Boundary-Similkameen MLA Linda Larson, on behalf of Suzanne Anton, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, announced three new deputy sheriffs will be assigned to the Sheriff’s Office located at the Okanagan Correction Centre, and will assist in nearby courthouses until that time.

Government is adding 14 new deputy sheriffs, who start work next week in communities across the Lower Mainland. Once deployed, they will provide safety and security for the courthouses and those who use them, including judges, court workers, legal professionals and the public.

Attorney General and Minister of Justice Suzanne Anton has issued the following statement:

Nominations for the honorary designation of Queen’s Counsel (Q.C.) open Aug. 15 and will be accepted until Friday, Sept. 23, 2016. The title is bestowed annually by the Lieutenant Governor on the endorsement of Attorney General and Minister of Justice Suzanne Anton Q.C.

Attorney General and Minister of Justice Suzanne Anton has issued the following statement regarding Canada’s National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls:

The British Columbia government is appointing two new provincial court judges to ensure the judiciary has the resources it needs to continue to provide access to justice.

Effective Aug. 1, 2016, the B.C. government is reinstating hearing fees for civil cases before the B.C. Supreme Court. The Supreme Court Civil Rules have been amended to provide justices of the Supreme Court with the discretion to exempt parties from paying the fees, if the fees would cause an undue hardship.

Leaders from B.C.’s justice and public safety sector, along with experts in the areas of mental health and addictions, joined for a two-day summit to discuss the challenges faced by those with mental health and/or substance use issues when they interact with the criminal justice system.