McGuinty
Government Plans Cameras In Court Pilot Project
Attorney General To Usher In A New Era In Access To Justice
TORONTO, Jan. 10 /CNW/ - The McGuinty government and Ontario Chief
Justice Roy McMurtry are implementing a pilot project to put cameras in
the Court of Appeal for Ontario, Attorney General Michael Bryant announced
today.
"Through this initiative,
we will be bringing the public directly into
our
courtrooms via cameras in the court," said Bryant. "In doing so,
we will
be
opening a new window to provide Ontarians with an unprecedented view of
our justice system."
The pilot project is in response
to a recommendation made by the Ontario Panel on Justice and the Media,
which was established by Bryant to promote mutual understanding between
the media and the justice system. While cameras are generally prohibited
under the Courts of Justice Act, they are permissible for educational or
instructional purposes, with approval from the presiding judge and consent
from the parties to the proceeding.
An implementation team of
Ministry of the Attorney General staff has been struck. The team will work
in consultation with the judiciary to determine specific details about how
the project will work, including when the cameras will be up and running.
"I'd like to thank the
Justice and Media Panel, the judiciary, and
particularly
Chief Justice Roy McMurtry, for supporting this groundbreaking
initiative," said Bryant. "Moving forward, we will continue to
work with the judiciary to shine new light on the justice system and usher
in a new era in access to justice."
Bryant made today's announcement
at the annual Opening of the Courts ceremony, where he and the Chief
Justices of the Superior Court of Justice, the Ontario Court of Justice
and the Court of Appeal for Ontario gathered to detail past successes and
outline priorities for the coming year.
In his speech, Bryant also
highlighted a number of recent government
accomplishments,
including:
- The investment
of close to $1 billion over the past three years to
construct new courthouses and
improve the facilities of justice.
- The
introduction of the Access to Justice Act, 2006, which will
reform the justice of the peace
system and regulate paralegals. The
Act was passed by the Ontario
legislature on October 19, 2006.
- Adopting
a unique, multifaceted approach to fighting organized crime
called Organized Justice.
- The
introduction of the Human Rights Code Amendment Act, 2006, which
will improve and strengthen the
promotion, advancement and
enforcement of human rights in
Ontario. The Act was passed on
December 5, 2006.
A transcript of the Attorney General's speech will soon be
available at
http://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca.
