An Act to amend the Criminal Code, to make consequential amendments to other Acts and to repeal a regulation (miscarriage of justice reviews)
Sponsor: Arif Virani, Minister of Justice (Parkdale—High Park)
Proposed changes
This enactment amends the Criminal Code to, among other things, (a) establish an independent body to be called the Miscarriage of Justice Review Commission; (b) replace the review process set out in Part XXI.1 with a process in which applications for reviews of findings and verdicts on the grounds of miscarriage of justice are made to the Commission instead of to the Minister of Justice; (c) confer on the Commission powers of investigation to carry out its functions; (d) provide that the Commission may direct a new trial or hearing or refer a matter to the court of appeal if it has reasonable grounds to conclude that a miscarriage of justice may have occurred and considers that it is in the interests of justice to do so…