SUPREME
COURT OF CANADA
Citation: R. v. Krymowski, [2005] 1
S.C.R. 101, 2005 SCC 7
|
Date: 20050224
Docket: 29865
|
Between:
Her Majesty the
Queen
Appellant
v.
Krystopher Krymowski,
Ryan Douglas Marshall,
Quinn Mason McFarlane,
Michael Peter Schultz,
J.J.V. and A.M.V.
Respondents
‑ and ‑
Attorney General
of Canada, League for Human Rights of
B’Nai Brith Canada
and Canadian Jewish Congress
Interveners
Coram:
McLachlin C.J. and Major, Bastarache, Binnie, LeBel, Deschamps, Fish, Abella
and Charron JJ.
Reasons for
Judgment:
(paras. 1 to 25)
|
Charron J. (McLachlin C.J. and
Major, Bastarache, Binnie, LeBel, Deschamps, Fish and Abella JJ. concurring)
|
______________________________
R. v.
Krymowski, [2005] 1 S.C.R. 101, 2005 SCC 7
Her Majesty
The Queen Appellant
v.
Krystopher Krymowski,
Ryan Douglas Marshall,
Quinn Mason McFarlane,
Michael Peter Schultz,
J.J.V. and
A.M.V. Respondents
and
Attorney
General of Canada, League for Human Rights of
B’Nai Brith
Canada and Canadian Jewish Congress Interveners
Indexed
as: R. v. Krymowski
Neutral
citation: 2005 SCC 7.
File
No.: 29865.
2004: November 8;
2005: February 24.
Present: McLachlin
C.J. and Major, Bastarache, Binnie, LeBel, Deschamps, Fish, Abella and Charron
JJ.
on appeal from
the court of appeal for ontario
Criminal law — Hate propaganda — Wilful promotion of hatred —
Whether Crown failed to prove that wilful promotion of hatred was against
“Roma” as particularized in information — Whether trial judge ought to have
taken judicial notice of dictionary definitions demonstrating relationship
between gypsies and Roma — Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. C‑46,
s. 319(2) .
After participating in a demonstration in front of a motel housing Roma
refugees seeking entry into Canada, the accused were charged under
s. 319(2) of the Criminal Code with the wilful promotion of hatred
against “an identifiable group, to wit Roma, by communicating statements,
including the written statements: ‘Honk if you hate Gypsies’,
‘Canada is not a Trash Can’, and ‘You’re a cancer to Canada’”. The defence
conceded that the Roma are an identifiable group but argued that the
demonstrations were directed against “gypsies” and there was no evidence that
“Roma” is the same as “gypsies”. The trial judge refused to take judicial
notice of the shared meaning of these terms. Since the Crown had failed to prove
an essential element of the offence, the trial judge acquitted the accused.
The Crown’s appeals to the summary conviction appeal court and the Court of
Appeal were dismissed.
Held: The appeal should be allowed. The acquittals
are set aside and new trials ordered.
The gist of the offence under s. 319(2) is the wilful promotion of
hatred against any identifiable group. In this case, the Crown particularized
the group as “Roma”. The relevant questions were whether the accused made some
or all of the statements in the information and whether the statements promoted
hatred of the Roma. It was not necessary for the Crown to prove that the terms
“gypsies” and “Roma” were interchangeable. It was incumbent upon the trial
judge to look at the totality of the evidence and the reference to “gypsies”
was but one item to consider. The ethnic flavour to the demonstration, the fact
that it was outside a motel housing refugee claimants who were at times
described by the witnesses as Roma, and the fact that the Roma people had been
persecuted by the Nazis while a Nazi theme was apparent at the demonstration,
were all factors to take into account. The trial judge misdirected himself and
erred in law by focussing entirely on one statement in the information. As
well, the trial judge should have taken judicial notice of dictionary
definitions showing that “gypsy” can refer to “Roma”, and he should have
considered that fact together with the rest of the evidence. [13] [17-20] [24]
Cases Cited
Referred to: R. v. Keegstra, [1990]
3 S.C.R. 697; R. v. McCune (1998), 131 C.C.C.
(3d) 152; R. v. Groot, [1999] 3 S.C.R. 664; R. v. Find,
[2001] 1 S.C.R. 863, 2001 SCC 32.
