Tag: Helen Grus

Turmoil in Detective Grus Trial as Prosecutor Leaves Ottawa Police

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Officials Stonewall Questions on Whether Controversial Prosecutor Vanessa Stewart Remains on Grus Case

Update: November 14, 2024 – Defense Counsel Still Not Notified – Lead Defense Counsel Bath-Shéba van den Berg appeared on The Lavigne Show with co-host Donald Best – and confirmed that the OPS Legal Unit has still not notified her of Vanessa Stewart’s status change or if this will impact the hearing set to resume January 5, 2025.

Original Story Published November 11, 2024

The disciplinary hearing of Ottawa Police Detective Helen Grus has plunged into chaos amid uncertainty surrounding the police prosecutor, Vanessa Stewart (photo above). Noted for her controversial courtroom behaviour and facing allegations of procedural abuses, Stewart is on a six-month leave from the Ottawa Police Service to join the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General.

The refusal of police officials and Stewart herself to clarify her current involvement in the Grus case leaves the future of the hearing, set for January 5, 2025, shrouded in doubt.

Despite an automatic email reply confirming Stewart’s leave of absence and assignment to the Attorney General’s office, there has been a wall of silence from the Ottawa Police Service (OPS), the Attorney General’s office, and Stewart herself. Insider sources at the Ottawa Police Association reveal that Detective Grus, her attorney Bath-Shéba van den Berg, and the police union remain uninformed about Stewart’s departure or the ramifications for the case.

Further complicating matters, two police insiders report that Stewart’s contract with the OPS Legal Unit was terminated due to performance issues.

This development casts a shadow over prosecution continuity and integrity in a case already mired with allegations of bias and misconduct by prosecutors, prosecution witnesses, and the hearing officer.

Detective Helen Grus

Detective Grus was suspended on February 4, 2022, by the OPS Professional Standards Unit for allegedly conducting an ‘unauthorized’ investigation into nine unexplained infant deaths. She was exploring the possibility that the vaccination status of the mothers might be a factor in the fatalities. In July 2022, Grus was charged internally with one count of discreditable conduct under the Ontario Police Services Act.

The proceedings have been controversial – at times even raucous and chaotic – with defense attorneys accusing police witnesses, prosecution lawyers, and the Tribunal Hearing Officer of blatant bias. Shock rippled through legal circles upon the revelation that Prosecutor Stewart and a key prosecution witness are sisters-in-law—a glaring conflict of interest that would be unacceptable in any legitimate court. Yet, Hearing Officer Police Superintendent Chris Renwick, notably lacking legal training, permitted this infringement.

Concerns of bias were compounded by reports of interference from officials at the Public Health Agency of Canada, a matter that appeared on the House of Parliament Order Paper Questions in March 2024.

The Grus disciplinary hearing reached a boiling point on January 10, 2024, when defense lawyers levelled allegations of criminal witness tampering against Professional Standards Inspector Hugh O’Toole. Just minutes before Grus was set to testify, O’Toole sent her a threatening email obviously intended to intimidate Grus into changing her testimony and supporting exhibits.

Hugh O’Toole

In the wake of formal complaints alleging Criminal Intimidation of a Witness and Obstruction of Justice, O’Toole resigned from the OPS. He has since surfaced working as a lawyer at a Kemptville legal firm.

Illegal Wiretapping Scandal

Both Inspector O’Toole and Prosecutor Stewart were also implicated in the February 2022 illegal wiretapping of Detective Grus and her family under the “urgent emergency” provisions of the Criminal Code – when no such urgent emergency existed.

As the case approaches its third year, observers question whether the OPS will continue to pursue the charges against Detective Grus. Three key factors fuel this speculation:

1/ Emerging Evidence: Since Grus’s suspension almost three years ago, there has been a tsunami of credible evidence that the officer was correct all along in her suspicions.

Authorities in many jurisdictions have admitted that manufacturers and authorities concealed from the public that the shots were DNA contaminated, that the formulas presented for approval were not the vaccines that were fraudulently delivered, that the vaccines were known to be ineffective, and that it was known the vaccines caused serious harms and even deaths – including to babies in the womb and breastfeeding infants.

A decision by the Ottawa Police to continue the prosecution against Grus could come back to haunt them as any appeals process will take years – with additional evidence and case law, and developing public opinion weighing more heavily against OPS.

2/ Prosecution Evidence during the trial indicated that Detective Grus was investigating charges of Criminal Negligence Causing Bodily Harm and Death when the Ottawa Police ordered her to stop and suspended her.

Prosecution Evidence also indicated that Ottawa Police had received a complete evidence file from Detective Grus – yet failed to launch investigations into the alleged crimes.

An appeals process will take years, with the public becoming more aware of how the Ottawa Police neglected their duty to initiate an investigation into vaccination injuries and deaths as additional evidence and case law comes to light.

3/ Departures of Key Personnel: Inspector O’Toole and Prosecutor Stewart are the two people most responsible for charging and prosecuting Detective Grus. With both no longer employed by the Ottawa Police there are doubts about the OPS’s capacity to effectively manage the case now and in the future. Their departures could complicate the current proceedings and any subsequent appeals.

Will Ottawa Police Persist With A Faltering Prosecution?

The Ottawa Police leadership now faces a critical decision: persist with a faltering prosecution riddled with internal strife and burgeoning evidence supporting Grus, or withdraw the charges to mitigate further costs and damage to the organization’s credibility—a credibility already hanging by a thread.

Chaos. Confusion. Concealment.

The refusal of both the Ottawa Police and Vanessa Stewart to inform Detective Grus or her legal team about Stewart’s status—and their stonewalling of media inquiries—transcends mere lack of transparency; it borders on obstruction.

This pattern suggests deeper issues within the OPS. Words like confusion, indecision, and chaos seem insufficient to describe the turmoil.

For over two years, multiple insider sources have revealed a critical divide within OPS senior management over the Grus case. In this light, the ousting of Inspector O’Toole and the non-renewal of Stewart’s contract signal a possible turning point in favor of Detective Grus.

The pressing challenge for OPS leadership is to devise an exit strategy from the Grus debacle. Their goal must be to minimize further embarrassment, control escalating legal expenses, and address potential liability for defense costs, which reportedly approach $400,000.

Notes

Comprehensive coverage of the Detective Grus case with links to articles and sources since March of 2022 can be found at Donald Best’s website:

https://donaldbest.ca/detective-grus-case/

Emails Mentioned in this Article

20241028 email thread OPS Media Relations

20241107 1218pm Best To Stewart OPS

20241107 1219pm Auto Reply Stewart OPS

20241107 1222pm Best To Stewart AttGen

 

This article will be updated as more information becomes available.

Mother’s Day on Parliament Hill – Honouring Ottawa Police Detective Helen Grus

Courthouse Prayers for Ottawa Police Detective Helen Grus

An Ottawa grandmother will spend Mother’s Day on Parliament Hill collecting messages of appreciation and encouragement to be delivered to Ottawa Police Detective Helen Grus. All are invited to attend at noon, Sunday May 12th. Messages and e-cards can also be emailed to [email protected]

Meela Melnik was initially skeptical about Detective Grus when in early 2022 CBC News broke the story and claimed the officer had violated rules by initiating an ‘unauthorized’ investigation into the unexplained deaths of nine Ottawa infants.

But after paying close attention to detailed reports of the case, and attending at the hearing herself, Melnik told this reporter:

“I’m spending Mother’s Day honouring Detective Grus because of my conscience and the evidence I’ve seen at her trial. Detective Grus was doing her duty investigating these nine infant deaths.

They stopped her from asking questions. They laid charges to intimidate Grus and other police officers from investigating possible connections between the Covid vaccines and injuries and deaths. It was Detective Grus’ duty to ask these questions.

Canadians should be demanding to know why the Ottawa Police interfered with Detective Grus and stopped her investigation into infant deaths. We should also be demanding to know the full story of outside influences upon the decision to prosecute Detective Grus.”   Ottawa Grandmother Meela Melnik

Melnik describes herself as “pretty ordinary, a grey-haired grandmother”. It was obvious during our interview that she is uncomfortable with taking a public stand but feels she has a duty to alert her fellow Canadians about the Ottawa Police stopping Detective Grus from continuing her investigation into the unexplained infant deaths.

Further, her attendance at the Grus Hearing convinced Melnik that the process is unjust and biased against the officer. Melnik will be attending again when the Grus Hearing reconvenes on Monday, May 27, 2024.

“I’m a police officer; I’m there to solve and help solve if somebody dies. Especially an innocent little baby … I don’t want more babies to die. Whether it’s vaccine-related or not … I’m not okay with babies dying and not getting any answers.” Detective Helen Grus during police questioning

Detective Grus Mother’s Day Cards Available Online and at Parliament Hill

Melnik will bring pre-printed and blank Mother’s Day cards to her Mother’s Day vigil on Parliament Hill so that passersby can send a Mother’s Day message to Detective Grus.

