THE CURIOUS CASE OF MR. ZAMIR AND THE MYTH THAT POLICE OFFICERS NEVER LIE – From the beginning the Police Chief set out the narrative to the media that this was an intentional murder of a police officer.  When a wise Judge discovered it was a weak case and released Mr. Zamir on bail pending his trial, Premier Doug Ford fed the media outrage.  Three police officers testified under oath at the trial the officer was run down head on however the accident reconstructionist and the video evidence contradicted this narrative.  The Crown could not devise a viable theory of murder.

The jury rejected the police officers’ evidence and found that Mr. Zamir was attempting to save himself, his 2-year-old child and his pregnant wife from what to anyone in that situation would appear as an attack by unknown persons that threatened his family with robbery or possibly murder.  For a moment, put yourself in Mr. Zamir’s situation, both in the parking lot and the courtroom. This case should never have gone to trial.  The entire prosecution was police driven from beginning to end.  In the end, the Judge deeply apologized, on our behalf, for what we put Mr. Zamir through.

Mr. Zamir should be compensated.  The police officers who provided false testimony should be disciplined.  The Crown Attorney who decided to prosecute Mr. Zamir should be called to account.

https://toronto.citynews.ca/2024/04/21/umar-zameer-not-guilty-in-death-of-toronto-police-officer/?

ALTHOUGH HE USES THE WORD, PREMIER DOUG FORD FUNDAMENTALLY MISUNDERSTANDS THE CONCEPT OF DEMOCRACY – “Ford’s definition of democracy leaves no place for an independent judiciary that plays a crucial role in interpreting and applying the constitution, and protecting individual rights and freedoms. It’s naked majoritarianism without any checks and balances.

It’s as if Ford and his allies who are actively assailing the judiciary have forgotten — or never really understood — centuries of hard-earned lessons that democracy is not about electing a king by another name. Individual rights and freedoms, enforced by an impartial and independent judiciary, are bulwarks against authoritarianism. This separation of powers provides vital limits on majority rule to protect individuals and minority groups of all kinds.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/global-opinions/wp/2018/09/19/doug-fords-abuse-of-the-notwithstanding-clause-backfires-heres-how-it-should-be-used/

NEW ORDERS FROM THE COURT: I wonder if Judges and Justices of the Peace will daily announce their title and sexual identity as well in open court to the public.

Ontario Court of Justice

Notice to the Profession and Public

Pronouns for Lawyers and Parties

At the beginning of any in-person, virtual or hybrid hearings, when lawyers are introducing themselves, their client, a witness or another individual, they should provide the judge or justice of the peace with each person’s name, title (e.g. Mr., Mrs., Mx., Counsel “X”) and pronouns to be used in the hearing. If counsel does not provide this information in their introduction, they may be invited by a court clerk to provide this information.  At the beginning of each court session, court clerks have been asked by Court Services Division to announce that parties appearing before the court are invited to provide their title and pronouns to the court.  

Sharon Nicklas

Chief Justice

Ontario Court of Justice 

https://www.ontariocourts.ca/ocj/files/docs/OCJ-Notice-Pronouns.pdf

IF YOU WANT A JUSTICE SYSTEM THAT WORKS, THE GOVERNMENT HAS TO FUND IT PROPERLY – “Funding for the justice sector is set to decrease from $6.1 billion to 5.9 billion in 2024, according to the recently-released Ontario budget. In the next few years, that number is projected to decrease further to about $5.6 billion.”

https://www.cp24.com/news/attempted-murder-is-not-a-priority-victims-of-tossed-out-cases-speak-out-amid-lower-ont-justice-funding-1.6826067

WHEN JUSTICE DAVID H. DOHERTY SPEAKS THE LEGAL PROFESSION LISTENS. When Justice David H. Doherty speaks about the integrity of Judicial appointments, Premier Doug Ford should listen. “It does a disservice to suggest that the qualification for appointment to the judiciary should include some manifestation of allegiance to, or even sympathy with, the agenda of those who are fixed with the responsibility of appointing judges,” 

https://www.haltonhillstoday.ca/local-news/retiring-judge-takes-jab-at-doug-fords-like-minded-remark-8446806

OH NO! While we’re still, years later, cleaning up the messes of Harper’s unconstitutional mandatory minimum sentences (MMS) and the delays that resulted in Judicial stays of serious criminal cases, Poilievre wants to take us down that same unconstitutional road with his rebranded mandatory minimum penalties (MMP).

https://montrealgazette.com/news/politics/the-conversation-pierre-poilievres-proposed-mandatory-minimum-penalties-will-not-reduce-crime