Canadian Death Penalty: Social Media Campaign and Analysis

This assignment presents a social media campaign designed to oppose the restoration of the death penalty in Canada. It begins by outlining the historical context of capital punishment in Canada, including its abolition in 1976 and the subsequent failed attempts to reinstate it. The paper argues tha...Read More

Running head: FIGHT AGAINST RESTORATION OF DEATH PENALTY IN CANADA 1
Fight Against Restoration of Death Penalty in Canada
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

FIGHT AGAINST RESTORATION OF DEATH PENALTY IN CANADA 2
Every single year death sentenced criminals would be executed, a penalty used by the
government to deter crime in Canada early before its elimination. However, this penalty is seen
ineffective, costly and a violation of fundamental rights as they appear in the United Nations
Universal Declaration of human rights. This paper will campaign through the social media
platform, against death penalty and call for the Canadian government to oppose the public
advocacy in favor of capital punishment.
The earliest history of capital punishment in Canada dates back in 1760s and by 1976
more than 1,400 people had been executed by hanging the convicts. The first bill proposing the
its abolition was enacted in 1976, replaced by a life sentence of not less than 25 years
imprisonment. The efforts for restoring this sentence failed in 1987, a proposed bill was defeated
where Brian Mulroney lead in opposing it. Recently, more than (50%) Canadian public has been
advocating for restoring this penalty ( Sahni & Junnarkar.2020).
From time immemorial, innocent lives are terminated through intentional murder, murder
due to violence and crimes; and the government comes up with penalties to find justice for the
victims. Following this, several arguments opposing execution of murder criminals reveal that it
is not a credible way of deterring crimes and violence since its abolition resulted in minimal

FIGHT AGAINST RESTORATION OF DEATH PENALTY IN CANADA 3
murder rate. Mostly, this punishment is performed publicly therefore promoting cruelty, “All
executions violate the right to life. Those carried out publicly are a gross affront to human
dignity which cannot be tolerated,” by (Hassiba Hadj.2020). Currently, nations are abandoning
this penalty and as it continues to disappear, soon the world will do away with it.
The global movement known as Amnesty International that promote human rights and
prevent progress in human rights abuse, states that death penalty not only does it violate right to
life but also other human rights in that minorities and marginalized groups are disproportionately
affected, justice is denied when execution is done to an innocent person, evidence is usually
obtained through torture. Moreover, (Sran & Daddey. 2017) concerns are raised whenever death
sentence is used against persons under 18 years of age.

FIGHT AGAINST RESTORATION OF DEATH PENALTY IN CANADA 4
“Imposition of appropriate punishment is the way the courts respond to the society’s cry for
justice against the criminals.” (Justice Anand.2017). Unfortunately, a great number of Canadians
view death sentence as the proper justice since it makes criminals suffer an equal measure for the
crime. They further think by executing the convicts, more murders will be prevented and as a
manner of giving a satisfactory vindication to the families of the murder victims.
It is clear and right to say death sentence is not a proper penalty for obtaining justice for
the victims neither is it successful in the fight against crime and violence in Canada. Death
penalty is inhuman and a great demoralization of human rights and therefore the government
must continue opposing it, despite public advocacies in support of it. More campaigns, programs
and policies should be formed and funded by the government to help educate the public and
therefore stop the idea of reinstating death penalty in Canada.

FIGHT AGAINST RESTORATION OF DEATH PENALTY IN CANADA 5
References
Sahni, S. P., & Junnarkar, M. (2020). Death Penalty: A Global Context. In The Death
Penalty (pp. 1-15). Springer, Singapore.
Sran, J., & Daddey, F. (2017). Death Penalty in Canada.