Messages and e-cards can also be emailed to: [email protected]

These will be delivered directly to Detective on the morning of Monday, May 27, 2024 when she arrives for the continuation of her Disciplinary Hearing.

“The eternal Golden Rule of Pregnancy for millennia has been you never ever introduce a novel substance in pregnancy.” Obstetrician/Gynecologist and Fetal Medicine Physician Dr.James Thorp.

Here is the Information Poster for the Detective Grus Mother’s Day Event

Grus Mothers Day Event Parliament Hill Flier

Mother’s Day Origins and Detective Helen Grus

Meela Melnik’s poster of the Mother’s Day Event for Detective Grus quotes from the 1872 Mother’s Day Proclamation ‘Appeal to womanhood throughout the world’ by Julia Ward Howe.

Melnik says that Detective Grus is a mother who should be honoured for her integrity and strength, for doing her duty in investigating sudden infant deaths and so to trying to prevent future tragedies for parents.

Vincent Gircys: Police Profession and Police Unions Self-Destructing Over Human Rights Violations, Woke Agendas

Four Years and Counting..

As a former police officer I’ve personally witnessed an abhorrent amount of suffering from those who lost their businesses, homes, and careers in the last four years. While a small minority of ultra wealthy gamed the system to the tune of billions, the vast majority of Canadians have not done well financially or otherwise – the result of tyrannical government decisions and those who supported the decisions by remaining silent.

“Beyond the financial losses – the Charter and Human Rights violations and Police Brutality are off the charts.”

What was once considered a noble profession no longer stands tall and true today. The trust has been broken with too many examples to list.

Guest article by Vincent Gircys

The result of that demise includes the loss of public trust, police morale decimated, replacement rates falling rapidly, an increase in sick time, and a lack of public interest in joining the profession. And, like every other civil service position, internal issues are contributing to the collapse.

One of the main issues is tribalism within the organizations based on hiring models that began almost 25 years ago. In an effort to comply with increasing international WEF commitments, policing organizations have accelerated the DEI (Diversity Equity and Inclusion) component. The hiring and promoting those who scored highest in the employment and promotion processes is taking a back seat to an approach based on gender, race, and sexual preference.

The fallout from this process and others like it is the big fat lack-of-competency elephant in the room. Nobody is talking about it on the outside.

Today, police service social media accounts are lighting up with congratulatory messages celebrating the special days dedicated to some – while intentionally ignoring others. This is itself divisive and can’t be discussed by those in public service without retribution.

Discussion of divisive comments made by the Prime Minister or others in power is also taboo in our Police services. If that isn’t enough, Bill C-63 will make sure to silence the remainder.

I recently posted my thoughts to the PAO (Police Association of Ontario) on the proven value of meritocracy where performance takes precedence. I also noted the problems associated with tribalism.

PAO President Mark Baxter

PAO President Mark Baxter chose to respond, “I understand why you’re a former forensic investigator. No room for your divisive views in our police workplaces in 2024! Let’s use today to celebrate the accomplishments women have made in policing and in all workplaces, not diminish them with your 1950’s views #IWD.”

It seems Mr Baxter doesn’t actually know me, my service contributions spanning over 32 years, my awards or my experience.

What Mark Baxter knows is at all cost he needs to defend the narrative put before him – much like the Ottawa Police Service attempting to destroy Detective Helen Grus.

Detective Grus failed to adhere to the narrative and chose to ask questions regarding the sudden and unexplained deaths of infants. No mention of that woman’s courage from Mark Baxter while celebrating Women in Policing Day.

“The response toward Detective Grus has revealed just how corrupt our Police Services and Police Associations are, and how far they are willing to go to keep specific information from surfacing.”

Many working within the Police service are aware and this fact adds to the everyday stress. I started my career in 1982 at a time when my recruiter explained only the best would be hired to complete a career exceeding 30 years of experience that most could not handle.

“I don’t subscribe at all to the dark days of 50’s style policing as Mark Baxter suggests. I also don’t subscribe to the current cult beliefs of cutting off your genitals, demanding the use of gender pronouns, tampons in men’s washrooms, men in woman’s washrooms, giving up your Charter Rights, or hiring people to perform dangerous duties with less than outstanding skills.”

If I’m in need of Police Services I’m not looking at race, gender or sexual preference. I want to know that the responding police officers are the best possible.

Ultimately our cultural changes will be decided by Canadians over a much longer time period than envisioned by those pushing the Woke Cult Agendas in the Police Service and Police Unions.

Vincent Gircys

 

About Vincent Gircys

Vincent Gircys was a serving member of the Ontario Provincial Police for 32 years. As a police Constable in one of Canada’s largest police services, he was a member of the
Emergency Response Team and later became a Forensic Reconstructionist adopting the principles of science to determine contributing factors leading to death.

Vincent was a recipient of several awards for service including the distinguished Exemplary Service Medal. He retired from law enforcement in 2015.

He has been active in fighting government and police overreach, and stands against the unjust suspension of Human and Constitutional Rights.

Vincent Circys is also a plaintiff in a civil lawsuit against Canada’s financial institutions, Justin Trudeau, several Cabinet Ministers, and others who unlawfully “identified individuals, provided financial information, interfered with private property, and seized financial products, information services of the plaintiffs including but not limited to their bank accounts and credit cards.”

Editor’s Notes

This article is based upon a major X post by Vincent Gircys on March 9, 2024.

The editor, Donald Best, made changes for grammar and clarity – that have not yet been seen or approved by Vincent Gircys. If Mr. Gircys wishes any changes, I will make them and post the revision notice.

Donald Best

BREAKING: Canada’s Parliament Considers Detective Helen Grus Case

Order Paper Questions Government Health Authorities’ Influence Re Grus Investigation into Sudden Infant Deaths

MP Cathay Wagantall Demands Communications Mentioning: Deputy Chief Steven Bell, Superintendent Heather Lachine, Inspector Hugh O’Toole, Prosecutor Vanessa Stewart

The case of Ottawa Police Detective Helen Grus and her investigation into a cluster of Sudden Infant Deaths in the Ottawa area is being raised in Canada’s Parliament. According to the rules, the Government must now provide a written answer within 45 days.

MP Cathay Wagantall (CPC)

Ottawa Police Detective Helen Grus is charged with ‘Discreditable Conduct’ under the Ontario Police Services Act for conducting “unauthorized” investigations into the sudden deaths of nine infants. The next Hearing is on Monday, March 25, 2024.

Grus was investigating any potential connection between the vaccination status of the mothers and the sudden deaths of breastfeeding babies. Ottawa Police shut down her investigation, ordered her to stop, and charged her with an internal disciplinary charge.

My independent journalism revealed that Public Health Agency of Canada personnel sought to influence the Ottawa Police investigation of Detective Grus as early as March 2022, and even continuing after she was charged in July of 2022. (My April 27, 2023 article here)

Now a Conservative Member of Parliament is formally demanding answers about the Grus Case by placing questions on the Order Paper.

The just-published Thursday March 21, 2024, Order Paper includes the following question by MP Cathay Wagantall, Member for Yorkton-Melville, Saskatchewan…

Q-24332 — March 14, 2024 —  Mrs. Wagantall (Yorkton—Melville) — With regard to Public Health Agency of Canada, Health Canada, National Advisory Committee on Immunization and Privy Council communications in 2022:

(a) were there communications between any of the entities or their personnel with the Ottawa Police Services Board or Ottawa Police Services personnel or the Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario;

(b) if the answer to (a) is affirmative, was any of the communication with respect to Detective Helen Grus, stillbirths or deaths of infants under one year;

(c) if the answer to (b) is affirmative, what are the details of each communication, including the (i) date, (ii) type of communication such as memorandum, telephone conversation, fax, or email, (iii) subject, (iv) reports produced as a result of the communication, (v) names of people included or copied on the communication;

(d) were any of the named entities above or their personnel included in communications involving one or more of the following individuals, Deputy Chief Steven Bell, Superintendent Heather Lachine, Hugh O’Toole of the Professional Standards Branch, Prosecutor Vanessa Stewart, or the Ontario Coroner’s office; and

(e) if the answer to (d) is affirmative, what are the details of each communication, including the (i) date, (ii) type of communication, (iii) subject, (iv) reports produced as a result of the communication, (v) names of people included or copied on the communication?

Question Q-2433 can be found at the Parliamentary Website here.

Here is the Order Paper in pdf: ordpaper293

More Coming Soon

 

MP Cathay Wagantall

Website – CathayWagantall.CA

Twitter / X

Instagram

Nominate Detective Helen Grus for Police Hero of the Year!

Police Association of Ontario Awards – Nominations Deadline March 17, 2024

If there is one Police Officer in Ontario who deserves the Hero of the Year Award, it is Ottawa Police Detective Helen Grus.

