Supreme Court Ruling Extending Police Powers Onto Private Property Erodes Rights

Dissenting justices warn ruling weakens privacy rights and erodes Charter protections.

The Supreme Court of Canada in Ottawa on Aug. 10, 2022. The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld

Commentary

Wayne Singer lay asleep in his running truck, parked in his driveway at Big Island Lake Cree Nation in Saskatchewan. When RCMP officers stepped onto his property in response to an impaired driving complaint and opened his truck door without a warrant, they triggered a Supreme Court of Canada case that now reshapes the balance between police power and private property rights.