Legal experts say proposed changes to the Criminal Code after a high-profile acquittal in the fatal shooting of an Indigenous man are short-sighted. Key changes in a federal bill, which has passed third reading, involve peremptory challenges during jury selection and use of preliminary inquiries. Peremptory challenges allow lawyers to remove a potential juror without giving reasons. "I can't imagine anything less helpful in jury selection to both sides than to have no peremptory challenges. "Some defence lawyers suggest that they've used peremptory challenges when they've had an Indigenous client and it's been to their benefit."

Source: CBC News December 30, 2018 16:07 UTC