B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
The melee after the final whistle of Canada's 4-1 win over Panama on Wednesday was apparently triggered by a spitting incident.
A Canada Soccer spokesman confirmed Thursday that Canadian wingback Richie Laryea said a Panama player had spat at him in the dying minutes of the World Cup qualifying game at BMO Field.
Laryea, who did not speak to media after the match, stopped the game in the 89th minute while attempting to take a throw-in at centre field on the east side of the stadium. Moments earlier, Panama winger Edgar Barcenas had retrieved the ball and flipped it to Laryea before backing away.
Laryea suddenly dropped the ball and raised his hands in the air as fans in the seats behind him rose in anger.
Canadian captain Steven Vitoria immediately raced over to American referee Armando Villarreal to protest and then sought out the nearby assistant referee, while other Canadian player protested. Laryea started wagging a finger in Barcenas' face as players gathered while the Panama winger protested his innocence.
Play eventually continued without any sanctions.
The bad blood continued after the final whistle with Laryea still steaming. The Toronto FC player, who eventually had to be pulled away by teammates, could be heard on the TV broadcast asking a match official to review the video.
Canada was the antagonist earlier in the game, sparking a melee in the 45th minute when Doneil Henry, one of the Canadian substitutes, stayed his ground as the nearby Barcenas backed up to try and take a corner. Panama defender Eric Davis came over and tried to shift the kneeling Henry. prompting Canadian star Alphonso Davies and others to intervene.
The confrontation eventually prompted both benches to empty but no punishment was handed out.
"Look, this is two teams (whose) dreams are on the line. Their countries' hopes and dreams," Canada coach John Herdman said after the game when asked about the niggle between the sides. "And that's what we've instilled in this group.
"This is life or death for us. We will fight. We will fight right to the bitter end for this country … Our purpose is bigger and stronger than any other team in CONCACAF. We haven't been to a World Cup since 1986. These teams have. So when you're trying to take that away from us, we're getting in there -- everyone, bench, players, subs, the whole group We're all in together."
"It's not nice to see and I don't condone what goes on," he added. "But at the same time our country needs us to fight. We cannot back down at any moment now. This group of boys are one. They'll rise as one and we'll fall as one. I think you've seen this new Canada. We're not going to be the peacekeepers, we're not going to let people walk over us. We're here to fight and fight for this country's dream of getting to (the 2022 World Cup in) Qatar. Whatever that takes."
Villarreal handed out five yellow cards on the night, four to Panama and one to Canada.
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
The Canadian Transportation Agency has hit a record high of more than 71,000 complaints in a backlog. The quasi-judicial regulator and tribunal tasked with settling disputes between customers and the airlines says the backlog is growing because the number of incoming complaints keeps increasing.
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Philadelphia 76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a form of facial paralysis he says has affected him since before the play-in tournament.
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
A property tax bill is perplexing a small townhouse community in Fergus, Ont.
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
A family from Laval, Que. is looking for answers... and their father's body. He died on vacation in Cuba and authorities sent someone else's body back to Canada.
A former educational assistant is calling attention to the rising violence in Alberta's classrooms.
The federal government says its plan to increase taxes on capital gains is aimed at wealthy Canadians to achieve “tax fairness.”
At 6'8" and 350 pounds, there is nothing typical about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, who was born in Tonga and went to high school in Pitt Meadows.