As of Monday, March 4, 2024 about 45 police officers have been nominated so far across the five award categories. The vast majority (if not all) of the nominations are submitted by a single nominator about their positive experience with the officer they nominated. This ‘single nominator per nominee’ has been the reality since the inception of the awards in 2016.

It would be unprecedented in the history of the awards if several hundred Canadians each separately nominated Ottawa Police Detective Helen Grus for the ‘Police Hero Honour Roll Award’ Category.

Detective Helen Grus

This article contains the information you need to create and submit a credible nomination for Detective Grus according to the rules and eligibility criteria of the Police Association of Ontario.

I submitted my nomination for Detective Grus via email on Sunday, March 3, 2024. My seven-page submission, covering email, and photo of Detective Grus are attached to this article.

Feel free to entirely write your own submission from scratch, to adopt any part of my work in your submission, or to write a short nomination stating that you agree with my nomination and attaching my nomination as supporting information to your nomination.

Understand and Adhere to the Nomination Rules!

Obviously it is better to compose your nomination for Detective Grus entirely in your own words – and as we see from past awards even a paragraph or two can be enough to convince the judges to make an award.

You must, however, adhere to the nomination rules of the Hero of the Year Awards. I’ve listed them in this article as best as I can – so take the time to get it right and you’ll make a difference.

Let’s Keep Track of How Many People Nominate Detective Grus

There are several methods of submitting your nomination:

I’ll provide more details and my recommendations below, but however you choose to submit your nomination please email me a copy of your nomination and whatever submission receipt you obtain – to [email protected]

If even fifty people nominate Detective Grus and she does not receive an award – that will be a huge news story that several journalists and respected news organizations have already indicated they will cover.

But let’s also have faith in the PAO Award Judges because as you will see when you read my nomination, any police officer would favour nominations for Detective Grus.

Who Can Nominate Detective Grus?

Nominations must come from members of the public – police personnel (officers and civilians) cannot nominate each other for these awards.

Other than the restriction on active police personnel – anyone can nominate Detective Grus for the PAO Award. You don’t have to be a Canadian citizen or resident, you don’t have to live in Ontario or Canada. The rules make no residency conditions for nominators and this is typical because tourists (even from other countries) often nominate police officers for these types of awards.

You MUST include your real name, address, contact information etc sufficient to show that you are a real person, and to provide the Awards Judges with a method of contacting you.

Award Categories

The five award categories can be found here: How It Works

The only suitable category for Detective Grus is: Police Hero Honour Roll Award

“The ‘Police Hero Honour Roll Award’ pays homage to a police officer or civilian police service employee who has made a significant impact over the past decade.”

Your nomination MUST clearly state the category of award you are nominating Detective Grus for – so don’t forget!   Police Hero Honour Roll Award

Need To Know and Tips

Nomination Methods

The PAO PoliceHero.ca website states that nominations can be made using the “online nomination form, email, Facebook Direct Message, or Twitter Direct Message.”

There are pros and cons to each method because some provide no immediate receipt of a submission – or provide an immediate receipt but no record of the words and supporting documents submitted.

No matter which method you use to nominate Detective Grus (or any other police officer) – I advise you to compose it in Word or some other offline editor, save it, and THEN copy and paste or attach it to the nomination. You can also capture a screenshot of your submission and keep it as proof.

Not providing your true name and contact details invalidates your nomination.

Many have complained to me that they received no acknowledgement or receipt for an emailed nomination – but received an acknowledgement for an online nomination with no copy of what they posted.

Screen shots would seem to be an answer to record what you’ve done online. I use FireShot on Windows and Mac, and MovAVI Screen Recorder and the built-in ‘screenshot’ app on the Mac. Windows also has the ‘Snipping Tool’ built in.

Do It Correctly – Make Your Nomination Count!

There are rules about nominating officers for the PAO Hero of the Year Awards. Your ‘nomination’ accomplishes nothing if you only go to Twitter or Facebook and say “I nominate Helen Grus” – because your ‘nomination’ doesn’t meet the basic criteria laid out at the PAO website.

Already I see many ‘public nominations’ made as comments on the PAO Twitter-X account that will be thrown out because nominations using Twitter-X or Facebook must be submitted via Direct Message – not merely a public posting or comment. ADHERE TO THE RULES!

Checklist for Nominations

  • You must use one of the approved methods of submitting your nomination:
  • Deadline: Nominations must be submitted by end of day Sunday, March 17, 2024 (Eastern Time – Ottawa) PUT A DATE ON YOUR NOMINATION!
  • You must use your real name, address, and contact information. The online submission form requires a minimum of your first and last name, phone number, email, and postal code. Assume other nomination methods must include at least this information at a minimum.
  • You must provide Detective Helen Grus’ First and Last Name (Helen Grus), state that she serves with the Ottawa Police Service, and that she is a ‘Uniform / Sworn Officer’ (ie: a sworn police officer – not a civilian employee)
  • You must state which award category you are nominating Detective Grus for – which is recommended to be ‘Police Hero Honour Roll Award’.
  • Submissions must include a written or verbal description as to why your nominee should be considered for the Police Association of Ontario Police Services Hero of the Year award. (In my nomination – attached – I first described Detective Grus’ career accomplishments that pre-date the Covid vaccine mandates, and then a following section on her more recent accomplishments.)
  • You should agree to and include this phrase: ‘By submitting this nomination I consent to the Police Association of Ontario posting all or part of my nomination including photography publicly on their platforms. I also consent to being contacted to provide more details.’
  • You should declare that YOU are not a serving police officer, or employee of a Police Service.
  • If using email, Twitter-X, or Facebook, you should politely request acknowledgement that your nomination has been received. The online form provides an instant acknowledgement but no record of what was received. (I have not yet received an acknowledgement of my emailed March 3, 2024 nomination and so will send a follow-up email.)
  • Submissions can include a photo of Detective Helen Grus if you have one. The below Public Domain Photo of Detective Grus was taken by me. I placed it into the public domain and give permission for you to provide it with your nomination of Detective Helen Grus.

Example Nomination for Detective Grus

Nomination Submitted by Donald Best (pdf format): PAO 2024 Nomination Detective Helen Grus Hero of the Year Award_Redacted

Covering Email (pdf format): 20240303 Grus Nomination email_Redacted

Public Domain Photo: (click for large size for downloading)

Text of Donald Best’s Covering email

From: Donald Best (email redacted)
To: [email protected]
Date Sunday, March 3rd, 2024 at 6:30 AM

Subject: Nomination: Constable Helen Grus – Ottawa Police

Dear Police Association of Ontario,

Attached please find a pdf document that is my nomination of Ottawa Police Constable (Detective) Helen Grus for the 2024 ‘Police Hero Honour Roll Award’, as well as a photo of Detective Grus that I took myself and placed into the public domain.

I am a member of the public and NOT a police officer.

By submitting this nomination I consent to the Police Association of Ontario posting all or part of my nomination including photography publicly on their platforms. I also consent to being contacted (by email please) to provide more details.

Please acknowledge the receipt of this emailed nomination.

Donald Best

 

Text of Donald Best’s Nomination

 

Donald Best

(Address Redacted)

(Email Redacted)

March 3, 2024

Police Association of Ontario

Via email: [email protected]

 

Nomination: Police Services Hero of the Year Award

Nominee: Ottawa Police Service Constable (Detective) Helen Grus

Category: Police Hero Honour Roll Award

 

I, Donald Best, nominate Ottawa Police Constable (Detective) Helen Grus for the Police Association of Ontario ‘Police Hero Honour Roll Award’.

Detective Grus (Badge #1631) is now assigned to the Robbery Squad. In each posting throughout her 21-year career Helen Grus has shown exceptional dedication and diligence in her duties, as well as outstanding leadership qualities and commitment to the community. Detective Grus has been praised for her concern for victims that “exceeds all expectations”. She is “a revered investigator” – all of which her supervisors noted in her annual performance reviews to 2021. (The last annual review that is publicly available). (1)

In 2016, Detective Grus was assigned to the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Unit (SACA). Her 2021 performance review reads in part:

“Detective Grus is a dedicated employee who puts her victims’ needs above herself. Detective Grus is well-versed in her role as an investigator in SACA. Being one of the most senior officers in the unit, Detective Grus is a wealth of knowledge and does not hesitate to assist or provide guidance to others…

Detective Grus is a revered investigator in SACA, and has a large resume of experience. I would encourage Detective Grus to use these abilities and knowledge to pursue a promotion and/or other career aspirations. SACA is lucky to have such a skilled interviewer and investigator…

Detective Grus also volunteers to assist with adult pre-charge diversion program, due to extensive experience in this realm. She dedicates a lot of her own time for this cause and maintains great contacts with our stakeholders in the community to assist with that liaison between us and our community partners…

Detective Grus does not hesitate to volunteer for new files, as well as complex ones, and Detective Grus works well in a team and demonstrates her abilities on a daily basis. Detective Grus was assigned some stranger sexual assaults of sex trade workers and collaborated with other Detectives to establish possible connections between their assigned files…

Detective Grus is very personable and works with a smile…. Detective Grus makes our clients really comfortable with the process, as well as with our organization as a whole…

Detective Grus is well respected amongst her peers in SACA for her knowledge and abilities. She continues to mentor junior officers and does not hesitate to break away from her files to assist with others…

Detective Grus has a huge sense of team working towards a similar goal to provide the best service we can for our clients… Detective Grus is self-sufficient and does not require close supervision…” (2)

As one example of the hundreds of investigations that Detective Grus self-initiated during her career – in 2017 Detective Grus initiated an investigation into an unsolved historical sex assault upon a child.

