Quebec must move towards a much greater digitization of justice and towards a system where citizens can easily consult their own judicial file online, reiterated Thursday the Minister of Justice Simon Jolin-Barrette after a meeting in Montreal with his counterpart. French. He also discussed with him various initiatives, Quebec and French, aimed at helping victims of crime.
He was in these thoughts a few hours after a working meeting Minister Éric Dupond-Moretti.
The latter had been invited to Quebec by Mr. Jolin-Barrette, in order to draw inspiration from best practices on both sides of the ocean, and to share what works well.
The French minister showed interest in the specialized courts for victims of sexual violence and domestic violence, which were recently set up in Quebec, indicated the Quebec minister in an interview with The duty.
A French deputy has just tabled, last month, a bill to the creation of a specialized court “in matters of sexist and sexual violence”.
Minister Jolin-Barrette said he was interested in various measures existing in France to make the courts more efficient, and others aimed at protecting victims.
The “serious danger telephone” was discussed: it is a protection device for people threatened by their former spouse or companion. The phone is equipped with a key that immediately alerts a help desk. Its attribution is decided by a public prosecutor of the French Republic.
Mr. Jolin-Barrette also inquired about a way of doing things where a victim can claim damages within the criminal proceedings brought against an accused. This method, which simplifies the lives of victims, he says, “is under study. »
In terms of the digitization of clerks and courts, France has a long lead over Quebec.
Many steps can be taken online by the citizen, in particular requests in family law or in the field of measures for the protection of adults. French litigants can also consult, on the web, their criminal file and check at what stage it has reached.
In Quebec, none of that. The computers made available to the public in courthouses to consult their records online for free date from another era and are difficult to use.
The major digitization of justice project has begun in Quebec, but few measures have been implemented so far.
However, the Minister indicates that digital steps will soon be taken with regard to non-contentious matters. It takes time, he says, to get it right, because “it’s a big revolution. And then, the Liberals did not move the file forward during their years in power, he criticizes.
He assures that the CAQ government is making great efforts to bring the judicial system into the digital age.
Since this rhymes with efficiency and above all with accessibility for the citizen, he maintains that this is “his” priority.