Libérations curatives

De Le carnet de droit pénal
Cette page a été mise à jour ou révisée de manière substantielle pour la dernière fois janvier 2019. (Rev. # 21356)

Principes généraux

Voir également: Discharges

L'absolution curative est une catégorie d'absolution relative aux infractions routières :

255 [Abrogé, 2018, ch. 21, art. 14]


[annotation(s) ajoutée(s)]

CCC (CanLII), (Jus.)


Note: 255(5)

This provision has not been proclaimed in BC, Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland. Failure to proclaim is constitutional.[1]

Requirements

For a discharge to be granted, the following must be present:

  1. Court must hear evidence of a medical or similar nature;
  2. court must be of the opinion that the client is in need of curative treatment in relation to alcohol or drug use;
  3. court must be of an opinion that the discharge would not be contrary to the public interest.

Consideration should be given to:[2]

  1. the circumstances of the offence (whether accident, serious injury, death);
  2. the bona fide motivation of the offender as an indication of probable benefit of treatment;
  3. the availability and calibre of proposed treatment facilities and ability to participate therein;
  4. probability of success of treatment;
  5. the criminal record of the offender
Public Interest

Factors to consider on the issue of public interest include:[3]

  • good faith of the accused
  • past criminal record
  • presence of a driving prohibition at the time
  • whether there was a previous discharge given

Other factors considered:

  • the necessary program is available
  • the program is likely to be successful
  • the accused is motivated to overcome alcoholism
When Not Available

Curative discharges are not appropriate where the charge occurred while the offender was subject to a previous treatment discharge.[4]

  1. R c Alton, 1989 CanLII 7221 (ON CA), 53 CCC (3d) 252, par Zuber JA - failure to proclaim s. 255 does not violate s. 15 of the Charter
    R c Hobbs, 2010 ONCJ 460 (CanLII), par Cooper J
    cf. R c Pickup, 2009 ONCJ 608 (CanLII), par SD Brown J
  2. R c Ashberry, 1989 CanLII 7230 (ON CA), CR (3d) 341(ONCA), par Griffiths JA
    R c Brown, 1999 CanLII 13991 (SK PC), par Goliath J
  3. R c Storr, 1995 ABCA 301 (CanLII), 174 AR 65, per Fraser CJ, au para 17
  4. R c Conn, 2004 MBCA 22 (CanLII), [2004] MJ No 413 (MBCA), par Freedman JA

Revocation

Section 730(4) permits the Court, on application by the Crown, to revoke a curative discharge order.

The revocation for curative orders applies the same test as would be applied to revoke any type of probation order.[1]

The Court may consider any post-sentence conduct as a factor in deciding whether to revoke the order.[2]

  1. R c Blanchard, 2009 YKSC 3 (CanLII), par Veale J appealed to 2009 YKCA 15 (CanLII), per Huddart JA
  2. , ibid., au para 42