Convicted murderer who stirred controversy for attending McGill law school back in custody

A convicted murderer who stirred controversy for taking law courses at McGill University is back in custody while authorities take a closer look at his case. The Correctional Service of Canada confirmed to CBC on the weekend that what they call a suspension warrant was issued for Jeffrey George Ewart. In a statement on Saturday, the Correctional Service of Canada said a conditional release can be suspended in situations where there are, quote, reasonable grounds to believe that the offender has breached a condition of release or that the risks they present can no longer be managed in the community. Ewert was granted day parole in 2025 and began taking law classes and attending faculty events in August. According to McGill's Provo, he has not been on campus since early October. Ewert was convicted of second-degree murder and attempted murder for two attacks in B.C. back in 1984. He's serving a life sentence. According to a summary of his case in his parole board file, Ewert sexually assaulted and killed one woman, B.C., and then less than six weeks later, he beat and choked a 15-year-old girl so severely he left her disabled and paralyzed for life. Various clinical assessments rank Ewart's risk of reoffending as moderate to high. However, official parole documents say with close supervision at a halfway house and clinical follow-up, that risk was considered moderate. The presence of a convicted killer in the classroom has created deep divides at McGill and beyond. Some students started a petition saying they feel unsafe and don't want to be in his presence. Others started their own petition arguing Ewert should be allowed to return to university. They stated that excluding Ewert from campus undermines his access to education and rehabilitation as an Indigenous man and a survivor of the 60s scoop. In a statement to CBC on Friday, a spokesperson for McGill said the safety and security of its students is paramount. The university also promised to review its admissions process to make sure that a situation like this never happened again.