The provincial government is going to take some time to try to fix the justice system – namely the closure of courtrooms and reduction of services across the province.
Staffing shortages have been a problem for years according to unions, lawyers and others but the problem reached new heights this week.
Justice Minister Helen Conway Ottenheimer is creating a working group to analyze and address issues within the court system. She says she “could not have acted faster” to resolve the issue.
She’s expecting the working group, consisting of judges, lawyers and department officials, to report back by mid-February.
“It’s so important that people have confidence in our justice system and that the rule of law is paramount here. And I think that all partners involved here are willing to work on this to make improvements. So that’s why we’re here and that’s why we’ve taken these swift actions.”
NAPE President Jerry Earle (VOCM News File Photo)
That response is laughable to NAPE President Jerry Earle, who represents many in the system, including sheriff’s officers.
Earle can’t believe that frontline workers were excluded from the working group.
They have been raising recruitment and retention concerns for some time says Earle and “it should not be a surprise to this current minister that sat in opposition and heard these concerns. And then…to talk about a working group, that excludes these very frontline workers…is unacceptable.” He says NAPE will be “reaching out in the strongest fashion possible to express that to this minister.”
