Editorial Annotation

Proof of previous conviction

Statutory Text

667(1) In any proceedings, (a) a certificate setting out with reasonable particularity the conviction or discharge under section 730, the finding of guilt under the Young Offenders Act, chapter Y-1 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, the finding of guilt under the Youth Criminal Justice Act or the conviction and sentence or finding of guilt and sentence in Canada of an offender is, on proof that the accused or defendant is the offender referred to in the certificate, evidence that the accused or defendant was so convicted, so discharged or so convicted and sentenced or found guilty and sentenced, without proof of the signature or the official character of the person appearing to have signed the certificate, if it is signed by (i) the person who made the conviction, order for the discharge or finding of guilt, (ii) the clerk of the court in which the conviction, order for the discharge or finding of guilt was made, or (iii) a fingerprint examiner; (b) evidence that the fingerprints of the accused or defendant are the same as the fingerprints of the offender whose fingerprints are reproduced in or attached to a certificate issued under subparagraph (a)(iii) is, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, proof that the accused or defendant is the offender referred to in that certificate; (c) a certificate of a fingerprint examiner stating that he has compared the fingerprints reproduced in or attached to that certificate with the fingerprints reproduced in or attached to a certificate issued under subparagraph (a)(iii) and that they are those of the same person is evidence of the statements contained in the certificate without proof of the signature or the official character of the person appearing to have signed the certificate; and (d) a certificate under subparagraph (a)(iii) may be in Form 44, and a certificate under paragraph (c) may be in Form 45.