R. v. Morales (M.)

• Jurisdiction: Federal Jurisdiction (Canada)
• Court: Supreme Court (Canada)
• Judge: Dubé, Sopinka, Gonthier, McLachlin and Iacobucci, JJ.
• Citation: (1992), 144 N.R. 176 (SCC),77 CCC (3d) 91,12 CRR (2d) 31,[1992] CarswellQue 18,51 QAC 161,1992 CanLII 53 (SCC),JE 92-1761,17 WCB (2d) 580,[1992] 3 SCR 711,144 NR 176,[1992] SCJ No 98 (QL),[1992] ACS no 98,17 CR (4th) 74
• Date: 19 November 1992

R. v. Morales (M.) (1992), 144 N.R. 176 (SCC)

MLB headnote and full text

[French language version follows English language version]

[La version française vient à la suite de la version anglaise]

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Her Majesty the Queen (appellant) v. Maximo Morales (respondent) and The Attorney General of Canada, The Attorney General for Ontario, The Attorney General of Manitoba, The Attorney General for Alberta, L'Association des avocats de la défense de Montréal and The Criminal Lawyers' Association (intervenors)

(22404)

Indexed As: R. v. Morales (M.)

Supreme Court of Canada

Lamer, C.J.C., La Forest, L'Heureux-

Dubé, Sopinka, Gonthier, McLachlin

and Iacobucci, JJ.

November 19, 1992.

Summary:

Morales was charged with trafficking in narcotics, possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking and conspiracy to import narcotics. At the time of his arrest, Morales was awaiting trial for assault with a weapon, an indictable offence. He was subsequently convicted of that offence. A bail hearing was held. Bail was denied and Morales was ordered detained in custody until trial. Morales then applied under s. 520 of the Criminal Code for a review of this order. The Quebec Superior Court (Boilard, J.) ordered Morales released, subject to a number of conditions. The Crown sought and obtained leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada.

The Supreme Court of Canada allowed the appeal.

Civil Rights - Topic 1209

Security of the person - General - Deten­tion and imprisonment - Sections 515(6)(a) and 515(6)(d) of the Criminal Code provided that an accused charged with an indictable offence allegedly committed after being released in respect of another indictable offence or with having com­mitted an offence under ss. 4 or 5 of the Narcotic Control Act, shall be detained unless he showed cause why his detention was not justified - Section 515(10)(b) provided that the detention of an accused was justified only in the public interest or for public safety - Did ss. 515(6)(a) and 515(6)(d) limit s. 7 of the Charter? - The Supreme Court of Canada answered no - See paragraphs 1 to 72.

Droits et libertés - Cote 1209

Sécurité de sa personne - Généralités - Détention et emprisonnement - [Voir Civil Rights - Topic 1209 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 3107

Trials, due process, fundamental justice and fair hearings - General principles and definitions - Void for vagueness doctrine - Sections 515(6)(a) and 515(6)(d) of the Criminal Code provided that an accused charged with an indictable offence al­legedly committed after being released in respect of another indictable offence or with having committed an offence under ss. 4 or 5 of the Narcotic Control Act, shall be detained unless he showed cause why his detention was not justified - Section 515(10)(b) provided that detention was justified only in the public interest or for public safety - Was the public interest aspect of s. 515(10)(b) too vague to be valid under s. 11(e) of the Charter? - The Supreme Court of Canada answered yes - See paragraphs 11 to 26.

Droits et libertés - Cote 3107

Procès, application régulière de la loi, justice fondamentale et audiences équi­tables - Principes généraux - Doctrine de nullité en raison d'imprécision - [Voir Civil Rights - Topic 3107 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 3140

Trials, due process, fundamental justice and fair hearings - Criminal and quasi-criminal proceedings - Right to bail - Sections 515(6)(a) and 515(6)(d) of the Crimi­nal Code provided that an accused charged with an indictable offence allegedly com­mitted after being released in respect of another indictable offence or with having committed an offence under ss. 4 or 5 of the Narcotic Control Act, shall be detained unless he showed cause why his detention was not justified - Section 515(10)(b) provided that detention was justified only in the public interest or for public safety - Did these provisions limit s. 11(e) of the Charter? - The Supreme Court of Canada answered yes but only with respect to the public interest aspect of s. 515(10)(b) and the way it affected ss. 515(6)(a) and 515(6)(d).

