View source for Perjury (Offence)

{{LevelZero}}{{HeaderOffences}}

{{OffenceBox |OffenceTitle=Perjury |OffencePage=Perjury |Section=131 |Act={{OBCCC}} |CrownElection={{OBIndictableElection}} |Jurisdiction={{OBJurisdictionAll}} |Bail={{OBBailJudge}} |IndictableDisp={{OBDisp14orLife}} |IndictableMin={{OBMinNone}} |IndictableMax={{OBTime|14 years}} }}

==Overview==
{{OverviewIV|perjury}}

'''Pleadings'''<br>
{{PleadingsHeader}}
{{PleadingsIndictableList|s. 131 [perjury] | {{NA}} | Yes }}
{{PleadingsEnd}}

{{PleadingsIndictElection|s. 131}}

'''Release'''<br>
{{ReleaseHeader}}
|s. 131 || {{ReleaseProfileOnlyBail}} 
|-
{{ReleaseEnd}}

{{ReleaseOnlyBail|s. 131}}

{{ReverseOnusCirc}}

{{IDCriminalAct|s. 131}}

'''Publication Bans'''<br>
{{GeneralPubBan}}

'''Offence Designations'''<br>
{{WiretapDesignation|s. 131}}

{{SeeBelowForAncillary}}

==Offence Wording==
{{quotation|
'''Perjury'''<br>
131. (1) Subject to subsection (3), every one commits perjury who, with intent to mislead, makes before a person who is authorized by law to permit it to be made before him a false statement under oath or solemn affirmation, by affidavit, solemn declaration or deposition or orally, knowing that the statement is false.
<br>
'''Video links, etc.'''<br>
(1.1) Subject to subsection (3), every person who gives evidence under subsection 46(2) of the Canada Evidence Act, or gives evidence or a statement pursuant to an order made under section 22.2 of the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Act, commits perjury who, with intent to mislead, makes a false statement knowing that it is false, whether or not the false statement was made under oath or solemn affirmation in accordance with subsection (1), so long as the false statement was made in accordance with any formalities required by the law of the place outside Canada in which the person is virtually present or heard.
<br>
'''Idem'''<br>
(2) Subsection (1) applies, whether or not a statement referred to in that subsection is made in a judicial proceeding.
<br>
'''Application'''<br>
(3) Subsections (1) and (1.1) do not apply to a statement referred to in either of those subsections that is made by a person who is not specially permitted, authorized or required by law to make that statement.
<br>
R.S., 1985, c. C-46, s. 131; R.S., 1985, c. 27 (1st Supp.), s. 17; 1999, c. 18, s. 92.
|[http://canlii.ca/t/7vf2#sec131 CCC]
}}

{{quotation|
'''Punishment'''<br>
132. Every one who commits perjury is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding fourteen years.
<br>
R.S., 1985, c. C-46, s. 132; R.S., 1985, c. 27 (1st Supp.), s. 17; 1998, c. 35, s. 119.
|[http://canlii.ca/t/7vf2#sec132 CCC]
}}

==Proof of the Offence==
{{ElementHeader}}
{{ElementLeft}}

{{Proving|perjury|131}}<ref>
Calder v The Queen, [http://canlii.ca/t/22vr0 1960 CanLII 73] (SCC), [1960] SCR 892<br>
R v Akinyemi, [http://canlii.ca/t/g6q53 2014 ONCJ 213] (CanLII) at para 34<br>
</ref>
{{InitialElements}}
#  obtain evidence of prior hearings 
##  obtain transcript of prior hearings
##  have transcript certified by presiding judge 
##  provide notice to culprit of intention to produce
#  prove contents of hearings (through the clerk of the original trial)
##  jurisdiction, date and time of prior hearing
##  identity of culprit as a witness
##  the clerk swore the culprit 
##  that the culprit gave testimony to a fact<br> <have all documents filed with the court>
#  there was a contradiction between the testimony in the prior hearing #1 and prior hearing #2
#  the culprit knew that they were contradictory at the time
#  the culprit intended to be contradictory at the time

{{ElementEnd}}

{{reflist|2}}

===Tender Exhibits===
#  evidence of prior hearings: 
##  transcript of prior hearings
##  subpoena clerk of original trial to bring all documents related to trial
##  provide notice to accused of intention to produce
#  any other documents in possession of the clerk of original trial related to it

Note that in certain jurisdictions the judge may certify the record, while others can be certified by a clerk or court reporter under provincial legislation.<ref>
e.g. Court Officials Act (NS)
</ref>

{{reflist|2}}

==Interpretation of the Offence==
Perjury is an inchoate offence as it is an attempt to mislead through giving false evidence.<ref>
R v Akinyemi, [http://canlii.ca/t/g6q53 2014 ONCJ 213] (CanLII) at para 34<br>
</ref>

Section 133 intends to prohibit the conviction of the accused on the basis of evidence from a single witness claiming the accused lied. However, where the case is entirely circumstantial, the crown does not need to corroborate the evidence.<ref>
R v Reyat [http://canlii.ca/t/fs38p 2012 BCCA 311] (CanLII)
</ref>

False evidence includes dishonest or deliberate loss of memory.<ref>
Wolf v The Queen, [http://canlii.ca/t/1z191 1974 CanLII 161] (SCC), [1975] 2 SCR 107
</ref>

{{reflist|2}}
===Form of Charge===
Section 585 states:

{{quotation|
'''Sufficiency of count charging perjury, etc.'''<br>
585. No count that charges
:(a) perjury,
:(b) the making of a false oath or a false statement,
:(c) fabricating evidence, or
:(d) procuring the commission of an offence mentioned in paragraph (a), (b) or (c),

is insufficient by reason only that it does not state the nature of the authority of the tribunal before which the oath or statement was taken or made, or the subject of the inquiry, or the words used or the evidence fabricated, or that it does not expressly negative the truth of the words used.
<br>
R.S., 1985, c. C-46, s. 585; 1992, c. 1, s. 60(F).
|[http://canlii.ca/t/7vf2#sec585 CCC]
}}

