15.23°C Vancouver

Oct 26, 2021 11:17 PM - The Canadian Press

Appeal in Alberta triple murder delayed until Supreme Court weighs

Share On

Alberta's top court has agreed to hear a sentence appeal of a man convicted of killing three people but a hearing date has been delayed indefinitely.

Derek Saretzky was found guilty of first-degree murder in the 2015 deaths of Terry Blachette, the man's two-year-old daughter, Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette, and Hanne Meketech. He was sentenced to life with no chance at parole for 75 years. His lawyer, Balfour Der, asked the Alberta Court of Appeal for permission to challenge the constitutionality of consecutive parole ineligibility periods.

The Appeal Court says it will hear the appeal, but only after the Supreme Court decides on the case of Alexandre Bissonnette. Bissonnette killed six people at a Quebec City mosque in 2017 and was sentenced to life without parole for 40 years but it was later changed on appeal to 25 years.

Latest news

IndiaAug 17, 2026

BJP Announces Major Organisational Reshuffle Ahead of 2027 Punjab Assembly Polls

Ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has carried out a major organisational reshuffle, handing key responsibilities to two prominent leaders associated with Punjab. Under the new appointments announced by BJP national president Nitin Nabin, former Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal has been appointed as the party’s National Vice-President. Meanwhile, BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh has been given the additional responsibility of being in charge of the party’s national headquarters. The appointments give Punjab representation at
historic-energy-deal-reached-between-quebec-and-newfoundland-and-labrador
CanadaAug 17, 2026

Historic Energy Deal Reached Between Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador

Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced a historic energy agreement between Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador, raising hopes that the decades-old dispute between the two provinces over the Churchill River hydroelectric projects will finally come to an end. The energy projects, worth approximately $70 billion, will also receive significant support from the federal government. Ottawa has announced $10 billion in financial assistance for the expansion of the Churchill Falls power projects, the Gull Island hydroelectric project and a 2,000-megawatt onshore wind energy project in Labrador. Prim
AlbertaAug 17, 2026

Edmonton Teen Girl Dies After Weekend Shooting

Police in Edmonton are investigating a weekend shooting that claimed the life of a 16-year-old girl. Officers were called to an area in northeast Edmonton on Sunday morning, where they found the teenager suffering from serious injuries. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene. The Edmonton Police Service said homicide investigators have taken over the investigation.
CanadaAug 17, 2026

Applications for Canadian Citizenship Certificates Surge, Driven by Thousands of Americans

Applications for Canadian citizenship certificates from around the world have increased sharply, with American citizens accounting for a significant share of the rise. The Bill C-3 legislation, implemented by the federal government late last year, opened a pathway to citizenship for people with Canadian ancestry, including those whose ancestors left Canada several generations ago. According to the latest figures from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), 6,100 citizenship certificates were issued between the implementation of Bill C-3 in mid-December and May 31. Nearly half of t
canadas-proposed-under-16-social-media-ban-likely-to-face-charter-challenge
CanadaAug 17, 2026

Canada’s proposed under-16 social media ban likely to face Charter challenge

Experts say Canada’s proposed ban on social media access for children under 16 could face a constitutional challenge under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The issue has gained attention after France’s top court recently struck down a similar ban for children under 15, ruling that the measure was too broad and infringed on freedom of expression. Dalhousie University associate law professor Michael Karanicolas said a Charter challenge to Canada’s legislation is “almost inevitable.” He argued that social media has become an important platform for young people to participate

Related News