Specific topics covered include the role
of the prosecutor, defendant and justice
of the peace; the presumption
of innocence; proof beyond a
reasonable doubt and findings
of credibility; elements
of an offence; guilty pleas to an offence charged or another offence;
mens rea, strict liability and absolute liability offences; defences to regulatory charges, including due
diligence,
reasonable mistake
of fact and officially induced error; trial procedure; presentation
of evidence; rules
of evidence; the voir dire; dealing with the unrepresented defendant; Charter applications; access to justice issues; paralegals and lawyers in the courtroom; requests for a bilingual trial; articulating reasons for judgment; delivery
of a judgment; sentencing; and trials
of young persons.
This sentiment - that due
diligence is not limited to the bland, ordinary
reasonable man - is echoed by Justice Greenshields in Scottish Metropolitan Assurance Company, facing a statute which, at § 6, referred to an obligation
of due
diligence, but did not define the term: