Crown prosecutors in Alberta have approved a deal with the Alberta government after five months of negotiations.
The Alberta Crown Attorneys Association, the justice and finance ministries, and the new agreement were all approved last Friday.
In a release issued on Thursday morning, the justice minister Tyler Shandro stated that “this agreement is a critical step forward for the stability of Alberta’s justice system.”
This happened after Crown prosecutors threatened to quit their jobs a month earlier, leading the Alberta government to agree to negotiations in May.
For years, the Alberta Crown Attorneys’ Association has sounded the alarm about a crisis in the state’s judicial system. More than 1,000 court cases involving serious crimes were at risk of falling through the cracks last year because there were simply not enough Crown prosecutors.
Additionally overburdened are crown prosecutors.
In April, the group told Global News that crown prosecutors frequently manage 30 to 40 trials a week while putting in 70 or 80 hours a week.
Our membership’s top goals are adequate mental health assistance, appropriate workloads, and competitive pay. Each of these priorities has been addressed in this agreement,” said Dallas Sopko, the association’s president.
Through March 31st, 2024, the new agreement will be in effect.
770 CHQR requested additional response from the Ministry of Justice and the Alberta Crown Attorneys’ Association.
Alberta Crown prosecutors and the government come to an understanding
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