Protective Detention or Constitutional Problem? Bill 48 and the Section 7 Case Against Manitoba's 72-Hour Detox Law
n November 2025, Manitoba became the first province in Canada to authorize 72 hours of involuntary detention for intoxicated individuals, tripling the previous limit with near-unanimous legislative support. Bill 48, The Protective Detention and Care of Intoxicated Persons Act, passed through the legislature quickly, but the constitutional questions it raises will not resolve as easily.
