Intimidation of Parliament explained

Intimidation of Parliament is a criminal law in Canada that makes it a crime to violently intimidate the Parliament of Canada and the provincial legislatures. The maximum sentence is fourteen years. It reads:

The law is one of only a handful of criminal offences,[1] including treason and piracy, that are automatically heard by the relevant provincial superior court—composed of federally appointed,[2] salaried,[3] and disciplined[4] judges—rather than the inferior Provincial courts, which are composed of provincially appointed[5] judges. It is a very rare crime. One of the few individuals to be charged with the crime in recent decades was Charles Yacoub who hijacked a Greyhound bus and had it driven onto Parliament Hill in 1989. In his trial, Yacoub was later found not guilty of the particular charge.[6]

Notes and References

  1. http://canlii.ca/t/52rvv#sec469 Criminal Code, RSC 1985, c C-46, s 469
  2. http://canlii.ca/t/ldsw#sec96 The Constitution Act, 1867, 30 & 31 Vict, c 3, s 96
  3. http://canlii.ca/t/52f1d#sec12 Judges Act, RSC 1985, c J-1, s 12
  4. http://canlii.ca/t/ldsw#sec99 The Constitution Act, 1867, 30 & 31 Vict, c 3, s 99
  5. See for example: Courts of Justice Act, RSO 1990, c C.43, retrieved on 2017-04-12
  6. "Yacoub acquitted of 3 of 5 charges in hijacking of bus to Parliament Hill". Edmonton Journal. Edmonton, Alta.: March 7, 1990. p. A.4