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PC Justice Critic Calling for Review of Staffing Levels in Crown Attorney’s Office
The Newfoundland and Labrador Crown Attorneys Association says some prosecutors have up to 200 cases on their plate, and sometimes work until early morning preparing for a trial. PC Justice Critic Helen Conway Ottenheimer believes that Crown attorneys are too important a player in the justice system to allow shortcomings in staffing to impact their ability to always be at the top of their game.
[ ...More ]Publication date : 2024-08-12
Crown Attorneys Plead For More Staff to Match Rising Crime Rates
Shawn Patten, president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Crown Attorneys Association,.... notes while crime is increasing, the number of prosecutors has not been adjusted to deal with it. He’s calling on government to correct the imbalance in the name of public safety.
[ ...More ]Publication date : 2024-08-03
N.B. reaches tentative deal with Crown prosecutors union
The New Brunswick government says it has struck a tentative collective agreement with the union representing the province’s Crown prosecutors. In a news release, the province said the details of the agreement will be confidential until it is ratified.
[ ...More ]Publication date : 2024-07-17
Crown prosecutors vote 99% in favour of strike action amid labour shortage, system ‘crisis’
New Brunswick Crown prosecutors and family court Crown counsel have voted 99 per cent in favour of strike action. They have been in contract talks with the provincial government for more than a year and warn the "crisis" facing the criminal justice system is growing, due to recruitment and retention problems.
[ ...More ]Publication date : 2024-05-28
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
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PC Justice Critic Calling for Review of Staffing Levels in Crown Attorney’s Office
12-08-2024
With virtually all types of crime, including violent incidents, on the rise, lawyers who do their best to put the bad guys away say they are overwhelmed with the increasing caseload. And one politician wonders where government is on the issue.
Data published by Statistics Canada a few weeks ago bear out the notion that crime has increased over the past several years across Canada, including Newfoundland and Labrador. Not only that, but Crown prosecutors face more complex criminal activity. It’s no longer just about blood, fingerprints, eyewitnesses and weapons; there’s DNA, cell phone trails and computer searches.
The Newfoundland and Labrador Crown Attorneys Association says some prosecutors have up to 200 cases on their plate, and sometimes work until early morning preparing for a trial.
PC Justice Critic Helen Conway Ottenheimer believes that Crown attorneys are too important a player in the justice system to allow shortcomings in staffing to impact their ability to always be at the top of their game.
She’s calling on the new minister, Bernard Davis, to order an urgent review of staffing levels in the Crown Attorney’s office instead of opting for silence on the matter.
