Abby Hughes - July 15, 2022

In May, the Supreme Court of Canada struck down a section of the criminal code. The law said that self-induced extreme intoxication was not a defence for violent crimes. At the time, there was public backlash, particularly from feminist groups and organizations that support victims of domestic violence.

Since then, the Liberal government has introduced, and passed, legislation that they say fills the gap left by the Supreme Court ruling.

The situation involves a lot of complex criminal law, and moral questions about how to balance people’s rights. Two lawyers and law professors, as well as a U of T law student, help break down the ruling and law.