Like all Canadian police officers Detective Grus was and is authorized by law and her Oath of Office to self-initiate any investigation without notifying her supervisors or seeking their permission or direction. This is because Canada empowers each police officer to act with powerful self-autonomy compared with many other countries – to ensure that police officers and their investigations are protected from political influence and corruption.

In the 2017 case, Detective Grus examined confidential police files and began to suspect and gather evidence against Timothy Sample, a 56-year-old Personal Support Worker.

As a direct result of Detective Grus’s initiative, diligence, and exceptional investigative and interviewing skills, Timothy Sample was charged and convicted of sexually assaulting a young girl over a four-year period starting when she was 8 years old. The details of the case and Detective Grus’ role were published in the Ottawa Citizen June 6, 2019 article ‘PSW monster jailed for another child-sex crime’. (3)

The above is more than sufficient reason for the Police Association of Ontario to honour Detective Helen Grus with the 2024 ‘Police Hero Honour Roll Award’.

There are, however, additional circumstances to further show that Detective Helen Grus acts with professional and personal integrity, with diligence, with moral courage, and with a firm commitment to her duty and her Police Oath of Office.

Detective Grus is currently defending against an internal disciplinary charge of ‘Discreditable Conduct’ for “initiating an unauthorized criminal investigation” into a cluster of unexplained infant deaths in the Ottawa area. She is charged with self-initiating an investigation – exactly as she did and was praised for in the 2017 Timothy Sample case.

Detective Grus’s current circumstances are critical to policing in Canada because the final outcome will determine whether or not individual Canadian Police Officers have the authority and duty to self-initiate investigations – or whether they must first seek permission and political approval.

Like every other Canadian Police Officer with two decades of service, Detective Grus has self-initiated hundreds of major and minor investigations during her career – without first seeking permission or notifying other officers.

The difference this time is that the cluster of sudden, unexplained infant deaths is a political hotcake, where Public Health Agency of Canada personnel are proven to have contacted and influenced the Ottawa Police – first during the internal investigation into Detective Grus, and again after Professional Standards charged Detective Grus and she was appearing before a Tribunal. (4)

As Detective Grus defends against the politically motivated charge, she also defends the right and duty of every Canadian police officer to self-initiate investigations without first seeking permission or having to bend to political influences.

Because of her commitment to her Oath of Office and Duty, for the past two years Detective Grus and her family members have been subject to acts of intimidation, and to financial and professional sanctions. In January 2024, the intimidation ramped up to include written criminal threats to Detective Grus from a senior police officer. The written threats were intended to stop Detective Grus from testifying and providing documents in her defence against the charge. The documents were likely to reveal the corruption and bullying that she has been subjected to by senior officers. (7, 8)

Despite over two years of intimidation and sanctions, Detective Helen Grus continues to defend the right and duty of every Canadian Police Officer to do their duty and uphold their oath of office without political interference.

The fact that Detective Helen Grus continues to work despite the disciplinary charge is testimony to her leadership, her incredible honour in her work, and demonstrates that the Ottawa Police Service truly values Detective Helen Grus’ contribution to policing the community.

The detailed circumstances of the charge against Detective Grus are as follows:

In early 2022, police officers in the SACA unit noticed a tripling in baby deaths which was unusual. Also unusual was that two babies had died in their mother’s arms, and another died with an enlarged heart. (5)

Like any good police officer, Detective Helen Grus started looking into the circumstances of the recent sudden infant deaths and started asking questions about whether or not the Covid-19 vaccination, being the only major variable, might be a cause.

Medical research indicated that there may be a correlation which raised a concern for public safety and so Detective Helen Grus started preparing a package to inform her chain of command. Detective Grus even called Sergeant Major Peter Danyluk of the Chief’s Office to ask if that was acceptable. She contacted Danyluk because Detective Helen Grus had been ordered in September 2021 by her immediate lower chain of command (Sergeant and Staff Sergeant) not to talk about anything in relation to covid-19, including mandates and vaccinations. (6)

On January 30, 2022, Detective Grus called the father of one of the deceased infants to inquire about the Covid-19 vaccine status of the mother.

Sworn evidence presented before an Ottawa Police Tribunal in August 2023 and January 2024 showed that the call was appreciated and cordial.

During further sworn testimony, a family member of one of the deceased infants described Detective Grus as “One of the most caring, dedicated police officers I’ve known. She’s always willing to help, willing to hear your story… she is there, she wants to help victims, she wants to help people and I believe that the police departments all over the country need more police officers like her.”

On February 4, 2022, Detective Grus was suspended for allegedly printing out a coroner’s report and for looking in the police files of sudden infant deaths. This suspension was based on a charge of insubordination and specifically for allegedly breaching an internal policy on the use of a police database of records which cannot be used for personal reasons.

The charge was later dropped as there was no evidence against Detective Grus because she was in fact, simply doing her job. During the cross-examination of prosecution witness Detective Renee Stewart at the Tribunal against Detective Grus, it was discovered that the whole printing of the coroner’s report was in fact a rumour and a total fabrication used to support the immediate suspension of Detective Grus. No one knew about the phone call to the father at that time.

In mid-March 2022, multiple unknown Ottawa Police Officers secretly and unofficially contacted CBC journalist Shaamini Yogaretnam and unlawfully provided her with confidential police information concerning the internal investigation against Detective Grus.

For reasons unknown, Yogaretnam and the CBC then issued an ultimatum to the Ottawa Police that the police had only 24 hours to inform the parents of the sudden infant deaths that Detective Grus had looked into.

The Tribunal against Detective Grus heard evidence that police officers from the Professional Standards Unit called nine families on March 25, 2022 to inform them that Detective Grus had committed a privacy breach – when in fact she had not. All this information was extremely sensitive, confidential, and subject to the Oath of Secrecy per the Police Services Act.

It is evident that the police officers involved in leaking the information to the CBC were working with CBC to defame Detective Grus, to ruin her reputation publicly, and to fabricate evidence for a discreditable conduct charge.

On March 28, 2022 and March 31, 2022, Yogaretnam and the CBC published two articles and broadcast a radio show about Detective Helen Grus – shamelessly defaming an outstanding police officer of the Ottawa Police Service, interfering with an internal police investigation, upsetting families who lost their infants, and breaching the sacred oath of confidentiality.

The Ottawa Police Professional Standards Unit refused Detective Grus’s written demand to launch a criminal investigation to determine the identities of the rogue officers who unlawfully provided confidential police information to the CBC. Instead, the Professional Standards Unit blamed Detective Grus for the embarrassment to the Ottawa Police and went on to charge Detective Grus with discreditable conduct “for bringing the reputation of the Ottawa Police Service into disrepute.” (2)

On May 12, 2022, Professional Standards investigators formally interviewed Detective Grus in a ‘compelled interview’. During the recorded interview (which was publicly played at the ongoing Tribunal Disciplinary Hearing), Detective Grus provided the Professional Standards investigators with documented evidence, including clinical studies on the Covid-19 vaccinations.

The clinical reports included some of the ‘Pfizer Documents’ that showed Pfizer knew that the experimental mRNA COVID vaccinations killed and injured babies in the womb – and the fact that the clinical trials did not include testing on pregnant and breastfeeding women as clinical subjects, it just so happened that some of the clinical subjects were pregnant at the time, and all those that the researchers followed up with had lost their babies after taking the Covid-19 vaccination. (2)

Other evidence included an affidavit of an Expert Witness Medical Doctor about the dangers to breastfeeding infants of mRNA injected mothers.

In her interview, Detective Grus mentioned that she believed that there were reasonable and probable grounds of criminality, as these clinical studies were provided to Public Health Agency Canada, and yet PHAC went on to state that the Covid-19 vaccinations were safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women, contrary to the data indicating that they were in fact potentially lethal. (2)

The Professional Standards officers who received this criminal investigation file and evidence did not initiate an investigation and are in Neglect of Duty under the Police Services Act of Ontario – in my professional opinion as a former Toronto Police Sergeant (Detective). This neglect is just another indication of the political motivation for the charge against Detective Grus.

