(Quebec) Simon Jolin-Barrette has difficulty digesting the resounding exit from the president of Quebec who warns the government that a “very serious” crisis is affecting the judicial services in youth protection. The Bar does not have a “monopoly” on solutions, replies the minister.
The Minister of Justice returned the ball on Wednesday to the president of Quebec, who launched a cry from the heart on Tuesday, affirming that the justice system in matters of youth protection is practically on the “edge of the precipice”. Me Catherine Claveau requested a meeting with Ministers Jolin-Barrette, Lionel Carmant (Social Services) and Ian Lafrenière (Relations with First Nations and Inuit), without success.
“It’s not just the Quebec Bar that has the monopoly on finding solutions,” retorted Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette in the press scrum before the question period. He assured “not to wait until after the Bar” to act.
“Moreover, I would very much like the Bar, in its public positions, to take a constructive approach and say what solutions they have to propose, because after reading the article, listening to numerous interviews, I have not heard any solution, except to say: it takes more funding. It’s not just a question of funding, it’s a question of working method, how the court is organized,” he added.
However, the President called for a quick meeting with the three ministers to think about “concrete and urgent” solutions. According to her, justice takes a place that is “too small” in the priorities of the Legault government. “We would like the Bar to make people feel more involved and challenged because there is a very serious situation happening,” she lamented.
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Me Catherine Claveau
Me Claveau highlighted that the number of youth protection cases has “exploded” in the last year, while resources are decreasing, worries the President. Result: justice is no longer able to respect the legal deadlines of the Youth Protection Act.
The Minister of Justice admits that there are currently “issues relating to the time limits attached to the “60 days” – when a child is entrusted to the DPJ, the provisional order cannot exceed 60 days.
“There is an overjudicialization of cases. This is why we launched a pilot project in family mediation which must be used more, precisely so that parents with children […] where the DPJ is involved, that we find solutions together so as not to necessarily ensure that all cases are brought to justice,” explained Minister Jolin-Barrette.
He recalled the addition of eight judge positions in the Youth Chamber (four of which have been filled).
The minister also wanted to be reassuring: “All cases where there are children in vulnerable situations, where there is physical abuse, where the integrity of children is in question, these are cases which are fixed as a priority,” he said.
“We are escaping children”, according to the liberals
The Liberal Party of Quebec denounced the lack of action by the Legault government in matters of youth protection, despite the tabling in 2020 of the report of the Special Commission on the Rights of Children and Youth Protection, known as the Laurent Commission. . “In Quebec, we have no guarantee that we are not escaping children,” said interim leader Marc Tanguay.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, LA PRESS
Marc Tanguay
“The Laurent report was entitled, two and a half years ago, Creating a caring society for our children and young people. It’s very valuable, but the Legault government [est aux] subscribers absent. We have the impression that they are abandoning our young people, abandoning youth. Court delays mean that the fundamental rights of our little ones are theoretical in many cases. We cannot accept that,” he continued.
The Liberal spokesperson for youth protection, Brigitte Garceau, urged the ministers concerned by the President’s letter to take “their agenda and circle a date” on the calendar to meet her without delay.
With Louis-Samuel Perron