Mungall demands funding for derailed BC court system
By Nelson Daily Staff
British Columbia’s justice system is starving to death because of a severe lack of funding for Provincial courts, says the Nelson-Creston MLA.
In yesterday’s Question Period, MLA Michelle Mungall asked both the Solicitor General and the minister of Finance to account for the chronic underfunding and increased cuts in this year’s budget.
“Is this the standard that the minister of Finance plans to keep, or will he commit today to properly fund the criminal justice system, clear up the backlog and get B.C. courts working again?” said Mungall.
The Solicitor General and the minister of Finance deferred to the absent Attorney General.
“Criminal cases have been waiting more than two years to be heard because of case backlog and court delays,” adds Mungall, “ I think about the lack of closure for those involved in these cases that have been thrown out.”
This week a Quadra Island family is feeling the bitter result of a court case being dismissed due to delays. A man charged with shooting and killing the family’s puppy walked out of court today when charges were dropped after the judge said it was taking too long to bring the case to trial.
Hansard transcript below …
M. Mungall
Here’s what’s happening in B.C.’s judicial system today. An RCMP officer charged with dangerous and impaired driving in 2007 — well, that was thrown out in November 2010; two people charged with cocaine trafficking in Cranbrook, thrown out in May 2010; two other charges of impaired driving in Surrey, thrown out November 2010; another impaired driving charge in Prince Rupert, thrown out in October 2010 — all because of court delays, delays due to this government’s underfunding of the judicial system.
After yesterday’s budget, that underfunding continues. Is this the standard that the Minister of Finance plans to keep, or will he commit today to properly fund the criminal justice system, clear up the backlog and get B.C. courts working again?
[1420]
Hon. R. Coleman
The Attorney General is not with us today because he’s at home expecting the birth of his first child, so I will take that question on notice.
Mr. Speaker
Does the member have a supplemental?
M. Mungall
I do, hon. Speaker. This is to the Minister of Finance. He, after all, does control the entire budget and presented it yesterday. Make no mistake. The justice system is being starved to death because of the decisions and the presentation that he put forward yesterday.
In his dismissal of an impaired-driving charge because of unacceptable delays in another case, a Provincial Court judge in Surrey said that the shortages are not due to the result of dramatic cuts but the result of attrition from the gradual budget reductions. Like I said, those gradual budget reductions…. We saw them again yesterday in the budget speech.
Will the Minister of Finance stand up to protect B.C. citizens, ensure people’s right to a trial and commit to getting our justice system back on track?
Hon. C. Hansen
I know that the Attorney General would have a more fulsome response for the member, but I can reassure the member that the budget that we have set out for the Ministry of Attorney General for the three years of the fiscal plan starting April 1 is consistent with the same numbers that were tabled last year.
