The BCCLA joins a number of other organizations in raising concerns about the proposals regarding habeas corpus applications in Nova Scotia.

Habeas corpus, the requirement a person must be brought before a judge or court before being detained, is a core principle of the rule of law and provides a necessary protection against failures and abuses by correctional authorities. Many individuals detained by the state are particularly vulnerable due to intersecting forms of discrimination based on race or national origin, disability, poverty, language barriers, and inability to obtain legal counsel.

Against this backdrop – in which many detainees already feel powerless – it is crucial for those of us committed to the rule of law to fight against any further barriers to access to justice.

Read our letter in full here.