At the outset of the May 12, 2022 compelled interview, the investigator stated that the Professional Standards Unit was looking into charging Detective Grus with discreditable conduct because of the CBC articles. It was only during this interview, that Detective Grus mentioned that she made the phone call to the one father on January 30, 2022. Two months later, in June 2022, the PSU decided to charge Detective Grus with discreditable conduct for the purported reasons that she made a phone call to the father and that she was interfering with another lead investigator’s case as well as undertaking an “unauthorised investigation” when she looked into sudden infant death files.

The Ottawa Police Association (the Police Union) refuses to cover the costs of the legal defense for Detective Grus, and so she has been forced to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to date for legal counsel to defend her right and duty to preserve life.

It is clear from the evidence presented at the Tribunal thus far, that Detective Grus is being vilified and punished for asking difficult questions, and for looking into the criminal occurrence of the decision to mandate the Covid-19 vaccination for pregnant and breastfeeding women when it was not safe to do so – and has possibly contributed to the deaths of infants.

The charge against Detective Grus is also intended to deter her and other police officers from initiating criminal investigations into the manufacture, testing, approval, procurement, and mandating of the experimental mRNA COVID vaccinations – including deterring investigations into any potential injuries and deaths.

In October 2022, the Ottawa Police ordered Detective Grus to report to the Robbery Squad to work, but with conditions to stay away from the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Unit. Detective Grus continues to fulfill her duties and oath of office with dedication and diligence.

Even though Detective Helen Grus faces an ongoing legal battle that is politically motivated, she maintains her loyalty and dedication to her profession and to the Ottawa Police Service.

Detective Grus has provided exemplary service, has exceeded expectations on all of her performance reports, is due for promotion to Sergeant, and has shown valour and dedication to the Ottawa Police, to the community, and to preserving life.

Detective Helen Grus is an outstanding police officer and is surely worthy of the Police Association of Ontario ‘Police Hero Honour Roll Award’.

Yours truly,

Donald Best

 

Sources

1, 2, 5, 6 – Transcripts of the Ottawa Police Tribunal against Detective Helen Grus

3 – Ottawa Citizen, June 6, 2019 – PSW ‘monster’ jailed for another child-sex crime

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/0607-sample

4 – DonaldBest.ca, April 27, 2023 – Public Health Agency of Canada Personnel Influenced Ottawa Police Investigation and Charge against Detective Grus

https://donaldbest.ca/public-health-agency-of-canada-personnel-influenced-ottawa-police-investigation-and-charge-against-detective-grus/

7 – The Epoch Times, January 11, 2024 – Chaos Erupts at Hearing of Ottawa Detective as Lawyers File Report Accusing Superior of Witness Intimidation

https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/chaos-erupts-in-hearing-of-ottawa-detective-as-lawyers-file-police-report-on-head-of-professional-standards-unit-5563628

8 – The Epoch Times, January 10, 2024 – Lawyers Accuse Officer of Witness Tampering, Intimidation of Detective Who Looked Into COVID Vaccine, Child Deaths

https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/lawyers-accuse-officer-of-witness-tampering-intimidation-of-detective-who-looked-into-covid-vaccine-child-deaths-5562716

Ottawa Police Prosecutor Vanessa Stewart Likens Detective Helen Grus to Serial Rapist-Murderer Russell Williams

Hearing Officer Superintendent Chris Renwick allows outrageous comparison over defense objections

Stewart Court Attire

Every time we think that the internal hearing against Ottawa Police Detective Helen Grus can’t get any wilder – Prosecutor Vanessa Stewart yells “HOLD MY BEER!” and once again proves us wrong.

Accompanying her outrageous courtroom behaviour with fashion statements and hi-heeled boots that rival anything seen on Ottawa’s Gladstone Strip, Prosecutor Stewart seems to have little sense of decorum and propriety. Every day she makes the hearing into a theatre of the absurd where the audience can’t even guess at her next act.

You can’t make this up!

On Wednesday, January 10, 2024 Prosecutor Vanessa Stewart cross-examined defense witness Ottawa Police Service Sergeant Major (retired) Peter Danyluk.

In earlier testimony Danyluk described Detective Helen Grus as having a calm demeanor when she spoke with him about her investigation and concerns with the mRNA Covid ‘vaccines’.

Prosecutor Vanessa Stewart then despicably likened ‘calm demeanor’ Detective Helen Grus to ‘calm’ Serial Rapist – Murderer Russell Williams

Prosecutor Stewart – “You would agree that good people can make bad decisions.”

Witness Danyluk – “Anybody would agree with that. Yes.”

Prosecutor Stewart – “You would agree with me, people who appear calm can make bad decisions?”

Witness Danyluk – “Yes”

Prosecutor Stewart – “So people who appear calm can make bad decisions. I can give you a specific example. In the course of your career, did you ever have a chance to watch the interview of Russell Williams?”

Witness Danyluk – “Possibly”

Prosecutor Stewart – “I’m going to suggest that during the video of his interview Russell Williams was extremely calm.”

Defense Counsels Bath-Sheba van den Berg and Blair Ector – “OBJECTION!”

At this exchange the public gallery looked at each other in amazement, shaking their heads and wondering what idiocy would be next. They didn’t have long to wait…

Defense Lawyers Allege Criminal Witness Intimidation, Obstruction of Justice by Professional Standards Inspector

Insp. Hugh O’Toole

At a little after 3pm just before Detective Grus was to testify in her own defense, lead counsel Bath-Sheba van den Berg and co-counsel Blair Ector informed Hearing Officer Chris Renwick that Professional Standards Inspector Hugh O’Toole had sent an intimidating and threatening email to Detective Grus just prior to her scheduled testimony.

The email threatened that if Detective Grus gave certain evidence and referred to certain Ottawa Police documents in her testimony, the Ottawa Police Professional Standards Unit would launch another investigation against her.

This email was sent directly to the witness as she was about to testify – not to her defense lawyers.

In the chaos that followed Prosecutor Vanessa Stewart also threatened Detective Grus – stating that Stewart had “Put (Grus and her lawyers) on Notice” about the use of certain Ottawa Police documents as evidence. By her comments, Stewart also revealed that she had prior knowledge about the threatening email and was probably in collusion with Inspector O’Toole in delivering the threat.

My next report will provide full details of the threats to Detective Grus and an update on further developments.

After consultation with some of my lawyer friends, I am of the strong opinion that the intimidating and threatening email from Ottawa Police Inspector Hugh O’Toole meets the criminal threshold for:

– Intimidating a Justice System Participant (CC 423.1 (1) b),

– Obstruction of Justice (CC 139 (2) AND (3) )

Next Hearing Date – About February 14 / 15, 2024

When the hearing adjourned on Thursday, January 11, 2024 the parties were discussing the next hearing dates to be confirmed on or about February 14 / 15, 2024 – but no date has yet appeared on the Ottawa Police hearings website.

News Media Articles about the latest chaos in the Detective Grus Hearing

January 13, 2024 – (Jason Unrau – True North) Witness intimidation accusation mires misconduct hearing for Ottawa cop who probed child deaths

January 12, 2024 – (Vlad Tepes Blog) A few words about the Helen Grus hearings in Ottawa

January 11, 2024 – (Robert Kraychik – Rebel News) Ottawa cop facing discipline tribunal warned not to cite police docs minutes before testifying 

January 11, 2024 – (Matthew Horwood – The Epoch Times) Chaos Erupts at Hearing of Ottawa Detective as Lawyers File Report Accusing Superior of Witness Intimidation

January 10-11, 2024 – (Vlad Tepes – RAIR Foundation) Exclusive Trial Update on Helen Grus: Canadian Police Target Own Detective for Daring to Question Role of ‘Covid Vaccines’ in Death of 9 Babies

January 10, 2024 – (Matthew Horwood – The Epoch Times) Lawyers Accuse Officer of Witness Tampering, Intimidation of Detective Who Looked Into COVID Vaccine, Child Deaths

For more, see the ‘Detective Grus Case’ tab at the top of my website.

Donald Best

January 24, 2024 – 1045am Eastern Time

Ottawa Police Tribunal Biased To The Core Against Detective Helen Grus

Natural Justice Denied: The Fix is In

Hearing Continues January 8, 2024

  • Detective Grus Not Allowed to See Her Own Handwritten Duty Book
  • Tribunal Refuses to Allow Expert Defense Witnesses
  • Tribunal Allows Prosecutor’s Conflict of Interest: Sister-in-Law is Prosecution Witness.
  • Tribunal Allows Dishonest Prosecution Strategy of Preventing Cross-Examinations

There is little doubt that “The Fix Is In” for the trial of Ottawa Police Detective Helen Grus – who is charged with Discreditable Conduct for conducting an alleged ‘unauthorized’ investigation into a potential connection between mothers’ mRNA injections and the deaths of breastfeeding infants in a cluster of nine infant deaths.

For many observers, the final straw occurred when Hearing Officer Chris Renwick refused to allow Grus to examine her own hand-written duty book for January 30, 2022.

