Canadian Forces members are deprived of jury right for civilian offences, writes Justice Létourneau

His Honour Justice (ret)
Gilles Létourneau

The Ottawa Citizen's "Defence Watch" section has run a guest column by retired Justice of the Federal Court of Appeal and Court Martial Appeal Court of Canada Gilles Létourneau. He writes that "as a matter of public policy, equality of rights and treatment before and under the law as well as fairness, no serious ordinary criminal law offence punishable by imprisonment for five years or more should be prosecuted before a military tribunal under the guise of discipline in peacetime."