Ontario wins victories for public safety at Justice Ministers’ meeting

MONCTON, NB – The provinces scored key victories with the federal government’s decisions to delay the implementation of the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) and establish a national sex offender registry, Attorney General David Young and Solicitor General David Turnbull said today (Feb. 14/02).

            The federal commitments were reached at a meeting of federal-provincial-territorial justice ministers, which ended today in Moncton, NB.

            “I hope that these steps signal a new federal sensitivity to the needs of the provinces,” said Young. “And I hope that these moves will lead to further meaningful discussions with the federal government on these issues.”

            The federal government agreed to delay implementation of its new youth justice law, which was passed this month, from fall 2002 until April 2003. Ontario has criticized the federal law for its failure to make violent young offenders accountable for their crimes. Young had proposed more than 100 amendments to the law, but none of them were adopted by the federal government.

            “Ottawa’s decision to delay implementation of the law confirms what I have always maintained – this act is costly, cumbersome and complicated,” said Young. “The YCJA will lead to greater costs for Ontario courts, prosecutors and police – costs that the federal government must pick up. Ontario and the other provinces also need adequate time to implement the required changes to how we must handle young offenders.”

            Ontario estimates that it will need $12 million to implement the required changes to the province’s information technology systems. The federal government has provided only $9 million for all the provinces to implement the changes. In addition, Ontario will need further funding for a significant increase in the number of judicial hearings, and a greater demand on alternative programs and service for young people in conflict with the law.

            Ontario scored another victory with the federal government’s agreement to establish a national sex offender registry.