Huron County Museum Will Host A Webinar About Capital Punishment In Canada This Month

by Bob Montgomery

The Huron County Museum is inviting people to learn more about the history of capital punishment in Canada by joining them for a free webinar on Saturday, February 15, 2025.

Curator of Engagement and Dialogue Sinead Cox says during the online presentation, author Lorna Poplak will discuss the history of the death penalty in Canada, including the inconsistent application of the death sentence, the treatment of women, wrongful convictions, the difficult journey towards abolition and the last two hangings at Toronto’s notorious Don Jail.

Poplak will also talk about the stories of two inmates of the Huron Historic Gaol: the public execution of Nicholas Mellady and the egregious case against teenager Steven Truscott. Cox says she still gets a lot of questions from visitors about the hangings at the gaol and it's something that continues to fascinate people. She says most people are shocked to realize that hanging was the only manor of execution in Canadian and that it continued until the 1960's.

The webinar runs from two until three o'clock on Saturday, February 15th . It's free so people can watch or listen in the comfort of their own home but pre-registration is required and that can be done by registering here.

Photo courtesy of Huron County Museum