Police Constable Kris Wood, et al. v. Ruth Schaeffer, et al.
The case involves Ontario’s Special Investigative Unit (SIU), the civilian agency responsible for conducting independent investigations into incidents involving the use of police force causing death or serious injury. The […]
Divito v. Canada (Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness)
In this case, the Supreme Court of Canada will consider whether the government can reject the application of a Canadian citizen who is incarcerated abroad and seeks transfer to a […]
R. v. Chehil and R. v. MacKenzie
These cases concern sniffer dogs and whether the current standards permitting their use are consistent with the right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure. Mr. Chehil’s baggage was […]
R. v. Pham (Supreme Court of Canada)
This case deals with the question of what factors a court should consider when crafting a just and fair criminal sentence. Under immigration law, criminal sentences of a certain length […]
R. v. Khawaja; United States v. Nadarajah; and United States v. Sriskandarajah
These companion cases deal with the constitutionality of the definition of “terrorist activity” and its operation throughout the terrorism provisions of the Criminal Code. These provisions were enacted shortly after […]
Her Majesty the Queen v. Alphide Manning
This case involves the question of how the expanded regime governing forfeiture of “offence-related property” in the Criminal Code should apply in the context of sentencing. At issue is whether […]
Her Majesty the Queen v. Criminal Lawyers’ Association of Ontario, et al.
This case involves the question of whether a court’s jurisdiction to appoint amicus curiae entails an incidental power to require that the Crown remunerate an amicus on terms defined by […]
Whaling v. Canada (Attorney General)
On Thursday, March 20, 2014, the Supreme Court of Canada released its decision in Attorney General of Canada v. Whaling et al. The BCCLA was an intervener in the case. […]
Sivia, et al. v. British Columbia (Superintendent of Motor Vehicles); Goodwin, et al. v. British Columbia (Superintendent of Motor Vehicles)
This case raises significant issues about due process and limitations on the Province’s ability to legislate penal or criminal law-like sanctions in addressing regulatory or administrative concerns. It is a […]
Reference re Amendments to the B.C. Elections Act
This reference concerns amendments to the B.C. Elections Act establishing new third-party spending limits in connection with provincial elections. The amendments at issue were intended by the government to address […]