Media Advisory: BCCLA at Supreme Court to Oppose Unreasonable Parole Ineligibility Periods

March 23, 2022

WHAT: BCCLA at Supreme court of Canada to intervene in Attorney General of Quebec v. Bissonnette to oppose stacking parole ineligibility periods on Charter grounds.

WHEN: March 24, 2022, at 9:30 am EST / 6:30 am PST

WHERE: Supreme Court of Canada (Ottawa)

Ottawa, ON (Unceded Algonquin Anishnaabeg Territory) – On March 24, 2022, the Supreme Court of Canada will hear the case of Attorney General of Quebec v. Bissonnette to determine whether the stacking of 25-year parole ineligibility periods violates the Charter.

The BCCLA strongly opposes the stacking parole ineligibility periods. Stacking consecutive parole ineligibility periods to incarcerate individuals for 50, 75 or 100 years, without hope of release, is cruel and grossly disproportionate.

The BCCLA will submit that, in determining Charter compliance, the punishment cannot go beyond what is necessary for the achievement of valid social aims and that the punishment cannot be arbitrarily imposed. Allowing the consecutive stacking of parole ineligibility periods goes beyond what is necessary to safeguard the public and beyond what is needed to further the legitimate purposes of punishment. Such a sentence will always lack the fundamental moral value of rehabilitation and will often be impossible to carry out, as their length exceeds the natural human life span.

The BCCLA is represented by Danielle Robitaille and Carly Peddle of Henein Hutchison LLP.

The BCCLA’s factums are available here.

Media Contacts:

Danielle Robitaille, counsel for the BCCLA, at (416) 368-5000 or drobitaille@hhllp.ca

Carly Peddle, counsel for the BCCLA, at (416) 368-5000 or cpeddle@hhllp.ca

NT4