Statutes and Regulations Cited
Criminal Code,
R.S.C. 1985, c. C‑46, ss. 318(4) , 319(2) , (3) , 839(1) .
Supreme Court Act, R.S.C. 1985,
c. S‑26, s. 40 .
Authors Cited
New Oxford Dictionary of English.
Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1998, “gypsy”, “rom”, romany”.
Sopinka, John, Sidney N. Lederman and
Alan W. Bryant. The Law of Evidence in Canada, 2nd ed.
Toronto: Butterworths, 1999.
APPEAL from a judgment of the Ontario Court of Appeal (O’Connor
A.C.J.O., Carthy and MacPherson JJ.A.) (2003), 65 O.R. (3d) 75,
227 D.L.R. (4th) 504, 171 O.A.C. 369, 175 C.C.C.
(3d) 112, [2003] O.J. No. 1920 (QL), affirming an order of
Ewaschuk J., 2002 CarswellOnt 5516, affirming an order of Otter J.
dismissing charges of wilfully promoting hatred, 2000 CarswellOnt 5870.
Appeal allowed and new trials ordered.
Jamie C. Klukach and Eliott Behar, for the
appellant.
David Gomes and Peter Lindsay, for the
respondents.
Cheryl J. Tobias, for the intervener the Attorney
General of Canada.
Marvin Kurz and Steven Klein, for the
intervener the League for Human Rights of B’Nai Brith Canada.
Joel Richler and Matthew Horner, for the
intervener the Canadian Jewish Congress.
The judgment of the Court was delivered by
Charron J. —
I. Introduction
1
The respondents were charged with the wilful promotion of hatred arising
from their participation in a demonstration to protest against the entry of
Roma refugee claimants into Canada. At the conclusion of the Crown’s case, the
defence called no evidence and argued that the Crown had failed to prove that
the wilful promotion of hatred was against “Roma”, as particularized in the
information. Counsel argued that the evidence showed only that the actions of
the demonstrators were directed toward “gypsies” and that there was “no
evidence that Roma is the same as Gypsies, similar to Gypsies, related to
Gypsies”. The trial judge refused to accede to the Crown’s requests that he
take judicial notice of the shared meaning of the terms, or that he permit the
amendment of the information or a reopening of the Crown’s case to address this
point. He accepted the defence argument that the Crown had failed to establish
an essential element of the offence and acquitted the respondents (2000
CarswellOnt 5870). The Crown’s appeal to the summary conviction appeal court
was dismissed (2002 CarswellOnt 5516) as was its further appeal to the Court of
Appeal for Ontario ((2003), 65 O.R. (3d) 75). Leave to appeal to this Court
was granted pursuant to s. 40 of the Supreme Court Act, R.S.C. 1985, c.
S-26 .
2
In my view, the trial judge erred in law in finding, in effect, that it
was necessary for the Crown to prove that the terms “gypsies” and “Roma” were
interchangeable. In focussing on this narrow issue, he failed to consider
whether, on the totality of the evidence, the Crown had established that “Roma”
were targeted by the accused. Because I have concluded that there must be a
new trial, I will only review the facts to the extent necessary to dispose of
the appeal.
II. Background
3
Some weeks prior to this incident, there was a large influx of Roma
refugee claimants into Canada which attracted considerable media attention and
gave rise to some public controversy. On August 26, 1997, about 25 persons
participated in a demonstration in front of the Lido Motel in Scarborough,
Ontario, which at that time was temporarily housing the refugees while they
awaited the outcome of their claims. The demonstration included chants and
placards. The placards stated, among other things, “Honk if you hate Gypsies”,
“Canada is not a Trash Can”, “You’re a cancer to Canada” and “G.S.T. — Gypsies
Suck Tax”. The chants included statements such as “Gypsies Out”, “How do you
like Canada now?” and “White power”. Some participants were seen giving the “Sieg
Heil” Nazi salute. Nazi and American Confederate flags were used in the
demonstration. Some of the clothing, accessories and footwear worn by the
demonstrators was described as typical “Skinhead” accoutrements.
4
The Crown alleged that the respondents were amongst the demonstrators.
