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This podcast features analysis of current Canadian legal news, and stories with important legal angles. Previous episodes covered the Nova Scotia Mass Casualty Inquiry proceedings, arising out of the tragic events of April 18-19, 2020 in Portapique and other locations throughout Central Nova Scotia.
Adam Rodgers has been a leading Nova Scotian litigation and criminal defense lawyer, as well as a business and political advisor, for 15 years. He has represented clients on many ground-breaking and prominent cases, including his most recent responsibilities with the Desmond Fatality Inquiry.
Adam Rodgers has been a leading Nova Scotian litigation and criminal defense lawyer, as well as a business and political advisor, for 15 years. He has represented clients on many ground-breaking and prominent cases, including his most recent responsibilities with the Desmond Fatality Inquiry.
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This week, Adam and Paul delve into two parole board decisions, threatened school shootings, and the efforts being made to clear the names of Toronto Police officers who were found to by lying by a judge and jury. Cameron Ortis, the former head of RCMP Intelligence, was granted parole soon after starting what was reported as a 14 year sentence. The parole board decision indirectly calls into question the trial decision (and perhaps even the decision to prosecute Ortis).The other parole decision was a denial of parole for Lindsay Souvannarath, who was convicted of planning a mass shooting at the Halifax Shopping Centre. Podcast host Jordan Bonaparte was referenced in the decision, and was part of the parole board's critique of Souvannarath, for recording podcasts with her while she was in jail, and for transferring money to her from an American who is on Canada's terrorist list. Also covered, two teens arrested in Nova Scotia and Manitoba for threatening to effect school shootings, Premier Doug Ford and the Chief of the Toronto Police are calling for a judicial apology after a report contradicts findings of a judge and jury trial on the killing of an officer, and Brian Sauve is running to remain head of the RCMP union.
This week, it is just Adam and Paul, discussing the week's news and released cases. There is breaking news this week, as the guys discuss former spy Cameron Ortis being granted early parole from his 14 year jail sentence. This story was national news when Mr. Ortis was tried and convicted, but his being granted parole has not been covered by any mainstream media outlet. Also this week, a judge in Nova Scotia has rendered a decision that 'deep fake' nude images created by AI are not captured by the Criminal Code, acquitting a man who used AI to make nude pictures of former classmates. Also discussed, the upcoming book on the RCMP, 'Red Alert', by Kent Roach, a sentencing decision from Alberta where the judge reduced the sentence by one year due to threats from the Edmonton Police to release more information on the case if they did not approve of the judge' sentence, and the death of New Brunswick serial killer, Allan Legere.
This week we welcome former RCMP Superintendent, and highly respected organized crime expert Garry Clement. Garry is the author of Under Cover - Fifty Years of Dirty Money, Organized Crime and the RCMP, and brings insight into the Ryan Wedding story, as well as how Canada is dealing with international criminal organizations. Stories covered this week include the coordinated raids the RCMP conducted this week on Mi'kmaq-run cannabis dispensaries on First Nations Reserves, proposed legislation that would keep secret the names of children who died in the care of child protection authorities, a peculiar situation in New Brunswick where a witness in a murder trial was placed in a jail cell with transcripts of other witnesses to that same trial, and a law journal article that argues Gabriel Wortman was the beneficiary of his race and class as he committed his murders in 2020.
This week we welcome documentary filmmaker, Amy Herdy, of Cove Tower, based out of Boulder, Colorado. Amy is looking into making a documentary on the NS mass shootings after having read Paul's books on the subject. She discusses the industry, why she thinks no documentaries have been made to date about the shootings, and how she is different from other filmmakers. Also this week, Paul and Adam discuss the Open AI meeting with federal ministers in the wake of the Tumbler Ridge school shootings. Should there be an inquiry into the school shootings.Former NS Justice Minister Becky Druhan's seems to harbour ambitions to take on her former leader, Premier Tim Houston. She hinted at those ambitions in an interview she gave with CBC Information Morning, in the midst of Premier Houston's worst week as Premier.
This week, we take a few minutes to lament the gold medal hockey game loss to the US, before discussing the stories of the week. This week saw the US Supreme Court strike down the tariff's that had been imposed by President Trump, as Adam had predicted after hearing the arguments before that Court. Also, we learned this week that the Tumbler Ridge school shooter was banned from Open AI for their postings on that platform, a school trustee in BC was fined $750,000 for comments about gender identity in the curriculum, and the Surrey Police have been denied in their request to delay their takeover of the RCMP in that region.Guest Dave Moore, a retired RCMP investigator, takes us inside the struggle for law enforcement to tackle the issue of securing our ports, and has a suggestion for how that may be done, taking after the example of Rotterdam.