The prosecution alleges that Detective Grus’s on-duty investigative phone call to the father of a deceased infant on January 30, 2022 was improper. Grus made notes that day in her Duty Memo Book – but the Tribunal refuses to allow the veteran Detective to see her own official notes she made on the very day that the prosecution alleges she committed an on-duty offense.

Please read the above paragraph again so you can fully comprehend the injustice and illegitimacy of process faced by Detective Grus and her defense lawyers.

Trials Officer Supt (Retired) Chris Renwick

While the Memo Book Decision is a prime example of the Hearing Officer’s bias and unfair conduct, it is only one of many biased and unfair decisions – major and minor – that Superintendent Renwick made during the initial ten days of the Grus disciplinary hearing. The hearing continues January 8, 2023.

Every day of the hearing so far has seen multiple instances where the Tribunal’s bias was so open that the public gallery often gasped or guffawed at the outrageousness of it all. Each day journalists and the public also witnessed institutional and personal biases that further stacked the deck against Detective Grus.

Natural Justice Denied

The principle of Natural Justice is a cornerstone of Canadian society. In short, Natural Justice means that a court has a duty to act fairly.

There are principles of Natural Justice that cannot be violated without bringing a legal process into disrepute. These principles include…

  • An unbiased court and decision maker.
  • Just and Fair procedures and rules, known and applied fairly.
  • The accused’s right to know the case against them.
  • The right to be heard, to be allowed to present an unobstructed defense, and to have access to information and evidence that might support a defense.
  • The right to cross-examine prosecution witnesses, and to not be unfairly obstructed.
  • The right to a decision and rationale for that decision.

To protect an accused’s fundamental right to a fair trial in our adversarial system of justice, both prosecution and defense must have equal footing. The court should not be biased in its decisions or in its application of court procedures.

In the Detective Grus trial, the hostile bias has been so open that the coming verdict is already evident to many observers – even before the defense rises to present its case on January 8, 2024.

Ontario Superior Court Denies Defense Motion – Refuses to Interfere Until Tribunal Finishes

I have obtained from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice certain public documents filed with the court by both Detective Grus’s defense lawyers and by the Ottawa Police Service lawyers.

To the extent that I can without violating bans on publishing names of involved families and other Identity Information, I will be publishing redacted copies of all publicly available court documents on my website at the Grus Case List.

Public observers and journalists await the continuation of the hearing on January 8, 2024 – for what promises to be the most biased and out-of-control legal procedure that most of us have ever seen.

Defense Counsel Bath-Sheba van den Berg

Defense lawyers had asked a Court for a Judicial Review and other relief, but as is the norm the Court refuses to interfere with a Tribunal that is in-progress. In short, the current outrageously-biased hearings will have to finish before Grus’s lawyers are allowed to take steps towards overturning the coming verdict that is now completely evident.

Here is a paragraph from a court document filed by defense on November 27, 2023…

“The disciplinary proceedings against the Applicant concerning one count of discreditable conduct have been riddled with procedural unfairness towards the Applicant from the outset. The Applicant has been subjected to constant and continuing denial of disclosure by both the Prosecutor and the Tribunal as well as partiality of the Tribunal, which has become apparent in a ruling made on November 26, 2023 with respect to the Applicant’s request for expert witnesses to support her defence.

This context is important because it sets the stage for understanding why this Judicial Review is not premature and should be allowed based on the exceptional circumstances of a breach of natural justice, apprehension of bias, and want of jurisdiction. Further, Christopher Renwick ought to remain as a respondent in the Judicial Review for the reason that his submissions will assist the Court in being fully informed.”

From November 27, 2023 defense submission: APPLICANT RESPONSE TO ‘FACTUM OF THE RESPONDENT/MOVING PARTY, CHIEF OF POLICE, OTTAWA POLICE SERVICE’

Future articles will publish extensive details of the Tribunal’s and Ottawa Police Service’s incredibly open bias against Detective Grus. The Tribunal’s open bias will undoubtedly form the foundation of an appeal that must be filed should Hearing Officer Renwick convict Detective Grus.

This week I’ll be bringing daily coverage of the continuation of the hearing where Detective Helen Grus is not allowed to effectively defend herself.

For now, I’ll leave you with this observation from the first ten days of hearings…

Hearing Officer Chris Renwick’s approval of Prosecutor Vanessa Stewart’s outrageous conflict of interest and weaponization of objections to protect her sister-in-law – a prosecution witness – brought the entire legal process and the Ottawa Police Service into disrepute.

Prosecutor Stewart continually interrupted the defense lawyers’ cross-examinations of prosecution witnesses – even objecting to questions before the defense even started to speak the question. This weaponization of objections was and is a purposeful strategy to deny Detective Grus’s right to cross-examine the witnesses against her.

During the first ten days of public hearings Stewart’s outrageous behaviour, theatrics, and visible contempt for defense lawyers – and occasionally even rudeness to the Hearing Officer -was unhindered. The transcripts I made from my recordings are unbelievable to anyone with any court experience.

Public observers and journalists await the continuation of the hearing on January 8, 2024 – for what promises to be the most biased and out-of-control legal procedure that most of us have ever seen.

Ottawa Police Detective Helen Grus Not Allowed Any Defense Witnesses

Dr. Eric Payne, Dr. James Thorpe, Dr. Gregory Chan, Ottawa Police S/Sgt (retired) Peter Danyluk, Lawyer Shawn Buckley – Ottawa Police Tribunal Rejects Every Defense Witness!

Hearing Officer Chris Renwick refuses to allow testimony from any of the five defense witnesses proposed by Detective Grus’s legal team.

Ottawa Police Detective Helen Grus is charged with ‘Discreditable Conduct’ under the Ontario Police Services Act for conducting “unauthorized” investigations into the sudden deaths of nine infants.

“Why even pretend to have this sham trial? The verdict’s already been decided. The fix is in.”

(Ottawa Police Staff Sergeant ‘B’ commenting to journalist Donald Best)

Detective Grus was investigating any potential connection between the vaccination status of the mothers and the sudden deaths of breastfeeding babies. Ottawa Police shut down her investigation, ordered her to stop, and charged her with an internal disciplinary charge.

In a decision dated November 26, 2023, Hearing Officer Renwick rejected all five defense expert witnesses – three medical doctors, a retired Ottawa Police Staff Sergeant, and a Regulatory lawyer.

Let me paraphrase the legalese of Renwick’s decision with the truth…

Trials Officer Supt (Retired) Chris Renwick

Renwick essentially found that he doesn’t require the testimony of the witnesses as they are biased and will present evidence in favour of Detective Grus.

Oh… he says it a little differently but the core of his decision is evident to anyone with any sense of justice.

For instance, Dr. James Thorpe had expressed an opinion that “the Ottawa Police Service should be investigated for their political prosecution of Detective Grus.”

So no testimony from Dr. James Thorpe.

“S/Sgt. Danyluk, in written response to a questionnaire, provides his respectful opinion that the disciplinary system is being used against Cst. Grus where leadership should have been applied and there was a failure in not investigating the media leak.”

So no testimony from retired Staff Sergeant Peter Danyluk – a recognized expert in police ethics.

Lawyer Shaun Buckley “was a moderator at the April 26, 2023 National Citizen’s Inquiry who put questions to a witness, former RCMP Corporal Daniel Bulford, on Cst. Grus’ actions and subsequent PSA charges – whereas Dr. Eric Payne and Dr. Gregory Chan were witnesses at the Inquiry.”

So no testimony from Shawn Buckley, Dr. Eric Payne, or Dr. Gregory Chan.

And there you have it folks…

The Ottawa Police Tribunal will not allow Detective Grus to call any defense witnesses.

Dr. Eric Payne, Paediatric Neurology – NOT ALLOWED

Dr. James Thorp, Obstetrics and Gynecology – NOT ALLOWED

Dr. Gregory Chan, Family Medicine – NOT ALLOWED

Ottawa Police Staff Sergeant (retired) Peter Danyluk – NOT ALLOWED

Lawyer Shawn Buckley. – NOT ALLOWED

A sham trial by a sham tribunal.

Ruling on Proposed Expert Witnesses for Defence

This is the November 26, 2023 ruling by Ottawa Police Hearing Officer Superintendent (retired) Chris Renwick.

Having attended every day of the Grus Hearing in August and October/November, 2023 – I can assure each of my readers that there is NO WAY that Hearing Officer Renwick wrote the attached Ruling. Not a snowball’s chance. Never happened.

Which raises the question… Do Ottawa Police Hearing Officers have independent legal counsel to assist in crafting their decisions? If not, the obvious writer of this decision is at best a lawyer employed by the Ottawa Police, and at worst the prosecutor herself.

