The Supreme Court of Canada will issue its reasons for judgment in Ward v. City of Vancouver on Friday, July 23, 2010 at 6:45 a.m.

The case arose out of the mistaken arrest of Vancouver lawyer Cameron Ward in August of 2002. After the Vancouver police refused to apologize, and after a complaint to the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner was dismissed as “unsubstantiated”, Mr. Ward brought a civil case to the BC Supreme Court, which awarded him compensation of $10,100. The trial judge found that his constitutional rights had been violated by the authorities’ wrongful detention and unreasonable search and seizure.

The defendants appealed the decision to the Court of Appeal, lost and then appealed to the country’s highest court, which heard legal arguments in January. Twenty five lawyers were in attendance representing the interests of the parties and intervenors.

The Vancouver Sun has editorialized on the long-running case of R. v. Basi, Virk and Basi, suggesting that the various twists and turns in the case have not enhanced the administration of justice in the province:

Read the editorial.

Another issue troubles me; just how much has this case cost taxpayers? For some six years or so, at least three prosecutors and six defence lawyers have been working on this file…the tab must be in the many millions of dollars.

The Court of Appeal heard oral arguments from counsel on June 21 and 22, 2010 and has reserved judgment in the case of Ivan Henry, who was convicted of several sexual assault offences in 1983 and declared a dangerous offender.

Mr. Henry, who always maintained his innocence, was imprisoned for about 27 years before being released on bail by the Court of Appeal before the appeal was heard.

There has been no indication yet when the appeal judgment will be released.

March 22, 2010 update: According to a story in today’s Edmonton Journal,

“Sustainable Resource Development Minister Mel Knight says the Alberta Endangered Species Committee has again recommended that grizzly bears be listed as a threatened species.” The story quotes Mr. Hunt as saying, “Most certainly, the government of Alberta has every intention of being sure grizzly bears remain part of the landscape in Alberta.” The Alberta government has continued to suspend the spring hunt.

Here in British Columbia, no such commitment has been made. In nine days, hunters will start killing the province’s bears in the annual spring hunt.

The Province of British Columbia lets people kill grizzly bears for fun. This is an obscenity that must be stopped.

The grizzly bear is a magnificent animal, a symbol of this province’s natural beauty, yet the government lets hunters kill it for sport. Minister of Environment Barry Penner should be ashamed of himself.

Grizzlies are under pressure from habitat destruction and salmon depletion and nobody knows how many remain. They have been extirpated from much of the Pacific Northwest, yet we are fortunate to have some left here in BC. In a few short weeks, rich American hunters will start blasting grizzly bears to oblivion as they emerge hungry and bleary-eyed from their dens. Why? So these brave folks can peel off their hides and put them on their rec room walls.

Stop this abomination. Contact the David Suzuki Foundation, write your MLA, the Premier and Minister Penner. Do something, before it is too late.