Droits et libertés - Cote 3140

Procès, application régulière de la loi, justice fondamentale et audiences équi­tables - Affaires criminelles et quasi-criminelles - Droit à la mise en liberté sous caution - [Voir Civil Rights - Topic 3140 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 3501

Detention and imprisonment - General - Sections 515(6)(a) and 515(6)(d) of the Crimi­nal Code provided that an accused charged with an indictable offence allegedly com­mitted after being released in respect of another indictable offence or with having committed an offence under ss. 4 or 5 of the Narcotic Control Act, shall be detained unless he showed cause why his detention was not justified - Section 515(10)(b) provided that the detention of an accused was justified only in the public interest or for public safety - Did these provisions limit s. 9 of the Charter? - The Supreme Court of Canada answered no with respect to ss. 515(6)(a) and 515(6)(d) and the public safety aspect of s. 515(10)(b) - The court did not answer with respect to the public interest aspect of s. 515(10)(b) - See paragraphs 47 to 49, 65, 66, 72.

Droits et libertés - Cote 3501

Détention et emprisonnement - Généralités - [Voir Civil Rights - Topic 3501 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 3622

Detention and imprisonment - Bail and interim release - Denial of bail without just cause - Sections 515(6)(a) and 515(6)(d) of the Criminal Code provided that an accused charged with an indictable offence allegedly committed after being released in respect of another indictable offence or with having committed an offence under ss. 4 or 5 of the Narcotic Control Act, shall be detained unless he showed cause why his detention was not justified - Section 515(10)(b) provided that detention was justified only in the public interest or for public safety - Did these provisions limit s. 11(e) of the Charter? - The Supreme Court of Canada answered yes but only with respect to the public interest aspect of s. 515(10)(b) and the way it affected ss. 515(6)(a) and 515(6)(d).

Droits et libertés - Cote 3622

Détention et emprisonnement - Libération sous caution et libération provisoire - Etre privé sans juste cause d'une mise en liberté assortie d'un cautionnement raisonnable - [Voir Civil Rights - Topic 3622 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 8551

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Interpretation, particular words and phrases - Demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society - The Supreme Court of Canada held that the pre-trial detention, on the basis of public interest under s. 515(10)(b) of the Criminal Code, of an accused charged with an indictable offence allegedly committed after being released in respect of another indictable offence or with having committed an offence under ss. 4 or 5 of the Narcotic Control Act, limited s. 11(e) of the Charter - The court added that this limit was not salvaged by s. 1 of the Charter - See paragraphs 27 to 31, 72.

Droits et libertés - Cote 8551

Charte canadienne des droits et libertés - Interprétation, mots et expressions particu­liers - Justification qui peut se démontrer dans le cadre d'une société libre et démo­cratique - [Voir Civil Rights - Topic 8551 ].

Cases Noticed:

Québec (Procureur général) v. Pearson (1992), 144 N.R. 243 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 1].

R. c. Perron, [1990] R.J.Q. 1774; 25 Q.A.C. 294; 51 C.C.C.(3d) 518 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 7].

R. c. Lamothe (1990), 33 Q.A.C. 11; 58 C.C.C.(3d) 530 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 7].

R. v. Bray (1983), 40 O.R.(2d) 766; 2 C.C.C.(3d) 325 (C.A.), consd. [para. 11].

R. v. Nova Scotia Pharmaceutical Society (No. 2), [1992] 2 S.C.R. 606; 139 N.R. 241, consd. [para. 16].

R. v. Morgentaler, [1988] 1 S.C.R. 30; 82 N.R. 1; 26 O.A.C. 1, refd to. [para. 17].

Irwin Toy Ltd. c. Québec (Procureur général), [1989] 1 S.C.R. 927; 94 N.R. 167; 24 Q.A.C. 2; 58 D.L.R.(4th) 577; 25 C.P.R.(3d) 417, refd to. [para. 17].

