Why a handshake symbol is on a parking space and CHEO calls in help: Top five stories this week

CHEO released a video on Friday showing patients and parents waiting in the hallways of the emergency department. (CHEO/Vimeo)

CHEO calls in backup as it continues to see "unprecedented volumes" of young patients, a prominent Ottawa lawyer faces new allegations of misconduct and why are there handshake pictures on parking spots in Pembroke, Ont.

CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at the top five stories on our website this week.

CHEO calls in Red Cross as it deals with surge in respiratory patients

Ottawa's children's hospital called in backup this week as it continues to see "unprecedented volumes" of young patients suffering from respiratory viruses.

Two teams from the Canadian Red Cross arrived at CHEO to support patient care during respiratory virus season.

"This will allow some of our redeployed staff to go back to their regular roles and ensure Team CHEO can provide the safe, world-class care that our patients deserve," CHEO Chief Nursing Executive Tammy DiGiovanni said in an email to CTV News Ottawa.

CHEO has been seeing a surge in patients with respiratory viruses this fall, forcing the hospital to cancel non-urgent surgeries and procedures, open a second pediatric intensive care unit and redeploy staff from surgical and medical care units

CHEO President Alex Munter told CTV News Ottawa on Monday that the hospital is "seeing volumes of demand we've never seen in the history of CHEO."

Munter says two teams from the Red Cross will be working in clinical support roles, relieving CHEO workers redeployed from other areas.

"They'll be helping the nurses, the doctors, the respiratory therapists and others; whether that's portering patients, that's getting meds."

Critical injuries in plane crash on Highway 401 near Cornwall, Ont.

Two occupants of a small plane were seriously injured when it crashed into the Highway 401 median near Cornwall, Ont. Monday night.

Ontario Provincial Police say the Cessna 150 was attempting an emergency landing on the highway west of the Ontario-Quebec border when it crashed into the centre median.

A 26-year-old man was taken to hospital by air ambulance in life-threatening condition, OPP acting Sgt. Erin Cranton said. The other occupant of the plane, a 39-year-old man, was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

The Transportation Safety Board says the plane had a problem in the air, and was attempting to do an emergency landing on the busy highway when it struck a power line.

Hydro vehicles and tow trucks assemble at a Highway 401 rest stop just west of the Ontario-Quebec border near the scene of a plane crash Monday night. (CTV News Ottawa)

Embattled Ottawa lawyer James Bowie has law licence suspended

An Ottawa lawyer, who is facing allegations of sexual misconduct, has had his law license suspended following a hearing into unrelated issues with the Law Society of Ontario.

James Bowie had a hearing with the Law Society of Ontario Friday in connection with three investigations in which the Law Society says he failed to produce information and documents despite requests between December 2021 and June 2022.

The exact nature of these cases has not been disclosed.

According to documents, Bowie accepted that the affidavit established professional misconduct as alleged in the notice of application against him, and did not dispute it.

The prominent Ottawa lawyer is also facing allegations of offering legal services in exchange for sexual favours and accusations of harassment, manipulation and sexual assault.

At the end of November, it emerged that Bowie is the subject of an official complaint to the Law Society of Ontario, alleging that he offered a woman legal services in exchange for sexual favours.

This week, CTV News reported Bowie is facing new allegations.

CTV News has spoken with nine women who all detailed a pattern of behaviour by Bowie which they received repeated and unwanted illicit messages, offers of cocaine, and attempts to solicit sexual favours.

Ottawa lawyer James Bowie is the subject of a complaint to the Law Society of Ontario. (Facebook)

Ottawa shopper fights off men stealing Lexus SUV

An Ottawa Lexus owner emerged from a west end mall to find some men trying to steal his SUV.

Ottawa police say the man sustained minor injuries when he confronted the suspects who were trying to steal it from the parking lot at Bayshore Shopping Centre.

The same day, Ontario Provincial Police reported four people from the Montreal area are facing charges linked to vehicle thefts.

OPP officers pulled over two vehicles on Highway 401 eastbound near the Thousand Islands Bridge Sunday morning because of a traffic offence. According to an OPP news release, one of the vehicles had been reported stolen.

Three people between the ages of 19 and 21, all from Montreal, and a 31-year-old from Laval, Que. are each facing a slew of charges, some of which include theft of a motor vehicle, possession of break-in instruments, possessing automobile master key, mischief to computer data and possession of an imitation weapon for a dangerous purpose.

Ottawa Police headquarters on Elgin St. is seen in this undated photo. (CTV News Ottawa)

Here's what a handshake symbol on a parking space means

A new symbol on parking spaces in Pembroke, Ont. caught the attention of many people this week.

The handshake symbol you can see in some spaces outside the Pembroke OPP detachment at 77 International Dr. are meant to be community safety zones for online transactions.

If you buy something online and have to meet someone in person to pick it up or pay for it, the Upper Ottawa Valley OPP say there are spots you can use that will ensure the safety of all involved.

"The purpose of Project Safe Trade is to create a 'community safety zone' at an OPP detachment parking lot to facilitate online property transactions," the OPP said in a news release. "Creating a 'community safety zone' is about moving online transactions away from secluded parking lots, personal residences or other areas and bringing them to a public place."