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NLIS 4 April 28, 2004 (Justice) Video conferencing now
available at Provincial Court of Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court of Newfoundland and Labrador, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Smart Labrador are extremely pleased to announce a one-year pilot project that is a joint, collaborative effort between their respective agencies. The Criminal Code of Canada enables the use of both audio and video conferencing during criminal matters. Provincial law makes the same provision for family, civil and quasi-criminal matters. Video conferencing enables simultaneous visual and oral communications between the court in Happy Valley-Goose Bay and remote locations. The use of video conferencing has several advantages, including improved security, improved accessibility, and reduced costs. Video conferencing will increase safety in courthouses and during escorts. By reducing or avoiding prisoner movements, crowdings and tensions can be reduced in escort vehicles, including air transport from the coast, and holding cells. Video conferencing will provide improved cost-effectiveness of services as it will help reduce or avoid the cost of prisoner movements. Witness appearances can occur at reduced cost and with greater certainty, particularly for coastal Labrador communities as adverse weather conditions significantly impact scheduled circuits. Police officers who have been transferred out of their northern postings will no longer have to make the trip back but will be heard via video conference at much less expense and time away from their new posting location. Video conferencing will improve access to justice while at the same time the costs of proceedings can be reduced through avoidance of travel by witnesses, parties, co-counsel or judges. The ability to conduct scheduled links by video conference can eliminate or reduce obstacles to case completion and provide better access for protected and/or vulnerable witnesses. The parties to this new initiative have high hopes for its use and success and are available to discuss this initiative. Media contact: Pamela Ryder Lahey
Inspector Dave Dort Sheila Downer 2004 04 28 4:35 p.m. |
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