Pubdate: Fri, 01 May 2015 Source: Vancouver 24hours (CN BC) Copyright: 2015 Vancouver 24 hrs. Contact: http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/letters Website: http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3837 Author: Stefania Seccia Page: 4 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?267 (Mandatory Minimum Sentencing - Canada) SUPREME COURT TO HEAR VANCOUVER DRUG CASE The Supreme Court of Canada decided Thursday it will hear an appeal of mandatory minimum sentencing for drug offences in a Vancouver case, which could provide clarity on how sentencing policy fits in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It's the first challenge under the Safe Streets and Communities Act of 2012 brought in by the Stephen Harper government requiring one-year mandatory minimum jail terms for drug convictions. Downtown Eastside resident Joseph Lloyd was 25 when he was caught carrying less than 10 grams of heroin, crack cocaine, and crystal meth. When he was sentenced, he told the court he was addicted to all three drugs. The provincial court found the case's mandatory minimum sentence amounted to "cruel and unusual" punishment and deferred from imposing the required one-year jail term. However, it was overturned by the B.C. Court of Appeal, which increased the sentence by another six months. When the case went before the appeal court, Pivot Legal Society and the B.C. Civil Liberties Association intervened at the hearing, arguing that mandatory minimum sentences for possession for the purpose of trafficking have a disproportionate effect on women, Aboriginal people, and people who are involved in the drug trade due to addiction. Now 27, Lloyd is currently carrying out his jail sentence. "Mandatory minimum sentences are bad public policy for everyone; for women and aboriginal people and people who come before the court as a result of addiction" said Adrienne Smith, health and drug policy lawyer with Pivot. "It's cruel and unusual punishment and for that we feel they should strike it down." - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom