alexo's Journal: Guilty until proven innocent

CBC News has an article on the Criminal Property Forfeiture Act, introduced by the government of Manitoba (currently run by the New Democratic Party).

The legislation would let police seize the homes, cars, cash and other property of any person, as long as police could persuade a judge that the individual is a member of a criminal organization.
The onus would then be on the suspected gang member to prove the assets were earned through legitimate income and not the proceeds of crime.

The Manitoba bill is civil in nature and requires a judge to rule based on a balance of probabilities - a lesser burden of proof.

Supposedly, New York's Nassau County, New Jersey and Ireland have already implemented similar laws.