I receive the odd email

I received this email the other day

Hello Royce,

You may be interested in this story:

RCMP squad enters BC condo without legal authority, apprehends couple in their 70s

If you can, we would appreciate you spreading the word to your friends and colleagues far and wide. Mainstream media seems not to want to expose these stories.

Thank you,

It is a scary story and if it is true, it raises a number of issues:

Issues I see: 

1. The rights of the Police to enter a home without permission in Canada

I understand the police have this right but it appears from the story that in this case, they overstepped their boundaries.

 2. What happens when seniors are discharged from a hospital. From this story, it appears that there was no regard, at least initially about how the senior could bet home, and it appears that only after some time did he get help because he was never admitted, which raises questions about why? For example, did the police know that the reason for the detention was false?

According to Wicks, two doctors eventually arrived, one of whom he describes as a young emergency physician and the other one, a geriatric psychiatrist. Wicks was interviewed by each doctor separately. “I asked each of the doctors why I was brought there, but they said they didn’t know! They appeared to be as mystified as I was [about] why I was there.” After the doctors left, Wicks said, “I asked the attending nurse if I was still detained. The nurse replied, ‘You were never admitted.’ 

3. The right to be detained under the Mental Health Act. The police have this authority, but according to the story they did not let the doctors at the hospital know why the senior was in the hospital and once he was questioned by the Dr. they let him go. Can the police, it appears arbitrarily pick up a senior and put them into the hospital for no reason?

4. The refusal of Nanaimo General Hospital to recognize the wifes' Power of Attorney and Representation Agreement and then their decision to hold her in the hospital and appoint social workers to be her guardian without due process for her husband.

Although he holds Power of Attorney for his wife Eileen and is her legal substitute decision-maker according to her Representation Agreement, Trevor Wicks says he was not contacted by the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital (NRGH). And, initially, NRGH only permitted their daughter, who resides in Qualicum Beach, to visit Eileen. It was not until five days later that the hospital permitted Mr. Wicks to see his wife.

On Monday, January 17 Wicks was told by his daughter that apparently “Parksville social workers have taken custody” of Eileen, but that NRGH would discharge her back home the following day, on Tuesday.

The authorities have been contacted for information but have not yet responded.

5. The final two paragraphs in the story are very alarming to me. If the last statement is true it should be investigated 

“Police in Canada execute hundreds of no-knock raids each year, The Fifth Estate has learned. The controversial tactic, also called dynamic entry, involves heavily armed police who enter a home unannounced when they believe the suspect might be armed or destroy evidence. In Canada, once police get their search warrant approved, they get to decide if they will barge in. But experts worry this tactic is trampling on people’s charter rights and say more oversight is needed.”

Similar assaults on older members of our society are increasing, but most incidents are kept well out of the public eye due to the power and control exerted by authorities, the virtual absence of consequences, and the lack of meaningful oversight.

If you or anyone you know has any further information about this incident or similar ones, or about the family that may pertain to this story, please contact Second Opinion QB by email at info@secondopinionqb.ca, as we are continuing to investigate this incident for possible follow-up story(ies).

Send your comments and concerns, ideally by email or letter, to government bodies, especially the BC Ministry of Health, BC Seniors Advocate, your MP and your MLA, and the BC Attorney General. You can also use social media to contact these organizations and elected representatives. This is the first group that should be contacted. 

Please do not reveal any personal details about the Wicks, as you might inadvertently cause problems for them. 

It is fine though, to convey your support for the couple, info about your personal friendships, etc. and of course, any general concerns about the actions taken by authorities.