Marijuana legalization

Sentencing under new pot bill excessive say lawyers

The government’s marijuana legalization bill imposes excessive penalties for selling or giving weed to youth. Critics say young people would be disproportionately targeted by the penalties which can include up to 14 years in jail.

Read more at the Montreal Gazette

Planets aligned for marijuana reform says columnist

Marijuana legalization has been a serious topic of discussion for half a century, says columnist. Now is the time to act.

Read more at the Globe and Mail 

Criminal records

Expungement of convictions for antigay laws needs to go further

An HIV rights group is arguing that the government’s bill to expunge records relating to past criminalization of homosexuality should also expunge records of people caught up in bathhouse raids.

Read more at HuffPost 

Nunavut MLA says background checks needed for adoption

A Nunavut MLA says the territory is not doing enough to protect children who are placed through the traditional practice of “custom adoption.”

Read more at CTV News

AllCleared shares the importance of pardons at OACP meeting

AllCleared was honoured to be a sponsor of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police annual conference where Vice President Chuck Mercier shared our message of the importance of Record Suspensions in rehabilitation.

Read more at AllCleared 

Where do you get a pardon in Canada?

The Parole Board of Canada is the organization responsible for granting pardons, which are now called Record Suspensions. However, there are several steps necessary to complete the process.

Read more at AllCleared

Justice

True Cases by women in criminal justice

Female Canadian defence lawyers, Crown Attorneys, judges share stories, lectures and reminiscences about true cases in Canada’s justice system.

Read more at the Toronto Star 

Straw purchasing putting more guns on the streets

Police are warning that more guns are ending up in the hands of criminals because people who pass background checks subsequently sell them to others.

Read more at CBC News 

Discrimination

Groups call for probe into “carding” in Vancouver

Civil rights, Indigenous and black leaders want an investigation into carding, the practice of stopping people on the street and asking for ID, saying certain groups are disproportionately targeted.

Read more at OHS Canada 

Mexico angered by comments linking visitors to organized crime

The Mexican Embassy wrote a letter in response to a Conservative MP’s comments linking Mexican visitors to organized crime.

Read more at the New Westminster Record