Connection
Latest news
Not all Questions are Good Questions: Avoiding Discriminatory Interview Practices
Much ink has been spilled over a recent decision by the Commission de la fonction publique (the "Commission") on the topic of discriminatory interview practices. In Association des procureurs aux poursuites criminelles et pénales et Directeur des poursuites criminelles et pénales[1], the Commission found that the plaintiff had been discriminated against when she was denied a position due to her pregnancy.
[ ...More ]Publication date : 2018-10-11
Federal government facing pushback over bill to transform justice system
One thing that both the prosecution and the defence seem to agree on is that the federal government’s push to cut preliminary inquiries in most criminal cases will not solve the long-standing problem of delays in the criminal justice system.
[ ...More ]Publication date : 2018-10-01
National Prosecution Authority (NPA) Hosts International Conference of Prosecutors Focusing on Prose
More than 400 senior prosecutors, including heads of prosecuting agencies from 83 countries, have descended in Johannesburg to attend the 23rd Annual General Meeting and Conference of the International Association of Prosecutors (IAP) at the Sandton Convention Centre (SCC), from 9 – 13 September 2018. The conference, hosted under the leadership of acting National Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr Silas Ramaite SC will be opened with a keynote address by the Minister of Justice & Correctional Services, Michael Masutha on Monday 10 September.
[ ...More ]Publication date : 2018-09-11
South Africa hosts The International Association of Prosecutors’ Conference, 9-14 September 2018
South Africa will from 9 – 14 September 2018 host the annual International Association of Prosecutors (IAP) Conference at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg under the theme: “Prosecutorial Independence – the Cornerstone of Justice to Society”.
[ ...More ]Publication date : 2018-09-10
Crown attorneys want to form a union, but NDP government presents a hurdle
Alberta’s Crown prosecutors want to unionize, but face hurdles to their bid, including the wording of provincial legislation and opposition from the NDP government.
[ ...More ]Publication date : 2018-08-17
Ford opposes handgun ban as he pledges funds to fight gun violence
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he opposes a handgun ban in Toronto because it would penalize legal gun owners, but vowed to help tackle gun violence in the city by pledging $25-million over four years for police and the courts.
[ ...More ]Publication date : 2018-08-09
<-- Back to archived news
Alberta’s Crown prosecutors seek injunction in Federal Court to relieve workload
19-05-2016
Justice Minister and Attorney General of Canada Jody Wilson-Raybould is the minister responsible for the Public Prosecution Service of Canada which is now facing a court action brought forward by the Association of Justice Counsel. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)
The union representing federal Crown prosecutors is taking the unprecedented step of seeking an injunction in Federal Court to stop the Public Prosecution Service of Canada from requiring its members to staff bail hearings 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The Association of Justice Counsel (AJC) has also filed an unfair labour practice complaint against the prosecution service.
On April 29th, federal prosecutors in Alberta were asked to cover an extra 32 four-hour shifts per week, with no additional staff.
The bump in workload comes after a report on Alberta's bail system. The review was ordered after the fatal shooting of a Mountie by a man with a history of violent and criminal behaviour who was free on bail following a hearing handled by a police officer.
Up until the report, police officers handled bail hearings. The report concluded Crown prosecutors should perform that task.
The thing is, Alberta is unique in that it holds bail hearings all day and night, every day of the week.
"What happened here is we were in the midst of putting together a grievance under the collective agreement about the workload in Alberta when they hit us with this 24/7 bail, so really it was really just the last straw in a situation that is completely unworkable for our folks," said Len MacKay, AJC president.
MacKay said the union decided to file its application for an injunction yesterday, when it realized the unfair labour practice, filed last week, would not be heard for at least six months. He said the Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC) has two options.
"One is to convince the court that they don't need to have bail hearings 24 hours a day (...), they'll have to perhaps try a little harder to get some funding to staff this new obligation," MacKay said.
A spokesperson for Canada's Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould says PPSC has, to date, not requested any additional funding. No one from the prosecution service would comment as the matter is before Federal Court.
Overtired prosecutors won't fix problem
Alberta's Justice Minister Kathleen Ganley also held back, "As this litigation is between the Attorney General of Canada and the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, it would be inappropriate for me to comment. We will be watching this case closely."
So far, MacKay said the prosecution service has asked its 56 federal prosecutors in Alberta to volunteer to work four extra shifts covering off the hours from 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. Those lawyers then have to show up for their regular workday, sometimes on as little as two hours sleep.
"By moving crowns over to bail court, while you may have somebody a little better experience and better understands the law, if you're using people that don't have the personal, physical capacity to do these things, you're not fixing the risk," said MacKay.
"The messaging from management is please sign up for a shift so you can get one you like, or else you'll get one you don't like. So it is clear they will be assigned," MacKay said.
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/politics/crown-prosecutors-alberta-workload-1.3589516
