedia.ca/breaking-dul...

defactomedia.caBREAKING: DULF founders’ trafficking charges thrown out in BC Supreme Court ruling on constitutional challengeJustice Catherine Murray applauds Eris Nyx and Jeremy Kalicum, declares a section of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act unconstitutional

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Michelle Cyca
@michellecyca.com

huge victory for DULF — also a great day to support @defactomedia.ca which has excellent coverage of this case

godless dustbin 👻@godfrey.work

i'm in BC Supreme Court waiting to hear the ruling from Justice Catherine Murray, who is making findings: a non-medicalized safe supply program is desperately needed, the DULF compassion club didn't cause any harm, and there wasn't any licit supply for DULF to access

De Facto Journalism Co-op
@defactomedia.ca

Today, charges against DULF's founders were tossed out by a BC Supreme Court decision Yesterday, we covered how docs in trial evidence show Vancouver police pushed to bring those charges — even when a Crown prosecutor questioned whether it was in the public interest

De Facto Journalism Co-op@defactomedia.ca

A Vancouver cop told DULF’s founders he would personally advocate for them. 2 years later, he approved the investigation that led to raids on their homes. www.defactomedia.ca/how-vancouve...

defactomedia.caHow Vancouver police turned against DULFCourt records show the same inspector who encouraged the compassion club’s founders also approved the investigation that led to raids on their homes

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godless dustbin 👻
@godfrey.work

this is a huge decision. story coming for @defactomedia.ca

godless dustbin 👻@godfrey.work

"You selflessly put yourselves to the side for this cause, and that's something most people wouldn't do. For that, I applaud you. You should be proud of yourselves," she says to Kalicum and Nyx. "You put your lives on hold for many valuable years, and I can see this process has is worn you down."

De Facto Journalism Co-op reposted

godless dustbin 👻
@godfrey.work

Replying to @godfrey.work

BREAKING: Jeremy Kalicum and Eris Nyx's charges are being thrown out. she said they did a public service "at considerable personal cost."

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godless dustbin 👻
@godfrey.work

Replying to @godfrey.work

she's directing parliament to address these issues, and she won't give a 12-month pause on declaring it unconstitutional — opting, instead, for six months — because we are in a public health crisis.

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godless dustbin 👻
@godfrey.work

Replying to @godfrey.work

and there was no real avenue for DULF to get approved to operate legally through s. 56 of the CDSA. she finds s. 7 of the charter was violated and that declaring s. 5(2) of the CDSA is unconstitutional.

De Facto Journalism Co-op reposted

godless dustbin 👻
@godfrey.work

i'm in BC Supreme Court waiting to hear the ruling from Justice Catherine Murray, who is making findings: a non-medicalized safe supply program is desperately needed, the DULF compassion club didn't cause any harm, and there wasn't any licit supply for DULF to access

De Facto Journalism Co-op@defactomedia.ca

A Vancouver cop told DULF’s founders he would personally advocate for them. 2 years later, he approved the investigation that led to raids on their homes. www.defactomedia.ca/how-vancouve...

defactomedia.caHow Vancouver police turned against DULFCourt records show the same inspector who encouraged the compassion club’s founders also approved the investigation that led to raids on their homes

De Facto Journalism Co-op reposted

godless dustbin 👻
@godfrey.work

Replying to @godfrey.work

and while DULF's lawyers argued the VPD should have simply gone to DULF to tell them to shut down rather than charging them, records show VPD had to convince prosecutors to approve charges — and they expended considerable resources trying to get more serious charges

De Facto Journalism Co-op reposted

godless dustbin 👻
@godfrey.work

Replying to @godfrey.work

a senior officer met with them in Aug 2021 and while he preferred a legal compassion club, he also didn't exactly discourage them from running one without legal approvals that same officer was the one who recommended approving an investigation into the compassion club two years later

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godless dustbin 👻
@godfrey.work

with a decision expected tomorrow in the constitutional challenge against DULF's criminal charges, i did a deep dive for @defactomedia.ca into internal VPD documents to look at how their relationship with DULF changed so dramatically www.defactomedia.ca/how-vancouve...

