The parity principle applies only between co-offenders in the same offence and cannot be invoked to compare sentences of offenders in different conspiracies merely because they have similar characteristics or committed similar crimes. Where a sentencing judge's factual findings as to an offender's role in a drug conspiracy are supported by the evidence, an appellate court will not disturb them. A Crown appeal against sentence will succeed where the sentence falls outside the proper range for the objective criminality involved, even absent patent error in the sentencing remarks.
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