Criminalizing Compassion?: The Anita Krajnc Case

Moot Court (Rm 1005/1006), Osgoode Hall Law School, York University:

On June 22, 2015, Anita Krajnc was videotaped feeding water to pigs in a truck on the way to Fearman’s Pork Inc., a slaughterhouse located in Burlington, Greater Toronto Area. As a result, Krajnc was charged with criminal mischief. Her trial is scheduled for the summer of 2016.

Anita Krajnc is co-founder of Toronto Pig Save, a local organization that holds regular protests and vigils outside of pig slaughter houses in the City. Much of what they do is with the intention of simply “bearing witness” to the suffering of animals making their way to slaughter. However, sometimes their activism involves photographing the animals, and in this particular instance, feeding them water.

Krajnc herself will be coming to speak, as well as her lawyers, James Silver and Gary Grill. They will explain Krajnc’s case in the criminal law context, and its implications, if any, for the criminalization of future social activism in Canada more broadly. The event will include delicious, vegan, FREE FOOD, as well as engrossing discussion.

ANITA KRAJNC holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Toronto and has been Assistant Professor at Queen’s University. She also worked as an aide to Charles Caccia former Liberal MP and Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

GARY GRILL is is certified by the Law Society of Upper Canada as a specialist in the area of Criminal Law, with Grill Barristers. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Osgoode Hall Law School, where he teaches criminal procedure.

JAMES SILVER is certified by the Law Society of Upper Canada as a specialist in the area of Criminal Law, with Silver & Associates. He is a recipient of an Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner’s Citation recognizing his professionalism and dedication to the law. He has lectured to Crown Attorneys, defence lawyers and police officers on various topics in criminal law and trial advocacy.

This event will be of interest to anyone with a criminal law background or interest in social activism.