Courts, Corrections, Incarceration

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said today that he will enforce a controversial school “pronoun” policy despite a provincial judge’s decision to issue an injunction. The judge suspended the policy pending the outcome of a legal challenge by the University of Regina Pride Centre for Sexuality and Gender Diversity. Announced in August, the initiative would require students younger than 16 to have parental consent before changing their pronouns or preferred first names in a school setting. [node:read-more:link]

Cameron Ortis, the former director general of the RCMP’s National Intelligence Co-ordination Centre accused of providing secrets to unauthorized persons, plans a is planning a constitutional challenge. The Public Prosecution Service has confirmed that Ortis’ lawyers will argue that a Security of Information Act section on communication about special operations violates his Charter rights. [node:read-more:link]

The Guantanamo Bay trial of one accused in the September 2011 terrorist attacks in the U.S. has been suspended after a military psychiatrist told the court that Ramzi bin al-Shibh is “unable to understand the nature of the proceedings against him or cooperate intelligently.” He was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, associated psychotic features and a delusional disorder [node:read-more:link]

Faced with the October 30 expiry of a federal firearms amnesty, a gun lobby plans to seek a Federal Court injunction February 22 on grounds that many owners worry about the prospect of being labelled criminals if they don’t comply. The federal cabinet directive initially issued in 2020, and since extended, reclassified as prohibited a number of common military-style firearms and while owners can still possess them, the directive prohibits transfer of ownership. [node:read-more:link]

Five Bulgarians accused of spying for Russia are scheduled to appear in a London courtroom September 26. Arrested after a police investigation, they are alleged to have worked for Russian security services by, among other things, conducting operations in the UK and Europe. [node:read-more:link]

Authorities in Hong Kong have extradited to the U.S. a man accused of shuttling sensitive microelectronics into Russia amidst its invasion of Ukraine. Maxim Marchenko, originally from Russia, faces several charges, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S., conspiracy to commit wire fraud and smuggling. [node:read-more:link]

Online reporting nearly two years ago, based on leaked documents, resulted in the September 19 arrest of a journalist by France’s domestic intelligence agency. The move was denounced by Reporters Without Borders as an “unacceptable attack on the secrecy of sources.” Ariane Lavrilleux had reported that French counter-intelligence information had been used by Egypt several years earlier for “a campaign of arbitrary killings” against smugglers along the Libyan border. [node:read-more:link]

House of Commons approval in one day of a government bail reform bill to address widespread concerns about repeat violent offenders is being criticized by two civil liberties groups. The law requires prosecutors to prove why an accused should be detained but C-48, referred to the Senate September 18, would put the onus on some to prove why their release would be safe. [node:read-more:link]

Five U.S.-Iranian citizens imprisoned by Iran for years and generally seen as hostages were freed today in return for the release of $6 billion in Iranian funds held in South Korea at the request of the U.S. Their chartered flight from Tehran was met by U.S. officials in Qatar before they continued on to Washington. [node:read-more:link]

Chinese-controlled TikTok has been fined €345 million by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission after a two-year investigation into the social media platforms’ compliance with privacy rules. There are suggestions that Canada could follow suit in a bid to protect younger users’ privacy. [node:read-more:link]

As the trial in Ottawa of two key organizers of the “Freedom Convoy” protest enters another week, prosecutors, defence council and the presiding Ontario Superior Court judge are wrestling with fundamental questions about an unprecedented mountain of potential digital evidence. [node:read-more:link]

A Muslim Association of Canada request for a “biased” tax audit to be stopped has been rejected in Ontario Superior Court. Justice Markus Koehnen said in his ruling (File No. CV-22-679625-0000) that while sympathetic to many of the charity’s arguments, a court should not involve itself in an active government process. [node:read-more:link]

Russian President Vladimir said September 12 that former U.S. president Donald Trump’s ongoing legal problems “shows the rottenness of the American political system, which cannot pretend to teach others democracy.” Putin also said Trump’s “persecution” would diminish U.S. global standing. [node:read-more:link]

Tamara Lich, a key organizer of the “Freedom Convoy” blockade in Ottawa in February 2022, repeatedly told protestors to “hold the line” as the federal government moved to end the occupation. Videos of her activities were shown September 12 in an Ottawa courtroom where she and fellow organizer Chris Barber are on trial for, among other things, obstructing police. [node:read-more:link]

A Federal Court judge has ruled that Environment & Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault owes the founder of right-wing Rebel News $20,000 for blocking his social media account. Guilbeault and his staff also are ordered not block Levant, who said Guilbeau’s tactic was equivalent to “weaponization of the state” against critics. [node:read-more:link]