Here is the Tribunal decision in .pdf format…

Grus Case Ruling on Proposed Expert Witnesses for Defence

Grus Expert Witness Decision scanned

The Memo Book Scandal

Hearing Officer Chris Renwick also won’t allow Detective Grus to examine her own handwritten memo book notes for the very date and event she is charged with. (I’ll be covering that part of the story in more detail later this week.)

Full Listing of Detective Grus News Stories Here

Lies, Defamation, & Hypocrisy: CBC, Ottawa Citizen, CTV Reporting of Ottawa Police Settlement in Detective Grus Parental Complaint

Ottawa Police strategically settle a parental compliant the day before Detective Grus’s Judicial Review Hearing

CBC, Ottawa Citizen, CTV deliberately lied to public, Defamed Detective Helen Grus

 

* CBC, Ottawa Citizen, CTV know that court evidence showed Detective Grus did NOT access the ‘vaccination records’ of the deceased infants – but the outlets nonetheless reported this falsehood on December 7, 2023.

* CBC, Ottawa Citizen, CTV know that court evidence showed that in March 2022, rogue Ottawa Police officers illegally released confidential information to CBC reporter Shaamini Yogaretnam – who then presented an ultimatum to the Ottawa Police Service that the police had only 24 hours to contact the parents of the deceased infants before CBC broke the story.

* CBC, Ottawa Citizen, CTV know that court evidence has shown Detective Grus had absolutely nothing to do with the public release of any information about her investigation of the cluster of nine sudden infant deaths.

* CBC, Ottawa Citizen, CTV know that court evidence showed it was CBC and reporter Shaamini Yogaretnam and the news media’s reporting of stolen confidential police information that resulted in the current OPS settlement.

* CBC, Ottawa Citizen, CTV. also know that the family involved in the OPS settlement includes two Public Health Agency of Canada personnel who monitored and actively sought to influence the OPS investigation of Detective Grus from March, 2022, and even after she was charged in July 2022.

* CBC, Ottawa Citizen, CTV know that the Public Health Agency of Canada is part of the government group that advised and mandated experimental mRNA injections – even declaring that the injections were safe and effective for pregnant women and breastfeeding babies.

* Media Outlets defamed and attacked Detective Helen Grus, calling her ‘rogue’, and dehumanizing and degrading her in public – when those media outlets know that Grus had nothing to do with the illegal release of confidential police information. These media outlets know that court evidence showed the Ottawa Police refused to investigate the rogue police officers who illegally provided confidential police information to CBC reporter Shaamini Yogaretnam.

* CBC, Ottawa Citizen, CTV know that court evidence showed the Ottawa Police illegally, abusively WIRETAPPED Detective Grus and her family – yet they refuse to report this to the public.

 

Why Do Canadian Media Outlets Promote Lies, Corruption, Defamation, and Cover-ups?

Shaamini Yogaretnam CBC Reporter

Yesterday CBC, Ottawa Citizen, and CTV – all government-subsidized news outlets – published reports of a settlement between the Ottawa Police and mother of a deceased infant who complained of privacy violations but did not file a lawsuit.

The timing of this monetary settlement was clearly a strategic decision by the Ottawa Police Service (OPS). The OPS faces imminent embarrassment and exposure in today’s December 8, 2023, Divisional Court Judicial Review application filed by Detective Helen Grus’s defense lawyers.

The settlement, media release, and published news articles are clearly intended to impact public opinion on the day of a court hearing where Grus’s lawyers have filed court documents detailing extreme bias by both the prosecution and Hearing Officer Chris Renwick in the internal trial of Detective Helen Grus.

Ottawa Police Detective Helen Grus is charged with ‘Discreditable Conduct’ under the Ontario Police Services Act for conducting “unauthorized” investigations into the sudden deaths of nine infants. Detective Grus was investigating any potential connection between the vaccination status of the mothers and the sudden deaths of breastfeeding babies.

In ten days of prosecution hearings in August and October / November 2023, this reporter witnessed firsthand many of the incidents of bias by the Hearing Officer, and outrageous behaviour by Prosecutor Vanessa Stewart. Among other excesses, Prosecutor Stewart weaponized ‘objections’ to prevent Grus’s defense lawyers from effectively cross-examining prosecution witnesses.

Trials Officer Supt. Chris Renwick

Prosecutor Stewart was so obviously attempting to protect the prosecution witnesses from impeachment – one of whom was her own family member sister-in-law Detective Renee Stewart. This conflict of interest was only revealed on the last day of the August hearings and shocked all public observers in the court.

More shocking, however, was that Hearing Officer Superintendent (Retired) Chris Renwick knew and approved of the conflict of interest.

Hearing Officer Renwick Refuses ALL Defence Expert Witnesses

In a decision dated November 26, 2023, Hearing Officer Chris Renwick DISALLOWED ALL FIVE DEFENCE WITNESSES.

Detective Grus’s lawyers sought to have three medical experts, one police expert, and one legal expert testify…

Dr. Eric Payne, Paediatric Neurology,

Dr. James Thorp, Obstetrics and Gynecology

Dr. Gregory Chan, Family Medicine

Ottawa Police Staff Sergeant (retired) Peter Danyluk

Lawyer Shawn Buckley

The biased Tribunal Hearing Officer Chris Renwick disallowed every defense witness.

December 7, 2023 Media Articles

CBC: Ottawa police board settles with family over invasion of privacy

CTV News: Ottawa police board settles with family over officer who accessed dead child’s vaccine records

Ottawa Citizen: Family settles privacy complaint with Ottawa Police Services Board

Much More to Come

This story broke late Thursday, December 7, 2023.

Tune in to The Lavigne Show on Friday, December 8, 2023 at 8am Eastern time when Vlad Tepes, Jason Lavigne and yours truly will provide full coverage.

You can see the show on X (Twitter) @donaldbestca

And on Rumble… The Lavigne Show – with Vlad Tepes and Donald Best

Ottawa Street Cops Unaware Police Union Abandoned Detective Helen Grus

Ottawa Police Association Paid Legal Fees for On-Duty Rapist – but not for Detective Grus charged with ‘unauthorized’ on-duty investigation of infant deaths.

An informal survey of 37 Ottawa Police patrol officers from August to November 2023 revealed that not one was aware that their own union – the Ottawa Police Association – is not paying legal fees for Detective Helen Grus.

Detective Helen Grus is charged with ‘Discreditable Conduct’ for conducting a purported “unauthorized” investigation into the potential connection between mRNA vaccinated mothers, and the sudden deaths of breastfeeding babies.

Detective Grus conducted her investigation ON DUTY, and after informing then Ottawa Chief of Police Peter Sloly about a significant increase in sudden infant deaths. Detective Grus presented her official criminal investigation file to Professional Standards investigator Sgt. Jason Arbuthnot on May 12, 2022.

The Ottawa Police served Detective Grus with ‘Notice of Increased Penalty’ that she will be fired if convicted. Nonetheless the Ottawa Police Association refused, and continues to refuse, to pay Detective Grus’s legal expenses for the charge arising from her on-duty investigation.

Matthew Cox, Ottawa Police Association President

“The questions that you have put to us are not only rife with inaccuracies, they also relate to internal policy decisions…

Guidelines are established that our members have to follow, and I do not believe it would be appropriate to speak out in the middle of a Police Service Act hearing.

The Association will not be granting your request for an interview. We can, however, confirm that we adhere to fair and transparent business practices, and ensure that all our members are treated equally.”

Matthew Cox, President Ottawa Police Association on November 10, 2023, replying to an interview request. (Media Request + Full Response below.)

Patrol Officers Question Why Some Accused Officers Receive Association Legal Funding and Others Do Not

Ottawa Police Officers told me that they have questions not only about why their police union refuses to pay Detective Grus’s legal fees, but also about what some called “the secretive process” that results in the Association covering legal fees for some members but not for others.

Ottawa Police Association Paid Legal Fees for Officers Accused of On-Duty Rape, Bribe-Taking

Several Ottawa Police Officers informed me that their police union paid at least partial legal expenses for Constable Eric Post – charged in 2018 with 32 criminal offenses against women including sexual assault (rape), forceable confinement, threatening, and pointing a firearm.

It is alleged that some of the criminal events occurred while Post was ‘on duty’, including when he wore his uniform and sidearm into a school classroom where the victim was teaching.

Post victimized numerous women over several years. One victim committed suicide. In 2021, Post pleaded guilty to five criminal charges involving violence against women in a negotiated plea that many found disgusting.

Police sources also state that the Ottawa Police Association paid at least some legal counsel expenses for three Constables charged by an RCMP anti-corruption squad for taking bribes and kickbacks from tow-truck operators for on-duty corruption. Two officers were also involved in a fraudulent insurance report that also involved on-duty criminal acts.

Constables Hussein Assaad, Kevin Putinski, and Andrew Chronopoulos resigned from the Ottawa Police in 2022 after a mixture of pleas and stays.

