The Death Penalty in Canada

1198 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Controversies over the death penalty

The most severe of all sentences: death. Also known as capital punishment, this is the most severe form of punishment in the courts as it is requires law enforcement officers to kill the offender. Our past has left us thinking that if someone steals from us, we should steal from them, or if someone yells at us, we should yell at them. But does there ever come a point where if someone kills somebody, we should kill them? Today, there is a large controversy over the death penalty, whether it helps society or not, and if it is morally right. When we find someone guilty of murder and sentence them to death; does that not make murderers out of us? Is the death penalty an unnecessary punishment, or is it now a necessity in the battles of crime? With the increase in crime and violence in our society, how does the death penalty affect a North American family? Canada’s history with this punishment has been stable for several years. In the late 1800’s until the 1960’s, all murders in Canada were promised a death of hanging. Between these dates, there were 710 Canadians murdered. Many of them were found to be innocent years after their death. The last execution in Canada was on December 11, 1962 when 2 men were hanged in Toronto, Ontario. It wasn’t until July 14, 1976 that the House of Commons passed a Bill that was to abolish capital punishment from the Canadian Criminal Code, and replacing it with a mandatory life sentence for all murderers. Since then, the Canadian government has seen the murder rate increase, and has struggled in the decision to bring back capital punishment, although recent studies suggest that there are four major issues that should make governments stay away from that decisi... ... middle of paper ... ...iety understands the price, so why do we keep doing it? Like anything else in this world, it’s a form of insurance that the criminal will never commit another crime again. (Capital Punishment) As children, we grow up and learn that murder is wrong, but it is still done every day. Dealing with capital punishment, leads to many questions that many citizens even in Canada cannot find an answer to. Is killing somebody for committing a crime right? I personally believe that a victim on death row should be there if they actually deserve to be. Depending on the situation and the crime they committed, the death penalty eliminates evil in our countries. But can people make mistakes, can people be forgiven and change? Using the death penalty is breaking one of the Ten Commandments, so at the end of the day is it right? Does one life deserve another?

Show More
Related

  • Justin Bourque's Sentencing Case Study

    1120 Words  | 3 Pages

    In June 2014, Justin Bourque was charged with three counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder after shooting three RCMP officers and wounding two others in Moncton, New Brunswick (Chronicle Herald 2014). He was subsequently convicted and sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for seventy-five years (Chronicle Herald 2014). Bourque’s sentence is unprecedented and is the longest sentence in Canadian history (Chronicle Herald 2014). A Canadian judge has not given a harsh a punishment since the final executions in 1962 (Chronicle Herald 2014).

    Read More

  • Gun Control in Canada

    1406 Words  | 3 Pages

    On February 21 and 22 of this year, the Supreme Court of Canada was asked to rule whether th...

    Read More

  • The canadian criminal code

    1785 Words  | 4 Pages

    Dessert, James. “Criminal Timeline of Canada.” Canada's Criminal Code: A History. Online. Internet. 11 October 2003.

    Read More

  • A Look on the Impact of Capital Punishment in Canada

    1248 Words  | 3 Pages

    Capital punishment was the most severe punishment within the Canadian Justice system before it was abolished in the 1970’s. It is still used in many other countries around the world such as the United States, China and India, as it is believed to lower the crime rate within their country. Capital punishment was basically a form of torturing the suspect, but to their death as a consequence of their heinous crime. Many believe that capital punishment should be reinstated into Canada, while others are strongly against the suggestion and I believe the same.

    Read More

  • Closer look at Death Row

    1342 Words  | 3 Pages

    Since the beginning of modern law, capital punishment has been present in our world. Ranging from the guillotine to lethal injection, over time people have discovered more “humane” ways to execute a convicted criminal. Opinions on the subject may vary depending on certain situations, such as the victim being a family member or close friend. Although there are solid pro-arguments for the death penalty I believe there is enough evidence that implies it should not be legal in any way, shape or form.

    Read More

  • George Gibson Trial In Canada

    1776 Words  | 4 Pages

    Since 1867, all civilian executions in Canada were conducted by hanging until it was abolished in 1966. During the time, capital punishment, which constituted murder, attempted murder, rape, treason, or carnal knowledge of girls less than ten years of age, was well suited under Canadian law as a crime of deterrence. The theory of deterrence presumes that it can use fear to prevent people from committing criminal acts. However, interpersonal conflicts over status, resources, control, and reputation produce the vast majority of criminal homicides in Canada. In Toronto of 1919, George J. Coppen was found guilty for the murder of his wife, who died in a tragic fire in their home on 573 Merton Street. He was condemned to death by hanging, but his

    Read More

  • Capital Punishment Essay - The Death Penalty in Canada and the USA

    1020 Words  | 3 Pages

    certainly do not make a right.  You do not show society anything, by killing the

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Capital Punishment

    1548 Words  | 4 Pages

    Over many centuries, the act of killing has been very controversial as it is argued to be barbaric but at the same time, a part of life. Many will disagree on whether killing can be even be justified, let alone condemned and permitted. Killing a person as punishment for the same offence is difficult to justify and essentially says that killing is allowed. Although the practice of the death penalty exists still, many societies argue how it is barbaric and is part of the past. In Canada however, the topic comes up fairly often as the United States still practices capital punishment in many states. Extensive research shows that capital punishment is unethical, has many flaws, and has a much larger cost than imprisonment. Therefore, through an examination of the ethical relationship, all the possible errors, and the costs, it is evident that

