Vancouver based pivot legal society to release report on Canada’s new crime laws

In late May 2013, the Vancouver based Pivot Legal Society will release its report on the effects of the Safe Streets and Communities Act (SSCA) on low-income drug users in Canada. The report also examines whether new criminal law provisions were likely to raise Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms Issues, particularly when applied to members of Charter-protected groups, such as Aboriginal people and people with disabilities (including drug dependence).

The report argues that the application of a number of provisions of the SSCA may result in violations of the Charter rights of low-income drug users and other protected groups and may therefore be vulnerable to constitutional challenge.

The Pivot reports also concludes that several provisions of the SSCA, including mandatory minimum sentences for certain drug offences, are unlikely to achieve their stated goals of deterrence and disruption of organized crime. Their findings suggest that these “tough on crime” measures will be costly, both economically and socially, and will have disproportionate negative effects for people living with drug dependence, Aboriginal people and youth in or leaving the foster care system.

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