Tarnow Criminal LawRichmond, BC · October 14, 2026Follow

Reconciling Gladue and Victim Protection: What the Supreme Court’s R. v. Cope Means for Vancouver Criminal Defence

In Vancouver criminal defence practice, few issues generate more careful advocacy—or more public debate—than the sentencing of Indigenous offenders. On October 9, 2026, the Supreme Court of Canada delivered a closely divided 5-4 decision in R. v. Cope, 2026 SCC 32, that squarely confronts the tension between long-standing Gladue principles and the heightened emphasis Parliament...

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