Engaged since last year in a standoff over the schedules of judges, the Court of Quebec and the Minister of Justice, Simon Jolin-Barrette, rely on a facilitator. Judge Jacques Chamberland will have the task of finding points of conciliation between the two parties in the coming months.
Since September 2022, the magistrates of the Court of Québec who hear criminal cases only sit every other day. The rest of their working hours are used to analyze files and write decisions. The Chief Justice of the Court of Quebec, Lucie Rondeau, says that this reorganization is necessary to ensure “quality justice”, not just “speed”.
But the CAQ Minister and Attorney General of Quebec Simon Jolin-Barrette disapproves. Last year, he turned to the courts to request the suspension of this directive, which risks considerably reducing the number of cases heard each week. Appointing about 40 judges to fill the void – which Judge Rondeau is asking for – is impossible in such a short time, he says.
To resolve this impasse, the government and the Court have agreed in recent days to appoint a “facilitator”, indicates a press release released on Friday. Formerly deputy minister and magistrate at the Court of Appeal of Quebec, Jacques Chamberland will have to “accompany [les deux parties] in the search for common solutions following the reorganization of the work of judges sitting in criminal and penal matters”.
“The discussions began in January 2023. The exchanges held within the framework of this exercise are confidential”, is it written in the short dispatch.
In December, the Bâtonniere of Quebec, Catherine Claveau, had entrusted to the To have to his desire to see the minister and the chief justice come to an agreement. She had then mentioned a process of “conciliation” and offered her full cooperation. “Unfortunately, for several weeks now, the dispute between the Minister of Justice and the Chief Justice of the Court of Quebec […] has diverted attention from the real reasons contributing to the justice crisis, in addition to shaking public confidence in Quebec judicial institutions,” she said in an email exchange.
While repeating that the Court’s directives were “completely unacceptable [s] Minister Jolin-Barrette said he was “open to all solutions”. “The important thing for me is to resolve the situation, to reduce delays as much as possible and, above all, that the decision of the Court of Quebec does not lead to a stay of proceedings,” he told the press. parliamentary.