Separate informations establishing the charges under s. 319(2) of the Criminal
Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46 , against both the adults and young persons
accused in this matter read as follows:
. . . [the respondents] did wilfully promote hatred against
an identifiable group, to wit Roma, by communicating statements, including the
written statements: “Honk if you hate Gypsies”, “Canada is not a Trash Can”,
and “You’re a cancer to Canada”, contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada.
The trial was
held for the adult respondents, at the end of which the evidence was admitted
in the proceeding against the young persons. For convenience, I will refer to
the two separate proceedings as one.
5
During the course of the trial, the respondents admitted that the Roma
were an identifiable group within the meaning of s. 319(2) . The admission was
confirmed by letter from counsel stating that “the Roma people are an
identifiable group which were historically persecuted by the Nazis”. Two pages
from an article about Nazi persecution of Roma authored by Ian Hancock were
attached to the letter. The article referred to Roma and gypsies
interchangeably. However, counsel’s letter expressly stated that the article
excerpt was admitted solely as background and not as any further admission.
The record is replete with examples showing that the witnesses, Crown counsel,
both defence counsel and the trial judge referred to the refugee claimants
indiscriminately as “Roma”, “Gypsy Roma” or “Romani Gypsies” throughout the
proceedings.
6
At the conclusion of the Crown’s case, the defence called no evidence
and closed its case. Following the Crown’s closing arguments, the defence made
its closing submissions, the main argument being that the Crown had failed to
prove an essential element of the offence as charged, namely that the accused
wilfully promoted hatred against Roma, as all evidence pointed to
“gypsies”, and no evidence linked “gypsies” to Roma.
7
In reply, the Crown submitted that the court could infer, from the
wording of the informations, that “Roma” was referable to “gypsy”. The trial
judge rejected that suggestion. Alternatively, the Crown argued that the court
could take judicial notice of that fact, relying on the Hancock article and the
author’s interchangeable use of the terms “Roma” and “gypsy”. The trial judge
was unwilling to accept that position. The Crown therefore asked that the
informations be amended by inserting the words “a.k.a. gypsies” after the word
“Roma”. Following a two-day adjournment, the matter was argued more fully.
The Crown again invited the court to take judicial notice of the synonymy of
“Roma” and “gypsies” based on five dictionary definitions containing definitions
of “Roma” and its varying forms (“Rom”; “Romany”) and “gypsy”.
8
According to the trial judge, the dictionaries did not evince a
sufficient degree of uniformity in definitions because several definitions of
“Rom” and “Roma” referred only to male gypsies and some dictionary and
internet definitions of “gypsy” presented by the defence contained no reference
to “Roma”. For this reason, and since the issue was “vital and highly
contentious”, he concluded that the court should not exercise its discretion
and take judicial notice on this matter.
9
Immediately after the trial judge’s ruling on judicial notice, the Crown
applied to reopen its case for the purpose of establishing the fact in issue.
The trial judge ruled against the Crown, finding that a reopening at this late
stage in the proceedings would be unduly prejudicial to the accused.
10
The trial judge then dismissed the charge against all respondents
finding that there was “no evidence whatsoever, or in any form, establishing
beyond a reasonable doubt the willful promotion of hatred against Roma or that
Roma are one and the same as or also known as Gypsies” nor was there any
evidence that “Gypsies is a pejorative term for Roma as contended by the Crown”
(paras. 35-36).
11
For brief reasons delivered orally, the summary conviction appeal court
judge dismissed the Crown’s appeal, essentially finding no reason for
interfering with the trial judge’s conclusions. On further appeal to the Court
of Appeal for Ontario, the court dismissed the Crown’s appeal, on the basis
that the summary conviction appeal judge had properly declined to interfere
with the trial judge’s exercise of discretion in regard to judicial notice,
amending the information and reopening the Crown’s case. The court expressed
the view that the relative consistency between the dictionary definitions
should probably have led to the trial judge taking judicial notice of those
definitions. However, the court concluded that the summary conviction appeal
judge’s rejection of the appeal on this ground was based on his assessment
that, based on the evidence, taking judicial notice would not have changed the
outcome of the trial, and, as such, the issue did not raise a question of law.
Consequently, the Court of Appeal held that the matter was beyond the court’s
appellate jurisdiction under s. 839(1) of the Criminal Code .
