A report on British Columbia's second Justice Summit held Nov. 8 - 9, 2013, is now public and may be found here: http://www.justicebc.ca/shared/pdfs/SecondSummitReport.pdf

The Justice Summit brought together more than 70 criminal justice leaders for a collaborative discussion about the province's criminal justice system. Over the course of two days, participants focused on how to create a justice system that better reflects and serves the values they identified: public confidence, protection of people, sustainability and fairness.

The Summit report will inform the province's first justice and public safety strategic plan and will be presented to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice Suzanne Anton, and the Chief Justices and Chief Judge of the three courts.

Justice Summits will be held regularly in British Columbia following recommendations made in an independent report, A Criminal Justice System for the 21st Century by Geoffrey Cowper, Q.C. The report recommended that government hold a regular Justice Summit including the three levels of British Columbia courts and justice system leaders to facilitate collaboration among all justice participants to discuss changes in directions or new justice reform initiatives.

The Province committed to this in the White Paper on Justice Reform - Part 1: Towards a Modern, Transparent Justice System, including annual Justice Summits as an element of the Justice Reform and Transparency Act (JRTA) legislation passed in the spring. The inaugural Justice Summit was held March 15, 2013.

Learn more:

Justice and Public Safety Council: www.justicebc.ca/en/rm/

Justice Reform and Transparency Act: www.ag.gov.bc.ca/legislation/justice-reform-transp-act/index.htm

Court of Appeal for British Columbia: http://www.courts.gov.bc.ca/Court_of_Appeal/

Supreme Court of British Columbia: http://www.courts.gov.bc.ca/supreme_court/

Provincial Court of British Columbia: http://www.provincialcourt.bc.ca/

Media Contacts:

Richelle Funk
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Justice
250 387-6708

Court of Appeal for British Columbia and Supreme Court of British Columbia
Timothy Outerbridge, Legal Counsel
604 660-0352

Provincial Court of British Columbia
Gene Jamieson, Q.C., Legal Officer
604 660-2864