Alberta Liberal - Newsclips
Justice & Attorney General
Bail reform advocates may unite: Groups will talk to MP to push for changes to justice system The Edmonton Journal Thu 13 Apr 2006 Page: B3 Section: CityPlus Byline: Chris Purdy and Gordon Kent Dateline: EDMONTON Source: The Edmonton Journal
EDMONTON - People circulating petitions opposing bail for suspects in two homicide cases may join forces to set up a formal group demanding changes to the justice system.
Arnold Saathof and Dena Gallant are to meet with MP Peter Goldring today to discuss plans for the non-profit organization, such as a name and mission statement.
Gallant said they already have the backing of MP John Williams.
"There's a lot of people upset about the accountability shown by the courts," Gallant said Wednesday outside the courthouse.
"We feel the justice system does not show ultimate respect for human life."
She started a petition last fall to have bail revoked for accused wife-killer Michael White, who was eventually ordered held in custody until his trial by the Alberta Court of Appeal.
Saathof's friend Stefan William Conley died after he was attacked on a city bus in March. Four teens charged with manslaughter in his death have been freed on bail.
"Will was my friend and to see these four young men released ... it just gave me such a shot to the chest," said Saathof. "How can that be?"
He went to their court appearance Wednesday armed with an online petition of 10,000 names calling for their bail to be revoked. The Crown's office recently decided it had no grounds to appeal the bail decision.
The teens are next set to appear in court May 26, with a preliminary hearing likely to be held in December.
Goldring welcomed the petitions, saying "liberal" judges need to hear that many members of the public feel they're too soft on accused criminals. "It certainly should have an impact, and if judges don't listen, that's where Parliament must act in being more aggressive in writing laws that judges should listen to public concern."
Clippings April 13, 2006 15
Federal Justice Minister Vic Toews supports his position that bail needs to be made harder to get, Goldring said.
"Bail is to return somebody who really, truly is not a threat to society, but I can't see where you would be returning somebody ... who (is accused of having) committed a violent crime," he said. "It's more signalling to the public you're more interested in their social life than protecting society."
Alberta Justice Minister Ron Stevens said this week that while the petitions provide an important voice for the public, the Criminal Code doesn't give them legal standing in the courts.
"The judiciary have to be independent of political considerations."
Greg DelBigio, acting chair of the Canadian Bar Association's criminal justice section, said in his opinion it would be "entirely inappropriate" if judicial rulings were influenced by the mood of the public.
The Vancouver criminal lawyer has never seen a petition similar to the ones circulated in Edmonton, but he doubts they will have any impact.
"Throughout history, certain cases have captured public attention more than others, so what's occurring now is nothing new."
Besides bail issues and pushing for a new remand centre in Edmonton, Gallant said she wants killing a fetus made a criminal offence.
White's wife, Liana, was four months pregnant with the couple's second child when her body was found in a ditch last July. White is charged with the second-degree murder of his wife, but not her unborn baby.
[email protected]
[email protected]