Conviction Integrity: The Canadian Miscarriages of Justice Commission

Abstract

Recently, the Canadian Government has committed to creating an independent Canadian Criminal Cases Review Commission. Minister Lametti initiated a consultation process with stakeholders, led by Justice Harry S. LaForme of the Ontario Court of Appeal and assisted by retired Judge Juanita Westmoreland-Traoré of the Court of Quebec, to precede the implementation of the Commission. The resulting report recommends a visionary innocence commission for Canada that is more independent, better funded, more systematic, proactive, and inclusive, has scope to review far more potential miscarriages of justice, and has broader referral grounds and more remedies than existing innocence commissions in other countries. Hopefully, the Canadian Government will seize this singular opportunity to implement a monument to justice and place Canada as the global leader in addressing wrongful convictions.