Reference re ss. 193 and 195.1(1)(c) of the Criminal Code, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 1123; [1990] 4 W.W.R. 481; 109 N.R. 81; 68 Man.R.(2d) 1, refd to. [para. 17].

Renvoi relatif au Code criminel (Man.) - voir/see Reference Re ss. 193 and 195.1(1)(c) of the Criminal Code.

R. v. Keegstra, [1990] 3 S.C.R. 697; 117 N.R. 1; 114 A.R. 81, refd to. [para. 17].

Taylor and Western Guard Party v. Cana­dian Human Rights Commission, [1990] 3 S.C.R. 892; 117 N.R. 191, refd to. [para. 17].

Committee for the Commonwealth of Canada et al. v. Canada, [1991] 1 S.C.R. 139; 120 N.R. 241, refd to. [para. 17].

Comité pour la République du Canada - voir/see Committee for the Common­wealth of Canada.

R. c. Comité pour la République du Canada - voir/see Committee for the Commonwealth of Canada.

Osborne, Millar & Barnhart et al. v. Canada (Treasury Board) et al., [1991] 2 S.C.R. 69; 125 N.R. 241, refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. Butler and McCord, [1992] 1 S.C.R. 452; 134 N.R. 81, refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. Powers (1972), 9 C.C.C.(2d) 533 (Ont. H.C.), consd. [para. 22].

R. v. Demyen (1975), 26 C.C.C.(2d) 324 (Sask. C.A.), consd. [para. 22].

R. v. Kingwatsiak (1976), 31 C.C.C.(2d) 213 (N.W.T.C.A.), refd to. [para. 22].

R. v. Morenstein (1977), 40 C.C.C.(2d) 131 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 22].

R. v. Dakin, [1989] O.J. No. 1348 (QL Systems)(Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 22].

R. v. Dickie (1979), 14 C.R.(3d) 110, refd to. [para. 23].

R. v. Ghannime (1980), 18 C.R.(3d) 186, refd to. [para. 23].

R. v. Garcia, [1984] C.S. 162, refd to. [para. 23].

R. v. Caruana, J.E. 85-918 (Que. S.C.), refd to. [para. 23].

Canada (Procureur général) v. Solitiero, R.J.P.Q. 88-181 (Que. S.C.), refd to. [para. 23].

R. v. Oakes, [1986] 1 S.C.R. 103; 65 N.R. 87; 14 O.A.C. 335; 26 D.L.R.(4th) 200; 50 C.R.(3d) 1; 24 C.C.C.(3d) 321; 19 C.R.R. 308, refd to. [para. 27].

R. v. Seaboyer and Gayme, [1991] 2 S.C.R. 577; 128 N.R. 81; 48 O.A.C. 81; 7 C.R.(4th) 117, refd to. [para. 30].

R. v. Lyons, [1987] 2 S.C.R. 309; 80 N.R. 161; 82 N.S.R.(2d) 271; 207 A.P.R. 271 (S.C.C.), consd. [para. 43].

R. v. Hufsky, [1988] 1 S.C.R. 621; 84 N.R. 365; 27 O.A.C. 103; 40 C.C.C.(3d) 398; 63 C.R.(3d) 14, refd to. [para. 47].

R. v. Ladouceur, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 1257; 108 N.R. 171; 40 O.A.C. 1; 77 C.R.(3d) 110; 56 C.C.C.(3d) 20, refd to. [para. 48].

R. v. Wilson, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 1291; 108 N.R. 207; 107 A.R. 321, refd to. [para. 48].

R. v. Wholesale Travel Group Inc. and Chedore, [1991] 3 S.C.R. 154; 130 N.R. 1; 49 O.A.C. 161, refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Bradley (1977), 38 C.C.C.(2d) 283 (Que. S.C.), refd to. [para. 53].

