Why was a retired judge appointed to review the police apology?

A retired judge was appointed because the officers involved in wrongfully handcuffing Maxwell Johnson and his granddaughter failed to attend a formal apology ceremony and have not agreed to apologize in person.

What happened in December 2019 involving Maxwell Johnson and his granddaughter?

Maxwell Johnson and his granddaughter Tori-Anne were wrongfully handcuffed by Vancouver police constables outside a Bank of Montreal branch after staff suspected their government-issued status cards were fake.

What is the significance of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act in this case?

The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act is being considered in the review to determine if the officers should be required to provide oral apologies and under what terms.

Home / Crime and Justice / Judge Tapped for Wrongful Arrest Apology Row

Judge Tapped for Wrongful Arrest Apology Row

29 Jan

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Summary

Retired judge appointed to review officers' apology to Indigenous pair.
Officers previously missed formal apology ceremony in 2022.
Review considers Indigenous rights act for oral apology terms.

Judge Tapped for Wrongful Arrest Apology Row

A retired judge has been appointed to determine if two Vancouver police constables must issue a personal, in-person apology. This follows constables Canon Tong and Michael Wong wrongfully handcuffing Maxwell Johnson and his granddaughter Tori-Anne outside a Bank of Montreal in December 2019. The officers failed to attend a formal cultural apology ceremony held in October 2022, three years after the incident.

Maxwell Johnson and Tori-Anne asked the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner (OPCC) in December 2023 to revisit disciplinary proceedings. They requested the constables attend a second reparation ceremony in Bella Bella, B.C. While written apologies were provided, the officers have not agreed to apologize in person as requested, a situation the Police Complaint Commissioner stated has "worsened the relationship."

The OPCC's appointed adjudicator, retired Justice Wally Opal, will review the evidence and consider the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. The Heiltsuk Nation welcomed this decision, stating that a culturally appropriate, in-person apology is necessary for healing. They emphasized the importance of respecting Heiltsuk law and culture throughout the process.