Forensic investiagtors remove evidence from home on Mallory Cres. on Thursday. (Bernard Weil / Toronto Star) | Order this photo
Toronto police have now recovered the remains of six people and identified one of them in an investigation into what they have described as the work of a serial killer.
Bruce McArthur, 66, has been charged with five counts of first-degree murder in the disappearances of Andrew Kinsman, Selim Esen, Majeed Kayhan, Soroush Mahmudi and Dean Lisowick.
Speaking Thursday at a home on Mallory Cres., near Bayview and Moore Aves., where McArthur mowed the owner’s lawn in exchange for storing landscaping equipment in the garage, Det.-Sgt. Hank Idsinga said Kinsman’s remains are among those recovered.
Police had earlier said the remains of three people had been recovered. On Thursday, Idsinga said police have now found the remains of three more people, and that all the remains were discovered in planters at the Mallory Cres. home. He said police have seized 15 planters, but “exactly where we are on the examination of those planters, I’m not ready to say yet.”
Idsinga said he expects more charges to be laid against McArthur.
Police have been at the Mallory house since Jan. 18, when they arrived with a search warrant forcing Karen Fraser and Ron Smith to leave their home. The owners were briefly allowed back on Feb. 1 to collect personal items and clean their fridge of spoiled food.
Police are now in the process of excavating the backyard starting with thawing the ground which Idsinga says could take about another week. He said police have finished examining the inside of the home, including the garage, and that the owners can return as early as tonight.
Investigators have expanded their search to more than 30 properties tied to McArthur’s landscaping business.
The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority has changed its rules to allow people with HIV to become commercial airline pilots after BuzzFeed News revealed how a man from Glasgow had been denied the chance to take up a training position with EasyJet because of his HIV status.
Equality campaigners were celebrating the historic victory following the announcement of the rule change on Thursday morning by Andrew Haines, chief executive of the CAA. The move was confirmed in the House of Commons by transport secretary Chris Grayling.
Last month, BuzzFeed News told the story of a man, named as Anthony, who said he had been denied his childhood dream of becoming an airline pilot because of what he said was HIV discrimination by the aviation authorities.
Previously, the CAA had told Anthony that it was bound to follow the rules laid down by the European regulator, the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA), which meant that in order for people with HIV to become pilots they had to have a medical certificate with an addition called an “operational multi-crew limitation”.
But the only way to obtain that would be to already have a commercial flying licence – blocking anyone already with HIV from entering the profession, and meaning that piloting was the only profession outside the armed services that barred HIV-positive people.
But when BuzzFeed News contacted EASA, the regulator insisted the CAA was in fact able to deviate from those rules.
Following the story, the CAA came under intense pressure to change the policy. Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, warned that it could be in breach of equality legislation, and Lilian Greenwood, chair of the Commons transport select committee, wrote to the transport secretary about Anthony’s case. He was also supported by HIV Scotland.
Anthony told BuzzFeed News on Thursday: “I am totally overwhelmed. I never expected this to happen so quickly. I’m grateful that it’s happened and very conscious of the fact that it’s not just me, it’s anyone with HIV that can now become a pilot. It’s monumental.
“It’s a huge change and i just hope that it triggers action not just in the UK but in the rest of Europe. Anyone who has felt restricted by the condition, who’s in my situation, can now follow their dreams.”
Philippe Huguen / AFP / Getty Images
He added: “It means that I can now focus on becoming a pilot. It was the last remaining barrier that has now been removed, so I’m going to start discussions as to how I can take up my place with EasyJet and start as soon as possible. This change means I can now realise my dreams.”
On Twitter, he thanked the campaigners who had backed his case.
Nathan Sparling, head of policy and campaigning for HIV Scotland, told BuzzFeed News: “This is a massive win for people living with HIV who want to become pilots. It is because Anthony came forward with his story that the CAA is now taking a more sensible and realistic approach.
“We welcome the move, and look forward to working with everyone concerned to ensure that people living with HIV who want to become pilots can pursue their dreams.”
In his statement announcing that people with HIV could now train as airline pilots, CAA chief executive Haines explained that the regulator has “made representations to EASA … and asked them to undertake the necessary rulemaking activity and associated research without delay, that we hope will lead to a permanent change to the current regulations”.
But in the meantime, he added, “the CAA will issue initial Class 1 Medical certificates with a restriction to multi-pilot operations to applicants wishing to become commercial pilots, subject to the applicants passing their Class 1 Medical assessment”.
