Language of charge can be misleading if it refers inappropriately to "admissions" or "incriminating statements" where they don't exist (distinguish between statements that are incriminating on their face [confessions] and statements that appear to be incriminating in context [circumstantial evidence])
Language of "presumptions," especially as matters of law, are misleading if they are not properly presumptions (no claiming that there is a presumption that incriminating statements by an accused are true), since they can mislead a jury
Jury charge errors can be dismissed only if they are minor, and have no impact on the verdict, or if the evidence overwhelmingly suggests there was no miscarriage of justice
Layton
If a jury asks for clarification about part of a charge, it's because they don't understand it; when this pertains to reasonable doubt, merely repeating a Lifchus-approved charge will not suffice since there is reasonable doubt that the jury didn't properly understand the relevant standard of proof
If a jury asks, a judge must clarify the concept of "reasonable doubt" even if it means deviating from Lifchus; the judge cannot say that there is no further clarification they can give (no discouraging jury's questions)
No assumption that a jury understands legal concepts
Presumptions
No basic fact/basic fact
No basic fact is a presumption without a needed factual basis (innocence, sanity); sanity can be defeated on balance of probabilities
Permissive presumptions allow, but do not require, an inference be made to a presumed fact (you may, but don't have to, infer that someone possessing recently stolen property was the thief)
Mandatory presumptions require an inference to be made to a presumed fact (shifts burden from Crown to accused); generally defined in statute
Conclusive/Rebuttable Presumptions
Conclusive presumptions cannot be defeated by evidence
Balance of probabilities (signalled by use of term "establishes", meaning "to prove") burdens include disproving a part of the Crown's case, disproving collateral facts, proving an excuse or some other defence
Still has to satisfy CTM burden, and decided by trier of fact
Rebuttable presumptions conflict with 11(d) Charter right to presumption of innocence
Under 11(d), Crown has burden to prove case beyond reasonable doubt based on their evidence passing the CTM burden, following all rules of procedural fairness (incl Stinchcombe + no conscription of accused); if any doubt exists, acquittal should follow
But rebuttable presumptions can lead to convictions despite reasonable doubt if it means an inference is made and it isn't defeated
Reverse onuses are justified based on their necessity in establishing that a crime exists; must be balanced using Oakes test
But this is problematic because it still requires that the accused respond before the Crown's case is finished, and there is no proof of the inferred fact except for the basic fact
Proof of substituted fact: substituted facts are inferences that are necessarily substantiated by the proof of the basic fact, and thus there can be no reasonable doubt about the inference
Legal burdens: onus to prove or disprove a legal issue
Evidentiary burdens: onus to produce evidence to establish CTM burden for trier of law (raise a reasonable doubt, or establish balance of probabilities)
Accused should never have to meet a legal burden, but evidentiary burdens are okay
Infringements of 11(d) right to innocence are permissible only when "they are reasonable and demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society"
Person trying to justify a limitation on a Charter right has burden of proof
Charter s 1 burden of proof is balance of probabilities
Oakes Test
Step 1: the objective must be of sufficient importance to warrant overriding a constitutionally protected right or freedom
Step 2: the means chosen must be reasonable and demonstrably justified through a 3-part proportionality test
There must be a rational connection between the objective and the limitation - no arbitrary or unfair limitations
The limitation should impair the right or freedom as little as possible
The effects of the limitation must be proportional to the importance of the objective (the more serious the effects, the more important the objective)
Laba
Charter must be interpreted contextually, including considering historical, social, and economic factors, to do proper s. 1 analysis
Evidence should be considered as to the existence of a problem, but its primary purpose is establishing the objective of the provision
That something is in the Criminal Code is generally sufficient to mark an objective that meets the first step of the Oakes test (presence in CC = social repugnance)
No requirement that a presumption be internally rational to meet rational connection test; it merely must be a logical method to accomplish the objective in question
Where an evidentiary burden will suffice to accomplish an objective, imposing a legal burden cannot pass the Oakes test for minimal impairment and proportionality