Hello,
My name is [YOUR NAME HERE], and I'm a resident of [YOUR MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT]'s [WHERE YOU LIVE] Riding.
I'm emailing to ask if [YOUR MP] office is aware of the recently tabled bill C-51, which is being promoted as a "modernization" of the criminal code.
The bill proposes a small number of wording changes, and removes several obsolete offences from the criminal code, such as witchcraft.
However, the bill also significantly changes the rules of evidence in court - placing the requirement on a defendant to disclose, in advance - any text, message or communication related to a sexual act in a sex assault trial. This would mean that even were text-message or email evidence allowed in an accused Canadians' defence - a prosecutor or accuser could re-shape the accusation to circumvent the defendant's evidence establishing innocence of an accusation.
This is a sharp departure from the Charter right to full answer in defense of an accusation (section 7) and nobody appears to be paying attention. Almost all reporting on this proposed law focuses on the removal from the criminal code of duelling, or witchcraft. These are archaic and irrelevant laws being removed - as if to distract the public.
Has anybody noticed that evidence in a highly politicized criminal offence is about to be removed from Canadian courts, and the Charge of sex assault reduced from something based on evidence to a contest of who can emote better in a court room?
I would like to know what [YOUR MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT] position, or her party's position on this proposed new law is.
Thank you.
--[Your Name]--
Your Member of Parliment https://lop.parl.ca/ParlInfo/Compilat...
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