After trial delays, judicial shortages, and accusations of a “culture of complacency” in terms of delays in criminal trials, both Ottawa and the provinces themselves have taken the initiative to change the way criminal trials are processed in Canada and create a more efficient judicial system. One specific challenge within our province is the manner [...]
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) wields vast power in its duty to protect our country’s borders—power that is, in many ways, unchallenged. As one justice concluded, “there is a significant potential for the CBSA’s activities to affect individual rights, dignity, and well-being”. The British Columbia Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) is exerting pressure on the [...]
With Ottawa set to legalize recreational cannabis, the debate over whether or not to legalize the drug for recreational purposes has shifted toward a discussion regarding how the drug should be distributed and policed, especially as it pertains to a growing issue on Canada’s roads: drug-impaired driving. A recent case made headlines when a Manitoba [...]
New regulations enacted by parliament have made it increasingly difficult for those who have rehabilitated and lived crime-free to obtain a pardon for their past offences. Several changes to the Criminal Records Act (CRA) have lengthened the ineligibility period for a record suspension and even made certain offenders ineligible in totality. Ricky Martin Chu has [...]
The Crown has long been struggling to fill vacancies within the provincial justice system, but only recently has it begun to put justice at risk. Now, delays are not only making the legal process more difficult for the accused, they could be giving the guilty a chance to walk As criminal defence attorneys in British [...]
Domestic violence is a crime that sadly cuts through all social, ethnic, economic and religious backgrounds. Though rates of abuse are higher for certain income levels or ethnic backgrounds (for example, indigenous women are more at risk than others), anyone, man or woman, can be a victim. British Columbia’s rate of domestic assault charges is [...]
One of Prime Minister Trudeau’s major platforms in the run-up to the election was his promise to produce a framework for the legalization of marijuana in Canada. In his words, he wanted to “legalize, regulate, and restrict access” and “to keep it out of the hands of children and the profits out of the hands [...]
Traveling to our neighbors to the south? Wondering if your criminal record will get you turned back? Find out which charges will prevent you from crossing and which shouldn’t be an issue Canadians have been visiting the USA in record numbers recently, with 2010 seeing a record-breaking 24.5 million same-day car trips across the border. [...]
British Columbia has some of the strictest drunk driving laws in the nation, with penalties ranging from the immediate loss of your license and vehicle to heavy fines and responsible driving classes. The good news is that these strict laws and the hard work of advocacy groups seems to be paying off. According to recent [...]
A recent report from the CBA recommends the courts get more funding and staffing We would like to start by saying that the criminal justice system in British Columbia (and across Canada) has done a remarkable job in keeping Canada one of the world’s safest nations in which to live. We commend their work. That [...]