Here is the CAA’s statement in full:
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is committed to being one of the most progressive aviation authorities in the world. We have often led aviation regulatory changes that have enabled pilots with medical conditions to keep flying, most recently in our ground-breaking work on insulin-treated diabetes. We have also been responsible for writing international guidelines on pilots living with HIV and have been promoting the need for changes to the current regulations regarding the restrictions applicable to pilots with certain medical conditions, including HIV.
In relation to HIV, we have made representations to EASA, which is the governing body responsible for medical standards, and asked them to undertake the necessary rulemaking activity and associated research without delay, that we hope will lead to a permanent change to the current regulations.
We recognise that this research will take time and we will continue to offer our full support to this work in any way we can. In the meantime, the CAA will issue initial Class 1 Medical certificates with a restriction to multi-pilot operations to applicants wishing to become commercial pilots, subject to the applicants passing their Class 1 Medical assessment.
The Trump-Pence administration has refused to sign a statement in support of an Inter-American Court of Human Rights’ ruling on marriage equality and transgender rights.
Earlier this month, the court issued an opinion that Costa Rica is in violation of its treaty obligations under the American Convention on Human Rights (ACHR) by not providing marriage equality or providing legal options for transgender people to change their gender marker on identity documents. While seven of the eight countries in the Organization of American States (OAS) LGBTI Core Group signed on to a statement supporting the court’s opinion, the United States did not.
“The Trump-Pence administration’s refusal to sign this statement in support of marriage equality and transgender rights is deeply troubling,” said Ty Cobb, director of HRC Global. “As the administration unleashes a torrent of attacks on the LGBTQ community here at home, it is also abandoning LGBTQ people around the world. We are in desperate need of leadership that will advance America’s commitment to LGBTQ human rights in the U.S. and abroad.”
The seven nations that signed the statement on January 22 are Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay. While the United States has not ratified the ACHR, Canada also has not, but that did not prevent their leadership from signing the statement. It is also notable that Chile, which does not yet have marriage equality, and a number of countries that do not offer transgender individuals the option to legally change their official gender markers, signed the statement.
The European Union’s top court has ruled that psychological tests to determine a person’s sexuality should not be used for asylum claims.
Controversial, so-called ‘gay tests’ have been used on people fleeing countries where it is illegal to be homosexual to assess asylum claims.
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling is binding in all 28 EU states.
The case which prompted the ruling was brought by a Nigerian man who submitted an asylum application in Hungary in April 2015.
Homosexuality is illegal in Nigeria, and punishable by death in certain areas of the country.
His request was refused after a psychological test in which he was pressured to draw a picture of a person in the rain and participate in a Rorschach ink-blot test failed to confirm his homosexuality.
Due to this new ruling, a court in Szeged, Hungary, will now reconsider his claim.
The ECJ stated in the new ruling that “certain forms of expert reports may prove useful,” but said that these reports infringed on a person’s privacy.
The judge said that authorities must determine the reliability of the claims, but without these tests.
According to the EU Agency for Fundamental rights, hundreds of homosexuals who fear persecution in Chechnya, Africa and the Middle East have sought asylum in Europe.In 2013, the ECJ ruled that applications would be accepted if the person’s home country imprisoned people for homosexuality.
Cherry said: “We can all agree that no one should ever be persecuted on account of their sexuality.
“Last week at the PinkNews Awards, the Prime Minister said we have come a long way on LGBT rights, but there’s still much more to do.
“Can I ask her to start that work today by promising that never again will the Home Office deport LGBT Asylum Seekers to countries where they are likely to be persecuted with the instruction that they pretend to be straight?”
The Prime Minister did not provide a direct assurance in her response.
Bruce McArthur, 66, made his first court appearance this morning, facing charges of first-degree murder in relation to the two missing men from The Village. Caryn Lieberman reports from the Church and Wellesley village.
Some members of Toronto’s LGBTQ community say they’re relieved an arrest has been made in the presumed deaths of two men who went missing from the city’s gay village last year, but they’re also angry that police didn’t heed their concerns over a possible serial killer earlier.
Bruce McArthur, a 66-year-old Toronto man, was arrested and charged Thursday as part of an investigation into the disappearance of Selim Esen and Andrew Kinsman.
McArthur made a brief appearance in court Friday and was returned to custody until Feb. 14, when he will appear in court through a video link.
Alphonso King and his husband John Allan were among those who packed the downtown Toronto courtroom.
King said they wanted to see the face of the man whose alleged actions kept the gay village on edge for the better part of a year.
