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Shortage of prosecutors: towards abandoning prosecutions
Crown prosecutors fear the worst in the face of the crisis which is slowing down the functioning of the criminal justice system in New Brunswick. Calls for help have been made for two weeks. Me Yves Duguay, Vice-President of the New Brunswick Association of Crown Prosecutors and prosecutor in Bathurst, admits that the situation has been worrying for a while.
[ ...More ]Publication date : 2024-03-27
B.C. prosecutors’ association raises security concerns about Vancouver courthouse following assault
The association that represents B.C.’s roughly 450 Crown prosecutors is raising safety concerns around an East Vancouver courthouse after a member was allegedly assaulted outside last week. "We’re reeling, this has really shaken us to the core to have one of our own attacked right here,” said BCCCA president Adam Dalrymple.
[ ...More ]Publication date : 2024-02-05
Increased number of homicides doesn’t bode well for overworked N.L. prosecutors, association says
There are 17 homicide cases before the courts in Newfoundland and Labrador, and the head of the association that represents local prosecutors says the higher-than-normal caseload will be difficult to handle.
[ ...More ]Publication date : 2023-09-07
Manitoba adds 25 Crown attorneys to prosecution service amid workload issues
The Manitoba government hopes to add about two dozen more prosecutors and assistants to the prosecution service, which attorneys say has been struggling to keep up amid workload and workforce issues. Manitoba Association of Crown Attorneys says province left group out of discussions.
[ ...More ]Publication date : 2023-06-26
Les Leyne: Premier David Eby takes on lawyers — again
The B.C. NDP government has introduced a one-page bill that bestows the right to join a union on the 350 lawyers who work for government. There’s a catch. It herds them into a union the government prefers, the Professional Employees Association, rather than allowing them to form their own.
[ ...More ]Publication date : 2023-05-06
‘Unfair labour practice’: B.C. government accused of blocking union bid by its own lawyers
Lawyers for the B.C. government say the province has ended negotiations with them ahead of legislation they claim aims to block their right to form their own union.
[ ...More ]Publication date : 2023-05-04
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Wins and losses for justice system in UCP budget
25-10-2019
Alberta Justice will lose 198 positions in the next year, about a quarter of all public sector jobs being cut. (Meghan Grant/CBC)
While Alberta's justice system will see significant cuts in some areas, the newly unveiled provincial budget focuses funding bumps in areas that align with the United Conservative Party's rural crime strategy.
Over the next four years, operating expenses will drop nearly $100 million, or about 6.5 per cent.
Alberta Justice will lose 198 positions in the next year, about a quarter of all public sector jobs being cut.
Premier Jason Kenney said most of the job losses within the public service would be through attrition, though some would come as layoffs.
In response to concern over rural crime, the budget offers funding injections for drug treatment courts as well as the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) and dozens of new prosecutor positions.
According to the fiscal plan, ALERT could see up to $50 million over the next four years.
Kenney also kept his campaign commitment to hire 50 new Crown prosecutors.
"We're very pleased," said Matthew Block with the Alberta Crown Attorneys' Association. "This is very good for an under-resourced Crown prosecution service."
But Block says the Crown's office has a retention problem that will make it difficult to hire 50 prosecutors. The Crown's office has seen prosecutors leave in recent years because of workload and salary freezes.
Prosecutors have faced a salary freeze for most of the past decade and now it's unclear if that will continue for another four years, though Kenney has said the province is aiming for wage restraint across the board.
"It's particularly acute for junior prosecutors," said Block of the efforts to hire. "We're falling behind significantly."
$27-million boost for eCourts
Resolution and Court Administration Services — under which court clerks fall — will lose nearly a quarter of its budget in the next four years.
The province will spend $27 million on eCourts over the next four years in an effort to make the justice system more accessible to Albertans.
"Alberta's justice system is based primarily on paper records and decades-old processes," reads one of the budget documents released Thursday.
"Over several years, electronic court records will become the official record, more traffic tickets will be payable online and court operations will be modernized."
Justice Ministry says budget allows job creation, modernization
When asked how the budget would impact the Ministry of Justice, the department said in a statement that it reflects the government's dedication to the safety of Albertans.
"Our government is committed to keeping Albertans safe, secure, and protected. To that end, we are fulfilling our commitments by providing $10 million for 50 new prosecutors and support staff, $20 million over four years to expand Alberta's Drug Treatment Courts to prevent crime, assisting Albertans with addictions get their lives back on track so they don't re-offend, and $50 million over four years years for ALERT to disrupt serious gang activity and protect children from exploitation," the statement read.
"We are also ensuring that Albertans have a fairer, faster, and more responsive justice system. To maintain that commitment, we have allocated $27 million in capital funding in the coming years to modernize services such as making courts more accessible for those who need to access services through the digital transformation of courts, including improving the ability to address traffic tickets online, enabling access to justice digitally in areas such as court filings and scheduling, and modernizing court processes through technology to deliver more user-friendly and convenient services online."
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/ucp-budget-justice-ministry-alert-prosecutors-1.5336233
