R. v. Canning (C.), (1996) 148 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 1 (NFTD)

• Judge: Mercer, J.
• Court: Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador (Canada)
• Case Date: December 04, 1996
• Jurisdiction: Newfoundland and Labrador
• Citations: (1996), 148 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 1 (NFTD)

R. v. Canning (C.) (1996), 148 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 1 (NFTD);

    464 A.P.R. 1

MLB headnote and full text

Her Majesty The Queen v. Clarence Canning

(1995 St. J. No. 2920)

Indexed As: R. v. Canning (C.)

Newfoundland Supreme Court

Trial Division

Mercer, J.

December 18, 1996.

Summary:

An accused was charged with second degree murder and convicted of the included offence of manslaughter.

The Newfoundland Supreme Court, Trial Division, sentenced the accused to four years' imprisonment and ordered him to pay a $35 victim fine surcharge, or, in default, seven days' imprisonment. The court pro­hibited the accused from possessing any firearm, ammunition or explosive substance for a 10 year period.

Criminal Law - Topic 1436

Firearms - General - Unsafe handling and careless storage - The Newfoundland Supreme Court, Trial Division, stated that "Parliament has enacted a number of pro­visions, including s. 86(2) of the Criminal Code, creating offences to punish persons for failing to discharge a duty of care to prevent bodily harm with respect to the care and control of dangerous substances. Enactment of these provisions indicates Parliament's intent that where people have control of an inherently dangerous item, such as a firearm, they are put on notice that they have a specific duty of care ... Breach of that duty of care resulting in death warrants serious consequences for the offender. In sentencing for unlawful act manslaughter, based on a breach of s. 86(2), the principle of general deterrence, denunciation and retribution are of great weight ..." - See paragraph 69.

Criminal Law - Topic 5670

Punishments (sentence) - Imprisonment and parole - Parole - Period of ineligibil­ity - An accused was convicted by jury for manslaughter - The accused, while under the influence of alcohol, handled a shotgun which discharged killing his friend - The discharged shell was located in a covered tin - Initially, the accused denied his involvement - Remorseful - Good work history - Evidence of a alcohol problem - Spent six weeks in pretrial custody - The Newfoundland Supreme Court, Trial Divi­sion, concluded that the conviction was based on the accused hav­ing violated s. 86(2) of Criminal Code in his storage and handling of the gun - Emphasizing denun­ciation and deterrence, the court sentenced the accused to four years' imprisonment and imposed a $35 victim fine surcharge, or, in default, seven days' imprisonment, and a 10 year fire­arms' prohibition - The court refused the Crown's request to have the accused serve at least one half of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole.

Criminal Law - Topic 5833

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Deterrence - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5670 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5848.7

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Denunciation or repudiation of conduct - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5670 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5849.20

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Use of firearms - [See Crimi­nal Law - Topic 1436 and Criminal Law - Topic 5670 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5877

Sentence - Dangerous or careless use of firearm - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5670 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5882

Sentence - Manslaughter - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5670 ].

Cases Noticed:

R. v. MacKinlay (1986), 15 O.A.C. 241 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 20].

R. v. Robinson (D.), [1996] 1 S.C.R. 683; 194 N.R. 181; 72 B.C.A.C. 161; 119 W.A.C. 161, refd to. [para. 20].

R. v. McMaster (R.A.) et al., [1996] 1 S.C.R. 740; 194 N.R. 278; 181 A.R. 199; 116 W.A.C. 199, refd to. [para. 20].

R. v. Brown (K.F.), [1991] 2 S.C.R. 518; 125 N.R. 363; 93 Sask.R. 81; 4 W.A.C. 81, refd to. [para. 24].

R. v. Parker (R.D.R.) (1996), 154 N.S.R.(2d) 289; 452 A.P.R. 289 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 35].

R. v. Kittle (P.M.) (1996), 142 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 87; 445 A.P.R. 87 (Nfld. C.A.), dist. [para. 40].

R. v. Fowler (1984), 48 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 175; 142 A.P.R. 175 (Nfld. C.A.), consd. [para. 41].

R. v. Williams, [1979] N.J. No. 70 (C.A.), consd. [para. 42].

R. v. Snelgrove (1977), 13 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 190; 29 A.P.R. 190 (Nfld. C.A.), dist. [para. 43].

R. v. Osmond (J.P.) (1996), 140 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 123; 438 A.P.R. 123 (Nfld. T.D.), dist. [para. 44].

R. v. Furey, [1989] N.J. No. 151 (C.A.), dist. [para. 46].

R. v. Wisdom (C.) (1996), 75 B.C.A.C. 231; 123 W.A.C. 231 (C.A.), consd. [para. 48].

R. v. Hohner, [1995] O.J. No. 3056 (Gen. Div.), consd. [para. 49].

R. v. Ball, [1993] O.J. No. 3207 (Gen. Div.), consd. [para. 53].

R. v. MacKay (1980), 40 N.S.R.(2d) 616; 73 A.P.R. 616 (C.A.), consd. [para. 55].

R. v. Firth (1983), 52 A.R. 311 (N.W.T.S.C.), consd. [para. 56].

R. v. Weber (1972), 9 C.C.C.(2d) 49 (B.C.C.A.), consd. [para. 57].

R. v. Pettigrew (1990), 56 C.C.C.(3d) 390 (B.C.C.A.), consd. [para. 58].

R. v. Creighton (1993), 157 N.R. 1; 65 O.A.C. 321; 83 C.C.C.(3d) 346 (S.C.C.), consd. [para. 62].

R. v. Martineau, [1990] 2 S.C.R. 633; 112 N.R. 83; 109 A.R. 321; 58 C.C.C.(3d) 353, consd. [para. 62].

R. v. Cascoe (1970), 54 Cr. App. R. 401 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 63].

R. v. Woodward (H.) (1993), 108 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 240; 339 A.P.R. 240 (Nfld. C.A.), consd. [para. 64].

R. v. C.A.M. (1996), 194 N.R. 321; 73 B.C.A.C. 81; 120 W.A.C. 81; 105 C.C.C.(3d) 327 (S.C.C.), consd. [para. 65].

R. v. Gosset (1993), 157 N.R. 195; 57 Q.A.C. 130; 83 C.C.C.(3d) 494 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 69].

R. v. Finlay (1993), 156 N.R. 374; 113 Sask.R. 241; 52 W.A.C. 241; 83 C.C.C.(3d) 513 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 69].

Statutes Noticed:

Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46, sect. 86(2) [para. 21].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Ruby, Clayton C., Sentencing (4th Ed. 1994), pp. 503, 504 [para. 63].

Thomas, D.A., Establishing a Factual Basis for Sentencing, [1970] Crim. L.R. 80, p. 82 [para. 24].

Counsel:

Wayne Gorman, for the Crown;

David Goodland, for the accused.

This matter was heard on December 4, 1996, before Mercer, J., of the Newfound­land Supreme Court, Trial Division, who filed the following decision on December 18, 1996.