The CCLA will appear today as an intervenor before the Supreme Court of Canada in the case of R. c. Singer. This case is about the scope of the “implied licence to knock”. This is a common law rule that permits members of the public, including the police, to approach the door of a residence and knock to communicate with the occupant, without first obtaining a warrant or there being exigent circumstances.
This case concerns the scope of the implied license to knock when it comes to the police. The CCLA will submit that whether the police have an implied license to knock depends on why they enter private property, or their “underlying purpose”. If the police enter a property to investigate a criminal offence, including through investigative questioning of the occupant(s), they must comply with s. 8 of the Charte, the right against unreasonable search and seizure. This would require the police to either have a warrant or exigent circumstances to enter the property.
You can read the CCLA’s factum (legal arguments) ICI.
The CCLA is grateful to Nader R. Hasan and Alexandra Heine of Stockwoods LLP for their excellent pro bono représentation dans ce cas.
À propos de l’association canadienne sur les libertés civiles
L’ACLC est un organisme indépendant à but non lucratif qui compte des sympathisant.e.s dans tout le pays. Fondé en 1964, c’est un organisme qui œuvre à l’échelle du Canada à la protection des droits et des libertés civiles de toute sa population.
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