The defendant was charged with driving while her driver's licence was suspended contrary to subsection 53(1) of the Highway Traffic Act.
The prosecution relied on certified documentation from the Registrar of Motor Vehicles showing the suspension was in effect on the date of the alleged offence, along with police officer testimony that the defendant was observed driving on that date.
The defence objected to the admissibility of the certified documentation on the grounds that it inferred a prior conviction without the defendant having put her character in issue, thereby contravening the Evidence Act.
The court found the documentation admissible, excluding only the phrases indicating the reason for suspension, and convicted the defendant on the basis that all elements of the offence had been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
