Maple Express | September 23, 2026 — Wife of Belleville officer shot outside synagogue speaks out

Source: CP24

1. Wife of Belleville officer shot outside synagogue: 'We will fight with him'

The wife of a police officer critically injured in a shooting outside a synagogue in Belleville, Ont. on Sunday evening has spoken out, saying her husband has a "very long, difficult road ahead." In a lengthy Facebook post on Tuesday, Ashley Smith, who is married to Const. Jeff Smith, wrote that he is "not walking it alone" and has "an army of love behind him." She described him as the best man she knows, devoted to his family and a man of integrity. "Right now, he is fighting. So we will fight with him," she wrote.

Smith, a 13-year veteran of the Belleville Police Service, was stationed outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue when a gunman armed with a shotgun opened fire, sources told CP24. He was shot multiple times, including in the neck, and remained in hospital in stable condition as of Tuesday. The suspect, Sean Ward, a 29-year-old Quinte West resident, died on Sept. 22 in hospital following an exchange of gunfire with police.

In her statement, Smith's wife thanked supporters and said she has been witnessing "real-life miracles," sending "love and prayers" to the Jewish community and everyone who was there Sunday night. Premier Doug Ford has called Const. Smith a "hero," saying he "stopped a tragedy in its footsteps."

Speaking in Ottawa on Wednesday, federal Minister of National Defence David McGuinty called the shooting "very, very unfortunate." The Canadian Armed Forces said Ward enrolled in the military in July 2017 and was released in June 2022 at the rank of corporal, serving as an infantry soldier with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry but never deploying.

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2. Victim impact statements heard as Kenneth Law's sentencing begins

An Ontario man linked to dozens of deaths worldwide faced a sentencing hearing Wednesday, as family members laid bare their loss in court. The parents of Jeshennia Bedoya-Lopez, who was 18 when they found her body in her room four years ago, described a permanent void in their lives. A statement from her father, Leonardo Bedoya Forero, was read by the Crown on Wednesday; he said he often feels on the verge of collapsing under the weight of his grief, compounded by watching his wife struggle to cope.

"As a father and as a husband, the powerlessness is devastating," he said. "I couldn't save my daughter from what happened... All I can do now is fight so that losing our daughter doesn't mean also losing each other." Court is expected to hear 74 victim impact statements over the coming days, some delivered in person, some read aloud by prosecutors and some relayed by video recording.

Law, a former chef from Mississauga, Ont., pleaded guilty in late May to 14 counts of aiding suicide in the deaths of 14 people in the province, including some minors. The plea deal came weeks after he was set to stand trial on those charges and another 14 counts of first-degree murder. Prosecutors plan to withdraw the murder charges after he is sentenced, and aiding suicide carries a maximum of 14 years in prison.

Stephen Mitchell Sr. told the court that Law deprived his son of the chance to heal from the depression that led him to end his life at 21. Adrienne Dalli said she was robbed of making new memories with her brother, Maurizio Vadala, who died in March 2023 at 36. According to an agreed statement of fact, Law ran websites selling sodium nitrite and sent some 1,200 packages to people in more than 40 countries, including close to 160 within Canada; between January 2020 and mid-May 2023, nearly $290,000 in sales was deposited into his accounts.

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3. Toronto mayoral race: Bradford promises tax freeze as Chow pushes back

Toronto mayoral candidate Brad Bradford is promising to freeze property taxes for a year if he becomes mayor, while Olivia Chow worries the move could bring cuts and send the city "back to the bad old days." Bradford first announced the plan at a Toronto Region Board of Trade debate Tuesday night, saying it would provide immediate affordability relief to homeowners and businesses.

Bradford is also pledging to keep property tax increases below inflation in each of the three years after the freeze. He says the freeze can be funded without cuts to frontline services using "recurring room" in the city budget, pointing to 2025 figures showing the city budgeted about $5.6 billion for the property-tax-funded portion of its budget but spent about $5.5 billion, with a similar gap of about $130 million in 2024. He wants an independent, line-by-line review of every city division, agency and program, saying the last such review was in 2011.

