6 GOUNCIL

OCT 25 1976

The Honovrable Garde Gardom
Attorney-General

Province of British Columbia
Parliament Buildings
Victoria, B.C.

Dear Sir:

A member of the Council brought to our attention an article in the
paper re the experience of a witness in our Justice System. I'm enclosing
it for your perusal. I have checked it out and it is correct.

Out whole democratic system depends cn respect for the law. At the
present time, this is at an all time low, citizens are completely baffled
by Court proceedings and Court decisions. What is frightening is their
acceptance that nothing can be done about it and are just sitting around
watching it go down the drain.

But you, as Attorney-General, have the power and it is your duty to
‘cHange the system so that it can be understood and accepted. The police
and those working in the Justice system are totally dissatisfied with
the present situation. Therefore it must be wrong.

It is easy to criticize and we are strong believers in constructive
criticism, so we would offer the following suggestions:

1. Witnesses get $6.00 per day, yet the Provincial Governnent pays
$150.00 per day to those people appointed to Boards. We submit that the
witness is important to our system and should receive a daily stipend of
$50.00. We fully understand that there is a cost to justice and we have
even recognized this to the extent of compensating victims of crimes
(and quite rightly so) but we still do not properly recompense the
person on whom the whole system depends — the witness.

2. The Clerk of the Court should have cash available to pay the per
‘diem and all transportation. There is no necessity in making the witness
wait for his money. The witness should be accorded courtesy and respect
and everything should be done to ensure that his personal comfort is
taken care of. If he has to stay over Lunch, arrangements must be made
to see that he is taken to an appropriate eating establishment.

3. Justice should be handled in a more business—like way.

It is too easy to say that this Department is separate and distinct
with its own unique problems. But this is not so, anymore than any
other organization ~- be it public or private. For instance, in our
area, the Inspector suggests that 56% of overtime paid to the police was
unnecessary and was caused by the inefficient manner of calling in the

mecthawe (TREN + aemate oobi