{{Short description|Canadian non-profit organization founded 1993}} {{use dmy dates |date=March 2024}} {{Infobox organization |name = Innocence Canada |image =File:Innocence Canada Logo.png |image_border = |image_size = |caption =Outdated logo, with tally marks equal to the number of exonerations secured ({{as of|2026|February|lc=y}}, logo has 34 marks) |map = |map_size = |map_caption = |abbreviation = |formation = 1993 |extinction = |type = Legal Association |status = Active |purpose = Advocate, Educator and Network |headquarters = Toronto, Ontario |location = |region_served = Canada |membership = |language = English<br />French |leader_title = |leader_name = |main_organ = |parent_organization = |affiliations = |num_staff = |num_volunteers = |budget =$500,000 to $600,000 annually |website ={{Official URL}} |remarks = |former_name=Association in Defence of the Wrongly Convicted (AIDWYC) }}
'''Innocence Canada''' (formerly known as the '''Association in Defence of the Wrongly Convicted''', or '''AIDWYC'''), is a Canadian legal non-profit organization. Founded in 1993, based in Toronto, Innocence Canada identifies, advocates for, and helps exonerate wrongly convicted individuals. The organization is also dedicated to preventing future wrongful convictions through education and criminal justice reform. As of the December 2025 exoneration of Tim Rees, who spent over two decades in prison for crime he did not commit, Innocence Canada has helped to exonerate 36 wrongly-convicted Canadians.{{Update after|2026|12|reason=check for subsequent new exonerees and replace the details of this entire sentence with updated details, then change the year and month in this template in order to have this become visible again at the next available year end}}
== History == Innocence Canada was established in February 1993 as the Association in Defence of the Wrongly Convicted (AIDWYC).<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/10/21/innocence-canada-becoming-shadow-of-its-former-self.html|title=Innocence Canada becoming 'shadow of its former self'|last=Gillis|first=Wendy|date=October 21, 2016|work=Toronto Star|access-date=September 6, 2016|language=en}}</ref> The organization was founded as an outgrowth of the volunteer-run Justice for Guy Paul Morin Committee, which was formed following Guy Paul Morin’s wrongful conviction a year prior.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lexisnexis.ca/en-ca/about-us/rule-of-law/rol-report-issue-2.page|title=Rule of Law Report {{!}} Issue 2 {{!}} LexisNexis Canada|last=Wahrer|first=Win|date=June 18, 2018|website=www.lexisnexis.ca|publisher=LexisNexis|access-date=September 6, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LstfDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22innocence+canada%22&pg=PA256|title=Miscarriages of Justice in Canada: Causes, Responses, Remedies|last=Campbell|first=Kathryn M.|publisher=University of Toronto Press|year=2018|isbn=9780802094063|pages=256|language=en}}</ref> Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, an exonoree who was incarcerated for nineteen years in New Jersey following his own wrongful conviction for murder, served as AIDWYC’s founding executive director for more than a decade.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/editorials/rubin-hurricane-carter-and-the-virtue-of-stubbornness/article18084939/|title=Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter and the virtue of stubbornness|date=April 21, 2014|work=The Globe and Mail|access-date=September 6, 2018}}</ref>
In 2009, AIDWYC received a one million dollar donation from retired Ontario Superior Court Justice Ian Cartwright, which allowed the organization to expand its operations, develop a legal education program on wrongful convictions, and take on additional cases.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/innocence-canada-gets-critical-funding-boost-from-ontario-government/article33308126/|title=Innocence Canada wins funding from Ontario, law society|last=Gibson|first=Victoria|date=December 13, 2016|work=The Globe and Mail|access-date=September 6, 2018}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/circumstances-are-dire-for-canadas-defender-of-the-wrongfully-convicted/article32482588/|title=Circumstances are 'dire' for Canada's defender of the wrongfully convicted|last=Andrew-Gee|first=Eric|date=October 21, 2016|work=The Globe and Mail|access-date=September 13, 2018}}</ref> The Association in Defence of the Wrongly Convicted Foundation (now the Innocence Canada Foundation) was established as a registered charity and sister organization to AIDWYC in July 2010.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.innocencecanada.com/funding/|title=Funding - Innocence Canada|website=Innocence Canada|language=en|access-date=2018-09-06}}</ref>
