Ontario's newest Superior Court justice is a New Democrat lawyer who has endorsed decriminalizing heroin, says Blacklock's Reporter..Suzan Fraser, of Toronto, was named to the bench this week..Fraser last February 15 retweeted with approval a social media post by Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith (Beaches-East York, Ont.) stating: “Prohibition is killing people. We need bold action to decriminalize drug possession, regulate a safer supply and expand treatment options for those in need.”.MP Erskine-Smith in 2020 sponsored Bill C-235 An Act To Amend The Controlled Drugs And Substances Act to repeal criminal sanctions for simple possession of heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, morphine and opium. The bill lapsed in the last Parliament..“This should be an issue of health care not criminal justice,” MP Erskine-Smith said at the time..“We should remove barriers to treatment not reinforce them.”.Conservative MPs opposed the bill..“Canadians are rightly concerned about Liberal policies that make it easier to use hard drugs like heroin, crack cocaine and meth,” said MP John Brassard (Barrie-Innisfil, Ont.)..“They tear families and our communities apart.”.Fraser’s appointment follows April 10 remarks by Attorney General David Lametti that he was “open to other ways of attacking” drug crimes. Lametti made the comments in testimony at the Commons public safety committee..“Wouldn’t it be better simply to eliminate the criminal offence of possession?” asked New Democrat MP Randall Garrison (Esquimalt-Saanich, B.C.)..“I would be open to other ways of attacking that problem,” replied Lametti..Fraser was formerly counsel for the Coalition for Gun Control..Records indicate she contributed $1,776 to federal and provincial New Democrat organizers since 2017..The justice department in an official biography of Fraser wrote: “With her partner Mike and her friend Ted, Justice Fraser co-parents their three marvelous teenage children.”.Chantalle Aubertin, press secretary to the Attorney General, explained the reference. “Justice Fraser had a child with a friend and then had two other children with her partner and they raise the children together,” said Aubertin..Another Toronto lawyer, longtime Liberal Party contributor Robert Centa, yesterday was also appointed an Ontario Superior Court judge. Centa donated $5,376 to Party organizers since 2006, according to federal and provincial filings..Centa in 2011 also acted pro bono for a ratepayers’ group petitioning for a review of campaign expenses by then-Toronto Mayor Rob Ford.
