Canadian Criminal Procedure and Practice/Types of Offences

Introduction Summary Offences Any offence which is not explicitly described as an indictment or indictable offence is a summary offence.see s. 34(1)(b) which reads "Where an enactment creates an offence,...the offence is deemed to be one for which the offender is punishable on summary conviction if three is nothing in the context to indicate that the offence is an indictable offence;" 2 Indictable Offences Hybrid or Electable Offences See also Canadian Criminal Procedure and Practice/Election Under s. 34(1)(a), a hybrid offence is deemed to be treated as indictable until such time as a summary election is made.s. 34(1)(a) reads "Where an enactment creates an offence,...the offence is deemed to be an indictable offence if the enactment provides that the offender may be prosecuted of the offence by indictment." This principle has a number of effects. It means that the many powers of police in relation to indictable offences will include hybrid offences for the purpose of their investigation. It also means that the requirements of personal attendance at court for indictable offences applies well. Anywhere in the Code that refers to "indictable offences" will include hybrid offences. A conviction for a hybrid offence elected as a summary conviction cannot be treated as an indictable offence.section 34(1)(c) of the Interpretation Act 2