This week, we bring a special guest, who's name most will not recognize. Melissa Ellsworth was a forensics nurse and correctional guard who suffered a head injury trying to save an elderly woman from a dangerous patient. She has been battling Workers Compensation ever since, and has now been approved for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD). She tells her story.Before hearing from Melissa, Paul and Adam discuss the school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, BC, including what we might be able to conclude from what we know about the shooter, their family, and their background. Seemingly connected to this tragedy was the announcement late this week from the Minister of Public Safety that the federal government will be sticking with the RCMP in more or less its current form. While we were waiting for Melissa Ellsworth to get connected, Adam told Paul about a Nova Scotia case that went to the Supreme Court of Canada, which turned on the question of whether pretending to do a magic act where women were sawed in half was an act which was sexual in nature. Finally, a happy birthday to Paul, who celebrates an undisclosed birthday today.
This week we delve into two main stories, the brewing dispute between Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and the Judges of the province who are accusing the Premier of political interference, and then the dramatic arrests of eight Toronto police officers on allegations that they were collaborating with organized crime on auto theft, drug trafficking, extortion, and conspiracy to murder a corrections officer. We welcome guests Edgar MacLeod, and Calvin Lawrence, who bring their insights after over 30 years each in policing. Also discussed, the parole hearing for Cameron Ortis, another promotion for Bill Blair, and the Super Bowl v. Olympics in terms of viewing and gambling.
This week, guests Scott McLeod (brother of the late Sean McLeod) and Retired Deputy Superintendent Curt Allen bring their perspectives to the news that 23 RCMP officers and lawyers received awards for their work in response to the NS mass shootings of April, 2020, and also that Employment and Social Development Canada released a Workplace Incident Report critical of the RCMP response. Also discussed this week - the arrest of Daniel Martell, step-father of missing children Jack and Lilly Sullivan, for charges of sexual assault. - the mistrial declared in R. v. MacQuarrie, after his defense lawyer was found to have conspired to have a mistrial declared for false reasons.- the Supreme Court of Canada heard agreements about the constitutionality of laws allowing police to conduct "random" traffic stops.- Durham Regional Police officers arrested a lawyer who was working late in the Oshawa Courthouse. Lawyers and groups around the country are reacting in protest to the police actions.
This week we go beyond the excerpts and dig into the full book, The First Survivor: Life With Canada's Deadliest Mass Shooter, with citizen investigator Chad Jones, and Frank Magazine's Andrew Douglas. We discuss remaining unanswered questions, how the book is structured, reaction from family members of the victims and their lawyers, and how the mainstream media has been covering its release.
This week has seen an excerpt of Lisa Banfield's book, The First Survivor - Living With Canada's Deadliest Mass Shooter, published by the Nationals Post chain of newspapers. She also did an interview with CTV in advance of the book release on January 20, 2026. We review some of the details provided in the excerpt, and key outstanding discrepancies in this discussion with Chad Jones and Ryan Potter, including her claims about how she escaped, where she spent the night of April 19, 2020, and what she claims to have heard in those hours.
This week we are following up on the revelation from last week's show that Peter Griffon, a close friend of Gabriel Wortman, had a 'handler' and was likely an RCMP agent. We are joined by former long-time undercover operator, Paul Derry, who gives insight into how that relationship can work. Also discussed, the shooting in Minnesota of Renee Good by an ICE agent, and how it bears some similarities to the closed off manner that the NS mass shooting was handled by the RCMP, a grenade thrown into a business in Sydney, NS, and the press freedom case coming up in BC regarding reporters from The Narwhal who were reporting on the Wet'suwet'in territory protests against the Coastal GasLink Pipeline.
We welcome everyone to 2026 in our first episode of the new year with breaking news of the Nova Scotia mass shootings. Having sifted through a trove of emails among RCMP officers assigned to the Mass Casualty Commission analysis of the shootings, citizen investigator Ryan Potter has found evidence of a key individual having had a 'handler'. Paul, Adam, and Ryan discuss what this might mean, and how it impacts our understanding of the events of the NS mass shootings. In addition to the 'handler' reference, Ryan also discovered a medical examiner report that suggested there was a body found in Portapique which was left unaccounted. Also discussed, the Seymour Hersh documentary on Netflix, more examples of AI misuse in the law, the US arrest of Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro, and the Supreme Court of Canada hearings in R. v. Cope regarding Indigenous sentencing principles.
This week, Paul and Adam look back at the stories covered on Dispersing the Fog in 2025, themes that have weaved their ways through those stories, and some of the great guests who have added to the richness of the show over the past year. As well, they look ahead to 2026 and some of the potential developments with the RCMP, new justice legislation, and other stories that have more to come. This episode is a good way for new audience members to see what kind of stories this show covers, and see what plans are in place for the future. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of our viewers and listeners!
