friday
Weddings, Maternity, Newborn, Families and everything in between.
< Books made with wallpaper
october 26, 2012
Confederate printers had to improvise | Page 6
Boxers off to Alberta >
Eagles Boxing Club to represent Cranbrook | Page 8
427-9833
studio by appointment
JODI L’HEUREUX PHOTOGRAPHY
1
$ 10 inCLUDES H.S.T.
www.dailytownsman.com
Proudly serving Cranbrook and area since 1951
Vol. 60, Issue 207
Cranbrook courts in critical condition
Amount of cases older than a year are 10 per cent higher than provincial average Annalee Gr ant Townsman Staff
The B.C. government has announced sweeping changes to the province’s justice system this week, but Cranbrook’s law courts are unlikely to see delays lessen anytime soon. Samiran Lakshman, president of the B.C. Crown Counsel Association that represents the province’s prosecutors, said Cranbrook is in a
unique situation compared to courts elsewhere. There are only two provincial court judges in Cranbrook – Judge Ron Webb and Judge Grant Sheard – and a limited number of Crown counsel, and both are responsible for travelling around the region to satellite courts. “The Crown in Cranbrook works extremely hard to meet those requirements,” Lakshman said.
Cuts to Legal Aid in B.C. have further complicated the issue in Cranbrook, where less funding is available and more resources are needed. Lakshman said funding has been slashed by a third in the past few years. “It’s that doubling up of resources that really exacerbates the cuts to Legal Aid,” Lakshman said. All of these factors create more delay. In Cranbrook 26 per cent of cases are at least one year old, which is 10 per cent above the B.C. average. “That situation of delay is something that’s getting worse and
worse,” Lakshman said. “There’s an inherent, systemic delay.” In 2010/11 the Cranbrook Law Courts saw 1,193 cases concluded. The average length of a criminal case in Cranbrook is one to 60 days, representing 45 per cent of all cases. In those years there were 6,560 appearances in court before the two judges. The Provincial Court had 1,559 new cases, while Supreme Court had 576. Lakshman points to a recent sitting in Golden, B.C., when the Crown and judge travelled all the way there from Cranbrook, only to
cancel all criminal court matters in order to hear family court. The challenge is that in family matters one member is often unrepresented, which can lead to further delays. “It’s so extremely difficult for that to happen in an efficient – let alone just – manner when that person doesn’t have a lawyer,” Lakshman said. That means other matters are put off and the judges are forced to pick and choose what gets heard and what is delayed.
See JUDGES, Page 4
Local politicians plead for bigger piece of tax pie Kootenay municipalities are not happy with the formula between federal, provincial and local governments on tax dollars Sally MacDonald Townsman Staff
Local government is struggling to pay the bills without more help from the province and Ottawa. A meeting of Kootenay politicians last Friday in Cranbrook brought out a resolution pleading with the provincial and federal governments to change the funding formula for municipalities and regional districts. “We need a different
partnership,” said Cranbrook Mayor Wayne Stetski. Of each tax dollar that a B.C. resident pays, 50 cents goes to the federal government, 42 cents goes to the provincial government, and eight cents goes to the municipal government. But municipalities are expected to maintain certain services with those taxes.
See GRANT, Page 3
Annalee Grant photo
SIDE BY SIDE: Cranbrook RCMP officers laced up their police-issue black boots in red shoelaces with members of the local BC Special Olympics Team on October 25 to celebrate Be a Fan Day at Rotary Park. The detachment was one of 20 across the province that switched out their laces for the cause. See more on Page 3.
Stay flexible. term deposits
TFSAs
profit sharing
RRSPs
Being flexible keeps you open to opportunity. Our Kootenay Saver term deposit is fully redeemable or transferable without penalty after 90 days. For great rates and flexibility, trust Kootenay Savings.
better. together.
kscu.com