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B.C. ballet school founder guilty of sex charges involving teenage student
B.C. ballet school founder guilty of sex charges
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
The founder of a ballet school in Greater Victoria has been found guilty of two sexual offences over his relationship with a 15-year-old student.
David Beales was originally charged with sexual interference, sexual exploitation and making sexually explicit material available to the girl, but he was found not guilty of the third charge.
His British Columbia Supreme Court trial in Victoria heard Beales operated the Maple Leaf School of Russian Ballet, first meeting the girl when she was nine, and she idolized him as she dreamt of becoming a professional dancer.
The B.C. Supreme Court decision released this week says that when the girl's parents forbade her to return to the school, Beales suggested a scholarship arrangement in which she no longer had to pay tuition or attendance fees.
The girl told the court she became pregnant by Beales and had a miscarriage in the summer of 2020, before her Grade 11 year, and dropped out of school shortly afterwards.
In finding him guilty of the two charges, Justice Liliane Bantourakis ruled Beales was not a credible witnesses, while the girl's testimony was reliable and the Crown's evidence met the burden of proving the charges against the man.
The judge found Beales' control and influence over the girl, identified as E.R. in the decision, were enhanced by her vulnerability and isolation.
The ruling says he had significant control over the teen, at least until the school closed temporarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic in November 2020, but their sexual relationship lasted until 2022.
"He was, as she described, the keeper of the information for her future career and she idolized him, thinking of him as above other people. E.R.'s dream of being a professional dancer and the role Mr. Beales played relative to that dream are significant."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Author Steven Galloway concludes testimony at Vancouver defamation trial
Galloway wraps testimony at defamation trial
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Author and former University of British Columbia creative writing chair Steven Galloway has concluded testifying in his defamation lawsuit trial in Vancouver.
Galloway, who alleges the defendants defamed him by publishing unproven allegations of sexual assault, took questions from Glynnis Kirchmeier, a defendant in the case who is representing herself and attending the trial remotely.
The former UBC student pressed Galloway about whether he believed she had been involved with an advocacy group for victims of sexual violence and harassment, and had also contacted other defendants, including A.B., another former student who made the allegations against Galloway.
Galloway says he found it "unlikely" Kirchmeier wasn't involved with the group because she was on one of its fundraising pages, and he recalled becoming nauseated about one of her Tweets, and wondering "why is this person I’ve never met calling me a rapist?"
The court heard during the brief hearing in B.C. Supreme Court on Thursday that the next witness is expected to be Ronna Syed, a producer for the CBC program the "Fifth Estate."
Galloway, who has been testifying since last week, said earlier in the trial that Syed was the first journalist to call him after the allegations surfaced, and says he told her "no comment."
Galloway filed the defamation lawsuit in 2018 but several defendants have settled with him and published public apologies.
The author of "The Cellist of Sarajevo" alleges his career was destroyed by the allegations of rape and sexual assault, which he denies and were found unsubstantiated in a report by a former B.C. Supreme Court judge.
The court heard last week that A.B.'s defence no longer includes an assertion she was assaulted by Galloway, but rather that she reported the alleged assaults.
Galloway has testified he felt ashamed at having an affair with A.B., who cannot be named due to a publication ban, but there was no prohibition on sexual relationships between faculty and students at UBC and he knew of "numerous" other examples.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2026.
By Darryl Greer | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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B.C.'s Eby says proposed Indigenous land transfer legislation is about saving money
B.C.'s Eby says land transfer proposal saves money
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns
British Columbia NDP Leader David Eby is defending draft plans by his previous government to limit the compensation of forest companies when land is transferred to First Nations.
Confidential documents published in the Northern Beat, an online publication, say Eby's government was planning to transfer about 400 parcels of Crown land to First Nations, while limiting compensation for companies with timber rights on the land.
Eby says the transfers reflect existing treaties and other commitments under the process of reconciliation, some of them dating back decades, and the proposed legislation was about reducing costs for taxpayers.
The documents say the current law requires the government to compensate forestry firms but "given ongoing fiscal constraints" that would create substantial barriers to completing land returns.
A spokesperson for the Eby campaign says the draft legislation would limit compensation, and if less than five per cent of the existing logging rights were transferred, those holders would not receive any compensation at all.
The briefing notes, dated Sept. 10, were revealed just days before the provincial election on Oct. 24.
The New Democrat platform doesn't mention the plans, while forest companies needed to sign non-disclosure agreements if they wanted to see them.
