HUNTER: Trio of cases reveal obtuse Canadian justice system's nutty ideas

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Three recent cases reveal that the Canadian justice system is packed with good ideas.

Of course, these are the sorts of “good ideas” Canadians have been plagued by over the last lawless decade. The last few days have unleashed myriad “good ideas” on the public.

Vancouver cops issued yet another public warning about a sex offender who had been sprung back onto the public, a Sudbury cop killer has had his day parole extended, and then, there’s Palwinder Singh.

In Sudbury, there were courtroom concerns that a jobless man who barely speaks English could have his quest to become a Canadian citizen thwarted by a drunken episode.

But in Canadian courtrooms, hope springs eternal. Using a Punjabi interpreter, Singh pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of careless driving.

And that way, the court heard, it will be much easier for Singh to become a Canadian citizen. That is the main thing, right?

He also got dinged with a $1,000 fine, was ordered to complete some programs, and given a 15-month probation order.

According to the Sudbury Star, Singh was nabbed in the early morning hours of Sept. 28. A resident reported a ditched vehicle. Cops arrived and found Singh in the driver’s seat, slouched over the centre console.

Giving him a shake to wake him up, cops say Singh had glossy, bloodshot eyes. Prosecutors said “language issues became apparent.” He was swaying and dropped his licence on the ground.

Cops at the scene could not understand what he was saying, and he could not use the breathalyzer. Instead, he launched a boozy blast of air in the officers’ direction.

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The court heard that Singh arrived in Canada in 2022, and his lawyer said he has “difficulties” with English. The former Uber driver is now jobless.

The Crown said if convicted on the heavier charges, it would have been tough for Singh to become a Canadian citizen. So we did him a solid and dropped the impaired driving and refusing to provide a breath sample charges.

On the Pacific coast, Vancouver cops issued a warning that a repeat sex offender was going to be back in town. One day later, Hayden McCorriston, 30, was on the run.

Cops issued a Canada-wide warrant after he failed to return to his halfway house.

“He was last seen wearing a blue surgical mask, a black hat, a black long-sleeve shirt, dark blue or black pants, and black shoes with white soles,” Vancouver cops said in a release Saturday.

McCorriston was convicted of sexually assaulting multiple women in Burnaby and Vancouver in 2022, the VPD said. In the public warning, cops said, “McCorriston poses a significant risk of harm to the community and is a high risk to commit further physical and sexual violence.”

So why is he out?

Then there’s cop killer Peter Pennett.

Pennett, now 60, and a sleazebag named Clinton Suzack murdered Sudbury Police Const. Joe MacDonald in 1993. He recently had his day parole extended by six months.

The two men ambushed and pistol-whipped MacDonald before shooting him to death during a routine traffic stop. Both were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole for 25 years.

Even now, the Parole Board said they are not considering giving Pennett full parole despite significant progress in deinstitutionalizing himself.

The board’s report said: “You also exhibit a moderate level of traits and low-moderate level of behaviours associated with psychopathy.”

And on and on it goes.

bhunter@postmedia.com

@HunterTOSun