Please sign our petition to make financial compensation a legal requirement in Canada for all who have been wrongfully convicted of a crime they did not commit!

A wrongful conviction occurs when an innocent individual is sent to prison for a crime that they did not commit. Although some people may be skeptical about wrongful convictions occurring in Canada, it is important to note that Innocence Canada alone has aided in the successful exoneration of 23 Canadians. However, the actual numbers may be much higher as individuals may find other means of exoneration.

Currently, there is no legal requirement for the Canadian government to compensate those who have been wrongfully convicted. This is an incredibly devastating fact given that those who have been wrongfully convicted often spend years, if not decades, in prison for crimes that they did not commit.

Not only are wrongfully convicted individuals subjected to the trauma of prison life, and taken from their homes and loved ones, but they are also unable to work and receive an income throughout their prison sentence. Research has also shown that exonerees are often stigmatized by potential employers, often making it difficult to find a job after their exoneration. Mandatory financial compensation would not only help Canadian exonerees get back on their feet, but it would also serve as an official apology and recognition of the terrible mistake made by the justice system.