Virani: New Commission to Aid Women and Racialized Individuals
The new wrongful conviction commission aims to support women and racialized communities in seeking justice within the legal system
Ottawa, Canada, Wrongful Conviction, Justice, Racialized People, Indigenous Peoples
Ottawa: The federal justice minister just announced a new commission to tackle wrongful convictions. This is a big deal for racialized and Indigenous folks who often face unfair treatment in the justice system.
Named after David Milgaard and his mom, Joyce, this law is a game changer. It shifts the review process from the ministers to an independent commission. The goal? Make it easier and fairer for those who might be wrongfully convicted.
Milgaard himself spent 23 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. After his release, he became a strong advocate for others in similar situations. He even backed this new legislation that just became law.
Justice Minister Arif Virani pointed out that while wrongful convictions don’t happen all the time, when they do, they cause serious harm to individuals and their families. Over the last two decades, there have been 200 claims of wrongful conviction, with only 30 being overturned.
What’s concerning is that none of those overturned cases involved women, and only seven involved racialized individuals, even though they are overrepresented in the system.
With this new law, people claiming wrongful convictions will get access to resources and support to help their cases. Virani believes this will help balance things out.
The government is eager to get the Miscarriage of Justice Review Commission up and running quickly. They’re already looking for candidates to fill roles in this new body.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on December 19, 2024.
Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press