Judge Calls N.S. Wildfire ‘Drunken Tire Fire’ as Man Fined $25K

The man responsible for the largest wildfire in Nova Scotia’s history has been fined $25,000, a penalty the judge admitted could never undo the devastation it caused.

Dalton Stewart, 23, was sentenced Thursday in Barrington provincial court after pleading guilty to one charge under the Forest Act. He must also complete wildfire prevention training, as part of a joint recommendation by the Crown and defence.

According to an agreed statement of facts, Stewart and friends were drinking near Barrington Lake on May 25, 2023, when he set a tire on fire on private land. Before leaving, he tried to stomp it out but later admitted he was “very intoxicated” and failed to ensure it was fully extinguished.

The resulting blaze — later known as the Barrington Lake wildfire — burned more than 23,000 hectares, destroyed 60 structures, and displaced thousands of residents. Officials estimated firefighting costs at $8 million.

Senior Crown attorney Brian Cox said the fine reflected accountability, though no penalty could match the destruction.

“Mr. Stewart has conceded that he started the fire that ultimately caused the Barrington Lake wildfire,” Cox told court. “The $25,000 fine is a meaningful deterrent.”

Judge Paul Scovil called it beyond comprehension that anyone would start a fire in such dry conditions, describing the act as a “drunken tire fire.”

Victim Melissa Nickerson, who lost her home in Thomasville, broke down in court while describing the trauma her family continues to endure.

“We had to start over from nothing,” she said. “I’m angry and grief-stricken by the loss of my home and memories.”

Local officials said the sentence reopens painful wounds. In a joint statement, Barrington Warden Shaun Hatfield and Shelburne Warden Penny Smith said their communities remain focused on “recovery, healing, and resilience.”

Fire Chief Darrell Locke of Shelburne’s volunteer department voiced disappointment, arguing a harsher punishment might deter future negligence.

“A $25,000 fine doesn’t influence people. Maybe time in a cell would,” he said.

Stewart’s lawyer, Philip Star, said his client earns modest wages at a fish plant and will need up to two years to pay the fine. He added Stewart accepts responsibility and noted RCMP investigators found no grounds for arson charges.

Family of Highway 401 Crash Victims Sues Durham Police for $25M

The survivors of a devastating wrong-way crash on Highway 401 that killed three family members have filed a $25-million lawsuit against Durham police, the officers involved, and the estate of the suspect who died in the collision.

Gokulnath Manivannan and his wife Ashwitha Jawahar were the only survivors of the April 2024 crash that claimed the lives of Manivannan’s parents and the couple’s three-month-old son. The family’s statement of claim accuses Durham Regional Police, two officers, the Ontario Provincial Police, and the suspect’s estate of negligence that led to the fatal outcome.

According to Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU), the pursuit began after a liquor store robbery in Bowmanville and ended in a fiery, multi-vehicle collision in Whitby, about 50 kilometres east of Toronto. The suspect, who was driving the wrong way on the 401, was also killed in the crash.

Two Durham police officers — Sgt. Richard Flynn and Const. Brandon Hamilton — now face criminal charges in connection with the incident. The lawsuit claims the officers acted “recklessly” by continuing a high-speed pursuit in the wrong direction and failing to consider safer alternatives.

The family alleges Durham police failed to train officers adequately on pursuit policies and neglected to call off the chase, violating public safety standards. No statements of defence have been filed yet, and none of the allegations have been proven in court.

Durham Regional Police confirmed awareness of the lawsuit but declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation and legal process.

The family’s lawyers, Brad Moscato and Adam Wagman of Howie, Sacks & Henry LLP, said they are working to ensure a full investigation:

“The family hopes this tragedy prompts a careful review of police pursuit protocols and reinforces that public safety must remain the top priority.”

The statement of claim adds that the survivors continue to suffer severe physical and psychological trauma, permanent injuries, and financial hardship from the loss of their loved ones.

Kap’s Café Attack Marks First Canada Strike by Bishnoi Gang After Terror Listing

Just weeks after Canada listed the Lawrence Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity, gunfire erupted at comedian Kapil Sharma’s Kap’s Café in Surrey, B.C., in what investigators believe is the gang’s first attack on Canadian soil since the designation.

Police sources said multiple rounds were fired at the establishment early Thursday. No injuries were reported, but the strike has heightened concerns that the gang remains active and undeterred by Ottawa’s new restrictions.

Goldy Dhillon claims responsibility again
The assault was claimed online by Gurpreet Singh, alias Goldy Dhillon, who already faces a ₹10-lakh bounty from India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA). He had also claimed responsibility for a previous shooting at the same café.

Investigators say the motive stems from the gang’s ongoing feud with Bollywood actor Salman Khan, whom Bishnoi accuses of killing a blackbuck—an animal sacred to his community. Indian probe agencies, however, maintain the incidents are part of a broader extortion racket.

Canada’s terror listing less than three weeks old
On September 29, the Canadian government added the Lawrence Bishnoi Gang to its Criminal Code list of terrorist entities, describing it as a “transnational criminal organization operating primarily out of India with presence in diaspora communities across Canada.”

Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said the listing gives law enforcement “powerful and effective tools to confront and stop their crimes.”

The move followed reports that the gang had targeted members of the Sikh diaspora and Punjabi entertainment figures in British Columbia and Ontario.

From India’s prisons to Canada’s streets
Lawrence Bishnoi, a former student leader from Punjab now held in Sabarmati Prison, is accused in multiple Indian cases, including the killings of singer Sidhu Moosewala and politician Baba Siddiqui.
Prominent associates include Anmol Bishnoi, Goldy Brar, and Rohit Godara, though internal splits have been reported.

Indian officials have long sought their extradition, while Canada’s government insists its listing is meant to protect communities within the country.

A cross-border flashpoint
The Bishnoi network came under global scrutiny after the 2023 killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey. Then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggested Indian intelligence might have links to “criminal organisations” such as Bishnoi’s—an allegation New Delhi strongly denied, citing multiple pending extradition requests for gang members.

The latest café shooting has once again placed the gang at the centre of India-Canada tensions, as both governments vow cooperation while denying each other’s claims of interference.

What the terror listing allows
Under the Criminal Code, a terror listing enables asset freezes, property seizures, and criminal charges for anyone financing or assisting the group.
It also authorizes border officials to deny entry or revoke immigration status of members and affiliates.

Canada now counts 88 designated terrorist entities.

Law-enforcement agencies on both sides of the border are coordinating to trace any Bishnoi-linked operatives within B.C. and Ontario, as investigators probe whether the Kap’s Café attack was meant as a warning—or a signal that the gang’s Canadian chapter remains active despite the ban.