July 14, 1976 - Canada Abolishes Capital Punishment - a podcast by Stephen Hammond

Canadian Parliament abolishes capital punishment. Between 1867 and 1962, Canada executed 710 criminals, while commuting the death sentences of another 400 to life in prison. As early as 1914, parliamentarians began objecting to the death penalty on the grounds that it was cruel and unusual punishment, and there always existed the possibility of a condemned person being proven innocent later. Still, not until December 11, 1962 did Canadians see the end of the practice. That was the date Ronald Turpin and Arthur Lucas were hanged for killing police officers. All subsequent capital murders were commuted to prison terms. In 1967, the nation passed a five-year moratorium on such executions, except for murderers who had killed on-duty police officers and prison guards. Parliament renewed it in 1972. Then, on July 14, 1976, Parliament voted 132 to 124 to abolish capital punishment and replace capital murders with a mandatory 25-year prison sentence. Although MPs objected to it, the death penalty enjoyed widespread support amongst the electorate. In 1987, the issue arose again, but this time, parliamentarians defeated a motion to re-instate it, with a wider margin. For another year, capital punishment was still allowed for certain military crimes, such as treason and mutiny, but by 1998, even that possibility was repealed. Following the death penalty’s banishment, a number of men jailed for capital murders were proven innocent, reinforcing one of the arguments against it.

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