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U.S. grand jury indicts alleged Tumbler Ridge conspirator James Bryant
Alleged Tumbler Ridge conspirator indicted in U.S.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Lois Silver
A grand jury in Washington state has indicted an alleged co-conspirator in the Tumbler Ridge, B.C., mass shooting.
The indictment of 30-year-old James Bryant for conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country means there is probable cause for prosecutors to pursue the case.
Emily Langlie, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, said last week that an indictment would mean a preliminary hearing in the case scheduled for Oct. 20 would be eliminated.
Bryant, whose lawyer says she goes by "Melody" and uses female pronouns, was denied bail a day ahead of Wednesday's indictment.
A statement issued by the U.S. Department of Justice says the indictment "details several overt acts that Bryant took to further the school shooting conspiracy."
Eight victims were shot dead in Tumbler Ridge by 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar in February, including five pupils and a teacher at a secondary school.
Among the alleged acts the indictment of Bryant, who's a resident of Bellingham, Wash., lists are that she agreed to record the shooting and broadcast it over the internet, offered the shooter advice on where to attack and what weapons to use, and sent Van Rootselaar money to buy a lighter for use in an improvised explosive device.
The Justice Department's statement says conspiracy to murder in a foreign country is punishable by up to life in prison.
It cautions that the accusations against Bryant remain unproven, and says the case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Greenberg with help from the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
Van Rootselaar shot herself dead at the school on Feb. 10 as police closed in.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 14, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Major projects CEO faces B.C. First Nations frustrated over lack of consultation
Major projects CEO faces B.C. chiefs
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Amber Bracken
Major Projects CEO Dawn Farrell told First Nations in B.C. today that the frustrations expressed over a lack of consultation made her feel like Canada is "never going to work," but her office is determined to try.
Farrell was addressing the B.C. Assembly of First Nations at its annual general meeting.
Media were asked to leave the room before Farrell's appearance, but the meeting continued to be publicly streamed on the B.C. Assembly of First Nations YouTube channel.
First Nations in B.C. are calling on Ottawa to set national standards for Indigenous consultations on major projects.
Chiefs say they were given just 11 working days to review and engage on whether the proposed Pacific Link pipeline should be designated as a project of national interest.
Farrell said she agrees with the concept of national consultation standards but she wonders how such standards would work alongside the government's accelerated timelines for project approvals.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 14, 2026.
By Nick Murray and Alessia Passafiume | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Chiefs of Ontario, NAN demand withdrawal of Bill C-39
The bill would set a one-year deadline for certain federal project decisions.
The Chiefs of Ontario, Nishnawbe Aski Nation and several regional Indigenous leaders want Ottawa to withdraw its major projects bill, saying faster approvals could leave communities without enough time to examine what development would mean for their lands and waters.
COO and NAN are being joined by the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador and the British Columbia Assembly of First Nations in rejecting Bill C-39, the Building Canada Strong Act, as outlined in an Oct. 8 joint statement.
“This government is writing legislation about our lands and our future without us at the table,” NAN Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler said.
Introduced Sept. 21, the bill would set a one-year deadline for certain federal project decisions once proponents provide the required information and studies. It would also let Ottawa designate regions of national interest, giving certain projects in those areas access to a streamlined approval framework.
The federal government says the legislation would reduce duplication, speed up reviews and give investors more certainty. Ottawa also says it would continue to meet its duty to consult, treaty obligations and commitments under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (UNDRIP).
The First Nations organizations say communities need time to study potential impacts, hear from their citizens and obtain technical and legal advice. They argue federal deadlines must allow that work to happen.
Their concerns also extend to environmental safeguards and designating entire regions for development. They say a regional designation cannot be treated as consent from every First Nation whose territory could be affected.
The bill would shift responsibility for some assessments to federal energy and nuclear regulators. It also proposes changes to laws governing fisheries, species at risk and navigable waters, alongside transportation and labour provisions.
MPs voted 296 to 26 on Oct. 8 to send the bill to a legislative committee after second reading. It has not become law. The Senate also authorized a study of the bill’s subject matter before receiving it from the Commons.
The organizations criticized the pace of parliamentary review. They said they support jobs and sustainable development but warned that proceeding without meaningful First Nations involvement could lead to conflict and litigation rather than the certainty Ottawa is seeking.
Copyright 2026, Kenora Miner & News. All rights reserved.
Pam Fedack, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Kenora Miner & News.
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