In October 2016, AIDWYC rebranded as Innocence Canada and adopted a new logo made up of tally marks.<ref name=":3" /> Each mark represents an exoneration that the organization has helped to secure.<ref name=":3" />
In the same year, Innocence Canada experienced a period of financial strain as the Cartwright grant began to dry up and the organization struggled to find new sources of funding.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=https://toronto.citynews.ca/2016/12/13/innocence-canada-gets-critical-funding-in-fight-for-the-wrongfully-convicted/|title=Innocence Canada gets critical funding in fight for the wrongfully convicted|last=Perkel|first=Colin|date=December 13, 2016|work=CityNews Toronto|access-date=September 6, 2018|agency=Canadian Press|language=en-CA}}</ref> In December 2016, however, Ontario Attorney General Yasir Naqvi announced that the Ontario government would provide $825,000 in funding to Innocence Canada over three years.<ref name =":5">{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/innocence-canada-funding-ontario-1.3894277|title=Innocence Canada gets $900K from Ontario, law society for 'vital' work|last=McGillivray|first=Kate|date=December 13, 2016|work=CBC News|access-date=September 6, 2018|language=en-CA}}</ref> The Law Society of Ontario committed to contributing $75,000 over the same time period.<ref name=":5" />
Other sources of funding include grants from the Law Foundation of Ontario, as well as private donations.<ref name=":1" /> The organization has estimated that its lawyers donate approximately $3.5 million in pro bono hours to the organization each year.<ref name=":2" />
As of the December 2025 exoneration of Tim Rees, over a decade after he completed a term of 23 years in prison for a 1989 crime he did not commit,<ref>{{cite news |first=Paola |last=Loriggio |title=Crown withdraws murder charge against Toronto man who spent 23 years in prison |work=CBC News |agency=The Canadian Press |date=2025-12-18 |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/timothy-rees-charges-withdrawn-9.7020986 |access-date=2026-02-02}}</ref> the project has helped prove the innocence of 36 wrongly-convicted Canadians.<ref name=InocnceCan>{{Cite web |author=<!--not stated or generic "Staff"--> |title=Tim Rees |publisher=Innocence Canada |department=Exonerees |date=2025-12-18 |url=https://innocencecanada.com/exoneree/guy-paul-morin/ |access-date=2026-02-02}}</ref>{{Update after|2026|12|reason=check for subsequent new exonerees and replace the details of this entire sentence with updated details and references, then change the year and month in this template in order to have this become visible again at the next available year end}}
== Work ==
Innocence Canada accepts case review applications from individuals who have been wrongfully convicted of homicide offences.<ref>{{cite web |title=Eligibility Criteria |url=https://www.innocencecanada.com/eligibility-criteria/ |website=Innocence Canada |access-date=17 August 2024}}</ref> Applications are reviewed by a volunteer committee of lawyers and former judges to determine whether new and significant evidence of innocence can be identified.<ref name=":4">{{cite web |title=Case Review Process |url=https://www.innocencecanada.com/our-case-review-process/ |website=Innocence Canada |access-date=17 August 2024}}</ref> Where there is a reasonable likelihood that such evidence can be found, a lawyer may be assigned to conduct a full review of the case.<ref name=":4"></ref> Innocence Canada will then determine whether there is sufficient new evidence to submit an application for ministerial review on the grounds of miscarriage of justice to the Minister of Justice.<ref name=":4"></ref>
Innocence Canada has provided expert evidence to several public inquiries tasked with reviewing wrongful convictions in Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/about/pubs/morin/|title=Report of the Kaufman Commission on Proceedings Involving Guy Paul Morin - Ministry of the Attorney General|website=www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.driskellinquiry.ca/|title=Home - Commission of Inquiry Into Certain Aspects of the Trial and Conviction of James Driskell|website=www.driskellinquiry.ca}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.mb.ca/justice/publications/sophonow/ |title=Province of Manitoba | Manitoba Justice | Publications | Thomas Sophonow Inquiry |access-date=2014-03-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140312212640/http://www.gov.mb.ca/justice/publications/sophonow/ |archive-date=2014-03-12 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/inquiries/goudge/index.html|title=Inquiry into Pediatric Forensic Pathology in Ontario - Home Page|last=www.AUTCON.net|website=www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.justice.gov.sk.ca/milgaard/ |title=Commission of Inquiry into the Wrongful Conviction of David Milgaard |access-date=2014-03-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140603201514/http://www.justice.gov.sk.ca/milgaard/ |archive-date=2014-06-03 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.justice.gov.nl.ca/just/publications/lamercontents.pdf |access-date=10 March 2024 |title=The Lamer Commission of Inquiry Pertaining to the Cases of: Ronald Dalton, Gregory Parsons, Randy Druken |website=justice.gov.nl.ca}}</ref> The organization also offers educational resources to increase public knowledge regarding the causes of wrongful convictions.