Year-at-a-Glance Highlights for Ministry
of Attorney General

Reforms and New Initiatives

• Took a leading role among Canadian jurisdictions in the prosecution and management of mega criminal cases such as Air India¹ and R. v. Pickton.² Mega cases are highly complicated, involving large numbers of victims, victims' families, unprecedented security risks to accused and witnesses, massive amounts of evidence to be gathered and analysed, and immense legal complexities. With world attention focused on British Columbia's justice system, the ministry:
  • pioneered new courtroom technologies;
  • implemented integrated trial planning processes;
  • set up special prosecutorial teams;
  • formulated new standards for disclosure;
  • reviewed the security infrastructure of the courts and reached a joint agreement on security with B.C. Buildings Corporation;
  • devised new high-security strategies to ensure courtroom safety; and
  • developed mega case management principles.
• With the Justice Review Task Force (JRTF),³ established the Mega Trials Advisory Group⁴ that is charged with making recommendations on managing large criminal cases in British Columbia such as Air India. Recommendations to the JRTF are aimed at achieving greater cost predictability in long trials and better allocation of justice system resources.
• With the Justice Review Task Force, established the Street Crime Working Group.⁵ The Working Group mandate is to develop new criminal justice responses to street crime⁶ and disorderly behaviour, particularly with regard to repeat offenders who may be suffering from addiction, mental illness or other social problems. The cross-discipline, community-based response model that is being developed could involve treatment, intervention and long-term solutions.
• With the Justice Review Task Force, established and chaired the Family Justice Reform Working Group. The group's mandate is to recommend changes to the family court system in British Columbia. It will also re-examine the concept of a unified family court and make recommendations on the delivery of family justice services outside the court system, such as non-adversarial and settlement-oriented processes.
• Reformed the spousal assault policy to allow a wider range of penalties for offenders and ultimately provide better protection for victims.
• Implemented the new federal Youth Criminal Justice Act, which replaced the Young Offender Act, on April 1, 2003. All youth justice legislation was updated, and a new stand-alone Youth Justice Act (British Columbia) was created that is consistent with the federal act and current practice. The new provincial act adds custody as an option for six serious provincial statute offences that previously could only attract probation as the most severe sentence available. As well, youth can now face more time in custody for other provincial statute offences.
• Introduced amendments to the Evidence Act to clarify and confirm authority for use of videoconferencing technology in civil court proceedings and for other purposes when approved or ordered by a judge.
• Developed legislation to strengthen appointments to administrative tribunals (Administrative Tribunals Appointment and Administration Act). This was the first in a series of legislative reforms to ensure openness, accountability and affordability within the administrative justice system.
• Reformed legislation to create a simpler, more effective and efficient system for reviewing compensation and benefits for judges and judicial justices of the peace (the new Judicial Compensation Act).
• Developed new legislation to make it simpler and more efficient for British Columbia courts to enforce judgments and determine jurisdiction. The Enforcement of Canadian Judgments and Decrees Act makes it easier to enforce decisions of Canadian courts outside British Columbia by allowing those orders to be registered in the Supreme Court of British Columbia. The Court Jurisdiction and Proceedings Transfer Act revises and clarifies the rules judges use to decide if they have jurisdiction in matters before them. It also gives superior courts the means to transfer litigation to a more appropriate forum inside or outside Canada.

New and Improved Justice Services

• Launched a new website — the first of its kind in Canada — to answer questions from children and teens whose parents are undergoing separation or divorce. The website will also serve as a resource for school and family counsellors and others who provide services to families in transition.
• Supported the Legal Services Society in developing a new continuum of services that includes legal information, education, advice, advocacy and representation. The new service delivery model comprises:
  • seven regional centres in larger cities;
  • over 20 local agents in smaller communities;
  • over 1,500 private bar lawyers;
  • more than 50 government agents;
  • a provincewide, toll-free call centre (the first such call centre in Canada) to allow people to apply for legal aid by telephone; and
  • a provincewide, toll-free legal information line named "LawLINE." The service provides legal information and advice to the public by telephone.

Expanded Access to Justice Services

• Re-opened the Merritt and Invermere circuit courts on a permanent basis as a way to ensure local access to court services. Both locations had become temporary circuit courts in 2002, prior to being closed for several months. Circuit courts reduce the costs associated with maintaining courthouses that are not fully used. They are served by visiting judges, prosecutors and court staff, but do not have permanent staff or a registry function.
• Introduced new legislation (Local Government Bylaw Notice Enforcement Act) to support a more timely, fair and effective system of resolving municipal bylaw disputes. When implemented, the system will create greater access to justice by giving local governments authority to resolve such disputes.
• Expanded comprehensive child support services to two additional court registries (Surrey and Vancouver). The services help parents vary child support orders and agreements.
• Made supervised access services available at five new sites (Vancouver, Nanaimo, Abbotsford, Surrey and Port Coquitlam). Supervised access and access exchange services facilitate safe contact between children and their parents where there has been a lengthy absence of contact or where there is a concern about a parent's violence, alcohol or drug abuse, lack of mental well-being, or lack of parenting skills.
• Opened a Small Claims Mediation Registry in Victoria to help disputing parties reach out-of-court solutions.
• In collaboration with the Legal Services Society, expanded lawyer advice services to two additional sites (Surrey and Vancouver). This service offers up to three hours of summary legal advice on custody, access and support issues.
• Opened a Victoria regional office of the Public Guardian and Trustee of British Columbia to serve the needs of adult clients on Vancouver Island.
• Increased the use of child protection mediation services by 24 per cent above the usage level for 2002/03.

Enhanced Efficiency

• With the Provincial Court judiciary, launched the Vancouver Backlog Reduction Initiative to reduce court delays at the Vancouver Provincial Court at 222 Main Street. This initiative seeks ways to increase courtroom efficiencies through optimum utilization, adherence to criminal caseflow management rules, and pre-trial case management for long trials.
• Implemented a new traffic fine payment system that offers discounts for paying fines within 30 days. The new fine payment structure is designed to encourage timely payments, make court procedures more efficient, reduce costs and still protect fair process. Revenues are expected to increase by over $2 million annually.
• Streamlined the process for disputing traffic tickets. People will now be allowed to dispute their fine amounts, request time extensions, and pay without appearing in court. As a result, police and other enforcement officers will be able to spend less time in court and more time in their communities protecting the public. The changes are expected to help reduce court backlogs and save $1.9 million annually.
• Implemented full-cost recovery for providing legal services to government. This model will strengthen accountability for the use of legal services by ministries, and accurately reflect the cost of legal services within client ministries.
• Developed a provincial automated system for tracking and managing civil court cases. When implemented in 2004/05, it will be the first electronic case management system used in civil court.
• Led federal and provincial efforts to develop policy and standards for electronic service delivery in civil courts.
• Created a dedicated strategic human resources planning team that works to align human resources activities within the ministry to specific business objectives. The team provides a number of value-added services to ministry executives such as leadership development, change management, business planning and occupational safety and health support. The team also participates in numerous government-wide projects such as the Employee Performance and Development Plan initiative and the development of the new Corporate Human Resource Plan.
• In order to improve internal operating efficiencies, reviewed 117 Crown counsel policies, of which 38 were deleted and 29 were simplified.