defactomedia.caHow Vancouver police turned against DULFCourt records show the same inspector who encouraged the compassion club’s founders also approved the investigation that led to raids on their homes

De Facto Journalism Co-op reposted

Rumneek Johal
@rumneeek.bsky.social

Exclusive, from me, following a CBSA raid at a peaceful protest in Calgary, where international students say they had the rules quietly changed on them in the middle of their education. The raid comes amid rising anti-immigrant and anti-international student sentiment in Canada

PressProgress@pressprogress.ca

Sold a Lie: Emails Reveal Government and College Assured International Students they Would be Eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit Despite Rule Changes. Now, students are facing removal orders from Canada after an ICE-like CBSA raid at their protest in Calgary pressprogress.ca/sold-a-lie-e...

pressprogress.caSold a Lie: Emails Reveal Government and College Assured International Students they Would be Eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit Despite Rule Changes.Now, students are facing removal orders from Canada after an ICE-like CBSA raid at their protest in Calgary
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De Facto Journalism Co-op
@defactomedia.ca

8) Police never told public about G7 bomb scare at Calgary airport The incident last year ended up being a false alarm. But it was only revealed recently by Department of National Defence docs obtained by The Maple, and authorities still won't release details www.readthemaple.com/police-didnt...

readthemaple.comPolice Didn’t Notify Public Of G7 Bomb Scare At Calgary AirportLocal bomb squad was called to investigate a “threat” that turned out to be a false alarm.
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De Facto Journalism Co-op
@defactomedia.ca

5) Vancouver council approves non-binding election questions on public drug use & involuntary facility Ken Sim’s ABC party majority approved them after 3 opposing councillors walked out, calling it unnecessary political theatre & a “$500K get-out-the-vote strategy” vancouversun.com/news/local-n...

vancouversun.comVancouver council approves ABC's public-safety plebiscite questions for October ballotNon-ABC councillors accuse Mayor Ken Sim’s party of political theatre, while ABC says voters deserve a say on public safety
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De Facto Journalism Co-op
@defactomedia.ca

4) More police-involved deaths already mounting in August Recent incidents include a fatal fall in Scarborough and a gunfight in Calgary www.siu.on.ca/en/news_temp... globalnews.ca/news/1201573...

globalnews.caCalgary police officer shot, suspect dead after dramatic chase and gunfire in city park | Globalnews.caA police officer was shot Monday in what began as a traffic stop but within seconds spiralled into a foot chase, carjacking and broad-daylight gun battle in a Calgary park.
De Facto Journalism Co-op
@defactomedia.ca

1) Unhoused woman sues Victoria over seized property The small-claims tribunal decided she failed to prove she owned many of the 28 items (incl. a diamond & stove) or that city workers acted outside bylaws. It said she should've instead challenged those bylaws www.defactomedia.ca/newsletter/p...

defactomedia.caUnhoused woman sues city over impounded property53 police-involved deaths this year. Feds buried safe supply report. BC's top Mountie out over allegations. Vancouver's $400,000+ ballot questions.
De Facto Journalism Co-op
@defactomedia.ca

2) Health Canada buried experts' safe supply report It was ready in June '23, but delayed for years amid an anti-safe-supply push by right-wing figures & for-profit medical interests Internal docs show plans plans to evade questions & have a "low-profile wrap up" drugdatadecoded.ca/how-health-c...

drugdatadecoded.caAnatomy of a hush-up: How Health Canada buried the safe supply expert reviewsAfter a nearly two-year access to information process, Drug Data Decoded has obtained the correspondence detailing steps taken inside Health Canada to ensure the Expert Advisory Group reports on medic...
De Facto Journalism Co-op
@defactomedia.ca

New newsletter: -Unhoused woman sues city over impounded property -53 police-involved deaths this year -Feds buried safe supply report -BC's top Mountie out over allegations -Vancouver's $400,000+ ballot questions www.defactomedia.ca/newsletter/p...

defactomedia.caUnhoused woman sues city over impounded property53 police-involved deaths this year. Feds buried safe supply report. BC's top Mountie out over allegations. Vancouver's $400,000+ ballot questions.