SUNDRE - The Kenney government is addressing the shortage of crown prosecutors in the province in a number of ways, including with new spending, says area MLA Jason Nixon.
The MLA for Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre and the provincial minister of Environment and Parks, Nixon says the government is trying hard to address the current shortage.
“Our government is spending $10 million to hire 50 new prosecutors and support staff,” Nixon told The Albertan.
As well as new spending, the province is also focusing on bringing new prosecutors to rural areas, he said.
“This strategy includes hiring more articling students in rural areas to help with recruitment to better serve rural Albertans," he said.
Of the 378 prosecutor jobs in the province, 47 were unfilled at the end of September. There are provincial courts in Didsbury and Red Deer.
The Alberta Crown Attorneys’ Association says more than 1,000 provincial court cases involving serious criminal activity are in jeopardy of being stayed because of a shortage of prosecutors.
“Despite the fact that there is a viable case, we're having to tell victims that we just don't have the time and resources to proceed with their cases,” said association president Dallas Sopko. “We’re getting to a point now where it’s a crisis.”
The official Opposition justice critic Irfan Sabir said Justice Minister Kaycee Madu and government budget cuts are directly responsible for the lack of prosecutors.
“This is the responsibility of the UCP and Minister Madu,” Sabir told The Albertan. “The UCP has consistently slashed the justice budget. The UCP has cut the Crown prosecution service by more than $4 million or four per cent.
“These UCP cuts are causing real harm and reducing Albertans’ access to justice.”
