High court won’t hear appeal against Edmonton anti-fighting bylaw

OTTAWA – The Supreme Court of Canada won’t hear an appeal from a woman who was fined $500 under an Edmonton municipal bylaw that penalizes fighting in a public place.

Renada Lee Keshane was ticketed after a 2009 fight outside a bar and fought it in court, arguing that the city encroached on federal jurisdiction when it passed what she argued was an unconstitutional bylaw.

A provincial court judge agreed and dismissed the charge, but the Court of Queen’s Bench for Alberta overturned that ruling, convicted Keshane and imposed the fine.

The Alberta Court of Appeal dismissed her appeal of the decision and now the Supreme Court has refused to hear the case.

As usual, the justices gave no reason for their decision, which in effect upholds the legitimacy of the bylaw.