Justice tracking more than 100 constitutional challenges to mandatory penalties
OTTAWA — Justice reforms brought in by the previous Conservative government in the name of getting tough on criminals “compounded pressures” on the system — a litigation-fuelled backlash that will figure in a comprehensive Liberal review of penalties and sentencing, say internal federal notes.
As part of the review, Justice Department officials were tracking more than 100 constitutional challenges to mandatory minimum penalties alone, the notes say.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has asked Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould to review changes to the criminal justice system over the last decade with the aim of ensuring the safety of communities, obtaining value for public money and filling any gaps.
The last general overhaul of criminal sentencing provisions took place 20 years ago. Many recent reforms focused on particular issues and were implemented through a piecemeal — rather than a comprehensive, long-term strategic — approach, says an internal memo to Wilson-Raybould.