The Vancouver Sun’s Peter McKnight debunks the prevailing notion that Canada coddles criminals, discussing the proposed elimination of the “Faint Hope” clause under Bill S-6 (Parliament of Canada). Faint hope was introduced after Canada abolished the death penalty in 1976, providing those sentenced to 15 years or more to apply for early parole.

McKnight shows that despite the existence of this clause, those convicted of murder in Canada spend an average of 28.4 years in prison before receiving parole, more than any other industrialized nation, including Australia, Scotland, and even the United States (18.5 years).

The article also challenges the view that ordinary Canadians are incapable of a nuanced perspective on criminal justice issues, pointing out that it is juries composed of regular Canadians who ultimately decide whether an offender should be eligible for earlier parole and at what point.