B.C. Bar Association floats justice reform ideas for coming provincial election

VICTORIA – The British Columbia branch of the Canadian Bar Association says B.C.’s court system is in crisis and justice reform needs to be a top issue in the campaign for the provincial election in May.

B.C. branch president Kerry Simmons says the association has tabled its justice reform agenda and is calling on the governing Liberals and Opposition New Democrats to make improving the justice system a major focal point of their platforms.

She says the system has been hobbled by funding cuts of more than $113 million since 2002.

Simmons says the association endorses much of a recent report on changes needed in B.C.’s criminal justice system, but many of the ideas are focused on long-term innovations.

She says the association’s reforms fall under four areas, including family stability, community security, business certainty and public accountability.

Simmons says British Columbians want a justice system that erases child custody delays that can amount to more than half of a child’s life and ensures criminal charges aren’t dropped due to court delays.