Thread by @Norlaine

This is absolutely outrageous and turns our judicial process on its head. To begin with, it is based on the presumption of guilt. #AbLeg #abpoli 1/15
The Provincial Administrative Penalties Act in Alberta is really, really... via @YouTube

- 3 phases, beginning with drunk driving then expanding to cover all provincial legal jurisdiction
- Predicated on presumption of guilt
- Penalties will be implemented immediately and will continue, regardless of whether you appeal
2/15

- You have 7 days to appeal and you must pay a fee to appeal
- If you are poor, you can’t appeal
- If you don’t respond, they can come after you to collect any fine and/or surcharge
3/15

- An adjudicator will be assigned to review the appeal. These are not judges. They will most likely be ex-police officers and so on (probably biased)
4/15

- They get to choose what information they give you to work on your appeal, they don’t have to provide any records with respect to the history of the officer, or the maintenance of a red light camera 5/15

- The government can limit what evidence you can submit and what arguments you can make in your own defence
- All police reports are deemed to have been made under oath – gives police reports a heavier weight than the word of the accused – Police can lie in their reports 6/15

- Data review will be within 21 days of appeal. They don’t need to get ready for this because they already know what the judgement will be.
- Appeal will not be done in person. No day in court. Maybe a phone call or zoom.
- No cross-examination of witnesses, officers, etc.
7/15

- The crown can set limits on numbers of pages or documents submitted for the appeal, maximum duration for video or audio submissions, and may limit the types and formats of content
8/15

- The burden of proof is on the person requesting the review. You are presumed guilty and you need to prove your innocence.
9/15

- The adjudicator can assign weight to the various evidence presented and is not bound by the rules respecting evidence applicable to judicial proceedings. Rules of evidence are meant to keep out bad evidence. This includes hearsay. Hearsay is allowed in this process.
10/15

- After the review, the adjudicator can, if not satisfied with the appeal, confirm the administrative penalty. If they are satisfied, the appellant will receive a notice of the decision within 30 days and administrative penalties will be cancelled.
11/15

- The decision of the adjudicator is final. No further appeal or review is allowed. This basically tosses out the entirety of our judicial process. 12/15

- You can go to the Court of Queen’s Bench to apply to have it reviewed if the paperwork is submitted within 30 days of the order, but that may not be approved. 13/15

- The UCP are creating a process where the government tells you that you are guilty and will be punished and that is it. They don’t need to prove you did anything. You need to prove you didn’t, and you need to prove it in a system that is weighted against you. 14/15

Please write to your MLA, the Premier, the NDP, and the media to express disagreement with this mockery of justice the UCP is imposing on Albertans. 15/15