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.innocencecanada.com/continuing-legal-education/|title=Continuing Legal Education - Innocence Canada|website=Innocence Canada|language=en|access-date=September 13, 2018}}</ref>
Innocence Canada is a member of the Innocence Network, an international collective of organizations dedicated to providing pro bono legal and investigative services to individuals who have been wrongly convicted and to preventing wrongful convictions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.innocencenetwork.org/members|title=Innocence Network: Member Organizations|access-date=2014-03-11|archive-date=2014-03-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311182146/http://www.innocencenetwork.org/members|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Notable cases== Some of the exoneration of 36 wrongfully convicted individuals, exonerated include David Milgaard, Guy Paul Morin and Steven Truscott.<ref name="Exonerations">{{cite web |title=Exonerations |url=https://www.innocencecanada.com/exonerations/ |website=Innocence Canada |access-date=17 August 2024}}</ref>
The organization has represented several individuals whose wrongful convictions for homicide were largely the result of flawed conclusions drawn by disgraced former pediatric forensic pathologist Charles Smith.<ref>{{cite news |title=Maria Shepherd's 1992 manslaughter conviction quashed |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/maria-shepherd-conviction-1.3468706 |access-date=17 August 2024 |work=CBC News |agency=The Canadian Press |date=Feb 29, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Edwards |first1=Peter |title=She got life in prison for killing her two-year-old son, Kenneth. There was no murder. |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/she-got-life-in-prison-for-killing-her-two-year-old-son-kenneth-there-was/article_dd4e3c3e-8176-5b67-ac45-6128fbb4e24b.html |access-date=17 August 2024 |work=Toronto Star |date=June 27, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Tyler |first1=Tracey |title=Conviction quashed in case involving disgraced pathologist Charles Smith |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/conviction-quashed-in-case-involving-disgraced-pathologist-charles-smith/article_f29955b8-9312-5278-aba4-1dd14e8007fc.html |access-date=17 August 2024 |work=Toronto Star |date=May 4, 2011}}</ref> In each of these cases, the true cause of death was later determined to be either natural causes or accidental.<ref name="Exonerations"></ref>
Innocence Canada also helped to exonerate Robert Baltovich and Anthony Hanemaayer. Both men were convicted of murders that are now believed to have been committed by notorious serial rapist and murderer Paul Bernardo.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2008/06/26/acquitted_man_demands_justice_reforms.html|title=Acquitted man demands justice reforms|last=Tyler|first=Tracy|date=June 26, 2008|work=Toronto Star|access-date=September 6, 2018|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title='I get to live the rest my life free': Baltovich acquitted |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/i-get-to-live-the-rest-my-life-free-baltovich-acquitted-1.698182 |access-date=17 August 2024 |work=CBC News |date=Apr 22, 2008}}</ref>
Although not officially included among Innocence Canada’s exonorees, the organization provided legal assistance to some members of the Port Hope 8.{{sfn|Lowe|2013|p=956}}<ref>{{cite web |last1=Braiden |first1=Patricia Lynn |title=Wrongful convictions and Section 690 of the Criminal Code: An Analysis of Canada's Last-Resort Remedy |url=https://www.nlc-bnc.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp03/MQ51304.pdf |website=National Library of Canada |publisher=Simon Fraser University |access-date=17 August 2024 |page=183}}</ref>
==Books== *{{cite book |last1=Lowe |first1=Mick |title=A Conspiracy of Brothers: A True Story of Bikers, Murder and the Law |date=2013 |publisher=Vintage Canada |location=Toronto |isbn=978-0345813169}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official Website}}
Category:Legal advocacy organizations based in Canada Category:Organizations based in Toronto Category:1993 establishments in Ontario Category:Innocence Project Category:Criminal defense organizations Category:Legal organizations based in Ontario