“It was intense,” he said. “For a lot of people, I’m sure that they were really nervous because you didn’t know who it was.”
Court sketch of Bruce McArthur (left), Crown attorney Sean Doyle (centre), and Justice Howard Chisvin (top right), in a Toronto court on Jan. 19, 2018.
Pam Davies
Now that an arrest has been made, there is a sense of relief and hope for closure, King said.
But the pair also said they felt police had put lives at risk by ignoring the community’s concerns over the disappearances for so long.
“The community tried to tell them, ‘We think it’s a serial killer, we think that the cases are related, we think that there’s a possibility that it was all tied to one of the (dating) apps or something like that, that there has to be a link,’ and they assured us that there wasn’t,” King said.
“They completely dismissed that notion. They guaranteed us the cases weren’t related, they guaranteed us there wasn’t a serial killer around, and that’s exactly what it turned out to be,” Allan said. “So that’s why we’re pissed off.”
The couple, who knew Kinsman, said everyone who knew the men has been traumatized. Bereavement counselling is being offered by at least two community groups in the area, they said.
Esen and Kinsman were reported missing from the Church and Wellesley streets area at separate times last year. Their bodies have not been found.
Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders defended the force’s approach Thursday, saying officers had been working with the evidence they had at the time.
Police have also said they believe McArthur is responsible for the deaths of other men, though they did not say who or what led them to that conclusion. They said new evidence surfaced this week that gave them a “definitive link,” but did not elaborate further.
A European Court of Justice advocate general has advised that European Union member states must recognize the rights of same-sex spouses, even if a country has not extended marriage rights to gay and lesbian couples.According to The Guardian, Melchior Wathelet, a Belgian advocate general in the Luxembourg court, said that all EU members must recognize the rights of gay spouses.
Such opinions are non-binding but are normally followed by the court, the paper wrote.
The Luxembourg court is currently deliberating in the case of a Romanian national, Adrian Coman, whose American husband, Claibourn Robert Hamilton, was refused residence in Romania based on the couple’s 2010 marriage in Brussels. A decision is expected in the coming months.
Romania is one of the six EU member states that do not recognize the unions of gay couples. The other nations include Poland, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Lithuania and Latvia.
The U.S. Treasury Department on Wednesday imposed new sanctions on five Russians and Chechens, including the head of the Russian republic of Chechnya, for alleged human rights abuses.
Head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov delivers a speech during a rally in support of Muslim Rohingya following the recent violence, which erupted in Myanmar, in the Chechen capital Grozny, Russia September 4, 2017. REUTERS/Said Tsarnayev
The new sanctions blacklisted Ramzan Kadyrov, the Chechen leader and a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Treasury Department said in a statement.
U.S. authorities accused Kadyrov of overseeing “an administration involved in disappearances and extrajudicial killings”.
On a conference call with reporters Wednesday, a senior U.S. State Department official said that “one or more of Kadyrov’s political opponents were killed at his direction.”
Kadyrov reacted to news of the sanctions with his usual defiance.
“A sleepless night is waiting for me,” Kadyrov wrote, apparently sarcastically, on his Instagram social media account. “I can be proud that I‘m out of favor with the special services of the USA. In fact, the USA cannot forgive me for dedicating my whole life to the fight against foreign terrorists among which there are bastards of America’s special services.”
He also wrote that he would not be visiting the United States.
The U.S. Treasury Department imposed the sanctions, which freeze the banks accounts of those targeted, under a 2012 law known as the Magnitsky Act.
The Magnitsky Act imposed visa bans and asset freezes on Russian officials linked to the death in prison of Sergei Magnitsky, a 37-year-old Russian auditor and whistleblower. The act also seeks to hold responsible those U.S. authorities allege orchestrated or benefited from the death of Magnitsky.
“Treasury remains committed to holding accountable those involved in the Sergei Magnitsky affair, including those with a role in the criminal conspiracy and fraud scheme that he uncovered,” Director of the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control John Smith said in a statement.
Magnitsky was arrested and died in a Moscow jail in 2009 after discovering a $230 million tax fraud scheme, according to U.S. authorities. Supporters of Magnitsky say the Russian state murdered him by denying him adequate medical care after he was imprisoned on tax evasion charges. The Kremlin denies the allegation.
In addition to Kadyrov and one other Chechen official, the Treasury’s action on Wednesday targeted three Russians that U.S. authorities say were involved in the complex tax fraud scheme that Magnitsky exposed.
