Apology Act, 2009
{{Short description|Law in Ontario, Canada}}
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{{Use Canadian English|date=May 2021}}
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{{Infobox legislation
| short_title = Apology Act
| image = Ontario Legislative Building, Toronto, South view 20170417 1.jpg
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| long_title = An Act respecting apologies (Bill 108, 2009)
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| territorial_extent = Ontario
| enacted_by = Legislative Assembly of Ontario
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| royal_assent = 23 April 2009
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| 1st_reading = 7 October 2008
| 2nd_reading = 23 October 2008
| 3rd_reading = 11 March 2009
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The Apology Act, 2009 (Bill 108; {{langx|fr|Loi concernant la présentation d’excuses}}) is a law in the province of Ontario that provides that an apology made by a person does not necessarily constitute an admission of guilt.{{Cite web|url=http://www.slaw.ca/2009/12/09/the-apology-act-2009-sorry-is-no-longer-the-hardest-word-to-say/|title=The Apology Act, 2009: Sorry is no longer the hardest word to say – Slaw|date=9 December 2009 |access-date=7 May 2021|archive-date=8 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108103823/http://www.slaw.ca/2009/12/09/the-apology-act-2009-sorry-is-no-longer-the-hardest-word-to-say/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://perlaw.ca/2009/02/07/im-so-sorry-the-apology-act-takes-the-sting-out/|title=I'M SO SORRY! – The Apology Act takes the sting out of apologizing|date=7 February 2009|access-date=7 May 2021|archive-date=12 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112030209/https://perlaw.ca/2009/02/07/im-so-sorry-the-apology-act-takes-the-sting-out/|url-status=live}}
Summary
The law contains several exceptions, including apologies made while testifying at a civil proceeding and to allow some apologies to be used as admission of guilt under the Provincial Offences Act.{{Cite web|url=https://nelliganlaw.ca/article/insurance-defence/ontarios-new-apology-act/|title=Ontario's New Apology Act|access-date=7 May 2021|archive-date=15 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115172754/https://nelliganlaw.ca/article/insurance-defence/ontarios-new-apology-act/|url-status=live}}
Legislative history
The bill was originally introduced in April 2008 as a private member's bill by David Orazietti, Liberal backbench MPP for Sault Ste. Marie. The bill was re-introduced in October that year by Attorney General Chris Bentley, stating that "we see fewer and fewer acknowledgments, demonstrations of regret, demonstrations of remorse, until the lawsuit."{{cite web|last=Rob|first=Ferguson|url=https://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/2008/10/08/simple_im_sorry_at_heart_of_new_bill.html|title=Simple 'I'm sorry' at heart of new bill|date=2008-10-08|website=Toronto Star|access-date=7 May 2021|archive-date=6 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506180507/https://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/2008/10/08/simple_im_sorry_at_heart_of_new_bill.html|url-status=live}}
The passage of the bill was supported by the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, despite some original opposition from critic Christine Elliott, but opposed by the Ontario NDP.{{cite web|last=|first=|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/2009/03/11/ontario_passes_bill_making_it_easier_to_apologize.html|title=Ontario passes bill making it easier to apologize|date=2009-03-11|website=Toronto Star|access-date=7 May 2021|archive-date=7 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507134230/https://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/2009/03/11/ontario_passes_bill_making_it_easier_to_apologize.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last=Coyle|first=Jim|url=https://www.thestar.com/opinion/2008/10/24/were_sorry_but_theyre_lawyers.html|title=We're sorry, but they're lawyers|date=2008-10-24|website=Toronto Star|access-date=7 May 2021|archive-date=7 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507134230/https://www.thestar.com/opinion/2008/10/24/were_sorry_but_theyre_lawyers.html|url-status=live}}
Public perception
The law has attracted a level of popular commentary, often focused on the stereotype of Canadian usage of the word "sorry",{{cite web|last=Keith|first=Elizabeth|url=https://www.narcity.com/theres-an-actual-law-about-saying-sorry-in-this-canadian-province|title=This Ontario Law About Excessive Apologizing Actually Exists And It Is So Tragically Canadian|date=2018-09-06|website=Narcity|access-date=7 May 2021|archive-date=7 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507134230/https://www.narcity.com/theres-an-actual-law-about-saying-sorry-in-this-canadian-province|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.trafalgar.com/real-word/fun-facts-about-canada/|title=The crazy but true apology act, and other fun facts about Canada|date=1 July 2020|website=Real Word|access-date=7 May 2021|archive-date=7 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210207002253/https://www.trafalgar.com/real-word/fun-facts-about-canada/|url-status=live}} even though most American states have similar laws.{{Cite journal |last1=Ross |first1=Nina |last2=Newman |first2=William |date=2021-05-19 |title=The Role of Apology Laws in Medical Malpractice |url=https://jaapl.org/content/jaapl/early/2021/05/19/JAAPL.200107-20.full.pdf |journal=Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law|pmid=34011538 }}
Several other Canadian provinces, such as British Columbia,{{Cite web |title=Apology Act |url=https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/00_06019_01 |access-date=2024-10-10 |website=www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca}} Saskatchewan, and Manitoba have similar laws in place.{{Cite journal |last1=MacDonald |first1=Noni |last2=Attaran |first2=Amir |date=2009-01-06 |title=Medical errors, apologies and apology laws |journal=Canadian Medical Association Journal |language=en |volume=180 |issue=1 |pages=11 |doi=10.1503/cmaj.081997 |issn=0820-3946 |pmc=2612052 |pmid=19124780}}
The law received support from the Ontario Hospital Association, the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario, and the Ontario Medical Association, as well as the Ontario Bar Association.{{cite web|last=|first=|url=https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ont-liberal-backbencher-introduces-apology-act-1.289428|title=Ont. Liberal backbencher introduces Apology Act|date=2008-04-15|website=CTV News|access-date=7 May 2021|archive-date=7 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507031251/https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ont-liberal-backbencher-introduces-apology-act-1.289428|url-status=live}}
References
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External links
- [https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-39/session-1/bill-108 Text of the Act in English]