Blog James Hendry

Mandatory Minimum Sentences and s. 12 of the Charter

The Supreme Court of Canada recently struck down a four-year mandatory minimum sentence for discharging a firearm into a home in Hills (here). Though Hills admitted that the mandatory minimum was warranted in his case, he argued that the law might be applied to someone who did not deserve it.

Prejudice, Bias and Laws Prohibiting Discrimination

The Supreme Court of Canada has recognized that subjective assumptions, prejudice, ignorance and biases about individuals’ personal characteristics have historically structured the distribution of many important public and private benefits. […]