An Ontario court chides border agency over “serious, long-standing and systemic” practice of abusing search powers under the customs law.
Source: Canadian border agency slammed for searching phone without warrant in child porn case
THE ROLE OF PROSECUTOR
“The role of prosecutor excludes any notion of winning or losing; his function is matter of public duty than which in civil life there can be none charged with greater personal responsibility.” R. v. Boucher 1954 SCJ No. 54, Supreme Court of Canada.
IS BEASTIALITY A COMMON PROBLEM IN CANADA? – I was just wondering because, before the summer break, Parliament passed a new law cracking down on animal cruelty that will list those convicted of bestiality on Canada’s national sex offenders registry.
POT POSSESSION PARDONS – The government has now passed a law permitting persons with convictions for simple possession of marijuana to be pardoned without any cost and expedite a process that previously could take up a decade.
TORONTO, June 20- The Canadian government passed a law late on Wednesday that would allow its citizens with a criminal record for marijuana.
Source: Canada passes law to speed pardons for pot possession
SHOULD THERE BE SPECIAL RULES FOR SENTENCING BLACK OFFENDERS LIKE THERE IS FOR INDIGENOUS OFFENDERS? – Social change is always controversial however in a country with a fundamental principle that no-one is above the law and that the law applies equally to all, should there be special rules for disadvantaged minorities? We know what’s next. “What about” refugee groups, LGBTTQQIAAP communities and every other identifiable historically disadvantaged groups?
‘When it comes to black people, the sentencing seems to be consistently void of any consideration of that additional source of disadvantage that they face’
EDIBLE CANNABIS RULES – Here is a summary of the new rules for edibles. It mainly requires single dose packaging with each dose not to exceed 10 mg. and to be in child-resistant packaging.
THC AND DRIVING – The government was advised and knew this law defied logic, ignored science and fact, and was unconstitutional but they enacted it in spite of this in a knee jerk response to criticism of the legalization of marijuana. This law has to go.
Lead author of five-year study says Canada laws penalizing drivers with less than five nanograms/ml of THC in their blood may be too strict.
LEGAL AID SERVICE CUTS – If you’re applying for Legal Aid and you want to know what’s going on, here’s a good summary.
During this past year, the plethora of funding cuts from Doug Ford’s government has been well documented. From autism funding, health care and education to the environment, it seems no sector of society has been unaffected.
Source: Here’s What Legal Aid Services are Affected by Doug Ford’s Cuts
Bail hearings will no longer be covered by Legal Aid Ontario – TWO TIER JUSTICE – Just as the Supreme Court of Canada stressed the need for the efficient and effective conduct of bail hearings. Ford is removing an option. No longer will you be able to have your own lawyer on a Legal Aid Certificate represent you at a bail hearing. Either you hire a lawyer privately or use duty counsel.
Legal Aid Ontario, which provides services to those who cannot afford to pay for a lawyer, is facing a 30 per cent cut in funding by the Ontario government.
Source: Bail hearings will no longer be covered by Legal Aid Ontario
IMPAIRED DRIVING CAUSING DEATH SENTENCES ARE STEADILY RISING – Often the difference between getting home safely and killing someone (maybe yourself) is a fine line.
The driver who caused the death of a 21-year-old University of Toronto student and fled the scene last March has been sentenced to jail.
Source: Impaired driver charged in death of University of Toronto student sentenced to 7 years in jail