Bradford criticized Chow's record on property taxes — increases of 9.5 per cent in 2024, 6.9 per cent in 2025 and 2.2 per cent this year — calling the 2024 increase the "largest tax hike in Toronto's history." At a separate news conference Wednesday, Chow warned a freeze could pressure services and said that under her leadership residents have seen service improvements while taxes have increased.

Chow has pledged to keep property taxes "at or around" inflation if re-elected, and disputed the need for a new line-by-line review, saying the city does one every year and last year found about $700 million in savings. Her affordability plan includes lowering TTC costs, more school meals, expanded library hours and greater protection for renters. Candidate Chris Alexander has also pledged no property tax increases in his first year. Torontonians vote on Oct. 26.

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4. Court quashes OHIP denial of out-of-country treatment for man with terminal cancer

An Ontario court has quashed a decision denying provincial coverage for out-of-country cancer treatment to a young father with Stage 4 melanoma, saying the government offered no basis for its main reasoning. Alex Shved, 37, had his oncologist apply to the Ontario Health Insurance Plan to fund tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy in the United States, but it was denied in an original decision and on reconsideration. Shved asked the Divisional Court for a judicial review, and the court has now ordered OHIP to issue a new decision by the end of next week.

"I felt quite vindicated by the decision," Shved said. "What made me very happy was that every single point that the judges made were points that I've been arguing for months and months now." In a split 2-1 decision, the judges wrote that the core reason for OHIP's denial seemed to be that approving his request would undermine a possible future negotiation process with the drug manufacturer on pricing.

"Put in the simplest terms, if the EO is going to refuse to recommend potentially life-saving treatment for Mr. Shved, without which Mr. Shved will likely die soon, the EO must do more than assert that it will prejudice 'the system,'" the decision said. The dissenting judge agreed with the reasons but wanted to go further and direct the executive officer to recommend funding.

Shved has tried various treatments since discovering a growing mole in 2020, and his doctors say he would be a good candidate for TIL therapy. A version of TIL therapy called lifileucel was approved for sale by Health Canada last year and is now undergoing reviews for possible provincial funding, a process that could take years. It costs about US$600,000. Health Minister Sylvia Jones' office did not comment. Shved is part of a clinical drug trial in Toronto and is relatively stable.

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5. Durham police arrest man accused of posting anti-Muslim hatred online

A Whitby man is facing multiple charges after police allege he promoted anti-Muslim hatred through social media. Police say the suspect, operating under the handle "Sean Strife," willfully incited violence against those belonging to the Muslim faith. On Wednesday, members of Durham Regional Police's Hate Crime Unit arrested Sean Farro, 57, who was charged with Offence Motivated by Hatred – Uttering Threats, and Incite Hatred in Public Place. The allegations have not been proven in court. Police say he was held for a bail hearing.

Durham police told CTV News that the investigation began after a post to Farro's Facebook profile showcased a picture advertising a "hunting permit" against members of the Muslim community within North America; Farro captioned the image "I suggest everyone register now," police said. His Facebook profile has amassed about 29,000 followers.

In a statement, Durham police said "recent amendments to the Criminal Code through Canada's Combatting Hate Act (Bill C-9) have strengthened protections against hate-motivated crime." Anyone with information is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers anonymously.

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6. Blue Jays eliminated from playoff contention with loss to Orioles

BALTIMORE — Pete Alonso hit his 41st home run of the season, Chris Bassitt took a shutout into the sixth inning and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-2 in the first game of a doubleheader Wednesday, eliminating the defending American League champions from the postseason race. Both teams entered the twin bill one loss from elimination. The best the Blue Jays (77-81) can do now is finish .500 — a season after they pushed the Los Angeles Dodgers to extra innings in Game 7 of the World Series.

Max Scherzer (3-9) allowed four runs and four hits in five innings in the 500th appearance and 491st start of his career, striking out seven and walking three. With his future uncertain, the 42-year-old right-hander could return on short rest Sunday in the season finale. Bassitt (9-5), 37, allowed two runs and seven hits in five-plus innings; he was pulled with two on in the sixth and both runners scored on second baseman Jeremiah Jackson's throwing error. Andrew Kittredge pitched the ninth for his 11th save.

