New Quebec team will help police in cases where people are drugged
The Quebec government is creating a coordination unit that will support police when they're investigating cases of people being drugged without their knowledge.
Public Security Minister François Bonnardel announced Tuesday morning that the Forensic Sciences and Legal Medicine Laboratory will receive $2.3 million to set up the specialized team.
With this new coordination unit, the government hopes the lab can more closely monitor cases where victims are unknowingly drugged, for example with the so-called 'date rape drug' GHB, so that it can follow up with the police forces responsible for investigations.
"In particular, we want information to flow properly if several victims are drugged in the same place, or in different places with the same substance," he said.
According to Bonnardel, "thanks to the vigil performed by the laboratory, investigators will have better information to identify and catch these criminals."
The creation of this team is one of 11 measures announced last summer by Bonnardel to better support people who are drugged.
The government said anyone who believes they have been the victim of unknowing intoxication can go to the emergency room, where a urine kit can be used to detect substances.
- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 30, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air turbulence: When can it become dangerous?
Flight turbulence like that encountered by a Singapore Airlines flight on Tuesday is extremely common, but there's one aspect of severe turbulence an aviation expert says can lead to serious injury.
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked and sustained life-threatening injuries in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a 'major assault.'
opinion Tom Mulcair: With Trudeau spiralling, Mark Carney waits in the wings
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair argues that if there's an unofficial frontrunner in the eventual race to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader, it has to be former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.
Toronto Blue Jays fan struck by 110 m.p.h foul ball offered tickets, signed baseball by team
The Toronto Blue Jays have offered tickets and a signed baseball to a fan who says she was struck in the face by a 110 m.p.h (177 km/h) foul ball at Friday’s game.
Orphan orca's extended family spotted off northeast side of Vancouver Island
Members of a killer whale pod related to an orphan orca calf that escaped a remote British Columbia tidal lagoon last month have been spotted off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island.
OPP continues to investigate boat collision north of Kingston, Ont. that left 3 people dead
Ontario Provincial Police continue to investigate a long weekend fatal boat collision on Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont.
Matthew Perry's death is being investigated over ketamine level found in actor's blood, reports say
An investigation has been opened into the death of Matthew Perry and how the “Friends” actor received the anesthetic ketamine, which was ruled a contributing factor in his death.
WATCH Why today's inflation numbers are good if you have a mortgage
New inflation data is 'welcome news' for consumers and an economist says it could signal the possibility for a interest rate cut as several core measures also continue to ease.
'Miscommunication' Liberals say of Speaker Fergus event invite Conservatives call partisan
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus is facing fresh Conservative-led calls to resign, this time over "very partisan" and 'inflammatory' language used – the Liberals say mistakenly – to promote an upcoming event.