Image Credit: The Canadian Press

By James Peters

Van Attack

Kamloops resident to address court in van attack sentencing

Jun 13, 2022 | 11:27 AM

TORONTO — Sentencing has begun in Ontario Supreme Court Monday (June 13) for the man who killed 11 people in a 2018 van attack in Toronto.

Among those scheduled to deliver victim impact statements during the sentencing hearing this week is Kamloops resident Elwood Delaney, whose grandmother Dorothy Sewell was among the victims.

Speaking to CFJC Today during a break in proceedings, Delaney said he wants his grandmother’s killer, Alek Minassian, to know the devastation caused by his actions.

“I still hold a lot of anger toward him, so I need to read my impact statement to him,” Delaney said. “I need to see his face and, hopefully, that will get me some sort of closure as an individual on this.”

“I think it will be a tough thing for me to just stay on point of what’s on the paper in front of me — reading that versus telling him how I actually feel. You’re not allowed to say that in court.”

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On April 23, 2018, Minassian drove a van through a crowd of pedestrians on Yonge Street in Toronto, killing 11 and injuring 15. Delaney says his anger has not diminished in the four intervening years.

“No. Not toward him at all, it hasn’t,” he said. “Now that the Supreme Court of Canada has said it’s unethical to stack life sentences, that kind of brings in a whole different anger because the victim impact statements no longer really have an impact on his sentencing anymore. In a way, it almost feels like it’s all for nothing, reading it to the court.”

Last month, the Supreme Court of Canada struck down a Criminal Code provision that allowed judges to impose consecutive 25-year periods of parole ineligibility. Delaney says he and other family members of victims of the van attack are exploring ways to challenge that decision.

In the meantime, Delaney is preparing to read his statement to the court — and specifically, to Minassian. He said his turn to read could come as soon as Monday afternoon.

“Watching [Minassian] all morning, he’s yet to actually look at anybody reading or show any emotion at all. I really think he doesn’t give a… give a crap.”

Dorothy Sewell was 80 years old at the time of her death.