Canada: The Hangman Stays

It seemed like a certain victory. Canadian Prime Minister Lester Pearson was in favor of abolishing the death penalty. So were the leaders of all the other major parties. Opposition Leader John Diefenbaker told Parliament: “It is a frightful thing when a man you believe to be innocent walks to the gallows, and later the truth comes out.”

When the time came for the vote, the M.P.s were released from party discipline to cast their ballots in accordance with their consciences. The result was a surprise setback for the party leaders: by 143 to 112, the M.P.s voted to retain the death penalty. Solicitor General Larry Fennel wept openly. It is now his task to review the cases of men under sentence of death, and to recommend who should live and who be executed.