The ReeveLaw Blog

WHO IS A VICTIM?

Since 2015, a victim “includes anyone that has suffered emotional harm as a result of a crime, even if it didn’t involve them personally. That means someone reading the story in a newspaper or seeing it on TV could qualify as a victim, opening the floodgates. The plain reading of the law now as it is, doesn’t put any limitation on who is a victim ” I wonder if this means they can apply to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board for monetary damages?

An “unprecedented” number of victim impact statements has delayed the sentencing hearing for the killer of a Winnipeg high school student — and legal experts says the relatively new Canadian Victims Bill of Rights is to blame.

Source: Nearly 100 people submit statements in Winnipeg case under new Canadian victims rights bill

CANNABIS AMNESTY is more difficult than you thought.

There’s been lots of discussion of an amnesty for people with marijuana convictions. But its would be harder than it sounds to do in practice. Here’s why.

Source: Why a Canadian marijuana possession amnesty is harder to implement than it sounds

CUSTOMS PRE-CLEARANCE – If you’re planning on travelling to the U.S. you should be aware of the extensive powers given to the U.S. Pre-clearance Officers. You must answer all questions and answer them truthfully and cannot withdraw without a good reason. Be aware and beware.

Source: Fact-Checking the Canadian Government’s Claims Made in Support of the Preclearance Act, 2016 – Lexology

BEST ROAD RAGE EVER

https://www.facebook.com/DailyMail/videos/3196636603729399/

AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES should be an eventual solution to the problem of drinking and driving.

The automaker also stressed that the fully autonomous vehicle would emphasize safety.

Source: GM just revealed a fully autonomous electric car — and it doesn’t have a steering wheel

ANTICIPATING CHANGES TO THE CRIMINAL LAW – “Well into the second half of its mandate, the Trudeau government has a lot of work left to do.”

Source: National | A look at Ottawa’s justice agenda in 2018

JUSTICE TRANSFORMATION – is obviously needed. Participate here. You may learn some things about the justice system you did not know.

Source: Justice Transformation

DECRIMINALIZATION OF DRUNK DRIVING – It’s not a bad idea but it has some issues, such as innocence and the need of proof.

Changes are coming to the way drunk drivers are policed and prosecuted in Alberta with the provincial government set to issue a directive to police that will largely decriminalize impaired driving, CBC News has learned.

Source: Drunk driving to be largely decriminalized in Alberta in 2018 – Calgary – CBC News

When a drugs bust goes wrong on the open ocean…it can go very, very wrong.

https://www.facebook.com/BBCScotland/videos/1963928260303596/

THE REID INTERROGATION TECHNIQUE- The S.C.C. described it as a “shoddy police practice … shown to be coercive and to produce false confessions.” It has resulted in a large number of false confessions and wrongful convictions. The technique is briefly laid out here.

With judicial commentary on the problematic aspects of the Reid interrogation technique going into its second decade, one may wonder why police services continue to use such questionable methods, Hamilton criminal lawyer Jeffrey Manishen tells Law Times.

Source: Judicial criticism of the Reid interrogation: a call for change