General Information - Manitoba Courts
To date, ten court proceedings have been live streamed directly from the courtroom. Of these ten, all but one were criminal proceedings and there have been a mixture of proceedings from the Provincial Court, the Court of Queen's Bench and the Manitoba Court of Appeal.
The first of these proceedings took place on April 16, 2014 in the Court of Queen’s Bench where Associate Chief Justice Shane Perlmutter acquitted Ms. Cassandra Knott of the 2nd degree Murder. He issued detailed reasons for his decision. The CBC was present in the courtroom and provided a live stream of his detailed reasons. The live feed was shared with other media. A link to this recording is no longer available.
The second of these proceedings took place on April 30, 2014 when the Manitoba Court of Appeal heard arguments from counsel on the conviction appeal of Denis Labossiere. Mr. Labossiere was found guilty by a jury of three counts of First Degree Murder following a trial that took place January and February 2012. The CBC was present in the courtroom and provided a live stream of the proceeding. The live feed was shared with other media. A link to this recording is no longer available.
On May 20, 2014, CTV provided a live broadcast of a Provincial Court sentencing docket. The Court heard sentencing submissions on a number of cases involving drug and weapon charges and imposed sentences. CTV provided a live stream of the proceeding and shared the live stream with other media. A link to this recording is no longer available.
On June 4, 2014 the Court of Queen’s Bench heard arguments in the matter of The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba vs. The Government of Manitoba related to the recent PST increase. A link to this recording is no longer available.
On June 25, 2014, Provincial Court Judge Moar heard submissions from counsel on sentence in the matter of R v. Langan, a man convicted of Impaired Driving Causing Death. The proceeding was live streamed and later made available as a video. A link to this recording is no longer available.
On February 6, 2017, after a complex and lengthy trial, Provincial Court Judge Thompson read his written reasons for verdict in the matter of R v. Andrea Giesbrecht. Ms. Giesbrecht had been charged with six counts of 'Concealing the dead body of a child'. Judge Thompson convicted Ms. Giesbrecht on all counts and the proceeding was live streamed from the courtroom, although a link to this recording is no longer available. You may read Judge Thompson's written reasons here.
On July 14, 2017, after sentencing submissions were made in the matter of R v. Giesbrecht, Provincial Court Judge Thompson ruled on a defense motion for unreasonable delay and sentenced Ms. Giesbrecht in relation to her convictions for six counts of 'Concealing the dead body of a child'. The proceeding was live streamed from the courtroom. A link to this recording is no longer available.
On May 17, 2018, after trial, Provincial Court Judge Lord read aloud and issued her written reasons for verdict in the matter of R v. Amsel. Mr. Amsel had been charged in association with explosive devices having been found or detonated in December 2013 and July 2015. Judge Lord convicted Mr. Amsel on May 17, 2018 and the proceeding was live streamed from the courtroom. A video of the proceeding as well as Judge Lord's written reasons can be accessed here.
On November 22, 2018, after sentencing submissions were made in the matter of R v. Amsel, Provincial Court Judge Lord sentenced Mr. Amsel for his role in making explosive devices and arranging for their delivery and/or detonation. This sentence was live streamed from the courtroom and a video from this proceeding, as well as Judge Lord's written reasons can be found here.
On December 12, 2018, the Manitoba Court of Appeal heard the appeal of R v. Giesbrecht. Ms Giesbrecht had been convicted and sentenced in the Provincial Court and now sought an appeal. Ms. Giesbrecht’s counsel listed nine (9) grounds of appeal dealing with the conviction and sentence. The hearing of this appeal was live streamed from the courtroom, but the video of this event is no longer accessible on line. The Manitoba Court of Appeal issued their judgment on April 2, 2019 dismissing the conviction appeal, allowing a sentence appeal and varying the sentence to six (6) months on each of the six (6) counts for a total of three (3) years less credit for 252 days of pre-trial custody. The Court's full judgment can be read here.
As additional dates for courtroom broadcasts are determined, they will be announced on the news page, the carousel and Twitter