THE CIVIL REMEDIES ACT = Highway Robbery – Judge slams application to seize cash from man

The act was intended to target proceeds generated by organized crime groups but it’s being used for much more. Toronto police detained a man and found $8,740 cash on him. Although he had no criminal record and no charge was laid they took his money and applied to have it forfeited as proceeds of crime. …

Making parole decisions is one tough job | Toronto Star

Parole board members do not retry offenders. Instead, they fess out whether the inmate presents any risk of reoffending. Can she or he be returned safely into the community and, if so, when and with what restrictions? If you get it wrong and release someone from prison, someone could be hurt, or worse — and …

The war on drugs blindly marches on. DECRIMINALIZATION: IF THE GOVERNMENT WON’T DO IT, JUDGES MUST

 – Ontario Court Justice Robert Selkirk, in R. v. Racine, refused to accept a guilty plea for possession of marijuana, saying: “I recall distinctly the Prime Minister in the House of Commons saying it’s going to be legalized. I’m not going to be the last judge in this country to convict somebody of simple possession …

THE ART OF SENTENCING – An Insight into Canada’s Sentencing Laws

Determining a just and appropriate sentence for criminal conduct is an art. Within prescribed statutory limits a Judge is required to consider the general principles and objectives of sentencing, the circumstances of the particular offence and the particular offender, aggravating and mitigating factors, statutory parameters, sentences imposed upon similar offenders for similar offences, the impact …

THE DICHOTOMY OF MARIJUANA POSSESSION – NDP calls on Trudeau’s Liberals to immediately decriminalize marijuana

The NDP is introducing an opposition day motion on Monday calling on the House of Commons to recognize there is a contradiction in giving people criminal records for something the government has said should not be a crime. One way to decriminalize it without having to wait for legislation would be to have the Attorney …

THE DEFINITION OF BESTIALITY -Supreme Court clarifies Canada’s bestiality law

The criminal offence of bestiality has been with us for a long time. Let’s be clear that the Supreme Court of Canada has not recently said that sex with animals is okay. Rather it noted that the historic legal meaning of bestiality, as defined by Parliament, specifically requires an act of penetration. It refused to …