Liberals back down on Harbour Grace, Wabush court closures
Justice Minister Andrew Parsons announced Friday afternoon his government is reversing plans to close the Wabush and Harbour Grace courts, because of a decision by the Supreme Court of Canada.
This is the latest in a series of controversial decisions that the government has backed down on. Previously, Parsons reversed a plan to close the Grand Bank and Grand Falls-Windsor Supreme Court services.
The government has also previously relented on widespread library closures, and the muchmaligned deficit reduction levy.
Parsons said the main reason for keeping Harbour Grace and Wabush courts operating is the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in R. v. Jordan, which lays out specific timelines for criminal trials.
If a case languishes in the court system beyond the Supreme Court’s prescribed timelines, it may be thrown out and deemed to be a violation of the accused individual’s charter rights.
“We don’t even know what the full impact of that is, not only in this province, but across the country,” Parsons said.
Parsons couldn’t say how much, exactly, this will cost taxpayers.
But on budget day last April, all four of the court closures — all reversed now — were expected to save about $1.3 million per year.
In Harbour Grace, at least, the government said it is getting a better deal on the lease of space, which will save about $100,000.
“If we want to get into the theoretical, the cost to people if we were not to accommodate the Jordan decision, the fact is if people have their charter rights breached and then we get into the possibility of civil suits and everything else, who knows how that can be calculated?” Parsons said.
The Canadian Bar Assocation applauded the decision to keep the courts open, saying access to justice services is extremely important.
“If a case languishes in the court system beyond the Supreme Court’s prescribed timelines, it may be thrown out and deemed to be a violation of the accused individual’s charter rights.”