7 Days of Resistance: #7 Free from Search and Seizure
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- Published on Sunday, 29 November -0001 16:00
- Written by editor
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Dear friends,
We've made it!
Today is the last day to contribute to our '7 Days of Resistance' year-end fundraising campaign.
On the last day of our weeklong series, I want to talk about the freedom from illegal search and seizure.
Imagine the police knock on your door.
They don't have a warrant but they say they smell marijuana. The police enter your home and notice some illegal items.
What happens next?
This happened to Brendan Paterson. He ended up before the Supreme Court to argue that police didn't have the right to enter his home without a warrant.
The BCCLA intervened in this case because Canadians have a Charter-protected right to be free from search and seizure, particularly in their homes.
We argued that a warrant is a matter of necessity, not convenience; the court agreed.
The Supreme Court ruled against police officers who entered the home without a warrant, delivering an important victory for privacy rights.
In more than 30 cases a year, the BCCLA stands before Canadian courts as an intervenor— a third party who is present to help the courts interpret the law. More than 200 pro bono lawyers help us fight to protect Charter rights in this way.
Please give what you can to support our work.
Sincerely,
Josh Paterson,
BCCLA Executive Director
r15 |r0
