Canadian judges use race as a reason to reduce criminal sentences—though a defendant claims he used it to exploit the system
by David Krayden
“I didn’t face racism. It was my only way out of this situation. I took full advantage.”
Race-based ideology is increasingly contaminating Canada’s justice system. It’s racism in a new form, where being non-white can actually help you justify the commission of a crime and reduce consequence sentencing.
According to an article from Rupa Subramanya of The Free Press, Canadian judges are using race as a mitigating factor in assessing and punishing crimes.
All an accused has to do is submit an Impact of Race and Culture Assessment, or IRCA – a pre-sentencing document available to “Black and racialized Canadians” who can then attempt to prove how system racism was a reason they broke the law.
The Free Press notes the case of Edward Smith, who came to Canada from West Africa in 2005 and eventually settled in Edmonton, AB. He participated in an armed robbery of an Airbnb with his cousin, apparently because the latter believed the owners of the accommodation had stolen money from him.
They agreed to conduct the crime with an unloaded gun.
But their operation was foiled; police arrested Smith, who pleaded guilty to theft and robbery with a firearm.
Then he filed an IRCA and Smith bought into the highly debatable ideology and judicial premise of the document – that as a black man living in Canada he was obviously a victim of racism and hatred that prevented him from the same opportunities available to white people and thus made criminal activity almost a justifiable option.