Majority
The judgment of the Court was delivered orally by
Iacobucci J.
Iacobucci J. ‑‑ At issue in this appeal is the constitutionality of s. 85 of the Criminal Code , R.S.C., 1985, c. C‑46 . We are all of the view that the appeal should be allowed on the basis of the principles recently decided by the Court in R. v. Goltz, [1991] 3 S.C.R. 485. In Goltz, the majority of the Court held that a two‑stage test should be employed to evaluate the constitutionality of a legislative sentencing provision under s. 12 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms . The first stage is to view the provision in question from the perspective of the accused, and on the facts of this case, which involved three armed robberies using a shotgun, the provision clearly does not offend s. 12.
The second stage involves considering reasonable hypotheticals involving the offence underlying the sentence in the case before the court. Here, the Attorney General of Manitoba limited its defence of s. 85 to the case which concerns armed robbery as the underlying offence. As such, the hypothetical proposed by the respondent relating to mischief is not a reasonable hypothetical envisioned by Goltz. We agree with these submissions and would therefore find no violation of s. 12 of the Charter .
Accordingly, the appeal is allowed, the judgment of the Court of Appeal of Manitoba is set aside, the cross‑appeal is dismissed, and the trial judge's calculation of the respondent's sentence is restored.
We would answer the constitutional questions as follows:
Questions 2 and 4: These questions do not arise.
Appeal allowed and cross‑appeal dismissed. The first and third constitutional questions should be answered in the negative; the second and fourth did not arise.
Solicitor for the appellant, respondent by cross‑appeal: The Attorney General of Manitoba, Winnipeg.
Solicitors for the respondent, appellant by cross‑appeal: Nozick, Sinder & Associates, Winnipeg.
Solicitor for the intervener the Attorney General of Canada: John C. Tait, Ottawa.
Solicitor for the intervener the Attorney General for Ontario: The Attorney General for Ontario, Toronto.
Solicitor for the intervener the Attorney General of Quebec: The Attorney General of Quebec, Ste‑Foy.
Solicitor for the intervener the Attorney General of British Columbia: The Attorney General of British Columbia, Victoria.
Cases cited
- R. v. Goltz 21826-1991-11-14