Justice Minister Rob Nicholson makes an announcement in Toronto on Wednesday, June 27, 2012, on the coming into effect of the new citizen's-arrest law. With him is Chungsen Leung, parliamentary secretary to the minister of citizenship. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Colin Perkel
June 27, 2012 - 11:15 AM
TORONTO - New laws on citizen's arrest and self-defence are about to come into force.
Justice Minister Rob Nicholson says the legislation expanding citizen's arrest powers will receive Royal Assent Thursday.
The new law allows someone to apprehend a suspect within a reasonable amount of time after the crime was committed.
Such an arrest can only be made legally if it's not feasible for police to catch the suspect.
The law comes in response to the charges laid against a Chinatown storekeeper in Toronto who chased down a shoplifter.
Nicholson says he's not concerned about vigilantism because people still have to behave reasonably in the circumstances of an arrest.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2012