Lachina Tycho McKenzie

The Children's Aid Society sought a finding that the child was in need of protection and an order placing the child in extended care for the purpose of adoption.

The biological parents opposed the application, seeking to have the child placed in their care.

The court found the child in need of protection due to concerns regarding the parents' intellectual and emotional deficits, domestic conflict, and inability to maintain a safe home environment.

The court ordered the child placed in the extended care of the Society for adoption, but granted the parents access, finding that continued contact was in the child's best interests.

The offender, Narankar Dhillon, was convicted of trafficking 101 grams of heroin.

At the sentencing hearing, the court considered the severe impact of heroin trafficking, the offender's lack of a prior criminal record, his age (53), and 1200 days of pre-trial custody, including 309 days in lockdown.

The Crown sought an eight-year global sentence, while the defence proposed six years.

The court determined a global range of six to nine years for less than half a kilogram of heroin.

After applying a 1.5:1 credit for pre-trial custody (1800 days) and an enhanced credit of 90 days for lockdown conditions, the offender was sentenced to a global term of seven years imprisonment, resulting in a further one year and ten months in custody.

Ancillary orders for a DNA sample, forfeiture, and a ten-year weapons prohibition were also issued.

The offender was sentenced after conviction for importing cocaine into Canada through Pearson International Airport.

The evidence established that two liquor bottles in the offender’s luggage contained approximately 830 grams of pure cocaine.

The court applied established appellate guidance for courier importation offences, which sets a typical sentencing range of three to five years’ imprisonment for first offenders importing approximately one kilogram of cocaine absent exceptional circumstances.

Although mitigating factors included youth, lack of prior criminal record, positive pre‑sentence report, and several years of compliant release on bail during which the offender became a parent and maintained employment, the court held that denunciation and general deterrence remained paramount.

A custodial sentence was required given the quantity, value, and concealed transport of the drug.