{{reflist|2}}
===Corroboration===

Section 133 requires corroborative evidence in order to sustain a conviction for perjury under s. 131.
{{quotation|
'''Corroboration'''<br>
133. No person shall be convicted of an offence under section 132 on the evidence of only one witness unless the evidence of that witness is corroborated in a material particular by evidence that implicates the accused.
<br>
R.S., 1985, c. C-46, s. 133; R.S., 1985, c. 27 (1st Supp.), s. 17.
|[http://canlii.ca/t/7vf2#sec133 CCC]
}}

The purpose of s. 133 is to "protect an accused from false testimony of a single witness swearing against him". Two testimonies should not be pitted against each other in a contest of "oath against oath".<ref>
R v Reyat [http://canlii.ca/t/fs38p 2012 BCCA 311] (CanLII), at paras 48-51
</ref>

The corroboration rule does not apply where the evidence is purely circumstantial.<ref>
Neveu c. R [http://canlii.ca/t/1ggzr 2004 CanLII 31404] (QC CA), (2004), 184 CCC (3d) 18 (Que. C.A.), at para 19<br>
R v Wilson, [http://canlii.ca/t/flqd8 2011 ONSC 3385] (CanLII), at paras 24, 27 & 28<br>
Reyat at para 48 to 51<br>
</ref>
Accordingly, a conviction can be made using business records without the need for corroboration.<Ref>
e.g. see R v Akinyemi, [http://canlii.ca/t/g6q53 2014 ONCJ 213] (CanLII),
</ref>

{{Reflist|2}}

==Participation of Third Parties==
{{seealso|Role of the Victim and Third Parties|Testimonial Aids for Young, Disabled or Vulnerable Witnesses}}

'''Testimonial Aids'''<br>
{{3rdPTestimonyAids}}

'''On Finding of Guilt'''<br>
{{RestitutionNotice}}

{{VISNotice}}

==Sentencing Principles and Ranges==
{{seealsoSentencing}}

'''Maximum Penalties'''<br>
{{SProfileMaxHeader‎}}
{{SProfileMax|s. 131 [perjury] | {{NA}} | 14 years custody}}
{{SProfileEnd}}

{{MaxPenaltyIndictment|s. 131|'''14 years indictment'''}}

'''Minimum Penalties'''<br>
{{NoMinimumPenalties}}

'''Available Dispositions'''<br>
{{SProfileAvailHeader}}
|s. 131 || {{NA}} || {{SProfileNoDischargeOrCSO}}
|-
{{SProfileEnd}}

{{NoDischargeAvailable|s. 131}}

{{NoCSOAvailable|C|s. 131}}

'''Consecutive Sentences'''<br>
{{NoConsecutive}}

===Principles===
For charges of perjury or any other attempts to pervert the cause of justice, denunciation and deterrence must be emphasized.<ref>R v Adams, [http://canlii.ca/t/29q0d 2010 NSCA 42] (CanLII) at para 52</ref>

Perjury is serious because "it strikes at the heart of the justice system and undermines the administration of justice".<Ref>
R v Hansen, [http://canlii.ca/t/grx7v 2016 ONSC 3583] (CanLII) at para 36<Br>
</ref>

Perjury can be broken down into three levels of gravity based primarily on the purpose or effect of the perjured evidence:<ref>
R v Reyat, [http://canlii.ca/t/g64pl 2014 BCCA 101] (CanLII) at para 28<br>
R v Kusnezoff, [http://canlii.ca/t/1d8hq 1991 CanLII 1968] (BC CA), [1991] BCJ No. 421 (C.A.)<br>
</ref>
# perjured evidence leads to the conviction of an innocent person; 
# perjured evidence was given in hope of procuring the acquittal of a guilty party; and 
# perjured evidence was given as self-protection or protection of others.

'''Factors'''<br>
Factors that are relevant to sentencing include:<ref>
R v Reyat, [http://canlii.ca/t/g64pl 2014 BCCA 101] (CanLII)<br>
R v Jordan, [http://canlii.ca/t/2djwx 1986 ABCA 168] (CanLII), (1986) 47 Alta. L.R. (2d) 85 at 87-88<br>
R v Hansen, [http://CanLII.ca/t/grx7v 2016 ONSC 3583] (CanLII) at para 37<Br>
</ref>
# the relative seriousness of the offence with respect to which the perjured testimony was given;
# the effect, if any, on the outcome of the trial by reason of the perjured evidence;
# whether the testimony dealt with a vital part of the evidence;
# whether the perjured evidence led to the implication of an innocent person in a crime, which would ordinarily be a most aggravating factor;
# whether the perjury was planned and deliberate or the result of a sudden temptation in the course of giving evidence.

{{reflist|2}}

===Ranges===
{{seealsoRanges|Perjury}}

==Ancillary Sentencing Orders==
{{seealso|Ancillary Orders}}
	
'''Offence-specific Orders'''
{{AOrderHeader}}
|[[DNA Orders]] ||s. 131 ||
*{{SecondDNA(AorB)|s. 131}}
{{AOrderEnd}}

'''General Sentencing Orders'''
{{GeneralSentencingOrders}}

'''General Forfeiture Orders'''
{{GeneralForfeitureOrders}}

==See Also==
'''References'''
* [[Pre-Trial and Trial Motions Checklist]]


{{OffencesNavBar/Admin}}


[[Category:Offences with Maximum Penalty of 14 Years]]