Wading into the Jian Ghomeshi Fiasco
This whole Jian Ghomeshi debacle has been a cultural and media firestorm. There are countless articles, commentaries, conversations and opinions swirling throughout Canada. There has certainly been a positive outcome, that being, that the issue of unreported violence against women is at the forefront of public discourse, and we are seeing that it is a […]
A Day in the Life of Duty Counsel
From time to time we act as duty counsel, representing newly arresested people in the Vancouver Jail. Read Michael’s account of a typical weekend as duty counsel in this Georgia Straight article.
Restorative Justice: An Alternative to Court
Restorative Justice (“RJ”), or what is also sometimes referred to as Transformative Justice, is a contrast to the traditional adversarial justice system. In the adversarial justice system an accused person is represented by a criminal defence lawyer, the public (or the state or the Crown) is represented by a government prosecutor known as Crown Counsel, […]
Smart Phones: Good for Suspects; Bad for Cops
In the news today, another example of what appears to be police brutality in British Columbia. A Terrace, BC RCMP officer punches an alleged young offender (under 18 years old) in the face while the young offender is on the ground, face down, in handcuffs and is being straddled by the officer. Whether the prevalence […]
Taking a Look at Cycling Laws
Sadly, a 71 year old pedestrian has died after being struck by a cyclist in Stanley Park on October 3 near the totem poles at Brockton Point. Apparently the man was crossing the roadway when a 57 year old rider collided with him. Reportedly, the cyclist remained at the scene and cooperated fully with police. The […]
Questions Arise Over Drop in Electronic Monitoring of BC Convicts
Electronic monitoring of recently released convicts has dropped sharply in B.C. in recent years, numbers released by the government show. The Crown did not seek electronic monitoring for Raymond Caissie, a high-risk sex offender who has now been charged in the slaying of a Surrey teen. The Crown also did not seek a curfew. A […]
Mines Client Sentenced to 20 Weekends for Internet Extortion
August 25, 2014 A North Vancouver judge has sentenced a 23-year-old man to jail for attempting to extort nude photos from a young woman. In a case with similarities to that of Amanda Todd, the B.C. teenager who committed suicide after being blackmailed online, Mark Webber somehow obtained an explicit video of the victim from […]
Be Nice to Your Dog or Cat! – Animal Cruelty Allegations could lead to Search Warrant
Two recent cases that have hit the media shine light on the BC SPCA’s newer powers regarding search warrants in relation to animals in distress (stories attached). In one case the owner of a dog who had ingested drugs and been taken to the veterinarian was reported to the SPCA. In the other case the […]
Why do Good People Shoplift ?
Some people turn to alcohol or overeating, others turn to shoplifting in a time of stress. Everyone deals with difficulties differently. When people turn to prosocial ways of dealing with extreme stressors, it is likely that those around them will praise their decisions. Cycling, going to the gym or turning a new page in your […]
Do Recent Cyber Bullying Cases Actually Highlight the Need for Canadian Law Reform?
Certainly, cyber bullying and harassment is a serious and issue in North American society, but recent claims that there is a need for a change in the current criminal law to deal with it may be overzealous. As set out in the attached article, Bill C 13 is currently being considered by the Canadian parliament […]
Mines Client Sentenced to 20 Weekends for Internet Extortion
Despite Crown Counsel’s remarks that the case was “an Amanda Todd Situation”, we were able to convince a North Vancouver Provincial Court Judge that our client should not be sentenced to the nine month period of incarceration sought by the Crown. Emphasising the need for denunciation, but tempering his sentence because he accepted that our […]
“Mr. Big” Sting rules made stricter by Supreme Court of Canada
Nelson Hart, a Newfoundland man accused of murdering his twin 3 year old daughters, has been granted a new trial after the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the police improperly obtained his confession through a controversial police technique known as a “Mr. Big” sting operation. In this type of investigation, undercover police officers will […]
