No Interpreter Available In Trial Of Chinatown Shopkeeper
Posted October 4, 2010 10:05 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The trial started Monday for a Chinatown shopkeeper who was charged for making what he calls a citizen’s arrest.
However, his lawyer is calling foul: there’s no fully accredited Mandarin interpreter available.
David Chen’s trial is expected to put the spotlight on victim’s rights. Chen chased down a shoplifter and allegedly tied him up while he waited for police to arrive.
“His Honour had said there was not a fully accredited Mandarin interpreter in Ontario, which seems to me to be ridiculous given that there’s a large Chinese community,” lawyer Peter Lindsay said outside of court.
“People have a basic right under Section 14 of the Charter to have proper interpretation,” he added.
The majority of Ontario’s 800 interpreters have not passed new provincial tests. As of April, only 46 were fully accredited.
“Are any of you going to go to a restaurant where there’s a conditional pass? My clients have had these charges hanging over their heads for over a year. They’d like to get on with a trial and defend themselves,” Lindsay said.
In May 2009, Anthony Bennett stole $60 worth of flowers from Chen’s store – Lucky Moose Food Mart, near Dundas and Spadina. When Bennett, who’s since been convicted, returned to the store about an hour later, Chen and two other men chased him and allegedly tied him up until police showed up.
Bennett admitted to stealing the plants and selling them on the street for $2 a-piece. He served 30 days in jail for the offence, in exchange for testifying against Chen.
Chen was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, kidnapping, forcible confinement and assault. The first two charges, which are also the most serious, were dropped in November 2009. Chen was carrying a box cutter at the time, which he uses to open produce boxes.
MP Jason Kenney spoke out about the case, claiming Chen was the victim and called for amendments to the Criminal Code.