Reaction has been swift and angry after the Supreme Court of Canada struck down the one-year mandatory minimum sentence for possessing or accessing child-sexual-abuse material. In a narrow 5-4 decision, the court ruled the punishment unconstitutional, calling it cruel and unusual under the Charter.
Conservative justice critic Larry Brock called the decision “a disgusting and cruel insult to victims,” warning it will weaken deterrence for child-sex offenders and further erode confidence in the justice system. Critics say the ruling reflects a court increasingly out of touch with public safety concerns.
Also, Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms president John Carpay joins Marc Patrone to warn that Canada’s endorsement of the World Health Organization’s new pandemic regulations hands power to unelected foreign officials and undermines national sovereignty. Carpay also sounds the alarm over Ottawa’s latest surveillance and censorship bills, calling them “a roadmap to a police state by Christmas.”
Plus, the Bank of Canada confirms the country is in recession. Tiff Macklem warns of falling living standards, and Prime Minister Mark Carney returns from South Korea empty-handed after failing to secure any progress on China’s trade tariffs.
Hellbound and Down 