Department of Justice

EXTRADITION REFORMS TABLED

OTTAWA, May 5, 1998 -- Anne McLellan, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today tabled in the House of Commons legislation that will overhaul extradition laws in Canada and bring them in line with modern times and practices.

The Bill proposes to merge the Extradition Act and the Fugitive Offenders Act into a comprehensive new Extradition Act. The Bill creates a uniform extradition procedure which will apply to all requests for extradition, allow for the extradition of fugitives to an international criminal tribunal, such as the existing international criminal tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, provide procedural and human rights safeguards for the fugitive and make the extradition process more accessible to countries that have different rules of evidence.

"Canada is a modern country and this must be reflected in its extradition laws. Laws that are over 100 years old no longer allow us to deal with the increased mobility of individuals and the complexity of today's crimes," said Minister McLellan. "Fighting global crime is high on Canada's agenda and Canada needs modern legislation to succeed."

States have been discouraged by the complexities in Canada's current extradition law and more particularly by the application of Canada's rules of evidence to the extradition process, as many countries have different rules of evidence in their legal systems. Changes to the extradition framework will allow more latitude in admitting different forms of evidence while retaining the same legal standard for extradition.

The extradition reform will also enable Canada to comply with its international obligations regarding international criminal tribunals, established by the United Nations Security Council for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, where Madam Justice Louise Arbour is the Chief Prosecutor.

"This legislation will be a new cornerstone of Canada's capacity to respond to the growing problem of international crime," said Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy. "These reforms will help Canada fulfil its obligations to the new International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia as well as the future International Criminal Court. This reaffirms Canada's strong support for the work of these bodies in bringing to justice those responsible for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity."

"Introducing extradition reforms that are in tune with our modern times is a key element to increasing the confidence of Canadians in the justice system. It sends a clear message that Canada does not want to become a safe haven for those found guilty or accused of having committed criminal offences, including crimes against humanity, or for anyone from around the world wanting to avoid facing justice in the countries where they committed their crimes," added Minister McLellan.

Highlights of the extradition reform are found in the attached backgrounder. The most recent amendments to the Extradition Act, which came into force in 1992, streamlined the appeals process, reducing the time required to complete an extradition case. These changes are retained in this new bill.

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        Minister's Office        Department of Justice
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        Lucie Angers
        Department of Justice
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