The Magnitsky sanctions have been a point of tension between Moscow and Washington, even before Russia’s annexation of Crimea sent relations spiraling. In retaliation for the Magnitsky Act, Putin signed a bill halting U.S. adoptions of Russian children.
It had been unclear to sanctions experts whether President Donald Trump’s administration, which has signaled a desire to rebuild ties with Moscow, would continue to target people under the law.
The Magnitsky Act attracted greater public attention when it emerged that the president’s son Donald Trump Jr., had met with a Russian lawyer and a lobbyist – both strident opponents of the law – in New York ahead of the 2016 U.S. elections. When asked about the June 2016 meeting, Trump Jr. later said they discussed the adoptions issue.
On a conference call with reporters on Wednesday, State Department officials said that despite the new sanctions the Trump administration wants a constructive relationship with Moscow.
“We believe a Russia that takes care of the human rights of its own citizens will be an even more effective partner,” a senior State Department official said.
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation in partnership with PEMEX, Mexico’s largest state-owned petroleum company, has launched the 2018 HRC Equidad MX Report, a first-of-its-kind assessment designed to increase LGBT-inclusion in workplaces across Mexico. Thirty-two major major employers earned top ratings in the inaugural report, reflecting their commitment to LGBT equality and adoption of vital LGBT-inclusive policies and practices.
The 2018 HRC Equidad MX Report assessed major Mexican businesses and multinational companies based on three core pillars of LGBT inclusion:
Adoption of nondiscrimination policies;
Creation of employee resource groups or diversity and inclusion councils; and
Engagement in public activities to support LGBT inclusion.
“These employers have invested in LGBT inclusion in the workplace because it is both fair and smart business. The 32 honorees know that the economy of tomorrow is built by today’s talent and becoming more inclusive is key to attracting and retaining the best workforce, said Deena Fidas, HRC Director of HRC Equidad MX and Workplace Equality Programs. “We commend all of them on this designation of being a ‘Best Place to Work for LGBT Inclusion’ and look forward to continuing our work together in the coming years.”
Since September 2016, HRC Equidad MX has been on the ground working with Mexican companies to promote awareness about the importance of LGBT diversity and inclusion in workplaces across Mexico. The program creates consulting and education models for Mexican companies and organizations interested in furthering their inclusivity efforts. The companies will be honored at an event hosted by PEMEX, Mexico’s largest employer, for their commitment to creating LGBT-inclusive workplaces.
“Earning the HRC Equidad MX certification is a watershed moment that will motivate more people to build more respectful work environments. We are delighted to demonstrate PEMEX’s commitment to equality and non-discrimination policies, especially among its LGBT employees,” said PEMEX Inclusion Manager Melissa García Godínez. “We are proud that the talent and effort of our employees contribute to the growth our company regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.”
Through HRC Equidad MX and the Corporate Equality Index (CEI), HRC Foundation has established guidelines to implement LGBT-inclusive policies, best practices and benefits across national and international corporations. Last year, HRC held its second-ever international launch of the CEI in Mexico City, recognizing the positive impact of leading companies for LGBT-inclusion. In addition, HRC Equidad MX released a Spanish-language business toolkit for workplaces in Mexico and Latin America.
HRC is proud to join with Accenture México (Accenture), American Express Company (México), S.A. de C.V. (American Express), AT&T, México (AT&T), Cinépolis de México (Cinepolis), Grupo Financiero Banamex, S.A. de C.V. (Citibanamex), CompuCom México (Compucom), Dow Química Mexicana, S.A. de C.V. (DOW), Edelman México, S.A de C.V. (Edelman), EY (EY), Ford Motor Company (Ford), GE México, S.A. de C.V. (General Electric), Google México (Google), Herman Miller México, S.A. de C.V. (Herman Miller), IBM de México (IBM), JP Morgan Grupo Financiero, S.A. de C.V (J.P. Morgan), Kellogg Company (Kellogg), Lubrizol Servicios Técnicos, S de R.L. de C.V. (Lubrizol), Mastercard de México (Mastercard), Nielsen México (Nielsen), PayPal México (PayPal), Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) and business subsidiaries (PEMEX), PepsiCo México – PepsiCo Internacional México, S. de R.L. de C.V. (Pepsico), Pfizer de México (Pfizer), P&G México (Procter & Gamble), SAP México, S.A. de C.V. (SAP), Scotiabank Inverlat, S.A. (Scotiabank)
SODEXO México (Sodexo), TE Connectivity México (TE Connectivity), The Boston Consulting Group (The Boston Consulting Group), UBER México Technology & Software (Uber), Unilever de México (Unilever), Walmart de México y Centroamérica (Walmart) to celebrate LGBTQ-inclusion in the workplace.
