Justice Minister Sean Fraser announced on Thursday that, after an in‑depth review lasting more than four years, the federal justice department found reasonable grounds to conclude a miscarriage of justice likely occurred and ordered a new appeal.

The review uncovered information that was never presented to the courts during the original trial or the earlier appeal, meaning the sisters’ case can now be reconsidered with fresh evidence.

Minister Fraser said his decision does not determine guilt or innocence – that will be decided by the courts – but it reflects the government’s duty to maintain public confidence in the justice system.

The review was triggered by an application from Innocence Canada, a non‑profit that advocates for wrongful‑conviction cases. The organization filed the request with the minister on Dec. 21, 2021.

Fraser added, “Our responsibility is to make sure Canadians can trust their justice system, and that means, in rare cases, returning cases to the courts for new information to be considered.”