    Read More

  • Canada's Justice System

    1452 Words  | 3 Pages

    The death penalty, also known as the “capital punishment”, used to be legal in Canada. Most people were publicly hanged. After the Confederation of Canada, the reasons people were hanged were minimized and so only three crimes resulted in execution; rape, murder, and high treason. Although it wasn’t long after the Criminal Code of Canada was made that confederation occurred. Confederation which occurred in 1867 was when the provinces Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, and Quebec united to form Canada. Joseph-Albert Guay (more commonly known as “Albert Guay”) was a man who got hanged on January 12th, 1951. He lived in Quebec City and was responsible for bombing a passenger flight on September 9, 1949, killing 23 people and his wife Rita, the intended victim. The crime was called “Guay’s Affair”. He was accompanied by Marguerite Pitre, the last woman hanged in Canada. She died on January 9, 1953 in Montreal, Quebec. They were only two of the 710 people who were executed in Canada...

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay: The Canadian Justice System

    507 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Canadian Justice system is run like a well-oiled machine. It is based on the fair and humane treatment of suspects who remain innocent until proven guilty. There is one big question that has been debated since July 14th, 1976 - should the death penalty have been abolished in Canada? The new younger generation of Canadians seems to agree with me that the death penalty should be resurrected in Canada.

    Read More

  • The Death Penalty: Methods of Execution in America

    1590 Words  | 4 Pages

    According to an article by the Death Penalty Information Center, “[u]ntil the 1890s, hanging was the primary method of execution used in the United States.” While it has been replaced by most states, it is still used as an option in Delaware and Washington (“Descriptions”), but has only been elected three times since 1976 (Kellaway 149). Hangings were usually conducted out in the open and in front of anyone that decided to watch. This public display was used to help send the message that there was a high price to pay for committing crimes, yet the hangings sometimes conveyed a different message. Often the executions induced sympathy and disapproval from the crowds (Dieter 791).

    Read More

  • The Importance Of The Death Penalty In Canada

    161 Words  | 1 Pages

    As has been shown, the death penalty should not be legal and should never be in Canada. Many jail sentences can be influenced by race or appearance, and there are copious amounts of people who are unfairly convicted and tried, and the death penalty would make the repercussions of a mistrial fatal. Furthermore, Capital Punishment is not a deterrent nor is it effective, as States without the death penalty have had consistently lower murder rates than states that chose to utilize this atrocious conduct (Deterrence: States Without the Death Penalty Have Had Consistently Lower Murder Rates). Not only is the death penalty unprincipled, but it places the right to murder into the government and justice systems hands. In a country where we strongly

    Read More

  • The Role of the Death Penalty on Preventing Future Crime

    8145 Words  | 17 Pages

    Since Canada abolished the death penalty in 1976, substituting mandatory minimum prison sentences, the homicide rate has actually fallen by 27%. This pattern also has been observed in France and elsewhere.

    Read More

  • Capital Punishment Essay: Supporters Of The Death Penalty

    1064 Words  | 3 Pages

    Since the crime rate United States has increased, support for the capital punishment has followed suit. Gallup’s most recent poll shows that 67% of American favor the death penalty for those convicted of murder, while just 28% are opposed (from 2000 to 2006). Arthur Lucas and Ronald Turpin were the last men executed in Canada in 1962. They were executed on December 11, 1962. The executions in Canada were carried out by hanging. “After a a fierce debate and an impassioned, last-minute speech by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, the House of Commons narrowly passes Bill C-84, abolishing the death penalty in Canada” (CBC.Ca). It was said to be one of the closest vote in the Canadian parliamentary history. The C-84 Bill was 131 to 124 in favor of abolishing the death penalty. If we look back to 1976, the year the death penalty was abolished in Canada, threats of death, were being made to Members of Parliament and their immediate families from pro death penalty advocates. It was a "free vote" which allowed members of parliament could vote as they wanted to, and did not have to follow their party's official position. As it was abolished the capital punishment was replaced by a mandatory life sentence without possibility of parole for 25 years for first-degree

    Read More

  • Capital Punishment Pros And Cons

    938 Words  | 2 Pages

    Capital punishment or the death penalty is the punishment of execution by death. Ones who are given this punishment is refer to a death sentence, which is administered to someone who legally convicted a capital crime. This type of punishment has been practiced by many societies, as a punishment for criminals, and political or religious dissidents. Capital punishment is very controversial in various countries and states, and positions can vary within a single political ideology or cultural region. Historically, the carrying out of the death sentence was often accompanied by torture, and executions were most often public. In today’s world, death sentence is usually painless and is given privately. Although many nations have abolished capital punishment, over 60% of the world 's population live in countries where executions take place, such as China, India, the United States and Indonesia.

    Read More

More about The Death Penalty in Canada

Open Document