III. Issues
12
The Crown argued that the courts below erred in law in their approach to
the taking of judicial notice, the amendment of the information, and the
reopening of the Crown’s case. I do not find it necessary to deal with the
questions raised on this appeal as three discrete issues. All three issues
were raised at trial in an attempt to meet the defence’s contention, accepted
by the trial judge, that it was incumbent upon the Crown to establish that
“gypsies” and “Roma” were interchangeable terms in order to prove its case.
Hence, I propose to deal with the single issue of whether the trial judge erred
in adopting this approach. In doing so, I will comment on the taking of
judicial notice to the extent that the trial judge was requested to do so.
However, I do not find it necessary to discuss any of the principles governing
the amendment of the information or the reopening of the Crown’s case.
IV. Analysis
13
The gist of the offence under s. 319(2) of the Criminal Code is
the wilful promotion of hatred against any identifiable group. The provision
reads as follows:
319. . . .
(2) Every one who, by communicating statements,
other than in private conversation, wilfully promotes hatred against any
identifiable group is guilty of
(a) an indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment for a
term not exceeding two years; or
(b) an offence punishable on summary conviction.
14
The term “identifiable group” is defined in s. 318(4) as meaning
any section of the public distinguished by colour, race, religion or
ethnic origin.
15
Certain defences are set out under s. 319(3) :
319. . . .
(3) No person shall be convicted of an offence under subsection (2)
(a) if he establishes that the statements communicated were
true;
(b) if, in good faith, he expressed or attempted to establish
by argument an opinion on a religious subject;
(c) if the statements were relevant to any subject of public
interest, the discussion of which was for the public benefit, and if on
reasonable grounds he believed them to be true; or
(d) if, in good faith, he intended to point out, for the purpose
of removal, matters producing or tending to produce feelings of hatred toward
an identifiable group in Canada.
16
The constitutional validity of s. 319(2) was upheld by this Court in R.
v. Keegstra, [1990] 3 S.C.R. 697, on the basis that the terms of s. 319(2)
created “a narrowly confined offence”, the essence of which was summarized as
follows (at pp. 785-86):
To summarize the above discussion, in light of the
great importance of Parliament’s objective and the discounted value of the
expression at issue I find that the terms of s. 319(2) create a narrowly
confined offence which suffers from neither overbreadth nor vagueness. This
interpretation stems largely from my view that the provision possesses a
stringent mens rea requirement, necessitating either an intent to
promote hatred or knowledge of the substantial certainty of such, and is also
strongly supported by the conclusion that the meaning of the word “hatred” is
restricted to the most severe and deeply-felt form of opprobrium. Additionally,
however, the conclusion that s. 319(2) represents a minimal impairment of the
freedom of expression gains credence through the exclusion of private
conversation from its scope, the need for the promotion of hatred to focus
upon an identifiable group and the presence of the s. 319(3) defences.
[Emphasis added.]
Although the
relevant provisions of the Criminal Code have since been amended, the
changes are immaterial to our discussion.
17
In short, it was necessary for the Crown in this case to prove that the
respondents, by communicating statements other than in private conversation,
wilfully promoted hatred against a section of the public distinguished by
colour, race, religion or ethnic origin. The arguments presented at trial and
on this appeal all only relate to the requirement that the hatred be against an
identifiable group as so defined. The Crown in this case particularized this
group as being “Roma”. The defence conceded that Roma are an identifiable
group within the meaning of s. 319(2) . The sole remaining question in respect
of this essential element of the offence became whether Roma were the target of
the respondents’ conduct.
18
As noted earlier, the informations also particularized the manner in
which the offence was committed: “by communicating statements, including the
written statements: ‘Honk if you hate Gypsies’, ‘Canada is not a Trash Can’,
and ‘You’re a cancer to Canada’”. Particulars define the factual transaction
that the prosecution must prove to support a conviction: R. v. McCune
(1998), 131 C.C.C. (3d) 152 (B.C.C.A.); R. v. Groot, [1999] 3 S.C.R.