This week we take a dive into the new justice legislation proposed by the Federal Government. It is designed to address delays in the criminal courts, and there are elements that should have this effect. Bill C-16 also seeks to criminalize 'coercive control' and makes 'femicide' a crime equal to first degree murder by default. We also welcome back Dave Moore, who describes how he was harassed, surveilled, and set up by his superiors in the RCMP after his work on the Glen Assoun case. Dave details how a restaurant he owned in Hubbards, NS (near Halifax) was burned down by a suspected RCMP confidential informant, and how he figured it all out. Also covered this week - a Mi'kmaq Chief has banned Premier Houston from her reserve for his comments on cannabis dispensaries, the National Police Federation comments on the OPP report on the YVR Four, and Paul reveals his favourite Christmas song.
This week we welcome back former CBC reporter Curt Petrovich, to discuss the report into the four RCMP officers charged after the taser death of Robert Dziekański in the Vancouver Airport in 2007. Curt has written a book on the topic, and walks us beyond the headlines to what really matters about the conduct of those in the RCMP named in the report.Also covered this week, Nova Scotia Justice Minister Scott Armstrong has received a strong reaction from the Chiefs of the 13 Mi'kmaq communities in Nova Scotia (as well as former Justice Minister, Becky Druhan) after writing to them about 'illegal' cannabis dispensaries in their communities. As well, we discuss the immigration consequences of criminal convictions, after a controversial sentencing in Ontario, a Cape Breton police officer who was caught on video stealing a sign from a home being searched for drugs, and which provinces have seen an increase in homicides in the past two years.
This week, we welcome Moira Webster to discuss her former husband, Mike Webster, a former clinical psychologist with a focus on policing (and also CFL football player and professional wrestler). She describes how he was smeared by the RCMP after his comments on the Robert Dziekański taser death, and his role in the Gustafsen Lake standoff (the largest ever RCMP operation to that point). Also discussed, are the death of Sylvio Saulnier in Dieppe, NB, Paul's review of the new Netflix documentary The Stringer, and Adam's upcoming talk on legal issues for men.
Our guest this week is Tammy Oliver McCurdie, sister of the late Jolene Oliver, who was killed along with her partner and daughter in the Portapique, Nova Scotia mass shooting. Tammy is also a member of the Progress Review Committee, tracking the progress on recommendations from the Mass Casualty Commission. She describes the terrible hours of uncertainty while she and her family awaited word from someone as to what was taking place, her doubts about the official narrative, and her thoughts on the upcoming book by Lisa Banfield. Before hearing from our guest, we discuss the Ontario Provincial Police report on the RCMP's handling of the four officers involved in the Robert Dziekanski death at the Vancouver Airport, as well as the arrest of the lawyer for former Canadian Olympic snowboarder, Ryan Wedding.
This week, we have the pleasure of a rare interview with retired RCMP analyst, Dave Moore. Dave discusses his investigation into the murder of Brenda Way, which he discovered was not committed by Glen Assoun, who had been found guilty, but by serial killer Michael McGray. His investigation was quashed, and the evidence he had gathered was destroyed by officers higher up. Dave tells us about the coverup, and his expectations about the upcoming SiRT re-investigation. Also discussed; - Nova Scotia's new death review committee has been very secrative about the information they are releasing about their first two investigations. - Residents of Conception Bay North say they were left to fend for their own after a serial arsonist hit the area, causing almost 200 homes to burn. - Hells Angels hit man Dean Kelsie complains that the parole board gave too much weight to the views of the families of his victims- There will be no golf course built on protected land at the West Mabou Beach, for now
This week, we welcome back former RCMP Deputy Commissioner, Curt Allen, to discuss some of the stories we have been covering in recent weeks, and get his take on the sexual assault crisis in the Force, as well as the modernization issues flagged by Chief Edgar MacLeod.Also, we discuss wearing poppies in Court, and the recent controversy in NS and Saskatchewan on that topic, as well as the floor crossing of Chris d'Entremont to the governing Liberals, the news that two major league pitchers are in legal trouble after it was reported that they were telling gamblers what pitches they were going to throw, and an executive from the BBC resigning after admitting to doctoring footage.
The guest this week is former police chief Edgar MacLeod, who served in various police forces for 34 years, after which he became Executive Director of the Atlantic Police Academy. Chief MacLeod has a unique perspective on police structures in Canada, and shares his insights.This week, the Supreme Court of Canada handed down two important decisions. One affirmed the 'Good Samaritan' laws for drug overdose situations, and the other removed mandatory minimum jail sentences for those convicted of possessing or distributing child pornography. We analyze those decisions, as well as the political fallout.Before all that, the guys give their breakdowns of Game 7 between the Blue Jays and Dodgers, and the great sport of baseball.
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