'Grave injustice': SCC ruling could change sentence for Alberta's multiple murderers
A southern Alberta man who killed three people, including a two-year-old girl, could have the ability to request a release from jail earlier than his original sentence intended, thanks to a landmark Supreme Court decision Friday.
Derek Saretzky was convicted of first-degree murder in the 2015 deaths of Terry Blanchette, his two-year-old daughter, Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette and Hanne Meketech. He was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences, making him ineligible for parole for 75 years.
Now, following the Supreme Court of Canada’s ruling that life sentences with no real chance of parole is 'cruel' and unusual punishment and therefore 'unconstitutional', that sentence could change.
The decision centred on Alexandre Bissonnette, the gunman who killed six worshippers at a mosque in Quebec City in 2017 and was initially sentenced to life in prison with no parole for 40 years.
With Friday’s decision, Bissonnette will have the ability to meet with the parole board after 25 years.
“Deception of this decision because it doesn't take in consideration the atrocity of this tragedy. Killing six persons and seriously injuring five others,” said Mohamed Labidi, president of the Quebec Islamic Cultural Centre.
The landmark ruling will have implications for all offenders convicted of multiple first-degree murder charges in Canada back to 2011 as well as those currently before the courts.
Three individuals from Alberta – Douglas Garland, Edward Downey and Saretzky – were sentenced to life in prison with no parole for between 50 and 75 years.
Saretzky appealed that term and his lawyer, Balfour Der, said he'd be 97 before he'd ever see a parole board.
“This decision is not, and the law has never been that a person gets parole after 25 years – it's to simply ask for parole from the parole board,” Der told CTV News during an interview on Friday.
In 2011, the Canadian government gave justices the ability to hand out consecutive sentences of parole ineligibility, rather than concurrent blocks of 25 years.
The Alberta Court of Appeal said last year it would hear Saretzky’s appeal, but only after the Supreme Court decided on the Bissonnette case.
Now that’s that’s been done, his lawyer says the decision will be clear.
“So, that his (Saretzky’s) appeal would be successful because it's the exact same issue that the Supreme Court of Canada has just decided on,” said Der.
Victims’ advocates and some politicians are outraged with the decision.
“My thoughts first go to the victims and their families,” said Michelle Rempel Garner, MP for Calgary Nose Hill. “I think that this ruling has a significant possibility to re-victimize these families and, to me, that's not how justice should work.”
Federal Justice Minister David Lametti, tweeted he disagreed with the court's decision, but also respects it and will review its implications.
“We will continue to stand with those affected by this terrible crime and support them,” he wrote on Twitter.
Former prime minister Stephen Harper, whose government brought in consecutive sentencing, tweeted his outrage, calling it a “grave injustice” and urged parliament to “take action”.
Aside from Alberta, the ruling could also change the sentences for more than a dozen mass killers currently serving time behind bars.
However, Der suggested even people who commit the most unimaginable crimes can change while in prison and over time.
“There's always a chance someone can be rehabilitated, so the words of the Supreme Court is we have to leave the door open for someone, to give them hope, to try their best to be rehabilitated because they may get out.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.