Eby says those types of agreements are standard practice, and he rejected suggestions of secrecy.
A spokesperson for the campaign says cabinet approved engagement with stakeholders in July but the proposal was draft, not final legislation.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2026.
By Wolfgang Depner | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Tout ce qu'on sait sur la situation d'Éloïse à Occupation Double Chez Nous
Il n'y a pas que Capitaine Rebondissement qui amène des twists dans l'aventure cette saison d'Occupation Double. Cette année, il semblerait qu'un des plus gros scandales d'OD ait eu lieu Chez Nous. Éloïse, la top 1 de Charles, le leader, est actuellement au coeur des conversations des fans de l'émission.
Impossible de se rendre sur les réseaux sociaux sans tomber sur la fameuse rumeur, partagée par Brendan Mikan sur Instagram.
Selon ses dires, Éloïse serait en danger d'élimination cette semaine puisqu'elle aurait triché. Un manque de transparence qui pourrait faire sourciller Charles.
Voici plus d'informations sur la situation actuelle.
La sélection de l'éditeur : Yury d'OD Bali est maintenant papa pour la première fois et voici la mignonne annonce
Quelle est la rumeur au sujet d'Éloïse d'OD?
Selon la rumeur partagée par Brendan Mikan, qui n'a pas été commentée par la production, la candidate avait droit à un iPad pour se divertir, sur Netflix uniquement, pendant son temps d'isolement, en attendant les résultats de son test COVID-19.
Elle aurait utilisé celui-ci de manière interdite, pour aller sur le Web :
« Éloïse, pendant qu'elle était en confinement à cause de son dépistage COVID, elle avait accès à un iPad. Avec son iPad, madame avait accès à Netflix. Mais, elle n'a pas juste utilisé son iPad pour Netflix, elle a été capable d'apprendre des choses sur l'aventure et elle est allée chercher des informations sur OD.
« Évidemment, tu n'as pas le droit de faire ça. Elle a plein d'avantages et elle sait plein de choses qu'elle n'est pas supposée savoir parce qu'ils n'ont pas accès à l'Internet.»
Est-ce qu'un candidat s'est déjà fait éliminer d'Occupation Double pour avoir transgressé les règles?
Aucun candidat ne s'est jamais fait virer d'Occupation Double pour un manquement aux règles. Par le passé, la plus grosse conséquence vue sur le plateau fut des excuses publiques lors de propos déplacés.
On se rappelle que d'autres candidats ont brisé les règles, comme Pézie et Oli, d'OD Grèce, qui se connaissaient déjà et avaient menti à toute l'équipe.
Généralement, le destin des candidats est uniquement dans les mains des autres participants. La production a toutefois un grand pouvoir sur la durée de leur aventure, étant donné qu'elle contrôle les twists qui peuvent avantager ou désavantager les candidats.
Tout porte donc à croire que, si la rumeur était vraie, le destin d'Éloïse serait dans les mains des candidats ce dimanche.
Qu'est-ce qu'Éloïse pourrait avoir découvert?
Si la rumeur dit vrai, la candidate aurait eu accès à Internet, et donc aux articles sur l'émission.
Elle pourrait donc, par exemple, avoir eu accès à Narcity Québec, et découvert plusieurs informations qui ne sont pas connues des autres candidats et qui pourraient la choquer :
- Le témoignage de l'ex de Charles
- La pétition contre Charles, le « leader »
- La participation de Charles à deux autres téléréalité, dont une de dating.
- L'opinion d'Alicia Moffet sur Jordan
Il est à noter qu'il y a deux à trois semaines entre le moment où les épisodes sont filmés, et celui où ils sont diffusés.
Toutes informations publiées dans les deux dernières semaines ne sont donc pas considérées.
Que se passe-t-il avec le compte Instagram d'Éloïse?
La section « commentaires » a été désactivée sur le compte Instagram d'Éloïse, ce qui signifie que tu ne peux plus commenter ses photos.
La production utilise cette technique pour éviter les commentaires haineux lorsque les candidats sèment la controverse.
Plus tôt ce mois-ci, les commentaires ont aussi été désactivés sur le compte Instagram de Charles.
Qu'est-ce que dit la production de tout ça?
La production n'a pas commenté la rumeur directement, toutefois, voici ce qu'elle avait à dire sur l'épisode de dimanche : « C’est soir d’Halloween pour les candidats d’OD Chez Nous et des informations provenant d’une source mystérieuse s’infiltrent dans la soirée et viennent troubler le cours de l’aventure. »