Why is there no death penalty in Canada?

Largely because of this case:

Coffin was a gold prospector working out in the Quebec wilderness.

Three American hunters had been brutally killed in the woods, and Coffin happened to have been spotted in the same area. What sealed it was when some of the victims' belongings turned up in Coffin's van.

Even so, the prosecution's case was actually pretty flimsy. Despite having a competent lawyer, Coffin was still convicted and put to death in 1956.

After his execution, though, a journalist started digging into the case. He ended up writing two books about it, which eventually led to a formal inquiry in 1963. While the inquiry concluded Coffin had received a fair trial, there was heavy criticism of the evidence used (like the claim a pistol had been spotted inside his van) and of the choice not to call any witnesses. There was also pressure on prosecutors at the time to pin the murders on someone quickly, to avoid hurting tourism in the province, and the defense lawyer happened to be personal friends with the prime minister.

Canada stopped carrying out executions in 1967 and formally abolished the death penalty by law in 1976. Coffin's case came up repeatedly throughout the debates leading to abolition.

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The Last Judicial Hanging in The United States

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Holocaust victim

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