72.6 Re: Bill S-20, An Act to Amend the Criminal Code
Whereas, The Canadian Bill of Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the United Nations Declaration on the Political Rights of Women, which extend equal status before the law and an equal right and duty to participate in all processes of government to men and women alike, bind the Canadian Government to eliminate discrimination against women wherever possible be legislative action; and,
Whereas, Senator Muriel Ferguson’s Bill S-20, An Amendment to the Criminal Code (Jury Service for Women) passed third reading in the Senate and has been introduced into the House of Commons, calls for an amendment to the Criminal Code, to legislate for equality in jury service for men and women in cases under the Criminal Code of Canada; and,
Whereas, In the procedures involved in compiling jury lists and in the final selection of jury panels there are practices that prevent women appearing on juries in proportionate numbers, even when women are already by law entitled to serve on juries; therefore,
RESOLVED, That the National Council of Women of Canada request the Government of Canada:
- To amend the Criminal Code to extend jury service to men and women on an equal basis in criminal cases, and,
- To take measures through legislation or regulation to ensure that the procedures employed in the jury listing and selection process should prohibit systematically or deliberately excluding any groups from the jury panel on account of race, marital status, sex, political or religious affiliation or economic or social status, and,
- Jury duty will carry a fee of $20.00 per Diem and said fee to rise according to the cost of living index.