Ontario looking to fast-track judicial appointments, add more judges to courts
Ontario is set to introduce legislation this week that would speed up judicial appointments, add more judges to the Ontario Court of Justice and create new prosecution teams, the government announced Monday.
The changes include a new pool-based recommendation process for judicial positions that would seek to streamline appointments and require a committee to consider criteria set by the attorney general, the Progressive Conservative government said.
Attorney General Doug Downey said the province will also allocate 17 more judges to the lower courts to keep up with a growing number of complex cases and backlog of criminal cases.
"These changes will support our goal of providing swift access to justice for victims of crime and help them avoid the grief and anxiety that come with delays," Downey said at a news conference Monday morning, adding that the province would also introduce a new cybercrime and cryptocurrency prosecution team.
Last year, Premier Doug Ford faced criticism for his government's appointment of two former staffers to its judicial appointments committee, and he defended the move by saying the Progressive Conservatives were elected to appoint "like-minded people" as judges.
Ford suggested at the time that judges and justices of the peace are too lenient on criminals and are letting people out on bail too frequently, so he wanted tougher judges to be appointed.
"Every single appointment I can to find tough judges, tough [justices of the peace] to keep guys in jail ... I'm going to do it," Ford said in February 2024. "So, that's part of democracy. You voted a party in."
Legislation part of 'tough on crime' approach: Downey
The appointment committee — made up of three judges, three lawyers and seven members of the public — reviews applications and conducts interviews for prospective Ontario court judges, then sends a ranked list of its recommendations to the attorney general, who appoints someone from that list.
Downey said the new legislation is part of the government's goal to get "tough on crime" and keep violent, repeat offenders behind bars.
Monday's announcement came as Canadians head to the polls to elect a new federal government. Downey claimed "revolving door bail policies" from Ottawa have led to violent crimes in the province.
"With the federal election today, we hope whoever wins heeds our calls for tough-on-crime action that puts an end to these policies," Downey said.
He added the province is "laser-focused" on getting justice for victims and their families.
"If you commit a crime in Ontario, we will do everything in our power to find you, prosecute you and put you behind bars," said Downey.
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The Province
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The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Lorene Oikawa first wrote to the school district in 2021, calling for Senator Reid Elementary to be renamed. 'Our schools must not honour racist individuals,' Oikawa wrote. After four years and no changes, Oikawa decided to renew her demand in the last week. 'I don't think it's appropriate in 2025 to say, 'Oh it's in the past. Most people don't know about it,' ' she told Postmedia. 'No, we shouldn't ignore it. This was a horrible injustice.' 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