Justice minister outlines department�s accomplishments

Justice Minister and Attorney General Kelvin Parsons reflects on his department�s accomplishments for the year 2002.

Early in the year, the minister announced a new child support service that provides a recalculation model for parties who have child support orders. "This recalculation will provide an automatic, inexpensive and less adversarial manner for parents to have their child support orders updated," he said.

Keeping with government�s commitment to the social well being of children and families, Minister Parsons recently announced the Interjurisdictional Support Orders legislation . This act will streamline procedures by reducing the court hearings required to obtain or change a support order where one party is outside of Newfoundland and Labrador.

In July, the liquidator of the Christian Brothers of Ireland in Canada with the assistance of government, settled a six-year legal battle over the ownership of two Vancouver schools for $19 million. Government relinquished its $11.25 million claim, enabling the liquidator to distribute the maximum amount from the settlement to victims of Mount Cashel.

The minister highlighted points from the past year, including the proclamation of the Class

Actions Act, new court recording equipment, improvements to court facilities in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, funding for important public programs such as the Victim Services Program, the implementation of the Remote Electronic Access Project at the Sheriff�s Office, and new initiatives to collect from outstanding debtors.

"The Department of Justice is maintaining its commitment to innovative solutions to justice issues, always looking for ways of doing this better," said the minister. "I am looking forward to new initiatives for 2003. It certainly will be another year of moving forward in the best interests of residents of Newfoundland and Labrador."

Media contact: Edwina Bateman, Communications (709) 729-6985

2002 12 30                                        9:30 a.m.