For more information on the HRC Equidad MX program, or to download a free copy of the report, visit hrc.im/equidadMX.
The Australian House of Representatives’ has voted overwhelmingly in favor of marriage equality legislation. The measure passed with only four votes against it. The Australian Senate previously passed the measure by a vote of 43 to 12.
After the Governor-General gives the legislation official approval in a formality known as “Royal Assent,” marriage equality will become the law of the land. Australia will become the 25th country to recognize same-sex couples’ right to marry.
The legislation followed a voluntary postal survey that showed a clear majority of Australian voters endorse equality. The postal survey came after years of stalled efforts to bring marriage equality to Australia. After the country’s governing party refused to allow a conscience vote on the issue in parliament, it undertook the controversial and expensive survey in an attempt to settle the issue. The survey was widely criticized for delaying the arrival of marriage equality.
“This belongs to us all. This is Australia – fair , diverse, loving and filled with respect for every one of us. This has been a great, unifying day in our history.”
“We welcome Australia into the growing family of freedom loving nations that ensure marriage equality for all couples,” said Ty Cobb, Director of HRC Global. “The overwhelming support for marriage equality Down Under is a testament to the hard work of Australia’s LGBTQ advocates and allies who fought tirelessly to make today a reality. We congratulate them on this incredibly important victory.”
ILGA Oceania – the regional chapter of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association – acknowledged the hard work that LGBTIQ and human rights activists in Australia and around the world have done during this long and protracted fight.
“First of all, thank God for what was achieved today in Australia,” commented Tuisina Ymania Brown, ILGA Oceania co-Convenor. “As a trans woman of color and faith, I believe that love will always prevail. Today, love won. Human rights won. Marriage equality won. Humanity won. Why? Because for the first time in this country, we are equal in terms of who we love. Australians have spoken, and their representatives have done it. Bravo and Brava to all the human rights activists, the Australians that voted, the MPs and senators that worked with our activists to define and refine the legislation. Thank you. And for all those that have shed blood, for those we have lost because of bigotry and discrimination and the hate crimes against LGBTIQ people, this one is for your sacrifice. ILGA Oceania is proud to have supported this campaign.”
“As the former campaign manager for marriage equality in New Zealand, it’s great to finally say: it’s about time, Australia,” commented Rawa Karetai, ILGA Oceania co-Convenor based in New Zealand. “It’s a great day to celebrate the campaign win in Australia. To our LGBTIQ friends in Australia, party in the streets and show that this is a significant win for our community. Marriage equality is finally here and it’s awesome to know that our LGBTIQ community is allowed to get married.”
“Love prevails once again as loving LGBTQ couples in Australia obtain the hard-fought right to marry and move past the emotional toll of their relationships and families being open to debate,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of GLAAD. “Marriage equality is a historic benchmark, worthy of celebration, as advocates continue the push for full LGBTQ acceptance.”
Earlier this year, GLAAD teamed up with Australian celebrities including Yvone Strahovski, Luke Hemsworth, Hugh Sheridan, Dan Macpherson, and Courtney Act to encourage voters to exercise their civic duty and cast their ballots in support of advancing LGBTQ equality during the postal survey and called on Australian lawmakers to pass a clean marriage equality bill without religious exemptions.
Austria’s highest court ruled Tuesday to fully legalize marriage equality by 2019 after declaring the law restricting LGBTQ partnership to civil unions discriminatory. With this historic decision, the current restrictions on LGBTQ Austrians will be overturned on December 31, 2018 and marriage equality will be in full effect starting Jan. 1, 2019.
“Today, the differentiation between marriage and legally registered partnerships can no longer be upheld without discriminating against same-sex couples,” the court said. “For the separation into two legal institutions implies that homosexual individuals are not equal to heterosexuals.”
“Everyone deserves the full right to marry the person they love and build lasting relationships and families in their communities, and today Austria’s highest court ruled in favor of equality with this historic victory,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of GLAAD. “It is inspiring to see love prevail as the world faces a resurgence of anti-LGBTQ activism that reminds us of the work that must still be done to accelerate acceptance.”
Earlier this year, Germany and Malta both legalized marriage equality and voters in Australia overwhelming voiced their support of marriage equality in a national referendum.