R. v. K.G., (1986) 73 A.R. 376 (CA)

• Judge: Laycraft, C.J.A., Haddad and Hetherington, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (Alberta)
• Case Date: October 14, 1986
• Jurisdiction: Alberta
• Citations: (1986), 73 A.R. 376 (CA)

R. v. K.G. (1986), 73 A.R. 376 (CA)

MLB headnote and full text

R. v. K.G.

(Action No. 8503-9187-A)

Indexed As: R. v. K.G.

Alberta Court of Appeal

Laycraft, C.J.A., Haddad and Hetherington, JJ.A.

October 14, 1986.

Summary:

Section 52(1) of the Young Offenders Act effectively denied a youth the right to a preliminary inquiry. A 14 year old youth charged with theft submitted that the unavailability of a preliminary inquiry violated his rights under ss. 1(b) and 2(e) of the Canadian Bill of Rights and s. 7 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Alberta Provincial Court held that there was no such violation. The youth appealed.

The Alberta Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal.

Civil Rights - Topic 8007

Canadian Bill of Rights - Operation and interpretation - Equality before the law, s. 1(b) - The Alberta Court of Appeal held that the unavailability of a preliminary inquiry to a young offender did not violate the right to equality under s. 1(b) of the Bill of Rights - The court stated that the different treatment of young offenders was pursuant to a valid federal objective.

Criminal Law - Topic 8714.2

Young offenders - Right to preliminary inquiry - [see Civil Rights - Topic 8007 above].

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Big M Drug Mart (1985), 58 N.R. 80; 60 A.R. 161; 18 D.L.R.(4th) 321 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 11].

R. v. Drybones, [1970] S.C.R. 282, refd to. [para. 12].

R. v. Burnshine (1974), 2 N.R. 53; 15 C.C.C.(2d) 505 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 12].

Prata v. Minister of Manpower and Immigration, [1976] 1 S.C.R. 376; 3 N.R. 484, refd to. [para. 12].

Bliss v. Attorney General of Canada, [1979] 1 S.C.R. 183; 23 N.R. 527, refd to. [para. 12].

R. v. MacKay (1980), 33 N.R. 1; 54 C.C.C.(2d) 129 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 12].

R. v. Rocher (1984), 55 A.R. 387, refd to. [para. 14].

Beauregard v. Canada (1986), 70 N.R. 1 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. R.L. (1986), 14 O.A.C. 318 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 21].

U.S. v. Owens (1972), 465 F.2d 289, refd to. [para. 22].

Re Maricopa County, Juvenile Action (1979), 594 P.2d 506, refd to. [para. 23].

R. v. Skogman (1984), 54 N.R. 34; 13 C.C.C.(3d) 161 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 24].

R. v. J.C. (1986), 72 A.R. 119 (P.C.), agreed with [para. 26].

Statutes Noticed:

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982, sect. 7, sect. 15 [para. 8].

Canadian Bill of Rights, R.S.C. 1970, App. III, sect. 1(b), sect. 2(e) [para. 8].

Young Offenders Act, S.C. 1980-81-82, c. 110, sect. 3(1)(c), sect. 3(1)(f), sect. 3(1)(h) [para. 16]; sect. 3(2) [para. 17]; sect. 51, sect. 52 [para. 4].

Counsel:

Margaret Unsworth, for the Crown;

T. Engel, for the appellant.

This appeal was heard before Laycraft, C.J.A., Haddad and Hetherington, JJ.A., of the Alberta Court of Appeal.

On October 14, 1986, Laycraft, C.J.A., delivered the following judgment for the Court of Appeal.