LAYOFFS TO CAUSE COURT DELAYS

An Internal Memo Says Work Will Be Delayed Or Deferred Because Of
Staff Shortages

The recent layoff of more than 40 deputy sheriffs and court clerks in
B.C. will result in more delays in the province's courts, according
to an internal memo from a senior government official.

"To respond to the workload pressures from this staff reduction,
[management] will be directing what work will be delayed or
deferred," reads the June 19 memo from Helen Pedneault, assistant
deputy minister in the attorney-general's ministry. "It is recognized
by both the Ministry, the Judiciary and Government that there will be
impacts as a result of this staff reduction."

The memo states the layoffs were required because revenues from the
government's on-line court search service -- Court Services Online --
have not been as high as predicted.

A copy of the memo, which was sent to all court staff, was provided
to The Vancouver Sun by the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union.

According to the union, more than 40 temporary court services staff
- -- including 16 deputy sheriffs -- were given layoff notices two
weeks ago. Those layoffs went into effect this past weekend.

"Even before these layoffs, staffing levels for deputy sheriffs were
taxed to the limit," said BCGEU spokesman Stephen Howard.

For example, said Howard, Port Coquitlam Provincial Court Judge David
Stone closed his courtroom for the afternoon of June 27 because there
was no sheriff available to staff it.

A call to Stone's office Tuesday was referred to the office of the
chief judge, which refused to comment.

However, Jay Solomon, a defence lawyer who was in Stone's court the
morning of June 27, confirmed the incident took place.

"He told us halfway through the morning that his courtroom wouldn't
be available in the afternoon because of the lack of a sheriff," said Solomon.

However, Solomon added the lack of a sheriff had no direct impact on
his two clients -- both accused of growing marijuana -- because he
planned to request an adjournment anyway.

Howard said the BCGEU is worried the layoff of deputy sheriffs will
make courtrooms more dangerous.

"We're concerned that having fewer deputy sheriffs on the job will
have an impact on the safety of those taking part in the proceedings
- -- judges, lawyers and the public," he said.

On Tuesday, The Sun quoted Solicitor-General John Les as saying that
increased overcrowding in B.C. jails is partly the result of
increasing delays in the court system.

Howard said the reduction in court staff will only make those delays worse.

"It is going to result in delays for the judiciary . . . in terms of
being able to do the day-to-day business that underpins the justice
system," he said. "It could be a combination of factors -- waiting
longer to obtain or file relevant documents, waiting longer for court
dates to be scheduled."

Attorney-General Wally Oppal, who is responsible for court services,
was unavailable for comment Tuesday and his ministry said no one else
in the ministry could comment on the layoffs.