A fair and impartial criminal justice system is one that protects communities and respects the needs of victims while guarding against potential miscarriages of justice.
The Honourable Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, announced today that, following an extensive review, he has ordered a new trial for Mr. Clarence Woodhouse under the conviction review provisions of the Criminal Code.
The Minister of Justice has determined that there are reasonable grounds to conclude that a miscarriage of justice likely occurred. This is the result of the identification of new information that was not before the courts at the time of Mr. Woodhouse's trial or appeal. The Minister's decision to order a new trial is not a decision about the guilt or innocence of the applicant. It is a decision to return the matter to the courts where the relevant legal issues may be determined according to the law.
In 1974, Mr. Clarence Woodhouse, Mr. Allan Woodhouse, and Mr. Brian Anderson were tried and convicted of murder in the death of a Winnipeg man. All three First Nations men were sentenced to life imprisonment with no eligibility for parole for ten years. On November 8, 1974, the Manitoba Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal made by Mr. Clarence Woodhouse. He was first granted parole in 1983, after nearly 10 years in custody. In September 2023, Mr. Clarence Woodhouse submitted an application for criminal conviction review.