R. v. Lebel (1989), 70 C.R.(3d) 83 (Que. S.C.), refd to. [para. 53].

Royal College of Dental Surgeons (Ont.) et al. v. Rocket and Price, [1990] 2 S.C.R. 232; 111 N.R. 161; 40 O.A.C. 241, refd to. [para. 53].

Attorney General v. Times Newspapers Ltd., [1973] 3 All E.R. 54, refd to. [para. 89].

Hilton v. Braunskill, 481 U.S. 770 (U.S.S.C.), refd to. [para. 90].

Statutes Noticed:

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982/Charte canadienne des droits et libertés, 1982, sect. 1, sect. 7, sect. 8, sect. 9, sect. 10, sect. 11(d), sect. 11(e).

Constitution Act, 1982/Loi constitution­nelle de 1982, sect. 52(1).

Criminal Code/Code criminel, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46, sect. 465(1), sect. 504, sect. 515(6)(a), sect. 515(6)(d), sect. 515(10)(a), sect. 515(10)(b), sect. 516, sect. 518, sect. 520, sect. 521, sect. 523(2), sect. 525, sect. 526.

Narcotic Control Act/Stupéfiants, Loi sur les, R.S.C. 1985, c. N-1, sect. 4, sect. 5.

Authors and Works Noticed:

Canada, Committee on Corrections, Report of the Canadian Committee on Corrections, 1969, p. 110 [para. 44].

Jacob, I.H., The Inherent Jurisdiction of the Court (1970), 23 C.L.P. 23, p. 27 [para. 86].

Kiselbach, Daniel, Pre-trial Criminal Pro­cedure: Preventive Detention and the Presumption of Innocence (1988-89), 31 Crim. L.Q. 168, p. 186 [para. 15].

Landreville, Pierre, et Danielle Laberge, Détention sous garde et dangerosité, 1991 [para. 42].

Morris of Borth-Y-Gest, Lord, The In­teraction of Public Interest, Public Policy and Public Opinion in Relation to the Law (1979), 10 Cambrian L. Rev. 29, pp. 29 [para. 88]; 66 [para. 89].

Counsel:

Pierre Sauvé, for the appellant;

Christian Desrosiers, for the respondent;

Bernard Laprade, for the intervenor the Attorney General of Canada;

J.A. Ramsay, for the intervenor the Attor­ney General for Ontario;

Brian G. Wilford, for the intervenor the Attorney General of Manitoba;

Goran Tomljanovic, for the intervenor the Attorney General for Alberta;

Francis Brabant, for the intervenor the Association des avocats de la défense de Montréal;

Bruce Duncan and Aimée Gauthier, for the intervenor the Criminal Lawyers' As­sociation.

Solicitors of Record:

Pierre Sauvé, Montréal, Qué., for the ap­pellant;

Desrosiers, Provost, Taillefer, Groulx, Turcotte & Associés, Montréal, Qué., for the respondent;

John C. Tait, Q.C., Deputy Attorney Gen­eral of Canada, Ottawa, Ont., for the intervenor the Attorney General of Canada;

Ministry of the Attorney General, Toronto, Ont., for the intervenor the Attorney General for Ontario;

Attorney General of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Man., for the intervenor the Attorney General of Manitoba;

The Department of the Attorney General, Edmonton, Alta., for the intervenor the Attorney General for Alberta;

Francis Brabant, Montréal, Qué., for the intervenor the Association des avocats de la défense de Montréal;

Duncan, Fava & Schermbrucker, Toronto, Ont., for the intervenor the Criminal Lawyers' Association.

This appeal was heard on May 28, 1992, by Lamer, C.J.C., La Forest, L'Heureux-Dubé, Sopinka, Gonthier, McLachlin and Iacobucci, JJ., of the Supreme Court of Canada.

The decision of the Supreme Court was delivered in both official languages on No­vember 19, 1992 and the following opinions were filed:

Lamer, C.J.C. (La Forest, Sopinka, Mc­Lachlin, Iacobucci, JJ., concurring) - see paragraphs 1 to 72;

Gonthier, J. (L'Heureux-Dubé, J., con­curring) - see paragraphs 73 to 93.