664. To make out the offence, however, there was no need to prove any
“interchangeability” between the specific hateful terms employed and the name
by which the target group was identified in the information. The relevant
questions to be asked with respect to this element of the offence were whether
the Crown had proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the respondents made some
or all of the statements alleged in the information and whether the statements
made, as a matter of fact, promoted hatred of the Roma.
19
It was incumbent upon the trial judge to look at the totality of the
evidence and draw appropriate inferences to determine whether the respondents
intended to target “any section of the public distinguished by colour, race,
religion or ethnic origin”, in this case, the Roma people. Several items of
evidence potentially related to this issue. The reference to “gypsies” was but
one item of evidence to consider. To illustrate the point, it may be useful
to consider whether the offence could be made out even if the demonstrators had
made the same statements but without using the word “gypsies”. Among other
things, the trial judge in his reasons for judgment referred to the following
evidence as fact: (1) the motel outside of which the respondents demonstrated
was temporarily housing the refugee claimants who were awaiting the outcome of
their claims; (2) some of the participants were seen giving the “Sieg Heil”
Nazi salute; (3) Nazi and American Confederate flags were used in the
demonstration; and (4) the chant “White Power” was heard during the
demonstration. Furthermore, the defence concession expressly linked Nazi
persecution to the “Roma people”.
20
Hence, the ethnic flavour to the demonstration, the fact that it was
situated outside a motel housing refugee claimants who were at times described
by the witnesses as Roma, and the fact that Roma people are a group
historically persecuted by the Nazis while the Nazi theme was apparent at the
demonstration were all factors to consider, in addition to the actual words
used, in determining whether Roma were the target of the hate speech. In
focussing entirely on one of the specific statements particularized in the
information, the trial judge misdirected himself as to the essential elements
of the offence. In doing so, he erred in law.
21
In addition, I will deal briefly with judicial notice in the context in
which it arose in this case.
22
A court may accept without the requirement of proof facts that are
either “(1) so notorious or generally accepted as not to be the subject of
debate among reasonable persons; or (2) capable of immediate and accurate
demonstration by resort to readily accessible sources of indisputable
accuracy”: R. v. Find, [2001] 1 S.C.R. 863, 2001 SCC 32, at para. 48.
The dictionary meaning of words may fall within the latter category: see J.
Sopinka, S. N. Lederman and A. W. Bryant, The Law of Evidence in Canada
(2nd ed. 1999), at § 9.13 and § 19.22.
23
The Crown presented the trial judge with five dictionaries demonstrating
a relationship between “Roma” and “gypsy”. For example, the New Oxford
Dictionary of English (1998) contained the following definitions:
gypsy (also gipsy): noun (pl. -ies)
a member of a travelling people with dark skin and hair, speaking a language
(Romany) related to Hindi, and traditionally living by seasonal work, itinerant
trade, and fortune-telling. Gypsies are now found mostly in Europe, parts of
North Africa, and North America, but are believed to have originated in the
Indian subcontinent.
Rom: noun (pl. Roma/. . .) a gypsy, especially a
man.
– origin mid 19th cent.:
abbreviation of Romany.
Romany . . . noun (pl. -ies) 1 (mass noun)
the language of the gypsies, which is an Indo-European language related to
Hindi. It is spoken by a dispersed group of about 1 million people, and has
many dialects.
2 A gypsy.
24
The dictionary definitions presented to the trial judge hence showed
that “gypsy” can refer to an ethnic group properly known as “Roma”, “Rom”, or
“Romany”. I see no reason why the trial judge should not have taken judicial
notice of that fact and then considered it, together with the rest of the
evidence, to determine whether there was proof beyond a reasonable doubt that
the respondents did in fact intend to target Roma.
V. Disposition
25
For these reasons, I would allow the appeal, set aside the acquittals
and order new trials.
Appeal allowed and new trials ordered.
Solicitor for the appellant: Ministry of the Attorney
General of Ontario, Toronto.
Solicitors for the respondents: David Gomes and
Peter Lindsay, Toronto.
Solicitor for the intervener the Attorney General of
Canada: Attorney General of Canada, Ottawa.
Solicitor for the intervener the League for Human Rights of B’Nai
Brith Canada: David Matas, Winnipeg.
Solicitors for the intervener the Canadian Jewish
Congress: Blake, Cassels & Graydon, Toronto.