View source for Testimonial Aids for Young, Disabled or Vulnerable Witnesses

[[fr:Aides_au_témoignage_pour_les_témoins_jeunes,_handicapés_ou_vulnérables]]
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==General Principles==
The Criminal Code permits testimonial accommodation for certain witnesses who may have difficulty testifying under normal circumstances.

; Evidentiary Foundation
An application for testimonial accommodation does not always require sworn evidence from the witness to justify it.<ref>
{{CanLIIR|Boden|jcqkm|2021 BCSC 79 (CanLII)}}{{perONSC|Davies J}}
</ref>
However, some authority suggests that there should be some form of affidavit or testimonial evidence.<REf>
{{CanLIIR|George|j58q2|2020 BCSC 212 (CanLII)}}{{perBCSC|MacKenzie J}}{{atL|j58q2|23}}<br>
{{CanLIIR|FM|jl30s|2021 BCSC 1867 (CanLII)}}{{perBCSC|Riley J}}{{atsL|jl30s|20| to 21}}
</ref>
The court should be open to means of diminishing the trauma and stress on child witnesses.<ref>
{{CanLIIRP|L(DO)|1frxn|[1993] 4 SCR 419}}{{perSCC|L'Heureux‑Dubé J}}{{atL|1frxn|24}}
</ref>

; Toys and Comfort Items
There is no direct authority on the question of comfort items for child witnesses, but there are examples of such items being permitted.<ref>
{{CanLIIRT|Rose|jw6l9|2022 QCCQ 12837 (CanLII)}}{{perQCCQ|Belanger J}}{{AtsL|jw6l9|224| to 227}}<br>
</ref>

; Prohibition on Cross-Examination of Persons Under 18
* See [[Cross-Examinations]]

===Interpreters for Disabled===
Section 6 of the ''Canada Evidence Act'' addresses communication in testimony by persons with disabilities. The first subsection 6(1) concerns physical disabilities and subsection 6(2) concerns mental disabilities. Both provisions apply when there is 1) a person is a disability who (2) has difficulty communicating because of this disability.<Ref>
{{CanLIIR|Doncel|jnf5h|2022 ONCJ 143 (CanLII)}}{{perONCJ|Fraser J}}{{atL|jnf5h|11}}<br>
</ref>

{{quotation2|
; Evidence of person with physical disability
6 (1) If a witness has difficulty communicating by reason of a physical disability, the court may order that the witness be permitted to give evidence by any means that enables the evidence to be intelligible.
<br>
; Evidence of person with mental disability
(2) If a witness with a mental disability is determined under section 16 to have the capacity to give evidence and has difficulty communicating by reason of a disability, the court may order that the witness be permitted to give evidence by any means that enables the evidence to be intelligible.

; Inquiry
(3) The court may conduct an inquiry to determine if the means by which a witness may be permitted to give evidence under subsection (1) or (2) is necessary and reliable.
|{{CEASec2|6}}
|{{NoteUpCEA|6|1|2|3}}
}}

This applies to situations where the witness is deaf or mute and cannot communicate orally.

; "intelligible"
The witnesses does not need to be "wholly unintelligible" to have s. 6 apply.<ref>
{{supra1|Doncel}}{{atL|jnf5h|12}}
</ref>

; No need for video evidence
Where an interpreter of sign language is used, there is no added requirement that a video record of the evidence be made.<ref>
{{CanLIIRP|Titchener|fw2mr|2013 BCCA 64 (CanLII)|333 BCAC 234}}{{perBCCA|Ryan JA}}
</ref>

{{reflist|2}}

==Topics==
* [[Support Person Assisted Testimony]]
* [[Witness Screen and Closed-Circuit Video Testimony]]
* [[Statutory Hearsay Exception for Victims, Children and Disabled]]
* [[Testimonial Aids for Witnesses at Risk of Harm]]


==See Also==
* [[Statutory Publication Ban on Identity Information]]
* [[Competence of Children and Witnesses of Diminished Capacity]]
* [[Remote Attendance of Witnesses]]
* [[Evidence by Commission]]