Criminal
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March 23, 2026
Manitoba Court of Appeal determines frustration and fear, not drugs, led to murder
Jon Preston Hastings was convicted of first-degree murder in a King’s Bench judge-alone trial (R. v. Hastings, 2024 MBKB 171). Although conceding that the evidence established an intent to commit murder, Hastings argued that the trial judge erred in finding planning and deliberation, which are essential elements for a first-degree murder conviction. The Manitoba Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal (R. v. Hastings, 2026 MBCA 11).
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March 23, 2026
Doug Ford on self-defence laws: Yippee ki‐yay, Mr. Premier
By now, we’ve all seen the news coverage surrounding the Vaughan, Ont., homeowner who shot one of three armed home invaders, sending the assailants fleeing like scalded dogs back into a waiting getaway vehicle. York Regional Police later arrested and charged the wounded home invader after he turned up at a Toronto area hospital. York Regional Police declined to charge the homeowner. This led Premier Doug Ford to issue his now infamous “congratulatory” remarks that the homeowner “should have shot him a couple more times.”
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March 23, 2026
N.B. moves to end limitation period for victims of intimate partner violence dependent on assailant
New Brunswick is proposing legislation that would remove the limitation period for civil claims by victims of intimate partner violence who were dependent on their assailant. A March 18 news release notes there is no civil limitation period to file claims for damages in cases of assault or battery “for acts of a sexual nature” or for “trespass to the person.”
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March 23, 2026
Seismic Bill 21 case draws record counsel & intervener presence at this week’s four-day SCC hearing
This week’s blockbuster Bill 21 appeal at the Supreme Court involves 140 counsel of record — with 64 of them slated to make oral argument over four days on behalf of the seven main party groups and the record 51 interveners.
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March 23, 2026
CRIMINAL CODE OFFENCES - Weapons offences - Possession of prohibited or restricted weapon or ammunition
Appeal by appellant from his conviction for possession of a loaded restricted firearm. Police responded to a complaint about an idling car. When the driver opened the door, a cloud of cannabis smoke escaped, and open packages of cannabis were visible at her feet.
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March 20, 2026
Split SCC revisits implied-licence & ancillary-police-powers doctrines in impaired driving case
Dividing 5-4 to allow the appeal in a Saskatchewan impaired driving case, the Supreme Court of Canada has provided guidance on the scope of common law police powers to warrantlessly investigate suspected crimes at residential private property without violating the Charter’s s. 8 prohibition of unreasonable search or seizure.
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March 20, 2026
B.C. boosts compensation for intimate-image abuse victims
British Columbia is increasing compensation limits for people who have had their intimate images shared without their consent. Victims can now seek as much as $75,000 in compensation through the Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT) with amendments to the Intimate Images Protection Act now in effect.
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March 20, 2026
POWERS OF SEARCH AND SEIZURE - Warrantless searches - Reasonable expectation of privacy - Motor vehicle
Appeal by the Crown from a judgment of the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal which set aside a conviction and entered an acquittal. The RCMP received a complaint of impaired driving against Singer. Officers identified a vehicle matching the description in the complaint parked in a residential driveway.
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March 20, 2026
Why Ontario is the epicentre of Canada’s remand issue
A recent CBC report noted that Ontario has announced plans for a new jail in Brockville and to add 1,436 new correctional beds by 2032. By any reasonable measure, Ontario should not be facing a jail overcrowding crisis. Crime rates are not surging out of control. Sentencing laws have not dramatically stiffened. Yet the province’s correctional facilities are often beyond safe capacity. The explanation lies not in who is being sentenced but in who is waiting.
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March 19, 2026
B.C. legislation sparks debate over protest access zones at schools, places of worship
As the B.C. government doubles down on bubble zones that limit protest around schools and places of worship, civil libertarians are saying they not only violate Charter rights but are also largely unnecessary.