Scherzer struck out three in the first, but Jackson hit an RBI single in the second for the Orioles. With men on first and third and two out, Jackson took off for second, then stopped and got in a rundown; Colton Cowser was slow leaving third, but the Blue Jays kept going after Jackson, allowing Cowser to score. Alonso's two-run shot in the fifth pulled him even for the AL lead in homers with Houston's Yordan Alvarez and Tampa Bay's Junior Caminero. Neither team had announced a starter for the second game.

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7. Motorcycle rider seriously injured in Brampton crash

A motorcycle rider has been seriously injured in a crash in Brampton, Peel police say. Police say a vehicle and a motorcycle collided in the area of Mississauga and Olivia Marie Roads, north of Steeles Avenue West, shortly after 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The rider sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital, police say. The driver of the other vehicle remained at the scene. The cause of the crash is unknown, and police say there are road closures in the area for the investigation.

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8. Study: Opioid use disorder among older Ontarians has doubled since 2017

The number of older adults in Ontario living with opioid use disorder (OUD) has more than doubled since 2017, a new study out of Toronto's St. Michael's Hospital has found. In a 43-page report released Wednesday, the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network said the quarterly number of Ontarians age 55 and up with OUD who have interacted with the healthcare system has jumped from 7,116 in mid-2017 to 15,231 by the end of 2025 — roughly one in 350 older adults in the province.

The study also showed that opioid toxicity death rates have increased substantially over the last decade. Data cited by the researchers showed there were 1,087 opioid toxicity deaths among older adults in Ontario in 2023 and 2024, roughly one a day, with 75 per cent of those deaths occurring in people between 55 and 64. It also found that only one-third of opioid toxicity deaths in Ontario involved prescribed opioids, although that statistic increases with age.

Co-author Bisola Hamzat, a senior epidemiologist with the network, said researchers didn't expect to see such a high number of Ontarians struggling with opioid addiction. "Many people who developed opioid-use disorder during the opioid boom of the past decade are now ageing into that 55-plus age group," she said, which raises questions about the system's readiness for an ageing population. She said the deaths are primarily due to fentanyl.

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9. Immigration Department to assess effects of ending refugee sponsor policy: Diab

OTTAWA — The Immigration Department will monitor for any negative effects from a decision not to extend a policy that gave permanent residency sponsorship exemptions to some refugees, Immigration Minister Lena Diab said Wednesday. The policy was introduced in 2019 to allow some refugees to sponsor some undeclared family members for permanent residency, but it expired earlier this month and was not renewed.

"It predated my election as well as ministry. And when it ended, it simply ended," Diab said on her way into the weekly Liberal caucus meeting. "The department is looking at it right now, and we'll do briefings and see if there's any consequences that have arisen out of it ending that we need to fix, we will." The department previously said the policy was dropped because of "potential integrity concerns" but refused to explain what those were.

Advocates and academics say the policy was used primarily to sponsor children and LGBTQ+ partners. Lawyers say a refugee might not have declared a dependent child because the child was born in a refugee camp after the initial paperwork had been filed, or a family might learn afterward that a child believed dead was actually alive. All permanent residency applicants are required to list all family members. The department says it will consider exemptions case-by-case through humanitarian and compassionate applications, but refugee lawyers note the current wait time for those runs to more than 10 years.

The Canadian Council for Refugees has called on Diab to reverse the decision, saying in a letter this month that reverting to "the cruelty of the previous situation" was "inexplicable." A department memo issued ahead of the 2023 extension of the policy described its program integrity risk as "minimal."

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10. B.C. town won't join province's new time zone, will keep Mountain time

A town in southeastern British Columbia says it won't adopt the province's newly created time zone and will continue following Mountain time. The Town of Golden earlier announced it would turn its clocks back an hour on Nov. 1 to join most of B.C. on year-round Pacific daylight time. But a post on the town's social media Tuesday says councillors have reversed course after feedback from residents, and the town will follow Mountain daylight time, as is the case in Alberta.

The post says the decision considers factors such as impacts on residents and businesses and alignment with neighbouring jurisdictions. B.C.'s government announced in March its plan to remain on daylight time and last week adopted a new time-zone code — PCT — to replace the terms Pacific standard time and Pacific daylight time. Alberta will also end semi-annual clock changes starting Nov. 1 to remain on Mountain daylight time, which will instead be called Alberta Time or ABT.

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