Highlights of the Year
In 2005/06 the Ministry of Attorney General continued its commitment to deliver an effective justice system that protects the rights and freedoms of all British Columbians. The following achievements illustrate the Ministry's response to issues of public safety, increased access to justice, affordable and convenient justice processes, essential reforms to keep the law and the justice system aligned with society's needs, and enhanced settlement services for immigrants.
- Worked with police to create an organized crime prosecution team that specializes in prosecuting alleged criminal organizations.
- Continued to provide assistance to international prosecution teams: Working with the RCMP, Ministry prosecutors trained Guatemalan prosecutors in crime scene investigation techniques. The Ministry also assisted with criminal law and human rights reforms in China by training Chinese prosecutors in fair investigation methods.
- Increased access to justice through the following reforms:
- Increased the jurisdiction of the Small Claims Court from $10,000 to $25,000, giving more people access to faster and more economical processes for that court.
- Launched a pilot program to streamline procedures in Supreme Court for claims under $100,000.
- With community partners, established the Supreme Court Self-Help Centre where people with legal problems can come for information and support in filling out legal forms and referrals. This project increases access to justice for unrepresented litigants in Supreme Court civil and family matters.
- Made court documents available electronically over the Internet through the Court Services Online program.
- Participated in the B.C. Justice Review Task Force — which includes representatives from the judiciary, the legal profession, the Law Society of B.C., the B.C. branch of the Canadian Bar Association and the Provincial Court of B.C. — and on the following Task Force working groups:
- Civil Justice Reform Working Group: Examined accessibility, fairness, proportionality, efficiency and public confidence among other aspects of civil law.
- Family Justice Reform Working Group: Recommended ways to improve and reform the delivery of family law in B.C.
- Street Crime Working Group: Recommended a Community Court approach to deal with chronic offenders and street crime. A pilot is in progress.
- Increased legal aid funding to the Legal Services Society by $4.6 million, enabling the Society to expand representation for individuals with low incomes and for the most serious family cases in both Provincial and Supreme Court.
- Introduced significant law reform:
- Securities Amendment Act: Improves investor protection by increasing penalties for wrongdoing and brings forward some of the innovative investor protection remedies contained in the unproclaimed 2004 Securities Act, such as expanded liability for insider trading and enhanced disgorgement provisions.
- Settlement of International Investments Disputes Act: Supports federal government participation in the World Bank's Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes. This convention provides a trustworthy means of resolving investment disputes that cross borders between States and Nationals of other States.
- Apology Act: Permits a party to apologize without fear of incurring legal liability. The Act removes concerns that an apology amounts to an admission of liability or could void provisions of an insurance policy.
- Awarded funding of $1.6 million for immigrant support services, including ESL and the Youth Buddy programs that match immigrant youths with young Canadian mentors who introduce the newcomers to life in B.C.
- Awarded funding of $275,000 to 12 agencies throughout the province in support of anti racism and multicultural programs.
- Hosted a Hate Crimes Training Day in collaboration with partners and brought together representatives from the community, justice sector and government to share strategies on combating hate crimes in B.C.
- Appointed a new Electoral Boundaries Commission to provide B.C. voters with information about electoral district boundaries to assist them in the next referendum on electoral reform that will be held in conjunction with the May 2009 provincial election.
- Consulted the public on daylight saving time, which is set out under the Interpretation Act. More than 90 per cent of the over 4000 responses were in favour of extending daylight saving time in order to harmonize with the United States, Alberta and other Canadian jurisdictions. Beginning in 2007, daylight saving time will start on the second Sunday in March and end on the first Sunday in November.
