Witches, wizards and other connoisseurs of occult sciences are getting a boost from the federal government as it moves to get rid of laws banning their crafts. And there’s also good news for experts in old-time duels: The law banning the challenge or acceptance of a duel is being removed. However, the existing laws against fraud, practicing medicine without a licence or firing a gun at someone would likely still get witches and duellers arrested. (In fact, the law against pretending to practice witchcraft has been used quite recently; police will now have to use general fraud charges.) This bill is the government’s second phase of modernizing the Criminal Code, following an earlier bill introduced in March that removed laws on abortion, anal sex and vagrancy that had already been found unconstitutional.

Source: National Post June 06, 2017 21:10 UTC