An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Youth Criminal Justice Act and other Acts and to make consequential amendments to other Acts (S.C. 2019, c. 25)

Marginal note:Stand by

633 The judge may direct a juror who has been called under subsection 631(3) or (3.1) to stand by for reasons of personal hardship, maintaining public confidence in the administration of justice or any other reasonable cause.

Marginal note:Order of challenges

• 635 (1) The accused shall be called on before the prosecutor is called on to declare whether the accused challenges the first juror for cause, and after that the prosecutor and the accused shall be called on alternately, in respect of each of the remaining jurors, to first make such a declaration.

• (b) a juror is not impartial;

• (c) a juror has been convicted of an offence for which they were sentenced to a term of imprisonment of two years or more and for which no pardon or record suspension is in effect;

• (d) a juror is not a Canadian citizen;

Marginal note:Determination of challenge for cause

• 640 (1) If a challenge is made on a ground mentioned in section 638, the judge shall determine whether the alleged ground is true or not and, if the judge is satisfied that it is true, the juror shall not be sworn.

• Marginal note:Exclusion order

  (2) On the application of the accused or prosecutor or on the judge’s own motion, the judge may order the exclusion of all jurors, sworn and unsworn, from the court room until it is determined whether the ground of challenge is true if the judge is of the opinion that the order is necessary to preserve the impartiality of the jurors.

• Marginal note:Trial may continue without jury

  (3) If in the course of a trial the number of jurors is reduced below 10, the judge may, with the consent of the parties, discharge the jurors, continue the trial without a jury and render a verdict.

• Marginal note:Video links

  (1.1) If the court so orders, and if the prosecutor and the accused so agree, the accused may appear by counsel or by closed-circuit television or videoconference, for any part of the trial other than a part in which the evidence of a witness is taken.

• Marginal note:Video links

  (1.2) If the court so orders, an accused who is confined in prison may appear by closed-circuit television or videoconference, for any part of the trial other than a part in which the evidence of a witness is taken, as long as the accused is given the opportunity to communicate privately with counsel if they are represented by counsel.

Marginal note:Remote appearance

650.02 The prosecutor or the counsel designated under section 650.01 may appear before the court by audioconference or videoconference, if the technological means is satisfactory to the court.

Marginal note:Status quo pending Review Board hearing

• 672.46 (1) If the court does not make a disposition in respect of the accused at a disposition hearing, any order for the detention of the accused or any release order, appearance notice, summons or undertaking in respect of the accused that is in force at the time the verdict of not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder or unfit to stand trial is rendered continues in force, subject to its terms, until the Review Board makes a disposition.

• Marginal note:Variation

  (2) Despite subsection (1), a court may, pending a disposition by the Review Board in respect of the accused, on cause being shown, vacate the detention order, release order, appearance notice, summons or undertaking referred to in that subsection, and make any other order for the detention of the accused or any other release order that the court considers to be appropriate in the circumstances, including an order directing that the accused be detained in custody in a hospital.

• Marginal note:Video links

  (13) If the accused so agrees, the court or the chairperson of the Review Board may permit the accused to appear by closed-circuit television or videoconference for any part of the hearing.

• (b) an order made under subsection 109(1) or 110(1), section 161, subsection 164.2(1) or 194(1), section 259, 261 or 462.37, subsection 491.1(2), 730(1) or 737(2.1) or (3) or section 738, 739, 742.1, 742.3, 743.6, 745.4 or 745.5,

Marginal note:Review by court of appeal

• 680 (1) A decision made by a judge under section 522, a decision made under subsections 524(3) to (5) with respect to an accused referred to in paragraph 524(1)(a) or a decision made by a judge of the court of appeal under section 261 or 679 may, on the direction of the chief justice or acting chief justice of the court of appeal, be reviewed by that court and that court may, if it does not confirm the decision,

• (b) if the accused, in the notice of appeal or notice of application for leave to appeal, did not request that the new trial, if ordered, should be held before a court composed of a judge and jury, the new trial shall, without further election by the accused, and without a preliminary inquiry, be held before a judge, acting under Part XIX, other than a judge who tried the accused in the first instance, unless the Court of Appeal of Nunavut directs that the new trial be held before the judge who tried the accused in the first instance;

• (a) at an application for leave to appeal or at any proceedings that are preliminary or incidental to an appeal, the appellant appear by audioconference or videoconference, if the technological means is satisfactory to the court; and

• (b) at the hearing of the appeal, if the appellant has access to legal advice, they appear by closed-circuit television or videoconference.

• Marginal note:Signature

  (5) A subpoena or warrant that is issued by a justice or provincial court judge under this Part must be signed by the justice, provincial court judge or the clerk of the court.

• Marginal note:Sexual offences

  (5.1) Despite anything in subsections (1) to (5), in the case of an offence referred to in subsection 278.2(1), a subpoena requiring a witness to bring to the court a record, the production of which is governed by sections 278.1 to 278.91, must be issued by a judge and signed by the judge or the clerk of the court.

Marginal note:Video links

• 700.1 (1) If a person is to give evidence under section 714.1 or under subsection 46(2) of the Canada Evidence Act — or is to give evidence or a statement under an order made under section 22.2 of the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Act — at a place within the jurisdiction of a court referred to in subsection 699(1) or (2) where the technology is available, a subpoena shall be issued out of the court to order the person to give that evidence at that place.

Marginal note:If witness arrested under warrant

706 If a person is brought before a court, judge, provincial court judge or justice under a warrant issued under subsection 698(2) or section 704 or 705, the court, judge, provincial court judge or justice may, so that the person will appear and give evidence when required, order that the person be detained in custody or be released on recognizance, with or without sureties.

• Marginal note:Review of detention

  (3) If the judge before whom a witness is brought under this section is not satisfied that the continued detention of the witness is justified, the judge shall order them to be discharged or to be released on recognizance, with or without sureties, so that the witness will appear and give evidence when required. However, if the judge is satisfied that the continued detention of the witness is justified, the judge may order their continued detention until they do what is required of them under section 550 or the trial is concluded, or until they appear and give evidence when required, except that the total period of detention of the witness from the time they were first detained in custody shall not in any case exceed 90 days.

• Marginal note:Peine

  (2) Un tribunal, un juge, un juge de paix ou un juge de la cour provinciale peut traiter par voie sommaire une personne coupable d’un outrage au tribunal en vertu du présent article, et cette personne est passible d’une amende maximale de cent dollars et d’un emprisonnement maximal de quatre-vingt-dix jours, ou de l’une de ces peines, et il peut lui être ordonné de payer les frais résultant de la signification de tout acte judiciaire selon la présente partie et de sa détention, s’il en est.