The president of Quebec, Catherine Claveau, is concerned about the repercussions of the showdown between the Legault government and the management of the Court of Quebec on the confidence of the population in the justice system. She even offered Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette and Chief Justice Lucie Rondeau to turn to “conciliation” in order to find common ground.
“Unfortunately, for the past few weeks, the dispute between the Minister of Justice and the Chief Justice of the Court of Quebec regarding the reorganization of the working environment of the judges of the Criminal Division has diverted attention from the real reasons that contribute to the justice crisis, in addition to shaking the public’s confidence in Quebec’s judicial institutions,” laments Ms.e Claveau in a written exchange with The duty.
“We sincerely hope that the parties involved in the file can find a way of doing things that promotes their conciliation, and this, in order to provide citizens with the legal services they need and to which they are entitled,” she adds.
The chairman goes so far as to offer ” [son] full cooperation to support “the Government of Quebec and the management of the Court of Quebec” in a possible conciliation process, and this, in the manner they deem appropriate”. In his eyes, “it is about the protection of the Quebec public”.
If nothing is done, the delays for criminal cases before the Court of Quebec will lengthen considerably. The Chief Justice asked the government to appoint 41 additional judges, which the Minister of Justice, Simon Jolin-Barrette, rejected.
The duty asked M.e Claveau what she thought of the comments made 10 days ago by Prime Minister François Legault, indicating that he had “spoken” to “judges” about the decision – “not acceptable”, “bad”, according to him – of the Chief Judge of the Court of Québec, Lucie Rondeau, to allow the 160 magistrates of the Criminal Division to sit every other day rather than two days out of three. The “pressure” of judges “a little embarrassed by the situation”, who say to each other: “Come on, it doesn’t make sense what we’re doing now”, could force the chief judge to beat retired, he said in an interview broadcast on LCN on November 28.
The dispute […] has diverted attention from the real reasons contributing to the justice crisis
Recalling the “principle […] of the separation of executive, legislative and judicial powers” which constitutes “the bedrock of our democracy”, the Barreau du Québec “expects each of the branches of government to demonstrate neutrality and cooperation in order to allow each they exercise [ses] functions in complete independence”, affirms, in writing, Me Claveau, saying to oblige himself to a “duty of reserve” since the file is judicialized. Indeed, the Attorney General of Quebec, Simon Jolin-Barrette, asked the Superior Court of Quebec, then the Quebec Court of Appeal, to determine whether Chief Justice Rondeau “can […] decide unilaterally […] to reduce the number of days on which the judges assigned to the Criminal and Penal Division sit.
By adopting such a “posture of neutrality”, the Barreau du Québec also seeks “not to complicate the current impasse”, mentions Ms.e Claveau.