Social & Global Studies

Social & Global Studies

Unit 1 Legal Principles & Problems in Criminal Law

DEFEND or REFUTE the FOLLOWING STATEMENT

LAW'S PURPOSE, CORE PRINCIPLES & THE CRIMINAL PROCESS

INTRODUCTION TO CORE PRINCIPLES & PROBLEMS

ACTIVITY 1

ACTIVITY 1 DEBRIEF → THE HARM PRINCIPLE & CRIMINALIZATION OF BEHAVIOUR

ACTIVITY 2

ACTIVITY 2 DEBRIEF → FAIRNESS REQUIREMENTS & CRIMINAL JUSTICE VALUES IN CANADA

ACTIVITY 3

ACTIVITY 3 DEBRIEF → PATTERNS & PROBLEMS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE EXPOSED BY THE STATISTICS

ACTIVITY 3

PLANET A or PLANET B CHALLENGE

ACTIVITY 4 DEBRIEF → ACTING JUSTLY TO AVOID BAD CONSEQUENCES AND BRING ABOUT GOOD ONES

ACTIVITY 5

BAD BEHAVIOUR vs. CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR

ACTIVITY 5 DEBRIEF → DRAWING THE LINE ON HUMAN BEHAVIOUR (ACTS & OMISSIONS)

BIG IDEA 1 ELEMENTS OF THE OFFENCE

Criminal Law's Purpose

STUDY THE FOLLOWING TEXT READING     “What is Crime” Reading

OPENING CASE HEADLINE

Instructions
 
BUILD a FACT PATTERN from the case headline … HINT
 
What is the story?
What facts stand out as significant?
What facts are in dispute?
What is the alleged crime?
What Criminal Code offence applies?
What must the Crown prove?

OPENING FACT PATTERN R. v. Stephan (2019 on appeal)

FACTS DETERMINED AT FIRST TRIAL in R. v. Stephan (2016)  →  DECISION APPEALED ALL THE WAY UP TO THE SUPREME COURT OF CANADA (ordered a retrial) → SECOND TRIAL (Battle of the Experts) (acquitted) (2019) →  Appealed (decision set aside and retrial ordered) (2021) … awaiting Crown decision on pursuing a THIRD TRIAL.
 

NOTE — a senior Crown prosecutor will be asked to assess the public interest in going ahead, the likelihood of conviction, and the importance of sending a message about parental rights (i.e. general deterrence).  Backlogs in the courts, the amount of time that has passed, and the availability of witnesses could also be considered.

LISTEN Podcast Series Canadian True Crime The Death of Ezekiel Stephan PART 2 (ep. 68).

ENRICHMENT LISTENING     PART 1 (ep. 67), PART 3 (ep. 69).

NOTES TO SUPPORT YOUR UNDERSTANDING & THINKING ABOUT THE FIRST STEPHAN TRIAL COVERED IN THE PODCAST

R. v. Stephan 3--2--1 ACTIVITY See Google Classroom Post Under Class Materials to Access the DEBRIEF Google Doc LINK.

6 CASE LESSONS RATIOS

ADDITIONAL ENRICHMENT MATERIALS

R. v. Stephan CASE TIMELINE

Recent Journalism on the Appeal of the Second Trial Acquittal in the Stephan Case

Broadening the R. v. Stephan Criminal Elements to an EXPANDED Criminal Equation

READING 1     Elements of an Offence

BIG IDEA 2 THEORIES OF CRIMINALITY & CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY

SEE R.v. Jacob Readings, Materials, Class Activities, Videos under “UNIT 1 Evaluation Materials” on the Google Classroom

<https://classroom.google.com/w/Mzg4ODExNzM2MTY1/t/all

SEE R.v. Jacob Legal Opinion Project Page <https://www.socialglobalstudies.com/r-v-jacob-legal-opinion>.

BIG IDEA 3 MEASURING HARM

“Reasoned Apprehension of Harm“ = “evidence in the case supports the existence of a connection to harm” (R. v. Sharpe) SCC (2001).

PDF COPY Case Debate Instructions

ADDITIONAL CASE NOTES

APPLYING BIG IDEA 1, 2, 3

CCC s. 88 and s. 90 ANNOTATIONS & HIGHLIGHTS

BIG IDEA 4 JUDGE-MADE LAW & PRECEDENT

HIV & the Criminalization of Non-Disclosure
LISTEN FOR CONTEXT The History of HIV
Aids and the Law INTRO PODCAST (LISTEN from minute 37:46 to 42:33 2012)
LISTEN from minute 40:18 to 1:02:50 for the Audio Documentary titled “A Calculated Risk“
DOCUMENTARY     Positive Women
 
 
CLASS GOOGLE DOC — 4 Focus Questions & Answers
 
EVOLUTION OF HIV CRIMINALIZATION CASE LAW
HIV & the Criminal Law case materials INCLUDE —
 
PART 2     HIV Case Readings [Ssenyonga, Cuerrier, Williams, Mabior/D.C., Bear]
 
PART 3    HIV Justice Network HIV Criminalization Cases Database by Country [search “Canada” & select a specific category of criminalization or select “All categories“]
 
PART 2 PRECEDENT CASES IN CANADA — STUDENT TASKS
ADDITIONAL SUPPORTING RESEARCH SOURCES FOR CAUSAL MAPPING / MOST DEVASTATING FACT

BIG IDEA 5 CRIMINAL DEFENCES

CASE STUDY The Defence of Provocation Under the Criminal Code of Canada (CCC s. 232)

SOURCE 1 LISTEN FROM MINUTE 10:46 to 18:37
SOURCE 2
SOURCE 3     Why do Canadian courts still allow the ‘gay panic’ defence?
SOURCE 4     FACT PATTERN
 
The Appellant = The Accused, Sebastian Bouchard
CCC OFFENCE OF MURDER
LEGAL TEST -- DEFENCE OF PROVOCATION CCC s. 232
SOURCE 5     LINK     Equality and the Defence of Provocation: Provocation and “Homosexual Panic”

Criminal Defences GRID     READINGS + PRECEDENT CASES

INSTRUCTIONS — Based on the readings linked ABOVE add to the class Criminal Defences GRID detailing two elements: 1) the LEGAL TEST to establish an “air of reality” for your assigned criminal defence AND 2) the RATIO of the leading case for your assigned criminal defence (also detailed in the readings provided ABOVE).

LINK   Google DOC Criminal Defences GRID TEMPLATE

CASE STUDY          NCR Not Criminally Responsible (The Defence of Mental Disorder) DOCUMENTARY The Man Who Hears Voices

CASE STUDY          R. v. Hewer CRIMINAL DEFENCES FACT PATTERN

R. v. Hewer  FACT PATTERN

M. Bauer (ɔ) 2024