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Father urges action on lethal online substances after son's death

Years after Kenneth Law's arrest, David Parfett says authorities haven't done enough to regulate the online trade in deadly compounds.

· 2 min read · HOC Ottawa Desk
Father urges action on lethal online substances after son's death
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David Parfett has spent years seeking accountability. His 22-year-old son Tom took his own life in 2021 after allegedly purchasing a substance from a website linked to Kenneth Law, an Ontario man now under arrest for his role in the online trade of lethal compounds.

Years after Law's arrest, Parfett says little has changed. The online market for dangerous substances continues to operate largely unchecked, and he worries Canadians are still dying while governments fail to close the regulatory gaps that enabled his son's death.

"Canadians are still dying," Parfett said, expressing frustration that authorities have not learned from a case that drew international attention to the deadly gaps in online regulation. His push for stronger controls reflects growing pressure on policymakers to act on the issue.