 

Informal Survey of Ottawa Police Officers Yields Shocking Answers

From August to November 2023, I approached 37 Ottawa Police patrol officers on the street and near various police facilities. I informed the officers that I am a former Toronto Police Sergeant Detective – now an independent journalist – and asked if they were aware of the charges against Detective Grus, and that the Ottawa Police Association is not funding her legal defense.

All 37 officers were unaware that the Ottawa Police Association had refused to fund Detective Grus’s legal expenses. Further, 26 of the officers passionately stated that I must be wrong – that their union would of course be paying Detective Grus’s legal fees.

The disconnect between these officers’ beliefs and their union’s refusal to fund Detective Grus’s legal fees is shocking.

 

“I thought the Association was covering her (Detective Grus’s) lawyer.”

Ottawa Police Constable ‘J’ – August, 2023.

“Officers don’t know that their legal fees aren’t covered until it happens to them. They assume they’re covered for all charges from on-duty things but it’s not true. The Association lets them think that they have their back.”

Ottawa Police Constable ‘J’ – October, 2023. (Same officer as above, two months later)

“The Association is more concerned with saving its bank account than the members who fund it.”

Ottawa Police Constable ‘T’ – October, 2023

“No f’ing way the Association is not paying for her lawyer. I heard the brass wants to fire her.”

“She has to fund raise? WTF?”   (When told of Detective Grus’s GiveSendGo)

Ottawa Police Constable ‘P’ – November, 2023

One Toronto Police Staff-Sergeant blames both Toronto and Ottawa officers for not taking an interest in the Association rules and policies that could impact them – but also acknowledges how decisions to pay member’s legal expenses can be quite arbitrary.

“Toronto Police Officers are ignorant of the Toronto Police Association bylaws about funding legal expenses, and it’s probably the same thing in Ottawa. They should be asking for the bylaws. It’s available to the rank and file and if they don’t read it, that’s their problem.

When the Association Executive is unfair in its discretion that’s something else. It’s happened in Toronto too. Sometimes it depends on who you know in the Executive. It’s not fair but it’s the way it is.”

Toronto Police Staff Sergeant ‘B’ – November, 2023

Union Reps Missing in Action at Detective Grus Trial

Ottawa Police Association union representatives were distinctly absent from the ten days of Detective Grus hearings in August and October / November.

In November one union representative showed up for a few hours.

I forgot to ask OPA President Matthew Cox about this, but he refused to answer any questions so it would not have made a difference.

“I would be pleased to publish any response by Mr. Cox as to why the Ottawa Police Association is so disinterested in the trial of an outstanding Detective who will be fired if convicted.”

Police Association Conflicts of Interest

Some officers told this journalist that the support shown by their police union for the coerced and mandated Covid vaccinations of Ottawa Police Service officers and civilian employees raises questions about Conflicts of Interest by the Ottawa Police Association.

Officers said that the Ottawa Police Association has consistently been in favour of experimental mRNA gene therapy injections for police personnel – and that their leadership failed to stand up for their members’ personal health autonomy and medical privacy.

When the Ottawa Police Service mandated COVID ‘vaccines’ for members, the Ottawa Police Association agreed. OPA President at the time Matt Skoff stated that unlike the Toronto Police Association, the OPA would not oppose the mandates. Further, President Skoff made statements in support of the Ottawa Police Service “(continuing) to pursue high vaccination rates of its members…”

Ottawa Police Association won’t oppose potential vaccine mandate – Ottawa Citizen August 25, 2021

Like the Ottawa Police Service that mandated the experimental injections for all employees, the Ottawa Police Association is a defacto supporter of mandatory mRNA injections and therefore has a real conflict of interest in anything to do with the legal and medical issues surrounding the vaccines.

“It would not be in the interest of the Ottawa Police, the Ottawa Police Association, or the Police Association of Ontario if evidence in the Grus Internal Hearing revealed that the mandatory mRNA vaccine injections cause injuries or deaths…”  Donald Best

Courthouse Prayers for Ottawa Police Detective Helen Grus

Media Request for Interview – Matthew Cox

Thursday, November 9th, 2023 at 2:21 PM

From:

Donald Best
Barrie, Ontario

To:

Mr. Matthew Cox,
President
Ottawa Police Association

Re: Detective Helen Grus

Dear Mr. Cox,

I am requesting a media interview about the case of Detective Helen Grus.

I’ve covered the Grus case extensively at my website and in other media. I did live broadcasts at the hearing every day of the recent August and October / November dates. The case is attracting international attention in the US, UK, and Australia where I’ve appeared in various media interviews.

I’m not into ‘ambush’ journalism, so here are the issues I wish to cover in your interview…

My readers and viewers are interested in these issues concerning the Ottawa Police Association and the Detective Grus case…

1/ Why isn’t the Ottawa Police Association covering the legal fees of Detective Grus?

Considerations:

  • At the very least the allegations against Detective Grus were an ‘on duty’ event. Professional Standards and the Hearing Officer have already stated that there is no evidence that the investigation Detective Grus initiated was for a personal purpose. The evidence before the Hearing is that Detective Grus was engaged in a criminal investigation, briefed Chief Sloly, and even provided her investigation file, evidence and exhibits to the Professional Standards officer on May 12, 2022.
  • The Ottawa Police Association has previously covered the legal expenses of police officers charged with on-duty rape, accepting bribes-kickbacks, and other offences.
  • So why is Detective Grus forced to mortgage her home to pay legal costs?

2/ I recently interviewed 37 Ottawa Police patrol officers on the street. Not one of them was aware that the OPA is not covering Detective Grus’s legal fees. Fully 26 of them informed me that I must be wrong – that the OPA was certainly covering her legal fees given the seriousness of the charge and the fact that the prosecution served ‘Increased Penalty’ notice that Detective Grus can be fired if convicted.

Question: Why do Ottawa Police patrol officers believe that the OPA is covering the legal fees of Detective Grus?

Question: In what other cases has the Ottawa Police Association NOT covered the legal fees of members charged with offences?

3/ Does the Ottawa Police Association have a Conflict of Interest in the Grus Case?

When the Ottawa Police Service mandated COVID ‘vaccines’ for members, the Ottawa Police Association agreed. OPA President at the time Matt Skoff stated that unlike the Toronto Police Association, the OPA would not oppose the mandates. Further, President Skoff made statements in support of the Ottawa Police Service “(continuing) to pursue high vaccination rates of its members…”

Further, the Ottawa Police Association is now aware that some OPA members are claiming serious injuries from the mandated injections that the OPA failed to oppose, and defacto supported.

Questions:

a/ Does the position of the OPA to not oppose the mandates, and / or to support the COVID ‘vaccines’ – now create any actual or perceived liability for the OPA?

b/ Did the OPA require employees, members, or volunteers be ‘vaccinated’ to enter the OPA office?

c/ How many OPA members have reported injuries allegedly from the mandated injections?

d/ Has the OPA Executive discussed…

1/ Claims by OPA members of alleged vaccine injuries, and

2/ the growing medical evidence and even admissions from some governments that the COVID ‘vaccines’ have caused unprecedented levels of injuries and deaths?

Has this been a topic at Executive meetings, and if not, is this issue scheduled for discussion by the OPA?

e/ Does the OPA’s refusal to fund the Detective Grus legal defense have anything to do with the fact that her acquittal might draw attention to the OPA’s role in supporting COVID injections for its members?

INTERVIEW

I would appreciate recording an interview with you at your convenience via phone, Zoom or any other method of direct communication.

In the alternative, I would publish your written response to this email.

As I intend to publish my article at 6am Monday, November 13, 2023, I would appreciate interviewing you or your written response by Sunday evening.

Regards,

Donald Best

Barrie, Ontario Canada

X: @DonaldBestCA

website: DonaldBest.CA

Daily Broadcast: co-host of The Lavigne Show – https://rumble.com/c/TheLavigneShow

Published in and / or interviewed by:

CBC
Epoch Times
Financial Post
Globe and Mail
Rebel News
Toronto Star
Toronto Sun
True North
Viva Frei
Western Standard

 

Response from Matthew Cox – President, Ottawa Police Association

FW: Media Request for Interview – Matthew Cox

From Matthew Cox

Friday, November 10th, 2023 at 8:44 AM

Mr. Best,

Thank you for your enquiry, along with your request for an interview.

The Ottawa Police Association is an independent, Not-For-Profit corporation that has a fiduciary duty relating to the labour relations interests of the Civilian and Sworn employees of the Ottawa Police Service. The questions that you have put to us are not only rife with inaccuracies, they also relate to internal policy decisions; these policies are developed and approved by the duly elected Board of Directors of the Ottawa Police Association.

Guidelines are established that our members have to follow and I do not believe it would be appropriate to speak out in the middle of a Police Service Act hearing.

As such, the Association will not be granting your request for an interview. We can, however, confirm that we adhere to fair and transparent business practices, and ensure that all our members are treated equally.

Matthew Cox

President, Ottawa Police Association

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