COURT DELAY AND THE “CULTURE OF COMPLACENCY” -Ontario judge rebuked for ending day early as delays pile up – The Globe and Mail

Firstly Justice Libman is a very well respected Judge and I’m sure there were reasons to explain the criticism however the courts do chronically start late and regularly take extra long breaks that reduce a court day’s sitting time to be less than 4 and 1/2 hours. Judges and Crowns are paid to be there, whether in court or not but it’s difficult to explain and impossible to justify to a paying client.

The criticism of Ontario Court Justice Rick Libman – chair of the court’s rules committee – comes in a published decision by Justice Michael Code of the Ontario Superior Court

Source: Ontario judge rebuked for ending day early as delays pile up – The Globe and Mail

Nova Scotia to offer plea bargains on minor cases to make way for criminal trials

Here’s an idea. Let’s reserve the blunt instrument of the criminal justice system for serious and violent offences worthy of a jail sentence. That would help court delays and backlogs.

Effort comes in response to Supreme Court ruling setting strict time limits for criminal trials

Source: Nova Scotia to offer plea bargains on minor cases to make way for criminal trials

POLICE POSSESSION OF CHILD PORN – Peel cop billed for overtime while watching child porn videos | Toronto Star

I’m certainly not opposed to well thought out and skillfully negotiated pleas of guilty and joint submissions as to sentence however almost every person charged with this offence goes through that social stigmatization of shame but in addition this officer “flagrantly abused the trust placed in him as a public officer” and defrauded his employer. By not pleading to a child pornography charge he avoids a 1 year mandatory minimum jail sentence and avoids being registered as a sex offender for 20 years.

Former detective Craig Wattier pleaded guilty to fraud over $5,000 and breach of trust.

Source: Peel cop billed for overtime while watching child porn videos | Toronto Star

Liberals looking to eliminate many mandatory minimum sentences, justice minister says

MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCES – Finally there is hope that balance will be returned to the system by restoring a Judge’s discretion to consider the particular circumstances of the offence and the offender.

The federal justice minister says the work has already begun to eliminate many of the Criminal Code’s mandatory minimum sentences.

Source: Liberals looking to eliminate many mandatory minimum sentences, justice minister says

UNFOUNDED SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS -Public Safety Minister Goodale calls for review of sexual-assault cases across Canada

Let us not jump to a knee-jerk conclusion that every allegation made to the police is true. Police screening is the first step of the criminal justice process. A police officer has to have reasonable grounds to believe an offence was committed before laying a charge. If a complaint is not believable, for whatever reason, the obligation of the police is to not act on it.

Ralph Goodale made the request on Tuesday, as three major police forces launched reviews into their handling of sexual-assault complaints

Source: Public Safety Minister Goodale calls for review of sexual-assault cases across Canada